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Upon seeing Shen Zi’an enter, Lianhua recalled Liu Wuniang’s hurtful remarks about her body, feeling deeply embarrassed. Liu Wuniang compared her to a stick, critiqued her figure, and even suggested that not even the village blacksmith would want to marry her. The shame she felt was overwhelming, as she realized not only Shen Zi’an but also the other men outside had likely heard the insulting comments. Blushing intensely, she felt as if she was being scrutinized, leading her to impulsively lunge towards Liu Wuniang.
Liu Wuniang, seeing Shen Zi’an enter, also froze, regretting her harsh words. At their age, young girls were typically aware of marriage and relationships. Especially in the presence of handsome men, they would aim to make a good impression. Even the most defiant girls would become bashful. Reflecting on her crude remarks, Liu Wuniang regretted speaking so harshly.
Unexpectedly, Lianhua reacted with anger and struck out at Liu Wuniang. While they often bickered, they had never come to blows before. This sudden physical response caught Liu Wuniang off guard, resulting in Lianhua slapping her across the face.
“Oh no! Lianhua, how dare you hit me!”
Liu Wuniang cried out in pain, holding her face and glaring at Lianhua, still a bit dazed. Before she could finish speaking, Lianhua’s next slap landed, striking her face, shoulders, and even grazing her chest, a sensitive area for a developing girl. Liu Wuniang’s cries of pain echoed through the room.
“Mother, help me—”
Yangshi finally reacted, rushing over to restrain Lianhua. She exclaimed, “Lianhua, are you out of your mind? How could you hit your sister?”
As Lianhua was held back by Yangshi, she looked at Liu Wuniang’s face and realized the gravity of her actions. She hesitated, contemplating her next move, only to receive another slap from Liu Wuniang. Angered by being restrained, feeling the searing pain on her face and the disturbance to her clothing, Liu Wuniang lashed out in embarrassment, striking back at Lianhua.
Lianhua, initially unsure of what to do, decided to retaliate when Liu Wuniang struck back, thinking she might as well get some satisfaction out of it since they were already fighting. She had grown tired of Liu Wuniang’s constant teasing, especially considering she believed herself to be more attractive. Just because Liu Wuniang’s family had some money, she no longer needed to appease her aunt’s family. With her newfound resolve, Lianhua aimed to make her point clear.
With this mindset, Lianhua’s strikes intensified, targeting Liu Wuniang’s vulnerabilities. She was determined to silence any further ridicule, thinking, “You laugh at me for looking like a stick, well, I’ll show you!”
Although this description may seem lengthy, it all happened in just a few seconds. The two young girls exchanged blows, their hair disheveled, faces showing signs of the scuffle. Even Yangshi, who was attempting to break up the fight, got caught in the chaos, resembling a madwoman.
The men present hesitated to intervene in the girls’ fight, caught off guard by the sudden altercation. Inside the room, Zhao Yangshi lay on the kang, Zhang Shi heavily pregnant, while Su Zhi and Shen Zi’an hurriedly moved the three children aside, ensuring they wouldn’t get caught in the middle of the scuffle.
The room was filled with shouts, curses, and pleas like “Stop it,” “Put an end to this,” “Separate them,” and various other voices trying to intervene.
In the heat of the moment, fights can escalate quickly. Pain can fuel anger, turning those involved more aggressive, even if they are typically gentle individuals. Despite being delicate girls, the heightened emotions made them strong, behaving like fierce tigresses, exchanging blows and hurling unpleasant words at each other.
Feeling aggrieved that Yangshi seemed to be letting her get hit by Liu Wuniang, Lianhua started calling for her own mother, adding a few hits towards Yangshi as well. Frustrated with Yangshi for seemingly siding with her daughter against her, Lianhua didn’t hold back, regardless of their familial roles.
“You little brat! Daring to hit your cousin and even laying a hand on me, your elder? You deserve a lesson!”
After accidentally getting hit by Lianhua and hearing her daughter’s screams, Yangshi, in a moment of reaction, pushed Lianhua, causing her to stumble backward and fall.
“Ahh—”
A scream louder than Lianhua’s pierced the air— it was Zhang Shi. She had tried to move aside, but with the limited space in the room and Lianhua being pushed towards her, she ended up falling on top of her.
“My daughter! My grandchild!”
Zhao Yangshi swiftly rose from the kang, displaying agility that rivaled a young person’s, leaving Su Zhi in disbelief. Should she have not overthought this? Perhaps she should consider this as a mother’s extraordinary burst of strength upon seeing harm come to her daughter and grandchild, defeating illness? Was this the same woman who moments ago seemed unable to move, now moving as agilely as a monkey? This thought flashed briefly before her attention shifted to Zhang Shi. Concerned, Su Zhi fretted over the unborn child within her; could the impact from Lianhua’s fall have caused harm?
Zhang Shi’s scream startled everyone present. Apart from her cries of pain, there was a moment of silence until suddenly, everyone seemed to snap back to reality. Voices filled the room, creating a chaotic cacophony that left everyone feeling dizzy, more disorienting than the earlier sounds of the scuffle.
Zhao Yangshi was the first to reach Zhang Shi’s side, disregarding her shoes and pushing Lianhua aside, instructing, “What are you standing there for? Help your sister-in-law up!”
Shaken, Lianhua quickly assisted Zhao Yangshi in helping Zhang Shi up, but in her panic, she fumbled, causing Zhang Shi to cry out even louder when she was inadvertently jostled.
At that moment, Zhao Yuanbao rushed in and pushed Lianhua aside, intending to lift his wife onto the kang. However, Lianhua noticed blood on Zhang Shi’s clothing and cried out in alarm. Reacting swiftly, Zhao Yangshi intercepted Zhao Yuanbao.
“Take her to your room!”
Zhao Yuanbao hesitated, feeling awkward as he didn’t want to soil his mother’s room or complicate matters if a doctor were to arrive. Zhao Yangshi suggested moving Zhang Shi now to avoid any potential issues, especially with the room being drafty.
Watching Zhao Yuanbao carry Zhang Shi out of the room, Su Zhi observed Zhao Yangshi’s actions, realizing her mother’s true intentions were to keep her daughter-in-law from dirtying her room. Su Zhi had assumed Zhao Yangshi’s concern for her grandson, but now she saw a different side to her. Zhang Shi, not one to be underestimated, might hold a grudge if she survived this ordeal.
“Yang Xianghua! If anything happens to my grandson, you and I will have a score to settle!”
In a fit of anger, Zhao Yangshi called out to Yangshi, who was attempting to drag Liu Wuniang out of the room. She stopped her in her tracks, using her full name in her fury.
Yangshi’s expression darkened as she realized the severity of the situation. How did things escalate to this point? They had just been exchanging pleasantries moments ago, and now it had turned into a physical confrontation. These families were related; if anything happened to Zhang Shi and her unborn child, how would they continue their relationship? It was one thing to stop socializing, but financial compensation would complicate matters further.
“Cousin, why are you pulling me? If something’s wrong with your daughter-in-law, what does it have to do with me?”
Yangshi was trying to shift blame, unwilling to take responsibility. She understood that if the blame fell on her, it would not only damage relationships but also pose financial repercussions. She would rather sever ties than accept this responsibility.
Zhao Yangshi, glaring, pointed at Yangshi and scolded, “Are you trying to shirk responsibility? Everyone saw it; it was you who pushed my Lianhua, leading to her collision with my daughter-in-law! If you dare to deny it, we will have a serious issue!”
Liu Wuniang chimed in, “If Lianhua didn’t hit me and my mother, would my mother have pushed her? Blame your daughter Lianhua; the fault isn’t on us.”
Yangshi added, “Exactly! It was Lianhua who caused the collision. Why involve us? I did give her a push, but if she had stood firm, she wouldn’t have fallen onto my niece-in-law. Also, my niece-in-law should have avoided the fight altogether; she is at fault too.”
Lianhua exclaimed, “You’re my aunt, yet you sided against me and forcefully pushed me. How could I have stood my ground when you directed me towards my sister-in-law knowing she was there? It was intentional! You want to eradicate our Zhao family line! I see through your wicked intentions, knowing you can’t support a child and lack a grandson; you aim to drag us down with you! How malicious!”
Feeling both angry and fearful as Yangshi and Liu Wuniang shifted all blame onto her, Lianhua found their shamelessness enraging. She was also afraid because if her sister-in-law suffered lasting harm, she would bear the blame and face resentment from her family. She refused to accept this fate. Disregarding family ties in the heat of the moment, since they were already brawling, she decided to strike where it hurt the most.
Yangshi had three daughters and two sons before Liu Wuniang, but only Liu Wuniang and her eldest son survived. The inability to support her children weighed heavily on her, especially since her eldest son had been married for years without children, adding to her distress. Hearing Lianhua expose her vulnerabilities hit a nerve, causing her eyes to well up with frustration.