A Good Country Wife
Chapter 539 - 533_1

Chapter 539: Chapter 533_1

"How preposterous! This is no place for you to run amok. Get out of here swiftly, or I’ll beat you too! I don’t care if you’re a woman or not, a shrew like you deserves a lesson!" Liu Aniu said, pretending to move to strike Madam Ping.

Madam Ping was a woman who bullied the weak and feared the strong. Seeing Liu Aniu’s attitude, she was terrified, reasoning that since Zhao Erhu’s family had dared to beat Zhao Pingshun to such a state, his words were undoubtedly not empty threats. She wasn’t foolish enough to stay and invite blows upon herself and quickly helped Zhao Pingshun to leave.

Zhao Wufu’s family saw that Madam Ping had stopped causing trouble, and also fearing Zhao Erhu’s current influence, naturally did not dare to initiate a conflict with the Zhao Family anymore. They followed behind Madam Ping and left. However, Zhao Wufu’s eldest daughter-in-law stood there, reluctant to leave. She looked at Liu Aniu and said, "Manager Liu, if I must go, I will, but I need to gather my bedding and belongings. Surely we should be allowed to take our own things."

"Your family’s things? You must be mistaken. When you first moved in, everyone came empty-handed, bringing nothing with them. Bedding, grain, and all necessities were provided by our Dongjia and his wife, especially for your family, who didn’t even have clothes to ward off the cold. The Dongjia’s wife, seeing your thin attire, even had extra garments made for you. In fact, the clothes you’re wearing belong to our Dongjia, and although we haven’t asked you to take them off, you have the audacity to claim they are yours. Truly ungrateful wolves, only someone like you could utter such words."

Zhao Wufu’s eldest daughter-in-law, although slightly ashamed by these words, still thought of the soft, comfortable quilts and the sweet potatoes, unwilling to give up. "Manager Liu, you’ve got it wrong. Since the Dongjia gave us those items, they became ours. Since when does anyone take back what they’ve given? Our Dongjia, with such vast wealth, surely wouldn’t be so petty. Besides, I’m sure the Dongjia wouldn’t want used items back, right?"

The last part of what Zhao Wufu’s eldest daughter-in-law said was true. However, even if the Zhao Family no longer wanted these things, they certainly wouldn’t let these shameless people benefit. It’s better to throw them away than to give them to this family. Furthermore, though these items were used, they were still of good quality many others would want them.

"Stop your nonsense. Our Dongjia’s possessions, even if thrown out, would not be given to you ungrateful wretches. Leave at once, or I really will start hitting. Do you think I’m bluffing?"

"Tsk, tsk, only today do we see what sort of people Zhao Wufu’s family truly are, engaging in such shameless deeds. Let’s all steer clear of this kind of family from now on." The onlookers, witnessing Zhao Wufu’s family’s behavior, started discussing among themselves, displaying their disdain and spitting on the ground.

"This family truly has no conscience. Erhu and his wife were kind enough to let them stay here, preventing them from freezing and starving in the dead of winter. Not only are they ungrateful, but they also dare to commit such acts. People like them remaining in our Zhao Family Village will only tarnish our village’s reputation."

No sooner had these words been spoken did many people agree, "That’s right, such people are a curse on Zhao Family Village. Let’s talk to the village head and drive this family out of Zhao Family Village."

Now, Zhao Wufu’s family, evicted by Zhao Erhu, found their home collapsed and themselves without shelter. With no other option, the entire family headed toward the village head’s courtyard. Zhao Wufu was hoping to rely on the village head to find a place for them to stay temporarily. The snow might have stopped, but it was still bitterly cold. Without any protection from the elements, it was unbearable. Moreover, Madam Ping still felt her son had been wronged and sought the village head for redress.

The village head, Zhao Youfu, was at home, enjoying a drink and playing with his grandson when he heard the commotion outside and someone calling for him. Going out, he saw Zhao Wufu’s family, all crammed into his courtyard. Although he didn’t know what had happened, he was familiar with this family’s antics and suspected that nothing good was afoot.

"Village head, you must stand up for my son Shun! Zhao Erhu and his wife have lost their conscience. We only stayed at their place temporarily, and yet they used their power to bully us, beating my Shun to this state and blaming him unfairly, it’s outrageous. My poor son, beaten beyond recognition, and now we’ve been driven out. It’s like they want to push us to despair. Ah, haha, our family’s luck is truly hard. Just because we are poor, we are bullied to this degree. Wuuu..."

Only then did the village head understand. Zhao Wufu and his family had been driven out by Zhao Erhu, and Zhao Wufu’s son, Zhao Pingshun, had been beaten. But what exactly had occurred to provoke Zhao Erhu to such a furious assault and to expel the whole family?

"Enough, why all this wailing! Are you that fond of your own voice, or what? A grown woman crying and wailing, you don’t find it shameful? Can’t you simply talk this out? Speak up, what unforgivable things have you done to be driven out? Or did your son Zhao Pingshun cause some trouble?" The village head berated Madam Ping before asking for the details. In his view, whatever had happened at Zhao Erhu’s house, it was certainly the fault of Zhao Wufu’s family; otherwise, Erhu and his wife, who were known for their kindness, wouldn’t have gone so far as to completely sever ties.

"Village head, how can you be so biased? You don’t even know what happened, and you’re already blaming us. It was clearly Erhu and his wife who are at fault. Have they bought you off, and that’s why you’re siding with them? Oh, my! Is there no justice left in this world? Will no one help us seek it? I can’t live like this. We might as well die right here and now!" Madam Ping, having failed to make a scene at Zhao Erhu’s house because Liu Aniu had intimidated her, now tried the same tactics with the village head. She knew the old village head liked to keep up appearances and would never hit a woman, so as long as he didn’t resort to violence, he couldn’t harm her. She would persist, forcing the village head to seek justice for her son.

The village head, faced with this scene, turned completely stern. This shameless shrew was threatening him. To think that he had gone out of his way to help them find a home, even swallowing his pride to ask Zhao Erhu for a favor. This was how they repaid him? Their behavior made them deserving of expulsion. And that Zhao Pingshun? Wasn’t he the young man who wanted to belittle Zhao Erhu and curry favor with him that day? The village head had been worried this young man was too cunning and restless, likely to cause trouble. It seemed his concerns were justified.