Li Xiulan had been turning wheat in the threshing ground. When she heard villagers say that Old Mrs. Su had taken Su Jianjun toward the west end of the village, she threw down her pitchfork and ran home.
As soon as she entered the courtyard, she heard Old Mrs. Su cursing her daughter in the kitchen.
Li Xiulan’s eyes turned red. Over the years, she could endure her mother-in-law’s bullying, but if anyone dared lay a finger on her daughter, she would fight to the death.
“Mom,” Su Nianqiu stepped aside from the doorway.
Li Xiulan strode into the kitchen. Seeing the basin of steamed buns in Su Jianjun’s hands and Old Mrs. Su sitting on the floor putting on a tantrum, her temper flared instantly.
“Put that basin down!” Li Xiulan roared, smashing the carrying pole in her hand against the wooden door of the cupboard. With a crack, the door split open.
Su Jianjun trembled in fright, nearly dropping the basin.
“How dare you, Li Xiulan! You dare glare at me!” Old Mrs. Su scrambled to her feet, pointing a finger at Li Xiulan’s nose. “You barren woman who can’t even bear a son! Raising such a shameless daughter who’s carrying a bastard child after sleeping around, and you won’t let me say it? Today, I’m cleaning house for the Su family!”
As she spoke, Old Mrs. Su spread her hands, fingers curled like claws, and lunged at Su Nianqiu’s face.
Li Xiulan would never let her touch her daughter.
“I’ll let you clean house!”
Li Xiulan stepped forward, swinging the pole horizontally and striking Old Mrs. Su behind the knees.
“Aiyo!” Old Mrs. Su shrieked in pain, her legs buckling as she crashed heavily to her knees.
“Mother!” Su Jianjun panicked, dropping the basin and rushing forward to intervene. “Li Xiulan, have you gone mad? That’s your mother-in-law!”
“I’m beating you shameless bloodsuckers!” Li Xiulan twisted her wrist, bringing the pole down hard on Su Jianjun’s head and face.
Li Xiulan, having worked in the fields for years, was strong and sturdy. Su Jianjun was a lazy good-for-nothing who could barely carry a bucket of water. The pole landed squarely on his shoulder, making him howl in pain as he covered his head and scrambled away.
“Sister-in-law! Stop hitting me! Sister-in-law!” Su Jianjun darted around the kitchen, knocking over several ladles and soy sauce bottles, leaving a mess in his wake.
Old Mrs. Su, still on her knees, slapped the ground in fury. “Rebellion! Rebellion! A daughter-in-law beating her mother-in-law! Someone, help! Help!”
A few villagers had already gathered outside the courtyard gate to watch the commotion. Hearing the ruckus inside, no one dared step in to break up the fight. Everyone knew how fiercely Li Xiulan protected her own—anyone who went in now would be asking for a beating.
Su Nianqiu stood to the side, watching her mother display her might, the corners of her lips lifting almost imperceptibly. She didn’t intervene, except when Su Jianjun tried to bolt for the door—she stuck out her foot and tripped him perfectly.
“Thud!” Su Jianjun fell flat on his face, his chin hitting the threshold and drawing blood.
Li Xiulan chased after him, landing another blow with the pole on his back.
“You dare come here to steal our things! You dare curse my daughter! I’ll beat you to death, you shameless wretch!”
Su Jianjun rolled on the ground, howling and begging for mercy.
Seeing her son being beaten, Old Mrs. Su threw herself forward like a madwoman, clinging to Li Xiulan’s leg. “You vicious woman! I’ll fight you to the death!”
Disgusted, Li Xiulan kicked her away. “Listen here, you old hag! The child in my daughter’s belly is the Su family’s precious treasure! If you dare call it a bastard one more time, I’ll tear your mouth apart!”
The chaos raged on.
Su Jianguo squeezed through the crowd, sweating profusely. Behind him followed two militia members from the production brigade.
“Stop!” Su Jianguo shouted sternly, his face grim.
The commotion in the courtyard came to an abrupt halt.
Seeing her son return, Old Mrs. Su immediately felt she had found her pillar of support. Disheveled, she crawled over and clung to Su Jianguo’s leg, wailing and crying.
“Jianguo! You’re finally back! Look at your wife—she tried to beat your own mother and your own brother to death! Why haven’t you kicked this vicious woman out yet?”
Su Jianguo looked down at his mother throwing a tantrum on the ground, then at his brother with a bruised and swollen face, before finally turning his gaze to his wife, who was panting heavily with a shoulder pole in hand, and his daughter, standing unharmed by the door.
His brows furrowed into a tight knot.
“Mother,” Su Jianguo said in a low voice, not reaching out to help her up, “what were you and Jianjun doing in my kitchen?”
“I…” Old Mrs. Su faltered for a moment before speaking with righteous indignation, “I came to see my son. What’s wrong with taking some food? Your family eats fine grains and meat—shouldn’t you be filial to your mother?”
Su Jianguo sneered coldly.
“Filial? Two yuan for your living expenses and a pound of fine grains every month—have I ever missed a single payment? It’s not even the end of the month yet, and you brought Jianjun here to break down the door and steal. Is this filial piety, or outright robbery?”
Old Mrs. Su was left speechless by her son’s words. In the past, whenever she made a scene, Su Jianguo would give in a little to save face. Why was he so firm today?
“I am your mother!” Old Mrs. Su insisted stubbornly.
“You are my mother, but Jianjun is not my son!” Su Jianguo pointed at Su Jianjun on the ground and scolded sharply, “He has hands and feet but doesn’t work in the fields to earn work points. Instead, he drags you here every day to freeload. Did my food fall from the sky? My daughter is pregnant now and needs good food to nourish herself. Do you have to steal even that?”
Su Jianjun covered his chin, shrinking on the ground and not daring to utter a word.
Su Jianguo turned to the villagers watching from outside the courtyard.
“Since everyone is here, let this serve as a witness!” Su Jianguo declared loudly. “Ten years ago, when we divided the family, I left with nothing. All these years, I’ve fulfilled my duty as a son. From today onward, apart from the monthly living expenses I owe, I, Su Jianguo, will not give another grain of rice! If anyone dares to cause trouble in my home or insult my daughter again, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
Upon hearing this, Old Mrs. Su was completely dumbfounded.
Looking at her eldest son’s livid face, she knew he meant it this time.
“Jianguo… you…” Old Mrs. Su’s lips trembled, unable to form a complete sentence.
“Wang Weidong!” Su Jianguo called the militia captain’s name.
“Yes, Captain!”
“Escort them out,” Su Jianguo ordered impartially.
The two militiamen stepped forward, lifting Su Jianjun by his arms and half-dragging, half-supporting Old Mrs. Su out of the courtyard.
The onlooking villagers pointed and whispered.
“Old Mrs. Su brought this on herself—she’s so biased it’s ridiculous.”
“Captain Su is a real man this time. You have to cut off such parasitic relatives.”
As the crowd dispersed, the courtyard gate closed once more.
Li Xiulan threw down the shoulder pole, brushed the dust off her hands, and walked over to Su Nianqiu, looking her up and down. “Qiu’er, were you scared?”
“Not at all. Mom, the way you swung that shoulder pole just now was really impressive,” Su Nianqiu said, handing her a damp towel.
Su Jianguo sighed, walked over to the stone table, and sat down, pulling out his tobacco pouch. “Xiulan, I’ve let you suffer.”
“What’s a little suffering for me? As long as Qiu’er is fine, that’s all that matters.” Li Xiulan shot him a glare. “If you dare side with those two old things today, I’ll beat you up too.”
The family of three exchanged a knowing smile.