TSWRLM -Chapter 56 Never Coming Back Again

“You girl, how come your temper’s so bad just because you got married? He’s your own younger brother! When he was little, he would smile at the sight of you—how could you…”

Chun Xi’s imposing presence silenced Madam Wang. Startled, she still couldn’t help murmuring, thinking Chun Xi couldn’t possibly truly reject Cao Wen.

Chun Xi didn’t respond to Madam Wang’s words. She simply turned and started walking out.

This time, Shen Qingyuan didn’t stop her and rose to follow.

Madam Wang panicked. Just then, Cao Wu returned from buying braised meat. Madam Wang shouted, “A-Wu! Stop your sister, don’t let her leave!”

Cao Wu, unaware of anything, instinctively reached for Chun Xi’s hand. At that moment, Shen Qingyuan said, “Qing Shu, protect the young mistress!”

At his command, Qing Shu drew his sword and rushed between them. The blade flashed. Cao Wu, just touching Chun Xi’s hand, was forced to pull back, and the atmosphere instantly froze.

Li Shen, hearing the commotion, approached. She carried a basket of fresh peas as a thank-you gift but, seeing the tension, didn’t dare get close, standing at the doorway instead. She asked, “A-Xi’s mother, what’s going on? Why are you drawing swords over something so trivial?”

Even Madam Wang hadn’t expected Shen Qingyuan to draw a sword. Qing Shu and Cao Wu had been close—if Cao Wu had hesitated just a little longer, he could have been hurt.

Madam Wang trembled with fear, both scared and angry: “You stubborn girl, how could you be so cruel? That’s your own eldest brother! Did you want someone to chop off his hand?”

Cao Wu, however, wasn’t frightened—just utterly confused. Scratching his head, he asked,
“A-Xi, what’s going on?”

Chun Xi said nothing, still turning to walk outside. At that moment, Cao Wen finally pushed Madam Wang aside and ran to grab her sleeve: “Sister, don’t go! It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have listened to Mother’s lies and tricked you and brother-in-law. No one at the academy bullied me. I like the new teachers, and I don’t want to be transferred to another school.”

Cao Wu immediately turned to Madam Wang: “Mother, the teachers at Qingfeng Academy are all very good. A-Wen has improved so much while studying there. Why would you suddenly want him transferred somewhere else?”

Qingfeng Academy was certainly better than the school Cao Wen had attended before, but it couldn’t compare to the Yun family academy.

Chun Xi refused a dowry and even didn’t allow Shen Qingyuan to give a betrothal gift. Even their return-visit gift was minimal. In the future, it wouldn’t help much. The only way for Cao Wen to have a prosperous future was to study at the Yun family academy—then Chun Xi’s family could truly enjoy prestige.

Madam Wang had carefully calculated this, but she hadn’t expected Chun Xi’s attitude to be so defiant, even leaving Shen Qingyuan no room to pacify her.

Madam Wang’s face darkened, but she forced herself to speak: “As a mother, I naturally hope my children do well. I thought, since A-Wen has a brother-in-law now, maybe he could go to a better school.”

“But you can’t teach A-Wen to lie.”

Cao Wu frowned in disapproval. He understood why Chun Xi had left in anger and said firmly,
“Qingfeng Academy is already a good school. If A-Wen has talent, the teachers there will recommend him for a better place. If he doesn’t, even if brother-in-law arranged for him to study at the Imperial Academy, he still wouldn’t learn much.”

Madam Wang knew her son’s abilities, but even if he failed, being in the Yun family academy would let him network with aristocratic children.

But Cao Wu, being so straightforward, couldn’t grasp that.

Madam Wang didn’t want to make things worse, so she softened her tone: “Fine, this is my fault. I won’t interfere in A-Wen’s matters anymore. Whether he succeeds or not has nothing to do with me. Is that alright?”

Cao Wu, having grown up with his mother, always heard about her struggles over the years. Seeing her upset, he softened: “Mother, no one’s asking you to stop caring about A-Wen, but it was wrong to make him lie.”

Cao Wu’s concession seemed to trigger something. Madam Wang immediately broke down, sobbing uncontrollably: “Your father died young. Raising three children alone these years has been incredibly difficult, and only I know how hard it’s been! I’ve never studied, I have no knowledge, I’m just a petty woman who’s fond of money. A-Xi, now that you’re the young mistress of the Hou residence, of course you don’t value me. If you’re worried I won’t teach your brother well, then take him with you and teach him yourself!”

Even if Cao Wen couldn’t enter the Yun family academy, living with Chun Xi in the Hou residence would allow him to meet influential people.

But who would take their little brother-in-law to the husband’s home right after marriage?

Even Cao Wu knew something was wrong with his mother’s words: “Mother, what are you saying? I’m the eldest son. Father isn’t here, so it’s my responsibility to teach A-Wen. How can you push it onto A-Xi?”

“You can’t even care for your own wife and child, dragging your injured leg back to the lumber workshop. How would you have time to teach A-Wen? You’re always away. If your sister resents me, fine, but if your wife also resents me, how would A-Wen remember your good as the eldest brother?”

Madam Wang’s words were dripping with sarcasm, as if Chun Xi hadn’t come for the return visit but deliberately came to create trouble and take Cao Wen away.

“Mother, A-Xi isn’t like that!”

Cao Wu got angry, but Madam Wang ignored him, pouring out her grievances to Li Shen.

Li Shen, having seen Chun Xi’s prowess before, didn’t dare intervene and quietly listened without responding.

Chun Xi already knew her mother was spinning nonsense. She didn’t get angry and didn’t argue. She simply looked at Cao Wen: “You heard everything Mother said. Do you want to go with Sister?”

Though Chun Xi’s tone was gentle, her expression was serious. Cao Wen had never left home. Even though his mother told him the Hou residence was huge and wealthy, and that his sister and brother-in-law were there, he was still frightened.

Cao Wen hesitated to answer. Madam Wang snapped sharply: “You brat, what are you standing there for? Your sister is taking you to the Hou residence to enjoy a good life. What are you waiting for?”

Cao Wen shivered at her shout, afraid of being scolded further. He clutched Chun Xi’s sleeve and nodded: “I want to go with Sister.”

Chun Xi glanced at Shen Qingyuan, who immediately said, “As long as the mistress decides, that’s enough. Everything in our household follows her.”

Chun Xi pulled her sleeve free and told Cao Wen: “You have one minute to pack your things.”

Cao Wen obediently went back to his room. Cao Wu objected: “A-Xi, I’ll make time to take care of A-Wen. You don’t need to take him.”

Chun Xi had already made up her mind. Madam Wang, seeing this, clutched her chest and wailed in pain.

“Mother, stop pretending!”

Cao Wu grew impatient, but as Madam Wang’s cries grew louder, he wavered, fearing she was truly in pain.

Chun Xi knew her eldest brother was soft-hearted. She said calmly: “If seeing me makes you uncomfortable, I won’t come back anymore. If you miss A-Wen, or anything happens, you can come to the Hou residence to find me.”

With that, Chun Xi stepped out of the house without looking back.