Chapter 16: Selling One’s Own Niece for Benefits

Xie Shuangxiu was momentarily taken aback, not expecting the old woman Cui to jump in and stir up trouble.

She knew how formidable Cui was and that she had a grudge against the Xia family.

But did Xie Shuangxiu fear anyone?

She wanted to teach her niece a lesson, and who was Cui to interfere?!

The anger that had nowhere to go immediately found a new target. She put on a stern face, placed her hands on her hips, and shouted, “What gives you the right to meddle? You old hag! Why are you making trouble here? What are you trying to show off for, you foot-binding old woman?!”

Upon hearing this, Cui was fired up!

She instantly perked up, knocking her cane heavily on the ground, and with her bright, shiny dentures, she began to retort.

“You foul-mouthed wretch! I see you must have been reborn from a dung pit in your last life. Don’t you think your husband minds your foul mouth at night?”

Xie Shuangxiu spat, “You old hag, you’re really going to go against me! You old bat…”

Cui was full of spirit: “I’ve lived longer than you, just look at your pitiful appearance! If I met you on a dark road, I’d have to go back and burn incense at my husband’s grave to ward off evil! I almost forgot that your mother said you couldn’t even count when you were little. Can you count one, two, three, four, five, six, seven? You forgetful little scoundrel!”

“You, you old hag, you’re just rambling…!”

Xia Li listened, stunned by the back-and-forth.

Cui was really crushing it!

She was so energetic, cursing nonstop without taking a breath.

Xie Shuangxiu hadn’t encountered such an opponent in a long time; the more angry she got, the more fired up she became, trying to look more imposing with her hands on her hips.

But this old woman was something else…

She didn’t even pause to let Xie Shuangxiu get a word in, her words flowed smoothly, leaving no room for interruption!

Xie Shuangxiu was so furious she felt like her head was pounding!

Xia Li thought to herself that Cui was actually helping her.

Just recently, she had imagined what it would be like for the two of them to clash, and now it was really happening!

Standing by the door, she noticed the old village chief hurrying over from the nearby path, wearing an outer robe to mediate.

Looking at the battle-ready Cui and then at Xie Shuangxiu, who was being choked for breath, Xia Li spoke up at the right moment.

With a cold expression, she glared over, “Aunt, are you bullying me because my parents passed away early and no one is standing up for me? You have to humiliate me like this?”

“Normally, I could take a few of your insults, but why do you have to come at me in the middle of the night?”

“I don’t want to hear you talk about marrying that old widower who’s over ten years older than me. If you’re unhappy and want to teach me a lesson, I’ll endure it, but threatening to burn my family’s house deed if I don’t marry is going too far!”

Xie Shuangxiu was taken aback, what? What house deed burned?

But she had just been put in her place and was feeling the heat, not wanting to lose face now.

Seeing Xia Li finally come out, she immediately pushed the door open to grab her hair: “You little scoundrel! Shut your mouth! How dare you turn against me?! I’ll beat you to death!”

The old village chief rushed over, witnessing this scene, and could no longer stand by. He stepped forward and shouted sternly:

“Xie Shuangxiu! You stop this right now! Immediately stop!”

…

Xie Shuangxiu was completely beside herself with anger today.

In her eyes, Xia Li had always been a pushover; when did she ever dare to speak back like this?

Moreover, she believed that raising this orphaned girl from the Xia family was already a great kindness, so no matter how she treated her, it was only natural!

Therefore, with the village chief looking at her seriously, Xie Shuangxiu felt no guilt.

She took a breath and spat dismissively:

“Uncle Chen, don’t listen to that little scoundrel’s nonsense! When did I ever threaten her? She’s the one who shamelessly deceived my Yingzhen!”

The old village chief knew very well what kind of person Xie Shuangxiu was.

Her sharp tongue spared no one, capable of twisting the truth into something reasonable.

Ultimately, how she disciplined Xia Li was a matter for the Xia family. Xia Laosan’s family indeed had raised the girl, so it was not his place to interfere.

But tonight, coming over to mediate, seeing this aunt acting without any semblance of an elder, cursing with her mouth full of insults, and threatening to beat her own niece was unacceptable.

Then hearing Xia Li say she was being threatened to marry an old widower, or else her house deed would be burned?

This was no longer just a family matter; it involved the safety of the villagers’ property.

He had seen what kind of girl Xia Li was—gentle and soft-natured.

If she hadn’t been pushed to her limits, would she really be arguing with her aunt in the middle of the night?

The old village chief, usually kind and amiable, now wore a serious expression, his sharp gaze fixed on Xie Shuangxiu as he spoke sternly:

“Why would she go and deceive your Yingzhen? What’s wrong? You’re forcing your own niece to marry someone your own daughter doesn’t even want?”

“Shuangxiu, people have feelings! You should consider whether what you’re doing is against your conscience!”

After such a commotion, many villagers had gathered to watch the spectacle, leaning in to listen.

They exchanged information and began to quietly discuss:

“Look at the Xia family’s second daughter; she’s good-looking, hardworking, and has a fine temperament. Even without parents, wouldn’t she be able to marry a decent honest man her age? Why does she have to listen to Xia Laosan’s arrangements to marry a widower…”

“Bah! This is embarrassing for our village. Selling your own niece for benefits, tsk tsk…”

“Xia Laosan is such a coward! He doesn’t even manage his wife properly! Xia Li is the child left behind by his own brother, and he lets his wife bully his own niece. How vicious!”

Xie Shuangxiu realized that this old man wasn’t here to mediate; he was supporting Xia Li!

She had wanted to continue cursing without care.

But under the disapproving gazes of the onlookers, Xie Shuangxiu’s head gradually cleared.

With her daughter desperately tugging at her sleeve, looking pale and upset, she finally remembered that this matter couldn’t escalate; it would tarnish Yingzhen’s reputation!

Xie Shuangxiu shot a fierce glare at Xia Li standing behind the old village chief and spat.

This little wild girl had learned well! What a thankless brat, daring to scheme against her!

Fine! She would let it go tonight, but would she ever be short of opportunities to teach her a lesson later?

Was she supposed to always have someone come out to back her up?

Xie Shuangxiu’s face was extremely unpleasant, and despite the old village chief’s stern expression, she held back her anger and stubbornly defended herself:

“I’m her aunt! How could I not think of her? This brat is too clever for her own good! She’s truly a child born to a father but raised without a mother…”

Suddenly confronted by Xia Li’s icy gaze, she was startled into silence.

“Enough, I won’t argue with you today… Yingzhen! Let’s go!”

Xie Shuangxiu pulled her daughter to leave, and before they departed, she couldn’t help but spit in Cui’s direction.

Xia Yingzhen was much more sensitive than her mother, her face flushed red, nearly in tears.

She hated Xia Li so much it made her teeth itch!

When had she ever been treated this way?

Not only did she fail to teach Xia Li a lesson, but she was also being watched and pointed at by the villagers, truly embarrassing!

Xia Li looked at the mother and daughter, who were about to flee after being outmatched, and couldn’t help but sneer in disdain.

Her tone was cold and calm: “Wait a minute.”

“Aunt, what do you mean by this? Threatening me to marry? Now that you know you’re in the wrong, you want to run away without returning my father’s house deed?”

“Even if I have a temper like a clay figure, I won’t let you bully me like this.”

“Today you dared to threaten me with my family’s house deed; tomorrow, are you going to burn down my house?”