Chapter 20: Experts Clashing, Smearing Each Other

Chapter 20: Experts Clashing, Smearing Each Other

After finishing tidying up the house, Su An went out to purchase some daily necessities and rode her bicycle to the bank to withdraw the money she would need for the next day.

In the evening, she made herself a meal by cooking four eggs into an egg pancake with more egg than flour.

Just after finishing her meal and washing up, Xiao Jiliang returned, bringing a group of children with her.

Even before she entered the door, her foul language could be heard from the stairwell.

"Sister Xiao, what was going on with Da Xing that you were helping him?"

The question came from an old woman, also staying home to take care of children like Xiao Jiliang. Her snoopy eyes were full of gossip.

The residents sitting nearby, cooling off and walking their children, all gathered around, eager to watch the spectacle.

They had all heard the screams and noises coming from the Zhao family's house in the morning. By the end of the day, there were already several wildly varying rumors circulating.

Xiao Jiliang, finding a kindred spirit, grabbed the other woman's hand and began to rant excitedly.

"Man Ying, you wouldn't believe it! It's truly a misfortune for our family, marrying in such a disaster!"

"What happened? I thought you said she was brought home this morning?"

Xiao Jiliang pretended to wipe away a tear. "Oh, my poor Zhao Long! The first wife didn't have much luck, and now this second one is nothing but trouble. I knew she didn't have a proper upbringing, but I didn't expect this black-hearted woman to be so evil!"

"At the beginning, this new wife viciously beat my children as soon as she entered the house. My Xiao Long and Xiao Hu are still terrified of her. They cling to me the moment I leave the house, not daring to stay with that evil woman for a second."

"She's not just vicious; she's a thief too. Today, my Zhao Long brought her home with all due respect, but she started picking fights the moment she stepped in. I was so furious, I nearly passed out!"

"When my Zhao Long tried to reason with her, she attacked him. He's still in the hospital now. What sin have I committed to deserve such a disaster, to have this evil woman trying to ruin our family?"

"What? The new wife beat Zhao Long so badly that he had to be hospitalized?"

Wang Man Ying, upon hearing Xiao Jiliang's tale, widened her eyes in surprise.

"Is she out of her mind? Sister Xiao, you haven't set proper boundaries as the mother-in-law. Look at the other families in this compound; which wife isn't obedient? You need to be stricter, show her who's boss. You've got more life experience than she has sense. Can't you handle her?" Wang Man Ying incited, fanning the flames.

The onlookers also began to murmur among themselves. "I never would have guessed! She looks so delicate and pretty, but she's actually so heartless!"

"Exactly! Not only did she mistreat the children, but she even sent Zhao Long to the hospital. Isn't this like marrying a madwoman?"

"Yes, hearing Sister Xiao's description, she's disrespectful, unruly, and even steals. What kind of person did they marry into the family?"

"Could this be a scam marriage? Or like what Sister Xiao mentioned before, is there some shady business outside, making her unwilling to settle down and live a proper life?"

"Who knows? You can't judge a book by its cover, so we should all stay away from her. Judging by this situation, even if she's not crazy, she's definitely not a good person!"

"Grandma, I'm starving!"

Zhao Long, seeing his grandmother getting more and more worked up, repeating her complaints and portraying Su An as a heartless monster to the neighbors, with no plans to go home, could no longer bear it. He tugged at his grandmother's sleeve.

Zhao Hu and Zhao Feng also gazed at Xiao Jiliang with pleading eyes.

"Grandma, I'm starving to death too!"

Wang Manying was still not satisfied. "Oh, the kids haven't eaten yet? I saw Xiao Su buying a bunch of stuff earlier. You should go home and feed them!"

"Xiao Jiliang, as the mother-in-law, you’re the one in charge here. There’s no need to give her a good face. Once she enters your family's door, she has to be filial to you. This woman, at her age, might be lacking in upbringing, as you said. In the future, you should take her under your wing and teach her properly!"

The onlookers chimed in, "That's right. If she's not filial to her elders, she deserves to be struck by lightning and cursed by everyone. If she's really no good, she won’t be tolerated in our building!"

"Xiao Jiliang, the children are hungry. Hurry and take them home. You can deal with other matters later. Since Xiao Su doesn’t have a job, she’ll be relying on you for everything. You’ll have plenty of chances to show her who’s boss."

"If nothing else works, lock her up and teach her a lesson. Even the wildest temper can be tamed."

Xiao Jiliang sighed, looking utterly exhausted, and led the children home.

As she reached the door, she pushed it but it didn't open. She started yelling at the top of her voice.

"Su An, what are you hiding in there, you good-for-nothing? Locking your mother-in-law out like this, you ungrateful wretch!"

Su An, with a towel wrapped around her hair, yanked the door open.

Seeing the crowd of onlookers pointing fingers, it didn’t take much to guess how this old woman had been slandering her.

After all, in her previous life, when Su An had cared for her bedridden, attending to her every need, she hadn't received a single word of gratitude.

It was this old hag's twisted tongue that had isolated her from the neighbors.

"Oh, Mother-in-law, you’re back? Why so mean when you could just knock?

"I was washing my hair in the inner room and thought some lunatic was screaming outside."

"By the way, how’s Da Xing? He can’t be hurt—he’s the one holding this family together! Mother-in-law, Da Xing and I don’t care if you find someone else. We understand you’re lonely and cold, but Da Xing is your son. If you don’t want him to marry, he still has to. A mother and son shouldn’t have that kind of relationship!"

"Da Xing told me that the previous sister-in-law, Li Li, was worn down and died because of you. Now that I've just entered the family, you’re slandering me everywhere and even encouraging Da Xing to hit me. Now, you’ve hurt Da Xing!

"He’s your son. You can’t destroy him just because you can’t have him. Mother-in-law, a mother and son cannot..."

With Su An's words, the crowd outside exploded in shock.

Wang Manying shrieked, "What? Li Li was tormented to death? And you’re saying Xiao Jiliang… what, you’re into your own son?"

.