When they returned home, the Shen family had already gotten out of bed and were all standing in the room, preparing for the day’s second family meeting.
They couldn’t sit because their bottoms were sore from the earlier beatings.
Even Shen Baiwei struggled to get up. Shen Laotai, feeling sorry for her granddaughter, had Zhang Guihua fetch a stool and placed a thick quilt on top so she could lean over it.
At this point, Shen Baiwei was already weak from a high fever. On top of that, Shen Baizhi had taken the opportunity to strike her brutally several times. She barely had the strength to stand.
She leaned over the stool, her face downcast, but her eyes couldn’t hide her hatred.
How dare Shen Baizhi…?
Wasn’t she supposed to be heartbroken because she didn’t get her new husband’s affection? How could she suddenly turn into some kind of raging lunatic? Could it really be that Lin Cheng had given her the confidence?
Just wait. When my big opportunity comes, I will make sure Shen Baizhi lives in pain forever.
The high-level master had quietly told her grandmother that the Shen family’s daughter, born the same year as her, would serve as a foil. The more miserable that girl’s life, the greater her own fortune would grow.
Seeing that the eldest son and the others had returned, Shen Lao-tai quickly stepped forward with concern:
“Fourth son, how are you? And your wife…?”
In front of his mother, Shen Laosi no longer acted arrogant. With a face full of grievance, he lamented:
“Mother, the doctor said my hand needs at least three months to recover. I can’t work for three months. As for Yumei… aside from the injuries on her face, she’s fine.”
Hearing that Tang Yumei’s unborn child was unharmed, Shen Laotai finally relaxed a little. But thinking of Fourth Son’s suffering, she turned her anger back on the second son and his wife:
“Second son, it’s your daughter! How dare she do something like this? Doesn’t she fear lightning?”
The second son and his wife just shrank back, saying nothing. They knew the whole family was venting their anger at them, so they decided to play deaf and mute.
Shen Baisu wanted to say something in defense of her sister, but seeing everyone’s anger, she weighed the situation in her heart. She realized she wasn’t as brave as her sister and couldn’t handle even a family who had already been beaten up, so she forced herself to stay quiet.
But she could remember every bad thing they said about her sister and tell her tomorrow…
Although Shen Laosi was also venting his anger on Second Brother’s family, he knew that Shen Baizhi’s actions today were absolutely not instructed by them. Yelling at them now would do nothing.
“Mother, don’t scold Second Brother and his wife yet. Let’s first talk about how to deal with that damned girl, Shen Baizhi. We can’t have all that hitting be for nothing, can we?”
Shen Laotai was furious. How could a whole family not even defeat a single girl? What could she possibly do?
But…
“Second son’s wife, how come you never mentioned that girl has such strength? Were you deliberately hiding it from the family so she could find a chance to harm us?”
If they had known earlier how strong she was, they would have restrained her. Such strength wasted on reading books—what a pity—it should have been used for labor in the fields.
Sun Min trembled at Shen Laotai’s words and hurriedly shook her head:
“Mother, I didn’t know! I only found out today that she’s this strong!”
Shen Laotai snorted coldly and looked away. She was just upset in her heart and deliberately found fault with Second Daughter-in-law.
With her temperament, even giving her 100 more chances, she wouldn’t dare to coax that damned girl into doing something like this.
Shen Laotou suddenly slammed the table impatiently:
“Enough. Kids, go back to bed. The rest stay behind.”
As he spoke, his eyes casually scanned Shen Baisu.
Shen Baisu pouted. They just wanted to send her away.
Once the mischievous children had left, Shen Laotou spoke in a low voice:
“Speak up. What are your thoughts?”
Shen Laosi went first, his voice cold and sinister:
“She’s so strong, right? I think we should wait until she’s asleep, or put something in her food, then tie her up… hehe!”
“Anyway, I have to take revenge no matter what.”
The immense pain in his arm reminded him of what had happened: Shen Zhenbang had his hand broken by his own niece on his wedding day.
His new bride had even been slapped into a pig’s face by his niece on the first day she entered the house. How could he explain this to his in-laws?
Shen Lao’er had no reaction, as if the girl they were talking about wasn’t his own daughter.
Sun Min clenched her fists, feeling some pity. But used to her lowly position in the Shen household, she didn’t dare speak for her daughter.
Shen Laotou drew a long drag on his pipe and tapped the bowl on the table’s edge. He thought the plan feasible and was about to schedule its execution for tomorrow when a voice, tinged with some reluctance, interrupted him:
“Baizhi is still our Shen family daughter. Even if she’s stubborn and rebellious, we can’t completely disregard family bonds.”
Even one beating wasn’t enough. Shen Baiwei thought bitterly: Shen Baizhi had to live in misery.
“Then Weiwei, what’s your idea?”
“I think what Grandpa said this afternoon was very good. Since our family failed to properly educate her, we can’t let her go to another house and cause trouble there.”
“Why don’t you, Grandpa, go with Second Uncle and Second Aunt to the Lin family to explain the situation, and then bring her back to properly discipline her?”
In Shen Baiwei’s view, Shen Baizhi had suddenly grown bold enough to defy the family after marriage. She must have gained confidence from the Lin family.
Now, she regretted introducing Shen Baizhi to the Lin family. At the time, she had only considered the complicated relationship between Lin Cheng and Lin Ranran, thinking Shen Baizhi would have a hard life there.
In this era, marriage was like a second rebirth for women. As long as she was pushed from the Shen family’s hell into the Lin family’s, Shen Baizhi’s life would be ruined.
With Lin Ranran in the Lin family, spoiled yet jealous of Shen Baizhi’s relationship with Lin Cheng, Shen Baizhi would never have a peaceful life.
She was a schoolmate of both Lin Ranran and Lin Cheng and one of the few who knew their love story. Lin Ranran had even promised her she would never allow Shen Baizhi to consummate with Lin Cheng, forcing her to be a lifetime unpaid maid in the Lin household, never even touching a man’s clothing.
Shen Laotou glanced at Shen Baiwei. Of course, he knew the “consideration of family bonds” she mentioned was nonsense. He knew exactly the temperament of his eldest granddaughter.
But what she said made sense: without Lin family support, that damned girl would have to return to the Shen household, vulnerable as before.