"You guys?" Zhou Sui feigned surprise. "You guys didn't say it, but we did tell our family."
Old Mrs. Li immediately sensed something was wrong with those words. "Girl, what do you mean by that?"
"What could it mean? Didn't Grandma say that the Li family is no longer my mother's family? My mother is a member of the Zhou family, so naturally she should just stay with the Zhou family."
"Grandma often said that, she must remember it."
Grandma Li looked up at Zhou Sui in front of her. She had a smile on her lips, but her eyes were cold.
After staring at Zhou Sui for a long time, Old Lady Li sneered, "This is just you standing up for your mother."
“Let me tell you, she is my daughter, I can say whatever I want to her, even if I beat her to death, she wouldn’t dare to complain.”
"Who do you think you are, daring to stand in front of me and say these things? Even your mother wouldn't dare."
Old Mrs. Li is a very controlling person. In the Li family, she is the eldest daughter-in-law, and no one can contradict her except her beloved son and grandson.
So when Zhou Sui talked back, the old lady started slamming her hand on the table while she spoke, making the bowls on it rattle loudly.
Zhao Xiaohua instinctively shrank back; she knew her mother-in-law was angry.
Hearing the noise, Zhou Meimei and the handywoman came over and surrounded Zhou Sui.
"It's just slamming the table, anyone can do that," Zhou Sui said, taking a step forward and imitating Old Lady Li, slamming the table loudly, no quieter than Old Lady Li.
"Let me tell you, I wasn't born from you. My mother respects you, but I'm not afraid of her. If you dare to cause any trouble in my family's shop today, or dare to ask my mother for a single penny, I'll show you what I wouldn't dare to do!"
Zhou Sui stared intently at Old Lady Li with sharp eyes, showing no sign of backing down.
She was standing while Old Lady Li was sitting. The old lady looked up at her, which made her lose some of the battle in terms of presence.
Moreover, Old Lady Li never expected that Zhou Sui would slam her fist on the table and challenge her. She was so angry that she laughed, "Li Qiuju, look at this wild girl you picked up. She's really something, daring to talk to her elders like that. Aren't you afraid of being struck by lightning?"
"Pah!" Zhou Sui spat at Old Lady Li. "If there really is heavenly lightning, it will strike those who have lost all conscience."
"What am I afraid of? Even if we take it down, there are villains standing in front of me." She looked at Old Lady Li with a sneer, and it was obvious who the villains she was referring to were.
When had Old Lady Li ever been treated like this? She hadn't laid a hand on Zhou Sui in a long time. Seeing that Zhou Sui was close by, she reached out her withered, twig-like hand towards her.
Zhou Sui reacted quickly, grabbing Li Laotai's wrist tightly. Zhou Sui was very strong, and Li Laotai couldn't shake her off.
"What I just said wasn't a joke. While I'm still calling you Grandma, get out of here with your little schemes!"
Old Mrs. Li felt a chill run down her spine from her gaze and shouted at Zhao Xiaohua, who was standing there stunned, "Xiaohua, are you blind or dead? Get this brat away from me!"
Before she could even move, Li Qiuju spoke up, "Sui Sui, let go of your grandmother."
Zhou Sui turned around in astonishment, her face already torn apart. "Let go," Li Qiuju's voice was soft, but with a firm tone. Zhou Sui obediently released her grip.
Grandma Li quickly withdrew her hand; she felt as if her wrist was about to be broken.
"Mom." Li Qiuju stepped forward, pulled her daughter behind her, and then looked at Old Lady Li.
Grandma Li snorted heavily and turned her face away, making it clear that she was very angry and did not want to talk to Li Qiuju.
Normally, at this time, Li Qiuju would stand helplessly to the side explaining, and then promise the Li family something, and only then would Old Lady Li's expression gradually improve.
But now, if I don't want to look, I don't want to look. It's good that my ears are now on the right track, so I can listen more carefully.
“It wasn’t easy for us to open this shop. We had to borrow money and work from dawn till dusk. Whether we earned a lot or a little, the money had nothing to do with the Li family.”
Grandma Li finally turned to look at Li Qiuju, her face full of disbelief.
“I’m used to what you’ve said before. You’re still my mother, and I’ll still give you the respect you deserve during holidays. But every penny in this shop belongs to the Zhou family.”
Li Qiuju spoke these words with unprecedented firmness. She was actually a very weak person, but after experiencing so much, even the weakest person can gradually become strong.
If her daughter goes to such lengths to protect her, and she remains silent, would she even be a decent mother?
"Heh." Old Mrs. Li looked at Li Qiuju, then at Zhou Sui. "Well done, Li Qiuju, you've really made something of yourself."
The once obedient daughter has now started to contradict her. Old Mrs. Li doesn't know if she's gone mad or if they've gone mad.
"You should think this through carefully. If you don't have a family backing you, will the Zhou family still take you seriously?"
Zhou Sui laughed when she heard this. Old Mrs. Li looked at her, but Zhou Sui didn't say anything. The sarcastic smile on her lips was so offensive it hurt people's eyes.
Old Mrs. Li hoped to use her maternal family to control Li Qiuju, but unfortunately, Li Qiuju had already lost all hope in her family.
The shop fell silent. Li Qiuju's expression said it all.
"Xiaohua, let's go!" Old Mrs. Li stood up and began to speak harshly.
"I want to see how some people live without their mother's family backing them up."
"You don't need to come back on the second day of the Lunar New Year. If you dare to enter the village, I'll break your legs."
Old Mrs. Li glared fiercely at Li Qiuju, then shoved Li Qiuju aside and walked outside.
Zhao Xiaohua was stunned for a moment and then quickly chased after her, "Mom, Mom, wait for me!"
In her heart, she grumbled, "What's with this old hag for putting on airs? What's with all the face she wants? They're just here for money today."
Now I haven't gotten the money, and I've gotten myself all dirty.
As Zhao Xiaohua chased after Old Lady Li, she didn't forget to turn back and say something.
"Big sister, remember to pay for my clothes. Bring the money with you next time you come home."
She ran out, but received no response.
"They're finally gone." Zhou Sui suddenly breathed a sigh of relief, turning her head to meet Li Qiuju's gaze.
The mother and daughter smiled at each other. Li Qiuju took her daughter's hand, and Zhou Sui's palms were still red from slapping the table.
She said with concern, "You child, you always rush to the front in everything. I wonder what other people will say about you."
Zhou Sui genuinely didn't care about those things. "Let them say what they want. They won't know the pain unless the blame is placed on them."
Even if everyone says that it was wrong of her to argue with Old Lady Li today, she doesn't regret it.
If you don't protect your own mother, how can you expect those who speak without thinking?
If we don't stand up for ourselves today, they'll be the ones getting bullied.
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