Chapter 47

“Take Mom to wait in Fu Qingshan’s car. I’ll come find you after I go home to handle something.” Qiao Xinyi glanced at the time and decisively handed the household registration book to Chen Yubing. “Time’s running out. Mom, have Fu Qingshan drive you to help me get the introduction letter. After it’s done, come pick me up.”

After saying this, Qiao Xinyi ran toward the house. Hearing the sound, she looked back and saw Qiao Yunbai chasing after her. She raised her hand, making a gesture like she was going to hit him. Qiao Yunbai slammed on the brakes, immediately turned around, and ran back to Chen Yubing and Qiao Baihe. He ran so fast his legs seemed to be smoking, which made Qiao Xinyi laugh.

Urged on by Qiao Xinyi’s gaze, Qiao Baihe and Qiao Yunbai took Chen Yubing and left the family compound.

Qiao Xinyi didn’t have the house key—not because the Qiao family refused to give it to her, but because Chen Yubing was too lazy to keep an extra key for her.

When Qiao Laiwang returned, he locked the door. Qiao Xinyi stood at the door banging loudly. Qiao Laiwang slowly came over and opened it. Seeing only Qiao Xinyi, he peered in and asked, “Where is everyone else? Why did you come back alone?”

Qiao Xinyi waited for Qiao Laiwang to come inside, then kicked the door shut with a forced smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “One person is enough to beat you up. The house is small. If there were more people, I wouldn’t have room to work properly.”

Then she grabbed a rag from the table, balling it up. She reached out, grabbed Qiao Laiwang’s hair, and violently stuffed the rag into his mouth.

In just a few moves, she tied up Qiao Laiwang’s struggling hands and feet with the bedsheet she’d used to cover her belly last night. Despite his efforts, he couldn’t break free.

She pushed him into a corner and took a rolling pin from the cupboard, swinging it lightly in her hand. It felt good to grip, handy and effective.

Qiao Laiwang’s terrified eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. He whimpered, twisting and struggling desperately, but the next second the rolling pin struck his legs, buttocks, belly, and back. Every strike came with force.

“You dare bully my mom? Looks like I missed dealing with you yesterday!”

“Do you think I won’t hit you because you’re Qiao Laiwang? I even dare hit Chen Ju; you’re nothing!”

“My mom wants a divorce from you. If you know what’s good for you, go divorce her tomorrow! For every day you don’t, I’ll come back and beat you up. Until you divorce her!”

“If you bully my mom again, believe me, I’ll send you to meet your real dad with this rolling pin!”

Qiao Laiwang’s eyes welled up with tears; snot ran from his nose. With the rag stuffed in his mouth, he couldn’t even scream. His hands and feet were tied, so he couldn’t run away. All he could do was desperately bash his head against nearby objects, trying to attract the neighbors or Chen Ju inside the house.

The Qiao household had been noisy these past few days, so the clanging and banging inside didn’t surprise neighbors. Apart from a few curious ones, most stayed safely inside their homes and didn’t come over to see what was happening.

But the Qiao family’s front gate was closed. People standing outside listening couldn’t tell what was going on inside.

Chen Ju came out and froze when she saw Qiao Xinyi fiercely beating Qiao Laiwang with the rolling pin. She stood there for several seconds before reacting.

Just as she was about to shout, Qiao Xinyi raised the rolling pin and angrily walked toward her.

Chen Ju’s scream was abruptly silenced by her, and she immediately turned to jump back into the room. Because of her fracture, she could only hop on one foot, but no matter how fast she was, she couldn’t outrun Qiao Xinyi.

Qiao Xinyi grabbed Chen Ju, shoved the rolling pin into her hand, then quickly untied the bedsheet binding Qiao Laiwang. With a shake of her hands, she spread the sheet back on the small bed. Spinning around, she went straight to open the front door. The whole series of actions happened in the blink of an eye.

“A-Xinyi, what are your grandma and dad fighting about this time? Why so much noise?” Aunt Zhang Hua asked the moment she saw Qiao Xinyi.

“Chen Ju is scolding Qiao Laiwang,” Qiao Xinyi stood at the door, shrugging with a shake of her head. “She’s upset at Qiao Laiwang’s incompetence and taking it out on him. They’re just putting on a show for everyone.”

Qiao Xinyi sighed, “Aunt Zhang Hua, just wait and see. Those two—mother and son—will soon be spreading rumors everywhere that I hit Qiao Laiwang. I don’t know what sins I committed in a past life to get such a family. They all want to help Qiao Yougen’s family ruin my reputation, so I really won’t be able to marry anyone. They want me to lower my head and obey Qiao Yougen’s plans, to be willingly sold by Qiao Yougen for his promotion.”

Chen Ju held the rolling pin in her hand, stunned and speechless, while Qiao Laiwang writhed in pain on the ground. Both of them were so furious after hearing Qiao Xinyi’s words they nearly fainted.

“You’re the one who hit him!” Chen Ju quickly threw down the rolling pin. “This thing was shoved into my hand by you!”

“Who would believe that?” Qiao Xinyi asked the people outside.

Aunt Zhang Hua led the others shaking their heads. “We saw your grandma holding the rolling pin with our own eyes. We don’t believe you.”

“Really, it’s that little beast Qiao Xinyi who hit me!” Qiao Laiwang shouted tearfully.

“Yes, yes, I hit you,” Qiao Xinyi said with a look that said, What do you want me to do if you insist? “Are you going to tell everyone every day that I hit you? Do you think ruining my reputation completely will help you get what you want?”

“I used to think Qiao Laiwang was honest, but turns out he’s really scheming,” muttered a sister-in-law outside.

“If Qiao Laiwang were honest, Chen Yubing wouldn’t have had to support the family alone for twenty years. Even after getting married, his wages still go to his mother. What kind of plan is he playing? Us women all know this,” Aunt Zhang Hua spat. “If he were honest, then my husband would be a fool. Qiao Laiwang is calculating, but his brothers are smarter and made him suffer big losses.”

“Qiao Yougen said that if I got married off, the other family would give 200 yuan as bride price, and our family wouldn’t have to prepare a dowry. My daughter would bring 200 yuan to exchange for him. Qiao Laiwang was so happy yesterday; Chen Ju agreed to the marriage,” Qiao Xinyi said, and Aunt Zhang Hua and the others looked like they suddenly understood everything.

“So that’s why they’re putting on this show of suffering over 200 yuan bride price,” Aunt Zhang Hua said.

“Xinyi, don’t worry. You may be fiery, but I know you’re a filial and good kid. Just for how you protect your mom, you can’t be a bad kid,” another aunt chimed in.

“With us neighbors around the family compound, if your dad and grandma spread stories about you hitting people, we’ll explain for you,” she added.

Qiao Xinyi was moved until her eyes turned red. “Thank you, aunts. Without you, I don’t know how I’d survive.”

At this moment, Aunt Zhang Hua and the others felt their character was elevated—they were good people who helped others!

“Aunts, my mom is still waiting outside. She suffered a big grievance today, so I need to comfort her well.” Qiao Xinyi wiped the faint tears from the corner of her eyes. Remembering Fu Qingshan’s family dinner tonight, she quickly gave this scene a perfect ending and, as a dutiful daughter, hurried off to comfort her mom.