B5SB -Chapter 16 Going Up the Mountain (Part 1)

When Gu Aidang got home, the whole family was sitting at the table waiting for him. After he sat down,

Grandmother Gu sighed and said, “Second son, this is a year of famine. If something like this happens and you don’t divorce, it’s like letting that Old Zhang family suck blood from our whole family.”

After speaking, Grandmother Gu looked up and glanced at the eldest daughter-in-law.

Sister-in-law Gu shivered in fright, then smiled at Grandmother Gu: “Mother, don’t worry. How could I ever give my son’s rations to someone else?”

Gu Aidang looked at his mother with a cheerful smile: “Mother, I divorced the child’s mother because you told me to. Don’t forget to find my son a new wife, or else he’ll be left without descendants.”

Grandmother Gu, preoccupied with other thoughts, replied perfunctorily, “I know.”

Gu Yihan, listening to this “cheap” father talk about remarrying, thought this man was really cold and heartless.

People always said that in this era, love was slow—letters took time, carriages were far—and one would only ever love one person in a lifetime.

But that’s only if there were no choices. If there were choices, how could anyone settle for just one person?

Gu Meng and Gu Daya sat at the table like invisible shadows, not speaking. They didn’t have the right to speak.

Every day, Gu Daya had to do all the household chores that Sister-in-law Gu was supposed to do—washing the entire family’s clothes, so busy that she barely had time to stand. Only at mealtime could anyone see her.

Gu Meng, now putting aside her resentment toward Gu Yihan, spent every day trying to recognize more characters, hoping to grow up quickly and leave this house.

“From now on, anyone who’s free goes up the mountain to look for food.”

Grandmother Gu thought to herself after saying this: fortunately, there are still some stored grains at home, or the entire family would starve.

Grandmother Gu led her granddaughters down to the foot of the mountain, and along the way, they ran into several villagers.

“Aunt Gu, are you going up the mountain?” Gu Yihan, walking at the back, heard the sharp, familiar voice of Jiawang’s wife.

She didn’t even need to look up to know it was the middle-aged woman from the village who had never benefited from the collective grain distribution.

Jiawang’s wife’s eyes flicked and landed on Gu Yihan’s fair, delicate skin.

Her sharp, mean face curled up into a sneer as she began spewing insults at Grandmother Gu—so sharp that Gu Yihan’s eyes stung just watching.

“Aunt Gu, look at how spoiled your Hanhan is! She’s grown up and never set foot in the fields. This is my first time seeing her outside the house.”

“This girl, she’s a money-losing investment. The more you give her, the more she suffers. She should work harder—no free meals or lodging. And you let her read? When she marries, won’t that benefit her husband’s family?”

“In my opinion, a young lady’s body and a maid’s life are different things. Make her work now, and later you can get a few dozen taels for her dowry.”

Before Jiawang’s wife could continue, Grandmother Gu slapped her several times. Before she could react, she kicked her to the ground.

Sitting on top of her, she hit her while scolding: “You black-hearted woman! You sold your own daughter and didn’t even marry her off to your son. Now you want to lay a hand on my granddaughter? You must be inviting death!”

“Even if you sell yourself, no one would marry your worthless son, yet you still covet my granddaughter.”

“Today, I’ll beat your foul-mouthed self to death!”

Jiawang’s wife dodged while saying, “I’m doing this for your own good! Don’t be ungrateful!”

Seeing that the villagers were all watching, she shouted, “You’re all useless! Don’t know how to break up a fight? You old witch!”

The villagers disliked Jiawang’s wife so much that they didn’t intervene.

Gu Yihan waited for her grandmother to finish venting all the anger she had been holding in that day, then went up beside her.

“Granny, calm down. Don’t hurt yourself.”

Gu Yihan carefully helped Grandmother Gu up and checked her hands for injuries.

Blowing gently, she said tenderly, “Careful with your hands… your granddaughter still worries about you.”

The surrounding villagers laughed heartily.

Jiawang’s wife, holding her bruised face from Grandmother Gu’s slaps, still wanted to curse but was interrupted by another woman: “If you still want a beating, just say so.”

Jiawang’s wife hesitated, then didn’t say another word, muttering curses as she returned to the village.

Gu Meng and Gu Daya had never seen this side of Grandmother Gu and stayed far away, frightened.

Gu Yihan looked at Grandmother Gu with admiration: “Grandma, you’re amazing! How are you so incredible?”

“Usually, when I see you arguing with my mother, it’s all elegant quarrels. I didn’t expect your ‘combat power’ to be this strong too!”

Grandmother Gu straightened her back and said, “I was just letting your mother have her way. After all, she gave our Gu family two children, so I couldn’t hit her.”

Gu Yihan gave a thumbs-up.

Grandmother Gu looked puzzled: “What does that mean?”

Gu Yihan whispered to her: “It means Grandma, you’re really awesome!”

Grandmother Gu laughed out loud.

She glanced at Gu Meng and Gu Daya, who were far away. People always said she was biased, but only this granddaughter made her happy every day.

Seeing Grandmother Gu and Gu Yihan laughing so heartily, Gu Daya felt truly aggrieved.

She said to Gu Meng: “Grandma is really biased. She only sees Big Brother and Gu Yihan.”

Gu Meng glanced at her and said, “Then if you can, make Granny happy every day too.”

Gu Meng’s only wish now was to have a home of her own and escape from this one. She didn’t care about anything else.