She knelt, begging Qin Xiangru, kowtowing until her forehead was bruised and swollen.
But Qin Xiangru still wasn’t satisfied—she viciously kicked her lower abdomen over a dozen times.
Some people in the courtyard couldn’t stand it anymore and tried to stop her.
But Qin Xiangru only got more vicious, deliberately pinching her in private, sensitive places.
By the time those who had gone to the backyard to pick vegetables returned, the situation was already out of control.
Qian Feng’s eyes turned red. He rushed forward and punched Qin Xiangru straight to the ground, then took off his coat to cover Qian Mianmian.
When he held her in his arms, he realized she seemed to have lost her mind.
“Don’t look at me… don’t look at me…”
For a full half hour, she didn’t move at all.
After hearing everything, Liu Meiling nearly went mad. She knew exactly why Qin Xiangru had treated Qian Mianmian like this—and precisely because she knew, she felt even more suffocated with anger.
Suppressing her fury, she carried Qian Mianmian into the east room. It was no longer the same as when she had left—there were piles of unfamiliar women’s items on the kang table.
With one sweep of her arm, Liu Meiling knocked all that junk onto the floor, then pulled out a thick cotton quilt from underneath and wrapped Qian Mianmian tightly in it.
She leaned down, gently patting her back, and said in a low voice,“Just watch. Mom will avenge you.”
Mom?
Qian Mianmian’s eyes trembled, and tears streamed down instantly. Mom…
In those puppy-like, tear-filled eyes, something new appeared—hatred.
Qin Xiangru didn’t deserve it. She didn’t deserve to be her mother!
“Auntie…”
Liu Meiling hardened her heart and gritted her teeth.“You are my daughter—my own daughter!
That vile woman humiliated you like this!
Mianmian, life is long. After some time, Mom will take you away from here.
For now, just watch me take revenge!”
With a scream, Qin Xiangru rushed in. Seeing the mess on the floor, she stomped in distress.“Liu Meiling, what are you doing?! My powder! My cream! My undershirt!”
Smack!
Liu Meiling slapped her across the face with full force, spinning her in place.
Then she grabbed her by the hair with one hand and slammed her down against the edge of the kang.
Holding her hair, she forced her head down, banging it toward Qian Mianmian.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“Stealing eggs, huh? You shameless bitch—am I dead already, that it’s your turn to run this household?
You thick-skinned parasite! I bought those chickens, I raised them, and now the eggs are yours? What, did you lose your mind eating eggs in bed at night, dreaming even in broad daylight? Shameless!”
After several slaps, Li Mingliang finally realized something was wrong. With a cigarette still in his mouth, he hurried over.“Xiangru! Xiangru!”
Qian Feng and Xiao Yuncheng exchanged a glance, then each grabbed one of his arms. Their four hands clamped down on him like iron.
Slap! Slap! Slap!
“Ah! Liu Meiling, I’ll kill you!”
“You dare hit my face?!”
“Stop—please stop!”
“Brother Liang, save me!”
Liu Meiling yanked so hard she tore off a patch of Qin Xiangru’s scalp. Then she turned, swung her leg over Qin Xiangru, pinning her down.
One hand choked her throat, while the other started ripping off her clothes.
“Let go… let go… cough cough…”
Choking, Qin Xiangru could barely breathe, let alone care about her clothes. She used all her strength to pry Liu Meiling’s hand away—but how could someone who did light work all year compare to Liu Meiling, who used to slaughter pigs?
In less than two minutes, her top was stripped off.
Her pants were undone as well. Liu Meiling stood up, turned her around, yanked her by the collar, ripped the back of her clothes, and stepped on her pants—leaving her completely naked.
“Don’t you like being seen? Today I’ll let everyone see you clearly!”
After gasping in fresh air, Qin Xiangru coughed for a long time. When her mind cleared, she realized she was completely exposed.
She screamed and covered her chest.“Don’t look at me! Don’t stop me!”
“Brother Liang, save me!”
Liu Meiling grabbed her by the hair, bent down, hoisted her over her shoulder like a slaughtered pig, and carried her effortlessly to the front gate.
“Come look, everyone! Come out and see this shameless old witch!
Calling me ‘sister-in-law’ all day, and while I’m not home, she’s eyeing her brother-in-law like a rotten cucumber!
Sleeping with my man is one thing—
but bullying my children too?!
Shameless slut! What are you covering your face for?!”
Liu Meiling pried her hands away, kicked her, and pulled them back—leaving her completely exposed to everyone.
The courtyard was now buzzing—people had gotten off work and gathered to watch the spectacle.
A well-maintained young widow was far more eye-catching than a half-grown girl.
“Ah! Brother Liang, save me!”
Wu Chunhua sighed awkwardly and tried to persuade her:“Meiling, this isn’t the way. Why not hand them over to the neighborhood committee? They’d both be executed. There’s a strict crackdown lately—your Old Li has really lost his mind, committing hooliganism like this!”
Inside the house, when Li Mingliang heard that, his desire to rescue her instantly weakened. His legs went soft.
He couldn’t get executed!
Under so many gazes, Qin Xiangru couldn’t take it anymore—especially when she noticed several men at the front already watching eagerly.
Snot and tears covered her face.“I was wrong, I was wrong! Sister-in-law, I know I was wrong—please let me go!
You’re trying to force me to death!”
Smack!
Liu Meiling slapped her hard again.“Force you to death? What about when you treated Mianmian like that?
Weren’t you trying to force her to death too?
Qin Xiangru, whether it hurts or not—you’re going to endure it today!”
Thinking of how lively Mianmian used to be, now reduced to that broken state, Liu Meiling felt as if needles were stabbing her heart.
Furious, she stepped forward and slapped her again and again—still not enough. Not enough!
She suddenly kicked Qin Xiangru hard in the stomach.
That’s right—she had kicked Mianmian’s lower abdomen too!
Such a vicious woman.
As a woman herself, Liu Meiling knew how important that part of the body was.
If something happened to Mianmian in the future…
She would never let Qin Xiangru off easily!
No one knew how much time had passed. Qin Xiangru’s eyes could no longer open.
She wished she could faint from the humiliation—but Liu Meiling refused to give her that escape.
Mianmian had knelt for over ten minutes—so Qin Xiangru would kneel at the gate for half an hour!
Some men couldn’t stand it and tried to intervene, but their wives dragged them back inside by the ears.
The men hadn’t seen what happened that afternoon—but the women all knew exactly what Qin Xiangru had done.
The night wind grew cold, brushing across Qin Xiangru’s body.
She shivered violently.
The pain overwhelmed her senses.
Her eyes rolled back, and she finally passed out.
Liu Meiling left her at the gate without another glance, washed her hands, and went to Baomei’s room to find a set of clean clothes.
Li Baomei stood there, stunned. The fight had been over for a long time, but she still hadn’t come back to her senses.
“Mom…”
Only then did Liu Meiling notice her forehead.“What happened to your head?”
Baomei sniffled, tears threatening again.“I pushed that woman once… Dad hit me with his pipe.
Mom…
Am I not Dad’s biological daughter?”
She couldn’t understand. She was his daughter too—so why could he hit her so hard?
Just because she pushed that woman?
That damn old man…
Liu Meiling didn’t answer. She quickly sorted out the clothes and went to the east room to dress Qian Mianmian.
After helping her get dressed and wiping her face, she stepped outside.
She picked up the fire poker from the kitchen.
“Mom? You’re back?”
Li Baohuai came in from somewhere, covered in mud, grinning as he approached her.
“Get lost!”