Zhou Xiaolan was unaware that she had been betrayed by her friends and was looking at her parents with a bewildered expression.
"Why did you go and provoke her for no reason?" Bai Ailian complained. "If you want to play around, bring your brother. I've told you before, stay away from the Hua family."
Your father and I know what you're thinking. Hua Zhian has been in the countryside for so many years, and the Hua family still hasn't been able to bring him back. It's impossible for you two to be together.
You'll be graduating next year and going to the countryside too. Given our family's circumstances, it's impossible for us to give up the job to you.
Your father and I were thinking that you should find someone to marry first, so you won't have to suffer the hardships of being sent to the countryside.
Zhou Xiaolan gritted her teeth. There were two children in the family, and her parents would never let her younger brother go to the countryside. Even though she was mentally prepared, she was still hurt when she heard Bai Ailian say these words.
But none of that is the main point; we should first think about how to get past this matter concerning the Hua family.
"What do we do now? Grandma Hua is making a scene, this matter..."
Bai Ailian reached out and tapped her forehead, saying, "I must have owed you something in my past life. Just pretend you didn't know anything, since you weren't the one who took the slingshot out."
When everyone is playing together, if someone bumps or bruises themselves, you can't blame your partner.
All the children in the yard grew up rough and tumbled, but Hua Xiangyun was a bit spoiled.
Bai Ailian disliked Hua Xiangyun, the pampered little girl she had raised. Her silly daughter always tried to please her, and now that something had happened, she was the one being complained about.
Zhou Xiaolan opened her mouth, clenched her fists, and still dared not hide it any longer, "Mom, her injury has something to do with me."
Hua Xiangyun told me that Zhian wrote back saying he'd found a girlfriend, and I was so angry that I wanted He Pingan to teach her a lesson…
Zhou Jinfa and Bai Ailian felt a chill run down their spines. Zhou Jinfa slapped her across the face, saying, "You brat, can't you ever give the family a break?"
The Hua family is not someone to be trifled with. If they find out, our family will be skinned alive.
"Such a big thing has been going on for so many days, why didn't you tell me sooner?"
If they had spoken up sooner, they could have come up with a solution sooner, or even gone to apologize in person sooner. Now they are completely in the wrong.
Zhou Xiaolan covered her face, tears streaming down her face. "I was planning to tell you all when I got back today, but who knew Grandma Hua would cause such a scene..."
"You still have the nerve to talk back? Where were you a few days ago..." Bai Ailian felt a chill run down her spine. That old lady of the Hua family was not someone to be trifled with.
She slapped her thigh. "Dad, let's not stay here, let's go check on her. Tian Guihua went to the knitting factory, what if He Ping'an tells everyone..."
Zhou Jinfeng ran ahead, shouting, "You all hurry up and catch up! If this gets out of hand, see how you'll live in this courtyard from now on. You're such a grown woman, don't you even know how to think before you act..."
...
When they reached the corner, they saw Tian Guihua leading a large group of people towards them, while the family of three remained where they were.
Upon seeing the person in question, Xie Shengnan was even more excited than Tian Guihua. She rushed over and grabbed Zhou Xiaolan, saying, "The culprit is right here, Aunt Tian, just go find her."
The Zhou family, "..." It's all over...
Zhou Xiaolan's expression changed, and she asked with a bewildered look, "Aunt He, what are you saying? We went out to play together, but you can't blame it on me."
“It was you,” Xie Shengnan said sternly, gripping her arm. “You encouraged our silly boy to be your executioner. Otherwise, why would he have fired a slingshot at Hua Xiangyun? He just didn’t expect that his aim was off and he ended up injuring Hua Xiangyun.”
Zhou Xiaolan looked at He Ping'an in disbelief, "Brother Ping'an, how could you do this? Even if you hurt someone, you could just admit your mistake and be done with it. Why are you putting the blame on me?"
We've known each other since we were kids, how could you do this to me?
He Ping'an looked incredulous, but excitedly explained to the people around him, "What I said is all true..."
But when he met the suspicious looks around him, he knew that no matter how he explained, it would be in vain.
It seems that everyone believes Zhou Xiaolan more, thinking that she is trying to shirk responsibility and push things away.
He looked anxiously at Zhou Xiaolan, "You forgot? The day before yesterday you said that Hua Xiangyun, relying on her family's favoritism, looked down on us kids and talked badly about you behind your back, and you overheard it..."
“I was just complaining casually, but when did I ask you to hurt Xiangyun?” Zhou Xiaolan bit her lip, looking at He Ping’an with a particularly aggrieved expression. “If you don’t believe me, just ask Shui Xin and the others. We were walking together back then.”
Everyone's eyes turned to Li Shuixin and the others, who looked on in surprise.
Li Shuixing quickly shook her head, "I don't know anything. I only remember playing that day. Who remembers what anyone said?"
In that brief moment, Li Shuixing made her choice: to feign ignorance and avoid offending anyone.
As if given a hint, the other friends unanimously said that they hadn't noticed either.
This has created a stalemate. Whose fault is it? There's no way to say for sure.
Tian Guihua wasn't so easily fooled. She snorted and said, "I don't care whose fault it is. Anyway, you've caused my little darling to be lying on the bed. If you don't give us an explanation, this isn't over."
Tian Guihua stared at He Ping'an, which frightened Xie Shengnan so much that she quickly pulled her son behind her. "Aunt Tian, this really isn't Ping'an's fault."
You know kids often roughhouse and fight, but this is the biggest mistake they've ever made before.
My foolish son was also manipulated by others; I apologize to you on her behalf.
"Ha, that's a nice way to put it," Tian Guihua wasn't so easily fooled. "If injuring someone can be resolved with just an apology, then I understand..."
Hearing her meaningful words, the onlookers all shuddered. Everyone knew that the Hua family was extremely protective of their own, and that the whole family doted on Hua Xiangyun, which was common knowledge throughout Heping County.
The parents of the children who caused this trouble looked even uglier. If the Hua family wanted to harm their children, they wouldn't have been caught red-handed like this.
Li Wenhua, who was the first to break down, brought his child and said, "Aunt Hua, our child was at fault. He was so scared at the time that he couldn't find someone in time."
I'll bring two pounds of eggs and a can of milk powder later to help Xiangyun recover.
I'll give the children a good talking-to when they get home, and I won't let them go out before the Lunar New Year.
Tian Guihua glanced at him twice before slowly nodding, "We've been neighbors for decades, and I know you two quite well. This time, for your sake, let's just leave it at that."
However, the child still needs to be properly taught, lest he grow up old and lack any sense of responsibility.
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