"Yuè Shū, Mother is sorry to have caused you suffering!" As she spoke, Mother Li also began to cry.
Father Li's eyes were also red-rimmed. "Child, don't be afraid. Father will take you home now!"
With that, the couple stepped forward and tried to pull Li Yuè Shū.
This sudden intimacy only made Li Yuè Shū's demeanor colder, and she directly dodged them.
Facing the couple's awkwardness, she gave a cold laugh. "Are you implying that after I was sent to the Shen family for over two years, you're only now realizing I was bought to be Shen Wēi's wife?"
As if she had expected her to question, Mother Li immediately spoke up, "It was all a misunderstanding! I spoke with the Shen family. Their original intention was to find a wife for Shen Wēi, but we thought they were looking for hired help at the time."
Mother Li wiped away a tear. "If Mother truly intended to sell you, why wouldn't I have even written a contract? Our two villages are far apart, and we had no regular dealings with the Shen family, which is why this misunderstanding occurred."
Father Li also chimed in, "Yes, you know how poor our family is. Your mother and I both thought you had a difficult time these past two years, which is why you never returned home during festivals. We didn't dare to look for you, afraid we'd cause you trouble. We never expected you to be so capable, able to open a pharmacy and a restaurant on your own."
His words sounded as if they were implying Li Yuè Shū lacked filial piety, not even contacting her family during festivals.
Li Yuè Shū's expression was indifferent, as if she hadn't understood the meaning behind his words. She said with a half-smile, "So it was all a misunderstanding!"
Li Yuè Shū understood that her marriage to Shen Wēi was at best a matter of parental command, with no intermediary. Therefore, the truth of the matter rested solely on their words.
"It truly was all a misunderstanding." Mother Li nodded repeatedly. "Yuè Shū, this is our fault for not asking clearly. Come back with us, and we will compensate you properly!"
Father Li also nodded in agreement. "Yes, Shen Wēi's condition has improved now. You can come home with your parents with peace of mind. He will take good care of the four children."
"Marriage is a serious matter. With your sister's support, your parents will find you a good match!"
The couple's synchronized words sounded pleasant, but Qin Mo Yuān, standing nearby, had a grim expression.
Could these truly be words spoken by biological parents?
He looked at the person beside him, feeling a pang of heartache.
Li Yuè Shū's expression grew colder.
In the original body's memories, although Father and Mother Li appeared to treat their two daughters equally in front of outsiders, they were privately quite indifferent to her.
Even the rare moments of intimacy were only to make her work for Li Xiāng Rú.
They had repeatedly said that if it weren't for raising her, their family wouldn't be in such hardship, and Li Xiāng Rú wouldn't have to share everything she received.
However, things that fell into Li Xiāng Rú's hands were never split even half with her.
Looking at the hypocrisy of Father and Mother Li, Li Yuè Shū felt an unspeakable mockery in her heart.
Mother Li, completely oblivious to her emotions, continued, "We invited the village elder today precisely to help you get removed from Shen family's household registration. Mother will definitely compensate you well from now on."
Father Li also nodded repeatedly. "Yuè Shū, although your relationship with Shen Wēi was a misunderstanding, it has ultimately damaged your reputation. Why not let the four children recognize you as their godmother?"
The couple, speaking in unison, had arranged everything perfectly, completely unaware that those in the courtyard who had overheard their words had very unpleasant expressions.
Even the youngest, Shen Zhī Yù, looked at the four of them with the expression of someone looking at an idiot.
Although he didn't fully understand what they were saying, he understood that they wanted his mother to abandon them.
Who were these lunatics?
Li Yuè Shū's face remained unchanged the entire time, but the coldness in her eyes intensified.
"Have you said enough?"
The first to break the silence was Aunt Liu.
Her usually amiable face displayed anger for the first time. "I, Old Woman Liu, have lived most of my life, and this is the first time I've seen such shameless people!"
She angrily pointed at Father and Mother Li's noses. "You claim you didn't know about Yuè Shū's engagement to Shen Wēi, but did you also not know when your elder daughter came looking for trouble and went to the Shen family to disable Shen Wàng?"
Pointed at and scolded like this, Father and Mother Li's expressions were not good, but they wouldn't admit to it.
"We truly didn't know." Mother Li explained dryly. "Our family fled here from another region. Life has been very difficult all these years. Coupled with the distance between the two villages, that's why we didn't know such a huge misunderstanding had occurred."
Aunt Liu almost laughed out loud. "Are you trying to fool ghosts with those words! Everyone in Tong Mu County knows about our Yuè Shū's reputation!"
Aunt Liu had never argued with anyone in her life, but this time she was furious. "When two children from your village were accepted as Tong Sheng scholars, someone from your village specifically visited to ask about how my Yuè Shū educated her children. Did you use coffin lids as doors, keeping yourself in and outsiders out, so you wouldn't hear any news?"
Father and Mother Li did not expect Aunt Liu to scold so harshly. Their faces contorted, but they were unable to retort for a long time.
Li Yuè Shū's originally cold expression instantly brightened at Aunt Liu's words, "my Yuè Shū."
She glanced at the people standing behind her. Everyone had an indignant look on their faces, as if they were ready to rush forward to support her.
Li Yuè Shū felt a warmth in her heart. She suddenly felt there was no need to be angry at these other people, because she already had a group of kind and loving family members.
Mother Mo noticed her slightly softened expression and walked over to pull Aunt Liu. "Don't get worked up with people like this. Madam will handle it."
Aunt Liu, who had wanted to continue scolding, looked back at Li Yuè Shū with a faint smile before reluctantly stepping back.
However, before turning away, she couldn't help but glare fiercely at Father and Mother Li.
Seeing her small gesture, the last trace of annoyance in Li Yuè Shū's heart vanished.
She looked at Mother Li with a calm expression. "There's something you might not know. When the third branch was separated from the Shen family, I was the head of the household. Shen Wēi was divorced by me a month ago, and the four children are with me."
Everyone in the household knew about this, but Father and Mother Li stared at her with wide eyes in shock.
"What? You... you divorced Shen Wēi?!"
Compared to Li Yuè Shū setting up her own household, they were more shocked that she would divorce her husband.
They had lived most of their lives and had never heard of such a thing!
Father and Mother Li instinctively looked at the village elder, who nodded affirmatively, confirming the fact.
The couple was even more shocked. Looking at their composed and calm daughter before them, they inexplicably felt a sense of dread.
Father Li was the first to react, forcing a smile. "This is good news! Since everything here is settled, you should come back with us now!"
Mother Li also recovered and quickly chimed in, "Yes, I've already prepared the room. It's the west room you like best."
As soon as she said this, something seemed to prick Li Yuè Shū's heart.