The An family was in an uproar. An Jin's resistance was something her uncles and aunts had never expected. In their minds, An Jin was just a piece of dough that they could knead and flatten at will, and they wanted her to be their slave for life.
Unexpectedly, even a doughy person like her has a day when she stands up for herself, fighting Aunt An to the point of mutual injury, both ending up with bruises and swelling on their faces.
When Uncle An saw his wife being carried back, the shock on his face was undisguised. Aunt An was a well-known feisty woman in the village, never afraid of fighting or cursing, and her imposing size made her a formidable opponent.
Moreover, judging from the opponent's bruised and swollen face, disheveled hair, and scratches covering his entire face, this opponent was no ordinary person.
"Damn An Jin, I'll kill you!" Before Uncle An could even ask, Aunt An on the other end screamed impatiently, her tone and eyes filled with resentment and hatred, sending chills down one's spine.
"What... what's going on?" Uncle An was stunned. How did this get involved with An Jin again? The other party was always the most obedient, and he really couldn't accept this fact.
On the other side, An Jin was helped in by her two aunts; her condition wasn't optimistic either. However, she was able to walk in on her own, indicating she was in slightly better shape than her aunts.
His hair was disheveled like weeds, with a patch of scalp showing; his cheeks were swollen and red, his eyes were dark and brimming with tears, which he stubbornly refused to let fall, his eyes filled with determination. His clothes were covered in dust, and in some places they were torn, revealing the blackened cotton underneath.
The aunties who saw the tattered cotton-padded coat were furious. This was clearly an attempt to torture the child to death! In such cold weather, to use such inferior things was obviously meant to let An Jin freeze to death.
They're all parents; putting themselves in each other's shoes, if their own children were in that situation, they'd fight to the death. Everyone knew that Uncle An Jin and his wife hadn't treated him well, but they never imagined it would come to this; it's truly heartbreaking.
"Uncle, I hit Aunt." An Jin raised her eyes, staring intently at her uncle as she spoke, each word clear and distinct, yet leaving her uncle utterly bewildered.
"How could you treat your elders like that? Apologize to your aunt right now!" His dormant instincts kicked in, and Uncle An spoke up instinctively. It was always the same: Aunt An played the good cop, and he played the bad cop, a perfect match.
Aunt An is ruthless and not very bright; she's like the best gun and the wildest sports car. Uncle An is the one who controls both the gun and the brakes.
“An Jin, I know your aunt has a bad temper and often scolds you, but we’ve raised you all these years, so you should be more understanding of us elders.” With so many people present, Uncle An couldn’t lose his temper and patiently comforted her.
"An Jin, I will definitely kill you." No matter how good the words are, they can't withstand the sabotage of a teammate. Aunt An's words arrived as expected, instantly turning Uncle An's previous words into nothing.
An Jin's eyes seemed to be brimming with tears. He sniffed and looked up, meeting his uncle's eyes for the first time. "Uncle, all these years, I've been able to grow up thanks to your care. But you've seen Aunt's attitude; she can't tolerate me at all. I'm afraid I won't see the sun rise tomorrow. I hope you'll let me go, considering how much I've worked for your family all these years."
As she spoke, tears streamed down An Jin's face, leaving a trail of water. Although she didn't burst into tears, her presence inexplicably evoked a sense of sadness in others.
"This..." Uncle An hesitated on the surface, but was extremely unwilling in his heart. An Jin was a very good worker, hardworking and conscientious, and could endure being beaten and scolded. It was really hard to let him leave like this.
"An Jin, no matter what, my uncle and aunt raised you. It's disheartening that you want to leave them now that you're independent! It won't sound good for your reputation if word gets out." A clear female voice rang out, and Sun Xiaoying, wearing a bright red cotton-padded jacket and with a fairer complexion, walked over. Don't be too heavy-handed with moral pressure.
The An family's uncle and aunt were arguably the heaviest burden in An Jin's life, a nightmare for him. How could he allow An Jin to get rid of this nightmare so cleanly and innocently?
He absolutely could not allow a situation where he tried to steal a chicken but ended up losing the rice instead. Even if he failed to expose An Jin and Yan Wuyou's affair, he could not allow An Jin to use this opportunity to leave the An family.
People in this era are mostly simple and honest, unaware of those complicated rules, and their thoughts are more straightforward. After hearing these words, she felt that An Jin was right, but she also felt that Sun Xiaoying was right, and for a moment she didn't know who to help.
Seeing the glamorous Sun Xiaoying, An Jin felt no jealousy, only strangeness. He had no grudge against Sun Xiaoying, and they rarely even crossed paths. Yet, her words were clearly in favor of his uncle's family, and the way she looked at him was odd, seemingly with a hint of schadenfreude. Had he offended her sometime?
"So, Sister-in-law Zhou, do you mean I have to stay at my uncle's house like a slave, enduring my aunt's curses and beatings, and even be killed by her? What difference is there between what you're doing and taking a life?"
An Jin was naturally intelligent, and after spending two months with Wu You, he learned a lot. If he were to argue with the village women, he would be no match for them, but if it came down to reason, few could defeat him.
“I…” Sun Xiaoying’s expression froze for a moment. When did An Jin become so sharp-tongued? He spoke as if he had really killed someone. The others also looked at him strangely. What a wicked and harmful person.
“You can’t say that. An Jin, you’re already seventeen. It’s time for you to get married. Why don’t we ask Aunt An and the others to find a matchmaker for you? It’ll sound good to everyone if you get married.” Sun Xiaoying’s mind worked quickly, and she soon came up with an idea. She wanted to tie Yan Wuyou and An Jin together. That scumbag Yan Wuyou would definitely make An Jin suffer, and she could also eliminate her rival in love without even realizing it. It would be a win-win situation.
“Yes, yes, you’re not young anymore. I’ve been discussing with your aunt about finding a good family for you to marry into. That way, you won’t have to worry about what your aunt might do to you, and you can be in charge of your own household in the future. Wouldn’t that be better? Now that things have turned out like this, it’s not good for anyone. An Jin, please give your uncle some face.”
Uncle An hurriedly spoke, his heart aching. He had originally wanted to keep An Jin for a few more years so that she could bring more income to the family, but things had come to this point and this was the only way. Otherwise, how could the two of them establish themselves in this village? They would probably be gossiped about behind their backs.
A triumphant smile flashed in Sun Xiaoying's eyes. After all the twists and turns, she still ended up in the direction he expected. She was indeed a person who had been reborn.
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