Chapter 52: Signing a Written Agreement

Qin Ying silently stared at Guo Nier.

The silent pressure lingered. Gradually, Guo Nier’s voice faded.

Qin Ying pulled the baby in her arms closer and chuckled softly. “Guo Nier, do you really think I’m still your sister-in-law?”

“Wh-why wouldn’t I?” Guo Nier stammered. “You’re my real sister-in-law!”

“We can live together and take care of the house while we wait for my brother to come back, okay?”

Tears welled up in her eyes, her face full of desperation.

Since Qin Ying appeared, Zhou Yu hadn’t intended to intervene further. After all, this matter ultimately belonged to her. If she had a clear head, it would be easy to resolve. If not, then any suffering that followed was hers to bear.

Qin Ying lowered her gaze to Guo Nier. “You’re not that young. Surely your memory isn’t this bad? Have you forgotten the harsh words you said when you moved out?”

“If you’ve forgotten, I don’t mind helping you remember.”

“Sister-in-law!” Guo Nier burst into tears and snot. “I was too young and didn’t understand anything back then. I said things I shouldn’t have.

“I’m older now. I understand better. I’m sorry! I’ll kneel and kowtow if that’s what it takes!”

Qin Ying stepped aside a few paces. “Words once spoken are like water spilled—impossible to take back.

“And besides, with the way things were back then, I was already dead. You’re pleading with a dead person—what good will that do?”

Guo Nier wiped her eyes and nose. “But sister-in-law, aren’t you alive and well right now?”

Qin Ying suddenly laughed. “Guo Nier, a tree needs its bark, and a person needs their dignity. Without bark, a tree dies. What happens to a person without dignity?”

Guo Nier flushed with shame and anger. Rage flared in her eyes, but with Zhou Yu sitting nearby exuding a quiet authority, she didn’t even dare to curse.

In the end, she could only say, “Sister-in-law, aren’t you afraid my brother will come back and you won’t be able to explain all this to him?”

“You’re not afraid, so why should I be?” Qin Ying found it amusing.

“Exactly!” the villagers chimed in. “If your brother dares to make things hard for Yingzi, we won’t stand for it!”

Qin Ying took a few steps toward Guo Nier, lowering her voice slightly. “Nier, you’re ten this year. In another two years, it’ll be time to talk about marriage…”

Guo Nier lit up, thinking Qin Ying was relenting.

Then she heard her continue, “You’ve said it yourself—I raised you. Is there anything about you I don’t know?

“If you keep acting out like today, believe me, you’ll spend the rest of your life stuck in your uncle’s home as an old maid!

“Oh, right. Life at your uncle’s hasn’t been easy, has it?

“Laundry, cooking, babysitting, chopping firewood… you’re doing it all, right?

“If you’re even a little slow, you get scolded and beaten?

“If you don’t get married, what you’ll face in the future will be a hundred times worse than the last two years.”

She stepped back.

An An wanted to clap her hands, but she was bundled up too tightly—her little hands couldn’t even meet.

Mom did amazing!

Guo Nier was completely dumbfounded. How did she know everything?

She couldn’t help but glance at Hu Daxiang’s wife, only to see her aunt glaring at her viciously.

The spot she had been pinched earlier throbbed with pain.

Her aunt had a brutal way of pinching—she’d grab just a little flesh, twist it hard, and then yank. The spot would first turn blood-red, then bruise dark purple and take days to heal.

She had those marks all over her body.

One time, she accidentally broke a bowl, and her aunt made her kneel in the sun on broken shards for an entire afternoon. Her pants tore, and her legs stuck to the blood. When she peeled them off, a chunk of skin came with it.

Even if she ate one extra bite of rice, her aunt would smack her on the head, making her skull buzz.

Not to mention… they had once even joked about slicing her up to feed the family.

Thinking back to her days at home—

Her sister-in-law was diligent and managed everything, inside and outside the house. Guo Nier sweeping the floor already counted as helping.

Back then, her clothes were always clean, her nails trimmed, her face smooth and free from windburn.

Why had she been so stupid to give up a good life and go serve others like a mule?

Before she could reflect any further, her arm was suddenly gripped tightly. Hu Daxiang’s wife leaned close and whispered in her ear, “Let’s go back. We’ll deal with this next time.”

She had finally realized—with the county magistrate here, there was no taking advantage today.

Then she bowed to Zhou Yu and pleaded, “Your Lordship, we admit we were wrong. We won’t dare do it again. We’re going home now!”

Zhou Yu’s gaze swept to Qin Ying.

Qin Ying was briefly stunned, then An An squirmed in her arms and uttered the word, “Sue.” Qin Ying smiled gently. “There’s no need for punishment, but there is one thing that must be done.”

She handed An An to Aunt Zhao and walked over to Zhou Yu. Lifting the hem of her skirt, she knelt and gave a proper bow.

Zhou Yu was surprised, unsure of her intention. “Miss Qin, please stand and speak.”

The ground was cold, so Qin Ying didn’t insist on kneeling. She stood and declared loudly, “The reason these two people flipped their stance today is because there was no written proof back then.

“So I humbly ask Lord Zhou to preside over the matter and have them sign a written agreement, pledging never to harass my family again. If they do, I will not hesitate to bring them to court!”

Zhao Hu grew anxious and shouted, “Sis! Not just those two—include that whole filthy turtle nest of theirs!”

Qin Ying stifled a laugh and nodded. “Yes, them and their entire families.”

Zhou Yu nodded slightly and turned to Hu Daxiang’s wife. “Do you have any objections?”

Hu Daxiang’s wife was stunned. How did things get to this point?

Before she could respond, Zhou Yu added, “Even if you object, it doesn’t matter. Today’s disruption already counts as provocation and defamation. Even during the New Year, the yamen still has officials on duty. I could send you both straight to the county jail.”

Hu Daxiang’s wife trembled and quickly waved her hands. “No, no, no! I—I’ll do whatever you say, sir!”

Zhou Yu nodded again and glanced at Xu Xia. Xu Xia grinned, “Got it, just a moment!”

He darted off and soon returned, carrying ink, brush, and paper.

A helpful villager brought out a table and placed it in front of Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu spread out the paper and wrote two copies of the agreement, then gestured to Qin Ying to come review it.

In a gentle voice, he asked, “Would you like me to read it to you?”

“I can read,” Qin Ying shook her head. “There’s no need to trouble you, my lord.”

Zhou Yu was a bit surprised. He hadn’t noticed earlier, but it seemed her background wasn’t so simple after all.

Qin Ying picked up the agreement and read every word carefully. Zhou Yu’s handwriting was powerful yet graceful, with distinct personal flair.

After reading, she placed the documents back with both hands. “I have no objections.”

Without needing instruction, Xu Xia picked up one of the agreements and read aloud:

“This is a written agreement signed by Guo Nier of the Guo family and Zhang of the Hu household: The entirety of the Hu and Guo families guarantee never to harass Qin Ying or her family again. If they violate this, they will turn themselves in to the magistrate’s office for the crimes of provocation and defamation. This is witnessed by all the villagers of Tongshu Tun and County Magistrate Zhou Yu“