Xiang Hong suddenly knelt down and hugged Chen Zi'an's leg.
"Minister Chen, I was wrong, I was wrong. I shouldn't have come to trouble Sister Su. I truly realize my mistake."
She cried so miserably, a young girl completely disregarding her image, tears and snot streaming down her face.
Even the onlookers couldn't help but sigh, feeling that Chen Zi'an was being too harsh.
After all, she was just a young girl. Even if she made a mistake, adults shouldn't stoop to her level.
Some even felt Chen Zi'an was going too far.
Chen Zi'an swept his gaze across the crowd. Those who had been whispering dared not speak further.
He forcefully pulled his leg free, and Xiang Hong, caught off guard, fell directly to the ground.
Chen Zi'an looked down at Xiang Hong, his eyes seemingly as cold as ice. Even in the mild weather, Xiang Hong shivered.
"Xiang Hong, are you trying to get me killed?"
Kneeling before her, with others watching, what would they say about him?
Was this daughter of the Xiang family here to beg for mercy, or to cause trouble?
Xiang Hong, no longer kneeling but sprawled on the ground, didn't quite grasp the meaning of Chen Zi'an's words.
"Minister Chen, I didn't mean that!" she murmured. "I just want you to let me go. I don't want to be sent to the countryside as a youth!"
"Why you're being sent to the countryside is something you should ask your father. It has nothing to do with me!"
"My father is sending me to the countryside because of you. He said you were angry!" Xiang Hong's voice was low.
"I'm angry because your family has gone too far. Xiang Hong, do I need to spell out what your family has done?" Chen Zi'an sneered.
Xiang Hong had failed to slander him, and Shi Xunfang had hired people to investigate him, intending to destroy him from the root.
This time, merely sending Xiang Hong to the countryside was a warning to the Xiang family, leaving them ample face. He hadn't expected this brainless Xiang Hong to come barging in.
Xiang Hong looked at Chen Zi'an in shock. She had always believed Chen Zi'an couldn't possibly know about the things her mother had done.
But what did Chen Zi'an mean by his words?
He knew?
Even though he was powerful, he was a loner. How could he know these things?
No, it couldn't be!
He couldn't possibly know. He must be lying!
Chen Zi'an saw Xiang Hong's panicked state and understood everything.
She was also an insider. Perhaps it was her instigation that led Shi Xunfang to investigate him.
Truly, when the tiger doesn't show its might, it's treated as a sick cat!
"Go back and tell your uncle and your father that this is the first and the last time! If anything like this happens again, it won't be as simple as one person being sent to the countryside!"
After speaking, Chen Zi'an ignored Xiang Hong any further and led Su Xiaotian into the courtyard.
He, Chen Zi'an, disdained arguing with a young girl.
Before entering the door, Su Xiaotian glanced back at the slumped Xiang Hong thoughtfully.
Xiang Hong stood there, stunned.
She had come to cause a scene today to force Chen Zi'an to give up on sending her to the countryside, thinking that in front of everyone, Chen Zi'an would agree for the sake of his reputation.
But she hadn't expected things to be more difficult than she had anticipated.
Chen Zi'an knew about the things her mother had done, and he was definitely very angry. This time, she was truly finished!
She didn't know when she would be able to return after being sent to the countryside. Her life was truly ruined.
She didn't want this. She wanted to stay in the city and live a good life, not suffer in the countryside!
Just then, she suddenly saw a familiar figure.
Who else could it be but Su Xiaoqin?
In an instant, Xiang Hong remembered what Su Xiaoqin had said earlier.
It was this Su Xiaoqin who had instigated her to find Chen Zi'an's home.
If it weren't for Su Xiaoqin, she wouldn't have rashly come here and ended up in this predicament.
Su Xiaoqin had harmed her!
She had treated Su Xiaoqin very well, always protecting her like a sister.
Otherwise, how could she, a mere young girl, have managed to get by in the county town?
She would have been bullied to death long ago!
But how had she repaid her?
Thinking of this, Xiang Hong got up and charged towards Su Xiaoqin.
Su Xiaoqin had also seen Xiang Hong sitting at Chen Zi'an's doorstep. She had never seen Xiang Hong so distraught.
She was contemplating whether she should step forward and say a few words when she saw Xiang Hong rushing towards her.
"Sister Xiang Hong..." Su Xiaoqin had just managed a smile to greet her when she was slapped to the ground.
"You slut! You harmed me, you caused me to be sent to the countryside, are you satisfied?"
Xiang Hong's eyes were bloodshot, her gaze clearly that of an enemy.
"Sister Xiang Hong, I didn't!" Su Xiaoqin said aggrievedly.
Su Xiaoqin was young, and with her delicate appearance, tears welling up made her look even more pitiful.
In contrast to Su Xiaoqin's fragile demeanor, Xiang Hong appeared even more hideous.
The onlookers, who had initially sympathized with Xiang Hong, now began to point fingers at her.
Xiang Hong, lost in her own grief, paid no attention to the opinions of those around her.
Perhaps it was because she felt her life was completely ruined, and her image no longer mattered.
However she had felt Su Xiaoqin's pitiful expression before, she now found that expression disgusting.
Without hesitation, Xiang Hong began to beat and kick Su Xiaoqin.
"You slut, from the moment you came to the county town, I protected you, took care of you, gave you food and clothes. I never expected to raise an ungrateful wretch who would harm me!"
"Su Xiaoqin, are you worthy of the clothes you're wearing? Are you worthy of the food you eat every day? Slut, slut!"
While hitting and scolding, Xiang Hong vented all her resentment onto Su Xiaoqin.
In the courtyard, Su Xiaotian, who was listening, couldn't help but comment.
Wasn't Su Xiaoqin an ungrateful wretch? After so many years, no matter how much she gave her, she felt it was wrong not to give her the best.
It was likely that Su Xiaoqin felt the same way about Xiang Hong now. It was wrong that Xiang Hong hadn't taken her back to the Xiang family to be adopted as a daughter.
Xiang Hong was hitting Su Xiaoqin severely, and Su Xiaoqin began to fight back.
However, there was a difference in their build and stamina.
Su Xiaoqin still couldn't escape being beaten.
But Su Xiaoqin was always quick-witted.
"You keep saying you treated me well, was it really good to me? You just wanted to use me."
"If you truly treated me well, why did you always give me your old clothes? Don't I deserve to wear a new outfit?"
"If you truly treated me well, why did you make me live in such a dirty place? You clearly have many rooms, what's wrong with giving me one?"
"If you truly treated me well, why didn't you let your parents adopt me as your daughter?"
Although Su Xiaoqin couldn't fight back, she could speak, and she poured out all her resentment.
Yes, just as she had hated the old Su family before, Su Xiaoqin now hated Xiang Hong.
The way Xiang Hong treated her made her feel humiliated, pathetic, and ridiculous.
Xiang Hong's actions towards her were mere charity, not genuine kindness!
Xiang Hong was shocked to hear Su Xiaoqin's words, feeling her worldview shattered.
What kind of bizarre thinking was this?
Why did she feel she, a girl fleeing from the countryside, deserved the best?
Did she deserve to become a daughter of the Xiang family?
Why did she feel she hadn't treated her well?
The clothes she gave her, although worn, were clean and tidy, without a single patch.
Many people would have cherished such clothes.
She subsidized her with a significant amount of money and food each month, and even used the Xiang family's connections to help her solve her food and grain problems.
Otherwise, how could she, a helpless orphan, live so well in the city?
But now, all of this had become wrong.
She actually hated her!
Xiang Hong stopped hitting Su Xiaoqin and started laughing heartily, her whole body shaking, tears streaming down her face!
She was blind, blind!
The onlookers were also dumbfounded. What kind of logic was this, where the recipient of help resented the helper?
Blaming her for not giving her the best?
"Little girl, that's not right. Helping you is a favor, not helping is normal."
"Exactly. If someone helps you, you should be grateful. How can you blame them for not giving you the best?"
"Do you think everyone is your mother, obligated to help and care for you?"
Su Xiaoqin heard these words, but hearing them did not mean agreeing!
"What do you know? For her, giving me this was effortless!" Su Xiaoqin immediately retorted.
The crowd's worldview continued to shatter!
"Su Xiaoqin, I was blind to treat someone like you, an ungrateful wretch, as a good person. Since you feel I've wronged you, then I've wronged you. From now on, without my subsidies, I'll see how you manage!"
After speaking, Xiang Hong staggered away, leaving Su Xiaoqin alone.
She panicked. If she truly lost Xiang Hong's subsidies, what would she do?
However, she was unwilling to apologize to Xiang Hong now.
Forget it, Xiang Hong was just like that. When she was angry, she was truly angry, but after a day or two, if she said a few soft words, it would pass.
Su Xiaotian, having been beaten, didn't dare to place her resentment on Xiang Hong, but instead harbored resentment towards Su Manxiu and Su Xiaotian.
She cast a fierce glance at the door of Chen Zi'an's house.
If this family truly considered her as kin and had helped her a little, would she have been insulted by Xiang Hong like this?
It was all their fault!
Su Xiaotian, sitting quietly under the jujube tree in the courtyard reading and waiting for dinner, was unaware of the thoughts in the minds of those outside.
But the onlookers remembered that it was this little girl yesterday who had caused trouble with the people in Minister Chen's family.
What had she said at the time? It seemed she was blaming them for not giving her the best when helping her.
It seemed this little girl's nature was indeed like this.
Some couldn't help but shake their heads and sigh, this little girl was too self-important, why did she think the whole world should indulge her.
Su Xiaoqin heard the chattering discussions around her and glared fiercely at them.
"What do you know? You know nothing, why are you judging me? I just want to live a better life, what's wrong with that? What's wrong?"
In the courtyard, Grandma Su heard Su Xiaoqin's words and couldn't help but sigh.
"Grandma, you don't think what she's saying makes sense, do you?" Su Xiaotian asked with a smile.
"How could that be? Everyone wants to live a good life, and that desire is not wrong. However, to live a good life, one must work hard and not rely on others' care."
"Grandma, she's just like that. It's set, it can't be changed!" Su Xiaotian shook her head.
In her past and present life, her cousin's thoughts had always been this way. It was ingrained in her.
"She's been taught badly!" Grandma Su sighed.
"Perhaps, she's just like this in her bones, it has little to do with upbringing!" Su Xiaotian sighed.
Liu Xiuying was someone who felt the world wronged her and that not letting her take advantage was a wrong. Su Xiaoqin's personality was not surprising at all.
It was a continuation of the lineage.
"Xiaotian, what are you doing sitting under the jujube tree?" Grandma Su asked curiously.
"I'm telling the jujube tree that the dates this year must be sweeter. I don't like sour ones," Su Xiaotian said with a serious face.
Grandma Su chuckled. Just then, Su Manxiu came out, and Grandma Su smiled and said, "Look at this girl, she's truly silly. How can a jujube tree understand her words? Besides, whether the dates are sweet or not, she can't decide."
However, a few months later, when Su Manxiu picked the dates and found that this year's dates were indeed sweeter and more delicious than last year's, she was truly amazed.
As this was the little one's full moon celebration, it was considered a significant day.
Grandma Su was busy from noon onwards, preparing many delicious dishes to celebrate.
In the afternoon, Grandpa Su, along with Su Laoda, Su Lao'er, and Su Lao'san, arrived, saying they had come to see the baby.
As relatives from the maternal side, they couldn't come empty-handed; they had to bring gifts for the newborn.
Grandpa Su, as the maternal grandfather, presented five yuan, and the three uncles each presented two yuan.
Su Manxiu refused to accept them.
"Xiuer, this isn't for you, it's for the little baby," Grandpa Su said earnestly. "I know you're worried about us having a hard time, but don't worry, we can manage now."
"Dad, giving a dime or two as a gesture is enough. Why are you giving so much!"
Su Manxiu knew very well that the family barely saved any money throughout the year. When she married Chen Zi'an, she had already given a sum of money.
"How can a dime or two be enough? Big sister, it's okay, don't worry, we can afford this. We're not pretending to be richer than we are!" Su Laoda explained.
"These are clothes made by your sisters-in-law for Little Bao," Su Lao'san took out a small bundle from his backpack and handed it to Su Manxiu.
"Why are you making clothes? The little one has clothes that Tianmei wore when she was little. No need to make new ones," Su Manxiu said with a playful scolding.
She felt bad that giving birth to this child had cost her maternal family again!
"Thank you, Dad, Mom, and brothers and sisters-in-law," Chen Zi'an said generously.
These items were a token of their affection. Not accepting them would truly hurt their feelings. It was better to accept them and repay them when the younger generation of their family got married.
As a few more people arrived, Grandma Su had to add more dishes.
During dinner, the family talked, and Su Xiaotian learned that her eldest aunt, Wang Xianghua, was now working at the chicken farm as a worker.
"Really? Eldest Aunt is a worker now? Do workers in our village get paid?" Su Xiaotian asked with great interest.
"Of course, they do. The village head said your eldest aunt is in charge of the chicken farm, and she gets five yuan a month, plus work points," Su Laoda said happily.
He never expected his fiery wife to have such a day.
"How many workers are there at the chicken farm now?" Su Xiaotian asked curiously.
"There are only two hundred chickens in total, and only two people are busy with them. One is your eldest aunt, and the other is Xiao Mei, from your Aunt Taohua's family," Su Lao'er said with a smile to his little niece, his words full of pampering.
"When we go back, we can recruit a few more workers," Su Xiaotian said, her eyes almost squinting with a smile.
"What do you mean?" Su Lao'er asked.
"Today, Xiaotian and I visited Director Li of the Chicken Cake Factory. He agreed to help our Hongxin Village get a thousand chicks. When we have more chickens, we'll need to recruit more people, won't we?" Chen Zi'an said, taking a sip of wine and smiling.
This little girl was truly capable, getting a thousand chicks with just a few words.
"In a couple of days, I'll also find a way to get some more chicks back. The scale of the Hongxin Village chicken farm will grow!"
Grandpa Su hadn't expected such a thing and became happy.
"Is what you're saying true? Zi'an?"
Chen Zi'an smiled and nodded, "Dad, of course, it's true. Don't worry, your son-in-law may not have many skills, but he has this much capability."
If he couldn't even get a few chicks, wouldn't he be outshone by a child like Xiaotian?
"Zi'an, can what Director Li said to Xiaotian be taken seriously? Is it not just a joke?" Su Lao'san said disbelievingly.
He couldn't believe that a factory director from the city would discuss such an important matter with a little girl.
Even if there were chicks, shouldn't they be discussing it with the village head?
Perhaps his brother-in-law helped?
Thinking of this, Su Lao'san quickly said, "Brother-in-law, I know you dote on Xiaotian, but you can't just let her have her way. It won't do if it ruins your reputation!"
Chen Zi'an found Su Lao'san's words very comforting. The entire Su family were honest people, not trying to take advantage.
"I just took Xiaotian to visit. Specifically, she discussed it with Director Li."
"Xiaotian, what did you promise?" Su Laoda asked.
If she hadn't promised anything, it probably wouldn't have been done.
"From now on, we'll supply eggs to their chicken cake factory every month."
Su Xiaotian took a bite of Grandma Su's sweet and sour pork balls and closed her eyes in satisfaction. This taste was truly wonderful!
Su Laoda was stunned again. Had she even found a sales channel?
"Xiaotian, this matter should have been discussed with the village head."
"Uncle Village Head will definitely agree. I'll tell Uncle Village Head when I return to Hongxin Village."
Su Xiaotian spoke with her mouth full while eating, clearly not considering the possibility that Su Changjiu would disagree.
The others in the Su family, hearing Su Xiaotian say this, simply stopped asking. After all, Xiaotian always kept her promises.
Just as the family had finished dinner and the sky hadn't completely darkened, someone knocked on the door.
Grandma Su opened the door and saw a man and a woman with a young boy.
"Who are you looking for?" Grandma Su asked after carefully observing them, confirming she had never seen them before.
"You are Mrs. Minister Chen, aren't you? I am Li Changqing from the Chicken Cake Factory. This is my wife and son," Li Changqing said politely to Grandma Su.
However, the woman beside him had a rather arrogant attitude, looking down on Grandma Su.
"You're looking for Zi'an, aren't you? Please come in, please come in!" Grandma Su invited. "Zi'an, someone is looking for you!"
Chen Zi'an came out and was very surprised to see the family of three standing in the courtyard.
After all, Li Changqing had said he would come tomorrow, so why had he come early?
"Minister Chen, I heard that your child is celebrating his full moon today. I've taken the liberty of bringing my wife and child to bother you. Please don't be offended."
Chen Zi'an glanced at Li Changqing and suddenly understood Li Changqing's intention.
This wasn't a celebration for his child's full moon; it was clearly to build a good relationship with Xiaotian.
"It's fine, come in," Chen Zi'an's tone towards outsiders was always cold, without even a smile.
Li Changqing didn't mind at all. Who was Chen Zi'an? It was already difficult enough to have his family visit. His cold demeanor was unimportant.
However, the woman beside him looked even colder, appearing displeased.
Li Changqing quickly tugged at the young boy beside him: "Minister Chen, this is my youngest rascal, named Li Weize. He's very mischievous. I thought he might be around the same age as your Xiaotian, so they could play together, and that's why I brought him."
This was also one of Li Changqing's purposes for coming today.
This child, Su Xiaotian, was very much to his liking. She was smart and clever, and moreover, she was a junior whom Chen Zi'an favored and doted on. If they could befriend their younger generation, it would indeed be good.
But clearly, his wife didn't think so. Hearing Li Changqing say this, her expression worsened.
Li Weize looked at Su Xiaotian with arrogance and said, "You're just a little girl, not worthy of playing with me!"
His mother had told him that he was the son of a factory director and was superior to others.
"You little rascal, what nonsense are you spouting?" Li Changqing didn't expect his son to be so disobedient and undermine him. He immediately waved his hand and hit him.
Li Changqing had always doted on his youngest son, so this slap was naturally not forceful, just a gentle pat.
But his wife immediately took offense.
"Why are you hitting the child? One is a boy, the other is a girl, they naturally can't play together!"
Saying this, she also looked at Su Xiaotian with disdain.
This little girl, she heard, was the niece of Chen Zi'an's second wife, from the countryside.
A girl of such background, how could she be worthy of playing with her child?
Especially Li Changqing, who was so useless, even thinking of having these two children develop a relationship. She certainly didn't want a daughter-in-law from such a humble background.
Su Xiaotian naturally saw the undisguised disdain and contempt on Li Changqing's wife's face.
She couldn't help but roll her eyes. This woman was truly brainless.
No wonder this boy named Li Weize was like this; it seemed his mother had taught him everything!
[Author's Note]
Chapter ninety-nine. Tomorrow is chapter one hundred. Thank you to all the babies who have walked this path with Time!