Chapter 18: Tattling – Daily Life in the Compound with the Frail Sister-in-law

Chapter 18: Tattling - Daily Life in the Compound with the Frail Sister-in-law

Lin Qing seemed to think that what she had said in the morning didn’t quite hit hard enough. So, after breakfast, while she was brewing her medicine, she opened the doors and windows and used a fan to direct the steam outside.

The smell of the herbal medicine was strong, but fortunately, the children in the compound were all at school, leaving only the older women and younger wives to suffer the brunt of it.

This made them even more aware that Lin Qing’s words were not just empty threats, which left them even more on edge.

Lin Qing found it particularly amusing to watch them squirm, especially Mother Gu and Mother Jiang. So, she deliberately brought out a reclining chair, placed it at the door, and lay there, watching them chat.

This reclining chair had been made after Cen Xi saw an old man using one and decided Lin Qing might enjoy lying in the sun at home. So, he had one made for her.

Lin Qing found it quite funny to see the occasional glances the two women threw her way.

Mother Li, observing Lin Qing’s actions, thought she was quite the troublemaker!

Lin Qing’s every move was done openly and confidently, which left Mother Gu and Mother Jiang with countless insults they wanted to hurl but didn’t dare say aloud. Everyone was afraid that she might collapse from anger.

Thanks to Lin Qing’s actions in the morning, she enjoyed a peaceful day. Neither Mother Gu nor Mother Jiang dared to cause trouble in front of her.

Cen Xi had planned to return at noon, but since he had a lot of work to handle, he couldn’t make it back in time. Fortunately, Lin Qing had previously discussed with him that there was no need to come back at noon. After all, no one else came back at that time and instead ate at the factory canteen. So, he didn’t need to be different and could just return in the afternoon.

Although Cen Xi couldn’t return at noon, he was still worried about Lin Qing. In just a few days, he had clearly realized that the women in the compound were not to be underestimated, and he feared that Lin Qing might be bullied.

Unfortunately, he didn’t know that his delicate and weak little wife had caused quite a stir in the compound, taking charge of the situation.

In the afternoon, as soon as it was time to leave work, Cen Xi hurriedly packed his things and left. A colleague jokingly said, “Cen Gong, just got married, huh? Can’t even wait a minute!”

“Haha!” The others laughed too.

It had taken a lot of effort to introduce him to a partner, but he had resisted fiercely. Who would have thought that after just one hospital stay, he would return with a wife and become inseparable from her?

Cen Xi hurried out of the factory gate.

As he was walking, he happened to run into Gu Hang, someone he hadn’t spoken to before from the front yard. Gu Hang hadn’t expected it to be so coincidental and noticed Cen Xi shortly after he started walking.

After thinking for a moment, he decided to approach and greet him, “Cen Gong, just getting off work?”

Cen Xi nodded, his sharp gaze behind his glasses suggesting, “Everyone gets off work at the same time; what kind of nonsense are you saying?”

“Uh...” Gu Hang felt a bit embarrassed.

“Then let’s walk back together!”

“Sure!” Cen Xi didn’t mind. The path was there, and whether they walked together or not didn’t make a difference.

However, Cen Xi didn’t want to engage in idle chatter, so he walked quickly. Gu Hang seemed to notice this, but since he had suggested walking together, he quickened his own pace, a bit of a self-inflicted situation.

Cen Xi and Gu Hang entered the compound gate together, and upon entering, Cen Xi headed straight toward his own door. Unfortunately, he was intercepted halfway.

“Hmm?” Cen Xi, with his sharp gaze behind his glasses, looked at Mother Gu and Mother Jiang, who had blocked his way.

“What are you two doing?”

Gu Hang was also puzzled. What was his mother up to?

Mother Gu and Mother Jiang had waited all day and finally managed to catch him. They had spent the entire day discussing and decided that they needed to properly report Lin Qing’s behavior to Cen Gong.

Cen Gong was the first to speak. "Cen Gong, you really need to get your wife in line!"

As soon as his mother opened her mouth, Gu Hang felt a knot form in his heart. Great, what kind of nonsense is she spewing now?

"Hmm?" Cen Xi's gaze became even sharper and more serious.

It was like these two old ladies had no clue what they were doing. After Mother Gu finished, Mother Jiang continued, "Exactly! If you don't discipline your wife, she's going to get out of hand."

Mother Gu, speaking from a position of experience, said, "It's true! Look at all the other daughters-in-law. Who acts like yours? Lazy, pitiful, doing nothing all day, and acting like a real fox, even trying to bewitch me, an old lady."

Mother Jiang quickly added, "And that's not all! Your wife shows no respect for her elders. This morning, when we said a few words to her, she snarled and retorted with sharp words. You really need to rein her in!"

As Cen Xi listened to the two older women spitting venom, their excited words painting Lin Qing in a bad light, a cold aura spread from him, making the air feel heavy.

Gu Hang, sensing trouble, tried to pull his mother back. "Mom, stop talking!"

"Why should I stop? I'm letting Mr. Cen discipline his wife so she doesn't run wild."

Gu Hang thought, can't you see he's already black-faced? And you're still talking.

Lin Qing had been paying attention to the time, waiting for Cen Xi to come home. From the bedroom, she walked towards the front, only to see the scene of Cen Xi being intercepted by the two older women.

Tsk, tsk. Don’t they ever learn?

Lin Qing thought for a moment, then slowly walked over. Almost as soon as she appeared, Cen Xi noticed her and immediately bypassed the two older women, heading straight for Lin Qing.

"Looks like you two didn’t remember what I said this morning!"

The two older women were puzzled. How did the person they were talking about just disappear?

Turning around, they saw that the person they had been complaining about was standing right behind them.

Mother Gu and Mother Jiang instinctively wanted to step back, but then they remembered that they had just reported her to Cen Xi. Surely, he would scold her, so they stopped themselves from retreating.

But the next second, Lin Qing pulled a big move.

Lin Qing clutched her chest and slumped against the man beside her.

"Qingqing, Qingqing, what's wrong? What's wrong?" Cen Xi was startled and immediately caught her as her body went limp.

Mother Gu and Mother Jiang didn't see the scene they had expected. Instead, they saw something even more shocking.

Lin Qing, her face pale and looking weak, said, "My chest feels so stuffy and uncomfortable."

"What's wrong? Why is this happening? I’ll take you to the hospital," Cen Xi said, clearly worried. Luckily, Lin Qing gave him a subtle pinch to signal him, so he refrained from immediately rushing her to the hospital.

Lin Qing's gaze lightly swept over Mother Gu and Mother Jiang, causing both of them to tremble.

"I think their words just upset me, and now I’m feeling really sick!"

Cen Xi's eyes flickered with understanding, and he immediately grasped her intention, playing along. "Since you're feeling unwell, let's go to the hospital. And they can cover the medical expenses." Cen Xi was quite unhappy about the way they had spoken about Lin Qing, and this would serve as a lesson for them.

Mother Li, at this moment, also arrived from the backyard. She had heard from the children that something was happening in the front yard, and when she came out, she saw this scene.

"Lin Qing, are you okay?"

"Qingqing was upset by what these two older ladies said, and now she's not feeling well. I'm taking her to the hospital, Mother Li. Can you take these two along and make sure they pay the medical bills?"

Mother Gu stammered in protest, "No, no, we didn't mean to upset her."

Mother Jiang hadn't expected them to actually demand she cover the medical costs and hurriedly stepped back. "It's not our fault; he's just too weak! What's that got to do with us?"

Mother Li was absolutely livid. She had assumed that after Lin Qing's warning today, those two wouldn’t dare to act up again. She didn’t expect them to try something like this.

They really need to learn their lesson before they'll wise up!

But nobody paid any attention to them. Cen Xi scooped up Lin Qing and rushed her to the hospital.

Mother Li grabbed hold of Mother Jiang and Mother Gu and trailed along behind. When Gu Hang saw his mom being led away, he couldn't just sit back and watch—he tagged along too.

Mother Sui was just there for the drama. Noticing that Mother Li couldn’t manage both on her own, she jumped in to help wrangle them and joined the procession.