The Husband I Snatched Is Not Right!-Chapter 272 - 269: I’m Young, I Really Can’t Do It
With that sarcastic remark falling.
Xiang Si, who had always had the image of a good husband outside, looked extremely displeased.
He never felt he was wrong.
"These words are a bit too harsh. What happens between me and my wife is nobody else’s business."
"What’s this about jail? Stop trying to scare people here."
If the Government Office were to arrest people, the jail cells would probably be filled.
These things had long become the norm.
Does the Government Office have the capacity to manage it all?
The hunched figure of Xiang Si clearly didn’t want to stay here any longer, pulling the woman to leave.
Yet Yu Tingwan blocked the way.
Just a young girl, Xiang Si didn’t take her seriously, but beside Yu Tingwan stood Wei Zhao.
Seeing things were off, the Zhou Family’s Daughter-in-law hurried to mediate.
"Did you just move here? I haven’t seen you much before."
"You seem young, probably inexperienced, but this is really nothing."
"Without Xiang Si, this madwoman would probably have nowhere to go and might have died in the famine years. Now she’s living well, has children, has a home, isn’t that a good thing?"
"It’s better to tear down a temple than ruin a marriage. If you intervene, that’s rather unreasonable."
In this place of extreme poverty, things like this were long commonplace, had become the norm.
No one felt it was wrong.
As long as it wasn’t their daughter who got abducted, it was just idle gossip over tea and meals.
Back when Xiang Si brought her home, how many people praised his good fortune?
The person might be mentally unclear, but she’s still a woman, and a young, pretty one at that, brought home to warm the bed and still capable of bearing heirs.
And sure enough, she got pregnant within months.
Zhou Family’s Daughter-in-law thought the couple would stay in Wuyang City for the long term.
She whispered a reminder.
"Your intentions are good, but this sort of thing is not uncommon in Wuyang City. Although this family has a madwoman, many who are clear-minded might cause a fuss when first brought in, but after having kids, they are willing to live peacefully."
Yu Tingwan’s expression was calm.
Yet it felt absurd.
Have they adapted and stopped causing trouble?
Or as mothers, have they compromised for their children’s sake?
Or is it this world is especially harsh to women, with nowhere for them to belong and no path to retreat, forced to harden themselves to face reality?
"If you make a scene, you might offend many people."
The Zhou Family’s Daughter-in-law thought she was being kind.
"In the future, you might not live peacefully."
With her words, the people around seemed to awaken from a dream and started speaking up.
"Yeah. Why act foolishly at night? It’s just youthful vigor, bringing trouble upon yourself, thinking you’re doing a good deed, standing up for this madwoman."
"If the madwoman had a clear mind, she might be willing to go with Xiang Si."
They really didn’t understand why Yu Tingwan, having no personal connection, was so eager to meddle?
"Alright, it’s not such a big deal. Stop blocking the way, let them go back. We’re all from Wuyang City, after all, living just a street apart, we’ll see each other often."
Seeing everyone standing by his side, Xiang Si couldn’t help but feel smug.
"That’s right."
"There are still many sensible people."
Yu Tingwan didn’t look at him.
Her sight slowly fell on the disheveled woman.
The woman’s eyes were hollow, humming a tune quietly.
Yu Tingwan had heard it before.
Her mother used to sing it every time to soothe her.
Yu Tingwan glanced at the crowd, finally resting lightly on Zhou Family’s Daughter-in-law.
"Do you have a daughter?"
"Yes, I do."
Yu Tingwan’s tone was very light: "If one day, she were taken away by an older, scheming man. Used physically and bore two children. Wouldn’t you mind at all?"
Zhou Family’s Daughter-in-law choked: "That’s different, isn’t it?"
"How is it different?"
"My daughter is not mentally ill."
"I want to marry her into a good family."
She always says what she thinks: "Someone like Xiang Si, old and ugly, and penniless, I wouldn’t consider him for my son-in-law."
Xiang Si: ??
As soon as the words fell, the crowd burst into laughter.
Someone with a loud voice: "Exactly. Though daughters can’t compare to even half a son’s finger, they’re still our flesh and blood."
"Being older is not a problem, but being poor certainly is. In the future, I want to find a good family for my third daughter, and the bride price can help her brothers marry. A good marriage can support her brothers."
A round-faced woman chimed in.
"I’m different. I have four sons, and it was hard to have a daughter. But I love her dearly. If some scoundrel dared to target her, I’d chase the rascal off miles away with a broom."
Saying this, she glanced at Xiang Si.
Quickly, she moved her gaze away in disdain.
If the madwoman were her daughter, she’d never let Xiang Si off.
She’d cause havoc for the Xiang Family.
Yu Tingwan remained calm: "Just because this woman is a stranger to you, does the suffering she endures become negligible?"
"Mentally unclear, does it mean she deserves to be abused?"
"What benefit has Xiang Si given you to make you abet his wrongdoings?"
"If one day such a thing happens to you, and you can persuade yourself as you’re persuading me today that taking a loss is a blessing, then I would have no objections."
Yu Tingwan gently: "I would then view you highly and think you stand on a moral high ground. People appear sane, but what fills their heads is just nonsense. I’m young and truly can’t understand."
"But if you can’t do it, yet rely on age to mock my ignorance, to block and hinder me, becoming accomplices, aren’t you ridiculous?"
The crowd suddenly fell silent.
"The trafficking phenomenon is common, the Court and Government Offices are at fault, and so are you. In a world where such scum exists, if unchecked, it will only worsen."
Yu Tingwan raised her hand, pointing at the woman.
"What are you all pretending to be blind for? Anyone could become the next her."
Zhou Family’s Daughter-in-law was momentarily speechless.
She really wanted to say Yu Tingwan was wrong, but there was nothing in her words to criticize.
It even overturned years of her thinking.
Her gaze towards Xiang Si now carried a newfound disgust.
"Xiang Si, you are indeed wrong."
Xiang Si: ??
He was infuriated.
The woman, whose wrist he tightly grasped, finally finished her humming.
She remained detached from the situation, lips opening and closing.
"Home."
"Child."
"Home."
Xiang Si: "Home to what?"
He couldn’t suppress his temper.
Vent his anger on the woman.
It was all her!
It was her sudden appearance here that stirred up this trouble.
Just a woman, after all.
Women are the least valuable!
He had been supporting her for years, and even if there wasn’t merit, there was hard work.
Now he’s seen as a trafficker in others’ eyes. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎
As if he did something utterly heinous.
What did he do wrong?
It’s because he couldn’t afford the bride price that he has never been able to marry a wife.
He wasn’t young anymore.
Seeing a pretty madwoman, how could he not be tempted?
Back then, this madwoman kept asking strangers on the street if they had seen her child.
He said it was at home, took her to find it, and coaxed her into the house.
The woman had moments of clarity, each time looking at him with resentment and wanting to run.
But to Xiang Si, it’s best if she remains mad forever.
