Zhao Liushun hung rigidly from the main beam of the house, his eyes wide as bronze bells, his tongue lolling out with difficulty.
Su Xiaoqi lunged forward. Disregarding her own frail body, she clasped his legs and tried her best to lift him.
With Su Xiaoqi's strength, she was insufficient to save him.
She could only hold his legs so that his neck would not bear the strain.
While struggling to support him, she shouted outside, "Help..."
Qian Shi heard her and hurried over to take a look.
She too was startled by Zhao Liushun's appearance.
Her feet were rooted to the spot as if glued, unable to move.
It was Zhao Ye and Wu Shi who rushed over and helped rescue Zhao Liushun.
Su Xiaoqi quickly checked his pulse, examining his neck.
Fortunately, they had arrived in time, and no serious injuries had been sustained.
With a series of treatment actions, Su Xiaoqi managed to avert disaster.
However, she was drenched in a cold sweat.
If Zhao Liushun had died, it would have been all her fault.
After giving Zhao Liushun some water to drink, Su Xiaoqi hesitated before speaking, "Uncle..."
Zhao Liushun raised his hand to stop her, closing his eyes simultaneously.
He had intended to end his life.
But he had failed.
Feeling that he had lost face in front of his juniors.
Qian Shi, recovering from her shock, began to mock him sarcastically, "Hmph, what a success. Didn't they say you were a scholar's husband?
Why did you have to get so upset and hang yourself? Oh, the Zhao family is truly distinguished."
"Sister-in-law, say a few less words. Uncle, he, he's already..." Wu Shi stammered, trying to persuade her.
"Bah, why should I say fewer words?
I'm sick of serving him. If you want me to shut up, then you can serve him alone from now on."
Qian Shi then began smashing basins and throwing brooms in the courtyard, creating a clattering din.
Zhao Liushun's face contorted in pain. He simply closed his eyes tighter.
But tears began to stream from the corners of his eyes.
Su Xiaoqi felt a pang of heartache.
In her memory, Zhao Liushun was such a bright and spirited person.
Though his studies might not have matched Shen Yun's, he was considerate in his dealings with people.
Everyone in the village, young and old, praised him.
Even when his leg was injured, it hadn't diminished his spirit.
But now...
After rescuing Zhao Liushun, Su Xiaoqi was also filled with sadness.
Watching Zhao Liushun lying on the bed, his eyes tightly shut, it was as if he had never been alive.
Su Xiaoqi carefully tried to comfort him, speaking of the beauty of life.
But Zhao Liushun just lay there.
Alive, yet as good as dead.
Su Xiaoqi thought that perhaps only Shen Yun could persuade him now.
She beckoned Zhao Ye over and whispered a few instructions in his ear.
Zhao Ye nodded and ran out of the courtyard.
At this moment, Zhao Shi, carrying Old Yu Shi on her back, arrived with Shen Erdan, having heard the commotion.
Seeing Zhao Liushun in such a state.
Old Yu Shi wept bitterly.
She pointed at Qian Shi and cursed her.
Saying that her elder sister-in-law had a heart of stone and wanted to kill her youngest son.
Qian Shi was no easy woman either.
She no longer held any respect for the paralyzed mother-in-law lying in bed.
In fact, her intense dislike for the immobile Zhao Liushun stemmed from Old Yu Shi herself.
For some reason, whenever she looked at Zhao Liushun, she was reminded of the times she had diligently served Old Yu Shi.
But no matter how hard she worked, Old Yu Shi had never spoken a good word.
Instead, when she eventually grew tired of serving and occasionally retorted, Old Yu Shi dared not act like the haughty mother-in-law she once was.
Gradually, Qian Shi figured things out.
Even a difficult mother-in-law fears a difficult daughter-in-law.
From then on, she no longer showed the same caution towards the Zhao family.
Except for her beloved son and her stern father-in-law, she treated everyone else with disdain.
She would scold and yell at her own husband as she pleased.
After that, she completely forgot how to speak politely.
Old Yu Shi was so angered by Qian Shi that she almost passed out.
Pointing a finger at Qian Shi's nose, she called her a wicked daughter-in-law, disobedient and unfilial, bullying her mother-in-law, and driving her unmarried brother-in-law to his death.
She threatened to report her to the authorities and have her beaten on a board in the county hall.
These words were harsh, and Qian Shi was even less willing to comply.
With her confidence boosted, she defiantly argued back with Old Yu Shi.
She cursed her for not being a good mother-in-law. For marrying into their family, she had either become paralyzed and needed her to serve, or her younger son had become paralyzed and it fell upon her to serve.
Now, she refused to serve.
Whoever wanted to serve could go ahead and do so.
Qian Shi jumped and yelled at Old Yu Shi.
Su Xiaoqi's head was pounding from the noise.
Qian Shi was truly outrageously arrogant.
In this era, filial piety was paramount, was it not?
With such arrogance, was there truly no one who could control her?
She looked at Zhao Liushun, whose eyes were still tightly shut. His brow was furrowed.
It was clear he was overwhelmed and annoyed.
In fact, it wasn't just Zhao Liushun.
Even she, if she had to live in such a household for a long time, might occasionally feel despair.
There was simply too much negativity here.
"Mother, please don't be angry, don't be angry." Zhao Shi, slow of speech, seeing her mother being so infuriated by her sister-in-law, wanted to say something.
But the quarrel had left her mind blank, she couldn't think of anything.
She could only pat Old Yu Shi's back and try to soothe her gently.
"Hmph, you useless thing. Look at her, look how arrogant she is.
She's just bullying our old Zhao family because we've fallen on hard times.
Bullying you because you married a short-lived man, and bullying your sister for not marrying a good man..." Old Yu Shi's anger grew with her tears.
But unconsciously, she picked on the weaker one.
She began to scold Zhao Shi relentlessly.
Su Xiaoqi felt her head was about to explode.
She took out twenty coins from her pocket and handed them to Qian Shi. "Aunt, you've been talking for so long, your throat must be sore. Why don't you go buy some tea to moisten it?"
Qian Shi had no intention of paying attention to Su Xiaoqi.
But when she saw the copper coins in her hand.
Her expression changed instantly, as if by magic.
Taking the money, she happily went out the door.
She didn't want to buy tea.
She just wanted to go out for a stroll.
Later, she would simply fetch some hot water from the kitchen for them to drink.
These twenty coins, once in her hand, would naturally be pocketed.
She pondered where she should go.
Perhaps she should call her husband over to take a look.
That way, he wouldn't complain that night that she hadn't told him about such a significant event at home.
She took her beloved son, Baogui, by the hand and strolled out of the courtyard.
Baogui's mind, however, was still lingering in the courtyard.
He looked at his mother with some fear, his voice still trembling, "Mother, was Uncle going to die just now?
I heard Goudan say that one of the aunts in his house hanged herself. Does a hanged person turn into a ghost, with a long tongue sticking out? It's so scary."
Qian Shi slapped him on the shoulder and spat on the ground with force, "Pah, pah, pah. You're just a child, don't say such things.
Your uncle is lucky to be alive, he won't die."
Baogui was still shaken. "Was it you, Mother, who scolded Uncle? Like Sister Xiaozhu last time, you told her to jump into the river, and she jumped..."
Qian Shi snorted coldly, "Baogui, what are you saying? Why are you talking about this? If they want to die, let them die.
With food so scarce, and them unable to work in the fields, dying means one less mouth to feed."
Baogui pondered, "Mother is right. When you get old and can't move, I'll have my wife learn to scold you like this..."
"Slap..." Before Baogui could finish speaking, he saw Qian Shi's hand descend again.
This time, it wasn't his shoulder, but his face.
The pain made Baogui cry out, and tears immediately welled up in his eyes.
He glared at Qian Shi and shouted, "Bad woman, bad woman, with a heart of stone, hitting your own son.
When you get old, I'll send you to live at your daughter's house."
"Zhao Baogui, tell me clearly, who taught you to say these things?" Qian Shi's eyes, as small as beans, fixed on Baogui, her heart pounding.
Were her thoughts so obvious that even a child like Baogui could see them?
And his words were so cutting.
Qian Shi shrank her head, couldn't help but glance behind her. In the hot summer, a chill ran down her back.
Looking at her most treasured youngest son, she suddenly felt him to be immensely distant.
She felt unable to love him anymore.