Chapter 351 Extra Chapter 3: Little Cui (2)
Upon hearing this, Liu Xiaocui turned to Manager Hua and said, "Sister Hua, you see... the child's words may be rough, but the logic seems to hold true. Since it's a game, we should at least be honest, right? Breaking one's word is indeed..."
"Even if my child is wrong, does that give them the right to hit her?" Shopkeeper Hua was furious and quickly pulled her still crying child forward. "Look at the damage they did to my child! Her face is all bruised and scarred. If she gets a scar and it delays her marriage and having children, can you take responsibility?"
Liu Xiaocui took a closer look and saw that it was just a few shallow scratches. She breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as she smoothed things over: "Oh, kids always fight, it's inevitable. I see they're just a few red marks, they'll heal in a couple of days. It won't affect their marriage or having children. Here, I have some medicinal wine prescribed by Doctor Xun, it's very effective for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, it's hard to buy outside, I'll get it for the kids to rub on. I'll also get some good fabric to make new clothes for Xiaolong and Xiaohu, as an apology, okay?"
"Is it about money?" Shopkeeper Hua was even angrier. "Who doesn't have money these days? My family runs a cloth shop, do you think we need your few bolts of cloth?"
Liu Xiaocui's smile faded, and she felt a little angry.
But since it was his daughter who started it, he was in the wrong and could only force a smile and say, "Okay, okay, it's my fault. I didn't discipline my daughter properly. So, what do you suggest we do?"
Shopkeeper Hua: "Make them apologize! And they have to promise they'll never lay a hand on you again!"
Liu Xiaocui hurriedly pushed her two daughters: "Did you hear that? Quickly apologize to Xiaolong and Xiaohu! Say you were wrong and won't hit people again!"
The onlookers also chimed in, saying, "Yes, just apologize and that's it. We're all neighbors, we see each other all the time, don't ruin the harmony."
"That's right, that's right. Kids fight without thinking, an apology and admitting fault will make it all go away."
But Liu Zhili turned his head away and said defiantly, "No way! I did nothing wrong! They were the ones who cheated first, and if anyone should apologize, it should be them apologizing to us first!"
Liu Zhiyan chimed in, "Sister is right, we did nothing wrong, no need to apologize! They were the ones who did something wrong first, they deserved to be beaten!"
"Hey, you two..." Liu Xiaocui was about to scold them again when Manager Hua interrupted, "You two young girls, your mouths are full of fighting and killing. You've only been to school a few days and you've already learned to be so sharp-tongued, unruly, and domineering! What family would dare to marry a daughter-in-law like this in the future? Huh?"
As soon as he said that, the surroundings suddenly fell silent.
Even the neighbors who were just laughing and watching the commotion had a somewhat subtle change in expression.
The smile on Liu Xiaocui's face also faded.
She released her daughter's ear and looked at Shopkeeper Hua.
“Sister Hua, it’s wrong for children to fight, and I accept that they should be compensated and punished. But what you’re saying… I don’t quite understand. My daughter is educated, reasonable, and knows how to keep her promises and protect what she deserves. How does that make her sharp-tongued, unreasonable, and domineering? Does it mean that a good girl should never fight back or talk back and let others bully her?”
"Besides, what era are we living in? Why would I be afraid of this?" Liu Xiaocui scoffed. "Although I, Liu Xiaocui, am not rich and powerful by running this restaurant, it's more than enough to support my family. I can even afford to marry several obedient and docile husbands for each of my two daughters in the future! I don't need them to be subservient and grovel to please anyone. I only ask that they have the ability to stand on their own two feet and have the backbone to be decent human beings!"
As she said this, she glanced at the two boys behind the shopkeeper who were still sobbing and looking away.
"Just don't let them end up like your two sons, who have studied for so long but have only learned to be spoiled, can't accept defeat, and cry their way home to their mothers when they get beaten!"
Having said that, she ignored the shopkeeper's pale and flushed face, took her daughter's hand in each hand, and turned to go into the shop.
Outside the door, the crowd of onlookers gradually dispersed, and a few hushed whispers could still be faintly heard:
"Manager Liu is right. What era are we living in? Why are you still using that kind of nonsense to scare people?"
"Yes, times have changed. It's all about a girl's ability now."
"Those two boys from the Hua family, tsk tsk, they should be the ones worrying about whether any good women will be willing to marry them in the future..."
Upon hearing this, Shopkeeper Hua's face darkened even more. He quickly grabbed his two sons, who were also crying, and slunk back to his shop.
Liu Xiaocui led her daughter into the backyard. She didn't scold them, but patted their hands and said, "Go wash your faces and change your clothes. What kind of behavior is this, being so dirty?"
The two girls nodded vigorously, their eyes shining, and whispered in admiration, "Mother, you were so amazing just now!"
Liu Xiaocui glared at them: "Just because I refuted her doesn't mean you're right to hit someone. If you dare to do this again, you'll regret it."
"Okay! Okay!" the two little ones replied with grins and ran off in a flash.
Liu Xiaocui watched their cheerful figures disappear into the distance and sighed helplessly.
Suddenly, a pair of hands reached out from behind her and gently massaged her shoulders.
Liu Xiaocui didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
She leaned against the person behind her, turned her head and looked at them; her anger had subsided considerably.
Liu Xiaocui has two things she is most proud of in her life.
First, he opened this thriving restaurant, using his skills and abilities to ensure his family had enough to eat and wear.
Secondly, she married the handsome and gentle man before her.
Her husband was tall and slender, with a refined and handsome appearance; he was a rare sight in the surrounding area.
The shopkeeper next door always says he looks down on her for marrying a "pretty boy," but secretly he's incredibly envious.
Back then, Weizhou suffered a severe drought, and she and her grandmother almost starved to death. It was only thanks to a kind-hearted woman who passed by that they took pity on them and left them a horse.
Later, she took the horse to the market and sold it for a full hundred strings of cash.
That was an amount that she and her grandmother couldn't earn in more than ten years.
With this windfall, she and her grandmother bought a small courtyard in Weizhou City and settled down.
At first, she worked hard, hoping to go to school and one day pass the imperial examinations so that she could repay the unknown benefactor.
Who knew, she really wasn't cut out for studying.
After two years of studying, I hadn't learned much, but the men in my class had become increasingly adept at arguing.
When she turned sixteen, she simply gave up the idea of studying for the imperial examinations and used the remaining money to open a small restaurant. With her excellent cooking skills, she made the business a great success.
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