Chapter 124 Act! Let's act together!
These words were spoken with such sincerity that Xia Wenwen's eyes welled up with tears, and her pouting lips made her look like she was about to cry, which was quite pitiful.
The neighbors, seeing Mrs. Xia's swollen ankles and the pitiful state of the mother and daughter, couldn't help but whisper among themselves.
Xia Qianqian stood still, her eyes filled with coldness. Madam Xia's skills had become increasingly refined.
She watched this scene of motherly love with cold eyes, her fingertips turning slightly white—if she hadn't experienced it herself, she probably would have been fooled by these tears.
When Xia Wenwen heard Madam Xia crying, she immediately realized what was happening and hurriedly squeezed out a few tears, choking out, "Mom, please don't cry, don't hurt yourself."
She turned to Xia Qianqian, her eyes filled with reproach and grievance, "It's her fault that my sister doesn't acknowledge you and isn't filial to you. Don't be sad, you still have me! Even if my sister doesn't remember the kindness of raising me for more than ten years, I... I would rather starve to death than let you and Dad go hungry!"
These words were spoken with heartfelt sincerity, and tears fell precisely at the right moment to the ground. Coupled with Madam Xia's swollen ankle, an uninformed person would really think that Xia Qianqian was an utterly wicked and unfilial daughter.
Several kind-hearted elderly people around were persuaded and began to talk at once, trying to convince Xia Qianqian.
"Qianqian, the kindness of raising you is greater than the heavens; they raised you for over a decade..."
The speaker was Granny Wang from the east end of the village. She sighed and looked at Madam Xia's pitiful appearance, feeling a little sorry for her. "If there's any leftover food in the pot, give them some so they can fill their stomachs."
“Yes, yes,” Uncle Liu chimed in, “It’s better to resolve conflicts than to let them fester. We’re all family; it’s not a good look to make things like this. Qianqian, take my advice and let this go.”
Xia Qianqian listened quietly, her face expressionless, but her heart felt as if it had been stabbed by something.
Watching the mother and daughter's back-and-forth performance, so "touching," she felt nothing but absurdity and disgust. Their shamelessness repeatedly shattered the limits of her understanding.
Forgive them? Let them fill their stomachs?
Xia Qianqian sneered inwardly. If she gave in today and provided the food, they would dare to break into her house and turn it upside down tomorrow!
This mother and daughter are like maggots clinging to a bone; once they get involved, they won't stop until they've squeezed every last drop of blood out of her!
She would never let that happen!
Moreover, Madam Xia witnessed our escape into Peach Blossom Spring just now, so who knows how much she guessed?
At this moment, Mr. Xia suddenly stepped out. He glared at Mrs. Xia first: "Qianqian doesn't acknowledge us, it's our bad luck. But even if our Xia family has fallen to this state, we cannot lose our integrity! Even if we starve to death, we cannot disgrace our ancestors!"
These words sounded like a reprimand to his wife and daughter, but in reality, every sentence struck Xia Qianqian's heart like a knife.
"Disowns us" and "throws a tantrum"—these few words absolve her of all responsibility, making Xia Qianqian appear cold-blooded and heartless, unable to even tolerate her fallen "elders."
Sure enough, the elderly people who had just spoken up for Xia Qianqian now showed hesitation on their faces.
Aunt Wang frowned and muttered, "What Mr. Xia said... makes sense. After all, he's an educated family; he wouldn't just renege on his promise out of thin air..."
Xia Qianqian's heart sank. What a Mr. Xia! He hasn't lost any of his talent for psychological manipulation! He ostensibly tries to reconcile them, but in reality, he's putting her on the spot.
If you acknowledge them, they'll entangle you and bleed you dry; if you don't, you'll be labeled "cold-blooded and heartless," and even the villagers' sympathy will be worn away!
She looked up at Mr. Xia, who was gazing at her with "pity" through his cloudy eyes, but a hint of smugness lurked at the corner of his mouth.
Madam Xia and Xia Wenwen immediately stopped crying, lowered their heads and wiped away their tears, looking exactly like pitiful people who had been driven to desperation by their "heartless daughter" but still had to maintain their "integrity".
The three men, one playing the good cop, one the bad cop, and one feigning helplessness, laid down a web of schemes, driving her to the brink of despair.
The wind at the courtyard gate suddenly turned cold, making her shiver. Looking at these three "relatives" in front of her, she felt they were even more ferocious than the jackals outside.
But do they think they can force themselves to comply?
Xia Qianqian looked at the three people in front of her. They showed no fear, and every line on their faces revealed mockery.
Mrs. Xia and Xia Wenwen exchanged a secret glance, their eyes filled with doubt.
They've put on such a show that the villagers are looking at Xia Qianqian with a hint of reproach. Why won't this little bitch give in?
Logically, she should be crying and offering up the grain, begging for their "forgiveness" right now!
Otherwise, who in the village would still believe that she was the "kind and gentle" Xia Qianqian?
Xia Wenwen couldn't help but steal a glance at Mr. Xia, hoping to get some advice from him.
Mr. Xia glanced at the villagers and scolded, "What are you crying for! Get out of here! Do you want to embarrass yourselves in someone else's yard?"
After saying that, he pretended to be weak and coughed.
Xia Wenwen knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face like a burst dam: "Dad! I won't leave!"
She cried out, "Sister! Please have mercy! Dad and Mom are starving! If you have any grievances, take them out on me! I'll accept any punishment, I won't utter a sound!"
She pointed at the rock, her voice shrill: "Hit me with it! Hit me like you hit Mom! Mom is old, she can't take it, hit me! It doesn't matter if you kill me! As long as it can get Mom and Dad something to eat!"
This "sacrificing oneself to save one's family" act was performed so vividly that even Madam Xia next to her started sobbing in sync, secretly glancing at the reactions of the surrounding villagers out of the corner of her eye.
Just then, Xia Qianqian slowly raised her eyes, looked past Xia Wenwen, and nodded.
"Cough cough!"
A rough cough rang out, and Zhang San walked in, his face dark as he looked at the Xia family of three:
"Young lady, you can't just say things like that!" Zhang San's voice was like a muffled thunder. "I saw everything you three did to bully people from right under the wall! The old woman was holding a stone and trying to hit the pregnant woman on the head, your father was fanning the flames, and now you're kneeling down and begging them for food—I'm not from the village, so I shouldn't have said anything, but what you've done is just too inhuman! Have you lost all your conscience?!"
"You...you're talking nonsense!" Xia Wenwen's face turned pale instantly, her lips trembling. She never imagined that her performance of distorting the truth had actually been seen!
The villagers, who had been hesitating, suddenly erupted in uproar, their eyes filled with contempt and anger as they looked at the Xia family of three.
Granny Wang was so angry that she stomped her feet: "So you were the ones who started it! You almost killed a pregnant woman! And you still dare to put on an act to gain sympathy?!"
Xia Qianqian looked down at Xia Wenwen, whose face was pale, and a cold smile appeared on her lips.
She had anticipated that the Xia family would renege on their promise, so she brought Zhang San with her when she came out of Peach Blossom Spring.
Want to act? Then let's give you a good performance for the "audience"!
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