Chapter 28: An Unexpected Warmth

When Du Yun heard her third aunt speak, though she knew she was at fault, she couldn’t help but furrow her brows.

"Third Aunt, it was me who hit Du Tong," Du Yun took a deep breath and, braving the torrent of scolding, answered loudly.

"What? You did it?" At that moment, Third Aunt resembled a brooding hen defending her chick. She leapt in front of Du Yun, one hand on her hip, the other jabbing at Du Yun as she began to rant. "Good for you, Yun girl! After all these years at school, you’re grown and still won’t help out at home, nor are you willing to marry. You sit around eating for free, and now you’re bullying your younger siblings too!”

Her words tumbled out in a barrage, not only bringing up Du Yun’s schooling but also criticizing her for staying home these past days due to illness. Though Third Aunt was not educated, her words were sharp and humiliating.

Even with her gentle and soft nature, Du Yun was provoked by being scolded so directly.

"Third Aunt, I respect you as an elder in this family, but please don’t speak carelessly without knowing the facts. If you want to know why I slapped Du Tong, you’d better ask him first. Don’t just scold for the sake of it, then later chalk it up to a misunderstanding and want to smooth things over," Du Yun said coldly, stepping forward, no longer the timid girl who once let others walk over her.

"What? You hit my son and still think you’re in the right?" Third Aunt’s righteous anger faltered for a moment when she saw Du Yun showing no sign of remorse. Her eyes darted as she began to wonder whether her own son had indeed caused some trouble to deserve a slap.

Just then, the rest of the Du family began to trickle into the house. Third Aunt, seeing Du Yun’s grandmother enter, was seized with renewed vigor. She immediately forgot Du Yun’s earlier words and latched onto the old lady’s hand to begin her complaints.

"Mother, I say, Yun is no longer a child. Why does she stay home every day? Didn’t the Dong family want to arrange a marriage for her recently? A girl can’t just sit at home eating and doing nothing. Not only does she not work, but now she bullies her younger siblings. Just look at your little grandson’s face, beaten by this girl—it’s truly pitiful!" Third Aunt, holding onto the grandmother with one hand, dragged Du Tong forward with the other, pointing at the bright red handprint on his face.

"Children squabble all the time. Why are you taking it so seriously?" Grandmother looked at the handprint on Du Tong’s face; the five red fingers were still visible, indicating it was no light slap. But aside from her most accomplished eldest grandson, her favorite was Du Yun, and so she instinctively took Yun’s side.

"Mother, how can you say that? Du Tong is your own grandson, is he not as dear to you as Yun? He’s been hit, and yet you accuse me of making a fuss!" Third Aunt was anxious, pulling Du Tong with one hand and Du Yun’s grandmother with the other, determined to argue her point.

"Enough now, stop your squawking. Be quiet and listen. The mark on Du Tong’s face isn’t serious, and I know Yun is not that kind of girl," Grandmother brushed Third Aunt aside and took Du Yun by the hand, leading her into the house.

"Grandma—" Du Yun hadn’t expected her grandmother to stand by her without saying a word in her defense. Suddenly her eyes burned with tears; she hurriedly lowered her head, hiding her emotion behind her bangs.

"Grandma, grandma, it wasn’t Big Sister’s fault—it was my own carelessness. I choked on a snack because I was eating too quickly, and after saving me, Sister slapped me out of worry," before anyone could sit down in the east room, Du Tong blurted out his confession.

Ordinarily, Du Tong was not one to suffer any slight—if someone took a bite of his food, he’d try to eat theirs in return, and if someone hit him, he’d wish to bite back. That he now spoke up for Du Yun after being slapped was a surprise to everyone, Yun most of all.

"What? How did you choke? You didn’t eat any wild roots or bark, did you?" Third Aunt anxiously checked Du Tong up and down. There was hardly any decent food at home, so how could Du Tong have choked?

"Wild roots and bark? You think I’d have you eating that under my roof?" Grandmother snapped. "I’ve spent all my days worrying about your food and clothing, waiting on you, and still get no thanks! If you think I’m mistreating you, you’re welcome to split off on your own. I won’t look after you anymore!"

The formidable old lady had never liked Third Aunt’s laziness. They often quarreled over trifles, and now, feeling targeted by the mention of wild roots and bark, she lost all patience. The matter of Du Tong's slap was forgotten as she stared down Third Aunt like an angry hen.

"Mother, please listen—I wasn’t complaining about you!" Third Aunt instantly lost her fire, as always happened when the old lady threatened to split the family. Her tone softened at once.

She knew very well what her own household was like. Relying on her own husband, they couldn’t even support themselves, let alone a family. By depending on the main and second branches, they could survive. Alone, they’d starve.

"Enough. If you have nothing useful to say, go out and make the fire for supper!" Grandmother, pleased with Third Aunt’s submission, waved her away, calling an end to the matter.

After Third Aunt left, Du Yun and Du Tong remained inside. Grandmother turned to look at the handprint on Du Tong’s face and pointed at it as she addressed Du Yun, "Yun, was it really you who did this?"

"Grandma, it was me. I was too impulsive," Du Yun admitted, embarrassed, her heart warmed by her grandmother’s earlier defense. Though her grandmother was strong-willed and sometimes calculating, she showed Du Yun a warmth that melted the burdens on her shoulders, making the weight feel worth bearing.

"You silly girl, why did you lay hands on him?" Grandmother glared at her, then turned to her battered red-lacquered cabinet, fished a key out from her bosom, unlocked it, and took out a single biscuit, handing it to Du Tong.

"Don’t blame your sister—she didn’t mean it," she told Du Tong. To take out a treasured biscuit for comfort was a rare gesture.

"I know, Grandma! If Big Sister hadn’t saved me, I’d have choked to death on the snack," Du Tong grinned, holding the biscuit. Today was his lucky day—not only had he eaten delicious pastries, but now his grandmother had given him a biscuit.

"What snack? What happened?" Grandmother, after listening for a while, realized there was more to the story and pressed for details.

Before Du Yun could answer, they heard Third Aunt exclaim from outside, "Oh, what’s this delicious thing—it smells so good!" This was quickly followed by the sound of greedy munching.

Oh no! Du Yun slapped her thigh in alarm. After cutting the pastries earlier, she’d put them back in the pot to keep the flies away, and now Third Aunt must have found them.