Chen Li Shu woke to find the space beside her empty. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was past seven and her cheeks flushed.
Last night had gone too late, and she’d overslept. Feeling a flicker of annoyance at Gu Xing Dong for not waking her, she moved without delay, quickly getting dressed and up.
Outside, Li Xiu Lan and Zhang Qin had already finished breakfast and were working on the kang. Seeing her emerge, Li Xiu Lan smiled and said, "The food is covered on the bowl rack cabinet. Third son and your father went to the mountains to set snares; they should be back before noon."
"Got it, Mom," Chen Li Shu replied with a smile, then turned towards the kitchen.
"Waking up this late, breakfast is already prepared," Liu Yue Min muttered displeasedly, watching her retreating back.
Li Xiu Lan shot her a look. "Third son's wife finally has a day off. Don't just stare at others all day. How much earlier did you wake up than her?"
Liu Yue Min pouted petulantly. "When someone has great ability, they're the favored daughter-in-law. For us incompetent ones, anything we say is wrong. Fine, I won't be an eyesore to you anymore. I'm going back to my room to work."
With that, she rolled up the fabric in her hands and returned to her own room.
Hearing her words, Li Xiu Lan's movements paused for a moment, and then she shook her head helplessly.
"Chen Li Shu, you slut, hurry up and get out here! Playing dirty tricks behind my back, you shameless wretch, you’ve committed a grave sin!"
Suddenly, a torrent of curses erupted from the courtyard. Li Xiu Lan peeked out the window and saw that it was Widow Liu and her two sons who had arrived. Her face darkened, and she quickly put on her shoes and got off the kang.
Fearing outsiders might see, Zhang Qin swiftly stuffed the items the two were holding into the kang cabinet, then followed Li Xiu Lan outside.
"I say, Liu family, why are you kicking up such a fuss this early? If you want to cause trouble, at least consider the place."
"I'm causing trouble? Li, quickly call your third son’s wife out here. That slut broke my son’s leg, and I must have an explanation today." Widow Liu glared with her small, rat-like eyes, her gaze fixed fiercely on the house.
"What utter nonsense you’re spewing! Our third son’s wife only returned a few days ago. Who knows where your Liu Da Bao got himself into trouble and got ambushed? Don't you dare try to shift the blame onto us. I'm telling you, I, Li Xiu Lan, am not to be bullied. Don't even think about pinning your dirty laundry on my daughter-in-law!"
"I'm pinning dirty laundry? Someone saw it with their own eyes, so how could it be false?" Widow Liu put her hands on her hips and spat heavily towards the direction of the house. "Chen, don't be a turtle hiding its head. You shameless bitch, daring to break my son's leg, have the guts to come out!"
Seeing her attempt to rush into the house, Li Xiu Lan stepped forward and shoved her, causing her to stumble. She wasn't a soft persimmon to be bullied casually. Although she usually got along well with others and appeared kind, she was resolute when it mattered.
"You dare touch my mother!" Liu Xiao Bao, seeing his mother being bullied, stepped forward, glaring at Li Xiu Lan as if ready to pounce.
"Liu Xiao Bao, dare to lay a hand on my mother today, and I'll chop off whichever hand touches her!"
Chen Li Shu stood at the kitchen doorway, her gaze cold as she spoke to Liu Xiao Bao.
Seeing her emerge, Li Xiu Lan became anxious. "Third son's wife, why did you come out? This little brat wants to quibble with me? I'll sort him out, that bastard!"
Upon seeing Chen Li Shu, Widow Liu's spirits surged. Her eyebrows shot up as she pointed at her and questioned, "Chen, did you frame my Da Bao and beat his leg broken with a sack?"
Chen Li Shu looked at her and said with a half-smile, "So what if I did? And so what if I didn't?"
"Someone saw it, so your attempt to quibble is useless. Two hundred yuan. As long as you're willing to pay two hundred yuan, this matter will be settled today. Otherwise, you won't have a good day from now on!"
"Whoa!"
The onlookers who had gathered gasped upon hearing the amount she demanded.
"This Widow Liu really dares to ask for the moon. Two hundred yuan for a broken leg? Is her son's leg made of gold?"
"The matter isn't settled yet. Besides, with Liu Da Bao's character, who knows what he did to provoke Dong Zi's wife. She's such a good girl. If it really was Dong Zi's wife, I think breaking his leg is the least she could have done."
Hearing Widow Liu's words, Li Xiu Lan laughed in anger. "Wang Ju Hua, if you can't go on living, just say so. It's better for all three of you to hang yourselves with a rope, saving you the embarrassment of showing your face."
Demanding two hundred yuan at once, which was equivalent to a year's work points in the production team, was utterly shameless!
Widow Liu put her hands on her hips and replied, "I'm living just fine, why should I die? Li Xiu Lan, I'm telling you, this is out of consideration for our decades of neighborly relations. If it were someone else, this matter wouldn't be resolved for less than five hundred or a thousand."
Li Xiu Lan had truly witnessed the extent of her shamelessness. "So, should I thank you then?"
"No need for thanks. Hurry up and give me the money, or my three children and I will just squat here and not leave. That way, we’ll save on future meals."
"Fine, I'll let you squat here!" Li Xiu Lan gnashed her teeth in anger. She walked straight to the chicken coop, grabbed the broom used for cleaning chicken manure, and turned to whack Widow Liu with it, from head to toe.
"I’ll let you shameless woman come here to extort! Do you really think we Gu family are easy to bully? You won't leave, right? Today, I'll beat you so hard you can't leave through this door!"
With the sweep of the broom, Widow Liu immediately cried out like a slaughtered pig, "Murder! The Gu family is trying to kill me!"
Liu Xiao Bao, seeing his mother being bullied, stepped forward and shoved Li Xiu Lan forcefully. Fortunately, Zhang Qin and Liu Yue Min had been paying attention and quickly reached out to steady her.
"I'll let you hit my mom!" Failing to push her down, Liu Xiao Bao was still angry and raised his leg to kick again. Zhang Qin quickly stepped forward to shield her. "Liu Xiao Bao, what are you doing!"
"Ah—"
Suddenly, a scream rang out, and everyone's eyes snapped towards the source. Chen Li Shu was standing over Liu Da Bao, her foot planted on his bandaged left leg. Liu Da Bao's entire face was contorted in pain.
"Mom, are you alright?" Chen Li Shu asked worriedly in Li Xiu Lan's direction.
"I'm fine. I was careless and was pushed by this little brat," Li Xiu Lan said, waving her hand to indicate she was not seriously injured.
Widow Liu, looking at Liu Da Bao writhing on the ground in pain, felt both anxious and hateful. Her body surged forward like a firecracker towards Chen Li Shu. "Chen Li Shu, you slut, I'll fight you to the death today!"
With her old and new grievances, Widow Liu felt like tearing Chen Li Shu apart.
Chen Li Shu had already prepared herself when she saw her charging. As Widow Liu closed in, she quickly sidestepped.
Widow Liu's momentum was too great, and she couldn't stop herself, charging directly towards the pigsty behind Chen Li Shu.