Chapter 7 – Could She Have Been Reborn Too?

Su Tangxue stood with a cold face, looking at Zhao Xinghua in annoyance.

She really disliked this type of person—thinking they’re all righteous while interfering in others’ family matters. It was actually extremely disrespectful.

“Zhao Xinghua, this is our family’s business. Don’t you think you’re being a bit too nosy?”

“Too nosy? Have you even considered whether what you’re doing is decent? If I didn’t step in, would Honglian just have to keep suffering your bullying? How is your behavior any different from a bunch of bandits?” Zhao Xinghua pulled Ning Honglian’s hand, speaking indignantly.

Su Tangxue stood with her hands on her hips, refusing to back down. “How do you know we were bullying Ning Honglian? Did you investigate anything before running your mouth? Be careful—I might report you to the police for defamation.”

“Ha! Whether you bullied her or not, everyone in the compound has eyes. Just take today for example—you stole someone else’s fiancé. If that’s not bullying, then what is? And what about all the meals cooked at your house? Have you ever cooked once? Washed a single dish? It’s always been Chuchun and Honglian doing all the housework. It’s the middle of winter, and their hands are chapped and bleeding from the cold. You two live better than landlords in the old society and don’t even feel guilty?”

Su Tangxue’s face turned red with anger. Zhao Xinghua really had a talent for making wild accusations—she even pulled out the term “landlord”!

There were many people gathered around watching the drama. If she didn’t fight back now, her father could end up being manipulated in the compound—or worse, he might lose his job.

“Fine, then I’ll spell it all out today. My reputation’s already gone, anyway…”

Sensing what his daughter was about to say, Lu Yulong tugged on Su Tangxue’s sleeve and shook his head.

She turned her head just in time to see the worry in her father’s eyes. Su Tangxue understood he was worried about her, but this matter had to be resolved today—or it would only get worse later.

“First of all, Lu Qinglin was never Ning Honglian’s fiancé. To be accurate, the engagement was with our Su family. Back then, I was blind and didn’t see how great Brother Lin was, so I told my dad I didn’t want to marry him. But that matter stayed within our family. I don’t know who spread the rumor that Ning Honglian was engaged to him. I admit I was wrong then, but now I regret it—what’s wrong with wanting him back? Brother Lin and Ning Honglian never even met or got engaged. Why can’t I fight for him?”

As she spoke, Su Tangxue’s gaze unconsciously drifted to Lu Qinglin. Seeing that his face remained cold and unreadable, she secretly let out a sigh of relief.

“These past years, my father has worked hard to raise both me and Ning Honglian to high school—only the two of us from the compound even made it that far. My dad paid all the tuition. Zhao Xinghua, you also have kids, right? You know how expensive it is to send a child to school. Isn’t that why your Zhao Xiaoju dropped out after junior high?

Also, Aunt Chuchun’s current job? That was thanks to my mother. You’re out here making baseless claims. My mother worked in the textile factory, making around 30 yuan a month. If my father had sold her job back then, it could have fetched at least 500 yuan—that’s like 1,000 yuan today. But my dad didn’t want to treat Aunt Li unfairly, so he never asked her to hand over a cent. After groceries, the meat my dad brought back from the factory—she probably had plenty left over every month!

Back when my dad remarried, he clearly said he wanted someone to help raise me. Aunt Li knew and agreed to that. She didn’t say anything, yet it’s you, Zhao Xinghua, an outsider, who’s out here shouting?

You don’t say a word about my dad raising Ning Honglian like his own, but when it comes to small stuff like housework or washing dishes, suddenly you’re outraged? Where’s your conscience? Or are you just jealous that we’re living better than your family and came over to cause trouble?”

Su Tangxue finished speaking and looked at Zhao Xinghua’s face, which now resembled someone suffering from constipation. Her heart felt incredibly satisfied.

In this era of tightening belts, she thought her father had done more than enough.

If everything had to be divided perfectly evenly, she’d be the one unhappy.

“Su Tangxue, what you’re saying might be true, but it still isn’t right to have Honglian doing all the chores since she was a kid. Isn’t that basically child abuse?” Zhao Xinghua still tried to recover.

Su Tangxue’s eyelid twitched. She had seen shameless people before, but never quite like Zhao Xinghua.

“So what you’re saying is, our family should support her financially and not even let her wash a single dish?”

Zhao Xinghua lowered her head and said nothing.

“By your logic, then wasn’t Zhao Xiaoju also abused? She’s been doing housework since she was little. You feel bad for others’ kids but not your own? That’s hilarious. And in our house, we use hot water to wash dishes in winter—we don’t mind spending on coal. Unlike some people, who insist on using cold water to save coal!”

That jab was pointed.

Zhao Xinghua had three children. Zhao Xiaoju was the oldest, with a brother above and another below her. Zhao Xinghua’s mother-in-law was extremely biased toward boys and made Zhao Xiaoju do all the chores.

Now, with Su Tangxue’s words hitting right where it hurt, Zhao Xinghua’s face turned red and her neck thickened from embarrassment. She opened her mouth but couldn’t say a single word in return.

Su Tangxue sighed and looked up. “After all this talk, if Aunt Li and Sister Honglian really feel so wronged in our home, then I’ll ask my dad to divorce her. We’ll give them some money and send them back to the countryside. No need to keep serving me and my dad anymore!”

After arguing with Zhao Xinghua for so long, the ones actually involved hadn’t said a word and just let others take the hit. Su Tangxue wasn’t about to let that slide. If they really were so aggrieved, then let the marriage end.

Hearing that, Li Chuchun went cold all over and quickly rushed to explain.

“No, no—we’re not mistreated. It’s a blessing for me and Honglian to take care of Xiaoxue. If it weren’t for Brother Yulong back then, my daughter and I wouldn’t even be alive. So no, we’re not mistreated—we’re more than willing to take care of Xiaoxue.”

That was truly what Li Chuchun thought. She felt that staying in the city, looking after Su Tangxue while holding a decent job, was far better than going back to the countryside to farm. Especially since Lu Yulong worked at the meat factory, which meant regular access to meat—a luxury even for city families.

Plus, she had sent all her savings back to her family. She had no money left to raise Honglian on her own. If she returned to her maiden home, her two older brothers wouldn’t treat her kindly—and they might even force her into another marriage just for a bride price.

So staying in the Su household was far better than going back.

She wasn’t stupid—she knew how to choose.

“Well, since Aunt Li doesn’t feel mistreated, what about you, Sister Honglian? Do you feel wronged washing dishes these past few years?” Su Tangxue turned the questioning to Ning Honglian.

Everyone turned their attention to Ning Honglian.

Faced with all the stares, Ning Honglian could only smile and reply, “Not mistreated.” Though deep inside, she was already cursing Su Tangxue eighty times over.

What’s going on with this Su Tangxue? She’s not like the one from the last life—so sharp-tongued, so eloquent.

Could she have been reborn too?

But then Ning Honglian shook off that thought. If Su Tangxue had really been reborn, she wouldn’t have made a scene like that on the first day.

She would’ve come after Liu Zhipeng instead.

Ning Honglian reassured herself—it was just her imagination.