Chen Juxiang froze, and her arrogance immediately diminished by more than half.

—Of course, she knew just how cunning Bai Nansheng could be.

Back then, when he was bullied by the villagers and couldn’t win a fight, he sneaked into the production team’s pigsty in the middle of the night, opened the gate, and drove three or four fat pigs into the family’s kitchen. The next morning, that family discovered their kitchen had been completely ransacked by the pigs. Not only that, but they were also labeled as pig thieves! It wasn’t until years later, when Bai Nansheng accidentally let it slip, that everyone found out the truth.

As a teenager, there was once a gossiping woman who framed and insulted him. Holding a grudge, he caught a harmless cauliflower snake and threw it into her outhouse. When the woman went to use the toilet and saw the snake, she was so frightened that she ran out with her pants still down, crying and wetting herself in public, losing all dignity. …Although it was later proven that Bai Nansheng had indeed been falsely accused by this woman, no one dared to provoke him after that.

Not only was he ruthless, but he was also physically strong.

A few years ago, in the fall, a bear kept breaking into the production team’s cornfield and destroying the crops. The villagers organized night patrols to scare it away. …Coincidentally, Bai Nansheng was on duty the night the bear showed up. While everyone else ran away in fear, he was the only one who charged at it with his fists. In the end, both he and the bear were injured.

Of course, it was also thanks to the other villagers banging on enamel basins and shouting loudly that they managed to scare the bear away.

Bai Nansheng bore grudges.

After recovering from his injuries, he packed some dry rations and a cleaver, then quietly ventured into the forest alone. He chased the bear for four or five days, driving it all the way to the outskirts of a village three towns over…

It was only when other hunters discovered the bear—by then already half-dead—that they reported it to the township government. The township officials called the forest police for help. The police arrived in time to stop Bai Nansheng, and the bear was finally saved and sent to the zoo.

It was then that everyone realized Bai Nansheng was capable of such feats. No one dared to look down on or offend the Bai family anymore.

But precisely because of this, no one dared to associate with Bai Nansheng either. Even when Tang Liren tried to find him a wife, there wasn’t a single girl in the surrounding villages willing to marry him. Even when Tang Liren racked her brain and sought matches in other towns, any girl who spent one or two days with him would end up running away…

Chen Juxiang had set her sights on pairing Chen Lanfen with Bai Nansheng precisely because he couldn’t find a wife.

After all, one had a notorious reputation that no one dared to marry, while the other was infamous and unwanted.

Under Chen Juxiang’s arrangement, Chen Lanfen flirted with him and lured him into the cornfield—normally, no decent girl would dare to get close to him! It was because of Chen Lanfen’s attention that Bai Nansheng lost his head.

And because Chen Lanfen was Chen Juxiang’s grandniece, Bai Nansheng treated her more gently after they married, unlike his usual domineering self.

Chen Juxiang grew even more convinced that her decision had been the right one.

But now, Bai Nansheng was standing in front of her again, looking hostile?

She thought, If only Chen Lanfen weren’t at the hospital giving birth right now… maybe this fool wouldn’t be acting like this.

Clearing her throat, Chen Juxiang said, “Nansheng, Lanfen is giving birth to your child at the hospital, and you’re just staying home? Childbirth is like stepping one foot into the gates of death! When other women give birth, their husbands all wait outside the delivery room. Why aren’t you taking care of her?”

It would have been better if she hadn’t mentioned Chen Lanfen. The moment she did—

Bai Nansheng’s gaze turned even colder. “Other sixty-five-year-olds are already dead. Why aren’t you dead yet?”

Chen Juxiang froze.

Everyone else was stunned.

—Even though it was modern times, rural villages still followed traditional customs. On auspicious days, words like “death,” “tragedy,” and “poverty” were strictly avoided.

And today was supposed to be a joyous occasion for the Bai family’s eldest branch, celebrating the birth of a child. Yet Bai Nansheng didn’t show the slightest trace of happiness. He even looked like he was mourning his grandmother—and now he was being so disrespectful toward her?

Everyone sensed that something was wrong, but no one knew how to ask about it.

At that moment, Tang Liren finally spoke. “Mom, we really have to thank you! If it weren’t for your matchmaking and pushing this marriage, Lanfen wouldn’t have ended up like this today!”

Her tone was icy, completely devoid of the joy expected from welcoming a new baby. Instead, it carried a hint of gritted-teeth resentment.

The two oldest elders of the Bai clan exchanged looks and spoke up.

Fourth Uncle said, “Zhengqian, what’s going on?”
Seventh Aunt asked, “Zhengqian’s wife, is something wrong with Nansheng’s wife?”

Bai Zhengqian and his wife exchanged glances. Then Tang Liren spoke again, “Fourth Uncle, Seventh Aunt… Chen Lanfen is doing just fine! She’s at the hospital now and has safely given birth to a big, healthy boy—nine pounds and eight ounces!”

Hearing that Chen Lanfen was fine and had safely given birth to a son, the crowd finally breathed a sigh of relief and rejoiced.

But when Tang Liren said that last part, the crowd began to sense something was off.

Wait, Chen Lanfen and Bai Nansheng had only been married for a little over three months… Even if they’d gone into the cornfield before marriage and caused a scandal, forcing Bai Zhengqian’s family to arrange the wedding—

Hadn’t Chen Lanfen always claimed she was only six months pregnant?

So how did she give birth early… to a nine-pound-eight-ounce baby? Wasn’t that bigger than a full-term baby???

For a moment, everyone wore strange expressions, unable to voice their congratulations.

Chen Juxiang’s eyebrow twitched violently.

She wasn’t oblivious to the implications of Tang Liren’s words. In fact, she was even more sensitive to the issue. But she had a response ready and immediately laughed, “What’s the big deal? Didn’t I always say Lanfen is healthy? See, I wasn’t wrong! Ever since she married into the Bai family, you’ve all seen how much she eats. When you eat well, you stay healthy, and the baby grows bigger too, hahaha…”

Seventy or eighty people were gathered in the courtyard.

Yet not a single person spoke.

Only Chen Juxiang’s grating laughter echoed.

She laughed for a long time…

Then realized no one was joining in.

So she turned and glared fiercely at her third daughter-in-law and Li Cui’er.

Third Aunt Bai pretended to see it and turned her head aside.

Li Cui’er had no choice but to support her, and said with a smile: “That’s right! Nansheng’s wife gave birth to a ten-pound boy after being pregnant for more than five months. Hahahahaha… Isn’t this a great joy!”

Still no one supported her, so Li Cui’er turned to ask Third Aunt Bai, “… Third sister-in-law, don’t you think so?”

Third Aunt Bai got angry, “I haven’t given birth to a son before, how would I know if giving birth to a ten-pound boy after being pregnant for five and a half months is a great joy! Didn’t you give birth to three sons in a row? You can only give birth to a ten-pound boy after being pregnant for five months each time!”

“What? You have to be pregnant for ten months to give birth to a child? What’s the use of you! Others only need to be pregnant for five months to give birth, but you, Jin Gui, have to be pregnant for ten months!”

Third Aunt Bai exploded, yelling, “What? You carried a child for ten months and gave birth to a ten-pound son? That’s your skill! Otherwise, how could Lanfen manage it?”

Having given birth to four daughters in a row and never a son, Third Aunt Bai was often mocked by Chen Juxiang. Now that she had caught an opportunity, she didn’t dare direct her anger at Chen Juxiang, so she vented it on Li Cui’er instead.

Li Cui’er stared dumbfounded, mouth wide open.

The crowd: …

Tang Liren leisurely dropped another bombshell. “When Chen Lanfen was hospitalized for delivery, she  said she was only five and a half months pregnant. No one believed it, given how big her belly was. A specialist in obstetrics from the provincial hospital personally examined her and found out that Chen Lanfen’s pregnancy was full-term.”

The crowd’s eyes widened again.

Chen Juxiang stammered, “Who—who… Who’s talking nonsense?”

Tang Liren pulled something out and threw it at Chen Juxiang, her voice sharp. “Who said it? Professor Shi Yuhua from the provincial hospital’s obstetrics department! It’s all written clearly in this medical record! Chen Lanfen was actually 40 weeks pregnant, with a grade-three placental maturity, and gave birth to a full-term baby!”

Chen Juxiang was stunned.

She bent down to pick up the medical record, but since she was illiterate, she couldn’t understand what was written in it.

The only thing she knew was that her daughter-in-law, Tang Liren, had always been fierce but still maintained respect for her in public. Yet now, Tang Liren was openly humiliating her in front of everyone.

So?

Had the secret of Chen Lanfen’s pregnancy…

Really been exposed?

A cold sweat broke out on Chen Juxiang’s back.

At that moment, Li Cui’er spoke up. “Sister-in-law, what does placental maturity mean?”

Tang Liren, having spent the past few days in the hospital chasing after doctors and nurses for answers about Chen Lanfen, had picked up quite a bit of medical knowledge. She immediately explained:

“When a woman gives birth, it’s not as simple as claiming you’ve been pregnant for three or five months and then delivering a full-term baby. How long a fetus stays in the womb is scientifically determined. Take the placenta, for example—it has three levels of maturity.

“If Chen Lanfen was only five months pregnant, her placenta should be at grade two maturity…”

“But hers was already grade three, proving that she had been pregnant for quite a long time. The nutrients supplied by the mother to the fetus had lasted at least nine months or more! This was confirmed in the hospital using scientific equipment—it’s far more reliable than your baseless claims!”

The scene fell into a deathly silence.

Most of the women present had already given birth, but none had delivered in a hospital. They either gave birth at home or, in complicated cases, called doctors from the health clinic or barefoot doctors to assist.

Tang Liren’s explanation left them confused yet convinced.

Chen Juxiang froze for a long moment, then reached out as if to tear up the medical record—

Tang Liren sneered. “Go ahead and tear it up. The hospital has another copy.”

Chen Juxiang paused, her tone stiff. “Who—who’s tearing it up? Can’t I take a look?”

Tang Liren fixed her gaze on Chen Juxiang and asked directly, “Whose child is Chen Lanfen carrying?”

The crowd collectively sucked in a breath, their eyes all turning to Bai Nansheng.

Bai Nansheng’s eyes were bloodshot, glaring fiercely at Chen Juxiang.

Chen Juxiang couldn’t help but recall Bai Nansheng’s vengeful personality. Her entire body suddenly felt cold.

“Speak!!!”

Tang Liren’s sharp shout made Chen Juxiang tremble violently. She tried to stay calm, but her voice shook. “Liren, you—you… I—I’m still your elder, how can you—”

“Don’t try to lecture me!” Tang Liren roared in anger. “I’ve tolerated your bullying all this time, but if you dare lay a hand on my child, just try it!”

Chen Juxiang immediately thought back to when Taotao was still young. Because she was raised delicately, the eleven- or twelve-year-old girl looked like she was only seven or eight. Tang Liren doted on her, knowing she wouldn’t speak up even if she felt cold, hungry, or wronged. So she made sure Taotao ate a boiled egg every day to build her strength.

Once, the eldest son of the fourth branch, Fugui, stole Taotao’s egg. At the time, Tang Liren wasn’t home, and Chen Juxiang took it lightly, thinking, Why should a silly girl get an egg every day? Besides, Fugui was a boy and her own grandson—of course, she sided with the fourth branch.

When Tang Liren returned and found out Taotao’s egg had been stolen, she went berserk. She smashed every ceramic and porcelain item in the fourthbranch’s home, beat Fugui half to death, and even trashed Chen Juxiang’s room.

Not only that, Tang Liren’s parents and brothers backed her up. A dozen strong men showed up at the Bai family’s yard and “reasoned” with Chen Juxiang for two whole days and nights…

In the end, Chen Juxiang was forced to kneel before Tang Liren’s mother and swear never to bully Taotao again. Only then did Tang Liren let the matter drop.

From that point on, Chen Juxiang learned her lesson—Tang Liren would protect her children to the extreme, even a silly one like Taotao.

Now, thinking about it, Chen Juxiang began trembling all over.

—What to do? Bai Nansheng was also Tang Liren’s child! Bai Nansheng alone was terrifying enough, but with Tang Liren backing him up??? God! Why had she ever thought of such a horrible plan to force Chen Lanfen to seduce Bai Nansheng?!

Stammering, Chen Juxiang said, “I—I… Look, I’m just an illiterate old woman from the countryside. How could I understand all this… science and evidence?”

The moment Chen Juxiang faltered, the crowd erupted like a hornet’s nest, whispering among themselves.

“Could it be that Chen Lanfen was already pregnant before marrying Nansheng?”
“Wasn’t the marriage arranged by the old lady? Could she have planned it all along?”
“If you ask me, she definitely did! She knew the Zhengqian family was hardworking and capable!”
“No wonder she’s a stepmother—how vicious!”
“Nansheng’s been working himself to death, raising another man’s wife and child—how humiliating!”

Li Cui’er stared at Tang Liren for a long moment before asking, “Sister-in-law, by your explanation, since science can determine how long Lanfen was pregnant, can’t it also figure out who the father is?”

Tang Liren had already asked the doctor. The current technology couldn’t pinpoint the father directly but could rule people out through blood type testing. Nansheng had already drawn blood, confirming he had no biological connection to Chen Lanfen’s child.

Prepared for this question, Tang Liren firmly replied, “Of course! However…”

She scanned the crowd of clansmen and continued, “However, the doctor said to find out who the father is, we need blood samples. Folks, I apologize in advance…”

Tang Liren bowed to the crowd, then stood straight and declared, “I want every man here, young or old, to go to the hospital for a blood test. I will find out who fathered Chen Lanfen’s child!”

As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd erupted again with a loud commotion.

Although most people felt they had nothing to hide, being asked to undergo this kind of test was downright humiliating!

The elderly Fourth Uncle hesitantly said, “Liren, I’m almost ninety years old. Can I skip the blood test?”

Tang Liren smiled and replied, “Fourth Uncle, for fairness’ sake, it’s better if you still take the test. First, it’ll set a good example for the others, and second, it’s a chance to check your health through a routine blood test. That’s always a good thing, isn’t it?”

Ever since Tang Liren married Bai Zhengqian in her teens, she had been diligent, hardworking, and respectful toward both the elderly and the young. She had upheld these principles consistently for decades, earning a stellar reputation within the Bai family clan.

Trusting Tang Liren completely, Fourth Uncle nodded. “Alright then, I’ll go take the test!”

 

With the most senior and respected member of the family taking the lead, the rest of the men—after some heated discussions—finally agreed.

They said: Fine! To prove our innocence, we’ll all get tested!

Chen Juxiang’s entire body began to tremble.

Tang Liren fixed her sharp gaze on Chen Juxiang and said with a sneer, “Mom, the men in our Bai family will all go for testing. As for the men in the Chen family, that’s up to you.”

Chen Juxiang’s face turned deathly pale. She snapped, “What’s this got to do with me? If you all want to get tested, go ahead! It’s got nothing to do with me…”

Tang Liren simply stared at her in silence, without saying a word.

Chen Juxiang cursed for a while, but as her anger cooled, fear crept in. Her voice faltered as she asked, “But what if… what if it really comes out? Then what?”

Tang Liren let out a cold laugh.

Before she could speak, however, someone suddenly pounded loudly on the courtyard gate, shouting—

“Father-in-law! Mother-in-law! It’s me, Chen Daniu! Open the gate!”

Chen Daniu was Chen Lanfen’s older brother.

The crowd immediately fell silent, holding their breath.