A rather plain-looking, somewhat aged man peeked out.
That person was Father Liu, who had been hiding behind the scenes.
He even gave Liu Guiyun an awkward smile, completely oblivious to his wife, who was fuming with rage at Liu Guiyun.
Liu Guiyun cast a contemptuous glance and raised her voice:
“Oh! Finally decided to show yourself! Where’s Liu Yunyun?”
Father Liu stepped out under the watchful eyes of the crowd, inwardly cursing Liu Yunyun, the troublemaker, and Mother Liu, the useless waste.
As he walked out, he dragged along Liu Yunyun, who offered no resistance.
Father Liu put on a simple and honest smile and said:
“She’s right here! Feel free to punish her however you see fit.”
Father Liu made no mention of compensation, only emphasizing that once the punishment was over, the matter should be considered settled and not brought up again.
Liu Guiyun wasn’t buying it. She stared coldly at Father Liu’s seemingly honest but inwardly cunning smile:
“What about the apology? And the three hundred yuan in compensation?”
Liu Guiyun directly reached out her hand in front of Father Liu, demanding payment.
Hearing this, Father Liu lowered his head, his face showing an embarrassed and awkward expression:
“Well…”
Liu Guiyun’s anger was about to boil over. She urged impatiently:
“What? Shouldn’t parents be responsible for their children’s mistakes? Hurry up and hand over the money.”
The father paying for the son’s debt has been a matter of course since ancient times.
Father Liu’s small eyes shrank slightly. Glancing down at Liu Yunyun, who was lying on the ground pretending to be dead, he kicked her in frustration and said harshly:
“Worthless girl, don’t pretend to be dead to avoid this. Get up and apologize.”
“Ouch~”
Liu Yunyun cried out in pain and opened her narrow, upturned eyes, which were already small but now even less visible due to her bruised and swollen face.
She stood up, faced Xie Qingtao, and bowed:
“I’m sorry, Qingtao. I was blinded by greed and did something to hurt you. You’ll forgive me, right? We’re good sisters, after all!”
After speaking, Liu Yunyun even shrank back slightly, appearing extremely afraid of Xie Qingtao.
It seemed as though she was forced to admit her mistake under the oppressive might of Xie Qingtao and the Xie family.
Liu Yunyun had truly inherited her family’s legacy, deeply versed in the art of language.
In her apology, she vaguely glossed over the fact that she had reported Xie Qingtao for cheating, while simultaneously placing Xie Qingtao on a moral high ground from which she couldn’t step down.
If Xie Qingtao didn’t forgive her, it would make Xie Qingtao appear petty and narrow-minded, leaving the impression of someone who held grudges among those present.
If Xie Qingtao forgave her, she would feel resentful and stifled, with a knot of frustration stuck in her chest, unable to rise or fall, which would eventually make her ill.
Liu Yunyun’s move was extremely clever.
A vague apology and moral blackmail against Xie Qingtao.
Shifting most of the attention onto Xie Qingtao.
This way, the damage to her own reputation would be minimized.
The other uninformed people in the compound only thought it was about Liu Yunyun bullying Xie Qingtao at school.
Not about her falsely accusing Xie Qingtao of cheating out of jealousy.
The people in the compound would only talk about it for a while before forgetting it.
They had no idea what had actually happened.
Xie Qingtao refused to say she forgave Liu Yunyun, her lips pressed tightly together, her almond-shaped eyes filled with stubbornness and reluctance.
Liu Yunyun was very patient, remaining bowed the entire time.
The two of them remained locked in a stalemate.
The scorching summer sun beat down on everyone, beads of sweat forming on their foreheads. The heat made them even more irritable and muddled their thoughts, leaving them with no ability to think clearly.
Sure enough, someone’s heart softened and stepped forward with a sympathetic expression to mediate.
That person was Auntie Li, the most soft-hearted and saintly figure in the compound.
“Qingtao, why don’t you just forgive Yunyun? It’s not good to keep dragging this out here. Liu Yunyun’s father still has to go to work.”
Auntie Li fanned herself with her hand, so hot that her clothes were soaked through, her face flushed red, resembling a kind of insect Xie Qingtao had seen in books that turned entirely red after molting.
However, Auntie Li’s slightly plump and sturdy body, paired with her sun-reddened face, looked rather comical.
Like a caterpillar with a bright red face.
Xie Qingtao merely cast a cold, sidelong glance at Auntie Li. Her almond-shaped eyes, usually filled with warmth, were now icy and piercing.
The chill made Auntie Li shiver.
Just moments ago, she had felt unbearably hot, but now an inexplicable, bone-deep coldness surged through her, quickly spreading to every part of her body.
Her previously muddled mind suddenly became crystal clear.
Auntie Li deeply regretted her saintly impulse at that moment.
Just now, Xie Qingtao had clearly seen the undisguised resentment and jealousy in Liu Yunyun’s eyes as she faced her.
Rage boiled and churned within her body. Her hands clenched tightly, the urge to strike someone growing stronger.
Just as she was about to act, a force mixed with cold wind and ferocity swept past her face.
A sharp “smack!” echoed.
Xie Qingtao saw Liu Yunyun’s head snap to the side from the force of the slap, her face swelling rapidly.
If Liu Yunyun’s earlier injuries were superficial, now she truly sported a face swollen like a pig’s head.
“You slandered my Taotao for cheating at school this morning, and now you dare to emotionally blackmail her? Have you grown tired of living? I’ll grant your wish.”
Liu Guiyun immediately tore down Liu Yunyun’s facade.
Grabbing the collar of Liu Yunyun’s faded, frayed shirt, she unleashed a flurry of slaps.
Liu Yunyun cried out in pain with each strike.
The Liu family wanted to rescue her, but one fierce glance from Liu Guiyun froze them in place.
Only after venting her anger did Liu Guiyun release Liu Yunyun. She dusted off her hands and tossed Liu Yunyun aside like a rag, delivering a final warning from her commanding position:
“If I find out you’ve bullied my Taotao again, I’ll beat you every time I see you, until you don’t dare anymore.”
Liu Yunyun trembled with rage, her fists clenched tightly, her eyes lowered to hide the jealousy and hatred in her heart.
Why? Why did Xie Qingtao effortlessly receive her family’s affection, while she faced nothing but curses, beatings, and kicks from her own family the moment she opened her eyes each day?
Liu Yunyun screamed silently in her heart, consumed by jealousy and resentment.
Liu Guiyun paid no attention to Liu Yunyun’s resentment and envy. With just a glance, she knew exactly what was going through Liu Yunyun’s mind.
She believed people like Liu Yunyun simply hadn’t been beaten enough.
Having vented her anger, she felt much calmer.
Liu Guiyun then turned her sharp gaze to Father Liu and Mother Liu, who were trying to shrink into the background, and urged impatiently:
“Where’s the money? Hand it over now.”
If they waited any longer, the good stuff at the supply and marketing cooperative would be gone.
Liu Guiyun had no intention of waiting.
Father Liu, trembling as he looked at Liu Yunyun’s pitiful state, pulled out a stack of slightly damp money from his pocket.
Liu Guiyun pinched her nose in disgust and complained:
“Liu Tiezhu, your money reeks! It smells awful.”
Father Liu was counting the money with his head lowered. At her words, his face turned a mix of green and purple, filled with humiliation.
Liu Guiyun took the money handed over by Father Liu, somewhat disdainfully holding it away from herself, even fanning with it in an attempt to disperse the smell.
Xie Qingtao had no chance to intervene at all, covering her mouth—which had dropped open in shock—with a pungent, spicy handkerchief.
The Gossip System in her mind was cheering and rolling with excitement:
【Host, your mom is amazing! She resolved the situation in an instant and even ruined Liu Yunyun’s reputation.】
[Yeah! Mom is so incredible! It seems like there’s no need for me to step in…]
【Host, you’re the family’s beloved treasure, so of course you don’t need to take action.
As the antagonist in the comparison group, the more you are doted on by your family and live a better life than her, the more you can surpass Liu Yunyun, the female lead.
Liu Yunyun’s Comparison Group System will face penalties for failing its tasks.】