Chapter 138 Doing a Good Deed When You See Injustice "You said..."
"You said Gao Jianliang is such a good catch, so caring, why don't you date him instead of introducing him to someone else? You're not lying, are you? We're neighbors in the same alley, it's fine to banter and joke around sometimes, but if you know Gao Jianliang isn't a good catch and you still lie to me, pushing Huang Li into a fire pit, that's not very human, is it?"
Mingxi glanced at Dong Chunling and said meaningfully.
Dong Chunling: "This...I..."
Dong Chunling stammered, saying that she didn't have any ulterior motives in introducing Huang Li to potential partners, but at most she just wanted to show off her extensive network and get Huang Li to beg her to introduce her to someone.
Mingxi suddenly accused her of pushing a yellow oriole into a fire pit, and she didn't know what to say.
To be honest, she wasn't very familiar with Gao Jianliang. She had only met him once when a matchmaker introduced her to someone.
Dong Chunling heard from a matchmaker that Gao Jianliang came from a well-off family. His mother was a saleswoman, his uncle was a high-ranking official, and his father, before retiring, was a very influential leader in his workplace—no one dared to disobey him. Because of this, she agreed to go on the date.
When they met, Gao Jianliang looked like a hoodlum, a street urchin. Sensing something was amiss, they inquired further and learned that Gao Jianliang's uncle had previously been a high-ranking official in the Revolutionary Committee. His uncle had arranged his parents' jobs—one as a sales clerk, the other as a minor leader in the Revolutionary Committee. Even Gao Jianliang himself had previously been a team leader in the Revolutionary Committee.
Dong Chunling didn't care whether it was a Revolutionary Committee or not.
So what if it's the Revolutionary Committee? As long as they have power, they're the leaders' families!
A few years ago, if Dong Chunling had heard about Gao Jianliang's family's circumstances, she wouldn't have needed to consider what kind of person Gao Jianliang was; she would have immediately agreed to marry him.
But the situation is different now!
That gang is gone, the Revolutionary Committee has long been disbanded, and Gao Jianliang's uncle is now a shut-in, not to mention Gao Jianliang and his father!
To put it bluntly, only Gao Jianliang's mother in the Gao family has a job. For Dong Chunling to marry into such a family would be like paying a fortune; she's focused on finding a good partner for herself, and she wouldn't even consider someone like Gao Jianliang.
Ironically, Gao Jianliang didn't fancy Dong Chunling either. Before he came, he'd heard that Dong Chunling was a good catch—she had a job, and her parents doted on her. Plus, he'd heard she was quite pretty, which is why he agreed to the meeting.
However, he was unaware that Dong Chunling had been married before. It was only on the way here that the matchmaker accidentally let it slip, and that's when he found out.
No matter how good Dong Chunling's conditions were or how beautiful she was, as soon as Gao Jianliang heard that Dong Chunling was a divorcee, he immediately lost all interest in seeing her.
He! Gao Jianliang! The only son of the Gao family!
He's still a young, unmarried man getting married for the first time!
He's just having bad luck right now and is down on his luck for a while. Once he makes a comeback, he'll find any woman he wants to marry, why would he want to marry a divorced man?
Neither Dong Chunling nor Gao Jianliang were interested in each other, so apart from having a meal together on the day they first met, nothing came of it.
Dong Chunling brought it up suddenly; who would have thought that Mingxi would seize on it?
She stared at Mingxi, stammering and unable to speak. She didn't want to admit that Gao Jianliang didn't like her; that would be too embarrassing for her!
Of course, she couldn't say that she didn't like Gao Jianliang.
Isn't saying that a contradiction?
Mingxi wasn't going to let Dong Chunling off the hook so easily. Seeing her stammering and unable to speak, she continued, "What, can't you speak? Didn't you say Gao Jianliang was well-off? Then tell me, what does he do? You said his family is well-off, so what about his parents? What do they do? Tell me!"
Dong Chunling, though outwardly fierce, was inwardly weak: "Why are you asking so many questions! I'm introducing Huang Li to potential partners, not you!"
Huang Li wasn't stupid; seeing Dong Chunling's expression, she knew something was definitely going on.
Immediately standing behind Mingxi, he said, "I also want to know. Just tell me, what do Gao Jianliang's family members do?"
Dong Chunling: "His...his family..." She sternly said, "Do you think just anyone can pry into the Gao family's affairs? Everyone in the Gao family is a leader; it's not something you can just ask about casually. You'd better not ask so many questions. Even if you do, I can't tell you!"
She spoke with such conviction, as if the Gao family were some extraordinary figure.
Seeing her like this, Huangli and Ma Dama, though they had some doubts, couldn't help but believe her.
Dong Chunling breathed a long sigh of relief, thinking that the matter had been glossed over, when Mingxi spoke up.
"What leader? You're not talking about Gao Jianliang's uncle, are you? He used to be the director of the Revolutionary Committee, but he was removed from his post because he offended too many people when he was the director. Now he doesn't even have a proper job and can only stay at home."
Mingxi scoffed and bluntly revealed Gao Jianliang's family situation: "Gao Jianliang's family isn't well-off at all. After his uncle fell from grace, his whole family was dismissed. His father and he didn't do any proper work in the Revolutionary Committee, and after being expelled, their former work units also fired them. Now the two of them are idle at home all day, just wandering around the alley. Only Gao Jianliang's mother works. She is indeed a saleswoman, but she supports two children on her own, so she's looking for a rich, easy-going wife to take her place."
When Huang Li and Aunt Ma heard Ming Xi's words, they both widened their eyes in unison.
"What?!"
Aunt Ma glanced at Dong Chunling sideways. Although she knew that Dong Chunling would never introduce a good person to Huang Li, she didn't expect that Dong Chunling would go so far as to introduce someone who used to work in the Revolutionary Committee to Huang Li.
Those who used to hang out in the Revolutionary Committee, how could they be good people!
Those were the people who led the raids and confiscations!
The oriole was even angrier.
She felt that she had no grudges against Dong Chunling, so what did Dong Chunling mean by introducing her to a man with such qualities?
They're practically sending her into a fire pit!
Huang Li's face immediately changed. She spat at the person next to her and said, "Dong Chunling, what do you mean? I've never offended you before, and you're introducing me to a guy like this? You even told me how great he is. Are you afraid I'll fall into a fire pit? I've never seen such a wicked person!"
Dong Chunling: "I...I...I just thought you two were a good match. Don't look down on him just because he doesn't have a job. You don't have a job either, do you? Besides, Gao Jianliang's father was at least a leader. It's definitely a leadership family."
"Pah!" Huang Li exclaimed, her eyes wide. "How can that be the same?!"
Dong Chunling: "How are they different?"
She even felt she had been wronged and was innocent.
Huang Li was so angry that she could only breathe heavily. After panting for a long time, she pointed at Dong Chunling and said, "Fine, fine, Dong Chunling, I can't argue with you as well as you. I'm going to go find my parents!"
After saying that, she stamped her foot, turned around, and ran away.
Dong Chunling bit her lip, stared wide-eyed, and looked completely bewildered: "Why is she going to see her parents?"
Mingxi glanced at her, shocked. Dong Chunling really didn't think there was anything wrong with what she had done.
She wasn't faking it.
Mingxi really didn't expect this.
Mingxi looked at Dong Chunling in disbelief. Dong Chunling scratched her head in confusion. Seeing that neither Aunt Ma nor Mingxi could answer her questions, she stopped asking and left, scratching her head.
No sooner had Dong Chunling left than Huang Li arrived with her parents, brother, sister-in-law, and three other family members.
Huang Li has three children in her family, and she is the youngest and only daughter. Although she is a daughter and the youngest, she does not receive much preferential treatment at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Huang are a microcosm of many parents in this era who favor sons over daughters. They value their two sons more than their daughter, who would eventually marry out and become someone else's family, but they weren't too bad to their only daughter. On the surface, they didn't mistreat Huang Li; they provided her with enough to eat and drink and even paid for her education up to high school graduation. However, after their two sons graduated, the parents arranged jobs for them. When Huang Li graduated, her parents claimed they would pay for her two brothers' weddings, but since they couldn't afford to buy her a job, she was left unemployed at home. After her two older brothers got married, the family constantly argued because they couldn't fit everyone in their house. Only then did Huang Li start to worry about finding a partner and getting married.
But as I said before, they are still family.
No matter how fierce the arguments or quarrels at home are, we are still family. When outsiders cause trouble, we stand united against them.
At this moment, Huang's father, mother, elder brother, sister-in-law, second brother, and sister-in-law, after hearing Huang Li's story about Dong Chunling wanting to introduce her to a potential partner, were so angry that they grabbed their weapons and rushed out.
It's likely that Huang's mother was halfway through cooking when she came out with a rolling pin in her hand. She glanced around the alley, didn't see Dong Chunling, and angrily asked, "Where's Dong Chunling?"
Mingxi pointed to the Dong family and said, "She went home."
"Hmph, going home? Does she think we can't do anything to her once she's home?"
Huang's mother glared at them, waved to the family behind her, and said, "Let's go to the Dong family's house!"
The Huang family rushed to the Dong family's house in a flurry of activity, like a gust of wind.
Mingxi and Aunt Ma exchanged a glance and asked, "Should we follow them and see what's going on?"
Aunt Ma: Of course!
Judging from the Huang family's posture, they clearly intend to settle scores with the Dong family. They definitely need to follow them to see what's going on, lest something serious happen.
Mingxi and Aunt Ma followed the Huang family and walked together toward the Dong family's house.
Wei Ning paused for a moment, then followed suit.
Mingxi followed the menacing Huang family to the Dong family's courtyard. The people in the courtyard knew that something was wrong as soon as they saw the Huang family's hostile attitude, so they all moved aside. After the Huang family passed by, the curious neighbors grabbed Mingxi.
"Hey, Xiaoming, what's going on? Old Huang and his family came over today... what's going on?"
Mingxi: "Oh, they came to settle accounts with Dong Chunling."
"Huh? You want to settle accounts with Dong Chunling?"
"What did Dong Chunling do this time?"
"What happened? Mingxi, tell everyone..."
Without further ado, Mingxi recounted the argument between Dong Chunling and Huang Li in the alley, and how Dong Chunling wanted to introduce Huang Li to a potential partner. Of course, she didn't forget to mention the criteria for Gao Jianliang, whom Dong Chunling wanted to introduce to Huang Li.
Everyone was stunned.
When people heard that Dong Chunling and Huang Li had a fight, they were surprised, thinking that it was really that serious. They were acting like children, arguing over the slightest disagreement.
When Mingxi mentioned that Dong Chunling had introduced Huang Li to potential partners, everyone's expressions were not very good.
Everyone shared Mingxi's opinion: no matter how much Dong Chunling and Huang Li argued, or how fiercely they argued, it was just a matter between the two of them. It was just a minor squabble and not a big deal. As outsiders, they didn't need to meddle.
But Dong Chunling's introduction of a potential partner to Huang Li was different. She knew perfectly well that Gao Jianliang was no good person and a living hell, yet she still tricked Huang Li into jumping into it, clearly intending to harm her.
That's incredibly malicious!
Besides, Huang Li had no grudge against her and had never provoked her. They only exchanged a few words, and yet she managed to frame Huang Li like this. Those of them who live in the same courtyard as Dong Chunling are even more likely to offend her. Who knows what she's planning to do to them!
Once everyone thought about it that way, they all felt terrible.
Everyone's eyes turned to the Dong family. No one stopped them, and the Huang family arrived smoothly in front of the Dong family's door. Huang's mother put her hands on her hips, gave her eldest brother a look, and said, "Eldest brother, go knock on the door."
"Yes!" Brother Huang responded, took big steps forward, raised his fist, and knocked heavily on the door of the Dong family's house.
"Who is it? Stop knocking, or the door will break."
As she spoke, Mrs. Dong opened the door. When she saw Brother Huang standing at the door with a grim expression, along with the rest of the Huang family who also had somber faces, she instinctively sensed something was wrong. She put on a smile and said, "Hey, Old Huang, what brings your family here today? Is something the matter?"
With a sullen face, Huang's mother waved her hand, telling Huang's older brother to step aside, and she stepped forward herself.
"Dong family, let's not beat around the bush. We're here today to settle scores with your daughter. Let your daughter come out, and we'll have a proper talk about her."
Mrs. Dong looked bewildered: "My daughter? What happened to our Chunling?"
She had no idea what Dong Chunling had done.
"You still have the nerve to ask? You don't even know what heartless things your daughter has done?" Huang's mother didn't believe it; she thought Dong's mother was just pretending to be stupid.
Mrs. Dong really didn't know what was going on. Seeing Mrs. Dong's angry face, she felt a pang of fear and knew that Dong Chunling must have caused trouble outside again.
With a forced smile, she said ingratiatingly, "Old Huang, please don't be angry. Let's talk this out. What happened? What's wrong with Chunling?"
Huang's mother frowned and glanced at Dong's mother. Seeing that she didn't seem to be lying, she realized that Dong's mother probably really didn't know what Dong Chunling had been doing outside.
But she was too lazy to explain to Dong's mother, and directly pointed at Dong's mother's nose and said: "Your good daughter did this, ask her yourself!"
Helpless, Mrs. Dong could only say, "Then wait a moment, eldest sister. I'll call Chunling out now and ask her what happened."
Huang's mother crossed her arms and remained silent.
Dong's mother turned and went inside, then pulled Dong Chunling out a moment later. Dong Chunling had clearly told her everything that had happened, and now she looked at the Huang family members with evasive eyes, appearing embarrassed.
In contrast, Dong Chunling was taken aback when she saw the Huang family members standing at the door. She hadn't expected Huang Li to actually call her family over.
But who is Dong Chunling? No matter what happens, she will never back down. She held her head high and said arrogantly, "Huang Li, what are you doing? Calling your family to cause trouble in our house? Let me tell you, we're not afraid of you! If you're so capable, then call your family to fight. If you're so capable, then call your two brothers to fight. Let me tell you, if they dare to lay a finger on me today, I'll call the police and say they're being indecent."
Hey--
The Huang family came today to settle scores with Dong Chunling. They had initially hoped that if Dong Chunling spoke politely, they would refrain from violence. But since Dong Chunling was being so uncooperative, why should they be polite to her?
With Huang's mother leading the way, followed closely by Huang's eldest sister-in-law and second sister-in-law, the three of them rushed forward together. Huang's mother grabbed Dong Chunling's hair and said, "You black-hearted, shameless bastard! It's one thing to introduce my daughter to some shady scoundrel, but you also want to slander my two sons for being hooligans! How can you be so heartless!"
She was filled with hatred. What grudge did Dong Chunling have against her family? After harming her daughter, she was now going to harm her son. Was she trying to ruin the entire Huang family?
Huang's mother grabbed Dong Chunling's hair and slapped her repeatedly across the face. Huang's sister-in-law and sister-in-law, who were standing next to her, also softened their hands and pinched Dong Chunling's waist hard with their pliers. Dong Chunling immediately cried out "Aww!"
Sister-in-law Huang and Sister-in-law Huang were also angry.
They didn't have a deep affection for their sister-in-law, Huang Li, but Huang Da Ge and Huang Er Ge were their own men.
Dong Chunling said she would sue them for indecent assault, which was clearly a ploy to send their men to jail and leave them as widows.
Who can tolerate this?
Aunt Huang, Sister-in-law Huang, and Second Sister-in-law Huang beat Dong Chunling mercilessly, and Dong Chunling soon couldn't take it anymore. She cried pitifully, tears streaming down her face, begging for mercy.
"I was wrong, I was wrong, please forgive me, I promise I'll never again mention introducing Huangli to a potential partner, I promise I'll never..."
Not only did Dong Chunling beg for forgiveness, but her mother also pleaded, "Sister, please, you adults are so magnanimous. Just let Chunling off the hook this time, please forgive her for her foul mouth and don't hold it against her..."
Huang's mother slapped Dong Chunling's face repeatedly, like setting off firecrackers, until Dong Chunling's face was swollen like a pig's head and she couldn't even beg for mercy. Only then did she stop and say to her two daughters-in-law beside her, "Stop."
Sister-in-law Huang and Sister-in-law Huang obediently stopped.
As soon as the three men stopped and released Dong Chunling, she immediately staggered and collapsed to the ground with her legs giving way.
With a pained expression, Dong's mother stepped forward and hugged Dong Chunling, saying, "My daughter, my daughter, are you alright?"
Dong Chunling's face was bruised and swollen, and her eyes were blackened so badly that she couldn't open them. She could only raise her forearm slightly and shake it gently to prove that she was still alive.
Huang's mother snorted coldly: "She's fine. We were careful when we hit her. It looks serious, but it's just a superficial injury."
Even though Huang's mother said that, Dong's mother still looked up and glared at Huang's family members unkindly.
Mingxi saw it clearly and couldn't help but purse her lips.
If Dong Chunling were to develop her current personality, the Dong family would bear a large part of the responsibility.
Even after all this, Dong's mother hasn't said a bad word about Dong Chunling. On the contrary, she still holds a grudge against the Huang family. This is truly...
Mingxi shook her head, thinking to herself that Dong's mother was also confused.
Mingxi noticed the change in Dong's mother's eyes, let alone the Huang family. Huang's mother sneered and said, "Dong family, don't hold a grudge against us for beating your daughter. We beat her because she deserved it. Who told her to wrong my daughter like that? You and Old Dong don't know how to raise your daughter. You've raised a black-hearted girl who's out there harming people. So let us outsiders discipline her for you."
After saying that, she clapped her hands, waved to the family behind her, and headed home.
The Huang family came and went in a flurry, disappearing from everyone's sight as quickly as a gust of wind.
After the Huang family left, Dong Chunling was still lying on the ground. Dong's mother looked at everyone in the yard with pleading eyes, as if she wanted to ask for help, but no one in the yard came forward to offer to help.
It's not that everyone is heartless or indifferent; it's just that what Dong Chunling did this time was so shocking.
Previously, Dong Chunling was spoiled and willful, and she was also confused about relationships. But no matter what, she always hurt her family members. Apart from Wang Chuncao, she never hurt any outsiders.
So at most, people would grumble a bit behind her back, but when they saw she was in trouble, they would still help her out.
But this time it's different.
Everyone knows that a woman's marriage is like a second reincarnation; if she marries a bad man, her life will be ruined.
Dong Chunling, knowing full well that Gao Jianliang was a bad person, still made up lies in an attempt to deceive Huang Li.
No matter what she says, everyone can see that she's just trying to trick people and push them into a fire pit.
This heart is so black, blacker than a poisonous snake.
They had no intention of helping such a heartless and rotten person.
In the end, it was Mr. Dong and his elder brother, who came home from get off work, who carried Dong Chunling into the house.
When Mr. Dong saw that Dong Chunling had been beaten like this, he still wanted to find someone to settle the score. However, after hearing Mrs. Dong explain the whole story, he sighed deeply, waved his hand to let his older brother carry Dong Chunling into the house, and did not say anything more about finding someone to settle the score.
After the Huang family left, Dong Chunling was also taken inside. With no excitement to watch, Mingxi turned and went home.
Wei Ning, who has been forgotten again: ...
Wei Ning sighed deeply, looked at Ming Xi who was skipping back to the courtyard to gossip, shook his head helplessly, and then turned around and went home as well.
Mingxi returned to the courtyard and scratched his head: "Hey, why do I feel like I've forgotten something?"
She muttered something to herself, then shook her head dismissively: "Whatever, I'll just forget about it."
What she can forget must be something unimportant.
Mingxi flitted around the courtyard like a butterfly, gossiping with Aunt Ma and Aunt He. When she got home, she didn't forget to tell Zhao Sulan what had happened in the alley.
Just as they were getting into the conversation, there was a knock on her door.
Mingxi opened the door and exclaimed, "Huangli? What brings you here?"
That's right, it was none other than them.
It was Huang Li, who had just finished settling accounts with Dong Chunling.
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Author's Note: I'm so sorry I'm late again. I haven't been feeling well lately, so my writing has been sporadic. But I'll try my best to be on time, and I'll update normally tomorrow.
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