Rebirth: Splendid Marriage in the 80s Chapter 2467: 2403: The Fire Before the Grave

“Furthermore, you have no idea what sort of woman Mother Xinian really was; she was genuinely a fine woman, and a devoted mother too. Once she wed into the Meng Family, she showed me constant respect and warmth, while remaining soft and attentive to Chao Jun. They shared a truly joyful time back then. Eventually, Nian Che showed up, and from the very beginning, he returned home with a grim expression, stirring up trouble by hinting that Chenger ought not to have wed Chao Jun during his time away, and he went on at length about their younger days.”

Back then, hadn't they spotted any odd signs once matters reached such a stage?

Old Meng replied, “We honestly didn’t pay it much mind at the moment. We figured they were simply close siblings who got on splendidly. It seemed only right for the brother to feel upset over his sister tying the knot without him there to join in.”

Chiang Xiao was at a loss for words.

For ordinary siblings sharing a tight bond, how could they possibly skip notifying the brother about a major occasion like the wedding?

The whole thing had been off-kilter right from the outset.

Old Meng had no wish to probe deeply into their old feelings, so he summed it up quickly: “Since that event, Chenger started heading out now and then, and afterward, she appeared somewhat distracted and less focused on household duties than earlier, which left Chao Jun feeling a touch wary.”

“Wary? Wary of Nian Che?”

“Well… truth be told, Nian Che wasn’t even supposed to be in Capital City during that period.”

Not in Capital City?

So who exactly was Meng Chaojun wary of?

“I wasn’t privy to many details of their circumstances then,” Old Meng explained, “It was only after Chenger’s death that Chao Jun fell sick for an entire half-month starting from the day she passed. Actually, I took care of Chenger’s funeral plans alongside Meng Sheng’s folks, and then…”

He stopped short there.

Chiang Xiao sensed he was on the verge of bringing up Nian Che.

“Nian Che visited the cemetery, but disaster struck. Rumor has it he aimed to pour some wine as an offering before Chenger’s tomb, yet he chose a strong liquor, and as he splashed it over the white candle’s flame, the blaze leaped high and scorched his face.”

Chiang Xiao heard this, her pulse quickening.

“Impossible! That can’t be!”

How on earth could such a mishap occur?

Doesn’t wine doused on candle flames typically snuff them out? What sort of potent liquor would flare up so abruptly?

This was downright chilling.

Old Meng shook his head, adding, “I just got the story from the doctor, who described it as happening more or less that way. He had a scarf on at the time; being wool, it covered his face and blazed intensely once set alight. Plus, that liquor bottle turned out to be the type for fueling lamps, and he was quite intoxicated himself that day, leaving his mind foggy.”

Chiang Xiao hadn’t imagined the real story of Nian Che’s scarring would unfold like this.

Right by Nian Chengcheng’s gravesite? Setting his own face ablaze?

Who could anyone fault for that?

If one leaned toward superstition, they might claim he’d wronged Nian Chengcheng somehow, triggering this eerie mishap.

“Might Nian Che have lashed out at Mother Xinian and the Meng family because of the injury he suffered near her grave?”

Old Meng drifted into his recollections.

He thought back to the scene when he first laid eyes on Nian Che that day.

“You mention I seem somewhat wary of Nian Che, maybe because I still recall spotting him in the courtyard from a distance. Xinian was out there playing by herself at the time. I’d meant to fetch him and head home, but then I noticed Nian Che. He stood behind a tree, gazing at Xinian for quite a while. Next, I watched him approach her, drawing a handkerchief from his pocket.”