Chapter 72 - 72 Venting Anger
72 Venting Anger
The day before yesterday, Lai Jinniang’s eldest son, Zhou Fugui, was arrested by the magistrate’s office for adulterating medicinal herbs. This time, even his brother-in-law could not save him. The pharmacy was closed down, and he was bankrupt for real.
Two days ago, her youngest son, Zhou Fuchun, was hit by a carriage in the county city and almost lost his life. In the end, although he survived, his legs were broken. He even lost his ability to have children.
In the past few days, the Old Zhou family’s mental state and physical condition had been deteriorating. All of them were sickly. In his anger, Old Zhou became bedridden.
When the Old Zhou family first started to have trouble, there were villagers who were present at the time and knew the story that the pearl would bring bad luck to those who lusted for it. They laughed and said that the Old Zhou family had indeed started to experience bad luck because of the pearl.
However, at that time, they were just joking. Not one connected the Old Zhou family’s misfortunes to the pearl.
Even Lai Jinniang didn’t care and was ready to sell the pearl to treat her youngest son.
However, in the next few days, the Old Zhou family was plagued with troubles one after another. The family was also in chaos. In the middle of the night, they wailed and howled, disturbing the neighbors.
Once, twice was a coincidence, but when trouble happened three or four times, would it still be considered as a coincidence?
This time, without any reminder from others, almost everyone who knew the situation attributed the Old Zhou family’s disasters to the pearl.
Lai Jinniang was finally afraid. This morning, after being scolded by her youngest son who had broken his legs, she brought the pearl back to Zhou Xiaoli.
Zhou Xiaoli lowered her head and looked at the pearl that was stuffed back into her hand forcefully. She could not help but sneer.
Did she think that she could just return the pearl and everything would be ok?
It was not that easy.
“Madam Lai, you don’t want it anymore?” Zhou Xiaoli raised her eyebrows and said, “This is a life-saving medicine primer. You should take it back to save people.”
As she spoke, she handed the pearl to Madam Lai.
“Ah, no, no.”
As soon as the pearl was brought near to her, Lai Jinniang retreated in fear as if she had seen something terrifying.
Zhou Xiaoli sneered in her heart, but she put on a sincere expression. “How can we allow that to happen? Although your family is unkind to us, my father has always had a good reputation. He can’t be labeled as unfilial. Why don’t I personally send it to the old man of the Zhou family and let him use it in his medication?”
Zhou Xiaoli was about to walk towards the Old Zhou family courtyard.
Although it was only a few days of torture, Lai Jinniang was very sensitive. When she saw that Zhou Xiaoli had wanted to take the pearl back to her house,
She was about to go crazy from fear. She rushed forward to stop Zhou Xiaoli and shouted in a high-pitched voice, “Don’t, don’t, I already said I don’t want it! Are you an idiot? I’m lying to you. The old man doesn’t need the pearl as a primer for his medicine at all!”
As soon as these words were spoken, the surroundings instantly fell silent.
It seemed that Lai Jinniang was really frightened. At this moment, she spoke without thinking and even revealed the truth.
When she calmed down, she quickly covered her mouth.
Zhou Xiaoli, on the other hand, widened her eyes and pretended to be shocked. “What! You said that you were lying to me. You didn’t need the pearls as a primer?”
Then, she thought of something and said with a look of understanding, “Oh, I know. Did what I said back then come true? Your family is unlucky and hence, you want to return the pearl now?”
“Ha! Madam Lai, why are you so shameless? I already said it back then. When the time comes, don’t beg us. It’s useless even if you beg us. Your family will continue to be unlucky and even implicate your descendants!”
Lai Jinniang’s face turned much paler when she heard that she would be unlucky and her descendants would be implicated. She looked at Zhou Xiaoli and roared, “Then, what do you want? Do you want our family to die?”
Hearing this, Zhou Xiaoli was so angry that she laughed. “What do I want? Ha! Madam Lai, don’t you recognize your mistake? All the trouble in your family was caused by you!”
Lai Jinniang was at a loss. She looked at Zhou Xiaoli, gritted her teeth, and bowed. “I apologize. It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have been greedy. Li’er, since the Dragon King gave you the pearl, you must know how to resolve it, right?”
Zhou Xiaoli crossed her arms in front of her chest and raised her eyebrows with a cold expression. “Resolve it? Of course I know.”
“However, is this the attitude you should have when you want to ask someone for help?”
When Lai Jinniang heard that it could be resolved, she heaved a sigh of relief and immediately changed her attitude. “Li’er, I beg you to save our family. No matter what, I raised your father…”
Again!
“Stop!” Zhou Xiaoli interrupted Lai Jinniang impatiently and said coldly, “My father has already repaid your kindness! If you wish to mention this again, get lost then!”
Zhou Guihua, who had been holding back for a long time, finally couldn’t take it anymore. She pointed at Zhou Xiaoli and was about to scold her when Lai Jinniang stopped her.
Lai Jinniang smiled obsequiously. “Okay, I won’t mention it again. Please help us.”
Zhou Xiaoli glanced at Zhou Guihua, sneered, and said to Lai Jinniang, “Kneel.”
Lai Jinniang was stunned. “What?”
“Kneel down. What, you don’t even kneel when you ask someone for help?” Zhou Xiaoli repeated impatiently.
“Zhou Xiaoli, don’t go too far!”
Zhou Guihua finally couldn’t take it anymore. She pointed at Zhou Xiaoli and scolded, “Mother, you believe what that little b*tch said? She doesn’t have the ability to resolve our misfortune. That b*tch is waiting for an opportunity to take revenge on us!”
Hey! Smartie, you got it!
Zhou Xiaoli sneered and shrugged nonchalantly. “Whatever you say. Anyway, it’s not my family that’s in trouble.”
As she spoke, she pulled Zhang Lan back and said with a smile, “Mother, let’s go home. I’m tired.”
As she spoke, she held Zhang Lan’s arm and prepared to go home.
Seeing that Zhou Xiaoli was about to leave, Lai Jinniang panicked and hurried to stop her from leaving.
Zhou Guihua was furious. She grabbed Lai Jinniang. “Mother, why are you begging her?!”
Lai Jinniang glared at Zhou Guihua. “Shut up.”
As she spoke, she ran in front of Zhou Xiaoli. “Little Li, please save us.”
Zhou Xiaoli held Zhang Lan’s arm and looked at Lai Jinniang with pursed lips.
Lai Jinniang gritted her teeth and finally knelt down in front of Zhou Xiaoli.
Zhang Lan subconsciously wanted to dodge away.
However, Zhou Xiaoli stopped her. “Mother, you deserve it. Madam Lai owes you an apology!”
Zhang Lan immediately stopped in her tracks and looked back at her daughter. She couldn’t help but straighten her back and accept Lai Jinniang kneeling in front of her.
It had been almost 10 years. She had suffered under Lai Jinniang for almost 10 years.
As a daughter-in-law, she was filial to her in-laws and was not allowed to disobey them. This was the etiquette engraved in her bones.
Not long after the eldest daughter was born, her husband turned into a fool. As such, their family had no say in the Old Zhou family.
Moreover, she did not have her maternal family to back her up. She could only accept whatever Lai Jinniang wanted her to do.
However, it was different now. She was no longer her mother-in-law. She no longer had to listen to her!
Now, looking at Madam Lai kneeling in front of her and kowtowing to apologize, Zhang Lan immediately felt utter freedom and let out a fierce breath of anger in her chest.
At the same time, her state of mind changed unknowingly.