Transmigrating into the Genius Cannon Fodder’s Aunt

Chapter 35.1 – To Start a New Life, A Courtyard House is Indispensable (I)

Huo Xuewen felt uneasy about the situation, but couldn’t do anything about his mother’s trusted confidant. After briefly speaking with Ning Shaoyun, he personally escorted Steward Fu out. Ning Shaoyun, on the other hand, stayed behind and planned to accompany Xia Mian to the invitation at the Huo family residence. She knew Xia Mian wasn’t the type to suffer losses, but she also had no intention of allowing the Huo family to insult her.

Xia Mian eagerly opened the bag left by the ‘Empress Dowager’s eunuch’ and found, besides a few boxes of flashy but skimpy pastries, a very formal dress in light blue color. She couldn’t help but laugh. Handing out formal attire before an audience? This was truly something out of an empress dowager’s playbook!

Remembering the steward’s outfit just now, Xia Mian shivered. The Huo family couldn’t possibly dress like that at home, could they?

As Ning Shaoyun knocked and entered, Xia Mian couldn’t hold her curiosity and eagerly asked, “Sister Ning, you’re amazing. How do you manage to stay sane living with the Huo family?”

Noticing the dress, Ning Shaoyun sighed with helplessness, “Actually, it wasn’t so bad when the old master was around. But this past year, with him away for treatment, the old lady has become increasingly obsessive.”

Xia Mian pondered for a while, “Could it be that the old lady thinks her husband isn’t coming home because she’s not strict enough with the rules?”

Ning Shaoyun nodded helplessly. The truth was, the old master had grown tired of the old lady’s endless rules. However, instead of having a proper talk with her, he simply refused to come home. The old lady assumed it was because she wasn’t doing enough and doubled down her effort, becoming even stricter and more unreasonable.

“The Huo family is supposed to be prestigious, isn’t it?” Xia Mian remarked. “Hasn’t anyone told the old master how messy things have become? Why doesn’t he step in?”

Ning Shaoyun explained, “He’s hiding out to avoid his wife. If people could easily find him, the old lady would just chase after him, and it would be no different from staying at home.”

“Besides, calling it the Huo residence is a bit of a stretch. It’s more like the old master let the old lady play house there,” Ning Shaoyun added with a wry smile. “People from high society wouldn’t bother visiting, and those with serious business to attend similarly avoid the place. Anyone who does go is usually invited by the old lady, and their standing is too insignificant to cause any real trouble.”

“And Mr. Huo doesn’t know about this?” Xia Mian asked, surprised.

Ning Shaoyun shook her head. “No, he doesn’t. The old master probably keeps him in the dark to prevent him from leaking any information. If anything important comes up, they handle it over the phone. His father doesn’t mention a thing, and Huo Xuewen won’t inquire either.”

Xia Mian was astonished by the coldness of the Huo family. “Did you know it was like this before you married into the family?”

Ning Shaoyun gave a resigned smile. “How could anyone know? My grandfather praised the Huo family for its upright values and excellent family tradition. I grew up watching Huo Xuewen’s parents, and he himself seemed proper and straightforward, not the type to fool around.”

That made sense. On the surface, it seemed like a wonderful family, only after becoming a part of it would you understand the real situation.

“Did you ever talk to your grandfather or father about this?” Xia Mian asked, puzzled.

Ning Shaoyun gave a bitter smile. “They wouldn’t understand.”

Oh, right. To men, a son-in-law who doesn’t cheat, works hard, and strives to make money is simply perfect. If Ning Shaoyun complained, she would be seen as being overly sensitive…

“Don’t worry about this, I’ll handle it.” Ning Shaoyun said, “The old lady wants to vent Zhou Qianqian’s anger, but her real target is me. You don’t need to get involved because of me.”

“No way,” Xia Mian replied. “They have gone all the way to invite me. How could I not go?”

“Isn’t it just about following rules and etiquette?” Xia Mian lifted her chin proudly. “I’m very familiar with Dream of the Red Chamber. I’ll surely have a good conversation with the old lady!”

Ning Shaoyun’s worries melted away, and she burst into laughter. Well, well, seemed like she was overthinking things, wasn’t she? Seeing Xia Mian so eager, it was clear this girl wasn’t planning to lose.

“But this won’t cause any trouble for you, right?” Xia Mian suddenly remembered that Ning Shaoyun still had to live with the Huo family.

“It won’t,” Ning Shaoyun reassured her with a smile. “I had a good talk with Aunt Wei today, and I think you were right.”

“Huh?” Xia Mian blinked in surprise.

“Women need to pursue their own careers,” Ning Shaoyun said. “To be honest, Xiao Bai had given me similar advice after I gave birth to Chenchen, and I kept on painting over the years in preparation for that. I originally wanted to discuss it with Huo Xuewen, but the timing never seemed right. Back then, I didn’t want to make things difficult for him.”

“His mother is actually a pitiful person,” Ning Shaoyun smiled wryly. “She always felt unworthy of her husband, so she spent her entire life competing with herself. The more she competed, the more her husband disliked her. The more he disliked her, the harder she made things for herself and others.”

“She knows deep down that everyone, except for the relatives she brought in herself, is laughing at her. So she avoids interacting with people in the social circles and prefers to entertain those who seek favors from the Huo family.”

It’s similar to how the old lady felt threatened by her daughter-in-law’s excellence and wanted to find someone inferior to herself to feel superior. Of course, people who sought favors from the Huo family had no choice but to flatter her, creating a vicious cycle.

“Old Master Huo has hidden away, and Huo Xuewen pities his mother,” Ning Shaoyun continued. “Even though he knows she’s wrong, he can’t go against her, so he goes along with her, hoping that she’ll listen to reason when she’s in a better mood.”

Seeing that Xia Mian was about to speak, Ning Shaoyun smiled, “I know what you’re thinking: ‘Those who are pitiful often have something contemptible about them.’ And you’re right. She’s brought this upon herself, and no one can save her.”

“When I first married into the Huo family, I wasn’t familiar with things. I thought, as a daughter-in-law, I should make some concessions. But the more I gave in, the more they took it for granted. Even I started taking my concessions for granted. I thought, if enduring it would keep the peace and reduce trouble—why not?”

“Just like Huo Xuewen. If he didn’t tolerate Zhou Qianqian, his mother would be upset and cause a scene. So he tolerated it, and over time, it became normal, as if it was the way things were supposed to be,” Ning Shaoyun said. “But that’s not right. People tend to push boundaries, and eventually, they’ll push you to your limit.”

“I used to place all my hopes on Huo Xuewen, but that only led to endless disappointment. I was hurt because he wasn’t considerate enough, sad because he was too dense, and angry because he didn’t know how to protect me and Chenchen.”

“Today, after hearing you scold him, I realized that he can’t even protect himself—he doesn’t even notice what’s happening. How could he protect me and Chenchen? It was your words that woke me up,” Ning Shaoyun smiled. “Why should I wait for someone else to protect me? I’m not helpless. If he can work, so can I. I can protect myself and my child. That’s more reliable than relying on anyone else.”

Xia Mian hadn’t expected her outburst today to provoke such deep reflection in Ning Shaoyun. Feeling a bit embarrassed, she scratched her head and said, “Sister Ning, with this new resolve, won’t the old lady cause even more trouble?”

Ning Shaoyun smiled serenely. “So what? But whatever she does would no longer affect me. I used to give in because I wanted to maintain peace. Since she refuses to give me peace, I have nothing to worry about. Nothing can restrain me in the future.”

Ning Shaoyun was a gentle yet strong-willed woman. The only thing that had restrained her was her love for Huo Xuewen. Now that she was determined to break free from that, would the couple end up with the same fate as in the novel’s plot?