Ye Xiaoxiao was lost in memories of the past. Erya, Li Anning, looked up and saw her mother, immediately putting down the clothes she was washing and running over, her face full of concern.
“Mom, are you feeling better?”
Ye Xiaoxiao stared at her young daughter, whose maturity and steadiness shone from within, and felt a pang of guilt.
“I’m fine, Erya,” she said, dividing out her children’s clothes and washing them carefully. The rest of the family’s clothes? She didn’t bother—just tossed them back into the bucket. Not throwing them into the river was already being polite.
One of the young daughters-in-law saw Ye Xiaoxiao’s precise handling of the laundry and was momentarily stunned. But she quickly lowered her head and continued scrubbing.
Erya looked at the clothes that had been set aside, torn between worry and fear. She knew that if Grandma found out, she’d get the rattan cane—and her mother would be scolded too.
“Mom, if we take them back like this, Grandma will be upset!” Erya whispered, afraid a second person might overhear.
“Don’t worry, Erya. Mom will protect you. No one will hit you again.” Ye Xiaoxiao instantly understood: Li Mother had always found ways to torment her and the children, leaving lasting psychological scars.
Once Ye Xiaoxiao finished washing her family’s clothes and wrung them dry, little Li Anguo came over, accompanied by the three-year-old dragon-and-phoenix twins, Sanwa Li Anbang and Siya Li Anjing.
Ye Xiaoxiao watched them approaching from afar. Tears fell uncontrollably. After another lifetime, she finally saw them again!
Silently, she vowed that this lifetime, by any means necessary, she would protect her children.
The events of her previous life—hmph—would never happen again!
Sanwa and Siya stared at their mother, sometimes sad, sometimes happy, sometimes clenching her fists, utterly confused. But one thing was clear—not just them, but Li Anguo and Erya as well—they could feel it: their mother had changed!
Each little child had their own thoughts, staring off into space. So cute, so adorable, Ye Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but let out a soft “pffft” laugh at their cuteness.
“Mom, why are you laughing?” Sanwa asked, puzzled. In his world, if you didn’t understand something, you asked—and of course, the only person to ask was Mom.
“Nothing. Mom’s just happy to see you all,” Ye Xiaoxiao said, her eyes warm with a gentle smile.
Her mood had turned from stormy to sunny, though she remembered the undone laundry. Erya reminded her again, “Mom, if I don’t wash the clothes properly, Grandma will hit me and won’t give me breakfast.” Erya couldn’t suppress her fear—she had little confidence in her timid mother.
Nearby, the other young daughters-in-law perked up their ears. Even though Erya spoke softly, they listened intently.
Usually buried in washing clothes, Erya never joined conversations. Many thought she was mute. The women present often tried to get her to speak for fun.
Today, Erya spoke—said she hadn’t finished the laundry, and that she would be beaten and denied food.
Those who heard reacted in various ways—some squinted, some smirked, some gossiped, others felt pity.
Ye Xiaoxiao seemed oblivious to all the gazes on her, continuing to organize the laundry on her own.
“But Mom—” Erya started, but Ye Xiaoxiao interrupted her. She had already heard Erya mention the consequences at least three times. This little housekeeper always worried about this and that—it exasperated Ye Xiaoxiao.
“No buts. Let’s go!” Ye Xiaoxiao had originally planned to throw the Li family’s clothes away, but decided to hold back for now to maintain her timid persona. She grabbed both buckets, carrying one in each hand, and led the children away.
Everyone was dumbfounded—they still wanted to gossip, but Ye Xiaoxiao left without leaving even a scrap behind.
Poor Erya still wanted to warn her mother, worried that Mom might get punished because of them.
Before they even entered the courtyard, Li Mother’s voice could be heard crying to Li Father.
“Old man, life has become unbearable! The eldest daughter-in-law actually hit me—and hit the second, third, and fourth daughters-in-law!”
Li Father looked at the women’s pitiful appearance. What could he do? He was the patriarch. Was he supposed to step in and beat his daughters-in-law himself, let the second, third, and fourth sons hit the eldest daughter-in-law? They might dare to imagine, but would they dare to act? He’d seen how the old woman treated Ye Xiaoxiao—he wasn’t blind.
Every family had men who disciplined their wives, but who dared strike their sons’ wives?
No one dared. It wasn’t worth losing face.
Li Father, irritated by Li Mother’s crying, said, “Old woman, disciplining your daughters-in-law is your business. If I interfere, it won’t look good, sound right, or be easy to explain.”
Li Mother, frustrated, could only accept the reasoning.