"I’m Su Tao’s aunt," Tan Jinni said, glaring at Su Qing. "Su Qing, you’re the one who ruined Su Tao! If it weren’t for you, Su Tao wouldn’t have ended up like this. How dare you ask what’s wrong? Ptooey! You’re a nace! Why is it that our Su Tao was ruined by you, while you get to act like nothing ever happened?"
When Su Qing saw Tan Jinni imdiately trying to pin the bla on her, she kicked out at her without a second thought. Tan Jinni never expected Su Qing to resort to violence at the slightest disagreent and was sent stumbling back by the kick. If her eldest son hadn’t caught her from behind, she would have fallen to the ground.
"You dare kick my mom? I’ll beat you to death!" Tan Jinni’s second son, Tian Erzhuang, was eighteen this year. He was tall and brawny and at an impulsive age. Seeing his mother get kicked, his temper flared. He charged at Su Qing, raising a fist to smash her in the face.
The Tian family’s aggressive arrival in the village had already drawn the attention of the villagers. They had all followed along by now. Seeing Tian Erzhuang about to hit Su Qing, soone cried out in alarm, "Su Qing, get out of the way!"
So villagers moved to help Su Qing, but it all happened too fast. There wasn’t enough ti.
But to everyone’s surprise, Tian Erzhuang didn’t get the upper hand at all. The mont he reached Su Qing, she grabbed a wooden stick from beside the door and struck him hard on the arm.
"AHH—" Tian Erzhuang cried out in pain, hopping on his feet as he clutched his right arm. He felt like his arm was about to break.
Seeing Su Qing take down two people in such a short ti, the onlookers were stunned. They had a newfound appreciation for her fierceness.
Even the Tian family mbers and Tian Aixiang were a bit dazed.
Su Qing slamd the end of the stick on the ground. She looked coldly at Tian Aixiang and the Tian family mbers and said, "It’s broad daylight, and you all gang up to co to my door, slinging accusations. What are you playing at? Su Tao killed soone. What does that have to do with ? You say I ruined her! Did I grab her hand and make her kill soone? Did I push her to go on the run? She committed her own sins, so on what grounds do you co here slinging mud at with nothing but empty words? Let tell you, I may not have any elders to back up, but I’m no pushover. If you want to co here and bully , then we’ll fight to the bitter end and see who regrets it!"
"Don’t you deny it." Tan Jinni was the most aggressive. After hearing Su Qing, she imdiately shot back, "If you hadn’t pulled those tricks back then and caused Taotao and that Shitou from the Sun family to be disgraced, would Taotao have had to marry into the Sun family? If she hadn’t married into the Sun family, would any of this tragedy have happened? In the end, this is all your fault. Don’t you dare deny it."
"How did I ruin Su Tao?" Su Qing said coldly. "If you want to bring up the past, let’s talk about it. If the Old Su Family hadn’t plotted to sell to the Sun family, would Shitou and his mother have even gone to the Old Su Family’s house? And speaking of which, Su Tao was the one who ca up with that dirty trick! In the end, her plan backfired, and now you have the nerve to turn around and bla ? Ptooey! I was tied up in the woodshed back then. Tell , how could I have possibly tricked Su Tao?"
Su Qing felt not a single shred of regret for throwing Shitou into Su Tao’s room back then. ’Trying to harm soone only to have it blow up in your own face—she got what she deserved.’
"That’s right, I can vouch for her. That girl, Su Qing, was tied up in the woodshed. I saw it with my own two eyes." Aunt Cuihua was the first to step forward and testify. "I can’t just stand by and watch you slander her like this."
"That’s right," Aunt Tao and two other aunts who had gone to the Old Su Family’s house back then also testified. "We can all vouch for it. Su Qing was tied up in the woodshed by the Old Su Family."
"Did you hear that?" Su Qing said. "I have witnesses. If you keep spouting nonsense, I’ll sue you for slander."
"Who knows if you were just faking it." Tan Jinni hadn’t expected Su Qing to have so many witnesses. She shot a glare at Tian Aixiang. ’This sister-in-law of mine didn’t explain things clearly, and now I’m in an awkward spot.’ But she still talked tough. "It was the middle of the night. No one saw anything."
"Fine. If you’re going to say that, then go report it to the police," Su Qing said with a sneer. "Perfect. We can bring up how the Old Su Family abused and tried to sell to a fool while we’re at it. Then we’ll see who ends up in jail."
As she spoke, Su Qing glanced at Tian Aixiang. "Third Aunt, you brought these people here to cause trouble at my house. Don’t think you can stay out of it just by keeping quiet. You were involved in more than just a small way with what I went through at the Old Su Family’s house, including the whole business of being sold. The Sun family mbers might be gone, but there are plenty of people in Lihua Village who can testify. When the ti cos, let’s just see who the police end up arresting!"
That look from Su Qing sent a chill down Tian Aixiang’s spine. She subconsciously took a step back, pressing her lips together as she stared at Su Qing. In the end, unable to accept it, she asked, "If it wasn’t you, how could my Taotao have gotten involved with that fool? It was clearly your grandma and Shi’s mother who personally brought Shitou to the woodshed."
At this mont, Tian Aixiang had no regard for the Old Su Family’s reputation. Her heart was filled only with indignation. Su Tao was completely ruined. She herself had beaten Old Mada Su and put her in the hospital. These past few days, Old Man Su and Su Shunli had been constantly finding fault with her. While taking care of Old Mada Su at the hospital, she was subjected to all sorts of abuse and scolding. It was safe to say that she was now completely unwelco in the Old Su Family. This kind of life was driving her mad.
"You’re asking , Third Aunt?" Su Qing raised an eyebrow. "I was tied up good and tight by you people back then. How would I know? You knocked unconscious. I was dead to the world. Who knows if what you’re saying is even true? For all I know, Grandma and Shi’s mother delivered Shitou right to Su Tao’s room themselves."
"You... you..." Hearing this from Su Qing, Tian Aixiang grew uncertain. After all, she hadn’t seen what happened that night with her own eyes. She and Su Shunli had intentionally stayed away.
Seeing Tian Aixiang rendered speechless by Su Qing’s questioning, Tan Jinni grew anxious. ’I ca here today for the money in Su Qing’s pocket, but things obviously aren’t going my way.’ So she said hurriedly, "Su Qing, stop trying to twist things! You definitely did it! Report it to the police, then! Who’s afraid of who? When they prove you’re the one who ruined Su Tao, you’ll have to pay compensation."
The crowd erupted in an uproar. ’Wow, so this really is about money.’
Just as everyone was waiting to see what Su Qing would say, Old Man Su walked over quickly. He yelled at the Tian family mbers, "All of you, get the hell out of here! The Old Su Family’s business is not for the old Tian family to ddle in."
After speaking, Old Man Su looked at Tian Aixiang again. "Weren’t you at the hospital taking care of your mother-in-law? Why are you still in the village?"
The crowd’s eyes grew even wider. ’Whoa, has Old Man Su had a change of heart?’
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