He Xiufang’s acting was truly poor. Although she shed plenty of tears, her words sounded insincere.
Especially to those who knew her usual behavior, it was hard to believe how much of what she said was true and how much was false.
Er Bao, frightened, hid behind Da Bao, tightly clutching Xiao Bao’s hand, not daring to speak.
“My mom is talking to you—are you mute? She’s already apologized, what more do you want? Don’t push your luck, or no one in the village will want to play with you!”
Xinxin glared fiercely at Da Bao, hoping to force an answer out of him as soon as possible.
Da Bao lifted his head, glanced at Jiang Yunshu, then fixed his gaze firmly on He Xiufang.
Though he was young, he could tell that everyone present today had come to stand up for him.
“You’re not doing this for our good at all! You always call us idiots and freeloaders! You even call us ungrateful wolves, and you always beat my younger brother and sister. I’ll tell the police uncle everything exactly as it is!”
Da Bao’s voice was still childish. He was so small, yet in front of his younger siblings, he stood like a towering mountain shielding them.
It was a heartbreaking sight—any soft-hearted person would be moved to tears. The three children had never seen their mother since birth, and their father had long been away in the army. They had only relied on their grandmother.
Now, with their only support gone, they were like fish on a chopping board, at the mercy of others.
He Xiufang’s eyes widened. She clearly hadn’t expected such words to come out of Da Bao’s mouth.
Her grip tightened, pressing a dent into Da Bao’s arm, but Jiang Yunshu immediately pulled her away.
“If you’re trying to repent, it’s meaningless. You’ve already done these things—are you afraid to take responsibility?”
Unwilling to go to jail, He Xiufang shouted repeatedly in defense:
“I’ve never beaten them before! I was just too angry today! Da Bao, I cook for you every day—I’ve never let you go hungry or cold, right?”
She anxiously tried to explain, scanning everyone’s faces.
But not a single person stood on her side.
Gu Zhiming held his head in his hands, wishing he could disappear into a hole.
He Xiufang picked up a brick from the ground and hurled it at him.
“Gu Zhiming, you useless coward! How was I blind enough to marry you? People are causing trouble in your house, and you don’t even dare say a word—you spineless piece of trash!”
At the mention of Gu Zhiming, everyone’s attention shifted to him.
He had never faced such a scene before and could only put on a fawning, awkward smile.
“This is all just a misunderstanding. The children were a bit disobedient, but we’ve realized hitting them is wrong. Don’t worry—this will never happen again.”
He looked honest and simple—the kind of person who could easily mislead others.
Gu Zhiming turned to Xiao Bao. Knowing the boy couldn’t speak, he deliberately grabbed his hand.
“Xiao Bao, your aunt loves you the most, always secretly saving the best food for you, right? Your siblings don’t even know. Just nod, and everyone will understand how good she is to you. Then you’ll keep getting meat and eggs.”
Xiao Bao tried to pull his hand away in fear, but Gu Zhiming gripped it tightly.
Though he wore a smile, Xiao Bao saw him like a monster, his eyes filled with terror.
Jiang Yunshu shoved him aside.
“Get lost! Stop threatening the child! Want me to beat you too? You and your wife know exactly what you’ve done!”
Not to mention giving Xiao Bao meat—even if they’d ever given him a single egg, his body wouldn’t be so weak.
Gu Zhiming’s words might fool ghosts, but no one else.
Exposed mercilessly by Jiang Yunshu, Gu Zhiming didn’t dare provoke her—she was too fierce.
She’d already beaten his wife; he didn’t want to be next.
Da Bao’s face puffed up like a steamed bun, his lips trembling as his voice choked with emotion.
“You treat us badly! Aunt treats us badly too! She bullies Grandma. When Grandma got sick, she wouldn’t let her see a doctor. She even locked Grandma in the room and wouldn’t let her come out!”
Da Bao’s words struck like a thunderbolt in a calm lake.
Only then did everyone realize that Lu Hui’an wasn’t in the courtyard.
Following Da Bao’s gaze, Jiang Yunshu noticed a locked wooden door.
She stepped forward and kicked it open. Inside, Lu Hui’an sat on the floor, tears streaming down her face, coughing so hard she could barely breathe.
“You two heartless things! Gu family’s eldest son—has a dog eaten your conscience? Your father died early, your mother raised the three of you with her own hands, and you can bear to let her suffocate in here?”
Aunt Yu was furious. The village folk were simple—though disputes happened, no one neglected their elders.
“N-no, Auntie… my mother has a bad cough. There are so many children at home—we were afraid she might infect them, and we wouldn’t be able to take care of everyone…”
Under everyone’s scrutinizing gaze, Gu Zhiming’s explanation sounded pale and powerless.
He scratched his head uneasily.
The crowd’s eyes felt like knives stabbing into him.
“I told you long ago not to associate with him! You always insisted on walking to the fields with him—now you see what kind of person he is! If he won’t even support his own mother, who knows when he’ll stab you in the back?”
Second Brother Wang’s wife twisted his ear as she spoke, making her point clear.
Gu Zhiming’s face flushed red. He said nothing.
Lu Hui’an’s condition was dire—her face pale, as if she might faint at any moment.
Everyone lost interest in the quarrel.
“This can’t be delayed—she needs to be taken to the clinic immediately. This could cost a life!”
At the mention of life and death, the crowd instinctively made way. Some lifted her, others fetched water.
Jiang Yunshu took the three children and went along to the clinic.
Watching Jiang Yunshu finally leave, He Xiufang let out a sigh of relief.
She leaned against the wall and struggled to stand, her body aching as if she might die from the pain.
Yet the villagers still lingered in her home.
“What are you all still doing here? I didn’t do anything to them! I’ll just consider today bad luck. Leave now, or I’ll call the police!”
Wang’s wife sneered.
“Go ahead and call them. Your child abuse hasn’t been settled yet, and now you’re neglecting the elderly too. Someone already reported it to the police when your mother-in-law was taken to the clinic. Until they come to arrest you, we’re not leaving.”
The crowd echoed in agreement:
“That’s right! Our proletarian village won’t tolerate someone like you. If we don’t see you taken away today, we can’t answer to the village!”
“Exactly!”
Hearing that someone had really reported her, He Xiufang panicked.
She shouted curses at the top of her lungs:
“Which bastard with no conscience reported me? This is my family’s business—who asked them to interfere?!”