Chapter 26: Dog bites dog, leaving a mouthful of fur

However, Bai Xiuying didn’t let go of her plan. She kicked Wu Lifang hard in the leg. Wu Lifang, already sweating from pain, was suddenly struck again and fell to her knees, loosening her grip on Bai Xiuying’s hair. Seizing the moment, Wu Lifang tried to push Bai Xiuying’s hand away, but Bai Xiuying released her grip entirely and shoved the little wretch to the ground.

The next second, Bai Xiuying decisively straddled Wu Lifang and began punching her face from side to side. With the sharp “smack, smack” sounds and Wu Lifang’s cries of pain, Xu Zhenhua finally snapped back to reality. Thankfully, Wu Lifang reacted quickly and used her hands to shield her cheeks; otherwise, they would have been swollen like pig’s heads. Even so, her face was still slightly red and swollen through her hands. Seeing this, Xu Zhenhua felt his head ache.

No, he couldn’t let his mother keep hitting her. Tomorrow was his wedding with Wu Lifang. If his wife ended up like this, how could the wedding even proceed? His face turned dangerously cold, his voice icy.

“Mom, stop immediately!”

The shout scared Bai Xiuying out of her wits. Just as she was about to scold further, she suddenly saw her son’s frosty expression.

“Mom, get off Lifang immediately! Don’t you know she’s carrying my child?” Xu Zhenhua’s voice was chilling. “And tomorrow is our wedding! Look at her now—how do you expect us to get married?”

Seeing her son so angry, Bai Xiuying’s confidence faltered. “Then don’t get married. You’ve already registered, and she’s already carrying your child. She can’t marry anyone else.”

“Do you think marriage is a joke?” Xu Zhenhua snapped. “Besides, the military knows about our wedding. You can’t just say no!”

Though Bai Xiuying disliked Wu Lifang, her son’s future was paramount. If Xu Zhenhua’s impression suffered because of this incident, it could affect his promotions and her own life afterward. Thinking of this, Bai Xiuying glared fiercely at Wu Lifang and reluctantly got off the future daughter-in-law. If Xu Zhenhua hadn’t intervened, she wouldn’t have let Wu Lifang off so easily. After all, Wu Lifang had dared to lay hands on her before officially marrying into the Xu family. She had to give her a lesson, or else who knew how this little wretch would torment them in the future. But her son had spoken, and Bai Xiuying couldn’t disregard him; after all, they still relied on him to live.

Seeing the old woman get off her, Wu Lifang struggled to stand. Realizing she was in the wrong, she put on a pitiful act, crying, “Zhenhua, tomorrow is our wedding! Look at my face—how am I supposed to show my face to anyone?”

Wu Lifang was the type whose looks grew on you—ordinarily, she wasn’t breathtaking at first glance, but the more you looked, the more appealing she seemed. Normally, Xu Zhenhua would indulge her whenever she looked pitiful. But now, with her cheeks swollen and red from Bai Xiuying’s beating, she looked anything but attractive. Naturally, Xu Zhenhua’s patience toward her waned. If she hadn’t disrespected his parents first, Bai Xiuying wouldn’t have struck her.

“Lifang, they are my parents. How can you speak like that to your future father and mother-in-law before officially joining the Xu family?” Xu Zhenhua frowned. “And Mom, Lifang is carrying our family’s child. How could you straddle her and hit her? What if something happens to the baby?”

Although both women were unhappy with Xu Zhenhua’s words, neither spoke further—they knew they were at fault.

Seeing this, Xu Dingbang stepped in to smooth things over. “Alright, Zhenhua. Your mother and your wife didn’t do this on purpose. Let it go.”

Xu Dingbang actually disliked Wu Lifang too, but his son had already registered the marriage, and she was carrying the family’s eldest grandson. Making a scene would be inappropriate.

“Alright, I’ll listen to Dad.” Xu Zhenhua rubbed his temples. “You two have had a tiring journey; rest for a while. I’ll take Lifang to the clinic to check on her.”

“Go ahead, go ahead.” Watching his son and daughter-in-law leave, Bai Xiuying finally complained. “Old Xu, how did our son end up liking such a shameless girl? She hasn’t even married in yet and is already stirring trouble between him and us. Not even a single hair of Tang Wanning compares—so obedient, never arguing, never disobeying.”

Xu Dingbang glanced at Bai Xiuying. “And yet, someone keeps complaining about Wanning, calling her a little shameless girl. Now you think Wanning is too considerate?”

Bai Xiuying awkwardly opened her mouth but couldn’t speak. Xu Dingbang scowled. “Why are you standing there like a stump? Go cook! Do you want me to starve?”

“I’m going, I’m going.”

In the kitchen, looking at the cabinet full of fine grains, Bai Xiuying was even angrier. Why did she and her husband eat coarse meals at home, while this shameless girl eats so well? The cabinet was full of white flour, rice, and even a piece of pork and two pounds of cured meat—what a feast!

No, she couldn’t let this little wretch have it all. Since she and her husband had been eating and sleeping poorly on the journey, these fine grains and meat would at least help replenish their bodies.

Meanwhile, Wu Lifang cried, holding her yet-to-bump stomach. “Zhenhua, you promised me you’d take care of us, but look at my face!”

Seeing his wife’s swollen cheeks, Xu Zhenhua was irritated. He had hoped his parents would bring some money, but not only did they not, they also beat Wu Lifang. Since she knew too many of his secrets, he could only soothe her gently.

“Lifang, this is my mother’s fault. When we go back, I’ll talk to her. She’s just an old rural woman who can’t read. Don’t take it personally.”

Hearing this, Wu Lifang couldn’t stay calm. She had never been treated so unfairly in her life. Her face darkened. “Xu Zhenhua, what do you mean by this? My wife has been beaten like this, and you’re not helping me, asking me to endure it?”