CHAPTER 19: CHAPTER 19: TAKING ACTION

Gu Rushan saw the situation and hurriedly ran over, grabbing the arm tightly, not daring to let go.

He advised, "Xiaoqing, you’re a girl, why is your temper so big? It’s nothing serious, your grandma just said a few words. Yes, your grandma may not be gentle, but she’s your grandma after all.

It’s only right for an elder to teach their granddaughter a lesson. Are you really going to argue with your grandma?"

Saying this, he firmly pulled Gu Xiaoqing back.

He solemnly said, "Xiaoqing, it’s not that your second uncle is criticizing you, but what family’s girl has such a big temper like yours? If people see this, they’ll say you’re improper. How are you going to convince your future in-laws?"

This was to scare Gu Xiaoqing.

She should be careful about her reputation, without it, she might not get married.

But Gu Xiaoqing had died once. Reputation didn’t matter to her.

Besides, Gu Xiaoqing had no intention of caring about her reputation.

In her past life, despite trying to maintain a good reputation, her family didn’t end up with much. Not to mention how the village pointed fingers at Gu Ruhai for marrying off his daughters like selling them.

If it’s already like this, why care about reputation?

Better to live freely.

At least it would be satisfying.

No need to die feeling suffocated.

Why make things difficult for herself?

"Second Uncle, your words don’t make sense, do they? Is it me who’s hot-tempered? What if Brother Xiaocheng couldn’t afford schooling because you borrowed money from us sisters for our studies? Wouldn’t he be mad? Besides, Second Uncle, you’re capable. You borrowed money from our family, didn’t let nieces study but supported your nephew to college. Isn’t that reputation worse than mine?"

Gu Rushan got so angry he flung away Gu Xiaoqing’s wrist, breathing heavily like an old ox, glaring wide-eyed. This Gu Xiaoqing, give her an inch and she takes a mile.

"Brother, if you can’t manage your daughter, I’ll do it for you. What nonsense comes out of her mouth." He raised his hand, ready to hit Gu Xiaoqing.

Li Xuemei wouldn’t allow that and rushed up instantly. In the past, she was helpless, but since returning from her parent’s house yesterday, she realized that if she didn’t protect her daughters, others wouldn’t treat them as human either.

Gu Ruhai couldn’t be relied on.

With his parents, he was a coward, but it wasn’t reasonable to be bullied by a younger brother-in-law.

Especially right in front of her, hitting her child.

She instantly blocked Gu Xiaoqing’s head, and just at that moment, Gu Rushan’s slap landed on Li Xuemei’s face.

With a "snap", it echoed.

Everyone was instantly stunned.

Who could’ve thought there’d be such a dramatic change?

Li Xuemei’s face immediately bore the marks of five fingers, bright red, unmistakable at a glance.

In that moment, not only Gu Xiaoqing was stunned, Li Xuemei was too, even Mr. Gu, Mrs. Gu, Gu Rushan, and Gu Ruhai stood frozen.

Gu Xiaoqing saw and without caring, yanked the front door open, crying out as she ran out.

"Help! Help! My Second Uncle is going to kill my mom. The younger brother-in-law is killing the sister-in-law."

Her voice instantly broke the silence of the village.

The neighbors were at home due to the farming downtime, and the women chatting in threes and twos caught the commotion.

Like magic, the entrance of Gu Ruhai’s house was immediately crowded with people. Many rushed into the courtyard, while the courtyard walls were lined with people standing.

Aunt Wang, from the neighbor’s house, grabbed the agitated Gu Xiaoqing, asking, "Child, what’s going on?"

The surrounding people pricked up their ears to listen intently.

Gu Rushan suddenly realized he was in trouble.

No family has ever heard of a younger brother-in-law hitting his sister-in-law.

Regardless of mistakes, only the elder brother had the right to discipline, not him.

The issue was, it wasn’t his intention. He aimed to hit Gu Xiaoqing; how could he know it would end up on Li Xuemei?

The nature of this was indeed different.

The entire courtyard was gawking.

Gu Rushan anxiously kept winking at Mrs. Gu, only she could manage such a scene, and no one else could.

As long as Mr. Gu’s family could be stopped from talking, there was hope.

But there was someone unpredictable, Gu Xiaoqing.

This girl either got possessed by a deity or something, acting today not like her usual self.

How could Gu Rushan not be anxious?

Mr. Gu hadn’t expected Gu Xiaoqing to completely tear things apart like this.

They ripped off that superficial mask of decency and went straight to the point.

No hiding, no worrying about saving face, or sparing anyone’s dignity, truly daring.

Gu Xiaoying and Gu Xiaojie rushed to Li Xuemei, holding her tightly from either side, crying earnestly. The onlookers saw Li Xuemei crying with her two kids and noticed the clear imprint of five fingers on her face, believing more in Gu Xiaoqing’s words and realizing this family was indeed in trouble.

The position of everyone in the yard was evident as soon as people came in. Mr. Gu was seated on a bench, not yet standing, while Mrs. Gu stood with hands on hips in the middle of the yard, still several steps away from Li Xuemei. Gu Ruhai stood under the veranda, looking bewildered, far from the scene.

The closest were Gu Rushan and Li Xuemei, standing merely two steps apart, with only her three children next to Li Xuemei. It was impossible for Gu Xiaoqing and the kids to have hit their mom.

That left only one possibility.

And upon seeing the expressions on everyone’s faces, they all understood.

This was Gu Rushan forcing Mr. Gu’s family to the brink, making them shout like this.

Mrs. Gu also knew Gu Rushan had caused a mess this time.

No family justifies a younger brother-in-law hitting a sister-in-law, utter nonsense.

She hurriedly went to the door, speaking to the gathered villagers, "Everyone, stop watching the commotion. There is no such thing as a brother-in-law hitting a sister-in-law. It’s just the eldest daughter-in-law being disrespectful, contradicting me, and in my anger, I slapped her. Then these kids started yelling. It’s not what they say."

Giving Gu Xiaoqing a look as if to tell her to shut up.

Then she looked at what Li Xuemei would say, believing the eldest daughter-in-law, wooden-headed for a decade, would smooth the situation out as she intended.

If not, she’d handle her.

But Mrs. Gu miscalculated; Li Xuemei was no longer the same.