Chapter 14: The Zhao Family’s Extreme Relative

Liu Lan’s expression also changed, especially seeing everyone around looking over.

The whole scene gave off the vibe that if they dared to engage in speculation or hoarding, they’d be immediately handed over to the police, which made her a bit nervous.

She cursed Bai Ruoqiao silently in her heart.

But on her face, she forced a smile and looked at Bai Ruoqiao, just about to say something when a loud voice came from the side.

“Good! Well said! Young comrade, your ideological awareness is high! This old lady can’t compare to you in understanding the principles!”

Everyone turned to look, seeing an old lady carrying a basket glaring fiercely at the middle-aged woman, radiating righteous indignation.

Bai Ruoqiao hadn’t expected anyone to support her and was startled.

Seeing it was an old lady, she gave a shy smile.

“It’s just common sense. I think everyone probably thinks this way and acts accordingly.”

“Yes, but some people don’t think that way; they want to be the big rats prying at the foundation.” The old lady cast a sideways glance at Liu Lan and her mother.

Being publicly scolded like this, the mother and daughter’s faces immediately flushed red.

“Who are you talking about? Who are you calling rats?” Liu Lan’s mother angrily pointed at the old lady.

The old lady wasn’t intimidated at all. She lifted her head and puffed out her chest, instantly looking about 1.8 meters tall in presence.

“I’m talking about you, who keeps saying ‘respect your elders.’

What a bat with feathers stuck on it — what kind of bird do you think you are? You don’t deserve it.

You just see the young comrade is easy to bully and want to use your age to take advantage!”

“You—who do you say is taking advantage? Those two poor snobs are not worth me taking advantage of!”

Liu Lan’s mother’s finger trembled with anger.

If it weren’t for the old lady’s fine clothes making her look not like an ordinary person, she would have gone to pick a fight.

The old lady sneered coldly.

“If you’re not taking advantage, why did you stop others?

Everyone knows meat can’t be returned after buying. Do you really want to force the young comrade into speculation and hoarding?”

“I—I’m not slandering, you’re the one speculating and hoarding!”

Liu Lan’s mother got tangled up and confused, feeling a bit guilty.

She wasn’t truly intending speculation or hoarding — just trying to cause trouble to see if she could get a free piece of meat.

The old lady let out a ‘ha’ and turned to look at the surrounding crowd.

“Everyone has seen it clearly, so who is speculating and hoarding?”

The crowd, loving a good show, all started blaming Liu Lan’s mother.

Liu Lan also became a target of whispers and pointed fingers.

Her face turned pale.

If today they really got branded as speculators and hoarders…

If caught, even if found innocent, their reputation would be ruined. How could she marry into a good family then?

She suddenly turned to look at Bai Ruoqiao.

Bai Ruoqiao thought she might start cursing again but saw Liu Lan suddenly droop her eyebrows and, eyes reddened, said in a wronged tone:

“Bai Ruoqiao, after all, we are relatives. My mother is your elder. Even if you resent us for not letting my sister-in-law bring grain back to her natal family, you can’t take revenge like this. Aren’t you trying to ruin our whole family?”

Bai Ruoqiao was taken aback.

The crowd was also surprised and looked at Bai Ruoqiao.

And then the gossip flames immediately burst into a blaze.

What? There’s more to this story? People’s ears practically stretched a meter long.

Even the old lady frowned at Bai Ruoqiao with a scrutinizing look.

Bai Ruoqiao looked at Liu Lan; obviously, Liu Lan’s mother hadn’t reacted yet.

“Sorry, don’t just claim relatives so easily. I came alone to the countryside; I don’t know any relatives here.”

But she already roughly guessed who the other party was in her heart.

Suddenly, Liu Lan quickly said, “How can you be so heartless? Your eldest sister married my brother; how is that not relatives?”

Bai Ruoqiao put on a face like she had no idea what they were talking about, then immediately turned serious.

“My eldest sister is in Beicheng and still unmarried. Don’t spread baseless rumors to tarnish her reputation, or I won’t let you off easily.”

After decades of being in a position of authority, her face hardened and her tone deepened — that presence was quite intimidating.

Even Liu Lan’s neck twitched in fear.

At this moment, Liu Lan’s mother finally recalled who Bai Ruoqiao was and her face turned even uglier.

“So you’re Zhao Dani’s sister-in-law, no wonder I said—”

But Bai Ruoqiao didn’t give her a chance to finish.

She looked as if she just remembered something.

“Oh, I remember now. You’re the Liu family who forced their daughter-in-law to have a son by breaking her leg and locking her up after she gave birth to a girl, right? Didn’t expect to actually meet you scoundrels here.

Well, that’s good. We can go straight to the police station and report this.

I heard malicious injury is a crime, and unlawful detention is an even graver offense.”

Hearing this, the surrounding people’s expressions changed from casual amusement to serious.

Their eyes were like daggers aimed at Liu Lan and her mother.

Although this era still had plenty of sexism favoring sons over daughters, no one was as cruel as that family.

The old lady’s gaze pierced Liu Lan and her mother like a spear.

“If you really did that, you should be sent to the police.”

The old lady used to be a Women’s Federation leader and couldn’t tolerate oppression of women.

Liu Lan’s mother didn’t understand the law, but hearing the police mentioned made her nervous, and she blurted out rashly.

“What’s the big deal? A daughter-in-law marrying into our family is ours. So what if we hit her a little? Who doesn’t hit their daughter-in-law? Should everyone be sent to the police?”

The crowd’s faces turned even uglier.

There were indeed a few people present who treated their daughters-in-law badly, but none as bad as her.

Yet this statement was basically an admission of Bai Ruoqiao’s accusation.

Liu Lan knew it was bad when her mother spoke and her face darkened further.

She hurriedly reached out to pull her mother and explained.

“No, it’s because my eldest sister-in-law stole grain from our family to give to her natal family. My mother hit her in anger. Her leg was broken because she fell on her own.”

When she said this, many people turned to look at Bai Ruoqiao again.

What the husband’s family hates most is when daughters-in-law take things to support their own family.

Especially grain — something so precious.

Her words really struck a chord with the crowd.

Bai Ruoqiao smiled amusedly at her.

“No wonder the village says your family is shameless. Looks like it’s true. Do you think a family like mine would need to take grain from yours?”

She reached out and lifted the cloth covering two baskets.

The crowd immediately got sour.

Never mind the basket with dozens of pounds of meat, even the other basket was full of good things.

Even their sauces and oils were bought in original bottles — a sign of a wealthy family.

Not to mention two cans of malted milk powder, a luxury item.

After their envy, the crowd nodded in agreement.

Seeing the goods purchased, it was clear this family was quite well off and had no need to pilfer from others.

The old lady also looked at Liu Lan’s mother with suspicion.

That girl was clearly making excuses, probably just like her mother.

“Stop making baseless accusations and nonsense. What kind of era do you think this is that still favors sons over daughters so blatantly? What’s wrong with girls? Women can now hold up half the sky. I think your whole family has ideological problems and should be investigated.”

Liu Lan’s face immediately darkened.

If they were really branded with that accusation, it would be even more serious than speculation and hoarding.

She hadn’t expected Bai Ruoqiao to be so skilled at twisting facts.

No wonder she heard Bai Ruoqiao was harassed by Zhao Pozi to the point of running to the clinic every day — her tongue was so sharp.