Hua Li had just taken the grape juice she had put in the hanging basket last night from the cellar when she heard a deafening knock on the door.
Luo Shicheng went to open the door, where Wu Cuihua stood menacingly.
"Look what your little Xiu did to my third son."
Wu Cuihua pointed to the large mound on Mo Sanshan's head and showed it to Luo Shicheng.
After most of the day had passed, the bump on Mo Sanshan's head had grown even larger, with alternating blue and purple bruises, making it look quite frightening.
Luo Shicheng invited Wu Cuihua and her son in. Hua Li happened to be carrying a can of food back to the front yard. Wu Cuihua rolled her eyes at Hua Li and snorted coldly.
Hua Li was completely bewildered when Wu Cuihua inexplicably gave him the cold shoulder.
After entering the house, Hua Li first went to the kitchen and poured half a cup of grape juice for each of the three children, then mixed it with a little less than half a cup of cooled boiled water. The sweetness was just right, and it wasn't too cold. She then served it to the three children.
Then he poured two more glasses of undiluted water, one for Wu Cuihua and one for Luo Shicheng.
Luo Shicheng, seeing that Hua Li did not have it, pushed it back to Hua Li.
Wu Cuihua was thirsty, so she picked it up and took a sip. It was icy cold, sweet and sour, and really delicious.
"What is this made of?" Wu Cuihua asked.
Hua Li took a sip from her cup; the taste was just right. "It's made with the grapes you gave me last night."
"Delicious..."
Wu Cuihua drank it all in one gulp, and then remembered why she had come to find Hua Li. Her eyes widened immediately.
“My third child was beaten by Xiao Xiu, leaving a bump on his head and scrapes on his knees. Although he was a child you adopted, since you kept him, shouldn’t you take responsibility?”
Xiao Xiu walked up to Hua Li, bowed deeply, and turned to walk out the door, but Luo Shicheng grabbed him and pulled him back.
Luo Shicheng took out a ten-yuan note from his pocket.
"Sister-in-law, how about we compensate you with ten yuan, or take Mo Sanshan to the hospital for a check-up?"
Mo Sanshan was fine. Wu Cuihua came to Hua Li partly out of anger and partly to cause trouble, but unexpectedly, she was offered money, so of course she wanted the money.
Wu Cuihua took the money and quickly stuffed it into her pocket, overjoyed. She deliberately put on a long face to scare Xiao Xiu.
"We're neighbors, so I'll let it go this time. But if it happens again, money won't help. I'll definitely send you to the police station."
Xiao Xiu wasn't afraid of Wu Cuihua at all. His two dark eyes stared back at Wu Cuihua until she couldn't take it anymore and turned her head away.
Mo Sanshan drank the cool and refreshing grape juice, and the heat from the walk back dissipated by more than half. But his mother actually asked for ten yuan from the other party. Wasn't that embarrassing his father?
"Mom, I already said I fell, why are you taking Aunt Hua's money?"
"This little traitor," Wu Cuihua scolded Mo Sanshan, twisting his ear.
"You still dare to lie to me? I even asked Qian Jia Erpang, who's in the same class as you, and Erpang said it was Xiaoxiu who beat him up."
"You shameful piece of trash! You can't even beat Xiao Xiu! It's utterly disgraceful!"
"You're the one who's shameful!" Mo Sanshan retorted loudly. "I'm fine, why should you take ten yuan from Uncle Luo?"
Wu Cuihua felt guilty after being told off by Mo Sanshan, but she couldn't lose face in front of Hua Li no matter what, so she stubbornly refused.
"Xiao Xiu hit you, why can't I ask for medical expenses and take you to the hospital for a check-up?"
“I’ve already told you I’m fine, and the doctor has examined me. It’s wrong of you to ask for money.”
Since she had already taken the money and there was no way she could return it, Wu Cuihua grabbed Mo Sanshan's ear and stormed off in a huff.
Hua Li took out two yuan and gave it to Luo Shicheng, saying, "Here you go."
Xiao Xiu was the one who decided to stay, so she should take responsibility for the trouble she caused. Given Mo Sanshan's situation, he could only pay two yuan at most. If Luo Shicheng was willing to give ten yuan, that was his business. She would only pay the portion she agreed to.
Luo Shicheng's face turned pale with anger. "Do you really have to be so calculating with me?"
"Otherwise what?" Hua Li said indifferently, "I have never taken a penny from you since we got married, and now that our relationship is only in name, I should take even less of your money."
Knowing he was in the wrong, Luo Shicheng tried to coax him.
“Yanyan is also my daughter. I can’t let you raise a child alone.”
Hua Li curled her lips in a mocking smile, "You're already paying child support by letting my mother and me live in the house. You don't need to pay anything else."
With that, Hua Li put the money on the coffee table and turned to go to the kitchen to start cooking.
Luo Shicheng sat on the sofa, fuming with himself. Why had he been so reckless back then?
After being angry for a while, Luo Shicheng got up and went to the kitchen to help. He picked, washed, and chopped the vegetables, while Hua Li only had to stir-fry them. Hua Li didn't even need to serve the food to the table.
Xiao Xiu stood next to Luo Yan as if he were being punished, but Luo Yan ignored him and focused on watching cartoons.
When Hua Li called her to dinner, Luo Yan got off the sofa and walked to the dining table, where Luo Shicheng helped her to a chair.
Seeing that Xiao Xiu was not moving, Hua Li went over and carried Xiao Xiu to sit down at the dining table.
Hua Li placed a piece of stewed beef on Xiao Xiu's plate, which was now very tender, and said to Xiao Xiu.
"Auntie believes that Xiaoxiu had a reason for hitting people, but no matter what, hitting people is wrong. I'll let it go this time, but if it happens again, Auntie will definitely punish you."
Luo Yan was furious that Xiao Xiu had fought with Mo Sanshan. If Mo Sanshan was injured, he could just pay compensation and that would be the end of it. But what if Xiao Xiu got hurt? How could he not learn his lesson after daring to fight with a boy who was more than a year older than her? But she also didn't want her mother to misunderstand Xiao Xiu.
Luo Yan patted Hua Li with her little hand, and when Hua Li looked at her, she patted herself again, "Yan Yan, brother hit..."
Hua Li didn't quite understand, so she tentatively asked Xiao Xiu, "Did you hit Mo Sanshan because of Yan Yan?"
Xiao Xiu nodded.
"Did he bully Yan Yan at kindergarten?" Luo Shicheng asked.
Xiao Xiu shook his head.
Luo Yan pointed in the direction next door and made a throwing motion, and Luo Shicheng immediately understood.
"Xiao Xiu only attacked Yan Yan because Mo Sanshan had bullied her?"
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
