Chapter 17

Chen Yue quickly dodged and squeezed between Chen Chun and Chen Hua to shield herself. Feeling slightly protected, she nervously poked her head out and said weakly, “I… I didn’t hear anything, really…”

“But Chen Kuo has been gone for three years without returning home—if that’s not because he has someone else outside, then what is it? The child was born already. Isn’t Gu Zhenqi basically living like a widow? Come on, this is obvious, everyone’s thinking the same. Why are you hitting me?”

A burning pain spread across her face. The moment Chen Yue felt the slap, her mind immediately flashed back to the beatings she’d received from Gu Zhenqi since she entered the house, and her chest filled with suffocating resentment.

Inwardly, she seethed. I can’t just swallow this loss! I can’t get beaten up for nothing! She really wanted to charge forward and slap Gu Zhenqi back, but with Wang Guiying’s authority looming, she didn’t dare make a move.

Grinding her teeth in secret, she muttered under her breath, “Gu Zhenqi, you bitch, just you wait. One day, I’ll make you pay back double. I’ll beat you till you’re crawling on the ground like a dog!”

“We’re back, Mother!”

As a deep male voice echoed in the yard, Chen Guo and Chen Qiang—the two brothers—returned with everyone as their mother had instructed.

Wang Guiying rushed up to meet them, looking embarrassed and a bit ashamed as she addressed the villagers, “It’s truly unfortunate for our family to trouble everyone like this, especially at night, in the dark like this!”

The village leader, speaking on behalf of the group, replied, “Auntie Wang, what are you saying? We all live in the same village, see each other every day—if any family has an issue, it’s only right to help out. What did you call us here for?”

Wang Guiying first turned and gave a fierce glare at each of the three daughters—Chen Chun, Chen Hua, and Chen Yue—then let out a heavy sigh and said helplessly, “I really don’t know where to put my face. I raised three ungrateful daughters. They keep coming back to their maiden home to take advantage of us. My daughter-in-law and I tried turning a blind eye, indulging them, but who knew they’d turn into thankless wretches, debt-collecting demons. Everyone, let me explain what happened…”

She began to recount the events of the evening to the gathered villagers—sticking to the truth, but cleverly softening Gu Zhenqi’s more aggressive actions and shifting most of the blame onto the three sisters.

The sisters shrank like ostriches, heads lowered. Deep down, they were cowards when it came to outsiders. They only dared to act arrogant around their own family, knowing that the Chen family wouldn’t retaliate, wouldn’t embarrass them or hurt them.

They were the kind of people who stayed meek in public, but once home, turned prickly toward those who treated them well.

To Gu Zhenqi, her three sisters-in-law were cowardly and stupid. Even an idiot knew to be grateful. But them? Honestly, they were just infuriating and beyond help. Every time she heard how badly they were being treated at their husbands’ homes, she thought: Serves you right! Can’t tell good from bad—what did you expect?

While everyone silently digested Wang Guiying’s story, she picked up a notebook, stepped forward, and solemnly announced, “Today, I want to settle things clearly with these three daughters of mine in front of everyone!”

“I hope our village leader and fellow villagers can bear witness and ensure fairness. It’s late, and I don’t want to take up too much of your time. We all have work in the morning, so I’ll get straight to it!”

Chen Chun, Chen Hua, and Chen Yue tried to step forward to stop her. They knew all too well that if this continued, things would blow up—and when they returned to their husbands’ homes, it would be a nightmare.

Gu Zhenqi, reading their intentions, naturally blocked their way. She wasn’t about to let them have what they wanted. Rotten roots had to be pulled out completely.

In the past, she hadn’t cared—she wasn’t hurt, so she hadn’t bothered. But now, reborn with a second chance, she wanted to live a good life in the Chen household, raise her child peacefully, wait faithfully for Chen Kuo to return, and after two years, dive into business with full force.

People like Chen Chun, Chen Hua, and Chen Yue—who disturbed her peace—had to be dealt with quickly.

Gu Zhenqi took a bold step forward, blocking the trio. At the same time, Wang Guiying had already opened the notebook and began recounting the history.

“The year Chen Chun got married was a year of disaster. The entire country was gripped by famine. The elders in the village all remember—back then, two or three elderly people or children starved to death each month. People were so poor they didn’t even have a straw mat to cover the dead. They just dug a pit and buried them.”

“Our family hadn’t cooked a proper meal in three or four days. We survived on cold water just to suppress the hunger. Just then, a matchmaker came knocking. I thought—finding Chen Chun a family who could feed her was better than letting her starve to death with us.”

“She was so weak she couldn’t even stand. If she didn’t eat, she wouldn’t have lasted another two days. What mother doesn’t feel heartache for her child? Making that decision broke me, but it was the only way to save her life!”

“Who would’ve thought that would become a thorn in her heart? All these years she’s kept saying the Chen family owes her, and every time she comes back, she takes large bags of stuff to her husband’s home!”

Some of the village elders couldn’t listen anymore and interrupted: “Chen Chun, that’s so unfair to your mother. Back then, every family was like that. My daughter even volunteered to get married just for a chance to survive. Why can’t you understand?”

“It was completely normal. If you hadn’t married, you would’ve starved long ago. You should be thankful your mother found a way for you to live. That’s why you’re standing here today!”

“Survival was everything back then—there was no room for propriety. Everyone lived the same way. But instead, you turned around and bit the hand that saved you? Unbelievable. You weren’t even the only girl in the village who got married that year. I haven’t seen any of them blaming their mothers!”

The village was never short on people who loved discussing family matters, especially Li Mei, who stood out among the younger women. She loved gossip, but she also had a sharp tongue and a clear moral compass. When she spoke, her logic was solid and her words hit home.

Li Mei now cut in, sharing her opinion: “It’s simple—if she didn’t come up with an excuse, how else could she keep coming back to her mother’s house and looting it for her husband’s home? She’s draining her mother to feed her in-laws!”

“Having one daughter like that is bad enough, but three? Who could take it?”

She continued, “They say daughters are the warm little jackets of their parents’ hearts, but Chen Chun, Chen Hua, and Chen Yue? They’re made of black-hearted cotton!”

Everyone laughed at that, nodding in agreement.

“Your mouth is sharp, but everything you said is spot on. Why didn’t I think of it that way?”

“No doubt about it—they’re black-hearted through and through!”

“They’re lucky to have a good maiden family like the Chens. If it were my house, I’d have chased them out with a stick! A married daughter is like water poured out—gone. These days, everyone’s scraping by. Who has extra food to spare for them, let alone enough to feed three households!”

“Seems like the Chen family has had a hard life these past years because of them.”

As everyone commented, Wang Guiying listened to every word, her heart stinging with pain. Remembering the hardships of the past few years, her eyes reddened. “Actually, these past few years, our family…”