"Third sister-in-law explained it very clearly. Big Head started the trouble, so it's not Hua Bao's fault," Zhang Xiaomei said weakly from behind Ya Ba.
But Zhang Liuhuo was not a reasonable person. He snorted, "I don't care who threw the first punch. I only know my son was beaten by Liu Nian. If he doesn't care about brotherhood, neither will I."
After speaking, Zhang Liuhuo punched Ya Ba directly in the face, knocking him to the ground. Then he raised his fist to strike Jiang Qingqing.
Zhang Xiaomei cried out, "Third sister-in-law!" and blocked the blow, falling to the ground beside Ya Ba with a thud.
Failing to hit the intended target with one move, Zhang Liuhuo was furious. He glared at Jiang Qingqing and raised his fist to continue.
Seeing him like this, Jiang Qingqing, protecting her belly, began to back away.
Zhang Liuhuo, seeing her fear, excitedly moved forward. But as soon as he took a step, his legs were held by someone. He looked down to see Ya Ba and Zhang Xiaomei each holding one of his legs.
"Please, don't hurt Third Sister-in-law. Hit me instead, okay?" Zhang Xiaomei pleaded, clinging to Zhang Liuhuo's leg.
If Zhang Liuhuo were someone who listened to advice, he wouldn't have sought revenge on a pregnant woman.
"It's useless no matter who comes. Today, I must avenge Big Head."
With that, Zhang Liuhuo lifted his left leg and kicked Zhang Xiaomei away.
"Xiaomei!" Jiang Qingqing tearfully tried to rush over to check on Zhang Xiaomei, but before she could take a step, Zhang Liuhuo grabbed her hand and slapped her across the face.
The slap sent Jiang Qingqing spinning, crashing towards the stone wall near the door.
Just then, Zhang Liunian returned. Seeing his wife hurtling towards the wall, he dropped his cart and rushed forward as if propelled by wind, blocking the wall.
However, due to the significant impact, Zhang Liunian felt his blood surge, and he grunted, "Mmph!"
Jiang Qingqing thought she was surely going to die this time. She had been protecting her belly with both hands, only to find herself falling into a familiar and comforting embrace.
Liu Nian is back?
Jiang Qingqing lifted her blurry eyes, tears rolling down uncontrollably. "Liu Nian."
Zhang Liunian wiped her tears and saw the clear red handprint on her face. His eyes narrowed as he glanced at Zhang Liuhuo, gently comforting her, "Don't be afraid, I'm back."
"Waa..." Jiang Qingqing saw his face and burst into tears. She had been so terrified moments ago, thinking she and the baby were in danger. Fortunately, Liu Nian had returned.
She touched her belly. Thankfully, the baby was unharmed.
But her sister-in-law was now lying on the ground, unable to get up. Thinking of this, she pushed her husband away and turned to help Zhang Xiaomei up. "Xiaomei, are you alright?"
Zhang Xiaomei shook her head, but her face was pale and covered in cold sweat. She was clearly not in a state to convince anyone.
Zhang Liunian looked at his pale sister, his shaken wife, his red-eyed but unyielding daughter, Ya Ba clinging to Zhang Liuhuo's leg, and the smug Tu Meili. He understood everything.
His cousin must have listened to Tu Meili and come to settle scores with his family.
Very good, very good.
"I was the one who beat your son and woman, Zhang Liuhuo. Come and hit me if you have the guts!" Zhang Liunian said, walking step by step towards him.
Zhang Liuhuo kicked away Ya Ba and met him with clenched fists.
"Zhang Liunian, you loser, you could never beat me since we were kids. Now you dare to bully my son? I'll smash your head!" he shouted and charged forward.
Jiang Qingqing and the others were worried about Zhang Liunian and were about to call out to him to be careful. But before they could speak, a dramatic scene unfolded. Zhang Liunian casually parried, swept his leg, and an elbow strike sent Zhang Liuhuo crashing to the ground.
As Zhang Liuhuo fell, he still couldn't quite process it. He had been beaten down by his cousin, whom he had always outmatched?
Impossible. He knew his cousin best. When it came to fighting, he was a cowardly wimp, never having won a single match against him.
How could he have beaten him after just a few days?
This must be his sheer dumb luck, it had to be.
Zhang Liuhuo refused to believe he had lost in a single move. He got up from the ground, ready to continue, but Zhang Liunian wouldn't let him. He pressed down with the weight of Mount Tai, kicking him to the ground again with a thud, followed by a flurry of punches and kicks.
"Enough, stop hitting him! He's your cousin! Zhang Liunian, if you keep hitting him, I'll tell Uncle!" Tu Meili had not expected her husband, usually a good fighter, to be unable to withstand a single move from Zhang Liunian.
Seeing her husband taking a beating from Zhang Liunian with no way to fight back and getting worse, she could only bend down and shout.
Zhang Liunian curled his lips, showing no intention of stopping. His cousin was Tu Meili's weapon.
The kind of weapon that struck wherever she pointed. If he didn't teach him a lesson today, he would be looking for trouble at his house every day.
He didn't care, but his wife was pregnant, and if something like this happened again when he wasn't around, the consequences were unimaginable.
With his mind made up, he acted decisively. After a thorough beating, Zhang Liunian feigned an accidental stomp and broke his cousin's tibia. The next moment, a piercing scream ripped from Zhang Liuhuo's throat, "Ah!"
Seeing her husband's face contorted in pain, Tu Meili, terrified, collapsed onto the ground.
Zhang Liunian was too ruthless. He had crippled her husband's leg. How could he do such a thing, how could he?
"Zhang Liunian, you'll die a terrible death! He's your own brother! How could you be so cruel? I'll have his parents deal with you!" After this incident, Tu Meili dared not confront Zhang Liunian directly. Since her husband couldn't last a single move, she certainly couldn't.
"Now you remember he's my brother? What were you thinking when you hit my wife's sister? Get out!" Zhang Liunian shoved Zhang Liuhuo forcefully onto Tu Meili, causing her to cry out in pain.
"Zhang Liunian, how dare you? How dare you do this to me?" Zhang Liuhuo, after recovering some breath, clutched his leg and glared fiercely at Zhang Liunian.
"You should have considered this outcome before you acted. Hurry up and get out, or you won't leave at all."
How dare he hit his family? Zhang Liuhuo had the gall of a leopard with a bear's heart.
"Heh, you just wait. I'll make you pay back tenfold," Zhang Liuhuo gritted his teeth, making his threat before leaving for the village clinic with Tu Meili's help.
His leg was broken, and the most important thing now was to have it set. After the leg was set, they would settle the score for the broken leg.
After they left.
Zhang Liunian called the village barefoot doctor to examine everyone. Fortunately, no one had any serious injuries.
Finally, the barefoot doctor prescribed two bottles of liniment for bruises and blood circulation and left.
Zhang Liunian paid the bill and saw the doctor out. As he closed the door, his daughter hugged his leg.
"Daddy, Big Head's daddy was so bad. He wanted to hit Mommy, and Hua Bao and Auntie. He was so naughty." Hua Bao had also been scared by Zhang Liuhuo and now needed her daddy's hug.