Zhao had two sons and a daughter with the late Mr. Chen. Chen was the second son, with an older brother named Chen Ping and a younger sister named Chen Xianghua.
Chen Ping and Li Manying had two sons, Chen Gen and Chen Shu, whom they cherished like the apple of their eye, and were spoiled rotten.
Chen Gen went home on his day off yesterday and insisted on taking Chen Shu up the mountain to hunt wild boar, saying he had promised his classmate.
As it grew dark, neither of them had returned home, so Chen Ping called on Chen An and the villagers to go and search for them.
Finding the two shivering and hiding in the tree, with no danger around, the villagers called for them to come down.
As a result, Chen Gen suddenly jumped onto Chen An. Although the tree wasn't tall, Chen Gen's weight caused Chen An's leg to bleed.
The doctor examined the patient and said it was quite serious. To fully recover, at least ten taels of silver would be needed, otherwise the patient might be left with a disability.
When the family heard that it would cost so much money, they said they didn't want to be treated and just asked the doctor to prescribe some hemostatic drugs.
The original owner couldn't agree to that. His son, Chen Lin, was simple-minded and couldn't support the family. Chen An was the only strong laborer in the family. If he became disabled, how could the family survive?
Only then did he go to ask Zhao for money, but Zhao naturally disagreed, saying that the money would be better used to send his two good grandsons to school and get them married.
The second son was never going to amount to anything, so he was just wasted.
During the scuffle, the original owner's head hit the corner of the table, and that's how he died.
"Sister-in-law, you..."
Li Manying stared with her triangular eyes and thick lips parted, looking completely incredulous.
The usually timid second son's wife has suddenly become tough and even revealed the truth. Isn't she afraid of ruining her family's reputation?
"Hey, Sister Zhao, what are you doing? Aren't you afraid of getting your butt cold sitting on the ground?"
Aunt Li next door and Zhao Shi were at odds the most; she would shovel food into her mouth and still make fun of her.
She knew Zhao's personality better than anyone. That wretched old woman was wicked; her mouth was sharp and sarcastic, and she would curse from morning till night without repeating herself.
Relying on his son being the shopkeeper, his daughter marrying into a wealthy family in town, and his two grandsons studying at the academy, he considered himself superior and always looked down on others.
Normally it's only Zhao who bullies people, but now she's complaining about being beaten by her daughter-in-law. That's really something else.
Zhao glared at Aunt Li, secretly resenting being laughed at by these peasant women. But now that everyone was here, she had to finish her act.
"This is outrageous! A daughter-in-law hitting her mother-in-law! All these two brats did was shirk their responsibilities, and when I, as their grandmother, said a few words, my second son's wife started hitting me, causing me to fall. Ouch, my back!"
"What a disgrace to our family! Tell me, what kind of daughter-in-law is she? If I weren't kind-hearted, I would have sent her to the authorities!"
"Hey Zhao, you need to at least make up some plausible lies! Chen An's wife has the best temper; how could she possibly lay a hand on you!"
"Yes, everyone knows your second daughter-in-law has the best temperament, and your two granddaughters are also very hardworking. They can do all the chores, from laundry to cooking, at such a young age. Who would believe they're shirking their responsibilities!"
"Exactly! Even if Chen An's wife really did hit you, how could she possibly throw you to the ground with her small frame!"
The women watching didn't believe Zhao's words at all, and quickly retorted with a few words, then whispered and laughed at her.
We all live in the same village, so who doesn't know who?
Zhao was dumbfounded. Not a single one of them spoke up for her? These village women were not only stupid, but their eyes had been pecked blind by chickens!
Cheng Yue thought to herself, "They're all discerning people!"
Seeing Zhao's discomfitured expression, he felt much better and pretended to be embarrassed, saying, "Mother-in-law, I know you are unwilling to spend money to treat my husband's leg."
But ultimately, it was Chen Gen who injured his leg, so naturally whoever caused the injury should pay for the medical expenses. How could they sell Da Ni and Er Ni to pay for their father's treatment?
My husband has a high fever, but my mother-in-law and sister-in-law still won't give me any money. Aren't they forcing my husband to die?
You...you're repaying kindness with enmity! If word gets out, how will my brother and his nephews face anyone...?
Since Zhao is so willing to air her dirty laundry in public and invite the villagers to morally blackmail her, then she will give her a taste of her own medicine!
Acting? Anyone can do that!
Upon hearing this, Da Ni and Er Ni immediately knelt down and cried, "Grandma, please save Dad! If you can cure Dad, we'll sell ourselves!"
Old Master Cheng was pleased; the two girls were quite sensible, and he helped them up again.
So thin and weak, with pebbles on the ground, it's just an act. It's not worth getting injured kneeling. The main problem is that old hag Zhao, she doesn't deserve it!
Zhao and Li Manying's eyelids twitched upon hearing this. Cheng Yue was hoping that their two children from the eldest branch would become successful so that she could benefit from their success. She cared most about the family's reputation. Why was she now saying everything to outsiders?
The whole village knows that Chen Gen caused Chen An's leg injury, but they said yesterday that it wasn't that they didn't want to treat Chen An, but that the doctor said Chen An's leg was beyond cure.
By making such a fuss, isn't Cheng Yue just telling everyone that they don't want to get treatment?
This is everyone talking behind their backs, how can we tolerate that?!
Sure enough, as soon as they said that, the onlookers looked at them differently; it was blatant contempt!
Aunt Li stopped eating, slammed her chopsticks on the bowl, and raised her voice.
"My goodness! So they just didn't want to pay up, and now they're saying there's no cure? Isn't that just letting Chen An die?"
"Sister Zhao, that's your own son! A fever can kill someone! You're all such ingrates!"
The other women who had been crowding in front followed closely behind, accusing her: "Yes, Chen Ping's wife, if it weren't for your son Chen Gen, would his second uncle's leg have been injured? This was a life-saving grace, how could you do such a thing?"
"Tsk tsk tsk, how heartbroken Chen An will be when he finds out! You guys are unwilling to take the money, yet you want to sell someone's daughter. How shameless!"
"Yes, Chen Ping's wife, your two sons are scholars, and your husband is a shopkeeper in the county town. You always talk about how respectable you are. How could you do such an ungrateful thing!"
Zhao had shot herself in the foot, and had even dragged Jin Sunsun into it; she was so angry she wanted to collapse.
But the crowd was furious, and she was in the wrong, so she couldn't say a word for a long time and could only continue to wail.
Li Manying's head was spinning when she heard her husband and child being pointed at and talked about.
She immediately retorted, "Who said we wouldn't contribute? Sister-in-law, you're being too impulsive. I was just thinking of giving you the money later! Why are you making such a fuss..."
"Sister-in-law, you're the best! My husband has a high fever, we can't delay, please give me the money first..."
Cheng Yue feigned gratitude, then looked into the crowd and said, "Could any of you brothers please run to the clinic for me? My husband has a high fever, I can't leave, and there's no one home..."
Upon hearing this, Liu Chunlai, who was squeezed at the back, immediately shouted, "Sister-in-law Cheng, I'll go!"
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