Bai Jiaojiao went to the Li family and, in front of everyone in the Li family, recounted the truth of what Shen Hui had told her the day before.
"Li Xiulian..." Bai Shiqing slammed her fist on the kang (a heated brick bed).
Li Shuxian quickly went over and held Bai Shiqing's hand, saying, "Don't be angry, don't be angry. It's not worth getting yourself upset."
As he spoke, he blew on Bai Shiqing's fist.
Bai Shiqing turned her face away: "I knew I had no grudge against Shen Hui's family, so why did they come after me? It turns out it was Li Xiulian's doing. I'll teach her a lesson after my child is born!"
"Father, we can't just let this go like this!"
Li Shuxian couldn't wait for Bai Shiqing to give birth. He felt that Li Xiulian was too vicious. Even if the adults had grudges, Bai Shiqing was carrying a life, and Li Xiulian actually instigated others to harm her.
This kind of person is absolutely terrifying!
Bai Jiaojiao glanced at Li Shiqing and heard him say, "You're right, they must be severely punished!"
Li Shiqing is usually good-tempered, but that doesn't mean he's easy to bully. Shen Hui is just a child, and he can't bring himself to blame the orphan and widow there. Li Xiulian's purposeful revenge is unforgivable.
Li Shiqing looked at Bai Jiaojiao: "Can Shen Hui still come out to testify? Don't worry, we will go to the Zhou family later and definitely get an explanation for your sister."
With Li Shiqing's words, Bai Jiaojiao felt relieved.
"If you need it, I'll have Heng call Shen Hui over. He won't dare not go."
Li Shiqing nodded and glanced at Li Shuxian: "Go and call Shutao back. We're going to Old Zhou's house!"
"Oh, Father!"
Li Shuxian agreed very readily.
In the village, the family with more men is considered more powerful. In a situation like this, if a man comes knocking with four sons, any family would tremble in fear.
Early in the morning, Zhou's mother was still asleep when she was awakened by the noise outside and discovered that the commotion was happening right in front of their house.
Someone was knocking on the door; it was Li Xiulian's name.
Zhou's mother kicked Li Xiulian: "What time is it? Why are you still sleeping? Didn't you hear someone knocking on the door? If people knew you were sleeping until noon, wouldn't they laugh at our family to death? You can't live without a man, can you?"
Li Xiulian felt extremely wronged. Her mother-in-law had only just woken up now. Everyone was staying home to hibernate, and Zhou's mother was reluctant to part with food, only eating one proper meal a day. Who would have the strength to work? Wouldn't they all have to lie on the kang (heated brick bed)?
But she dared not make a sound, and could only lower her head, straighten her clothes, and go downstairs to open the door for the people outside.
As soon as Li Xiulian opened the door, she saw Li Shiqing leading the way, surrounded by a group of villagers, and a bad feeling welled up inside her.
"Village chief, what brings you here?"
Li Xiulian feigned composure, and Li Shiqing didn't keep her in suspense: "Shen Hui confessed that you made him hit our Shiqing. We're here today to demand an explanation. What heinous thing did Shiqing do to you that made you treat her like this?"
The onlookers only knew that Li Shiqing and his five sons were walking this way with fierce expressions, and they followed them to watch the excitement, but they didn't know what had happened.
Upon hearing Li Shiqing explain the reason for the matter, they all whispered among themselves.
Who would have thought that there would be a follow-up to the incident of Shen Hui hitting Bai Shiqing?
Everyone in Shili Village knew that Shen Hui was a troublemaker, but his mother was truly pitiful, so everyone turned a blind eye to him. When he did something like hitting Bai Shiqing, no one found it strange.
But Li Xiulian...
This adult is still encouraging children to do bad things.
Li Xiulian vehemently denied it, saying, "I don't understand what you're saying!"
"Don't play dumb. Do you think a child would lie?"
Someone in the crowd said.
Bai Shiqing pointed at Shen Hui: "Children don't lie? Has your child never lied? Don't even mention Shen Hui, who in our village doesn't know him? I heard that Shen Heng has been giving their family a lot of trouble these past few days. Why don't you say that he's afraid of Shen Heng, so he came up with this way to shift the blame onto me?"
This is also why Li Xiulian chose Shen Hui to help her with her affairs. If other children couldn't withstand the pressure and told the truth, everyone would think that children speak without thinking and choose to believe them. But Shen Hui was a notorious troublemaker who had burned countless haystacks. He was hated by everyone.
Li Xiulian's words were indeed very convincing, and Li Shiqing had no choice but to turn around and ask Shen Hui, who was being held like a little chick by Shen Heng: "Shen Hui, tell the truth in front of everyone, did anyone instruct you? Even if no one did, it doesn't matter. Our family has already settled things with you and won't do anything to you anymore."
Shen Hui trembled in Shen Heng's hands. He hadn't fully recovered from his last cold, and a thick stream of yellow-green snot was coming out of his nose. He sniffed hard and said, "It was her who came to find me. We were playing at the village entrance the day before the pig was slaughtered. She came to find me, and all the kids with me saw her."
"I didn't ask you to harm Bai Shiqing. I was just passing by and saw you playing fiercely with other kids, so I called you over and gave you a little talking-to!"
Li Xiulian stared with her bright eyes, spouting complete lies.
Shen Hui panicked and looked at Shen Heng in fear: "Brother, what I said is really true. You have to believe me. I wouldn't dare to lie to you!" He was afraid that Shen Heng wouldn't believe him. If Shen Heng thought he was playing a trick on him, he didn't know how angry he would get.
Shen Heng released Shen Hui. He believed what Shen Hui said. Now that Shen Hui couldn't convince everyone, he was of no use at all.
Li Xiulian said smugly, "Village chief, why do you believe everything you hear? Your eldest grandson is your precious child, but you can't just come here like this, can you? I live in Shili Village, don't I care about my reputation?"
Because the village chief was dismissed, Li Lide, who had been depressed at home for a long time, rushed over upon hearing the news. He stood in front of Li Xiulian and said, "Hey old buddy, Xiulian is also your niece. No matter how precious your daughter-in-law is, she is still an outsider. How can you wrong your own child like this?"
Li Shuxian was displeased: "Since Shiqing is with me, she's part of my family. What is she anyway? You still have a reputation? Your Zhou family's reputation is already ruined!"
Li Shuxian and Li Xiulian were cousins within the fifth degree of kinship. They grew up in the same village and knew Li Xiulian well. Seeing her smug look, they knew she was glad she had escaped punishment.
Bai Shihai and Bai Shibao arrived relatively late. They heard Li Lide say those words from the periphery of the crowd and rushed forward without hesitation: "So what if our Bai family's daughter is precious? Today I will definitely get justice for my sister."
Standing next to Shen Heng, Bai Jiaojiao said to the people behind her, "A miscarriage is no small matter. How many women can't conceive again after losing their first child? My sister was lucky to keep her baby, but who knows if there will be any long-term effects? This matter must be investigated thoroughly."
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