Jiang Tang saw this in her eyes, feeling both warmth and bitterness in her heart; it was fortunate that her aunt was there to protect them.
Madam Li was not one to be outdone, pulling at her throat to retort, "This is my Jiang Family's household affairs, what does it have to do with you? Do you need to be so meddlesome? Your female cousin has long since remarried and run off; do you still want to act as their aunt here? Even their own mother doesn't want them, what the hell are you interfering for?"
"Don't you dare talk about my mother like that, she was forced." Jiang Yi suddenly poked his head out from behind Madam Ye, his small face flushed red, his eyes filled with tears.
That day, he saw his mother being dragged away by his two uncles; she was unwilling, but she could not break free from the restraint of the two uncles.
"You little bastard, born of a father but raised without a mother! How dare you talk to me like that, you've gone too far! Today, I, your Aunt, will teach you a lesson on what it means to respect your elders!" Madam Li rolled up her sleeves and raised her hand to strike Jiang Yi.
Fortunately, Madam Ye was protecting Jiang Yi tightly, and her slap could not land before it was swatted away by Madam Ye.
"I am not dead yet, when is it your turn as an Aunt to teach A Yi? If anyone needs to learn how to respect their elders, it should be you first!"
Madam Feng lay weakly on Jiang Tang's back, her voice not loud, yet carrying an unquestionable strength.
Just after saying this, she felt a wave of dizziness; the earlier jolting combined with her anger had truly exhausted too much of her spirit.
"Grandma! Elder Sister!"
Jiang Yi heard the sound and looked over; seeing Jiang Tang carrying Grandma on her back as she walked over, his eyes lit up instantly.
Beside her followed their cousin Su Lianxue; there was no need to ask, he knew it was their cousin who had gone to report the news.
A flash of embarrassment crossed Madam Li's face: "Mother, what are you saying? As his Aunt, am I not allowed to teach him?"
"Hmph, you know well enough what I mean!" Madam Feng glared at her, her breathing somewhat unstable, "I heard you took A Yi's fish; are you trying to force me and the two children to our deaths?"
"What his fish! This is my fish! He stole it from me!" Madam Li shouted, stiffening her neck.
With so many villagers watching, she could not admit it; her son was just about to discuss marriage.
Her daughter was also at the age for meeting potential suitors; if she gained a reputation for forcibly snatching things from her niece and nephew, wouldn't that mean no one would dare come to propose?
"A Yi, are you alright? Did she hit you?"
Jiang Tang was most concerned about her younger brother; if he had been wronged, regardless of whether she was an Aunt or an Elder, she could not tolerate it with her fiery temper from modern times.
"Elder Sister, I'm fine, Aunt protected me. It's just..."
Jiang Yi looked longingly at the wooden bucket at Madam Li's feet; the Large Grouper inside shimmered with silver light in the sun, even though it was something he had picked up with his own hands.
It was such a large one, estimated to be ten pounds; no wonder Madam Li wanted to snatch it.
The meat of such a large Grouper was the most delicious, tender and fresh; the big restaurants here were most eager to purchase such large fish.
Jiang Tang handed Madam Feng over to be supported by Jiang Yi and Su Lianxue, then turned around, her gaze landing coldly on Madam Li: "Aunt, you snatched my family's A Yi's fish, and now you are making false counter-accusations? Aren't you afraid of earning a bad reputation for your daughter and son?"
This remark hit Madam Li's painful spot, and she suddenly flew into a rage: "You cheap slut! How dare you slander me! It's your own slut of a mother who brought shame upon you! I think you, too, are likely just like your slut of a mother, a harlot!"
Jiang Yi's eyes turned red with rage, and just as he was about to retort, he was stopped by Jiang Tang.
The next second, her figure moved slightly, and she accurately kicked Madam Li in the chin.
The movement was shockingly fast; Madam Li fell to the ground with a cry of pain, her chin dislocated, and she could only emit garbled, painful sounds from her mouth.
She didn't have the time to waste words with her; using her feet was more satisfying than using her mouth!
When she was in college in her previous life, she worked a part-time job at night, waiting tables at a restaurant.
Once, on her way back to the dormitory after work, she was targeted by a man reeking of alcohol who followed her the whole way.
Fortunately, she ran into a senior sister and brother from the same school who were also working part-time, which scared the man away and allowed her to escape disaster.
Thinking that she would be alone in the future and might encounter similar things, she gritted her teeth, saved up money, and signed up for a self-defense class, practicing whenever she had the time.
She never expected that the skills she didn't get to use in her previous life would become the foundation for protecting herself and her family in this strange world.
"Jiang Tang! How dare you hit my mother!"
A young lady rushed out from the crowd; it was Jiang Tang's cousin, Jiang Rou.
She had been hiding on the side watching the show, and seeing her mother snatch Jiang Yi's fish, she was calculating how much dowry the fish could be exchanged for; seeing her mother get hit, she became anxious.
"Jiang Tang, she is your Aunt, how dare you be so presumptuous! Today, I will teach you on behalf of your Father how to behave!"
Jiang Laoda also rushed out from the crowd, raising his hand to strike Jiang Tang.
No one expected that the always weak Madam Feng would suddenly rush forward, shielding Jiang Tang behind her, while Jiang Yi also spread his arms to block in front of his Elder Sister.
"If you want to hit her, hit me, this old woman, to death first!" Madam Feng glared angrily at her eldest son, her voice trembling with excitement, "Madam Li deserved it! I cannot move my hands, so what is wrong with letting A Tang teach her a lesson on my behalf?"
She did not want Jiang Tang's reputation to be damaged, making it hard for her to find a husband in the future, so she could only use this logic.
Her eldest son had been henpecked ever since he married his wife.
He wouldn't dare go west if his wife pointed east, yet now he actually wanted to hit his own niece.
"Mother..." Jiang Laoda's raised hand froze in mid-air, and he lowered it sheepishly.
Although he was afraid of his wife, he did not dare to actually lay a hand on his mother.
"Umm... umm..." Madam Li was mumbling on the ground, unable to say a word for a long time.
Jiang Laoda and Jiang Rou finally realized something was wrong.
Jiang Rou squatted down and called out urgently: "Mother! What happened to you?"
"I am small and weak, and I didn't know my own strength." Jiang Tang said coldly, "Uncle, you had better keep your wife in check; if you look for trouble again next time, it won't be this simple."
As she spoke, under the gaze of everyone, she walked to Madam Li's bucket and reached out to take the Grouper.
Seeing this, Madam Li covered the mouth of the bucket tightly.
Jiang Tang, however, was unhurried, prying open her fingers one by one.
This body was naturally strong, and she also understood acupoints, so she specifically targeted the most painful spots.
The moment she got the fish, she took the opportunity to twist, and Madam Li's arm dislocated with a "click," causing her to howl in pain.
Seeing his wife suffering, Jiang Laoda could no longer hold back and swung a slap toward Jiang Tang.
Jiang Tang was quick-witted and fast-handed, grabbing his wrist and pressing her fingertips onto his painful acupoint.
Jiang Laoda immediately screamed in pain, cold sweat pouring down.
"We may have lost our parents, but we are not soft persimmons to be bullied by anyone!" Jiang Tang's gaze was piercing, sweeping over Madam Li on the ground, the wailing Jiang Laoda, and even Jiang Rou who was shrinking to the side, "If you want us to respect you as elders, you must act like elders. Stealing from your juniors and hitting people—do you even deserve to be called elders?"
The few of them were stared at by her, their hearts trembling, and for a moment they could not say why they felt such fear.
Jiang Tang ignored the gazes of the crowd, handed the Grouper to Jiang Yi, and carried Madam Feng on her back again: "A Yi, let's go home."
Jiang Yi responded, carrying the bucket and following closely behind.
Madam Ye also pulled Su Lianxue to follow.
The villagers saw they were leaving and, having no more excitement to watch, all dispersed to pick up their own Seafood.
"A Tang, your injuries haven't healed yet, how can you keep carrying your Grandma? Put her down quickly, let Aunt carry her."
Madam Ye was full of worry, taking off her own basket and pushing it to Su Lianxue.
"No need, Aunt, I'm fine." Jiang Tang did not stop her steps, her voice carrying warmth, "Thank you for protecting A Yi just now."
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