Xichun and Aunt Zhang had just pushed the car into the yard when they saw a group of people rushing over menacingly.
After thinking for a while, she realized that the person in the lead was the original owner's grandmother, Old Lady Chen.
Old Mrs. Chen's usual behavior is no less than that of Old Mrs. Ma. Although she doesn't have as bad a reputation as Old Mrs. Ma, she likes to play dirty tricks.
Back then, Xichun's mother was tormented by her. Because she only gave birth to Xichun, her daughter, Old Mrs. Chen would make sarcastic remarks about the hen all day long, saying things like, "What's the use of keeping a hen that doesn't lay eggs? It's better to kill it as soon as possible to avoid wasting food."
Alternatively, the family might practice separate meals, and the person in charge of implementing this system is Grandma Chen. Her eldest son and youngest son both receive her favor, and the portions and quality of their meals are always the best.
Next came Xichun's two sons from her eldest uncle's family, her uncle's son, and Xichun's father. This second-tier group of people ate the same food as Old Lady Chen.
Finally, there were the daughters-in-law and granddaughters. Wang Shi and Xi Chun were at the very bottom of the hierarchy, often not even allowed the right to cook, because if they had the right to cook, they might steal food themselves.
It's true what they say, misfortune always finds its way to the weakest point. Xi Chun disliked Old Lady Chen very much. Old Lady Ma was an outsider, so there was a reason for her to treat her badly. But Old Lady Chen could be so hard-hearted when her granddaughter was being bullied. She was truly a heartless person.
Judging from the way she and her two daughters-in-law are acting, they seem to be here to cause her trouble. Xichun is not going to let them have their way with her.
"What are you doing here?" Xi Chun held a kitchen knife in her hand, to prevent the three women—the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law—from harming her.
"Aunt Chen, what brings you here in such a menacing manner? Did you come to check if Xichun has starved to death without your care?" Aunt Zhang immediately stepped forward and stood in front of Xichun.
"This is none of your business. It's our family matter. What right do you, an outsider, have to interfere?" Old Mrs. Chen had heard that it was this woman who had taken the family's money, so naturally she didn't like her. Seeing that she was still blocking her way, she was furious.
“I’m Xichun’s neighbor. That jerk just came to cause trouble for Xichun. Now, as her neighbors, how can we not protect her? After all, she doesn’t even have the concern of a family member.”
“Zhang family, what business is it of yours what happens to our family? Why are you babbling on here? Get out of my way.” Xi Chun’s aunt, Ma, stepped forward to pave the way for her mother-in-law.
"Aunt Zhang, please step aside. Let me hear what these people have to say today." Seeing that they came with ill intentions, Xi Chun naturally wouldn't hide behind Aunt Zhang.
The commotion attracted Aunt Liu, who was at home, to come over as well. After discovering that it was Old Lady Chen's family, she headed towards the village chief's house.
"Chen Xichun, you are a child of our Chen family. You have made money in business, but you don't know how to be filial to your grandmother. Instead, you have benefited outsiders!" Du, Xichun's aunt, was preparing to take the initiative and turn the purpose of this visit into Xichun's lack of filial piety.
"Oh, so it's my turn to be filial to Grandma? Are my uncles gone? Do you expect me, a granddaughter who's not even an adult yet, to be filial to them?" Xichun said with a mocking tone when she heard their words.
"You brat, you're just as shameless as your corrupt mother! Now you even dare to talk about your elders. I'll teach you a lesson today on behalf of your dead father!" Upon hearing this, Madam Du immediately rushed forward.
Unfazed, Xichun revealed the kitchen knife she had been hiding behind her back and asked with a smile, "What, Auntie, do you want to test if my kitchen knife is sharp?"
"You, you girl, how could you be so vicious? You even brandished a knife at your own family. Mother, look at this girl, she's ruthless. She even dared to lay a hand on her own aunt."
Seeing the knife in her hand and the coldness in her eyes, Du was startled and quickly went to Old Lady Chen to cry and complain.
“Chen Xichun, don’t think you can kill people just because you have a knife. We are all your elders. You make money but don’t bring it home. You still have the nerve to do this? I think your grandmother should teach you a lesson so you don’t forget our family rules.” Ma said somewhat fearfully when she saw Old Madam Chen give her a knowing look.
"Family rules? I've only ever heard of village rules. Do you have family rules? Are they harsh on your son, or torment your daughter-in-law, or even refuse to help someone in distress?" Upon hearing her mention the word "family rules," Xichun asked three questions in return.
"You, you, you are such a bad seed. You can say such things to your elders, to your own grandmother. I'm afraid your father would jump up and beat you in his grave."
"I bet the one who jumped up and hit him wasn't even his own brother. What right do you have to point fingers here? Get out of here. If I see you, I'll still greet you. If you don't leave, I'll close down."
“Xichun, you silly girl, we couldn’t help with your father’s situation back then, but you don’t know that your cousin was also sick at the time, and we had spent all our money. We really didn’t have any more to give you. Your father even hanged himself. I, as his mother, cried at home several times until I went blind. Why don’t you understand our situation?”
Xi Chun never expected that Old Lady Chen would start playing the bad cop this time, making it seem like it was Xi Chun's fault.
"Grandma knows that my father hanged himself back then. Do you remember what you said when he divided the family property? Let me help you recall. You said that our family voluntarily divided the property, and that no matter how our lives turned out, it was none of your business."
Moreover, the land that was given to my father was later bought back from another family. Surely this is true. How could you have suddenly made several taels of silver in just two months?
Why didn't you come to take care of me when I was being abused in the Ma family for three years? When I first left the Ma family, I didn't even have a bit of food and relied entirely on Aunt Zhang's family for help, and you didn't come to give me a bite to eat? Now that I've just started doing business and haven't even broken even yet, you're already in a hurry to treat me like one of your own?
"You can't be so hypocritical. Back when I was eating wild vegetables every day, with not a drop of oil in my bowl, when I passed by your house, you quickly closed the door, as if you were afraid I'd take advantage of you."
Xi Chun's series of questions left Old Mrs. Chen and her daughter-in-law speechless.
“Xichun is right. I personally helped your two families write the family division documents back then. What Xichun said is also true. I also went to the yamen to get the seal for your land purchase. Aunt Chen, Xichun has only just started living alone, and you haven’t helped her at all. Why are you asking her to be filial now that Xichun’s life has improved a little?”
The village chief had been there for a while. Seeing that Xichun was talking, he didn't step forward immediately. He waited until she finished speaking before he stepped forward and explained the situation of the two families' division of property.
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