Liang Hui frowned, feeling that his third brother’s fiancée clearly had something wrong with her head.
“I know you’re Feng Xueqing! I’m not stupid—how could I forget that quickly?”
Feng Xueqing practically wanted to throw herself into his arms and awaken the memories of his previous life.
Unable to resist, she stepped closer to him and had just opened her mouth—
Smack!
Yu Yao viciously slapped her across the other cheek, using just as much strength as before.
“Ah!” Feng Xueqing clutched her other swollen cheek and screamed angrily, “Yu Yao, why did you hit me again?!”
Yu Yao still showed not the slightest bit of guilt.
Pointing at her nose again, she launched into another furious tirade.
“You dare seduce my man right in front of me? Do you think I’m dead or something?!”
“You shameless fox spirit! Anyone can tell you’re not decent! Third Brother’s not home, and now you can’t stand the loneliness so you’re trying to seduce my husband?”
“You’re already this flirtatious before even marrying into the family. Once you’re officially in, who knows what you’ll do? You’ll definitely cuckold Third Brother!”
“You should hurry up and break off the engagement! If someone like you enters the Liang family, the whole household will be turned upside down!”
…
The stone walls in the village were low, and the shouting had long since carried outside, attracting neighbors from all around to watch the commotion.
Villagers crowded into the courtyard, craning their necks, and more spectators gathered by the minute.
The Liang family: “……”
They had originally thought Yu Yao was a delicate, weak woman.
Who would’ve guessed she was this fierce?
Not only could she fight—she could curse people out too.
And not only could she curse people out—every word hit exactly where it hurt.
Normally clever Feng Xueqing somehow completely lost her wits whenever she encountered Yu Yao.
The moment she opened her mouth, she inflicted eight hundred damage on the enemy and one thousand on herself. No wonder she kept getting slapped.
Feng Xueqing had just arrived at the Liang family home. Before accomplishing a single thing, she had already been slapped twice and scolded bloody.
Furious and humiliated, she covered her face and burst into tears.
Zhao Chunhua was the first to react and immediately stepped forward to support her future daughter-in-law.
“She’s my daughter-in-law! I haven’t even said anything yet, so what right do you, you little tramp, have to hit and scold her?”
“What are you anyway? We only bought you for 2,800 yuan! In this house, you should work like a cow or horse. Even cats and dogs rank higher than you. How are you worthy of standing on equal footing with Xueqing?”
“Our Xueqing was born with a wealthy fate. Aren’t you afraid shortening your lifespan by hitting her?”
Liang Hui narrowed his eyes, his voice taut with anger.
“Second Aunt, do you even hear what you’re saying? The woman I married is not a slave I bought for you!”
Seeing Liang Hui once again standing up for Yu Yao, Zhao Chunhua became anxious.
“You can’t spoil women! A wife needs to be beaten into obedience, just like dough has to be kneaded! If you don’t discipline her, next time she’ll push even further—”
“Second Uncle, are you going to handle this or not?”
Liang Hui tilted his head toward Liang Mancang, who had remained silent the whole time. His tone was unpleasant.
“If you still won’t do anything, I think she won’t just push her luck—she’ll climb onto the roof next.”
Liang Mancang, who had been puffing on his pipe, nearly choked.
He glared fiercely at Zhao Chunhua and snapped,
“What do you mean ‘bought for 2,800 yuan’? That was bride price money for marrying a wife!”
Everyone liked saving face—who would smear filth onto their own face like that?
The neighbors crowding around the doors and windows burst into loud laughter.
Zhao Chunhua was nearly driven mad with anger. While wiping Feng Xueqing’s tears, she said painfully,
“So we’re just going to let Third Son’s fiancée get beaten up for nothing by Laoxi’s wife?”
“Oh, my poor daughter-in-law. She came kindly to visit her future husband’s family only to get beaten for no reason. Who’s going to give her justice?”
“Mother, at least say something fair!”
All eyes immediately turned toward Grandma Liang.
Grandma Liang suffered from chronic phlegm and asthma, so she usually didn’t eat at the same table as the rest of the family and stayed in her own room.
Moments like this, when the whole family actually paid attention to her, were rare.
The youngest granddaughter, Liang Hong, was feeding Grandma Liang her medicine. On the table beside them sat the old woman’s lifelong private savings and the dazzling blood-jade bracelet.
The moment Feng Xueqing saw the bracelet again, she finally remembered the true purpose of her visit.
She hadn’t come to fight Yu Yao.
Nor had she come to reminisce with Liang Hui.
She had come to reclaim her golden finger.
But with everyone watching, she obviously couldn’t just snatch it openly. Anxiety made tears stream nonstop down her face.
Seeing Feng Xueqing’s swollen cheeks, Zhao Chunhua felt even more distressed.
“Look how wronged this child feels! That damned Laoxi’s wife absolutely must be beaten properly before she learns obedience! If Laoxi doesn’t discipline her, she’ll become even more outrageous!”
Though she shouted fiercely, she didn’t actually dare make a move.
She had realized that beneath Yu Yao’s soft and delicate appearance was terrifying combat ability. Those two slaps alone had exposed her strength.
Zhao Chunhua had no choice but to reevaluate Yu Yao and no longer dared underestimate her.
After taking her medicine, Grandma Liang’s asthma eased considerably.
Breathing lightly, she spoke,
“Husband and wife quarrels, sisters-in-law bickering—these are ordinary things in every household. There’s no need to blow things out of proportion.”
“When a family lives together, how can spoons avoid hitting pots, or tongues avoid touching teeth? Everyone should tolerate each other a little more.”
Without waiting for Zhao Chunhua to start trouble again, she pointed once more at the divided money on the table.
“I’ll split these private savings evenly between Third Brother and Laoxi, so they can buy things needed for the weddings…”
“I don’t want the money!”
Ignoring the burning pain in her swollen cheeks, Feng Xueqing hurried to the table, both eyes fixed firmly on the blood-jade bracelet.
That bracelet had been her golden finger in her previous life.
She absolutely had to get it back.
Grandma Liang looked puzzled.
“Third Son’s wife and Laoxi’s wife are both my granddaughters-in-law. Whatever I give you two—money or belongings—will naturally be the same.”
“Then give me the bracelet!”
Feng Xueqing pointed at the blood-jade bracelet, her voice trembling slightly.
Hearing this, Zhao Chunhua immediately became enthusiastic. She had taken a liking to the bracelet too.
If her daughter-in-law could get it, maybe she herself could borrow it to wear for a few days and enjoy showing it off.
“Exactly! Give the bracelet to Xueqing! Let all the money go to Laoxi’s family instead! Even though the bracelet looks pretty nice, it actually isn’t worth much!”
“Speaking of which, it’s really Laoxi’s side getting the better deal!”
As mother-in-law and daughter-in-law spoke, all four eyes stared greedily at the blood-jade bracelet.
The next second, a rough dark hand and a fair delicate hand reached for the bracelet almost simultaneously.