Xu Dongjuan was locked up, and Lianhua's mother went back to change her clothes and wanted to leave.
The last time I was this embarrassed was when I was kicked out, and I felt somewhat resentful.
Now I'm doing it willingly, I wish I could run away in two steps and swear I'll never come back.
But Qin stopped him as soon as he stepped out: "Mother-in-law, don't go. Wait until tomorrow when you meet the head of the pavilion with Xu Dongjuan before you leave."
Seeing that she couldn't leave, Lotus Girl's legs went weak, and she started crying again: "I, I listen to everything."
The villagers started talking about Xu Dongjuan and Qin Shi's old story again.
Five or six households from the village returned after going out for a while; they were aware of the previous disputes.
Now that the matter has been brought up again, everyone has realized that there was indeed something wrong: "The children are right, Dongjuan really did not treat Qin Shi as her mother."
Some people remarked, "In a true family, it's normal to have minor arguments, but they'll try their best to cover them up to avoid being laughed at."
Dongjuan, however, spends all her time airing her dirty laundry in public; frankly, she's worse than an outsider.
Someone else said, "No matter how badly Qin Shi did things, she did give birth to a son after all. If a married daughter truly cares about her family, she wouldn't come back to cause trouble. And to incite her mother-in-law to make a scene puts Genqing and his wife in a very difficult position!"
Some people still saw through the truth: "Xu Dongjuan's actions are not only tormenting the Qin family, but she probably also wants to make things difficult for Genqing and his wife. I heard that the dozen or so households living outside are not doing as well as us." Their words were laced with sarcasm and smugness.
From the people Nie Fantian brought back, they already knew about the Xu family members who had settled elsewhere.
Although life was still manageable, it couldn't compare to what Xujia Village is like now.
Among those families who settled elsewhere was Xu Dongjuan's younger brother.
That's how relatives are; they hope you're doing well, but not better than them.
Previously, people did not think this way. It was only after the children's pure and innocent analysis that they found the crux of the problem that they became dissatisfied with Xu Dongjuan.
From the very beginning, when it was just a dispute between the two children, the Xu family tried to smooth things over by saying, "Qin is the elder and should give way to the younger one."
This method is absolutely brilliant!
As an elder, Qin should be more reasonable, patient, and accommodating, both in terms of seniority and age.
After all, if she did anything to displease everyone, her family and villagers would definitely gang up on her, so Qin had no choice but to obediently listen to everyone's opinions.
In this way, the more wronged one party is, the more smug the other party will become.
Xu Dongjuan, who had powerful backers, took it upon herself to suppress the Qin family, as if that was the very reason for her existence.
In this situation, Qin's villainous role is naturally established.
The villagers were talking about it, and Liu, who had accompanied Wang Xiaoju back to her parents' home, had just returned to the village.
Hearing that Xu Dongjuan had returned and was fighting with Qin Shi again, she stamped her foot in anger: "That damned woman is so ignorant! She's already in her forties, and Qin Shi is still her mother. They fought when they were kids, and they still fight now. Aren't they ashamed!"
She immediately went to the school to see Xu Dongjuan.
Xu Dongjuan was locked in an empty classroom in the school, which was also where the interns from other villages lived. The ground was covered with straw, so it wasn't cold whether you were sitting or lying down.
When Liu arrived, several children had already climbed onto the window, peering inside while clinging to the wooden bars, shouting, "Beat the old woman! Beat the old woman!"
Liu picked up a clod of dirt and threw it at him: "You little brats, hurry up and get out of here."
The children scattered amidst laughter, including her grandsons Leiwa and Nini.
The door was locked, so Liu could only go to the window and call out through it, "Dongjuan, Dongjuan!"
Xu Dongjuan collapsed into the straw pile, feeling unwell all over, and even more so in her heart.
What were those children shouting: "Beating your mother-in-law?" How did their reputation suddenly become like this? They were even locked up when they went back to their parents' home, and no one said a word in their defense.
It's true what they say, once someone leaves, they become cold and indifferent. If my own younger brother were still in the village, he would be a completely different person.
As she was feeling sad, she suddenly heard someone call her name. She looked up and saw Liu Shi, and was immediately overcome with grief: "Aunt Liu, Aunt Liu, you are the only one who truly cares about me!"
She cried out in anguish as she struggled to her feet from the haystack, staggered to the window, grabbed Liu's hand, and wept uncontrollably.
Before, it was three parts pain and seven parts pretense; now it's genuine, heart-wrenching sobs.
Liu was also moved to tears by her. Wiping away her tears, she said, "Are you stupid? You came back, so why are you arguing with Qin? That's your family home."
Xu Dongjuan held back her anger: "She doesn't deserve to be my mother!"
This is why she has always been at odds with the Qin family; she looks down on the simple-minded and unsophisticated mountain people.
However, Liu Shi did not notice her little thoughts and only frowned: "What nonsense are you talking about? What do you mean she is not good enough for you? She is the wife your father married, she is your mother!"
I've told you before, if you want your family to be happy, don't argue with your stepmother. A family can't be poor together if it doesn't fight; it's fighting that ruins things. But you just wouldn't listen.
Xu Dongjuan's thighs were burning with pain, but she didn't want to listen to Liu's scolding anymore. She pretended to be pitiful and said, "Auntie, I understand. Please open the door and let me out. I won't quarrel with Mother anymore."
She called out "mother" through gritted teeth.
I should leave now; I can't let my husband's family come to pick me up. As for the future... we'll talk about the future later.
Liu looked at the lock on the door: "Did your Aunt Jiang lock it?"
Xu Dongjuan nodded: "Aunt Jiang wouldn't listen to my explanation. She not only hit me, but also locked me up. Good aunt, you are the kindest. Now that I know I was wrong, please open the door!"
Liu thought for a moment and said, "I'll go get the key from your Aunt Jiang."
Xu Dongjuan exclaimed in surprise, "Auntie, just smash it open with a rock, don't use the key!"
Liu frowned: "A lock costs fifty coins, how can you just break it like that? You wait here, I'll go get it!" After saying that, she turned around and went to find Jiang Zhi.
Xu Dongjuan grabbed the wooden window and shouted anxiously, "Aunt Liu, don't go! You can't get the key. Quickly, smash it with a stone!"
But the kindest-hearted Liu ran even faster after hearing her words, and soon disappeared from sight.
Xu Dongjuan sat down on the ground in frustration, then bounced up instantly in pain.
She had been hit on the leg with a yellow thorn branch, and the pain had made her legs numb.
As time passed, Liu did not get the key, and she never returned after leaving, leaving Xu Dongjuan almost heartbroken.
She wasn't alone; every now and then, someone would deliberately wander around the school and, upon hearing her cursing, would report her.
Several children were singing "Beating the Old Woman" in the distance, running and laughing.
The entire Xujia Village felt so unfamiliar to Xu Dongjuan that it was frightening. Although she had never been back, she still knew about the village through Lianhua's mother.
I know that there are workshops in the village now, so people can earn money without having to go to town to find work. I heard that Aunt Jiang learned this skill in the city.
The village had a pharmacy and a school, everything was good. Lotus's mother kept praising Lotus for having maids to serve her, and for living a life just like the ladies in the city.
Xu Genqing is good at making money, Lianhua is pregnant with her second child, and there are maids at home...
Upon hearing that Qin had remarried and was still able to wear makeup and silver hairpins, Xu Dongjuan could no longer contain her jealousy.
Not satisfied with just having Lianhua Niang argue with Qin Shi, she came herself to ruin Qin Shi's reputation once again, only to get beaten up in the end.
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