After that menace Cuihua was married off, life in the Liang household gradually returned to how it had been before.
Liu-shi was still burdened with endless chores every single day.
After taking medicine for several days, the cold qi in Qianhua’s body had finally been suppressed for the time being.
On the second day after Cuihua’s wedding, Old Madam Liang began ordering Qianhua to go up the mountain to cut pig fodder.
But this Qianhua was no longer the same obedient girl as before. She would not meekly accept Old Madam Liang’s commands like the original owner had. For her to obey so docilely—unless the sun rose in the west.
After calling her several times and seeing that Qianhua still hadn’t moved, Old Madam Liang’s temper flared.
Fuming, she stormed into the kitchen. At that moment, Qianhua was squatting by the stove, helping Liu-shi tend the fire. The sight only made Old Madam Liang angrier.
She immediately started cursing, “You worthless money-loser! Are you deaf? Didn’t you hear me tell you to go up the mountain and cut pig grass? The piglets haven’t eaten a single bite since morning! Your mother can handle the kitchen work—she doesn’t need your help. Get up the mountain right now and cut pig fodder!”
“Grandmother, my body is still weak after falling into the water. I’m afraid I can’t climb the mountain yet. If pig grass needs cutting, you can go yourself, or have Eldest Aunt do it. I really can’t go today,” Qianhua replied calmly.
She was not the original owner—she had no intention of letting herself be ordered around.
“You’ve really grown bold! How dare you talk back to an elder? Just look at how sharp your tongue is—you’re full of energy. Where’s this ‘weak body’ you’re talking about? If you don’t go right now, don’t blame this old woman for whipping you!”
Old Madam Liang felt that something about this granddaughter had changed after the fall, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
In the past, whatever she ordered, Qianhua would do without a word. Now she was openly talking back.
“I really am weak. If you don’t believe me, invite Doctor Huang over to check my pulse again,” Qianhua said coolly.
“You still want me to spend money hiring a doctor for you? You must be dreaming! I won’t beat you to death today, my surname isn’t Liang!”
With that, Old Madam Liang grabbed the bamboo pole leaning against the wall and raised it to strike.
“Mother! Qianhua’s fall triggered her internal cold condition—she truly is still weak. I’ll cut the pig grass this afternoon after lunch. Please don’t make things hard for the child,” Liu-shi hurried over and grabbed Old Madam Liang, pleading.
“Get out of my way! Today I’m going to teach this shameless brat a proper lesson and show her the consequences of talking back to elders. If you keep pulling me, I’ll beat you too!”
Old Madam Liang felt her authority had been challenged—there was no way she would let this go.
She swung the bamboo pole down. But Qianhua immediately grabbed a broom from the ground and blocked the blow.
The bamboo struck the broom instead. Made of dried straw, it shattered instantly, straw scattering all over the floor—but Qianhua herself wasn’t touched at all.
“You little slut! You actually dare to fight back against an elder—and you even broke the family’s broom! You’re lawless, utterly unfilial!”
Seeing the broom ruined made Old Madam Liang’s heart ache—and her fury surged even higher.
She grabbed Liu-shi’s arm viciously and cursed, “You wretched jinx! Look at the vile daughter you gave birth to! An unfilial brat who openly talks back to elders and even dares to raise a broom against them!”
She vented all her anger on Liu-shi. Liu-shi cried out in pain as her arm was twisted, yet she kept begging her mother-in-law to spare Qianhua.
Hearing the commotion, Chen-shi quickly put down her needlework and came out of the room.
She wanted to plead on behalf of Qianhua and Liu-shi, but didn’t dare to speak. Afraid she’d draw Old Madam Liang’s wrath onto herself, she could only stand anxiously at the doorway.
“You old hag! Let go of my mother! If you dare bully my mother again, don’t blame me for forgetting you’re an old woman—just wait and see how I deal with you!”
Qianhua strode over and forcefully grabbed the hand with which Old Madam Liang was twisting Liu-shi’s arm.
“You unfilial little wretch—let go at once! Ouch! My hand’s about to snap! Are you trying to murder your own grandmother?!”
Old Madam Liang screamed in pain as Qianhua clamped down on her wrist.
Qianhua shoved her away and fixed her with a cold, sinister stare.
In a low, vicious voice she said, “So you remember you’re my grandmother? Let me tell you—I’ve already walked through the halls of the King of Hell and come back. Even wandering ghosts fear me. If you dare bully my mother or me again, I’ll make sure you’ll beg to live and beg to die.”
Old Madam Liang was terrified by the chilling look in her eyes. Muttering curses under her breath, she hurried back to her room.
This granddaughter had truly become frightening—those eyes looked as if they could devour someone whole.
Zhu-shi had long heard the commotion from inside her room. She peeked through a crack in the window, enjoying the spectacle in the courtyard. When she saw Old Madam Liang about to beat Qianhua, she silently cheered, Hit her hard! Teach that little slut a proper lesson!
But instead, Old Madam Liang ended up fleeing in defeat, frightened away by Qianhua.
Zhu-shi spat fiercely onto the ground and cursed under her breath, “Useless old thing—can’t even handle a little girl.”
Seeing Old Madam Liang flee in panic, Qianhua felt deeply satisfied. Kind people get bullied, and gentle horses get ridden—when dealing with people like this, you had to be fiercer than them.
“Mother, from now on, if Grandmother scolds you, just walk away and don’t listen. If she hits you again, don’t swallow your anger anymore. Worst case, we leave this family,” Qianhua said, teaching Liu-shi not to endure Old Madam Liang’s abuse anymore.
“Qianhua, no matter what, she’s still our elder. If we confront her like this, people will call us unfilial,” Liu-shi said, unconvinced.
“Mother, the saying goes: first comes kindness, then comes filial piety. If she isn’t kind to us, why should we be filial?”
Qianhua believed that filial devotion only made sense when elders were loving and virtuous—worthy of respect.
As for elders who beat and scold children at every turn, she had no intention of honoring them.
“That may be true, but public opinion is terrifying. If your grandmother accuses us of being unfilial, people’s spit alone could drown us,” Liu-shi said worriedly.
After all, Liu-shi was a true woman of this era—deeply fearful of elders and even more afraid of gossip.
Qianhua thought to herself: Back when I was a livestreamer, I’d been cursed at by all kinds of people. If I cared too much about what others said, how could I even go on living?
But she knew saying more to Liu-shi would be useless—her thinking had been poisoned too deeply by feudal values.
All she could do was slowly teach her over time not to be so submissive.
Qianhua knew she had to hurry and find a way to earn money, then take her parents and live separately.
Every extra day they stayed in the Liang family home meant another day her mother would suffer abuse—and another day she herself would be crushed under Old Madam Liang’s so‑called “filial duty.”