Chapter 11

Mei Qing very much wanted to harshly scold Gu Yinyin in front of Educated Youth Lin, but the two of them had not established a relationship yet; it was only that the villagers always liked to make jokes about them.

She still had to maintain her tolerant and kind image.

Mei Qing took a deep breath and said: “Educated Youth Lin, what would I have to be jealous of? You misunderstood me in this matter, I really didn’t do it on purpose.”

After she finished speaking, she turned her face away to wipe her tears. Once a woman cried, Educated Youth Lin could not say much anymore. In the end, he sighed and said: “Forget it.”

He walked away in big strides, while Mei Qing lowered her head and clenched her teeth.

She was determined to enter the city. No one could stop her.

Mei Ling, after falling into the manure pit and returning home, was fiercely scolded and cried for an entire day, nearly choking herself to death.

Everyone in the village knew that she had fallen into the manure pit. Who would still want to approach her in the future? Even marriage negotiations would be affected!

Mei Ling hated Gu Yinyin to death, but when it came to marriage, she still insisted on marrying Shen Guo’an.

Among all the men in the village, even Educated Youth Lin was not comparable to Shen Guo’an.

After crying, she lay dazedly by the bedside. Mei Qing pushed the door open and entered, her expression looking very unpleasant.

Smelling the faint lingering stench in the air, Mei Qing waved her hand in disgust and covered her nose.

“Why is it still so smelly?”

Mei Ling’s eyes reddened again. Mei Qing, helpless, said: “All you know how to do is cry! Gu Yinyin really was ruthless. You were so good to her, how could she treat you like this?”

Mei Ling gnashed her teeth. “She’s just a cheap slut!”

Mei Qing quickly persuaded her: “Don’t say that. You two were close, she definitely didn’t do it on purpose. By the way, these are Educated Youth Lin’s trousers. The seam ripped, and he asked me to mend them. My hands have been aching these days, so help me sew them. Just remember, don’t accidentally take them to Gu Yinyin’s house. If someone saw, it would be hard to explain.”

These words sent Mei Ling into thought, and very soon she agreed.

Because she had kicked Mei Ling into the manure pit, Gu Yinyin felt especially good. On her way back from the fields, she was even humming a tune.

That evening, dinner was eaten together by everyone. Gu Yinyin cooked with Liu Wenxiu.

Liu Wenxiu was quieter than in the past days. Ever since she learned that her mother-in-law privately favored the third branch’s children, she had been secretly wiping away tears from time to time, no longer putting effort into anything.

Gu Yinyin did not bother with her, and busied herself making a large pot of pumpkin porridge. She also prepared corn buns, and since she had cut radishes the night before to make pickles, now was just the right time to bring them out to eat with the meal.

While the two of them cooked, Ma Hongmei was in the courtyard washing the clothes she had not managed to wash in the morning, while Li Ailian sat on the ground husking the small corn cobs they had picked.

Gu Yinyin figured that Da Wa should be coming back from school soon. She stepped out of the kitchen door and called Xiao Wa over to help set up stools and tables.

Suddenly, a group of children rushed in from outside, and as soon as they entered, everyone heard Tieshuan crying.

Tieshuan was crying so hard that his face was covered in snot bubbles. Although he was already eleven years old, he was fat from overeating and his skin was dark. When he cried, his eyes squinted until they were almost invisible, which looked especially ridiculous.

Gu Yinyin could not help but laugh, but Ma Hongmei, distressed, immediately dropped the washboard and hurried to wipe her son’s tears. “Tieshuan! What happened! Were you bullied at school?”

Following behind him came Da Wa and the three children of the second branch.

Da Wa was lean and clean, his short hair particularly neat, with sword-like brows and bright eyes. His looks far surpassed Tieshuan’s by countless times.

He remained silent without saying anything, but Tieshuan suddenly pointed at Da Wa and shouted: “It was him! It was all him! It’s all Da Wa’s fault! If it weren’t for him, the teacher wouldn’t have expelled me! Wuwuwu! Mom! I got expelled by the teacher!”

Ma Hongmei was shocked, and Li Ailian also stood up from the ground. “What?! Expelled? How could you be expelled? Tieshuan! You’ve repeated third grade three times already, and didn’t you say your grades were really good? On what grounds would the teacher expel you?”

This once again successfully made Gu Yinyin laugh.

Repeating third grade three times, and still claiming to have good grades? What the hell kind of twisted logic was that?

Tieshuan only kept howling and crying with his head thrown back. Ma Hongmei, unable to hold back, raised her hand to strike Da Wa, but Gu Yinyin rushed forward in a single step, grabbed her arm, and snapped: “Stop it! Dare lay a hand on Da Wa and see what happens!”

Da Wa’s eyes instantly warmed. He stepped in front of Gu Yinyin and spoke softly: “Mom, today when I went to school, the teacher called me to the blackboard to solve a problem. The teacher said that, based on my actual performance, I should be in fourth grade.”

When Li Ailian heard this, she was both surprised and faintly delighted.

After all, Da Wa was her biological grandson. If her own grandson turned out successful, that was something to be proud of too!

But since she doted on Tieshuan more, she still asked: “Da Wa, then why was Tieshuan expelled?”

Da Wa did not answer, and Tieshuan kept on crying. The second branch’s eldest son, Hei Niu, spoke up: “Grandma, Aunt, Third Aunt, Tieshuan was expelled because the teacher caught him organizing fights and ganging up to bully classmates.”

Li Ailian froze. “Who did you fight with? Did you injure someone? Oh heavens! Our family doesn’t have money to pay for medical expenses! If you fight, you can’t leave visible injuries. Tieshuan, how could you be so stupid!”

Gu Yinyin practically wanted to roll her eyes. Just look at this logic! It completely destroyed her worldview.

Tieshuan finally stopped crying so fiercely. Gasping for breath, he said: “The one I fought was… was Da Wa… Besides, I… I didn’t even hit him! But I was still expelled by the teacher! Waaa! How will I face people from now on!”

Li Ailian’s expression darkened. “Da Wa! Tieshuan is your elder brother. What’s the big deal if he hit you a few times? And you went to tattletale? Even let the teacher expel him? Do you have any sense at all!”

Hearing this, Gu Yinyin could not tolerate it anymore. She grabbed Ma Hongmei and smacked her hard on the back!

Ma Hongmei cried out in pain immediately. “Why did you hit me! Mom, look at Gu Yinyin, she just hit me for no reason!”

Gu Yinyin smiled sweetly. “I am your eldest sister-in-law. What’s the big deal if I hit you a few times? And you still want to tattletale? Do you have any sense at all!”

These were exactly the same words Li Ailian had just spoken, and Ma Hongmei was rendered speechless. Li Ailian also could not say a word. But when it came to the matter of Tieshuan, the two of them firmly believed it was Da Wa’s fault.

Tieshuan simply sat on the ground, kicking his legs and throwing a tantrum. “I want to go to school! I can’t drop out! Dropping out is too shameful! Wuwuwu, Grandma, Mom!”

Li Ailian and Ma Hongmei both ached with pity for him, while Gu Yinyin went to check Da Wa’s arms and neck, discovering that he had quite a few injuries.

She could not help but feel distressed. How could her neat and well-behaved child end up beaten like this?

Da Wa explained: “The six of them ganged up on me, but I knocked them down with a stick. I didn’t suffer much injury.”

But then what were those bruises on his arms, stomach, and back!

Li Ailian and Ma Hongmei were still cooing over their “precious grandson” and “sweetheart” as they comforted Tieshuan. Gu Yinyin grew furious and, in a burst of anger, kicked Tieshuan to the ground!

“And you still have the face to cry! My Da Wa didn’t even cry, what the hell are you bawling for! Get up! Apologize to Da Wa!”

As she spoke, she grabbed a broken broom and struck Tieshuan several times. Tieshuan was so terrified that he forgot to cry, scrambling up and running straight out the door!

Li Ailian and Ma Hongmei were nearly exploding with rage. Their darling Tieshuan had already been expelled and cried himself half to death, yet Gu Yinyin still had the heart to beat him so ruthlessly!

Just as the two of them were about to settle accounts with Gu Yinyin, a few people suddenly arrived outside. Entering the courtyard, they shouted: “Who is Shen Tieshuan’s parent? Come out at once! Look at how my child was harmed by your Shen Tieshuan—expelled by the teacher! How are you going to deal with this?”