Chapter 55

“Lao Er, you beat your mother like this. You are the one who should apologize!” Xu Mingshan naturally chose to uphold the dignity of the family head.  ^[1]Lao Er here mean Old second but it can also mean Old Second Son

“That’s right! Mom is an elder, just giving some advice to a junior. Why take it so seriously? Besides, Second Brother, you even hurt Mom this badly. That is truly unacceptable!  You should apologize to Mom and also give her money for medical treatment.” Lin Xiaomeng stood there, speaking without feeling the pain herself, and chimed in.  

She purely wanted to go against Gu Qinghuan.  

Liu Guifang had not expected that at a critical moment, this eldest daughter-in-law would actually speak up in her favor. She looked at her approvingly and nodded vigorously.  

Exactly! The medical fees, the nutrition costs—none of them should be missing!  

Gu Qinghuan had not expected Lin Xiaomeng to stand up for Liu Guifang at this moment, let alone use such nauseatingly hypocritical words.  

Fine, then she wouldn’t hold back either.  

“Lin Xiaomeng, don’t think that just because you’re ugly, I won’t scold you. So, am I supposed to just endure grievances so you all can be happy?  

Next time, if I go to your house to take your grain, you better not hide it. It’s easy to talk when you’re not the one suffering.  

Your Da Cheng is a bastard. If I want to get rid of him, you better not get angry. After all, I am an elder!  

You’re noble, you’re understanding, you’re so filial to your parents—then why didn’t you take out that wild ginseng you dug up last time?”  

Immediately, everyone’s gaze focused on Lin Xiaomeng.  

Her face changed color like a painter’s palette, shifting between shades as she grew both furious and anxious. She didn’t even have time to be upset about the insults.  

How did Gu Qinghuan know about the wild ginseng?  

Had she been following her?

Or had she been caught when she sold the ginseng?  

Either way, this tactic of diverting the trouble completely caught her off guard, leaving her flustered and overwhelmed.  

“What wild ginseng?”  

“Wild ginseng?”  

Xu Mingshan and Liu Guifang both turned to look at Lin Xiaomeng.  

Liu Guifang even scrambled up from the ground swiftly, her eyes shining like searchlights as she stared at Lin Xiaomeng.  

“Oh? Such a noble and filial person got wild ginseng, sold it for three hundred yuan, and didn’t hand it over to her father-in-law and mother-in-law? That’s just wrong!” Gu Qinghuan deliberately said in a sarcastic tone.

She knew the plot of the book—Lin Xiaomeng had indeed sold the wild ginseng for three hundred yuan.  

Judging from her reaction, there was no wrongful accusation at all.  

Since they had already torn all pretense apart, she didn’t care about offending her anymore.

You are a reborn woman? Well, I am a transmigrated woman. Who’s afraid of whom!  

Under the suspicious gazes of her in-laws, Lin Xiaomeng gritted her teeth and insisted: “What wild ginseng? Three hundred yuan? I don’t know anything about it. We’re talking about you here, don’t falsely accuse me!”  

Gu Qinghuan, looking absolutely certain, said: “I didn’t falsely accuse you. Just ask at the hospital in the county town, and you’ll know.”  

Now, Lin Xiaomeng was sure—Gu Qinghuan had really seen it.  

But so what? As long as she refused to admit it, there was nothing anyone could do.  

“I didn’t do it. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”  

Gu Qinghuan didn’t care whether she admitted it or not. What mattered was planting a seed of doubt in Xu Mingshan and Liu Guifang’s hearts.

As long as it made things difficult for her, that was already a victory.  

Xu Huai’an also felt deeply disappointed. He had once respected this sister-in-law greatly. Before he retired from the army, whenever he got something good, he would buy a share for his nephew and send it home.  

He had believed that he had done well enough, but some people were just endlessly greedy, taking others’ efforts for granted.  

Xu Mingshan and Liu Guifang still had their doubts, but for now, they could set this matter aside and deal with Lao Er first.  

“Lao Er, no matter what, you must properly apologize to your mother. Giving birth to and raising you wasn’t easy for her. You should also take her to the county hospital for a check-up—don’t let any lasting injuries remain.” Xu Mingshan said.  

“You gave birth to me and raised me? I joined the army when I was a teenager, earned at least several thousand yuan, and even handed over my retirement payout—all of it went to you. I have long repaid whatever debt I owed for being raised.  

Don’t try to use this to morally blackmail me—I won’t fall for it!  

Right now, my pockets are emptier than my face. I have no money, only my life. If you want to take it, go ahead. I’ll fight you to the death.”  

Xu Huai’an would never have dared to say such things before.

But now, after letting go of the burden in his heart, he realized that he actually enjoyed this kind of madness.  

Like a dead pig unafraid of boiling water—let’s see what you can do to me.  

Xu Mingshan hadn’t expected Xu Huai’an to say such words. The once obedient son who listened to his every word with utmost respect had now turned into a defiant rogue.  

He was furious—he would rather that his son had just gone mad.  

“You unfilial son! Everything I taught you, did it all go to the dogs? You disrespect your elders, refuse to listen to guidance—don’t call me father again! I have no such son!”  

“Perfect! If I had a choice, I wouldn’t want to be your son either! It’s been too bitter, too painful.”  

That single sentence from Xu Huai’an carried the weight of all the hardships he had endured along the way.

Unfortunately, only Gu Qinghuan could understand the sorrow buried deep in his heart. Silently, she grasped his arm, giving him strength.  

Every child is born yearning for their parents’ love. But not every parent loves their child.  

A lifetime could be spent longing for parental approval, craving affection.  

Xu Huai’an was like that.

And so was she.  

At this moment, she could completely empathize with Xu Huai’an’s sadness and grief.  

Many years ago, she had been just like him—desperately trying to do better, hoping to gain her parents’ attention and love.  

She had believed that if she just worked a little harder, she would finally be noticed. But reality had dealt her a crushing blow.  

Her parents had their own precious treasures whom they loved dearly. But she was not one of them.  

Some people don’t have to do anything at all—just standing there, they are the most cherished darlings in their parents’ hearts.  

And she? She was just a pitiful clown, trying too hard to please.  

That was why she feared marriage, why she despised those selfish, irresponsible parents.  

If you cannot give a child a stable and happy home, then don’t bring them into this world. It is too cruel.  

Xu Mingshan didn’t understand his son’s disappointment. He only knew that he had been contradicted, and he was furious. Slamming the table, he stood up in rage.  

“Fine! You said it. I want to see what kind of person you are without me.  We’re leaving!” His last sentence was directed at Liu Guifang.  

Lin Xiaomeng, seeing the situation, quickly followed suit.  

In the end, no one had gained anything from this conflict—it was a lose-lose situation.  

After they left, Gu Qinghuan immediately pushed Xu Huai’an into the house.  

“Hurry up and change your clothes. If you stay in those wet ones, you’ll catch a cold.”  

Xu Huai’an obediently went inside to change.  

Through the door, he suddenly said: “I’m sorry. I didn’t protect you well. In the future, we might face a lot of hardships. Are you afraid?”  

“What kind of silly talk is that? No matter how hard it gets, could it be worse than before? Now you’re slowly recovering, our family is together, and we can live happily. What could be better than that?”  

Gu Qinghuan truly felt that things were much better now.  

When she had just transmigrated, that had been a true nightmare. They had survived that—this was nothing.  

A bright, dazzling smile appeared on Xu Huai’an’s lips.  

She really was different.  

Gu Qinghuan lifted her gaze toward the sky.  

“If no one loves you, then remember to love yourself.”  

A message to the present Xu Huai’an.

And to the past Gu Qinghuan….