The woman was named Liu Huazhi, a member of the Liu Family from Huai Tree Village. She was also Sheng An’s nominal stepsister, two months older than her.
Compared to Sheng An, who was as thin as a bean sprout, Liu Huazhi had a slender and graceful figure, exuding a captivating charm in her every move.
Many young men from inside and outside the village vied for Liu Huazhi’s attention, offering gifts like eggs or hair ribbons just to find an excuse to talk to her.
Liu Huazhi, however, had high ambitions and was determined to marry into wealth, so she looked down on the poor village boys. Nevertheless, she accepted their gifts without hesitation.
The village women often called her a “little vixen.”
Today, when Sheng An returned to her maiden home, Liu Huazhi deliberately waited for her at the village entrance.
Meeting Liu Huazhi’s malicious gaze, Sheng An turned her head and asked Xu Jinnian with a smile:
“Husband, did you hear a dog barking? How strange—there’s actually a dog in the village with such an unpleasant bark. Isn’t it afraid of being beaten to death with a hoe for scaring people?”
Xu Jinnian couldn’t help but laugh. Without even glancing at Liu Huazhi’s grim expression, he nodded seriously:
“Yes, it is quite unpleasant. The owner should keep it tied up. It wouldn’t be good if it bites someone.”
Xu Jinnian didn’t know the history between Sheng An and Liu Huazhi, but that didn’t stop him from unconditionally taking Sheng An’s side.
Besides, Liu Huazhi had provoked them first, so he felt no need to inquire about their grievances.
Hearing the couple mock her as a dog in perfect harmony, Liu Huazhi was furious. For a moment, she forgot her original purpose for being there and lunged at Sheng An, losing all composure as she screamed:
“You wretched star whose mother died and father abandoned you! Don’t think just because you married into the city you can look down on everyone! I’ll wait for the day you’re cast aside, become a discarded wife, and die a miserable death with your unborn child!”
These words were truly vicious. Xu Jinnian’s face darkened as he stepped in front of Sheng An and coldly snapped, “Get lost!”
“Why bother speaking human language to a beast? It wouldn’t understand anyway.”
Sheng An pulled Xu Jinnian aside and slapped Liu Huazhi hard across the face:
“A creature that bites randomly needs a good beating to learn its lesson.”
“Ah—”
Liu Huazhi hadn’t expected Sheng An to strike her. She screamed, lost her balance, and fell to the ground, clutching her swollen, numb cheek as she glared venomously at Sheng An and cursed:
“How dare you hit me! You wretched star who deserves to die with your unborn child—how dare you hit me!”
Sheng An stepped forward unceremoniously and kicked her in the prominently raised chest:
“If I hit you, I hit you. Did I need to discuss it with you first?”
Liu Huazhi was knocked to the ground, clutching her aching chest, utterly enraged.
“Ahhh, you bitch! You wretched bitch who deserves to die horribly!”
Liu Huazhi clawed her hands and crawled fiercely toward Sheng An on her knees: “Drop dead!”
Since childhood, she had never gotten along with Sheng An, always competing with her and frequently insulting her as a “wretched star.”
In the past, Sheng An had either ignored her or retorted by hitting her sore spots, but she had never resorted to physical violence. Today was the first time, and Liu Huazhi couldn’t tolerate it.
“Quick, let’s go! This beast has rabies—we can’t let it hurt us!”
Sheng An grabbed Xu Jinnian’s arm and pulled him along as they broke into a run, not even glancing back at Liu Huazhi, who was wailing and crawling wildly on the ground.
Even after the two had run into the village, they could still hear Liu Huazhi’s howls and curses.
Sheng An felt extremely satisfied and began recounting to Xu Jinnian the absurdities of Liu Huazhi:
“Her heart is smaller than a sesame seed. Whenever someone in the village praises me, she runs to belittle and mock me, as if I’d dug up eighteen generations of her Liu family graves…”
Liu Huazhi not only disparaged and ridiculed the original host but also frequently subjected her to psychological manipulation.
She claimed no one in the world truly liked the original host—otherwise, her own father wouldn’t have abandoned her, preferring to marry into the Liu family and raise their children rather than his own biological daughter.
She also said the villagers only praised the original host because they wanted to take advantage of her, to exploit her family’s legacy without spending a single coin, marrying her only to work like a beast of burden, oppressed for life without any chance of breaking free.
Fortunately, the original host didn’t fall for it and didn’t develop the inferiority and timidity that Liu Huazhi had hoped for.
As these memories surfaced, Sheng An felt she had been too lenient earlier—she should have beaten that woman until she was picking her teeth up from the ground!
“Don’t be angry. Someone like her isn’t worth it.”
Xu Jinnian lowered his gaze to soothe his bristling wife, still troubled by Liu Huazhi’s curse that she would die with her unborn child.
“I’m not angry. Next time she crosses my path, I’ll make sure she regrets messing with me.”
Sheng An almost wished Liu Huazhi would keep causing trouble, so she’d have an excuse to beat her—no, to beat that beast.
But…
There’s something odd about Liu Huazhi!
A woman who covets another’s fiancé and tried to replace the bride on the wedding day by sneaking into the bridal sedan—yet just now, when she saw the man she’s been pining for, she didn’t even glance his way.
Given Liu Huazhi’s usual behavior, she wouldn’t give up easily. She’d scheme to get close to Xu Jinnian, win his heart, and eventually force her way into his home.
Moreover, her tone earlier was too assured—it didn’t sound like mere malicious cursing, but more like she was certain Sheng An would be divorced and end up dead with her child.
Thinking this, Sheng An felt a vague unease and looked at Xu Jinnian with a hint of scrutiny.
“Niangzi, why are you looking at me like that?”
Xu Jinnian noticed his wife’s unusual expression and took her hand, the one she’d used to hit Liu Huazhi, gently massaging it. “Are you upset that I didn’t help you?”
Sheng An shook her head and withdrew her hand. “It’s not like I couldn’t handle her myself. I didn’t need your help.”
This guy, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, doesn’t seem the type to pull a Chen Shimei (a historical figure known for betraying his wife).
Not sure, need to observe more.
Looking at his now-empty hand, the lingering warmth in his palm, Xu Jinnian pressed his lips together, a faint trace of frustration in his eyes, his heart filled with disgust for Liu Huazhi.
The Sheng family home was in the center of the village. As they walked, Sheng An encountered several villagers.
Facing their warm, smiling faces, Sheng An greeted them with “Uncles, Aunties, Elders,” stopping now and then to exchange a few pleasantries.
A mere two to three hundred meters took a good seven or eight minutes to reach the Sheng family’s gate.
Some children had already run ahead to inform the elderly couple of Sheng An’s arrival.
As Sheng An rounded a corner, she saw two silver-haired, stooped figures weathered by time, standing at the courtyard gate, eagerly looking out.
“Grandpa! Grandma!The words slipped out instinctively, her tone filled with affection and reverence, as if she were their own granddaughter raised by them.
After a brief moment of surprise, Sheng An didn’t dwell on where this surge of familiarity came from. Leaving the man beside her, she rushed toward the two elders who were coming to meet her.
“She’s back, she’s back! An An is back!Grandma Sheng embraced her granddaughter as she threw herself into her arms, her rough hand stroking the girl’s face over and over, her wrinkled face overflowing with tender love for her granddaughter.
Grandpa Sheng beamed as he looked at the old and young pair, his expression mirroring Grandma Sheng’s exactly.
“Your grandson-in-law pays his respects to Grandfather and Grandmother.”
Xu Jinnian set down the basket containing meat strips and pastries, then bowed respectfully to Grandpa and Grandma Sheng.
“Rise quickly, rise quickly! We’re all family here, no need for such formalities.”
Grandpa Sheng personally helped his grandson-in-law up, his smile growing even more delighted as he regarded the young man before him with increasing satisfaction.
Good-looking, well-educated, humble and courteous – who wouldn’t adore such a grandson-in-law?