Chapter 27 We Can't Let This Be a Beating for Nothing

"Oh dear, Mom!"

Su Hongying tugged at her floral short-sleeved shirt and glared angrily at Li Banxia. "You want me to go back empty-handed all this way? I don't know how to explain to my mother-in-law if you don't lend me your bicycle. Now you won't even let me take a few eggs! Fine, give me the money for the pastries my little sister ate. It's eight yuan a box, so round it up to ten yuan."

"You came empty-handed, why can't you go back empty-handed?"

Li Banxia was amused and annoyed by her eldest daughter's argument. She raised her hand and slapped her arm. "Su Hongying, remember this: from now on, don't take things from home to help your in-laws. Go back and tell your mother-in-law that if she tries to take things from your parents' home again, I'll send them to her workplace and see if she'll have the face to accept them!"

"mom!"

Su Hongying's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "Why are you using this trick again? Aren't you trying to sow discord between me and my mother-in-law?"

"What? You're allowed to scheme against my things, but I'm not allowed to retaliate?"

Li Banxia glared at her, "Stop pretending you don't know what's going on! You're taking things from your family and acting all generous, and you're blaming me for doing the opposite?"

"Mom, what are you saying? I don't understand." Su Hongying, her thoughts exposed, looked away guiltily.

Li Banxia felt exhausted and waved her hand in disappointment, "You can go now."

She turned and went back to the courtyard.

Su Hongying bit her lip in annoyance and said fiercely to Li Banxia's back, "Mom, are you sure you want to kick me out for a broken bicycle?"

Li Banxia did not stop walking.

"...I...I'm leaving and I won't be coming back. From now on, you can just wait and watch other people's daughters and sons-in-law come to visit relatives and bring gifts during holidays!"

After Su Hongying finished speaking, Li Banxia went straight into the house without even turning her head.

Su Hongying stomped her feet in anger.

Su Laosan clicked his tongue and called to Su Hongying, "You really know how to pick your timing. These past few days, Mom has been looking down on everyone except for my eldest brother and sister-in-law. We can't even avoid her, and yet you still dare to walk right into the line of fire!"

He shook his head as he spoke.

Su Hongying glared at him, then turned her gaze to Su Laoda, "Big brother, everything else is negotiable, but you have to give me the money for the pastries, otherwise I won't be able to explain myself when I get back."

Boss Su glanced at Li Banxia's room and hesitated.

The eldest son's wife tugged at him and whispered, "Mom won't let you give it to her."

They have to listen to their mother.

The eldest son hummed in agreement and called to Su Hongying, "The things you took from home to your in-laws' house weren't just eight yuan each. Why don't you pay them back first?"

Su Hongying stared at Su Laoda in disbelief.

"Are you still my older brother? Why can't you stand to see me doing well in my in-laws' family?"

Old Master Su sighed and said, "Hongying, a relationship that needs to be maintained by gifts and money is not a healthy one, you..."

"Alright, it's one thing for Mom to lecture me, but you should lecture me too!"

Su Hongying glared angrily at Su Laoda, "You'd better not ask us for anything in the future! Humph!"

Knowing she wouldn't get anything today, Su Hongying turned and left in anger.

Old Su opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but when he reached the courtyard gate, he found that Su Hongying had already gone far away, so he had no choice but to give up.

Holding her breath, Su Hongying walked a long distance, panting heavily. She took a couple of deep breaths to rest, and when she looked up, she saw Old Man Su not far away.

He was standing at the entrance of the Lin family's courtyard, talking to He Taohua at a distance that wasn't too close or too far, his face beaming with an incredibly bright smile.

Su Hongying frowned, pursed her lips, and decided to pretend she hadn't seen anything and walk past.

As my gaze swept across the yard, I spotted Lin Jiefang's bicycle.

With a quick glance, she greeted him with a beaming smile.

"Dad, Aunt He, what are you chatting about that makes you so happy?"

Old Su's face immediately fell. "Why haven't you left yet?"

He Taohua glanced at Old Man Su, smiled, and called out to Hongying.

Su Hongying snorted at Old Man Su, walked to He Taohua's side, and hugged her arm. "I need to talk to Aunt He."

"Looking for me?" He Taohua asked, slightly surprised.

Su Hongying nodded repeatedly, pointing to the bicycle in the yard, "I want to borrow Aunt He's bicycle for a few days..."

Before she could finish speaking, Old Man Su interrupted her.

"no!"

"I didn't ask you!"

Su Hongying frowned and gave Old Man Su a disdainful look, then turned her head and smiled as she gently shook He Taohua, "Aunt He will definitely agree. She has always doted on me since I was a child. She watched me grow up, and I'm no different from her own daughter!"

He Taohua, "..."

If she said she was just putting on a show for Old Man Su, would anyone believe her?

"this……"

He Taohua smiled awkwardly, belatedly realizing that she had been put in a difficult position by this brat Su Hongying. Whether she lent the money or not, it would upset both the father and daughter.

The key point is, she doesn't want to lend it!

And Su Hongying's face, which bore a resemblance to Li Banxia's, made her feel somewhat disgusted and unable to like her at all.

“…Hongying, your brother Jiefang still needs to ride this bicycle, but his workplace is quite a distance from here, so we really can’t lend it to you,” He Taohua said.

Su Hongying immediately let go of her arm and said with a grin, "Oh, Aunt He, I'll only borrow it for a few days, I'll return it when I'm done. Can you let Jiefang take the bus for a few days?"

She took the initiative, quickly entered the yard, pushed her bicycle, and prepared to leave.

He Taohua knew that Su Hongying always treated her like one of her own, but she never expected that Su Hongying would actually steal it.

Her face turned pale, and she called out, "Brother Youfu."

Seeing He Taohua's reluctance, Old Man Su's face darkened instantly. He walked over and grabbed the handlebars of the bicycle. "Su Hongying, stop it! You just snatch it from me when I don't lend it to you. Who taught you such manners?"

"What's wrong with me riding for two days..."

Su Hongying got all worked up and started twisting the handlebars from side to side, trying to push the old man away.

When Old Man Su saw that she wouldn't let go, he got angry and slapped Su Hongying.

Su Hongying was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening and her eyes turned red with anger. She threw her bicycle to the ground and shouted loudly, her eyes red, "My mother hit me because of Yao Jianshu. Yao Jianshu is my sister-in-law. It's one thing for my mother to slap me, but my sister-in-law has given birth to children for the Su family, she's a hero! Why did you hit me because of He Taohua? Huh!"

Old Su frowned. "What nonsense are you spouting?"

“I shouted! Who is He Taohua to you? Why are you defending her like this? My mom said there are rumors that you're keeping a pretty widow. Is that widow He Taohua?”

As soon as Su Hongying said this, both Old Man Su and He Taohua's expressions changed.

A hint of panic flashed across He Taohua's eyes, and she looked at Old Man Su with reddened eyes and a heart full of grievances.

Old Man Su couldn't stand He Taohua's appearance. His anger surged in his chest. He pointed at Su Hongying and told her to shut up, "Stop talking nonsense and ruining my and your Aunt He's reputation. Get out of here!"

"I don't!"

Su Hongying retorted, "I can't let this slap go unpunished. You either need to explain yourselves clearly or lend me your bicycle. Otherwise, I'll go ask the neighbors where this logic comes from—a father slapping his own daughter for a widow!"