Grandma Jiang spoke with such conviction that those watching the spectacle began to believe that it might actually be true.
"Maybe there's something fishy going on, otherwise why would the old lady put such a green hat on the third son?"
"That's right, but I've never heard of people in the village having to pay money to build a wall."
"Yes, it's the third son's family. Is what your mother said true?"
Even Cai, who had just spoken up for Gu An'an, was now speechless. Her husband had indeed received his wages and even brought home half a bowl of meat.
But she was afraid that if she revealed this, someone else would drag her husband into it.
For a moment, he dared not say anything more.
Gu An'an never expected that Old Madam Jiang would be so unreasonable, insulting her reputation without any explanation, clearly wanting her dead.
She is never one to swallow her anger.
"I don't know where I offended the old lady, but she's making such a blatant accusation against me. She said I have an affair with the two Tian brothers and that I invited them over not to build the courtyard wall but to fool around."
"Isn't that right? Your eldest and second uncles are both at home, why didn't you go to invite them?"
Hearing this, Cai was a little displeased. "Auntie, what are you saying? Didn't Xiao Gu go to your old house a few days ago? But you didn't even open the door. How was she supposed to ask her eldest and second sons for help if she pretended no one was home?"
Grandma Jiang's face flushed red from what she was being told, but luckily her face was covered in mud so that nothing could be seen.
"How could I not know? Don't go spouting nonsense just because you ate some of her meat. You wouldn't happen to be..."
Madam Cai never expected that Old Lady Jiang would drag her into this mess, and she immediately lost face. "Auntie, don't talk nonsense!"
"Then why were you in such a hurry to defend her? Aren't you in cahoots with her?"
Old Mrs. Jiang didn't care about any of that. Whoever protected that little harlot, she would deal with them. Even if the Heavenly King himself came, she would show no mercy.
Cai was so angry she couldn't speak, clenching her fists and glaring hatefully at the old hag in the clan!
Why is Heaven so blind that it sent down a bolt of lightning to kill this old woman who spouts nonsense?
Gu An'an, glancing at Cai Shi out of the corner of her eye, saw her furious yet silent expression. She looked at Old Madam Jiang, whose eyes gleamed with smugness, and asked, "Mother, you're saying that I had another purpose in inviting the two elder brothers from the Tian family to help, is that right?"
Grandma Jiang stubbornly took things out of context in front of everyone, saying, "Look, this little prostitute herself admitted it. Did I wrong her?"
The villagers weren't deaf, mute, or stupid; of course they could understand what Gu An'an meant.
However, one must first be able to prove their innocence; otherwise, who knows if it's really as Old Lady Jiang said...
“Back then, you spent some money to marry me, and as soon as I entered the door, you made me live like a widow, abandoning me and my children here without caring about us. It was my parents who were greedy for money and didn’t care about their own daughter’s life or death for those thirty taels of silver.”
“In the past three years, I may not have treated these four children very well, but at least I gave them food and raised them with great difficulty. I never said I would sell them to others to be slaves or servants and put them into a lowly status.”
Hearing this, Jiang Mingyi looked at Gu An'an with a stern expression.
That's not untrue. Compared to Old Mrs. Jiang, who kicked them out of the old house, at least this stepmother didn't drive them away and abandon them.
They've had a tough time for the past three years.
“I made a mistake before, and now I’m trying to be a good mother again, but you’re always finding fault with me. Before, when my second sister-in-law wanted to sell my daughter Zhu’er, you protected her. Later, when she brought tattered clothes to humiliate me and the children, you still protected her. Now, in order to get revenge for my second sister-in-law, you’ve even framed me.”
Gu An'an was in tears. "I also want to know, Mother, why do you dislike me?"
"Don't try to make trouble here. I saw you hugging those two brothers. Do you think I would lie and let my son be a spinster?"
Old Mrs. Jiang struggled to her feet, clutching her little cane in her hand, "You slut, you deserve to be drowned in a pig cage!"
"If I'm not, and I can prove my innocence, then should I be the one to be drowned in a pig cage, Mother?"
Compared to Grandma Jiang's hysteria, Gu An'an appeared much calmer.
This also slightly tilted the scales in the hearts of the villagers.
After all, they had all witnessed Old Lady Jiang taking sides a few days ago.
Old Mrs. Jiang's heart trembled upon hearing this. "You dare to curse me? You little whore, how dare you curse me?"
She raised her small cane to strike Gu An'an, but before it could fall, it was grabbed. Aunt Li, who had run out from the yard, could no longer contain herself. "Enough! Are you done yet? Just because Cui Cui's mother is sweet-talking, she keeps protecting her and even spreading rumors that An'an is having an affair. How can someone her age say such things about a younger generation?"
A sturdy woman came out from behind and said, "I think Aunt Jiang must have done something wrong, so she's feeling guilty and is making false accusations against people."
When Cai saw who came out, her eyes widened immediately. "Sister-in-law, what are you doing at Xiao Gu's house?"
The sturdy woman chuckled, "My husband came over to help Xiao Gu with the chores, and I thought I'd come over and lend a hand too. So I was helping her sew the quilt inside. Xiao Gu is a kind person; she brought her daughter out to deliver water to my husband and his brother, but she ended up being framed by my mother-in-law."
Tian Youming's wife glared at Old Lady Jiang, "Auntie, you just said that Xiao Gu hired my husband to build the courtyard wall to cheat on him. What, did he cheat on me right in front of me?"
Old Mrs. Jiang had no idea that Li, the wife of Tian Youming, was actually at Gu An'an's house; she was completely dumbfounded.
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