Su Grandma’s expression was one of utter disdain when she said this, slapping Liang Old Madam’s face soundly.
Liang Old Madam hadn't expected Su Grandma to be so disrespectful, and her face immediately darkened.
*What a bothersome old woman, why is she making such a fuss?*
She had only been polite, why did she have to escalate things?
*How could she not know how to teach?*
Seeing her mother-in-law defeated, Li Cuihua glanced at her with disdain and stepped forward herself.
“Sister-in-law, what are you saying? How can my mother-in-law not know how to teach?”
Li Cuihua’s expression was agitated. Although she called Su Grandma “Sister-in-law,” she showed no respect for an elder.
“Elders are speaking, is it your place to speak?” Su Grandma said with a cold face.
Speaking of the third daughter-in-law of the old Liang family, Su Grandma couldn't stand even a single strand of her hair.
Li Cuihua gritted her teeth in hatred. *Why is this old shrew so difficult to deal with?*
After reprimanding Li Cuihua, Su Grandma turned back and said earnestly, “Sister-in-law, it’s not that I’m saying unpleasant things, but you really don’t know how to teach. That’s why your daughter-in-law is so ill-mannered. Look at my daughters-in-law.”
Liang Old Madam was truly heartbroken. Weren't the daughters-in-law of the Su family also the daughters of the Liang family?
“Don’t blame me for speaking harshly, but when your daughter was at your house, she wasn’t good. When she came to my house, she was very obedient and diligent. In the end, it’s because you don’t know how to teach!”
Well, Su Grandma was not one to back down and wouldn't suffer in silence. In one sentence, she firmly established that Liang Old Madam didn't know how to teach.
“I am a guest!” Li Cuihua said through gritted teeth after a long pause.
“A guest? Is this how a guest behaves? If it weren’t for your father-in-law and mother-in-law, I wouldn’t have let you in the door!” Su Grandma was indeed very formidable.
“Sister-in-law, why are you speaking so unpleasantly? Have I offended you?” Liang Old Madam was instantly displeased upon hearing Su Grandma speak about her daughter-in-law.
“Sister-in-law, I haven’t said anything wrong. You tell me, what kind of person is your daughter-in-law? If she were in my house, I would have sent her back long ago!”
“I’m saying, sister-in-law, are you just going to watch your mother-in-law bully your maternal family like this?” Li Cuihua, in her helplessness, resorted to instigation.
She didn’t believe that the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship in the Su family was truly that good; wasn't it all just for show?
However, Liang Xiu kept her eyes on her nose and her nose on her heart, not saying a word.
Her mother-in-law was already defending her honor. If she were to speak up for her maternal family, she would truly be a fool!
Seeing that Liang Xiu remained silent, Li Cuihua, enraged, was about to step forward and hit her, but Su Xiao Wu reached out and blocked her.
The young man, not yet fully grown, stood directly in front of Li Cuihua. Li Cuihua was scared, afraid that this wolf cub would lay a hand on her.
She quickly pulled her husband and cursed, “Are you dead? Watching your wife get bullied!”
Liang Lao San, being scolded by his wife, wanted to put on the airs of an elder and lecture Su Xiao Wu.
However, Su Xiao Wu spoke, “I respect you and consider you my uncle. You must act like an uncle should!”
Su Xiao Wu’s words implied, *If I didn’t consider you my uncle, you would be nothing.*
In the cowshed, Su Xiao Ba ran over in one breath, unable to catch his breath.
“Xiao Ba, what’s wrong? Why are you running so fast?”
The first to speak was Chi Yi Yuan, who had always been gentle and refined.
Chi Yi Yuan had never seen Xiao Ba like this before. Had something happened to Xiao Tian?
“I, I, I’m looking for, for my grandpa! At, at home, there are, there are people!”
Su Xiao Ba was panting heavily, his words broken several times before he finally finished.
Seeing Su Xiao Ba like this, Chi Ge handed him the cup of water to drink first.
After drinking the water, Su Xiao Ba was finally able to explain everything smoothly.
Worried that Su Xiao Tian would be at a disadvantage, Chi Yi Yuan dashed towards the old Su family’s house.
Seeing Chi Yi Yuan running even faster than himself, Su Ci Liang was unwilling to be outdone and immediately chased after him.
Then, Su San Gong, Xiao Si, and Xiao Liu also dashed after them.
Xiao Qi, Xiao Ba, and Xiao Jiu were also about to follow, but Grandpa Su called out to them, “Go to the chicken farm and bring your father home.”
After saying this, Grandpa Su politely bid farewell to Chi Ge and Du Tong He before hurrying towards his own home.
“Old Chi, won’t there be any problems?”
Chi Ge shook his head and said, “Probably not. There aren’t many people who can bully the old Su family.”
Du Tong He genuinely wanted to follow and see, but he ultimately gave up. With their status, following might leave them open to criticism.
After all, the people causing trouble today were not from the Red Heart Brigade.
Chi Yi Yuan ran very fast, but before he reached the entrance of the old Su family’s house, he was stopped.
The one who stopped Chi Yi Yuan was none other than Su Xiao Qin, who had been quiet all this time.
Chi Yi Yuan frowned.
“Brother Yi Yuan!” Su Xiao Qin said in a sweet voice.
During this time, Su Xiao Qin had thought carefully and felt that she should learn from Su Xiao Tian.
Didn’t they just like Su Xiao Tian’s sweet voice? She wasn't incapable of it.
However, the uneducated Su Xiao Qin did not know that there was a saying in this world called "Dong Shi mimicking," nor did she know the proverb "trying to imitate a tiger but ending up like a dog."
She was indeed learning from Su Xiao Tian, but she was not doing a very good job. Su Xiao Tian’s smile was a sweet smile from the heart, while her gaze was not pure. Such a smile made people feel artificial.
Su Xiao Qin did not notice Chi Yi Yuan’s frown and moved closer to him. Chi Yi Yuan could only take a step back.
Su Ci Liang, who was following behind Chi Yi Yuan, saw Chi Yi Yuan being stopped by Su Xiao Qin and couldn’t help but smile at the corner of his mouth.
*Hmph, what’s the point of running fast? He’s still being stopped by someone.*
He didn’t like Su Xiao Qin, but at this moment, he felt that Su Xiao Qin was doing a really good job.
*This brat, the more I look at him, the more displeasing he is!*
As he dashed away, Chi Yi Yuan wanted to follow, but Su Xiao Qin grabbed him.
“Let go!” Chi Yi Yuan said through gritted teeth in a low voice.
“Brother Yi Yuan, I have something to say to you!” Su Xiao Qin said, putting on a shy demeanor.
Su Xiao Qin had spent over a year in the county town and had witnessed many things beyond her age, maturing rapidly. Otherwise, how could she have taken a liking to Chi Yi Yuan and been determined to hook him?
Chi Yi Yuan finally couldn’t help but shake off the arm Su Xiao Qin was holding onto. Unexpectedly, his sleeve was torn.
Since arriving at the Red Heart Brigade, he hadn’t worn any new clothes. The one he was wearing now was a gift from a kind person in the brigade.
Su Xiao Qin hadn’t expected to tear Chi Yi Yuan’s sleeve with so little effort, and she also became flustered.
“Brother Yi Yuan, I, I didn’t do it on purpose!”
“Get out of the way, and don’t let me see you again!”
Chi Yi Yuan looked at the torn sleeve and said with disgust, his voice as cold as the current weather.
Su Xiao Qin, having caused trouble, was truly frightened and let go of Chi Yi Yuan’s clothes.
Chi Yi Yuan looked at the torn sleeve and decided to go directly to the old Su family’s house. As for the torn sleeve, he would deal with it after the matter at the Su family was resolved.
Just then, several of the Su children had already overtaken Chi Yi Yuan, and Chi Yi Yuan hurriedly followed.
Su Xiao Qin watched Chi Yi Yuan run quickly towards the old Su family’s house, her face contorted.
Why did everyone in the brigade dote on Su Xiao Tian? Even those living in the cowshed showed such favoritism to Su Xiao Tian.
She was not convinced, not convinced!
She would make those who treated her badly pay the price!
The old Su family dared to be so close to the people in the cowshed, and the brigade leader indulged them, so she couldn't be blamed.
****************
Before reaching the old Su family’s house, Chi Yi Yuan heard a commotion in the courtyard of the old Su family, which seemed to be quite intense.
He didn’t hear Su Xiao Tian’s voice, but his heart clenched, and he rushed directly into the main gate.
In the courtyard of the old Su family, two groups were confronting each other.
One side was a few teenagers, and the other side was the people from the old Liang family.
Su Xiao Tian stood in a corner, likely placed there by the old Su family to hide her.
Chi Yi Yuan didn’t consider anything else and walked directly to Su Xiao Tian, blocking her behind him.
Su Xiao Tian was nervously watching the situation in the courtyard. Unexpectedly, her view was blocked, and she was a bit annoyed.
But when she saw that it was Chi Yi Yuan blocking her, she suddenly understood. This was Chi Yi Yuan’s way of protecting her.
“Brother Yi Yuan, why are you here?”
Chi Yi Yuan looked at Su Xiao Tian with doting eyes: “I was worried!”
Of course, he was worried! If the Liang family really started fighting, what if they accidentally hit Su Xiao Tian?
The little girl was so small; she couldn’t withstand a blow.
The others did not notice the interaction between the two little figures in the corner. After all, the courtyard was in chaos at this moment. Even Su Ci Liang was busy protecting his grandmother and third mother, and didn’t have time for Su Xiao Tian.
The old Liang family had come prepared today. A total of seven or eight people had arrived. Besides Liang Old Man and his wife, Li Cuihua and her husband had also come, along with Su Lao Da and Su Lao Er, who had brought the two grandsons of the old Liang family.
The whole family, in a mighty procession, looked like they were there to rob.
They were now glaring and intending to beat Liang Xiu.
That’s right, they intended to beat Liang Xiu.
Others were not members of the old Liang family, so they dared not act. But Liang Xiu was their own daughter, and they had no pressure to hit her.
*Married?*
*Even if married, she's still the daughter of the old Liang family!*
“They all say that your old Su family is a family of rules. Would a family of rules allow a bunch of little brats to treat guests who come to their door like this?”
Liang Old Madam stared fixedly at Su Grandma, her expression so hateful that it was unbearable to look at.
Su Grandma stood beside her grandsons: “You’ve come to our door to cause trouble, and if we cower, won’t we be laughed to death?”
“We didn’t intend to hit anyone. It’s just that this dead girl Liang Xiu, since she got married, has forgotten that she was born of her parents. When we elders ask her for something, she pushes back and hesitates.” Liang Old Madam said as if it were natural.
“A little something? Is that what you call ‘a little something’?” Su Grandma laughed in anger.
Old Madam Liang’s face was truly something else, thicker than a city wall, practically impervious to swords and spears!
“Mother, don’t talk nonsense with them. Tie up this dead girl Liang Xiu. She has to give up this job today, whether she wants to or not!”
Liang Lao Er snorted coldly and decided to take action with a rope.
Today’s date was truly perfect, with not a single man from the old Su family present!
“Let me see who dares to touch my daughter-in-law!” Su Grandma stood protectively in front of Liang Xiu, very formidable.
Liang Xiu didn’t know how she felt at this moment. She had never imagined that her parents would be like this.
Were they trying to force her to death?
“Father, Mother, in your hearts, is a job more important than your daughter?”
Liang Old Madam acted as if she had heard a joke. This dead girl thought she was worth more than a job?
With a job, her good grandson could become a worker in the city, and perhaps he could even marry a city girl, how glorious would that be?
The people of Liang Jia Wan would be so envious of their family!
“You useless good-for-nothing, what’s so important? If the family has this job, it will be different. Who wouldn’t look up to us then?” Liang Old Madam said as a matter of course. “Just hand it over happily, so your brothers don’t have to lay hands on you.”
*Lay hands on me?*
Liang Xiu couldn’t help but recall the time before her marriage. Her brothers had often laid hands on her then. It was only after she got married that her life improved!
But what if they laid hands on her? Was it still like it was more than ten years ago?
Before, she was filial and always thought about taking care of her parents’ emotions, not because she was weak.
Now, she didn’t intend to continue being filial, nor did she want to continue taking care of parents who were so biased.
Naturally, she wouldn’t allow her brothers to lay hands on her.
“I will not hand it over. The job is mine, and it also belongs to the Su family! If you want to hit me, you’ll have to see if I allow it!” Liang Xiu said word by word. “Don’t even think about touching anything of mine!”
Liang Old Man looked at his daughter’s unyielding attitude and suddenly felt that perhaps doing this was indeed a bit wrong.
But letting Liang Xiu off so easily, he felt he couldn’t do it.
After some thought, Liang Old Man suddenly spoke, “Xiu’er, I, your father, know that it’s not easy for you, but no matter how difficult it is for you, it’s not as difficult as it is for us elders, is it?”
His words were very reasonable. If Liang Xiu hadn’t been hit by Liang Old Man today, she might have been moved by now.
But now, Liang Xiu instinctively felt that her father’s words were not that simple and who knew what other intentions he had.
Seeing that the atmosphere was no longer so tense, Liang Old Man slowly spoke again.
“If you don’t hand over the job, it’s fine. We, your parents, can’t force you.”
Although Liang Old Man’s words sounded good, Liang Xiu felt that he wouldn’t let her off so easily.
As expected, Liang Old Man continued.
“Xiu’er, times have changed. This is a new era. The great leader said that men and women are equal, so you must also support your mother and me in our old age.”
Su Grandma was surprised that Liang Old Man had said such a thing. She wanted to make a sarcastic remark but held back, deciding to listen to what else this old man had to say.
“How about this? We won’t ask for too much. From now on, give us one hundred catties of grain tickets and fifty yuan in living expenses each year.”
Liang Xiu looked at Liang Old Man in disbelief, wondering how he could say such a thing.
She worked at the cake factory and only received twenty-five catties of grain tickets and fourteen yuan per month, yet her father was asking for one hundred catties of grain tickets and fifty yuan.
Before Liang Xiu could answer, Liang Lao Er spoke again, “Father, how can that be? It should be at least fifteen catties of grain tickets and ten yuan per month! You raised her with great difficulty; she can’t be ungrateful!”
The single job was about to be taken, and it probably wouldn’t go to their second branch. It was better to directly ask for some grain and money, which could then be easily divided among the three brothers.
Liang Xiu was not just sad at this moment, but ashamed.
This was her maternal family, actually saying such things. It was truly eye-opening!
Liang Xiu’s tears fell uncontrollably.
Seeing that Liang Xiu not only didn’t agree but cried, Liang Old Madam was immediately displeased.
“You dead girl, if you don’t want your job anymore, what are you crying about?”
“Did you hear what your second brother said? Send the money and grain according to what your second brother said each month.”
“Oh, you work at the cake factory, so you must bring back at least five catties of cake home each month for my good grandchildren to snack on.”
Li Cuihua was unwilling. She had come for this job today. She had already planned that as soon as she got this job, it would be hers.
However, she didn’t expect this dead old man to suddenly say he didn’t want the job and wanted money and grain instead.
Money and grain were good, but once obtained, they would definitely be divided among the three branches, and she wouldn’t get much.
Unlike the job, once it was in her hands, it would be hers alone, and no one could take advantage of it.
“How can this be? This job should belong to the old Liang family…”
“Who are these people, making such wild claims at the door of my old Su family? Aren’t you afraid that the wind of our Red Heart Brigade will blow your tongue off!” Grandpa Su happened to walk over and finally couldn’t help but speak.
Originally, he didn’t want to talk to a junior, and a woman at that, but he really couldn’t help it!
He had known before that the third daughter-in-law’s maternal family was muddle-headed, but now it seemed they weren’t muddle-headed at all!
They were simply like a dog biting a shadow – utterly devoid of humanity!
Su Grandma, upon hearing Grandpa Su’s voice, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She truly regretted it now. If she had known, she wouldn’t have let the third daughter-in-law go back to her maternal home.
Going back to her maternal home had brought disaster.
Liang Old Man plastered on a fake smile and stepped forward to speak with Grandpa Su.
“Sister-in-law, you’re back?”
“If I didn’t come back, wouldn’t you have smashed my house?” Grandpa Su said with a cold laugh.
“Sister-in-law, what are you saying? What kind of people do we look like!” Liang Old Man said with a sheepish smile.
“I don’t know what kind of people you are, but coming to our door to cause such a scene, what’s the difference between that and robbery?”
This statement made Liang Old Man’s face look very unpleasant, and the fake smile he had managed to put on couldn’t be maintained.
“Sister-in-law, how can you say that? I just want my daughter to show filial piety to us elders. Is that wrong?”
Grandpa Su was too disgusted to speak to him. This person had such a thick face; it could run a horse across half of it!
As the people from the old Su family returned, people from the Red Heart Brigade also gradually gathered around.
Upon learning that Liang Xiu’s maternal family had come for the job, they all pointed and talked, calling the old Liang family shameless.
“What kind of life must they be living to shamelessly come to their daughter for money and grain?”
“Don’t they have sons? Are they counting on their daughter to support them? Shameless!”
“I think the entire Liang family is like ‘licking the sky with their lips, the ground with their lips’ – utterly shameless!”
Everyone wanted a job, but they had earned it through their own efforts. To simply open their mouths and take it away with a few words, how brazen!
The Liang family had obtained two jobs in one go, and they were envious. But no matter how envious, they had earned it through their own efforts, right?
“Aunt Chang, you’ve lived so long, have you ever seen people like this?”
Granny Chang shook her head and said, “I haven’t, I haven’t! I always say that after living most of my life, I’ve seen all sorts of people, but now I realize my knowledge is shallow!”
Before, she always thought that the old Su family lived a comfortable life, with a bunch of sons and grandsons, but now, looking at it, it wasn’t necessarily smooth sailing!
“Aunt Chang, it’s not that your knowledge is shallow, it’s that this family is like ‘pulling up their pants to hang themselves’ – utterly shameless.”
“Exactly, to be honest, our Red Heart Brigade has never seen anything like this!”
But amidst these voices, a discordant sound suddenly emerged.
“Liang Xiu’s parents raised Liang Xiu and even helped her get married; it wasn’t easy. Is it wrong to give a job to your maternal family?”
The one who said this was none other than Liu Xiuying.
Liu Xiuying didn’t think that the old Liang family was doing the right thing. She just felt that the old Su family shouldn’t be allowed to have it easy.
With two daughters-in-law having jobs, and the eldest daughter-in-law also working at the chicken farm, it could be said that all three daughters-in-law had jobs.
In comparison, her family was outshone. If the old Liang family could snatch one away, it would be good. It would be even better if the Qi family also came to snatch one.
Let this old Su woman continue to be smug!
The commune members looked at Liu Xiuying as if she were an idiot.
Liu Xiuying stuck her neck out and said, “What’s wrong? What’s wrong? Am I not just speaking the truth?”
“The truth? I think your daughter-in-law’s parents also raised them with difficulty. Why don’t you give your share of the grain distributed this year to your in-laws!” Granny Chang said with a cold snort.
Why was this person so unreasonable?
Normally, if there were minor disputes, it would be fine, but at a time like this, how could she help outsiders harm her own people?
Granny Chang, despite her strong patriarchal views, was otherwise clear-sighted.
Liu Xiuying immediately got upset upon hearing Granny Chang’s words.
“What do you mean by that? Your family’s grain goes to your in-laws? You don’t give it, so why are you so quick to tell me to give it?”
“Didn’t you also quickly tell the old Su family to give up the job?” Granny Chang said with disdain, not even wanting to look at Liu Xiuying directly.
She looked respectable on the outside, but when it mattered, she turned out to be less than human!
She had heard before that it was Liu Xiuying’s family’s Su Xiao Qin who had reported the old Su family to the commune last time. It was indeed true that the rot started from the top.
Their Red Heart Brigade didn’t have people like this!
They should stay far away from such people in the future. Who knew if they would report their own families one day?
After all, Su Chuan and Su Shan were brothers, and they could still attack them, let alone the rest of them who were unrelated.
Liu Xiuying did not notice that the other commune members in the brigade had suddenly moved away from her.