?Chapter 23: Settle accounts severely at 23 Chapter 23: Settle accounts severely at 23 She touched the back of her head, which had been split open a few days ago, and murmured,


    “It’s all my fault. When Wang Zhaodi wanted to kill me, I shouldn’t have dodged.


    After all, I am the niece of the Captain. If I fought back, people would say the family of the brigade cadre is bullying others.


    I should have just stretched out my head and let Wang Zhaodi beat it…”


    The young girl, with her rosy lips and white teeth, spoke in a voice that was crisp and pleasant.


    It was a great relief to everyone’s eardrums, which had been severely tortured by Wang Zhaodi’s pig-like, sharp screams.


    The eyes of the villagers fell upon Lin Tang.


    Suddenly, they remembered the incident a few days ago when she was beaten to a bloody mess, nearly turning into a little mound of dirt.


    Involuntarily, they felt a surge of pity for the Lin Family’s well-behaved and studious young girl.


    Lin Tang had been obedient from an early age, never causing trouble.


    As for Zhaodi, she was constantly bullying Tang, but for what deep-seated hatred?


    Hearing that Lin Tang didn’t even cry out about how unfair it was, the women of the village felt aggrieved for her and their gaze towards Wang Zhaodi was tainted with annoyance.


    They quickly comforted Lin Tang by saying,


    “Tangtang, you’re wrong to say that. How can you invite a beating upon yourself?


    You didn’t do anything wrong; you’re just too soft-hearted, which makes it easy for others to bully you.”


    “Exactly, if you were just a bit feisty like your grandma and your mom, who would dare to bully you?”


    …


    Realizing that the villagers were on her side once again, Lin Tang’s eyes flashed with a deep intensity.


    Human hearts are unpredictable.


    If she were too aggressive, the villagers would indeed think her family was overbearing and unyielding even when they were in the right. Sёar?h the Novёl?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All she needed to do was show a little weakness, and everyone would side with them.


    Such is the human heart!


    It always sympathizes with the weak.


    Li Xiuli, upon hearing her daughter’s words, felt a pang of heartache.


    She almost couldn’t help but slap Wang Zhaodi a few more times.


    “What a disgrace!” Zhao Shuzhen said coldly, watching the scene from a distance.


    Lin Tang saw her grandma, and her facial expression slightly cracked.


    Was she being disdained?


    Looking at the villagers’ reaction, the tea ceremony she had learned did come in handy, right?


    At least it had turned the situation around.


    Zhao Shuzhen stepped out from among the crowd.


    She reached out and grabbed Wu Chunhua, who had been watching the commotion from the shadows, her eyes flashing with a cold light.


    “Can you not control her?” she pointed to Wang Zhaodi, who was playing the damsel in distress on the ground.


    “If you can’t control your own family, let me help you!”


    Her voice was soft yet it struck everyone’s heart like a fierce punch.


    A few people in the crowd with ill-intentions watched as their smirks of schadenfreude vanished instantly.


    They didn’t dare to even breathe loudly, fearful of attracting the attention of the female bandit.


    For Wu Chunhua, one of the primary parties involved, the level of fright was apparent.


    She was so scared that she didn’t dare to make eye contact with Zhao Shuzhen.


    Sweat dripped from her forehead into her eyes, but she didn’t even dare to wipe it away.


    Swallowing nervously, Wu Chunhua stammered, “…Aunt, don’t get agitated, go find Wang Zhaodi about the trouble she’s caused.


    I didn’t ask her to bully anyone, didn’t I discipline her last time?”


    “If you really can’t vent your anger, how about I kick her out of the house and let her fend for herself, would that suffice?”


    Wu Chunhua just wanted to cry.


    She hadn’t done anything but watch the excitement.


    How come Zhao Shuzhen, that harbinger of doom, had to notice her?


    Thinking back to her younger days, when she had bothered Lin Lu for a few days and Zhao Shuzhen had chased her to her door with a knife in the ‘glorious’ incident.


    Wu Chunhua wished she could just faint.


    It was too miserable!


    When Wang Zhaodi heard her mother talking about kicking her out, she threw herself over and clung to Wu Chunhua’s legs.


    “Mom, you can’t kick me out. What will I do if you kick me out?


    Mom, you can’t be so heartless. I’ll work hard, please don’t abandon me…”


    She just wanted the two hundred dollars promised by that rich girl, so she targeted Lin Tang with even more vigor. How did she suddenly end up in this mess?


    It’s all Lin Tang’s fault. Why does she have such a charmed life?


    If she were dead, there wouldn’t be all this trouble…”


    Wu Chunhua was too preoccupied to care about her.


    With a fierce kick, she sent her flying.


    “Get lost! You brought this on yourself, don’t expect me to clean up your mess.”


    Having said that, she held her breath, looking at Zhao Shuzhen with a face full of flattery.


    “Aunt Zhao, I really didn’t raise that bad girl. Lin Tang is your granddaughter. I wouldn’t dare covet… ”


    Wang Zhaodi was swollen all over, and not having eaten, she felt weak from hunger.


    Wu Chunhua gave her such a kick that she staggered backward and fell hard to the ground.


    Crying loudly, she said, “How can you say it wasn’t you? It was you!


    You called Li Xiuli a slut, saying she stole the man you were after.


    And Lin Tang, calling her a little slut, saying she looks just like a vixen, and that she would eventually…”


    Wang Zhaodi didn’t finish her sentence.


    Li Xiuli stepped forward and ‘smack smack…’ delivered several slaps in a row, cutting off the filthy words spilling out of her mouth.


    She was trembling with anger.


    She struck with all her might, hitting Wang Zhaodi until blood started to show at the corner of her mouth.


    Wang Zhaodi met Li Xiuli’s furious, man-eating gaze.


    She shrunk back, not daring to say another word.


    Seeing that Wang Zhaodi had backed down, Li Xiuli moved in front of Wu Chunhua and delivered slaps to both sides of her face.


    “Wu Chunhua, have you no shame? I stole the man you had your eye on? Ask Lin Lu if he admits he’s your man!


    People should know their place. What about you? After so many years of marriage, you’re still fixated on someone else’s husband.


    That’s just shameless and disgraceful. Let everyone judge who’s the real lowlife here…”


    This had happened so long ago, yet Wu Chunhua was still holding a grudge, even going as far as talking about it with the younger ones.


    Li Xiuli found it unbelievable.


    Lin Tang walked over silently, then suddenly spoke up.


    “Others’ family members are treasures carefully guarded; no matter how much outsiders yearn for them, it’s useless.


    You can’t steal them away, not in twenty years, fifty years, not even in a hundred years.”


    Her voice wasn’t loud, but her expression was solemn, causing everyone else to be taken aback.


    The women of the brigade were only focused on their own small world at home, fiercely protective of their family.


    They didn’t particularly like Wu Chunhua, a woman who coveted other men.


    Some women advised her, “Chunhua, we are all honest countrywomen. It’s best you stop thinking about someone else’s husband.


    You’ve got a family too; don’t make it ugly in the end…”


    Wu Chunhua’s face turned from pale to flush, as she rebutted, “I did not…”


    The villagers didn’t believe her.


    With her daughter’s detailed account, how could it be false?


    Some women who had a feud with Wu Chunhua sneered sarcastically, “Wu Chunhua, Wu Chunhua, ugly as you are, you still act like a fox spirit.


    At your age, you’re still pining for another’s man. You’re despicable, you have no shame.”


    Wu Chunhua felt attacked from all sides, her eyes nearly popping out in rage.


    “You’re the one who’s ugly. Your whole family is ugly!”


    The woman spat out, “Who’s ugly knows themselves. Look at that donkey face of yours; you still think you’re a fox spirit, pah!”


    Hearing the woman mention a donkey face, some wanted to laugh.


    Looking at Wu Chunhua’s long face with large, cow-like eyes, the crowd burst into laughter.


    In fact, Wu Chunhua’s features were not bad; she had a small face and large eyes.


    But she was older now, too dark, and too thin.


    Not fitting the current standard of beauty, many didn’t think she was attractive.


    Seeing the villagers laughing at her mother, Wang Zhaodi felt like she had been pricked in the butt and immediately jumped up.