Chapter 27: Embarrassment Exposed

Luo Qiao hiccuped from crying and continued, “I told her that I wear size 36 shoes and she couldn’t fit into them. She said her feet are slim and that she could definitely wear them. Before I could respond, she said she wanted to share the enamel basin with me too.

Before she finished speaking, the eldest sister Zhao also came over and asked if I needed seeds. I told her that the captain’s wife had already prepared some for me.

I wanted to go dig up some wild vegetables, so I didn’t invite them to stay. Then the second Zhao sister grabbed my things and walked away, saying I was stingy and that their family was the only one in the village with any connection to me. I had no choice but to chase after them.”

The captain, with a stern expression, looked at the Zhao sisters and said, “Return the items.”

Zhao Xiaomei reluctantly threw the items into Luo Qiao’s arms, saying, “Who cares anyway.”

Luo Qiao quickly caught them, fearing the enamel basin might break. She was determined not to let the Zhao family get away with it and intended to teach them a lesson.

The captain sent someone to call Zhao Pulin and his wife. When Gao Suhua arrived, she smiled and said, “It’s a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding.”

Luo Qiao coldly watched Gao Suhua’s performance.

The captain said in a cold voice, “Gao Suhua, with so many people watching, how could this be a misunderstanding?”

Gao Suhua ignored the captain’s stern expression, stepped forward to try to hold Luo Qiao’s hand, and smiled, “Luo Qiao, dear, we were just worried about you living alone and having some mishap.

I asked your older sisters to come over and bring you back to the Zhao family. Since we took money from the Luo family, we should do something in return. If we meet again in the future, it wouldn’t be right not to explain ourselves to the Luo family.

Your second sister probably used the wrong approach. Xiaotao, Xiaomei, apologize to your sister Luo Qiao.”

Li Xiulan burst out laughing after hearing Gao Suhua’s words, “Gao Suhua, are you really that kind-hearted? We all heard what your Xiaomei said earlier.

You’re shameless. The few of you could put on quite a show. Acting like saints while being hypocrites.”

Zhao Pulin knew his wife was lying, but he found Li Xiulan’s words too harsh, so he said, “Li Xiulan, watch your language. As an elder, what kind of words is that?”

Li Xiulan chuckled and said, “The Zhao family can’t even let others speak the truth? You clearly came to steal her things and now you want to make it sound noble. You refused to take in Luo Qiao before.

What, now that you see she can earn more work points than your daughters, you’ve changed your mind? One shouldn’t be so shameless.”

Just as Zhao Pulin was about to retort, a dirty, skinny little boy of about five or six suddenly appeared from somewhere. “I know what they want to do!”

Gao Suhua snapped, “You little bastard, get lost!”

Li Xiulan, however, smiled and said, “Shitou, tell us what the Zhao family is planning.”

The little boy named Shitou looked at the crowd around him. “If I tell you, can I have cornbread?”

Li Xiulan, though reluctant to part with the cornbread, decided to make the sacrifice to expose the Zhao family’s shame.

She promised Shitou, “Alright, you little rascal, you only think about eating.”

Gao Suhua shouted, “You little bastard, if you dare spread lies, I’ll beat you!”

Gao Suhua often scolded Shitou, but with so many people around, he wasn’t afraid of her.

Shitou loudly said, “They want to trick that sister into going back home and then sell her to the cripple in Beipo Village as a wife.”

Realizing the situation was turning bad, Gao Suhua chased after Shitou, trying to hit him while cursing, “You little bastard, what nonsense are you spouting? I’ll tear your mouth apart!”