Chapter 85 : Eat the People Without Sparing the Bones

Chen Shu was covering half of his face, not daring to show it, so Xiao Yi forcefully hold his hands apart and made him reveal the snake bite marks on his face.

This time, Chen Jinhua truly panicked, while Jiang Sui jumped right back into performance mode, working hard to squeeze out a few tears.

“Even though I’m not your biological daughter, we’ve lived together for more than ten years. Even if you never liked me, how could you hurt me like this?”

“Before I got married, I worked endlessly. You hit me, scolded me, and I never fought back. I thought if I endured it, maybe you’d treat me better. But I was wrong. You only ever thought about yourself. Since you hate me so much, I’ve given up.”

“Let’s settle it today, in front of the old village chief and everyone else: from now on, we go our separate ways. You are no longer my adoptive mother, and I am no longer your adopted daughter.”

“Anyway, you’ve never treated me like a daughter. You even tried to ruin my reputation so my in-laws would divorce me, and then marry me off to your despicable nephew. You wanted to hit three birds with one stone. You’re downright vicious.”

She actually managed to squeeze out two real tears, and the people watching were all moved. Those who were close to the Jiang family knew what kind of life Jiang Sui had lived before. Most people wouldn’t have lasted this long.

Jiang Sui had always been grateful to her adoptive father for saving her, and she had endured Chen Jinhua’s bad temper for years.

Now that she was finally married into the Xiao family and escape her miserable life, she still couldn’t shake off Chen Jinhua, who even now was scheming to use such a dirty trick just to get a recipe.

Honestly, lots of people in the village were jealous of the Xiao family’s booming business. But most just gossiped about it and let it go. Only Chen Jinhua had the nerve to act on it with such a nasty plan.

She wanted both the recipe and the girl!

When Xiao Hechuan heard her talking about divorce, he couldn’t sit still anymore. He rushed over, held Jiang Sui’s hand tightly, and said. “Wife, I want to be with you for the rest of my life. You’re the only one I want as my wife.”

“Suisui, we know what kind of person you are. The innocent will remain innocent.” Mother Xiao also stepped forward to voice her support, and the rest of the Xiao family all nodded in agreement.

Jiang Sui had full faith in the Xiao family otherwise, she wouldn’t have had the confidence to go all in like this.

When Chen Jinhua heard that Jiang Sui wanted to sever all ties, she wasn’t happy. She may not have liked that girl, but cutting ties meant she’d have no way to benefit from the Xiao family in the future.

Of course, not that she had gained anything yet.

But she couldn’t stand the idea of Jiang Sui living a good life.

So she switched tactics and went on the offensive.

“Jiang Sui, you talk like you’re so righteous! Don’t think I don’t know what you were like when you were a girl living under my roof. You had a crush on my nephew. But he didn’t like you. And now you still think about him!”

“Chen Shu used to visit my house all the time. You two would run into each other constantly. You even threw yourself at him more than once, saying you weren’t related by blood and wanted to marry him. But my nephew wasn’t interested, so you had no choice but to settle for that fool from the Xiao family. Now, just because you saw my nephew again yesterday, you tried to seduce him. And when that didn’t work out, you turned the whole thing around and blamed him!”

Jiang Sui was so angry she laughed. She really wanted to rip Chen Jinhua’s mouth off.

Chen Shu also found his courage and jumped in.

“That’s right! Jiang Sui was the one who seduced me. She said Xiao Hechuan was a fool, and that she had no choice but to marry him. She said she was miserable and suffocating. Then my aunt walked in on us, and she got scared and blamed everything on me!”

“No matter what you say, we’re not buying it. Are any of you?” Mother Xiao looked around as she asked the villagers.

She was Jiang Sui’s number one fan, and no way was she letting anyone stir up drama.

The villagers all shook their heads, they didn’t believe a word Chen Jinhua said.

First, because Chen Jinhua rarely spoke the truth.

Second, because the Xiao family was thriving now, and no one wanted to offend them. In fact, most people were looking for a way to get on their good side.

Chen Jinhua and Chen Shu were so furious that their teeth practically shattered from grinding.

“There were only a few of us there at the time, and Jiang Sui had no witnesses. How can you prove that what she said is true and what I said is false? This matter can’t be explained clearly. If you want to sever ties with me, it’s impossible!”

“I’ll tell you this, Jiang Sui…I may not have treated you well in the past, but at least I gave you a roof over your head and food to eat so that you could live until now. No matter how bad I, Chen Jinhua, am, the reason you’re still alive today is because of me. Otherwise, you would’ve frozen to death on that snowy night more than ten years ago.”

Chen Jinhua absolutely refused to let things go her way. Even if she couldn’t take advantage of the Xiao family, she was going to annoy them to the bitter end.

Jiang Sui almost let down her guard. She had never seen someone so utterly shameless.

Seeing this situation, the old village chief was in a difficult spot, there had been no witnesses at the time, and both sides had their own versions of the story, so it really was hard to make a fair judgment.

As the crowd fell silent, Chen Jinhua smiled smugly, raised her chin, and added.

“Also, the Xiao family came to my house today and beat me up for no reason. I’m covered in injuries! They need to compensate me three taels of silver for medical expenses before I’ll consider this matter settled.” She truly popped up everywhere, like a weed.

Just then, a little boy suddenly stepped forward. He looked about seven or eight years old.

He spoke in a small voice.

“I saw it. I saw Aunt Chen and Sister Qiaoqiao bullying Sister Suisui by the river. They even stuffed a piece of cloth in Sister Sui’s mouth so she couldn’t talk.”

This sudden twist was completely unexpected. When Xiao Hechuan saw the little boy, he immediately exclaimed in surprise.

“It’s Dazhuang!”

Dazhuang was Xiao Hechuan’s childhood playmate from the village.

“Dazhuang, you brat, don’t talk nonsense!” Dazhuang’s mother couldn’t stay quiet once she saw her son speak up and tried to drag him away.

But Dazhuang refused to go.

“Mom, I saw it. I’m not lying.”

Chen Jinhua hadn’t expected this turn of events either. She pointed at Dazhuang in a panic.

“Old village chief, don’t believe a word from a little kid!”

But the old village chief looked at her with a disappointed expression and shook his head.

“Children are the least likely to lie. What else is there to say, Chen Jinhua? You wanted a witness, and now you’ve got one. Stop trying to argue. Just do as Jiang Sui said, sever the relationship, and from now on, you each go your own way. No more entanglements.”

“No! Then what, she’s been eating my food for all these years for free? You think you can cut me off with just five taels of silver? Make it at least five taels, and then I’ll agree to break off the relationship.”

Chen Jinhua was the perfect example of a ruthless person who never missed a chance to profit.

Everyone around muttered that she was greedy, but she didn’t care one bit.

“A daughter who’s married off is like spilled water. They already given the betrothal gifts, and you’re still not satisfied? If you act like this, who’ll want to deal with you in the future?” The old village chief was thoroughly disappointed with her.

“No one wants to deal with me? So be it. I’m just an widow with no one to rely on. A person who doesn’t look out for themselves will be punished by heaven and earth. Old village chief, I don’t have a choice.” Chen Jinhua was determined to squeeze some silver from the Xiao family today.

“In that case, let’s report it to the authorities and see who’s in the right.”

Mother Xiao suddenly said this, arms crossed and with a posture that said ‘go ahead, I’m ready for war.’ She had learned this move from Jiang Sui, if you’re in the right, just go straight to the authorities.