Chapter 12: I Was Born Kind

It was the middle of the busy farming season. Compared to the harvest yet to come, today’s commotion drew far more attention.

In the distance, a small, thin figure was running fast. Behind her, an aunt chased with all her might but couldn’t keep up, panting heavily and muttering how quick the girl was.

Xiang He dove straight into the crowd. The plump woman in front of her happened to block half her body, which she used to her advantage, hiding herself so Mrs. Li and the others wouldn’t see her.

Mrs. Su held Xiang Yun tightly in her arms, not daring to fight back—just silently enduring it. Xiang He furrowed her brow, clenching her fists, holding back the burning anger in her chest, resisting the urge to rush out.

Mrs. Li was hitting harder and harder, each blow landing heavily. Mrs. Su remained unmoved, only focused on shielding the daughter in her arms.

Years of enduring had become second nature—so much so that even resisting seemed impossible now.

If this went on, once Xiang He left in the future, Mrs. Su would still be at the mercy of Zhao Fourth’s vicious family.

When dealing with shameless bullies like them, one had to play an even more ruthless role to make them feel fear.

“Ow—this old hag really hits hard…”

Some of the onlookers were quietly murmuring. An older woman pulled a younger bride close and whispered, “Don’t talk too much out here. That family is full of vicious people—you really don’t want to get involved. That Dayong’s whole family has been bullied by them—miserable, I tell you!”

The young bride looked barely out of her teens, holding her belly as she covered her mouth. “That’s terrifying… They even have their eyes on an eight-year-old girl…”

“Being born into that family is pure suffering! So pitiful…”

The chatter around her grew noisier and more chaotic, but Xiang He’s eyes stayed locked on Mrs. Su. Just as she was about to lose control and step in herself, Mrs. Su finally made a small act of resistance.

Even if it would provoke Mrs. Li further, it was at least a start.

Xiang He’s tightly strung nerves eased, and she exhaled a slow breath, bracing herself. The moment she saw Mrs. Li lose all reason and raise the bucket of slop, she pushed off the ground with explosive force. Her left fist pulled back, gathering strength—then struck the bucket, smashing it to pieces.

If that bucket had landed on Mrs. Su’s head, it would’ve either killed or crippled her.

Blood flowed freely from Xiang He’s hand, but she didn’t feel much. She was used to injuries—this kind of pain was nothing new.

Instead, it was Mrs. Su whose tears flowed like a broken dam, as if all the tears she’d ever shed in her life were spilling out now.

Xiang He was just about to comfort her when Mrs. Su suddenly snatched Fourth Aunt’s carrying pole and charged straight at Mrs. Li—

“I’ll fight you, you wicked old hag!”

Mrs. Su’s eyes were bloodshot, and she bit the inside of her cheek, swinging the pole at Mrs. Li with all her might. Mrs. Li, seemingly experienced in fighting from years of brawling, dodged quickly and even managed to pick up the broken slop bucket from the ground and throw it back.

Xiang He rushed up and caught it, tossing it aside. Mrs. Su, undeterred, kept attacking Mrs. Li. In that moment, her thin, delicate hands seemed to possess endless strength.

“For trying to sell my daughter! For targeting my daughter! You wicked old hag! Ahhhh!”

With every swing, she cursed and shouted. Her strikes became smoother and more powerful. Xiang He had every reason to believe Mrs. Su was using this burst of anger to finally vent the years of humiliation she had endured.

“Ahhh! Damn you, Mrs. Su! You lowly woman, how dare you strike your mother-in-law!”

Mrs. Li, having been hit hard, fell to the ground. The carrying pole was still coming down, and she could only squirm on the ground, her bloated body wriggling like… a maggot.

Xiang He, usually calm and composed, couldn’t help but laugh and clapped her hands. “Nice one, Mother!”

The crowd watching the drama also seemed to be enjoying the spectacle. Even Fourth Aunt joined in, clapping with Xiang He. “That wicked old hag needed a beating to behave! Well done!”

Xiang He was in a great mood watching it all, and Mrs. Su looked utterly satisfied as she landed each hit. As for little Xiang Yun—who had been crying her heart out just moments ago—she was now tucked in Fourth Aunt’s arms, hiccupping from crying but still secretly clapping along.

“What are you doing?!”

A familiar angry shout rang out. Mrs. Su, panting heavily, tightly gripped the pole and glared in that direction. Old Fourth Xiang flinched slightly under her stare.

But only for a moment. His face immediately turned hostile. “Third family! What do you think you’re doing?!”

Mrs. Su’s chest heaved, her chin lifted as she boldly retorted, “Beating someone—can’t you see?”

Seeing her stand there with one hand on her hip like that, Xiang He couldn’t help but be stunned. She had developed the aura of someone ready to fight, and her skill at scolding seemed to have kicked in as well?

Although surprised, Xiang He quickly stepped forward and took the carrying pole from Mrs. Su’s hands. “What do you mean, ‘beating someone’? We’re the ones getting beaten here. Of course, we have to fight back. This is just self-defense—it’s not really beating anyone.”

Mrs. Su snorted coldly. After that sudden release of anger, her body felt a bit weak, but she still forced herself to straighten her back.

Mrs. Li, who had been rolling around from being beaten, saw the head of the family arrive. Instantly feeling supported, she tried to move several times but didn’t sit up. Nearby, Mrs. Yu—who had been enjoying the spectacle—was poked in the back and immediately understood. She rushed over to help Mrs. Li up.

Not forgetting to turn and complain to Old Fourth Xiang, “Father! The Third family is beating Mother! Look at these marks on her hand—they’re from the Third family! I can’t even help her up!”

She tugged on Mrs. Li’s sleeve, revealing several red marks from the beating, and pretended to choke up in her voice as she said, “The Third family really has a cruel heart! They even beat Mother—no conscience at all!”

Mrs. Li knew she was putting on a show, but right now she needed Old Fourth Xiang’s support. She slapped her thigh and pretended to cry, but the slap landed on her bruised leg. The pain made her grit her teeth, and this time her eyes truly welled up with tears.

“Old man, look at this! Ever since the family split, they’ve been so heartless! They don’t even recognize me as their mother. They beat me just like that—truly no conscience!”

Mrs. Yu immediately chimed in, “Yes, Father, everyone here saw it. She’s the one who beat Mother!”

“Old man, you have to stand up for me! Make her pay for the medicine! My body’s weak, and she hit me several times—it’s going to cost a lot of silver!”

Xiang He, who had just been enjoying the show, immediately wore an exasperated expression. That old woman—she never missed a chance to try and scam someone for money…

If this were modern times, someone like her, always faking injuries and trying to extort people, would’ve been taught a lesson long ago…

Mrs. Su, who was being supported, flared up again at the mention of money. “Why don’t you tell them how you wanted to send my Yun girl away! You even had the nerve to say you’d send her to Master Xu’s house as a maid—anyone with eyes can see what your real intentions were!”

That Master Xu was an old pervert in his sixties, who still liked young girls—especially virgins. Even families just getting by didn’t dare let their daughters work at his manor, afraid they’d come back disgraced.

Only those who were utterly destitute would sell their daughters. And yet Mrs. Li, just because Xiang Dayong got injured and needed medicine money, couldn’t bear to use her own silver—so she thought of having Xiang He sell herself in exchange for money.

Hearing the name “Master Xu” again reignited Old Fourth Xiang’s anger, which had only barely calmed the night before. He kicked Mrs. Li. “What the hell are you making a scene for?! Didn’t I say not to provoke their family?! It’s only been one night and you’re at it again first thing in the morning!”

Being scolded by her own man after all her dramatic crying, Mrs. Li felt immensely wronged. She yanked up her sleeve and held it high. “Are you blind?! Can’t you see they beat me?! Why are you yelling at me?!”

Old Fourth Xiang was about to speak, face dark with anger, when Xiang He stepped forward.

“Hey, hey, let’s get the facts straight first. You were the one who splashed my mother with slop, then tried to drag my sister off to Master Xu’s house. You beat and kicked my mother, and she only fought back to protect my sister. Everyone here saw it!”

Xiang He didn’t even ask the crowd to confirm it. Instead, she supported Mrs. Su and turned back slightly, saying, “Fifth Brother, you saw it too, didn’t you? It was clearly Grandma who struck first.”

The crowd parted, revealing Xiang Wenxuan standing beside the village chief, his face slightly red with embarrassment as he nodded shyly. “It’s true… Fourth Grandma hit first…”

“You see, Grandpa? I’m not lying to you.”