[Mo Dao Zu Shi Fanfiction] I Raise A Ying in Yiling

At this moment, Wei Chaoyan understood deeply that she, so weak, could do nothing and change nothing!

If it weren't for her parents' legacy, she wouldn't even be able to save herself! If it weren't for the substantial inheritance her parents left behind and the many good friends they made during their lifetime, would her grandfather have gone to such lengths to help her? Would she have the confidence to say that she and her two younger brothers shouldn't live in the village and suffer the villagers' mistreatment, and instead insist on buying a house in Yiling Town?

That's wishful thinking!! Wei Chaoyan coldly mocked herself in her heart. It really was because things had gone smoothly these past few days that she thought she had really transmigrated into a Mary Sue and had all her wishes fulfilled.

Grandpa Wei took Wei Chaoyan back to the inn's private room and then let go. As soon as Wei Chaoyan was free, she ran towards the door, wanting to try one more time. However, before she could even grasp the doorknob, Liu Yaren, who came in from behind, blocked her way and locked the door from the inside.

"Let me go! I can save him! If we don't help, that child will be bitten to death by the dogs, he's just a child!! Ahhh, let me go!" Wei Chaoyan struggled and shouted frantically as Grandpa Wei grabbed her again.

"Yan girl, calm down and listen to me," Grandpa Wei comforted her.

"I won't listen! Why? If you won't help, then don't! I can do it myself! Why are you stopping me?!" Wei Chaoyan was extremely confused. She didn't understand why they would stop her if they didn't want to help. With her skills (her father had taught her some when she was little to prevent her from being bullied, and while she wasn't the best, she could at least keep herself from getting hurt in a confrontation with a vicious dog), she could easily drive away the dog and save the child. Her grandfather knew that!

Seeing Wei Chaoyan's aggrieved and confused expression, Grandpa Wei opened his mouth to speak but hesitated, unsure of what to say. Liu Yaren, standing nearby, interjected, "Girl, don't blame your grandpa; I was the one who told him to stop you."

Perhaps it was because he had just had a pleasant conversation with Grandpa Wei and had drunk a little wine that emboldened him, or perhaps it was because Wei Chaoyan's questioning about the child's tragic condition touched Liu Yaren's conscience, but despite the fact that they were not old friends, Liu Yaren still gritted his teeth and said, "Don't you find it strange?"

"?"

“Because our Yiling Town is close to the mass burial ground, apart from a very few wealthy families, most people are struggling to make ends meet, so there are really not many people who keep dogs.”

Yes, people are struggling to make ends meet, so where would they find the leisure to keep dogs, let alone keep them so fat and healthy? That vicious dog that chased and bit the child was clearly a pet, and one from a wealthy family. There are only a handful of people in town who can afford to keep dogs, so it's quite obvious which families can afford to keep dogs and then allow them to attack people.

“Although the people in Yiling Town are not good people, they are not so heartless as to watch a child be bitten or even killed by a dog in front of them.” Liu Yaren licked his dry lips and continued, “Moreover, the child’s parents died while helping Yiling to exorcise evil spirits. Anyone with a conscience and a sense of face would take care of their orphan in some way.”

Yes, although a single family cannot afford to raise another child, with so many families in the town contributing rice and steamed buns, how could that child grow up safely with everyone's help? Why is everyone turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to his suffering now?

"Did someone give you some instructions?" Wei Chaoyan asked, her lips trembling as she voiced her guess.

Liu Yaren seemed somewhat surprised by Wei Chaoyan's keen insight, and nodded in agreement, saying, "Yes, Yan'er, someone has given orders: no one in town is allowed to help that child, or they will bear the consequences!"

"Who is it?" Feeling a chill creeping from the depths of her heart spreading to her limbs, Wei Chaoyan asked through gritted teeth with difficulty.

Having seemingly already revealed quite a bit, Liu Yaren continued, somewhat recklessly, "He's the second son of Wang, the only wealthy family in our town."

"only?"

"Yes, although there used to be two families that were on par with his, their power increased dramatically after their eldest son somehow climbed up to a powerful immortal family a year ago and became a disciple of an immortal. The other two families gradually fell behind under their targeting, and in the end, in order to protect their diminished family property and lives, they had no choice but to leave Yiling and go far away. In this way, his family dominated the entire Yiling Town. Apart from the immortals in the Yiling Supervisory Office, they dared not offend them, and they didn't even take passing immortals seriously."

"The child's parents somehow caught the eye of Wang the rich man's second son. That man is no good. He didn't dare to cause trouble when the immortal was alive, but now that the immortal is dead, he's going to harass their child relentlessly."

"He gave the order, and no matter how reluctant or unworthy the people in the town were to openly disobey his orders to help the child, they could only do so secretly." Liu Yaren couldn't help but sigh as he said this. Although it was somewhat hypocritical, everyone had a large family and were just humble commoners. No one wanted to offend a powerful and wicked person for the sake of a child and thus put their own family in the same predicament.

"Is that child just going to have to endure this?" Wei Chaoyan asked, her voice choked with emotion.

"Yes, that's all we can do," Liu Yaren sighed. "Those immortal couple were so extraordinary back then, and now their orphan can only survive with the meager help of us commoners. It's true what they say, good people don't live long, but evil people live a thousand years!"

Yes, he must live, endure until the tyrannical, wicked playboy tires of him or forgets about targeting him, before he can escape his misery. As for when the bully will tire of him or forget about him, only heaven knows.

Wei Chaoyan was heartbroken, yet powerless to do anything but cry helplessly. Grandpa Wei remained silent. The entire private room fell into an icy silence. Seeing the awkward and heavy atmosphere, Liu Yaren grabbed a wine glass from the table and downed it in one gulp. "Grandpa, we had a very pleasant conversation today, and in my excitement, I couldn't control myself and said so much nonsense. I just hope you'll keep it to yourselves and not spread it around, otherwise I won't have a good time either."

"Brother Liu, don't worry. Our family is all talk and no action. Besides, I'm going back to the village tomorrow. After all, being the village head has a lot of responsibilities. And Yan'er and her younger brother will stay home and rarely go out." Seeing that Liu Yaren was a little annoyed by his own words, Grandpa Wei immediately reassured him.

Hearing this, Liu Yaren felt somewhat relieved, put down his wine cup, cupped his hands and said, "Then today's food and drink are almost finished. It's getting late, so I'll take my leave now."

"Don't stay long," Grandpa Wei hurriedly urged, trying to persuade them to stay.

"No, no." Liu Yaren waved his hand in refusal, and looking at Wei Chaoyan who was still silently shedding tears, he couldn't help but advise, "Yan'er, there's nothing wrong with being kind, and there's nothing wrong with being willing to help others, but we are all commoners and we need to consider our families. I'm sorry for being so blunt, but listen to my advice: in such a difficult world, it's the right thing for us, who are weak and alone, to do our best to protect ourselves. In the future, as the head of the family, you must never act impulsively like you just did. Think of your young brother!" He patted her shoulder and left the private room.

“Grandpa, I…” Wei Chaoyan looked at Grandpa Wei.

“Yan’er, you’ve always been smart, you surely understand all the道理 (principles/reasons), there’s no need for your grandfather to repeat them again,” Grandpa Wei said. “I won’t ask why you acted so impulsively today, I just hope that in the future you will think more about what will happen to your two younger brothers if something happens to them, they are still so young!”

Grandpa Wei stroked his beard and sighed, "I'm going back tomorrow. You're in charge of the household, so please think things through carefully and weigh them again and again." He whispered softly, "Sometimes it's not wrong for people to give up some principles in order to live."

"Never mind." Looking at Wei Chaoyan's stubborn and aggrieved eyes, Grandpa Wei waved his hand helplessly, signaling her to go back to her room: "Go back to your room and check on Qingyan and the others. You've been out for a while. If you insist on going to save that child, you should calm down and think of a way. Don't end up getting yourself and Qingyan into trouble before you even save the child."

"Go back and think it over carefully." Grandpa Wei stuffed the candied hawthorns, toys, and other items that Liu Yaren had picked up into Wei Chaoyan's pale, cold hands, pushed her out of the room, and slumped weakly into a chair after closing the door. "Third son, what am I supposed to do with this girl you gave birth to?" There was no answer from inside the room.