It was just after dinnertime and all the families were enjoying the breeze in their courtyards.
Many people came out to take a look when they heard the commotion.
“What’s going on?”
“What Li family? Is it Qiao Mei’s grandmother’s family?”
“Eh, isn’t this Zhao Hong, the granddaughter-in-law of the Li family from the neighboring village? Why is she in our village?”
“Aiyo, did she get chased out by the Li family?”
Someone recognized Zhao Hong and asked bluntly.
Zhao Hong’s face was very red and she did not say anything.
The voice in the crowd continued to say, “Even if she is chased out, there’s no need to go to Qiao Mei’s house to beg for food, right? They’re not even related!”
“That’s right, that’s right! This is quite awful.”
These taunts made Zhao Hong’s face turn red. She felt really awkward, especially since there were people she knew in the crowd.
She picked up her child and walked out the door.
It was dark when she returned to her place. Next to the big tree at the front door, she gave herself a hard slap to make her face swell up instantly. Then she smeared some dust from the ground on her body and messed up her hair before she dared to walk into the house.
The Li family was not surprised that Zhao Hong had returned in such a miserable state.
They heard that Qiao Mei had always had a bad temper and it was common for her to raise her hands at people. It was already a very good thing that she only took action after so many days.
Old Madam Li cursed fiercely, “You useless thing, you can’t even build a good relationship with her like I told you to.”
“Is there any way to make Qiao Mei accept our family?” Li Dong did not care that his wife had been beaten up. He only wanted more money.
Old Madam Li looked at Zhao Hong and said angrily, “What did Qiao Mei say?”
“She said… no one from the Li family is allowed to go over, except for Li Gui. She won’t let anyone else in. If anyone still dares to go over, she will beat them to death with a big stick.”
Zhao Hong sobbed audibly, but did not dare to speak too loudly, and wiped her tears off with her hand.
“This is not too bad!” Li Dong said happily.
At least this niece of his still acknowledged Li Gui as her mother and was willing to let Li Gui visit her. This was not such a bad thing.
“Alright, then I’ll go to the county to look for her mother tomorrow,” Old Madam Li nodded and said.
After Li Gui remarried, she followed her husband to go and work at the food factory in the county. It was quite easy to find her now.
Actually, Old Madam Li often went to the county to look for Li Gui. Sometimes, she would go to her house and sometimes to her workplace. From time to time, she would bring back some items or money.
Sun Ying hesitated for a moment and slowly said, “Then if she comes back, won’t the things we’re hiding be exposed? If she…”
Before she could finish, the old lady stopped her with one look.
Back then, Old Madam Li would go over from time to time to ask Li Gui for money using Qiao Mei as an excuse. She would say that Qiao Mei was fat and tanned, always fighting and causing trouble, and also lazy and unwilling to work.
And that Qiao Mei even came to the Li family house and chased Old Madam Li around for food.
Li Gui felt responsible for her daughter. From time to time, she would take out some money to subsidize the Li family’s expenses. Although her husband would beat her up every time she gave her family money and other things, she would still pass Old Madam Li some money.
“If she knows, she knows. I’m her mother. Isn’t it only right for her to give me some money and stuff?”
Old Madam Li spoke nonchalantly.
Although she had indeed lied to Li Gui, it was her right to take these things as Li Gui’s mother. She was the one to ask Li Gui to remarry early, otherwise how could Li Gui have such a good life in the county?
She deserved everything she got and there was nothing to be afraid of even if Li Gui knew the truth.
Li Tao could not help but interrupt the conversation. “What if she isn’t willing to help? What if she finds out that we never passed Qiao Mei any of her gifts, and all the things were taken by us instead? Once she mends her relationship with Qiao Mei, will Qiao Mei be willing to help us?”
Under such circumstances, no one would be willing to help, right?
However, Old Madam Li just smiled. She knew her own daughter well. If she could not control Qiao Mei, she would just control her daughter. When the time came, wouldn’t everything be fine as long as she could control her own daughter?