Chapter 77.3: Decision, Pretend, Familial Love

The two of them walked out arm in arm. The people that were originally still whispering in the courtyard immediately shut their mouths, secretly gazing over. It was obvious they were gossiping just now.

Sun Yi Jia put on her noble and cold front. Compared to before, her gaze was no longer indifferent, but instead gloomy.

"Mother, this temper of Jia'er's right now is no good. Never mind hitting someone, she even smashes things now. If outsiders learn of this, who knows how they'll ostracize our Ding Duke Manor." Sun Yi Jia's fourth sister-in-law's face still had traced of red. Evidently, those two slaps just now made her grievance and resentment nearly soar to the high heavens.

"Enough, if not for that mouth of yours, would Yi Jia have hit you? In the future, you best restrain yourself, else I'll directly have someone slap that mouth of yours." Ding Duchess icily looked at her. That mouth not only implicated her daughter, but even involved her most outstanding son. As expected, she has been too lenient on normal days. That's why they dared to be this unbridled.

Nothing more than a wife of a shu son, yet delusionally wants to climb on her daughter's head? Just because she has a decent looking actual younger sister-in-law*, she thinks without her daughter suppressing from above, that little slut will be able to stand out? As expected, she(Ding Duchess) was too foolish, to have actually compromised because of the Duke's few words. What shu daughters are also her daughters, and as long as they can marry well, they'll also be able to be her son's support, and can also be of help to her highness, the Empress?! But the truth was just nothing's happened, yet his tail has already reached the skies, even daring to trample her daughter in front of her face!

(*T/N: So a full-blooded younger sister to this fourth sister-in-law's husband.)

If she really let those shu born bastards climb up, who knows how insolent they'll be? Enjoying her daughter's everything, and even turning around to bite her daughter? Since that's the case, why did she need to have them raised up? A low-born will always be a low-born. Considering that they are also counted as the Duke's daughter, not letting them end up like their lowly yiniangs was already being very considerate of them. Wanting to climb the dragon and ride the phoenix under her eyelids? Want to replace her daughter? Keep dreaming!

It's not like they, as daughter-in-laws, have never been scolded by their mother-in-law before, but her current attitude was seemingly even colder than before. Sun Yi Jia's fourth sister-in-law couldn't help but tremble, no longer daring to open her mouth. Just those lowered eyes contained the resentment carved into her bones.

Have to say, it was also her own fault for tripping into Sun Yi Lin's hands. Since Sun Yi Lin cares about that Jing Wan, he naturally won't let anyone bully her. The things that happened in the room just now, he although didn't enter, heard everything word for word outside. Because the circumstances didn't allow it, he held back and didn't flare up. But that didn't mean that he didn't have a way to sort out, in his eyes, an insignificant sister-in-law. With just a few words of self-insult, his mother can have those so-called sister-in-laws trampled to death with one foot. Don't blame him for being despicable and shameless, and fussing over minor things with a woman. A man who can't even protect someone they like, can he even be considered a real man at all?

Moreover, Ding Duchess, who's just received shocking blows from her own children, was powerless towards the two of them, but other people were just perfect for her to vent her anger on. Whoever throw themselves up first is who will die first.

"Yi Jia....." Ding Duchess, in the blink of an eye, turned into a caring mother again, only she didn't know what she should say to Sun Yi Jia right now.

Sun Yi Jia mockingly twitched her mouth. She was used to seeing her mother showing off her might. Although it was still the first time her mother shielded her this blatantly, despite her being the one in the wrong. "Mother, this place you are also very familiar with, so just do as you please. I'm going to send off little sister Wan first."

That lovable and obedient daughter from the past seems to have suddenly turned into someone else. When she spoke, her words were always very harsh and carrying thorns. No matter who, they probably all wouldn't feel good inside. But, because of this, Ding Duchess further believed that it was her actions that have made Sun Yi Jia upset, and instead further cared about her thoughts.

Ding Duchess glance to Jing Wan. Her feelings towards Jing Wan right now were exceptionally complicated. Her two children's heart were both 'stolen' by her. This kind of person, probably no one would want for her to become one's own daughter-in-law. If her son always leans towards his own wife in any situation, it would be strange for her, as a mother, to feel good about it. But as things stand, her son was shielding her, even refusing to marry anyone but her, to the extent that he didn't hesitate to threaten her. Her daughter also needed her, and aside from her, gave no one a good face, to the extent that she, as her mother, even had to stand to the side.

This was practically even scarier than those enchanting fox demons!

Jing Wan felt that the Ding Duchess's gaze on her became increasingly intense, and increasingly strange, did something she didn't know happen again? "Big sister Jia, no need to send me off. Have a good talk with your mother, how can there be overnight grudges between mother and daughter? As a parent, they naturally all want their own child to be well, perhaps the method wasn't right, but the starting point is the same. Big sister Jia, whatever thoughts you have, why don't you directly tell your mother. Even if mothers and daughters are linked at the heart, it's still impossible to completely know what the other is thinking, no? Communicate more. After all, your own thoughts may not necessarily be correct. If you blindly stuff them in your heart, you'll never be able to arrive at the correct answer. Your mother is different, decades of experience with out of the ordinary wisdom. Even if your thoughts are not tolerated by the world, you are still the child she carried in her womb for ten months and gave birth to. You are the meat of her heart. She naturally won't unreasonably ignore your feelings completely. She will give out her opinions, but even if it's not what you want, it can still give you guidance. Towards your life, it's still very useful."

Sun Yi Jia didn't expected that before leaving, Jing Wan could still say such words. This not only was for her, but also for her mother. To say she wasn't moved, that was absolutely a lie! No daughter wishes to be separated like enemies with one's own parent. This wasn't just a problem of filial piety. Decades of feelings, can one just abandon just like that?

Jing Wan precisely saw through this bit, thus said those words. Furthermore, with the Ding Duchess shielding, Sun Yi Jia's days will be much much better.

"Alright, I'll be leaving now." Jing Wan patted her hand and then bowed towards Ding Duchess, "This one bids farewell."

Ding Duchess was quite shocked, and at the same time, quite touched too. Her feelings towards Jing Wan once again changed, turning even more complicated and difficult to describe. When Jing Wan disappeared from their line of sight, they finally withdrew their gaze, afterwards tacitly looked to one another. Sun Yi Jia was still somewhat upset and awkwardly turned her face away.

"Yi Jia, do you really intend to be like this to mother forever? Mother knows mother was wrong and let you suffered grievance, but fortunately things still haven't come to pass. There's still a chance to fix this. Are you not even willing to give mother this chance? Mother promises you, those things will never happen. You are still the Ding Duke Manor's most noble di daughter, the pearl of mother's palm. No one will dare to look down on you. Yi Jia......." Ding Duchess said as she reached her hand out to hold her.

Sun Yi Jia struggled for a bit, before finally throwing herself into her mother's embrace and began uncontrollably crying. "Mother......."

"Don't cry, don't cry, be careful of your wound." Ding Duchess repeatedly comforted her, yet even she herself began shedding tears.

The mother and daughter pair cried into a lump. The servants also shed tears along with them. But there were those few that nearly ripped apart the handkerchief in their hand. The current situation was definitely what they didn't want to see. If they don't drag Sun Yi Jia down, where else can they seek benefits from? But, facing the Ding Duchess, they had their hands tied. And as the main cause of all this, Jing Wan, she naturally got hated.

"This Luo third miss, sure is extraordinary. At such a young age, yet that wisdom and insight really makes one feel ashamed." The usually taciturn Sun family's second daughter-in-law said to her eldest sister-in-law.

"The first time I met her, I already felt this girl far surpassed her peers. But looking at her now, I've far underestimated her."

"Eldest sister-in-law, if she enters the Ding Duke Manor's gates, her threat towards you won't be little." Although she didn't hear what her mother-in-law and younger brother-in-law talked about previously, but those occasional glances of Sun Yi Lin's was caught by them, who were watching the whole time.

"Likewise, likewise."

T/N: Tbh at this point of the story, you might as well just treat Sun Yi Jia as the ML because she has way more screentime with MC than both her brother and LHY added together lol.