"That's not how it works. A small difference can lead to a huge error. Without your help, would things have turned out differently? No one can guarantee that."
Fang Qiao knew that Zhou Xueyi was being severely suppressed and was carrying a heavy psychological burden.
They did good deeds and received a reward, but instead felt unworthy of it.
Fang Qiao comforted her, saying, "In the dead of winter, in such cold water, not everyone has the courage to jump in and do something heroic. You don't need to belittle yourself because of the weight of a human life."
Zhou Xueyi pursed his lips and remained silent.
Fang Qiao didn't know what to say to this stubborn person who seemed to have his mouth sawed off.
With a helpless sigh, she crossed the hill and returned to the road, saying to Cheng Baidong, "Let's go."
Cheng Baidong nodded and set off again.
As they walked, he asked, "What just happened?"
Fang Qiao sighed, "Don't even mention it, a bunch of brats who bully the weak and fear the strong."
Cheng Baidong asked in confusion, "Isn't Zhou Xueyi quite a good fighter?"
He remembered that when Xiaoqiang got married last time, Zhou Xueyi dealt with people very quickly and efficiently. How could he let a group of kids bully him?
Fang Qiao said helplessly, "He can fight, but he has reservations and doesn't dare to fight back. You know his family's situation. They have a bad class background, and everyone can take advantage of them. He might feel good fighting back for a moment, but he's afraid of implicating his family."
Cheng Baidong understood Zhou Xueyi's thoughts.
A real man doesn't mind being beaten or suffering some grievances, but he can't let his family suffer because of him.
However, he did not agree with his approach.
There's always a way to overcome a problem; can a living person really be killed by holding their pee?
We can't let fear stop us from eating altogether.
People are always greedy and won't let you off the hook just because you keep giving in!
Life is already this hard enough. Anyway, it's better than being slowly boiled like a frog in water and being driven to a dead end.
Back home, Fang Qiao was still thinking about the matter. When she saw her third aunt at home, she told her about seeing Zhou Xueyi being bullied by a group of kids.
As for what Zhou Xueyi asked her to convey, she didn't say it.
As I said before, my aunt was grateful to him for saving her daughter's life and was happy to send things to his house. If he really didn't want them, he would tell my aunt himself, and she didn't need to gossip and pass on the message.
Auntie frowned and muttered a curse: "It's those brats again! They're completely out of control. I'll have to give their parents a piece of my mind later!"
Fang Qiao was a little worried: "I heard from Zhou Xueyi that the parents of these brats are not reasonable people. I don't want them to turn the tables on you and drag you down with them."
The child is only five or six years old and already so unruly that you can't say anything about it, so I guess her parents aren't exactly nice people either.
Auntie snorted: "Turning the tables? They're so capable! These people only know how to bully Zhou Xueyi's family, the old and the young, by waving their banner. Do you think they would dare to do that to anyone else?"
Auntie patted Fang Qiao's hand and said, "As for being implicated... don't worry, my husband's family and my own family have been poor farmers for three generations. We have impeccable revolutionary credentials. She can't hurt me!"
In the past two years, my third aunt has spent a lot of time with Wang Qiuju. As a mother-in-law, she has been influenced by her daughter-in-law Wang Qiuju and has also learned her fiery temper.
A mother's love makes her strong.
She used to be weak and unable to stand up for herself, which caused her daughter to suffer all kinds of grievances under her control.
Fortunately, it's not too late to learn to stand up now.
As an elder, she couldn't always hide behind her daughter-in-law.
Zhou Xueyi was her family's savior, and she felt she had to do her part in some way.
After a night, early the next morning, Third Aunt picked two eggplants and two cucumbers from her own vegetable garden and went to the neighboring farm.
Auntie San had just left when Aunt Cheng arrived.
After exchanging pleasantries, she asked the old lady, "Mother, where is my third brother's wife? Isn't she home?"
The old lady hummed in agreement, then raised her loose eyelids and glanced at her: "Do you need something from the third son's family?"
Aunt Cheng smiled and said, "There is something I need to do."
"What is it?" the old lady asked.
Aunt Cheng didn't say anything, only that "Since she's not home, I'll come another day."
The old lady didn't stop her, muttering to herself, "So mysterious, I wonder what she's up to now." She let her go.
Aunt Cheng didn't leave immediately. Instead, she affectionately took Fang Qiao's arm and said with a smile, "Bai Dong's wife, see me off."
Fang Qiao's eyelids twitched, and she turned to look at her.
What's going on here?
In front of the old lady, Fang Qiao didn't say much and obediently followed her out of the house.
Firstly, she had to give face to her elders in front of her family; secondly, she also wanted to know what kind of mischief Aunt Cheng was up to, all this shrouding her in secret.
Once outside the house, Aunt Cheng pulled Fang Qiao to a corner of the yard, lowered her voice, and tentatively asked, "Little Qiao, you and your third aunt have always had a very good relationship. You probably know pretty much what your third aunt is thinking, right?"
Fang Qiao smiled and replied calmly, "Aunt, if you're talking about who has a better relationship with Third Aunt, I can't compare to Qiu Ju. You've asked the wrong person."
“You’re right, I’m asking you. There’s always some rivalry between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law. Qiuju and your third aunt are at most on the surface, but who knows what they’re really like behind the scenes,” Aunt Cheng said. “You’re different. In terms of food, clothing, housing, and transportation, every single thing in her family is something you’ve helped her with. In your third aunt’s heart, Wang Qiuju is definitely not as good as you.”
Fang Qiao had no way to respond to that.
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