Lin Wan spoke, then with a slap, hit Shen Rong on the other cheek, perhaps in disbelief of what had just happened, Shen Rong and Li Chang in the living room, like mannequins, were still dazed and hadnât reacted.
"This slap is to tell you that I, Lin Wan, am not easy to bully. Be careful what you say around me in the future. I usually donât like to get angry; itâs best to stay harmonious among relatives. Donât go too far. I generally donât get angry, but when I do, Iâm not to be messed with."
"...." Shen Rong finally reacted, staring at Lin Wan incredulously, and slowly raised a hand to touch her burning face, erupting with a scream.
"Lin Wan, you bitch, you dare hit me, watch me fight you!" she shouted as she rushed towards Lin Wan.
Han Yi quickly stood up and kicked Shen Rong to the ground. If it werenât for the fact that he, a big man, didnât want to argue with her, he would have hit her back in middle school.
Unexpectedly, over the years, she has become more unruly, even insulting and hitting his wife.
"Shen Rong, dare touch Xiao Wan today, and believe me, Iâll dislocate your arm immediately."
"Cousin, itâs just women squabbling a bit, isnât this excessive for a man? Besides, my cousin was the one who hit Rongrong first. You allow hitting, but donât let others hit back?" Li Chang saw the couple bullying his wife, and if he didnât stand up now, they would definitely treat him like a coward.
Although he feared this cousin whoâd been in the army for years, his words didnât have much momentum.
"My wife hits, and just canât hit back, what, do you have a problem?" Han Yi, fiercely and with a glance at Li Chang, whose body shivered under the influence.
The momentum completely lost, he awkwardly didnât know how to retort.
"Han Yi, dare hit me, ah, Iâll fight you!" Shen Rong rose frantically from the ground, preparing to pounce at Han Yi.
Lin Wan feared Han Yi as a man, not good to argue with a woman, so she stood in front and pulled Shen Rongâs hair, unexpectedly tossing her to the side, causing Shen Rong to scream in pain in the courtyard.
Tan Aixiang hurried forward to pull Shen Rong, enough for Han Yi Lin Wan to discipline a bit, itâs not good for them if it continues further. "Rongrong, stop, weâre all family, what are you doing?"
"Get off me, watch me tear Lin Wan, you bitch, are you not my saozi? Canât see the couple hitting me alone? Why are you pulling me? Get off!" Shen Rong struggled free from Tan Aixiangâs restraint as she spoke.
"Li Chang, what are you doing? Canât see Iâm being bullied? Hurry and help me!"
"I...I..." Li Chang nervously glanced at Han Yi, stammering and afraid to step forward.
"Ai Xiang, let her go. I want to see what she really wants today." Han Ying was furious, leaning on the door frame, pointing at Shen Rong in the courtyard, adding "Unfilial descendant, isnât kneeling yet."
Shen Rong shook off Tan Aixiangâs pull, saying "Why should I kneel? Grandma, you can see your granddaughter is being hit by your grandson, and instead of seeking justice for me, you ask me to kneel? Bias to the point of not even caring for granddaughter. Fine...fine, you donât want me, donât blame me for not recognizing you as grandma."
"Rongrong, how can you speak to grandma like that, apologize quickly." Tan Aixiang quickly rebuked seeing Shen Rongâs words were too much.
"I wonât apologize, itâs not my fault."
"Grandma, donât be angry, donât be angry, today Rongrongâs words were indeed a bit out of line, I apologize here to cousin and cousin-in-law. Theyâve already hit Rongrong, letâs forgive her for today. Speaking of, itâs my fault, it was I who thought to borrow money, Rongrong did it all for me."
"Get out, get out, quickly take her away. Donât let me see her." Han Ying pointed at the still unrepentant Shen Rong, breathing heavily in anger.
The heavens are blind, how did the eldest family produce two unruly troublemakers?
"Grandma, donât be mad, Iâll persuade her properly when I go back, and visit you in a few days." Li Chang accompanied with a smile, hurriedly pulling Shen Rong out.
At this time, neighbors had curiously looked over.
Seeing Shen Rong with disheveled hair, swollen cheeks, clothes dirty with dust, in a rather miserable state, everyone kindly stepped forward to ask "Whatâs wrong?"
Shen Rong rudely responded with hostility "None of your business, mind your own affairs."
Leaving neighbors embarrassed. Some neighbors, annoyed by her, scornfully glanced at the couple.
Li Chang, always conscious of face, was humiliated this time by Shen Rong, the troublemaker woman indeed, could only forcefully smile and explain "Rongrong and I had a bit of a spat," as he softly coaxed Shen Rong.
Shen Rong, easily swayed by Li Changâs sweet words, quickly calmed down in the blink of an eye.
"Hmph, Lin Wan just wait, Iâll remember this beating, someday, Iâll get revenge. Also, you must help me. Just now, really, I was hit by the couple, and you dared not help, truly a coward."
In an unrecognizable place, Li Chang impatiently pushed Shen Rong away, hands in pockets, without waiting for her, walked on ahead, with no sign of tenderness left "You still dare say, I think youâve completely forgotten our purpose for coming here."
Shen Rong choked on his words, halted, ignoring the pain, hurriedly caught up to Li Chang, explaining "I...I didnât forget. Just now, youâve heard, they were really excessive. Borrowing money makes us so humbled like grandchildren. Look at Lin Wanâs smug look, Iâm annoyed just seeing it. No borrowing, wait, even for borrowing, I would avoid their door in the future."
Li Chang glared fiercely at Shen Rong "Truly brainless. Borrowing money from others, if not humbled, show a good attitude, or act arrogant like you did just now, scolding people, no wonder you got hit, and expect them to lend you money? Only you can have such a stupid brain, your mother mustâve eaten pig brain when pregnant."
"How can you say that, I...I was doing it for you today." To Li Changâs reproach, Shen Rong, like a punchbag, dared not argue.
"For me? More like for our family. Do you even realize, Brother Liu only gave us a week, many want to invest, he said wouldnât wait past the deadline. If we canât raise the money, no share in the fortune for us. At home, werenât you confident, claiming grandma would definitely lend, then saying your cousin-in-law who now runs a business would surely lend at least five hundred. And that cousin of yours. Still planning to visit their home tomorrow, the result? Today, youâve been rejected outright. You went further, even cursed them. Now, all paths blocked, no room to pivot. So, what do you suggest?"
"I never expected it! How could I have known today Lin Wan would be so strong, normally I say something and she didnât react...Definitely today because cousin is present, she has the guts. On usual occasions, would she dare, wouldnât she obediently lend? Han Yi is no good either; hitting a woman, not caring that Iâm his cousin. My grandma is just biased, watching the couple hit me, not stopping them, holding me instead. Hmph, tomorrow Iâm going to the factory to complain to my brother."
"Youâre waiting till tomorrow, tonight theyâve probably already talked first. Fool, now only your mom gave us one hundred, weâre still short two hundred. After this, go to the factory and find your brother, asking him instead since cousin-in-law couldnât lend."
"You still talk, arenât we just investing three hundred, at grandmaâs you say five hundred, then ask Lin Wan for two thousand, how much do you want to invest?"
"You know nothing, report a real figure, they may not lend that amount, stating five hundred, if they canât lend that much, shouldnât they be embarrassed to lend less. This way, when gathered, weâll have enough money."
"Also, the reason for borrowing much from your cousin-in-law, didnât you say she had money, better lent than idle at home, use it to do other business. You truly are stupid, so stupid indeed, always with a worm in the brain. Fed enough?"
Shen Rong silently hung her head under Li Changâs critique, daring not speak much, feeling such circumstance was already habitual.
Shen Rong touched her still burning face, worried "How will I see my brother and explain this?"