Chapter 22: Unexpected Guest, the Aunt

The two women chatted and laughed, just stepping into the courtyard.

They saw their mother, Liu Guifang, her head drooping, sitting listlessly on a wooden stool.

She looked like a silly daughter-in-law who had just been scolded and was sulking.

Beside her was her unpleasant aunt, Ruan Xiaomei’s mother, who was arrogant and haughty, her eyes could practically kill a person.

Knowing her aunt’s character, it was easy to guess why she had come, as she rarely visited without a reason.

“Aunt is here, what a rare guest! It’s so sunny outside, why not sit inside? If word gets out, our family of three will be gossiped about again.”

Her daughter had been wronged, and her protective aunt had come to take her anger out on her mother.

This wasn’t the first time.

After accumulating resentment for so long, it was time to unleash it and let her aunt feel the same frustration.

It was a clash of wills.

It looked like a fight was about to break out.

Zhou Xingze, standing nearby, didn’t intend to get involved.

As long as Xiaotang wasn’t at a disadvantage, he wouldn’t interfere.

He put down his hoe and went into Ruan Xiaohai’s room.

The aunt raised her eyebrows, meeting Ruan Xiaotang’s gaze.

The little girl, with a man backing her, had become vicious.

“Are you afraid of gossip? Your engagement was broken off, and then you quickly found someone else. Such a coincidence, it seems you were secretly dating him. You’re so shameless, you’re embarrassing the Ruan family!”

“Sister-in-law, that’s going too far! My Xiaotang has always been a good child. Everyone in the neighborhood praises her. You’re slandering my daughter without any evidence. I think you’re the shameless one!”

Liu Guifang, angered by her insults, her eyes reddened, stood up and retorted fiercely.

The aunt was surprised to see her sister-in-law standing before her, looking her in the eye.

Someone who never dared to breathe heavily in front of her was now acting differently.

Ruan Xiaotang stepped forward, pulling her mother behind her.

She took off her headscarf, folded it, and held it tightly in her left hand. She bent down, lifted her right leg, then her left, and vigorously brushed off the dirt from her trousers.

Standing up straight, she shook the headscarf at her aunt.

“Can’t you keep yourself clean when you’re around people?”

“What people? I don’t see anyone.”

The aunt didn’t take the bait, saying coldly, “Your sister twisted her ankle while working today, and you just stood by and watched. You’re so heartless. You should be grateful, otherwise, you’ll face retribution.”

The word “retribution”

was deliberately emphasized, a reminder.

This had been used to control them for over ten years.

It was a bottomless pit of greed.

Shameless to the extreme.

Ruan Xiaotang suddenly laughed, a chilling laugh. “Your family keeps mentioning that I fell into the river when I was young, and your eldest daughter saved me. In your words, I owe my life to Ruan Xiaomei. Without her, I’d be dead. Bah! Go ask your eldest daughter who pushed me into the river. She may be too young to remember, but I remember it clearly.”

The aunt, who had thought this would be a sure win, was stunned.

She couldn’t believe her ears.

Her head buzzed.

Her eldest daughter was always scheming, but she was so young, how could she…

It must be Ruan Xiaotang lying.

How dare she slander her daughter!

She was about to scold Ruan Xiaotang.

But she was interrupted.

“And go ask her why my engagement was broken off—because she seduced Wang Qiang…”

“You bitch, you dare to slander my Xiaomei! I’ll beat you to a pulp!”

“Slap!”

“Slap!”

Ruan Xiaotang, quick as a flash, wrapped her headscarf around the aunt’s hands.

She raised her hands and slapped her twice.

The aunt was stunned, her eyes wide.

After feeling the pain, she slowly turned her incredulous eyes to Ruan Xiaotang.

It was like seeing a ghost.

The girl had changed, completely different from before.

Before, when she scolded her, she wouldn’t dare to breathe heavily, always submissive.

They were used to her meekness.

Was she possessed today?

Even the good-tempered Ruan Xiaotang dared to hit someone.

And with quite a bit of force; her head was still buzzing.

“You dare hit me? I’m your elder. You shameless girl, I’ll teach you a lesson on behalf of your dead father!”

The aunt yelled, struggling to break free from the headscarf.

“You’re not fit to represent my father. Come on!”

Ruan Xiaotang picked up a hatchet and pointed it at the aunt’s chest.

“Listen carefully. From today on, our families will stay out of each other’s way. If you don’t understand, and dare to provoke my family again, you’ll face the same fate as this wood.”

With a swing of the hatchet,

“Crack!”

The thick piece of wood was split in two.

The aunt, who often chopped wood, knew the skill behind that single swing.

Her eyes were filled with fear, her heart pounding, her legs trembling.

“Xiaotang, put down the knife.”

Liu Guifang was shocked, cold sweat dripping down her back.

She was afraid Xiaotang would do something reckless.

She quickly snatched the knife away.

Feeling relieved, she said, “Sister-in-law, you should leave!”

“Oh, oh, I… I’ll… go…”

The aunt, stammering, tried to run, but her legs were weak. She stumbled, fell, and struggled to get up, escaping the yard.

“My sister is amazing! That anger is finally released! So satisfying!”

Ruan Xiaohai had been watching through the crack in the door, wanting to rush out to help his sister, but Zhou Xingze had held him back.

Ruan Xiaohai was extremely dissatisfied with his cowardice. His admiration for his brother-in-law plummeted. Such a cowardly brother-in-law was not worthy of his sister.

“Brother Zhou, my sister was bullied like that, and you hid and didn’t help her! I… I look down on you!”

Zhou Xingze smiled at the protective young man, crossed his arms, and said, “Did your sister suffer? You’re still young. Some things must be said and done yourself to truly resolve them. Look, your sister has resolved it.”