Sit Softly On Your Shoulder

Chapter 34: Good Corrections

As Wei Ying steps forward carefully, a shadow crosses his path. He looks up at the shimmering purple silk just in front of him to see the twisted snarling face of Madam Yu ZiYuan staring back at him, with her arms crossed over her chest. It feels as though there's a black tempest of clouds above her head, the warm air around them strangely oppressive and infused with foreboding, like the pressure rising before a particularly violent impending storm. Static electricity crackles around them, for this is a dangerous woman.

For a second, Wei Ying is transported back in time to when he was a teenager, to the countless times of being called before this formidable woman to answer for one unforgivable crime or another. Anything could set her off, and Wei Ying had long ago put away any shock or surprise at her reaction and the following consequences. Punishment was inevitable, only the degree to achieve her satisfaction in question.

Her amethyst eyes sparkle with venom and fury, ready to lash out at him, even though Wei Ying hasn't seen her in eight years. He looks away, frozen. Why is she here? She wasn't supposed to be invited, right?

While he's thinking about this, it is Wen Popo who springs into action.

"A-Ning, go fetch Senior Lan." Her voice is quietly commanding, and Wen Ning knows not to argue with her. He leaves immediately.

Then she places herself right in front of Wei Ying, a physical barrier between him and the malevolent woman standing there. Madam Yu's face twists further into a scornful grimace. Her real prey lies behind her, but she's not opposed to sharpening her teeth before the real feast.

"You should know who you are protecting," Madam Yu tells Wen Popo, before her gaze zips past the older woman and onto Wei Ying. "I did not believe the invitation when it came, but you're really here!?! Found another prominent family to leech off, haven't you?" Her tone is full of barbs, ready to tear into Wei Ying's skin.

"I do not believe you have an invitation to attend, and if you do, then that is a mistake easily rectified." Wen Popo tells her, bringing Madam Yu's attention back towards herself. Then, in a suddenly fast move, she swipes the familiar red wedding invitation dangling from Madam Yu's immaculate purple nails and scans it quickly before ripping it into shreds. "Problem solved." Wen Popo stares back at Madam Yu with daggers in her eyes, defiant.

Wei Ying has never seen her like this. Wen Qing clings to his arm with her nails digging into the fabric of his wedding robes, physically stopping him from moving in front of her grandmother. When Wei Ying glances at her, she shakes her head. "Not today," Wen Qing whispers, her large dark eyes full of anger towards this hindrance on their path.

"I do not know how you know each other, but you should take into consideration that the man behind you is a cut-sleeve!" Madam Yu hisses at Popo. "And I've come here today to dissuade Lan Qiren from making a colossal mistake! He should know the viper he's ushering into his family, a snake liable to tear it apart! Mark my words, if he lets this wedding take place, then he's going to be responsible for his family's destruction."

"Not that it's any of your business. Why don't you leave now and save yourself further embarrassment?" Popo fires back, trembling with rage.

Wen Qing is just as furious with Madam Yu, and she makes sure to stand next to Wei Ying, but just in front of him to present a united front towards the vile-tongued nasty woman.

"Embarrassed? Me?" Madam Yu laughs scornfully, the sound of it like shards of glass cracking under immense pressure. "Whatever for, unless you count the thousands of days that creature spent in my home, no doubt looking for the perfect opportunity to seduce my son! It was just luck that YanLi was always around them. Otherwise, who knows what that Wei WuXian would have done!"