A single slap sent Zhou’s mother spinning in place three times.
Then she collapsed straight onto the floor, seeing stars.
Zhou Qiong was stunned by the scene.
She stood in the living room, staring blankly at Tang Rubao.
This sister-in-law… she actually dared to hit my mother.
Anlai stood behind Tang Rubao, tilting her little face up as she looked at her with admiration.
Mom is amazing!
Mom is like a goddess!
Tang Rubao stood there, rubbing her still-stinging hand.
Looking down at Zhou’s mother, she said coldly, “You’re the worthless one yourself, what right do you have to act so arrogant in front of me?”
What she hated most was when people called daughters or granddaughters “worthless trash.”
“You dare yell at my daughter right in front of me, do you think I’m dead?”
When Zhou’s mother looked up, she met Tang Rubao’s cold, piercing gaze.
She froze.
A chill ran through her whole body.
The next second, she thought about making a scene, calling all the neighbors over.
But just as she opened her mouth, Tang Rubao swiftly stuffed a rag into it.
Zhou’s mother struggled for a moment, then pulled the rag out and got back up.
Pointing at Tang Rubao, she cursed viciously, “You shameless woman who disrespects elders! You dare hit your mother-in-law? Heaven will punish you! You and your daughter will be struck by lightning!”
“Mother-in-law?” Tang Rubao sneered, her eyes cold. “If I love your son, then you’re my mother-in-law. If I don’t, then you’re nothing to me.”
In her past life, she had served this so-called mother-in-law with fear and obedience.
But in return, she was constantly disliked and mistreated.
At every meal, the woman would criticize her cooking while still eating it eagerly.
She was ordered around every day, and her daughter was constantly insulted, called a slut and a burden.
Especially during the three years her mother-in-law was bedridden, she had to help her relieve herself constantly, barely finishing one task before the next.
In her previous life, she loved Zhou Jingran, trapping herself in that small world, working endlessly and suffering in silence.
But in this life, she would never love him again.
And she no longer cared about any of his relatives.
Tang Rubao grabbed Zhou’s mother by the collar and lifted half her body off the ground.
Her voice was icy as she warned, “If I hear you insult my daughter again, I’ll cut out your tongue and make you mute.”
After that, she let go and brushed her hands off in disgust.
Turning around, she gently pushed Anlai toward the bathroom. “Come on, baby, let’s wash up.”
If she had protected her daughter like this in her previous life, her child wouldn’t have been abused and beaten every day by Zhou’s mother.
Thinking of her daughter’s past fate, Tang Rubao wished she could slap herself.
For the sake of so-called love, she had not only suffered herself, but dragged her daughter down with her.
In her previous life… she felt she deserved her illness.
After watching Tang Rubao enter the bathroom, Zhou’s mother remained frozen for a long time before finally coming back to her senses.
That look in Tang Rubao’s eyes, it was terrifying.
It felt as if some ancient spirit was staring at her with dark, unfathomable eyes.
It filled her with dread.
When she finally snapped out of it, anger and humiliation surged within her. She lay on the ground, pounding it and wailing loudly.
“Ahhh! What a tragedy! What a disgrace to our family, to marry such a vicious woman!”
Tang Rubao brushed her teeth and washed her face.
Zhou’s mother was still wailing, so loud and irritating.
She hung up the towel, picked up the washbasin, walked out, and splashed all the water straight onto Zhou’s mother’s face.
“If you keep screaming, I’ll smear your face with filth!”
Drenched from head to toe, Zhou’s mother was left completely stunned.
She looked up at Tang Rubao in disbelief, stammering in anger, “You… you…”
Tang Rubao set the basin down, picked up Anlai, and shot Zhou’s mother a cold sideways glance.
“If you want to make a scene, do it when I’m not home. Make it as big as you want, go ahead and even take it to the authorities.”
They might even speed up the divorce process.
“But when I’m home, you’d better keep quiet. I hate the sound of mad dogs barking in my ears.”
With that, Tang Rubao went straight into the kitchen to cook noodles and fry eggs for herself and Anlai.
The aroma of the noodles and eggs quickly filled the air.
Zhou Qiong wandered over and stood at the kitchen doorway, staring longingly at the eggs in the pan, swallowing her saliva again and again.
Tang Rubao ignored her completely, as if she didn’t exist.
Once the noodles were ready, she filled two bowls and placed an egg in each.
Carrying a bowl, she walked out of the kitchen, with Anlai following behind.
They went straight back to their room, shut the door, and started eating.
She silently hoped that the “Story Club” would reply soon so she could move out as quickly as possible.
Just as she finished eating and washing the dishes.
Zhou Jingran returned.
He came in carrying a piece of fresh pork belly.
At once, he saw his mother sitting on the ground in a messy state, with a large wet patch beneath her.
Zhou’s mother hadn’t bathed for days, and now that her clothes were soaked, the smell had become even worse.
Zhou Jingran mistakenly thought it was urine.
He assumed Zhou Qiong had relieved herself in the living room and that his mother had been cleaning it up.
He frowned and glanced at Zhou Qiong, who was standing outside Tang Rubao’s room. “Little sister, how could you pee in the living room?”
Then he turned to Tang Rubao with displeasure. “My sister wet the floor, how could you let my mother clean it up?”
Hearing this, Tang Rubao’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Your sister peed, and instead of your mother cleaning it, you expect me to do it?”
She honestly admired herself for not exploding on the spot.
Is his brain full of nonsense?
“Pah!” Zhou’s mother spat angrily, pointing at Tang Rubao as she complained to Zhou Jingran, “She hit me and splashed water all over me! Jingran, you must teach her a lesson right now!”
Zhou Jingran’s expression immediately darkened. He stared at Tang Rubao. “You dared to hit my mother?”
Tang Rubao looked at him with a faint smile. “If a mad dog lunges at you, do you just stand there and let it bite you or do you kick it away?”
“No matter how unreasonable my mother is, you can’t hit her, she’s your elder!”
“You already know she’s unreasonable?” Tang Rubao scoffed. “What kind of elder is she?”
After saying that, she waved at Anlai, her face instantly softening into a sweet smile. “Anlai, let’s go out and play.”
Zhou Jingran stopped her, shoved the meat into her hands, and said irritably, “Play? Didn’t you see I bought meat? Go cook for us.”
Tang Rubao rubbed her stomach and blinked innocently. “Oh dear, Anlai and I just had a full bowl of noodles, we’re stuffed.”
“You—” Zhou Jingran was furious at her nonchalant attitude.
“Isn’t your precious Xiuxiu nearby? Have her come over and take care of your mother and sister. After all, she’s practically family, your whole family should spend time together properly.” Tang Rubao took Anlai’s hand and walked out with a cheerful expression.
As soon as she stepped outside, she saw Tu Xiuxiu carrying a mesh bag full of apples.
With no one else around, Tu Xiuxiu didn’t bother putting on an act.
When she saw Tang Rubao, her eyes were filled with contempt.
Tang Rubao returned the same disdainful look and walked past her with Anlai.
Tu Xiuxiu casually sneered, “Tang Rubao, how can you be such a failure? Your husband doesn’t love you, and your mother-in-law doesn’t like you.”