Zhiyin glanced at Zhi Zhaodi with indifferent disdain, but didn't say anything more to her.
Zhao Di suddenly shivered for some reason, feeling as if Zhiyin's gaze could see right through her, making her feel uneasy.
Under the indifferent gaze of Zhiyin, Zhi Zhaodi couldn't help but lower her head. After realizing what she had done, she raised her head high as if she was ashamed and angry, looking superior.
"Tsk..."
"My dear friend... don't be so smug... you..."
Just as Grandmother was getting angry and about to say something more, a variety of noisy footsteps suddenly came from outside.
Along with this came a cacophony of chattering and noise.
She immediately knew that Zhihua had invited the village head and the clan chief, and she quickly sat up straight.
Grandfather's expression also changed; he hadn't expected them to arrive so quickly!
Despite thinking this, he still forced a smile that looked worse than crying and went out to greet them.
Zhihua also came running in excitedly, saying, "Sister, Mother, I've invited Uncle Village Head and Grandpa Clan Chief."
She had barely finished speaking when a middle-aged man and an old man being helped along walked up behind her.
The middle-aged man was slightly overweight, looking both dignified and refined. The old man on the right was thinner, with slightly cloudy eyes, but he looked kind and approachable, and was highly respected.
Unexpectedly, a group of people followed behind the two.
They were all other villagers who had come to watch the spectacle after hearing that the Zhi family was going to split up their property.
They looked around curiously.
Even Aunt Xu and Hunter Lan came, but they weren't there to watch the excitement. They were there to check on things because they were worried that Zhiyin and the others might be bullied.
Seeing that the three friends were all safe and sound, he instantly relaxed and winked at them playfully.
When the grandparents and the eldest uncle saw that there were more than 20 people standing in their courtyard, apart from some prominent members of the clan, the rest were just there to watch the show. Seeing the mocking and gossipy expressions on their faces, their faces darkened instantly, and they couldn't help but feel resentful.
Why did these people have to come along?
They also complained that Yao Yulin had embarrassed them, making them look like clowns and causing them shame.
But looking at the two highly respected and influential people in front of him, the grandfather suppressed his anger and said with a smile, "Village head, Third Uncle, please sit down!"
After saying that, he looked at his eldest uncle and said, "Son, quickly help your two uncles to sit in the main seats in the hall!"
Then he looked at the other villagers and gave an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry to trouble you all to just find a place to stand, we don't have that many seats."
"It's alright, we are here to deal with your family's affairs."
The village head was the first to speak, looking at his grandfather with a serious expression of dissatisfaction and disapproval in his eyes. He sighed heavily, "San Gou, what kind of thing has your family done?"
"Sigh, when Yinyin's father was alive, you and your wife were always biased and relentlessly exploited the second wife's family. They were clearly your sons too, how could you be so heartless?"
“I am their grandmother, I was just disciplining them. Isn’t it right for elders to discipline younger generations? How can that be considered exploitation?”
"Besides, housework is supposed to be done by women! If they don't do anything, what's the point of us supporting them? Are they just freeloaders?"
Upon hearing this, the grandmother's face instantly turned extremely ugly, and she quickly tried to defend herself.
The village head glanced at her and snorted unhappily, "A lesson? Beating someone to death, not letting them eat, making them sleep on a cold bed in the dead of winter, and making them wear thin clothes is what you call a lesson?"
After saying this, seeing that her grandmother and grandfather's faces had turned ugly, she sighed again, "I know you want to use the strength of the whole family to help the eldest son's family get ahead. I won't go into the past when you tormented your second son and even refused to tell him about his wife. But now that your second son is dead, you shouldn't be tormenting his daughter."
"We don't have..."
Grandfather's face was full of shame, while Grandmother quickly retorted.
However, the village head ignored her and continued talking to himself, "Now that Yinyin has complained to us, we hope that you can treat them better in the future. Don't make them kneel outside in the freezing cold as punishment, and don't make them wear thin clothes in the dead of winter and wash your clothes with cold water. They are just children!"
"Yes...we know we were wrong, and we won't do it again!"
Grandfather stood before the door like a quail, head bowed, nodding repeatedly.
He glanced quietly at the villagers gathered around to watch the spectacle, and felt extremely annoyed.
I just want to resolve this matter as soon as possible; after all, family scandals shouldn't be aired in public.
To avoid affecting his eldest son's career and damaging his reputation.
Grandmother met Grandfather's murderous gaze and immediately obediently said that she would never do it again and would treat them well.
The village head stroked his beard with satisfaction and looked at Zhiyin and his group with a smile, "Second wife of the second son, are you satisfied with this?"
He felt that the family was just having some minor conflicts, and it hadn't reached the point where they had to separate, so he tried his best to resolve the issues.
They didn't want the news of their grandmother abusing her daughter-in-law to get out. If people from other villages found out, wouldn't it damage their village's reputation?
There are so many single young men in their village. If everyone thinks that this is the way people in their village are, then who would dare to marry their daughters to them?
Moreover, this would also affect the career prospects of many people in their village who were taking the imperial examinations, so they hoped the matter would be resolved as soon as possible.
Zhiyin frowned more and more as she listened. She clearly wanted to separate the family and sever ties, so why did this place seem to be trying to smooth things over? Or trying to reconcile the relationship?
Yao Yulin, facing the village head's kind and amiable gaze, was caught in a dilemma and couldn't help but look at her confidante.
Zhiyin knew that dividing the family property wouldn't be so easy. She sighed, but still met the village head's gaze directly, her eyes full of determination. "Uncle Village Head, I know you're thinking of us, but I'm afraid I can't comply!"
"Our demand now is to separate and sever all ties!"
The village head's smiling face instantly fell, and he looked at Zhiyin with a hint of helplessness. "Girl, it's not that I don't want to help you, but you are all still children, and your mother is a woman who has just lost her husband. How could she possibly separate three weak women like you?"
"You can't take care of yourselves without a man by your side."
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