Chapter 5: Old Witch, Marry Whomever You Please!

She truly could not stand the faces of her mother’s family; she found them utterly disgusting and repulsive. She knew well that her mother, as a child, had been forced to do endless chores at home, suffering beatings and starvation whenever she failed to meet their demands, nearly breaking under the strain on several occasions. Furthermore, her so-called aunt—her mother’s older sister—had constantly suppressed and bullied her mother as well. In short, there was not a single decent person in that entire family. They had even sold her mother off for a sky-high bride price back in the day. Thinking about it now, it was truly pathetic.

"You child, why are you speaking like this? We’ve come for a good reason, for your own sake! Look at you, all grown up and without parents by your side; we’ve been so worried and anxious about you!"

"That’s right, don’t turn into an ungrateful wretch without a conscience!" the two chimed in one after another.

"Heh, then tell me, what kind of 'good reason' could it possibly be?" Ye Wan chuckled. She wanted to see if anything sensible could ever come out of their mouths. They had never reached out before, so showing up out of the blue meant there was definitely something urgent at play. She was actually quite curious.

Ye Cheng, standing by, glared at the two of them with an ashen face.

"Of course it’s a wonderful thing! Are you going to keep us standing here at the doorstep? Won't you let us in for a drink of water or something to eat?" the aunt said with dissatisfaction, as if blaming Ye Wan for being so ill-mannered.

"Say it right here. I’m worried that if you come inside, you’ll pollute the air," Ye Wan retorted. Give them an inch and they’d take a mile.

"You child... fine, we won't lower ourselves to your level. Ye Wan, you know what your situation is, don't you? We are trying to help you..." the grandmother finally spoke up.

"Oh? What is my situation? How come I’m not aware of it?" Ye Wan offered a mocking smile, looking at the old woman. *My, she is truly ugly.*

"You child, do you really want me to spell it out? You have no parents, you're practically an orphan, and on top of that, you’re fat and ugly. You don't compare to other people's children at all," the grandmother said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, and then what?" Ye Wan raised an eyebrow, keeping her hands behind her back and signaling her grandfather to stay quiet; she wanted to see exactly what they were after.

Ye Cheng, hearing these two women speak about his precious granddaughter that way, trembled with rage. His face was ghastly, his eyes locked onto them with pure fury. His fists were tightly clenched; he longed to strike them to vent his anger. He could barely bring himself to say a harsh word to her, yet they dared to do so? And right in front of him, no less! He was absolutely livid. But, seeing his granddaughter’s signal, he held back.

"And so, given your poor circumstances, we’ve been so worried we couldn't even sleep. So, after making some inquiries, we found a good family willing to marry you. Look, isn't that a wonderful thing? They even said they’d provide a bride price; you won't be losing out," the grandmother said, her smile broadening.

To Ye Wan, however, it was nauseating. So, this was their game! How laughable. They wanted to sell her off? Was she that stupid? They had sold her mother, and now they wanted to sell her?

"Listen, old woman, you’re dreaming. You demanded a sky-high price to sell my mother, and now what? Are you short on cash, so you’re trying to sell me too? It’s truly ridiculous. Why don’t you sell yourself? Even though you’re old, your skin is wrinkled, and you can’t bear children anymore, you might still provide some 'entertainment.' Selling yourself would be perfect—you’d have company and money to spend, wouldn't you?"

"Tell me, isn't that right?" Ye Wan didn't hold back, hitting them head-on.

"You—you—you! You have no upbringing! How dare you call me an old woman and speak to me like that! You’ve lost your mind! I am your grandmother, you ungrateful, disrespectful wretch!" The old woman trembled from head to toe. She couldn't believe the child was insulting her so viciously. It was detestable!

"Pfft—"

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself!" The young man behind them burst into laughter. What a show he was witnessing today! This chubby girl was quite interesting. Though she looked heavy and a bit dark-skinned, she was fascinating! Her features were actually quite pretty. The old woman had said she was bringing him to see her granddaughter, so he had come along. He hadn't expected the girl to have such a sharp tongue! She was no simpleton. He found himself admiring her; this fiery personality was quite amusing. If he brought her home, even those debt collectors would probably be afraid of her! And that stature—perhaps it could be put to good use!

Ye Wan gave the young man a cold glance. He looked like a good-for-nothing hoodlum. She didn't need to guess who he was. He was the suitor her "grandmother" and "aunt" had brought along for an introduction. He didn't look very good—not even one-tenth as handsome as Meng Jingchen. He wasn't worth a single toenail of Meng Jingchen’s.

"You brat, what are you laughing at!" Unable to handle Ye Wan, the old woman vented her frustration on the young man. She had lost all her dignity today, and it was all because of this "fatty." She was becoming even more annoyed just looking at her.

The aunt was also stunned, staring at Ye Wan in disbelief. How could this chubby girl be so fierce? That tongue of hers was relentless. Who did she take after? Her sister hadn't been like this, and her brother-in-law certainly hadn't either. She couldn't fathom it, but the girl's courage was something else. She dared to lash out even at her own grandmother—something she herself would never dare to do.

"Truly couldn't help it, apologies. Please, continue, ignore me as if I don't exist," the young man said with a laugh. It was just too funny. They all glared at him. Whose side was he on, anyway?

"Ye Wan, are you going to listen to me or not? Your mother never dared to speak to me like this. You’ve really gotten full of yourself! This is the suitor we found for you—are you going to marry him or not?" the old woman hissed, staring coldly at Ye Wan.

"My mother is my mother, and I am me. Listen here, you old witch, who do you think you are? Do you have any right to interfere in my life? You didn't even look at me for all these years, and you didn't show up when my parents passed away. Now you suddenly remember you’re my grandmother? It’s laughable!"

"I won't marry him. If you want to get married, go do it yourself. I make my own decisions regarding my marriage; you have no right to meddle. Now get lost, you old witch!" Ye Wan stopped wasting her breath. They truly had no self-awareness.

"Apologies, but I’m not interested in marrying an old woman," the young man chimed in immediately.

"You—you—you—" The old woman was trembling so hard she couldn't even stand steadily. The aunt quickly reached out to support her and help her catch her breath. She was absolutely livid.

"Mom, let's go back," the aunt said, casting a complicated look at Ye Wan before turning to her mother.