Seeing the people around pointing fingers, Chen Lishu spoke without courtesy, "If you don't lend money, you steal pigs from your cousin's pigsty? And then stab someone when caught and escape? He even tried to attack the police when they came to arrest him, he brought it upon himself, what can we do? If not for your, your uncle's, and your grandmother's indulgence, would he have ended up like this? Spoiling a child is like killing one, Chen Baozhu was killed by you."
"What does this have to do with anyone else? Look at that woman, she's acting like a lunatic, maybe she's mentally ill?" someone in the crowd began to point at Zhang Chunhua.
Chen Lishu's words struck a nerve with Zhang Chunhua.
Her son had reached this point, and she felt more pain than anyone, but she dared not think too deeply. She loved Baozhu so much, how could she have harmed him?
It was Chen Mantun's family who were at fault. Baozhu had already said it was the last time, but they didn't believe him.
If they had been willing to lend Baozhu money at the time, he would never have been forced to his death.
"Shut up, you incited everything, that's why your parents wouldn't introduce you to Baozhu, you cheap bitch, I'll tear your mouth apart."
Saying this, Zhang Chunhua lunged at Chen Lishu.
Chen Lishu, holding her child, would have to be foolish to confront her head-on.
Before she could move, Li Xiulan darted in front of Chen Lishu.
If this slut Zhang dared to touch her daughter-in-law and grandson, she would fight her to the death.
But before she could act, someone was faster. A slap landed on Zhang Chunhua's face.
Wu Chunmei looked at her hand, momentarily stunned.
She had never argued with anyone, let alone fought.
But just now, in her desperation, she had slapped Zhang Chunhua.
Not only was she stunned, but Zhang Chunhua, who had been hit, also took a long time to react.
"You, how dare you hit me?"
Wu Chunmei flinched instinctively, then raised her head to look at her and said, "What, what's wrong with me hitting you? You deserved it!"
"What does Baozhu's death have to do with our family? Eldest sister-in-law, don't think you can bully people anymore. If you dare to touch Lishu, I'll fight you to the death!"
Wu Chunmei spoke more fluently. Quiet people weren't without temper, and when truly angered, even the fiercest would retreat.
Because of the accumulated grievances, injustice, and anger within them, when they finally erupted, the power was formidable.
Looking at Wu Chunmei's slightly reddened eyes, as if she was truly prepared to fight to the death, Zhang Chunhua felt fear for the first time.
"Who wants to fight you to the death." Zhang Chunhua uttered, then fled in disgrace.
As they walked home, Wu Chunmei kept her head down, deep in thought, not saying a word.
Only when they returned home could she no longer hold back, sobbing and covering her face as she cried.
Chen Lizi had never seen her mother cry so hard. Startled, she kept wiping Wu Chunmei's tears while looking to her elder sister Chen Lishu for help.
Chen Lishu said, "Mom, just consider what that Zhang woman said as nonsense. Chen Baozhu deserved to die, and it has nothing to do with you or Dad."
Li Xiulan also came over to comfort her, "Yes, dear sister-in-law, we've all lived in the same village for decades, everyone knows everyone's character. With how they spoiled their children, Baozhu was killed by them."
"Old sister-in-law, I, I'm just feeling upset." Wu Chunmei choked out, looking up. "When I married into the Chen family at nineteen, for over twenty years, she always tried to suppress me, and together with the mother-in-law, they tormented me. I always thought we were a family, as long as I endured..."
"But, I, I was wrong."
"What family? They just think I'm easy to bully. The kind are bullied, the good horses are ridden. Look at today, Zhang Chunhua's reaction... I was too foolish, I resent it, I resent knowing too late."
Wu Chunmei cried for a long time, crying for the grievances of twenty years and for her twenty years of foolishness.
Chen Lishu and Li Xiulan didn't try to persuade her any further after hearing her words.
Crying wasn't a bad thing.
After crying, Wu Chunmei felt much more relaxed.
For dinner, Chen Lishu and Zhao Qiuyue cooked together.
Steamed fish, cold dishes with sauce, and fried vegetarian balls.
After dinner, Chen Lishu and Gu Xingdong returned to their room and recounted the afternoon's events.
Gu Xingdong remarked, "Spoiling a child is like killing one. It's no wonder your uncle's family's way of pampering their children leads to problems."
Chen Lishu sat by the bedside. "Yes, it takes ten years to grow a tree and a hundred years to cultivate a person. Teaching children is also a great art."
Gu Xingdong sat beside her. "The child is so young, what can he understand? We need to correct him in time. As the old saying goes, a rod under the child produces filial piety; these are all valuable experiences summarized by our predecessors."
Chen Lishu tilted her head. "Did our dad often beat you?"
Gu Xingdong's eyes flickered. "Not really, I was outstanding from a young age."
Chen Lishu pursed her lips, her expression clearly disbelieving.
"Do our three children also follow this valuable experience summarized by our predecessors?"
Gu Xingdong's expression stiffened. Thinking of the three children's little faces, he sighed, it seemed none of them could bear to be hit.
"Your worry is a bit premature. Besides, with an outstanding father like me as a role model, our children definitely won't make any fundamental mistakes."
Chen Lishu, however, was not going to let him get away with it.
She pressed further, "What if they do?"
"Then, then we definitely can't be soft-hearted, we must spank them."
Chen Lishu nodded. "Alright, then I'll entrust this arduous task to you."
Gu Xingdong: "..."
How did he feel like he had dug a pit for himself?
Meanwhile, Zhang Chunhua, frightened by Wu Chunmei's attitude, returned home dejectedly. Chen Mancang had already taken all the junk to repay the debt, and on his way back, he had picked up some scrap paper and other items.
"What happened to your face?" Chen Mancang glanced at her, then continued with his things.
"I met the second daughter-in-law and that dead girl Chen Lishu today."
Chen Mancang's hands paused.
"If it weren't for them back then, our Baozhu wouldn't have died. But they, they were chatting and laughing all the way. You don't know, the second daughter-in-law even bought a large gold pendant. You say she had money to buy gold, but she was unwilling to lend money to Baozhu back then."
Chen Mancang lowered his eyelids, his expression filled with impatience. "Alright, it's all in the past, what's the use of dwelling on it?"
Zhang Chunhua said sharply, "What do you mean it's all in the past? Where is it in the past? Chen Mancang, the one who died is your son, your own son!"
Chen Mancang stopped talking.
"Chen Mantun's family is black-hearted and cruel, my Baozhu..."
Thinking of her son, Zhang Chunhua started crying again.
"Grandma, I'm hungry." Her grandson ran in from outside, having gone to play somewhere, getting all dusty.
"Grandma will go make you some pancakes."
Zhang Chunhua wiped her nose, casually wiped her hand on the side of her shoe, and then got up.
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