“What’s wrong with taking one piece of their clothing? That should have been mine in the first place. Grandma said it herself—everything they own belongs to me.”
Seeing Miao-shi hit her eldest grandson, Old Madam Wang strode forward and blocked her.
“What are you doing, hitting him? Miao-shi, if you hurt my eldest grandson, I’ll have my eldest son beat you to death!”
“What did my eldest grandson do wrong? What he said was absolutely right—their things should all belong to my grandson.”
“What right do those unlucky wretches have to wear such nice clothes? They deserve to be poor their whole lives and starve to death early!”
“Mother, stop talking…”
Miao-shi shot Xia Wanyue a glance.
Seeing the icy look in Xia Wanyue’s eyes fixed on Old Madam Wang, Miao-shi hurriedly tugged at her, signaling her to stop.
But Old Madam Wang was on a roll. Her mouth had no filter, words pouring out nonstop.
Xia Wanyue raised her hand and slapped Old Madam Wang across the mouth, then grabbed her by the neck and pressed her to the ground.
“Since your mouth eats filth, I’ll help you wash it.”
She ground Old Madam Wang’s face against the ground until even her thick skin was scraped bloody.
“Stop!”
Li Shi roared, but he didn’t dare step forward. He only stood at a distance, glaring at Xia Wanyue.
The memories from before were too vivid—just seeing Xia Wanyue made him afraid.
Only after a long while did Xia Wanyue release the barely conscious Old Madam Wang.
Seeing Xia Wanyue turn her gaze toward Li Cai, Miao-shi panicked and dragged Da Ya and Er Ya over, beating them fiercely.
The two girls cried and screamed as Miao-shi hit them, cursing all the while.
“You little wretches! I told you not to hit people, not to cause trouble! Why don’t you just die? You’ve dragged your brother into this!”
Da Ya and Er Ya cried as they begged, “Mother, please stop hitting us! It’s not our fault! Big Brother wanted to go!”
“It hurts! Mother, please stop! Second Aunt, I know I was wrong!”
Da Ya realized begging her mother was useless. Only her second aunt could stop this. She cried and rushed toward Xia Wanyue—
Xia Wanyue immediately pulled the knife off the table and pointed it at her.
Da Ya froze, tears filling her eyes. With a thud, she knelt on the ground.
“Second Aunt, please… I know I was wrong. Please spare me. I’ll never dare again.”
Seeing her sister kneel, Er Ya also dropped to her knees, kowtowing repeatedly, apologizing nonstop.
Miao-shi awkwardly withdrew her hand and forced a flattering smile.
“Yue-niang… well… they’ve been beaten and scolded already. If you’re still angry, how about I hand Da Ya and Er Ya over to you? As long as you leave them alive, alright?”
“Xia Wanyue, don’t go too far—”
Li Shi slammed the table, but when Xia Wanyue’s cold gaze landed on him, he shuddered and swallowed the rest of his words.
He stepped back, stiff-necked, watching.
“Xia Wanyue, hitting them a little is enough. Kids fight all the time—was it necessary to take it this seriously? They’ve always fought before, and you were never like this.”
“Oh?” Xia Wanyue laughed coldly. “That was because I was stupid. Not anymore. Whoever touches my children—I’ll take their life. You know your children bullied mine plenty before. Were my children just supposed to deserve it?”
Bang!
In her fury, Xia Wanyue kicked over the table. Soup and dishes spilled everywhere.
Everyone screamed and scrambled backward. Old Master Li gasped for air, pointing at her repeatedly.
“You—you—you—”
“You what? Shut up, you old bastard.”
“Xia Wanyue! How can you talk to your father-in-law like that?” Old Madam Wang shouted weakly.
“I’ve already divorced your son. What does he count as now?”
She kicked aside a fallen stool and sat down heavily.
Xia Wanyue sat right at the doorway of the main hall, firewood knife in one hand, staring at the family before her.
“Two options. First: my children are injured. You pay medical fees—one tael of silver. Both my children were hurt, so that’s cheap.”
“Their clothes were newly bought. You pay compensation. Each set cost me two taels—pay the full price. They were also frightened, so we’ll count emotional damages too—one tael. Total: five taels of silver. Pay up.”
“No way! You’re dreaming! And it’s clearly four taels—where did five come from?” Old Madam Wang shouted.
Xia Wanyue glanced sideways at her.
“Oh, I was just being kind and rounding it up. You should be thanking me.”
“Or there’s the second option.”
Miao-shi trembled. “W-what is it?”
“I beat your entire family. Simple, right?”
Old Master Li sputtered “you you you” again, then failed to catch his breath and collapsed.
“Old man!”
Old Madam Wang and Li Xin hurried to support him, barely keeping his head from smashing into the table corner.
Everyone scrambled to carry Old Master Li back to his room.
They had only taken one step when a porcelain bowl flew toward them.
Bang!
It smashed against the wall.
One more step and it would have hit them.
“What? Do you think I don’t exist?”
“What exactly do you want?”
Li Xin glared at Xia Wanyue angrily.
“You’ve already scared Father unconscious. What more do you want?”
“That’s right! Second Sister-in-law, forget it. We’re family—why make things so ugly? You broke the table and scared Father unconscious. Let’s just end it here.”
Seeing her husband speak, Little Li-shi quickly tried to smooth things over.
“You say end it, and it ends? Hah! Didn’t you hear my options clearly? Choose—pay up or get beaten. Think carefully. I’m more than happy to oblige.”
Everyone looked at each other helplessly. They couldn’t leave, but they didn’t dare stay.
Li Shi looked toward Old Madam Wang.
“Mother… maybe—”
“No!”
Old Madam Wang’s stinginess flared up. Asking her for money was like asking for her life.
She clutched her money pouch tightly.
“Mother, do you really want to watch us get beaten to death? Or see your eldest grandson beaten? You only have one grandson!”
Li Shi snapped angrily.
Their family only had Li Cai as a male heir—he was needed to carry on the family line.
Hearing this, Little Li-shi’s eyes flickered. She gently stroked her belly, resentment flashing in her gaze.
Miao-shi hurried forward to persuade Old Madam Wang as well. Afraid of being beaten, Li Xin and Little Li-shi could only join in.
Old Madam Wang stubbornly turned her head away.
Enraged, Li Shi rushed into her room and began rummaging through her chests and cabinets.
Seeing this, Old Madam Wang let out a shrill scream and tried to rush after him, but Miao-shi and Little Li-shi held her back.