Chapter 45 – Handle It According to Family Rules

Old Madam Su said she was just going to take a look, but as she left the house, she casually grabbed a shovel. The rest of the Su family followed suit. Li Sumei pulled a medicinal pouch from the drawer, tucked it into her clothes, then picked up her daughter, wrapped her tightly in a hooded cloak, and solemnly said, “Sweetie, your grand-uncle has been beaten. We’re going to stand up for him!”

Little Su Huan threw away her teething stick with a plop, and nodded seriously. “Yiya!”

Brother Lin saw how formidable their group looked and, fearing they might lose control and start a violent fight, quickly stepped forward to persuade Old Madam Su, hoping she wouldn’t let things get out of hand.

Old Madam Su assured him, “Brother Lin, don’t worry. We know what we’re doing. And thank you for coming to inform us today. Once this is settled, we’ll be sure to pay you a proper visit to express our gratitude.”

With that, the group left Brother Lin behind and, carrying lanterns, made their way to the old Zhang family home in the center of the village.

Night had fallen, and the cold, dry northern wind began to howl again, stinging their faces.

At the center of Qingshui Village, Zhang Hongzhuang’s old house.

Originally, the house had been warm, sturdy, and windproof thanks to Su Laosi’s renovations. But now, it had been reduced to a heap of ruins.

Li Ergou stood arrogantly on a broken doorboard, shouting, “Brother-in-law, you betrayed my sister first, then left me to rot in the Su family’s custody. You let me suffer and didn’t lift a finger to help. For someone as two-faced as you, beating you to death would still be too lenient! But for my sister’s sake, I’ll let your betrayal slide. As long as you obediently go back and live with her again, I’ll let you go. How about it?”

After a few days of rest, Li Ergou had regained his strength and immediately led a gang to demolish Zhang Hongzhuang’s house.

“Stop smashing! Stop! This house was just rebuilt!”

Zhang Hongzhuang was heartbroken. He rushed forward to stop them, only to be punched to the ground by Li Ergou.

Little Dou’er tried to help, but was kicked three meters away by Li Ergou, who spat disdainfully, “You little bastard, think you can take on me?”

Zhang Lishi had initially turned a blind eye to her brother’s actions. But when she saw Li Ergou hit Zhang Hongzhuang with full force, knocking him down in one punch, her expression changed immediately.

“Ergou, I told you not to touch your brother-in-law! His health’s been poor these past years. If you injure him badly, I’ll be the one spending money to nurse him back to health! How can we rely on him to make charcoal and support the family then?”

They say it’s easy to deal with the King of Hell but hard to handle his little devils—Li Ergou and his gang were those troublesome little devils.

The villagers didn’t dare help for fear of getting involved. Only the village chief’s family, who had the closest ties to the Su family, sent Old Master Wang to mediate. “Sister, you’re being foolish! Hongzhuang is your husband. You’re a family. Why not resolve your issues behind closed doors? Why bring people to tear down his house and make such a scene? How are you two going to live on together after this?”

Zhang Lishi completely disregarded him and said coldly, “This is a matter of our Zhang family. No need for outsiders to interfere.”

Li Ergou also raised his fist. “Exactly. Old Man Wang, this is our family’s affair. Anyone who sticks their nose in better be prepared for me to get nasty!”

The approaching Su family heard this and was immediately enraged.

“I’d like to see just how nasty you can be!” Old Madam Su shot back.

She helped Zhang Hongzhuang and Little Dou’er up. When Li Ergou saw her, memories of the slaps she’d given him surfaced, and he ground his teeth. “Old auntie, I hadn’t gone looking for you yet, and here you come knocking…”

But Su Lao’er, Su Lao-san, Su Lao-si, and Su Lao-wu—four sturdy men—stepped forward and cut him off with synchronized hostility. “What do you intend to do?”

Standing shoulder to shoulder, the four brothers exuded an intimidating aura. Li Ergou’s confidence immediately deflated, and he quickly changed his tone. “What do you intend to do? This is between my sister and her husband. It has nothing to do with you!”

Zhang Lishi stood in front of Li Ergou, leaning on her cane and glaring at her nephews. “What, I’m your aunt! Are you going to raise your hands against me? You should blame yourselves for encouraging your uncle to split from me. If he had obediently stayed with me, none of this would’ve happened!”

She continued in a lecturing tone, “If you really care about your uncle, you’ll stay out of things between us.”

The Su family was practically laughing in disbelief at Zhang Lishi’s shamelessness. Old Madam Su told Li Sumei to examine Zhang Hongzhuang and Little Dou’er first, then turned to spit in Zhang Lishi and her brother’s direction.

“Damn your ancestors! You think we’ll fall for this nonsense? You tore down my brother’s house just to get at me, didn’t you?

Ever since we arrived in Qingshui Village, you’ve looked down on us in every possible way—especially you, sister-in-law! I didn’t pursue it when you tricked me into buying that haunted house. I figured you were just trying to help us settle in. Then you incited your brother to steal from us, and when that failed, he destroyed our winter rations. I forgave you when you apologized and begged for his release.

But today, you demolished the house my nephews rebuilt for Hongzhuang and laid hands on people! I don’t care if it’s out of spite or revenge over the family split—you will not continue to bully my brother and act like you own the Zhang family!”

Zhang Lishi felt completely exposed under Old Madam Su’s sharp and weathered gaze. She instinctively tightened her grip on her cane and forced a mocking tone. “What, you’re going to help him divorce me? I’ve been married to him for a lifetime and borne him children. According to the law, he can’t just cast me aside!”

Old Madam Su sneered. “Didn’t you say this is a family affair? Then let’s handle it by family rules.”

Her voice hardened as she commanded, “Lao’er, Lao-san, Lao-si, Lao-wu—arrest Li Ergou and his gang! Whoever smashed your uncle’s house, leave both their hands behind for this old woman!”

Zhang Lishi panicked and rushed to shield Li Ergou. “Zhang Zhaodi, how dare you?!”

But Wu Chunhe was quicker. She grabbed Zhang Lishi with one hand, and with Zhang Xiaolan’s help, restrained her.

The Su family men, along with their sons, all joined the fight. Li Ergou and his gang were no match. Most of them were quickly knocked to the ground, and those who didn’t flee in time were kicked down by Su Lao-wu. One was hit so hard he spat up blood.

That one they didn’t bother with. For the rest, who were only lightly injured, Old Madam Su walked up with her shovel and, without a trace of hesitation, broke both their hands—right in front of Zhang Lishi.

“Ahhhhhh!!!”

Their screams rose and fell like a chorus of misery.

Hearing Li Ergou’s cries of pain, Zhang Lishi trembled violently, then rolled her eyes and fainted.

Old Madam Su ignored her. After breaking their hands, she gasped slightly for breath and stomped the shovel down just in front of Li Ergou’s face.

“Take your sister and get lost. I don’t care what twisted thoughts you two have, but if you ever lay a hand on my family again, I’ll take your life.”

That shovel strike missed Li Ergou’s neck by only a hair’s breadth.

He stopped screaming, eyes wide in terror, and nodded repeatedly. He hurried to rouse Zhang Lishi and, like a soaked dog, clung to her and scurried away in panic.

Old Madam Su watched their retreat coldly, then turned to the startled villagers and apologized. She promised that the Su family would clean up the ruins at first light, and that they wouldn’t let the collapsed house block the road. Her words drew a clear line between kindness and vengeance. The fear in the villagers’ hearts eased considerably, and their opinion of the Su family soared.