Transmigrated Into an Ancient Filial Piety Novel as a Scumbag Alpha (GL) - Chapter 33

Chapter 33

“You still speak for them? Ji Huan, oh Ji Huan, what should we say about you? Being filial is good, but you shouldn’t be foolishly filial like this! Even now, you still cover for your father and mother.” Er Zhuzi heard Ji Huan still speaking for the Ji family, and he felt so angry that he almost exploded.

“Yes, Ji Huan, if you have any grievances, just tell everyone. We are here, and your father and mother wouldn’t dare do anything to you,” a villager said.

“Exactly, everyone will stand up for you,” another villager added.

Ji Huan quickly brewed her emotions, her eyes turned red, and she bowed to the villagers gathered around her. “Today, I really troubled everyone. Because of our family’s matters, I always make everyone worry. Ji Huan feels sorry for everyone,” she said.

“Oh, what’s that? There are still more good people in our village. We won’t just watch you being mistreated to death,” a villager replied.

“Exactly, don’t be afraid of them,” another villager encouraged.

The onlookers spoke all at once. Ji Mantun worried about Ji Yuan’s future and softened his tone. “Ji Huan, this morning was our fault. Father promises you, from now on, the family will definitely not treat you like that anymore,” he said.

But Ji Huan shed tears first. “I know you and Mother don’t like me and Yubai. We both tried our best, took on all the household chores, but Mother baselessly slandered us. This morning, we were just preparing breakfast for everyone in the kitchen. After Mother came in, she hurled insults at me and Yubai. I really don’t know what we did wrong,” she said.

Liu Fengmei heard Ji Huan mention the morning’s events, and her face turned completely sour. She opened her mouth to explain, but Ji Huan spoke first again.

“However, since ancient times, parents disciplining their children is proper. It’s just that Yubai suffers with me every day, and it tires Father and Mother, giving them a bad reputation because of this. In the end, it’s all because I’m unfilial. It’s all my fault,” Ji Huan said, covering her face with her hands and crying very sadly.

“What does this have to do with you? We all have eyes. If the Ji family tries to drive you out again, I, Er Zhuzi, will be the first to disagree,” Er Zhuzi said, hands on his hips, glaring fiercely at Ji Mantun and the others.

“Yes, Ji Huan, it’s not your fault at all. Everyone knows you’re filial. If anyone’s to blame, it’s those black-hearted Ji family members,” a villager said.

“Exactly, parents driving their own daughter to death? That’s rare. I didn’t expect to see such a thing in Dongniu Village. It’s truly shameful, disgraceful,” another villager added.

Almost all the villagers spoke in support of Ji Huan. Ji Ming’s family and Ji Sen’s family stayed quiet as chickens. Ji Yuan even pretended to be a wooden figure, letting Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei face the villagers’ anger.

Every word made Liu Fengmei’s eyes bulge. She hadn’t eaten, and at that moment, she suddenly fainted.

“Quick, someone come! Look what’s wrong with Liu Fengmei!” a villager shouted.

Everyone then turned their attention to Liu Fengmei. They saw her collapsed on the ground. Ji Mantun, Ji Ming, and a few others hurriedly supported her and shook her.

“Mother, Mother, what’s wrong with you?” they asked.

“My wife, what’s wrong with you? What a sin!” Ji Mantun quickly pretended to cry.

None of the surrounding villagers went to help. Instead, they discussed among themselves.

“Fainting at this exact moment? She’s pretending, right?” one villager said.

“I think so too. Mistreating her own daughter, she’s afraid of being drowned in everyone’s spit,” another villager remarked.

“That old thing Liu Fengmei sure knows how to act. She’s taking advantage of Ji Huan’s soft heart. With this, today’s matter will surely be brushed aside,” a villager said.

“I think so too. Ji Huan is really pitiful, but truly filial,” another villager added.

“Ji Mantun isn’t any good either. When there’s trouble, he pushes it onto Liu Fengmei and pretends to be innocent,” a villager said.

“Exactly, what’s with the act? Except for Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai, there’s not a single good person in their family,” another villager said.

“Father, what should we do? Let’s carry Mother back and find a doctor to check on her,” Ji Ming hurriedly said. Liu Fengmei usually favored his two sons and sometimes gave him some private money. He didn’t want anything to happen to her.

Ji Sen glanced at Ji Ming disdainfully and said, “Since Big Brother is so filial, why don’t you carry Mother down the mountain?”

“Me?” Ji Ming pointed at himself and quickly waved his hands. “How can I do that? My health hasn’t been good these past few days. I can’t carry Mother. Fourth Brother, you do it,” he said.

Ji Sen quickly waved his hands. “No way, no way. Look at Mother’s size. With my small frame, I’d collapse after a few steps carrying her. Third Brother reads sage books every day, so he must be more sensible than us. Let Third Brother do it,” he said.

“Yeah, yeah, Third Brother, you carry Mother,” Ji Ming said, quickly agreeing when he saw Ji Sen pointing at Ji Yuan. As long as he didn’t have to carry her, it was fine. Mother usually doted on Third Brother the most, so it was only right for him to carry her.

“No way, I’m always studying at the academy. How can I carry Mother? You guys do it,” Ji Yuan said, quickly stepping back two steps, his eyes filled with disdain as he looked at Liu Fengmei.

Ji Mantun looked at his three sons, his veins bulging with anger. He scolded, “How does your mother usually treat you? Now, just asking you to carry her down the mountain, and you all make excuses. If it were Ji Huan, she’d carry your mother down without a second thought.”

Ji Mantun’s voice carried a sob. Ji Huan, still being comforted by the villagers around her, heard his words and immediately clenched her fists. But she quietly released them and hurriedly said to Zhou Xiaochun and the others nearby, “My mother fainted. I’ll go carry her.”

“You stay right there. Don’t you see all those Qianyuan in the Ji family? Are they all dead except for you? Ji Huan, don’t be foolish. Your mother and the others don’t deserve your efforts,” Er Zhuzi said angrily, directly blocking Ji Huan’s path. The surrounding villagers also started discussing, each word piercing the Ji family like a needle.

“Ji Mantun still lectures others? He’s always been strong. Carrying Liu Fengmei down the mountain would be easy for him, yet he still orders Ji Huan around,” a villager said.

“Exactly, who gave him the nerve? He drove Ji Huan out and still wants her to carry someone. That’s disgusting,” another villager said.

“Ji Yuan turns out to be this kind of person. I was thinking of letting my daughter marry him. Now it seems we should stay far away from the Ji family. Except for Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai, every single one of them is full of bad intentions,” a villager said.

“My cousin’s son studies at Zhibo Academy with Ji Yuan. I’ll have to remind my nephew to stay away from Ji Yuan. He’s not a good person,” another villager added.

Ji Mantun was so criticized he couldn’t lift his head. His original intention in saying those words was to let Ji Huan hear them. Ji Huan, being sentimental and filial, wouldn’t ignore her mother lying on the ground, even after the morning’s unpleasantness. And indeed, Ji Huan had just said she would carry Liu Fengmei, but Er Zhuzi and the others stopped her.

Now Ji Mantun was in a dilemma. The villagers’ words cut like knives. His sons were all spoiled and delicate, so he had to carry her himself.

Reluctantly, Ji Mantun carried Liu Fengmei on his back. His sons kept their heads low. He turned to Ji Huan and said, “Ji Huan, your mother is like this. Come back home with Father.”

“Okay, I’ll go back now,” Ji Huan said, but her fists clenched tighter.

Seeing Ji Huan genuinely worried, Er Zhuzi couldn’t keep blocking her. He sighed heavily, “Ji Huan, if something happens next time, remember to find me. Don’t let people bully you every time.”

“Yes, Ji Huan, if you’re wronged, come find me directly. I’ll definitely help you. Don’t do something impulsive like this again, running to the mountains alone,” Zhou Xiaochun hurriedly said.

“I accept everyone’s kindness. Thank you all for this matter. Otherwise, Yubai and I might have frozen to death here tonight,” Ji Huan said, her eyes turning red again.

“No need to be polite. We’re all from the same village, and you’re such a good person. Of course, we can’t watch you being bullied,” a villager said.

“Exactly, it’s only because you’re filial. If it were me, I’d have demanded to split the family long ago,” another villager added.

The crowd comforted Ji Huan for a while before she managed to break free from them and found Little White Rabbit, who was alone.

Ji Huan took Jiang Yubai’s wrist and said softly, “Let’s go back home.”

Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan with hesitation, wanting to ask about the ghost but unable to speak with so many people around. She kept it to herself and obediently followed Ji Huan down the mountain.

“Damn, Jiang Yubai looks so fair and has a great figure. Ji Huan, that foolishly filial idiot, really doesn’t know how to enjoy,” Monkey said, his eyes occasionally glancing at Jiang Yubai, secretly sizing her up.

“If Ji Huan enjoyed it, she’d have been cursed to death like Zhang Tiehu by now. Stop eyeing Jiang Yubai,” Wang Dasheng said, hitting him.

“Really, she’s so pretty, but what a pity she’s a jinx,” Monkey said, looking at Jiang Yubai with regret.

Jiang Yubai seemed to feel a burning gaze on her. She instinctively moved closer to Ji Huan and looked up to see the village loafer, Monkey, staring at her.

Ji Huan noticed Little White Rabbit suddenly leaning closer and put an arm around Jiang Yubai. Following her gaze, she saw a few village loafers looking their way with sly smiles.

Ji Huan glared back coldly. Monkey felt a bit intimidated and looked away.

He tugged at Zhang Er beside him and whispered, “Did you see Ji Huan’s look just now? It was like she wanted to kill me.”

Zhang Er spat and laughed, “Are you sick? Ji Huan’s so honest, she wouldn’t even fart if you kicked her three times. She dared glare at you?”

“No, really, her look was scary. Try it if you don’t believe me,” Monkey said, pointing at Ji Huan. He looked again and saw Ji Huan had returned to her soft, timid appearance.

Zhang Er glanced at Ji Huan not far away and laughed, “Look at your courage. You’re scared of someone like Ji Huan? Pathetic.”

“Did I see it wrong?” Monkey started doubting himself.

“Hurry up, stop daydreaming,” Wang Dasheng urged beside them.

“Coming, coming,” Monkey replied quickly, still shaken by Ji Huan’s look, muttering to himself, “Did I really see it wrong? It didn’t seem like it.”

Ji Huan saw the loafers leave, and her eyes darkened slightly.

Soon, the people on the mountain went down one by one. Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai descended with Er Zhuzi and the others.

At the Ji family’s doorstep, Zhou Xiaochun still worried about Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai. She instructed again, “If anything happens, come find me directly. Don’t do anything impulsive like this again.”

“Okay, thank you all. You worried about us. My mother is still unconscious, so I’ll go check on her first,” Ji Huan said, her eyes red.

Er Zhuzi sighed, unable to persuade further. “Go on, go on,” he said.

The surrounding villagers dispersed from the Ji family’s courtyard, discussing in twos and threes.

“Ji Huan is too filial. Is her mother even worth her worry?” Er Zhuzi said, his chest heaving with anger.

“Forget it, Ji Huan is filial. Let’s not persuade her anymore. Let her be. We’ll just keep an eye on the Ji family from now on. Let’s go,” Zhou Xiaochun said with a sigh.

Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai entered the Ji family’s courtyard gate. The onlookers outside dispersed, as the excitement was over, and no one in the village wanted to help the unpopular Ji family.

As Ji Huan walked back, she heard voices from Liu Fengmei’s room. It seemed Ji Ming and the others were calling Liu Fengmei.

Ji Huan’s face returned to normal, no longer looking as pitiful as before. She glanced at Little White Rabbit beside her and said softly, “Let’s go back to our room to rest.”

“Don’t we need to check on her?” Jiang Yubai asked, then regretted it. This ghost Ji Huan had no connection to the Ji family and surely didn’t care about Liu Fengmei’s life or death.

“No need. Acting for outsiders is enough. Let them handle it themselves. Let’s go back to our room and rest well,” Ji Huan said, leading Jiang Yubai toward their room.

“Okay, I’ll listen to Sister,” Little White Rabbit replied happily. Knowing Ji Huan was a ghost, Jiang Yubai felt relieved.

Little White Rabbit, lost in thought, didn’t watch the road. Ji Huan stopped, but she didn’t notice and bumped into Ji Huan’s back.

Ji Huan turned to look at Little White Rabbit and laughed, “What are you thinking about so deeply? Watch the road.”

“Nothing,” Jiang Yubai said, her ears red as she got up from Ji Huan, her eyes curving as she looked at Ji Huan.

Seeing Little White Rabbit looking at her, Ji Huan chuckled, turned around, and asked softly, “What? Got something to say to me?”

“No,” Jiang Yubai shook her head, her ears slightly red, her gaze quickly darting to the side. Her eyes swept over the wardrobe, and she sharply noticed it seemed to have been tampered with.

Jiang Yubai’s shyness vanished. She hurriedly said, “Sister, someone’s been in our room. I took clothes out this morning, and the wardrobe wasn’t closed like this.”

Hearing this, Ji Huan scanned the room and nodded faintly. “The pillow and bedding on the bed seem to have been moved too. It’s probably the Ji family looking for those four taels of silver. But I keep them on me, so they wasted their effort,” she said.

“That’s good. I’ll tidy up,” Jiang Yubai said, walking to the wardrobe. It was a mess inside. She took out the clothes, refolded them, and put them back.

Ji Huan checked the bedding again. The Ji family wasn’t good, and she feared they might use dirty tricks.

As they busied themselves, Ji Sen’s voice rang out in the courtyard.

“Father, I brought Doctor Yu,” Ji Sen shouted, leading Doctor Yu to Liu Fengmei’s room. The courtyard quieted again.

Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun’s room was crowded. Doctor Yu looked at the Ji family, sighed, and shook his head repeatedly. He’d heard about the Ji family’s affairs. If he weren’t a doctor who saved lives, he wouldn’t bother with them.

Doctor Yu put down his medicine box, sat by the bed, and checked Liu Fengmei’s pulse. After a moment, he withdrew his hand.

Ji Mantun hurriedly asked, “Doctor, how is she?”

“Anger attacked her heart, plus she fainted from hunger since she didn’t eat breakfast. It’s not a big deal. I’ll prescribe two doses to reduce her internal heat. She’ll be fine after drinking them for two days. Also, hurry and cook some food. It’s mainly hunger,” Doctor Yu said.

“Oh, Ji Sen, go with the doctor to get the medicine. Take the money and don’t spend it recklessly,” Ji Mantun said, handing Ji Sen a few dozen wen.

“Don’t worry, Father. I’ll go get the medicine,” Ji Sen said, following Doctor Yu out.

Only Ji Yuan and Ji Ming’s family remained in the room. Ji Ming scratched his head and reminded, “Father, it’s Ji Huan and the others’ turn to cook today. The firewood hasn’t been brought back yet.”

Ji Mantun was already upset because none of his children were willing to carry Liu Fengmei earlier. Plus, Ji Huan had just been brought back, and he didn’t want more trouble. He said coldly, “Ji Huan, Ji Huan, at a time like this, you’re still thinking of making Ji Huan work? Your mother almost died just now, and you lot just made excuses, leaving me to carry her? Ji Ming, Ji Yuan, you two have the nerve. If you don’t want your mother to starve, go cook now.”

Seeing Ji Mantun angry, Ji Yuan didn’t dare provoke him. But the thought of a scholar like him doing manual labor felt degrading. He muttered, “A gentleman stays far from the kitchen.”

Ji Mantun’s anger flared. “A gentleman stays far from the kitchen? Does that mean you ignore your mother’s life? If you can’t cook, go chop firewood. Such a simple task, and I still have to repeat myself? You all disappoint me. None of you can be relied on,” he said.

Hearing this, Ji Yuan panicked. His academic talent was mediocre, and even becoming a scholar was tough. He planned to latch onto a wealthy Kunze in the county, but that required his status as an academy student. Otherwise, how could he climb the social ladder?

So Ji Yuan couldn’t afford to fall out with his family now. Though he looked down on Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei, he still needed their money. He bowed to the silver and said, “Father, it’s my fault. I’ve read so many poems and books in vain, disappointing you and Mother. I’ll ignore the sages’ words. I’ll go chop firewood first and cook afterward.”

With that, Ji Yuan left the room. This caught Ji Ming off guard. Ji Sen went to get medicine, Ji Yuan went to chop firewood, making it seem like Ji Ming was the unfilial one. He quickly said, “Father, I’ll go cook. Don’t worry, it’ll be ready soon.”

Ji Mantun looked at the empty room and sighed heavily. He thought about how today’s events were caused by Ji Huan. His face darkened further. The daughter who used to be the least trouble had become the most troublesome.

Since Ji Yuan never did heavy work, he fell while chopping firewood and got blisters on his hands. As he hacked at branches, he cursed, “Damn Ji Huan, damn Ji family, damn it, damn it. When I make it big, I’ll stay far away from you mudlegs. Get lost.”

“Yo, isn’t this our scholar? Cursing now?” Monkey whistled toward Ji Yuan.

Ji Yuan glared at Monkey in the distance, his veins popping. “None of your business,” he said.

“Tch, pretty boy’s got a temper. One face in public, another behind. Pfft, what a guy,” Monkey said, sneering, picking up a short knife to chop firewood.

Ji Yuan didn’t say more, gritted his teeth, and chopped a large bundle of firewood. He tied it up and carried it on his back, thinking that carrying such a big bundle back would make the villagers see him as filial.

But on the way down, he fell again. As he carried the firewood to the village, he met many villagers. He greeted them, but they avoided him with disdain, some pointing and whispering.

“Hey, isn’t that Ji Yuan? Doesn’t he never do anything?” a villager said.

“Oh, he’s afraid of being drowned in spit, so he’s putting on a show. Scholars love to pretend. His family’s supported his studies for years, and he hasn’t even seen a scholar’s shadow,” another villager said.

“Who says he has? Who’d bother with him?” another added.

Ji Yuan heard the villagers’ chatter, gritted his teeth, and carried the firewood back to the Ji family courtyard.

After bringing the firewood back, Ji Yuan didn’t forget to seek credit from Ji Mantun. “Father, I brought the firewood back. I’ll go cook now,” he said.

Ji Mantun saw Ji Yuan’s pants covered in dirt and frowned. “What happened?” he asked.

“It’s nothing. I just fell accidentally,” Ji Yuan said quickly.

Ji Mantun sighed heavily, thinking they still relied on Ji Yuan’s future. His earlier words were too harsh, and he feared offending Ji Yuan. He said, “Father was a bit anxious earlier, not aimed at you. You’re a scholar; it’s normal you can’t do these things. But Ji Ming and Ji Sen are just lazy. Don’t blame Father.”

Ji Yuan hurriedly said, “How could I, Father? It’s my fault. I’ll work hard for next spring’s exam and won’t let you and Mother down again.”

“Good, good boy,” Ji Mantun said.

While Ji Mantun and Ji Yuan shared a father-son moment in the room, Ji Ming and Li Yulan had mixed coarse grain flour, preparing to steam buns later.

Li Yulan glanced outside and whispered to Ji Ming, “Hey, Ji Yuan, who never lifts a finger, actually went to chop firewood this time?”

“You didn’t see Father’s face earlier. It was scary. He scolded us all. Now Ji Huan’s got it easy. It was supposed to be her and Jiang Yubai’s turn to cook today. You didn’t go up the mountain, but now the villagers are all defending Ji Huan, thinking our family’s no good,” Ji Ming said with a sigh.

“How can they blame us? Ji Huan used to work willingly. If she worked herself to death, it’s her fault. But this better not affect our Ji Dong and Ji Xi. They’re almost old enough to study. We can’t let this make other kids ostracize them at the school,” Li Yulan said, immediately concerned for her children.

“You’re right. Ji Huan’s been acting strange lately. She used to be so quiet, never letting the villagers know about family matters,” Ji Ming said, sighing heavily, seeming to miss the old Ji Huan who wouldn’t make a fuss.