Chapter 84 So he deserved it.

Speak of the devil and he appears.

Having some free time today, Li Guangzheng soon appeared at Song Chunxue's doorstep.

He grinned when he saw Li Dazui.

"You've come to the Song family today too. I've noticed that you disappear after meals every day, going from house to house visiting each other."

He sat down in front of the stone stool, his gaze fixed on the fried dough in the bowl.

"Oh, you even make fried dough sticks at home? Let me try yours and see if it's good." As he spoke, Li Guangzheng's hand was already reaching for the bowl.

"There aren't many in total. You've tried our good stuff before, but I've never seen you bring any good food back with you."

Jiang Hongying grabbed the bowl and said, "What's shameless is that you ate our food and then told others that my mother is like an idiot, that she goes crazy whenever she sees a man. Did you spread those rumors?"

Song Chunxue's outstretched hand was a step too slow; she looked at her daughter with surprise and relief.

She never expected that Hongying would feel sorry for her, and she felt a sweet warmth in her heart.

It feels like someone is backing you up.

She raised her chin and looked at Li Guangzheng, who was clenching his fist as if he were about to hit someone.

"Did you hear that, Li Guangzheng? Even my children know that you've been spreading rumors and slandering me."

"You used to threaten me with the land in front of your big field, not letting me pass through there, and you would only plead for me if I cooked you something delicious." In the end, you went behind my back and talked about me to make fun of me.

"You still have the nerve to show your face? I didn't hit you hard enough last time, want to try again?"

Li Guang was still brooding over the beating he received last time, so he wouldn't listen to anything Song Chunxue was saying.

"Stop pretending! Now that you're hanging out with my widowed cousin, you think you're all that now and want to discard me after I've served my purpose? These past few years..."

"Smack!"

Song Chunxue rushed up and slapped him across the face. "You still want to talk nonsense to my face! It's disgusting enough that you ate my food, do you think I'd sleep with you?"

"Don't you want to? You're just worried about the child..."

"Splash!"

A bucket of cold water, seemingly out of nowhere, was poured over Li Guangzheng's head.

As soon as Song Chunxue turned her head, she saw the eldest brother holding an iron basin and glaring angrily at Li Guangzheng.

"Try saying another lie."

Li Guangzheng wiped the water off his face, wanting to curse but unable to utter a word, clenching his fists and trembling with anger.

"You're lying through your teeth! Do you think everyone in the Jiang family is dead?" Jiang Yeming shouted, pointing at the main road. "Get out of here! Do you want me to whip you with a donkey whip?"

"You just wait... " He pointed at Jiang Yeming, who was half a head taller than him, and threatened him as he walked, "You just wait, the Jiang family is like mad dogs now, biting anyone they see.

"Does a dog that loves to eat shit see everyone as a dog? You eat other people's food and then curse them. Look at your hair, isn't it covered in shit? Your mouth stinks more than a pig in a pigsty. We were too kind to you before. If you dare to bother my mother again, my five siblings and I will tear you to pieces, believe it or not."

"..." Song Chunxue stared straight at Jiang Hongying, hardly believing that this was the daughter she had raised.

I've never seen her this fierce before.

Looking at Jiang Yeming, who had already returned to the thatched hut with a basin of water, Song Chunxue slowly took a bite of the fried dough, wondering if she was dreaming.

How come they all suddenly became so important and dignified?

Now everyone knows to protect their own elderly mother?

Is it because her recent changes have made them feel that their mother is no longer shameful or annoying, so they're willing to help if they can?

"Aren't you proud? Your children know how to care for you now. They've become sensible after starting their own families and know how to side with you in front of others." Li Dazui, who had been watching the whole thing, laughed. "It wasn't easy raising so many children. Now we can finally count on them."

Song Chunxue chewed on the fragrant wheat-flavored fried dough, her eyelids lowered, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

She suddenly realized something: did she deserve that fate in her past life?

If she could be more sensible, correct the wrongs, and teach effectively, the children would probably change too.

Her heart felt incredibly astringent, as if struck by a sudden, profound realization.

If she had been bolder and more assertive in her previous life, treating her own people well like she does now and standing firm against outsiders, her children wouldn't be so indifferent.

Maybe they also felt that having a mother like that was pretty pathetic?

She lowered her head and didn't speak; for a moment, the world spun around her.

From beginning to end, she was the one who was seriously wrong.

She's an elder and she doesn't understand right from wrong. She raised the children herself, and they've been influenced by her all along. How could they be good people?

Oh……

She suddenly felt as if many thorns were piercing her heart, causing her unbearable pain.

It turns out that she brought it all on herself.

It took her a lifetime to understand this.

But who should she blame?

A wild girl who had no father or mother to love her, never went to school, worked hard and begged for food at her second uncle's house since she was a child, and got married at the age of thirteen, had no one to teach her how to raise a child.

When her husband died, although all the burdens suddenly fell on her shoulders, she also felt a sense of relief.

Finally, no one was controlling her anymore, and no one was able to dominate her in every way.

She became the pillar of the family, shouldering all the burdens, and also became the one whose words carried the most weight in the family.

She can do whatever she wants and say whatever she wants. She gave birth to all the children, and she beats and scolds anyone who disobeys her. Anyone who dares to talk back to her or disrespect their mother will be skinned alive!

Wasn't she the same way back then, selfish and narrow-minded in her treatment of her children?

It's biased and unfair that she ended up with no one to see her off in her final days, as if she deserved it?

"Mother, Mother, what's wrong?"

Jiang Hongying grabbed Song Chunxue's shoulders and shook her. "Mother, why are you crying?"

Li Dazui was also a little at a loss. He ate the fried dough in his hand, clapped his hands, sat up, and looked at her in confusion.

"Why are you crying all of a sudden?" Li Dazui said with some disdain. "You should be happy that the children are speaking up for you. What are they supposed to do if you cry like this?"

"Or are you crying because my cousin used to bully you?"

Li Dazui stood up and said, "I'll go and scold him right now. You've never liked him, and you could never have slept with him. I'll clarify this to everyone, so don't worry."

As he walked away, he turned back and said, "You're doing so well. Your children are all grown up, and you've suddenly become so shrewd, fearless and reckless. Unlike me, I only have two children, and neither of them are by my side now. I don't even have anyone to talk to at home. It's been over ten years, and I haven't cried, so why are you crying?"

Li Dazui had already walked ten meters away.

He felt a little guilty for accepting a gift from someone, as he had just eaten a fried pancake from Song Chunxue.

“You’re already amazing, even more amazing than me, a man. All your children are in school, that’s incredible.” He gave a thumbs up and walked out with small steps. “If you want to cry, go cry alone, don’t make the children sad.”

Song Chunxue rubbed her eyes, amused by his cowardly appearance.

She didn't cry, her nose just felt a little sore.

She spoke with a strong voice, "You have to keep your word. Go back and give Li Guangzheng a good scolding. Just thinking about how he tricked me makes me so angry I can't sleep. I've disgraced the children, and I'll hate him for the rest of my life."

"Please tell him that I will beat him every time I see him from now on. I will not be a Song if I do not get my revenge!"