Chapter 53

His hand was already on the front door when Qiao Xinyi grabbed him by the hair and forcefully dragged him back. The next second, that same rag from last night was stuffed back into his mouth.

“You got one thing right—I do like hitting people,” Qiao Xinyi said as she kicked Qiao Laiwang into a corner and raised the rolling pin, slamming it down on the fleshiest parts of his body.

“It’s my fault for giving you the illusion that you had the right to lecture me. You’ve got a useless brain. I told you already—I have no manners. Yet you still insist on saying all those things I don’t want to hear.”

“I told you yesterday—until you divorce my mom, I’ll beat you every day. I was going to save today’s beating for when you came home for lunch, but your mouth couldn’t shut up. Since you’re in such a hurry to get beaten, I’ll grant your wish.”

Qiao Xinyi deliberately aimed for the same spots she’d hit yesterday. With the rolling pin in hand, her blows became more and more precise and vicious.

Qiao Laiwang, gagged and pinned in the corner, was utterly helpless. He was a grown man, yet he had no way to fight off Qiao Xinyi. All he could do was wriggle like a fat worm, taking hit after hit.

Qiao Yunbai and the others had already gathered at the bedroom door. Their sleepy eyes grew brighter and clearer the longer they watched.

“I told you Big Sis is super strong,” Qiao Yunbai said, afraid Chen Yubing and Qiao Baihe might try to stop Qiao Xinyi. As he spoke, he stretched out his arms to block them and glanced into the other room. Then he turned back to Chen Yubing and asked, “Mom, is Dad really Grandma’s biological son? He’s getting beat up here and Grandma’s still in the other room—she hasn’t even come out to take a look.”

Qiao Xinyi didn’t plan to cripple Qiao Laiwang. If she did, he’d definitely try to pin the blame on Chen Yubing. So after fewer than twenty hits, she stopped.

She tossed the rolling pin back into the open cupboard and responded to Qiao Yunbai’s comment: “A child is a piece of their parents’ flesh, right? Well, Qiao Laiwang is Chen Ju’s appendix—nonessential, and if he ever puts her at risk of getting beaten too, she’ll ditch him without a second thought.”

Qiao Yunbai didn’t know what an appendix was, but Chen Yubing and Qiao Baihe did—and they burst out laughing. Honestly, Qiao Xinyi’s metaphor was spot-on.

Starting the morning with a good beating for a piece of trash—that’s one of the best ways to wake yourself up.

Feeling refreshed and invigorated, Qiao Xinyi grabbed her washbasin and toothbrush and strolled out to the public water tap to wash up.

There were already lots of people outside. As soon as Zhang Hua saw her, she waved enthusiastically. “Xinyi, come over here, Auntie’s got something to say.”

Qiao Xinyi smiled and walked over. Zhang Hua immediately asked, “What was going on at your place this morning? I heard loud thudding noises when I stepped out.”

“Oh, I was sleeping in the living room, right? When my dad came out of the room, he kept bumping into the table corner, then the back of a chair. Must not’ve been fully awake—ran into stuff a bunch of times,” Qiao Xinyi shrugged. “He clearly ran into them himself, but he’s going around saying I hit him again. Auntie, you watch—give it a bit and he and Chen Ju will be spreading rumors like yesterday, saying I beat him with a rolling pin.”

“We get it. He’s just waiting for a chance to smear your name,” Auntie Zhang Hua said with a knowing expression that read you don’t need to explain, I already understand everything.

While Auntie Zhang Hua made breakfast, Qiao Xinyi stood nearby chatting with her about everything under the sun. When Chen Yubing called her back for breakfast, Auntie Zhang Hua even shoved a hard-boiled egg into her hand.

“I’ve lived this long and this is the first time I’ve seen Auntie Zhang Hua act generous,” Qiao Yunbai muttered as he stared at the egg in Qiao Xinyi’s palm. “Before, if someone borrowed even two spoons of salt from her, she’d chase them down to get it back.”

Qiao Xinyi handed the egg to Qiao Yunbai. When he shook his head and refused, she chuckled, “I’m asking you to peel the egg, not eat it. What are you saying no for?”

Qiao Yunbai snorted and took the egg. He knocked it against the table edge a few times and quietly peeled it like a good boy.

Chen Ju hobbled out of the room on crutches with Qiao Laiwang supporting her. Qiao Xinyi was pouring herself a glass of water. Hearing the sound, she turned and glanced at the two of them.

Now, every time Qiao Laiwang met Qiao Xinyi’s eyes, he trembled and lowered his head, not daring to make a sound.

Chen Ju sneered, “People raised in the countryside are so petty. Even eating a boiled egg makes them look like beggars, going to the neighbors to ask for one.”

The next second, a cup of warm water splashed directly onto Chen Ju’s face.

As Qiao Laiwang shrank like a quail, he heard Qiao Xinyi say to him, “The old woman can’t take a beating. I won’t hit her, but if she pisses me off, I’ll hit you instead.”

Qiao Laiwang jerked his head up and looked at Chen Ju. Her chin was dripping water, and she was about to open her mouth to start cursing. He immediately reached out and clamped her mouth shut with force.

“Mom, I’m begging you—can you just hope for something good for me, just once? You get to vent when you curse, but the one getting beat up is your son—me!”

“I’m not asking you to shield me when I’m getting hit. But I am begging you, at least don’t drag me down with you, okay?”

Chen Ju was so angry her eyeballs looked like they were about to pop out of her head. When Qiao Laiwang saw she still wasn’t listening and tried to push his hand away, he added quickly, “Then how about you go live with Big Brother or Chengda for a while? Things are messy at my place right now—I can’t take care of you.”

That finally stopped Chen Ju from struggling. When Qiao Laiwang let go, she just smacked him hard and scolded him, “Coward!”

Qiao Laiwang pretended not to hear, helping her sit at the table. But just as he reached out to grab some bowls and chopsticks, Chen Yubing came over and snatched them away.

“These are for me and the three kids. Don’t touch what doesn’t belong to you.”

“And by the way, since you haven’t given me any money, I didn’t make breakfast for you two.”

Then she started shooing them away. “If you and your mom are hungry, go to the factory canteen and get some food. If you’re not hungry, then sit somewhere else and stop being an eyesore.”

“You’re rebelling now, huh?!” Chen Ju slammed the table, the sound echoing loudly. “I’m your mother-in-law! Qiao Laiwang is your husband! Are you seriously going to starve us?!”

Qiao Xinyi slammed her chopsticks down on the table even harder—PAK!

Qiao Laiwang jumped straight up from his seat. Without saying a word, he slung Chen Ju onto his back and quickly made his escape. By the time Qiao Xinyi turned to look, they were already at the doorway.

“Smart of you to run fast. I was about to slap you,” Qiao Xinyi clicked her tongue in slight disappointment. Then she called out to him, “When you get to the factory this morning, remember to ask for half a day off for my mom. If you dare forget—”

Before she could even finish, Qiao Laiwang eagerly promised, “I got it, I won’t forget.”

Then he turned to Chen Yubing and asked, “Why are you asking for leave again? You know they dock our pay for that. You’re already in debt—if you keep skipping work, how will you ever pay it off?”

“None of your damn business,” Chen Yubing shot him a fierce glare. “Shut your mouth. In fact, if you could stop breathing too, that’d be even better. Just listening to you annoys me.”

After lashing out at Qiao Laiwang, Chen Yubing felt a lot better. Looking back, she realized she’d endured twenty years of nonsense for nothing.

It was a shame she didn’t have as much strength as Qiao Xinyi. If she could beat Qiao Laiwang like that, she would’ve taught him long ago what it means to live by someone else’s mood.

There was still some money left over from what Qiao Laiwang had borrowed to treat Chen Ju’s leg. He changed clothes and carried Chen Ju to the factory canteen for breakfast.

Given how Qiao Xinyi had a habit of snatching food, Qiao Laiwang didn’t even dare bring the food back home—he was afraid if he did, neither he nor Chen Ju would get a single bite.