OBS Chapter 534: She’s Just Here for the Drama
Chapter 534: She’s Just Here for the Drama
Tong Huaqiong entered the storage room.
The room was packed full of people, leaving no space to step down.
Members of the Xu Family were surrounded inside, with the Gu Family members forming an outer circle.
When they saw Tong Huaqiong enter, they unconsciously made way for her.
The elderly Mrs. Gu, frightened by the tall and strong Xu family members, was trembling. Upon seeing Tong Huaqiong, she cried out as if she found her backbone.
"Eldest son’s wife, they’re bullying the second son’s family, it’s a blow to your face too."
Tong Huaqiong expressionlessly looked down and saw Gu Ruinian lying on the ground, curled up and groaning, with two clear large footprints on his drooping right leg.
It seemed the Xu family knew Gu Ruinian’s right leg had been crippled and kicked it again, fearing now his leg might be completely useless.
Mrs. Jia was sitting on the ground, cradling Gu Ruinian and crying. The Gu Family Patriarch and Village Chief Liu Tieshan stood beside her. Xu Jin’s two sons, Xu Dabao and Xu Erbao, stood viciously in front of Gu Ruinian with iron rods, eager to devour him.
"Tong Dajiao, this matter has nothing to do with you. Our Zao Hua was ruined by Rui Nian, and my two sons were driven out by the Zheng Family. I must avenge this," said Xu Jin, the former richest man in Qinghe Bay, looking polite as he saw Tong Huaqiong come in.
There’s no advantage in being rude; incurring Tong Huaqiong’s wrath was unwise. First, his brother’s village chief position was toppled, then the entire Xu family went to court. He’s afraid he’ll be exiled like Xu Si if he offends Tong Huaqiong.
So, the only option was to adopt a low profile.
Tong Huaqiong said, "This matter indeed has nothing to do with me."
She was merely here for the spectacle, at most preventing anyone from dying.
Xu Jin was relieved.
Gu Ruinian’s leg was kicked by Xu Dabao, and his stomach was hit by Xu Erbao. The two had been worried that Tong Huaqiong would side with Gu Ruinian and pressure them with County Magistrate Liu, but seeing she clearly didn’t want to get involved, they felt at ease.
"Village Chief, Uncle Gu San, our Xu Family isn’t unreasonable. We stated yesterday that Gu Ruinian should apologize and kowtow to the Xu Family and compensate five hundred silver taels. You’ve delivered the message, and since they haven’t returned to Qinghe Bay, we personally came today," Xu explained.
Liu Tieshan and the Gu Family Patriarch nodded.
Uncle Gu sighed, arguing for Rui Nian to return to Qinghe Bay, apologize to the Xu family, and start with an IOU for repayment, without entirely denying debt, possibly leading to some leniency from the Xu family.
However, Grandpa Gu didn’t listen, insisting Gu Ruinian recover fully before returning, leading to the Xu family’s discontent.
Xu Jin said, "You think my brother isn’t the Qinghe Bay Village Chief anymore, and our Xu Family has no one left? My dear daughter was ruined by Gu Ruinian, and I can’t stomach it. What do you think, You Tian?"
Gu You Tian stood in the corner, hating his youngest son fiercely.
This mess utterly offended Wu Ren; tomorrow, he’d have to pack up and leave.
Without the Xu family’s intervention, he’d want to beat Gu Ruinian to death himself.
Gu You Tian coldly laughed and said, "Compensation is impossible. You can take Ruinian away, do with him what you will."
Tong Huaqiong glanced at Gu You Tian, finding his ruthlessness as a father astounding.
Xu Jin grew angrier upon hearing this; since Xu Zaohua was already like this, he couldn’t lose a daughter without seeking compensation and wanted to threaten Gu You Tian with Ruinian’s life for silver.
Unexpectedly, Gu You Tian was indifferent towards Ruinian’s life or death.
Xu Dabao’s eyes turned red with rage, pointing at Gu Ruinian and shouted, "Then kill Gu Ruinian."
He hated Gu Ruinian to his core. Originally a steward at Zheng’s shop, everyone respectfully called him Young Master Xu.
Though indifferent to Xu Zao Hua’s fate, he couldn’t tolerate his bright future being ruined.
Hearing Xu Dabao wanted to kill him, Xu Erbao stepped forward, lifting Gu Ruinian.
Mrs. Jia and the elderly Mrs. Gu screamed and blocked their path.
Crying, Mrs. Jia shouted, "Xu Jin, your daughter had an affair, you feel no shame, yet you trouble my Ruinian. If you dare touch a hair on Ruinian, I’ll fight you to the end."
Just as Mrs. Jia finished, Xu Jin’s wife, Mrs. Yu, rushed over, grabbing Mrs. Jia’s hair and hitting her.
Following the group of big men to Pingchuan, Mrs. Yu was here to deal with Mrs. Jia and the elderly Mrs. Gu.
"Whose daughter had an affair? Whose daughter? Look at whether your Rui Nian is even fit to hold a candle to my daughter."
Mrs. Yu’s eyes had been swollen from crying these past few days. Xu Zao Hua had been sent to a nunnery, and her sons’ futures were ruined; she wanted nothing more than to kill Gu Ruinian.
"Xu Zao Hua is a floozy, unsatisfied as a widow and only seducing men. They say daughters resemble their mothers—she probably learned it from you at home."
Enemies, when meeting, often turn especially hostile. Mrs. Jia cursed Xu Zao Hua for ruining Gu Ruinian, and after being slapped by Mrs. Yu, she retaliated.
The two women soon ended up wrestling together.
Mrs. Wei pulled on her mother-in-law, then went to pull Mrs. Yu, but unable to, she simply let them be.
The elderly Mrs. Gu shouted, her hands becoming a blurring shadow, yet still failed to stop the fight.
"Stop it, stop it," the Gu and Xu Family patriarchs, Mr. Xu, fearing someone might be killed, urgently told clan members to pull the two apart.
The two were quickly separated.
Mrs. Jia was left with a handful of hair missing, while Mrs. Yu’s face was scratched—neither yielding, both snarling and cursing while hopping mad.
One cursed the other’s daughter for seducing men and deserved to be drowned in a pig cage; the other cursed her son for being utterly immoral and deserving no heirs.
Furious seeing Mrs. Yu get hit, Xu Dabao and Xu Erbao lifted and kicked Gu Ruinian until blood smeared Ruinian’s face.
Gu Ruinian initially hoped Young Master Zheng would come to his aid.
But after enduring pummeling from Xu Dabao and Xu Erbao, all hope shattered; he just wished the Xu family would go away.
Liu Tieshan stepped forward, restraining them, "Dabao, Erbao, don’t be impulsive. If you kill someone, you’ll end up imprisoned."
Reluctantly, Xu Dabao and Xu Erbao put Gu Ruinian down, addressing the Village Chief, "Village Chief, you’re biased towards the Gu family."
Liu Tieshan replied to Xu Jin, "I’m not biased, but killing won’t benefit your sons either. Ruinian isn’t refusing to apologize at Qinghe Bay, but you’ve seen his leg can’t move, he can’t return. As for the silver, no one denied it. Let’s sit and negotiate properly."
Xu Jin, glaring, replied, "You heard Gu You Tian, he doesn’t care if his son lives or dies, will he pay me silver? If he can’t compensate, I won’t demand Ruinian’s life, but I want his other leg. Provoked, I’ll burn their shop down."
At the mention of burning the shop, Gu You Tian’s face changed.
At this moment, Grandpa Gu stood up and sternly said, "I’ll compensate with silver."
Xu Jin sneered, "I know, Grandpa, you care for your grandson, but where would you find the silver?"
Seeing Tong Huaqiong standing nearby, Xu Jin’s eyes darted. Perhaps Grandpa Gu can obtain silver from Tong Dajiao, deciding to ask for a thousand silver instead.
Tong Dajiao could easily produce a thousand silver now.
Recognizing Xu Jin’s intention, Tong Huaqiong said, "Why are you looking at me? Do you expect I’ll lend you silver? Rui Nian isn’t my son, what’s it got to do with me?"
Tong Huaqiong then glanced over the Gu and Xu families and, with hands on her hips, declared, "I won’t clean up Gu Ruinian’s mess. If anyone thinks they can guilt-trip me into handing over silver, they’ll regret it."
Grandpa Gu’s gaze dimmed.
Xu Jin lowered his head, hiding his disappointment that Tong Dajiao didn’t separate from the Gu Family’s second branch. Perhaps he could have secured some money from Jufu Supermarket this time.