Chapter 17: The Troublemaker

The old house had its courtyard gate open, and the aroma of meat could be smelled for miles.

Some families nearby, despite their cravings, were too embarrassed to come knocking.

But those with more cunning minds would send their children with bowls to see if they could get a piece of meat.

So now, there were a few more children in and around the courtyard, making it even livelier.

Zhao Dani, as she walked, kept wiping her mouth with her sleeve, her mouth watering from the smell of meat.

She cursed Zhao Sihai in her heart for being clueless, while she quickened her pace.

Her limping leg didn’t affect her speed. Even Lin Qianqian couldn’t keep up with her.

As soon as she reached the courtyard gate, she saw two children squatting on the stone steps by the gate, giggling and eating.

When she saw the large chunks of stewed meat in their bowls, her eyes widened.

She also heard the shouts and laughter coming from inside the house, and her stomach growled even louder.

Anger immediately surged through her heart. She quickly walked over, bent down, and snatched the bowl from the child’s hand.

She stuffed the meat and rice into her mouth.

The child didn’t even have time to react.

By the time he did, the empty bowl was already back in his hand.

Zhao Dani wiped her mouth and was about to grab the other child’s bowl.

“You little brats, you think you can eat my family’s food? Even starving ghosts don’t eat as much as you. You’re a bunch of good-for-nothings, raised by a mother but not by a father.”

The other child was quick and ran away with his bowl.

The people in the courtyard were eating when they heard a curse.

Then there was a deafening cry.

Several people were surprised and immediately went out to see what was happening.

Zhao Sihai told them to continue eating and went out to check.

As soon as he reached the courtyard gate, he saw Zhao Dani chasing a child, cursing and hitting him.

For a moment, he didn’t recognize her and thought it was the child’s mother who had come looking for him.

He frowned and shouted, “What are you doing?”

Hearing Zhao Sihai’s voice, Zhao Dani stopped chasing the child.

She immediately changed her expression.

“Sihai, you’re back. I came as soon as I heard the news. It’s great.”

Zhao Dani was the kind of person who couldn’t even be tough at home. She only dared to be mean behind people’s backs or bully children.

When Zhao Sihai was younger, she bullied him mercilessly, venting her anger on him.

When he grew up and became strong, she didn’t dare anymore. She was even a little afraid of him.

Zhao Sihai recognized her now and frowned even tighter.

“Big Sister? Why are you here?”

Zhao Dani had married into the neighboring village when she was ten years older than him.

At that time, he had also joined the army, and he only came back once or twice a year. He rarely saw her.

He had later heard from Hongjun that Zhao Dani had been beaten and broken her leg because she kept stealing food from her in-laws’ house to bring back to the Zhao family.

His gaze moved down, looking at her right leg.

Zhao Dani, however, put on a face of grievance.

“What are you talking about? I’m your big sister. My little brother is finally back. How could I not come and see you?”

She looked into the courtyard, her eyes curious, and she smacked her lips.

“What are you doing? Mom said you’re building a house. It smells so good. Are you having dinner?”

Zhao Sihai knew what she was thinking.

He didn’t respond, just gave a lukewarm “Hmm.”

He had no feelings for Zhao Dani, or rather, he had the same feelings for everyone in that family.

“Ah, is that so? I just…”

“What’s going on?” Bai Ruojiao came out when she heard the commotion.

She saw Zhao Sihai talking to someone, and he was blocking her view, so she couldn’t see who it was.

A little boy hiding by the door immediately reported.

“Auntie, that woman just snatched Shuanzi’s food and was going to snatch Qiangzi’s food too. She even hit Qiangzi.”

Bai Ruojiao frowned when she heard this, thinking what kind of woman would be so shameless as to snatch food from children.

Zhao Sihai also frowned, looking at her incredulously, “You snatched food from children?”

Zhao Dani saw Bai Ruojiao and remembered the beating she had received at home.

She was immediately furious and couldn’t care less about eating. She immediately accused her with a fierce expression.

“Sihai, do you know what your wife did today?”

Zhao Sihai’s face darkened when he heard this, “Big Sister, Qiaoqiao is your sister-in-law. What kind of tone is that? What ‘this’ and ‘that’?”

Zhao Dani was immediately intimidated by his aura and even hiccuped in fright.

The courage she had just mustered dissipated, and she was once again a pitiful little bun.

Bai Ruojiao also walked over at this time. Seeing Zhao Dani, who was disheveled and in a state of disarray, she was surprised, but it was also as if she had expected it.

She had offended that mother and daughter today, and she had expected Zhao Dani to be sent to cause trouble. She didn’t expect her to come so quickly.

She slightly curled her lips, smiling mockingly, “Big Sister, why are you here? What’s going on at this time of day?”

Zhao Dani wanted to reach out and tear Bai Ruojiao’s face off.

How could she say they were related?

She hadn’t inherited Zhao Pozi’s personality, but her character was ten times worse.

She was jealous of Bai Ruojiao’s beauty, jealous of Bai Ruojiao having a husband who loved her, jealous of Bai Ruojiao having a son, and jealous of Bai Ruojiao’s good relationships.

She was practically possessed. She couldn’t stand to see Bai Ruojiao.

Today, she had been beaten by her mother-in-law because of Bai Ruojiao, and she hated her even more.

“Bai Ruojiao, you did a good thing today. Tell me, why did you pick on my mother-in-law and make her beat me? You just can’t stand to see us doing well, can you? You’re a troublemaker. You have to stir up trouble and break up the family before you’re satisfied. Now you’re even instigating Sihai to leave home. You shouldn’t have let this scourge into the house in the first place.”

Zhao Sihai’s face immediately fell, and his eyes became colder.

Bai Ruojiao, however, suddenly sneered and walked forward.

“Big Sister, I think your mother-in-law didn’t tell you the whole story. Today, she and your younger sister-in-law tried to force me to engage in speculation and profiteering. They were exposed by the people and ran away in disgrace.

Since you said that, I can’t just stand there and let people throw dirty water at me. Why don’t we call your mother-in-law and go to the police station to settle this?”

Zhao Dani’s eyes widened in shock when she heard this, “Wh, what speculation and profiteering? Don’t talk nonsense.”

As soon as she heard the word “police,” she was instinctively afraid and nervous, and her speech became stammering.

“Whether I’m talking nonsense or not, you’ll know when we get to the police station. There are dozens of witnesses today. I’m sure they’ll be happy to testify.”

Seeing Bai Ruojiao speak so confidently, Zhao Dani was really a little scared.

She also blamed her mother-in-law and younger sister-in-law.

Why did they engage in speculation and profiteering? If they were caught, it would implicate her precious son.

Thinking about this, she didn’t dare to argue with Bai Ruojiao anymore.

She was afraid that she would really take her to the police.

“I, I don’t know. I don’t know anything. I, Bao’er is still at home. I have to go.”

In her nervousness and fear, she wanted to run away.

At this time, Lin Qianqian, who had been watching the show from a distance, came forward.

“Big Sister Zhao, don’t listen to her nonsense. She’s scaring you. According to her nature, she can’t stand to see others doing well. If she really had evidence against your mother-in-law, she would have sent her to the police long ago. Why would she wait until now? She’s lying to you.”

Zhao Dani was stunned and turned to look at Bai Ruojiao, her eyes widening again.

She seemed to be trying to find some trace of lying in her expression.