Chapter 61: Beat to Death

“Lele woke up at night, and I was the only one in the room. I couldn’t find Mom and Dad.”

Ji Lele started to pout and cry.

For a child, waking up to find himself alone in the whole house is really scary and sad.

“Why did Dad sleep with Mom? And didn’t bring Lele?”

Sleeping with Mom wasn’t the point; the point was why he wasn’t brought along.

The little guy’s eyes filled with tears, threatening to spill.

This broke Su Ai and Ji Yang’s hearts.

“Don’t cry, don’t cry.” Su Ai immediately hugged the child, and Ji Yang quickly wiped away his son’s tears: “I’m sorry, Dad won’t do it again, okay?”

Ji Lele didn’t speak, only sobbing and clinging to his mother’s neck.

“Don’t leave Lele alone again.”

“Lele is scared.”

“Okay, we won’t, never again.”

Su Ai and Ji Yang coaxed Lele for a long time before he regained his composure, breaking Ji Yang’s heart.

After all, Ji Lele hadn’t even had his third birthday yet; he was still a child and really needed his parents.

Su Ai also reflected that although she loved her husband, she couldn’t ignore this little one.

She made the child’s favorite pan-fried buns for breakfast, and after the meal, he finally cheered up.

But he didn’t want to go out to play today and clung to his parents.

“I want to play at home with Mom and Dad today.”

“Okay.”

“But there’s nothing fun to do at home. How about Mom takes you to see a show?”

“A show?” Ji Lele’s eyes lit up.

“Are there shows to watch now?”

Ji Lele knew what a show was. Every year after the New Year, there would be opera troupes coming to perform.  Where the shows were performed, there would be many food stalls, toys, and all sorts of fun things, like circuses and street performers.

Dad said it was also called a temple fair. They had just had the New Year recently and had seen a temple fair.

“We’re not talking about the same kind of show.”

“You’ll see when we get there.”

“Okay, then let’s go see a show. Dad, will you go too?”

Ji Yang looked amusedly at the chattering mother and son.

“Dad won’t go.”

“Dad wants to read at home. You and Mom go play and come back early.”

“Okay, Dad.”

Su Ai took her child to the old Su family’s house at the estimated time.  The crowds, three or four layers deep, showed that they arrived just in time.

“Mom, there are so many people!”

“I can’t see anything.”

It was impossible to squeeze through.

Su Ai’s gaze fell on a large tree, and she lifted Ji Lele up.

“Go up, find a spot, sit down, hold on tight and wait for me.”

Ji Lele struggled to grab the branches, settling himself. Su Ai waited until he was secure before climbing herself.

In a few seconds, she reached the top and pulled Ji Lele from the branches into her arms.

“Can you see now?”

Ji Lele immediately nodded.

“Mom, you took me up a tree!”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Mom, you didn’t scold me for climbing a tree, you even took me up with you.”

“Why would I scold you?”

It’s just climbing a tree, not murder.

“Qi wa said that every time he climbs a tree, he gets beaten when he gets home. His mother beats him, saying he dirtied or tore his clothes.”

“Why don’t you scold me?”

“Dirty clothes can be washed, torn clothes can be bought, just don’t fall,” Su Ai said casually.

Ji Lele’s small head couldn’t understand.  Yes, dirty clothes can be washed, and torn clothes can be bought, so why did Qi wa’s mother beat him for these things?

He wanted to ask more questions, but Su Ai pinched his little face and looked down.

“Shh, watch the show.”

Some things don’t need much explanation; he’ll understand when he grows up.

The two, big and small, looked down curiously. The old Su family’s door was wide open, and many people were pulling and tearing inside.

Two groups of people: one group was Li Cuihua, Su Daguo, and Su Peng’s family of three.

The other group was larger, with more than ten people: Qi Xiuer’s parents, older brother, second brother, and younger brother a whole family, men, women, and children, more than ten people.

“Qi Xiuer, you little bitch, you dare to take things from my house, believe me or not, I’ll call the police and arrest you, you thief!”

“Who marries a daughter-in-law like you?  A few days after getting married, have you cooked? Have you done any work? All you do is cause trouble, quarrel with your mother-in-law, and fight!”

“You can’t even control your own man, letting our Su Peng go gambling.  Our life was fine before, you’re a jinx, a bad omen!”

“Since you came, our family has almost been torn apart.”

“The money is gone.”

“Now you still want to run? Still want to take things from my house? You’re dreaming!”

“If you dare to take a single cent from my house, I’ll tell you, I’ll make sure you spend the rest of your life in jail!”

“I want to see who dares to touch a single thing in my house!” Li Cuihua went completely crazy.

Yesterday, when she and her husband found Su Peng, it was already too late. Su Peng had lost over one thousand yuan and owed several hundred more.

The two went to find him; they didn’t have any money on them. In the end, they had to leave fingerprints and sign an IOU before he was released.

By the time they returned, it was already dawn.

Su Daguo was yelling at Su Peng, questioning him about his gambling addiction.  Before he could catch his breath, Qi Xiuer arrived with her family.

And after arriving, without saying a word, she and her family started searching, taking anything valuable.

Li Cuihua had just lost a large sum of money; if these things were also taken away, it would be like taking her life.

She went crazy, completely crazy, she wouldn’t let anyone take these things away.

“Xiao Xiu’er, I know you’re angry because I hit you yesterday, but believe me, I’ll really pay you back that money.”

“I won’t keep losing, I’ll win too. I bought you a lot of things before, didn’t I? That money was all won by me, and I spent it all on you.”

“You said yourself that you believe I’ll succeed one day, and those who look down on me will regret it.”

“Keep believing in me now, one day, I’ll really succeed.”

“I was so good to you before.”

“Xiao Xiu’er, if you’re angry, you can slap me twice, but don’t do anything that will disappoint me, okay?”

Su Peng looked at Qi Xiuer with deep eyes.

Qi Xiuer looked coldly at Su Peng, then approached him.

“Slapping you twice is okay, right?”

Su Peng nodded.

“Sorry, if you’re angry, hit me, but don’t do this…”

Slap!

Slap!

Bang!

“Big Brother, Second Brother, hit him!”

“Beat him to death!” Qi Xiuer slapped Su Peng twice, stunning him, then kicked him to the ground.

She straightened up, tossed her hair, pointed at Su Peng, and gave her orders without hesitation.