Volume One, Chapter 14: Summoning the Troops to Demand Justice

Jianxin Middle School was run by the commune and, after all, still located in the countryside. Shen Yingxue’s goal was to attend a middle school in the county town. Therefore, she didn’t think much of Gu Xianglin’s abilities.

Song Qiuran didn’t continue Shen Yingxue’s train of thought but instead raised a new question: “Does the Gu family have many children? I see him coming here almost every day; he probably doesn’t have to do any housework, right?”

Shen Yingxue shook her head again. “He’s the only child now. I heard Mom and the neighbor aunties say that Gu Xianglin had two older sisters. One married into the First Production Brigade, and the other moved to the county town. So now it’s just Gu Xianglin and his father living at home.”

After saying this, Shen Yingxue was puzzled herself. “His father can’t move around well. If he’s not at home taking care of his dad, why does he keep coming over to our place?”

Song Qiuran replied, “He’s probably trying to learn hunting from your brother.”

“Hmph, who does he think can be as good as my brother? My brother’s one eighty-seven centimeters tall, and he’s not even a meter seventy,” Shen Yingxue pouted. “Anyway, I don’t like him! Whether he wants to be my brother’s sidekick or my sister’s friend, I won’t agree to it!”

“What don’t you agree to?” Shen Aodong entered carrying two bowls from outside. “This is malted milk powder that Xiaolin brought. Drink it while it’s warm.”

Shen Yingxue had just been grumbling about him, but now that she heard it came from Gu Xianglin, she felt too embarrassed to accept it herself.

Song Qiuran took one of the bowls and handed it to Shen Yingxue.

Shen Aodong glanced at Shen Lingshuang, still sleeping on the bed. “Lingshuang is resting. If you two want to chat, go to the next room. Don’t disturb her.”

Song Qiuran seemed to notice something and smiled lightly. “She should be waking up soon.”

Shen Lingshuang’s eyelids twitched, unaware of where she had given herself away.

But since Song Qiuran had offered a way out, she decided to take it.

“Ahem...” Shen Lingshuang coughed and sat up. “It smells so good... What are you drinking?”

Shen Yingxue immediately offered with both hands, “Malted milk powder! Just made! Sister, drink some!”

Seeing Shen Lingshuang awake, Shen Aodong turned to inform Li Lanfang.

The three women in the room—sisters-in-law—warmly shared two bowls of malted milk powder, as if they were three sisters born of the same mother.

But just as Shen Lingshuang was enjoying this moment of warmth, loud voices erupted in the yard.

Shen Yingxue ran to the window at once.

“Oh no, Aunt and Third Aunt are here. Could they have come together to demand grain?”

Third Aunt Bai Meihua had come alone, but Aunt Du Juan was not by herself.

Beside her was little chubby Shen Xiaochuan, his eyes swollen from crying.

Bai Meihua stepped closer and saw that Shen Xiaochuan’s upper lip was cut, red, swollen, and puckered like a pig’s snout.

“What happened to Xiaochuan?” Bai Meihua asked.

Du Juan rolled her eyes. “Isn’t it obvious? He got beaten!”

Bai Meihua and Du Juan stepped into Shen Lingshuang’s courtyard side by side.

Bai Meihua patted Shen Xiaochuan’s head and pressed, “Who dared hit our Xiaochuan? Everyone knows he’s the most cherished treasure of the Shen family now.”

“Aodong hit me!” Shen Xiaochuan puffed up angrily.

But with his swollen upper lip, his words were slurred and all the more comical.

Bai Meihua was slightly taken aback. “Aodong? He doesn’t seem like the type to do that.”

“What’s it to you? Are you here to help mediate?” Du Juan put one hand on her hip. “When the family split, it was agreed that each household manages its own affairs! I’m here to question the second brother’s family. It’s none of your business, so don’t stir up trouble!”

“Sister-in-law, you’re overthinking. I have my reasons for coming. But since this matter is more important to you, go ahead first,” Bai Meihua said, crossing her arms and adopting a stance of watching a good show.

Du Juan didn’t bother with her and shouted for Li Lanfang.

Li Lanfang handed kitchen duties to Gu Xianglin and went out with Shen Aodong to confront them.

Upon seeing Li Lanfang and her son, Du Juan immediately pushed Shen Xiaochuan forward.

“Second brother’s family! Take a good look at what Aodong did to my son! He just changed his teeth, and his front tooth got loosened! What are you going to do if it falls out someday? How will you compensate?”

Li Lanfang held a freshly baked sweet potato in hand. As she came forward to check Shen Xiaochuan’s injuries, she peeled the sweet potato and handed him a piece. “Oh, it’s just a skin wound. He needs to go to the clinic to have it checked.”

Du Juan shouted, “You’ll pay the medical bills, right? Fine, then go! But the clinic can only treat wounds; they can’t fix a loose front tooth! Our Xiaochuan’s tooth is what matters most!”

She then scolded Shen Aodong beside her, “Aodong! You’re already twenty, an adult. How can you get into a fight with your little brother over a few jokes? He’s only nine! He’s a skinny little bean sprout—how could you hit him so hard?”

Du Juan grew more agitated and finally threw a tantrum. “This time you loosened his front tooth; next time, will you break his arms and legs?”

Shen Aodong lowered his eyes and looked coldly at Du Juan. “Aunt, why don’t you ask him why he got hit?”

Shen Xiaochuan, chewing happily on the sweet potato, heard this and swiftly slipped behind Du Juan.

Though Du Juan could tell her son was feeling guilty, she still berated fiercely. “No matter what he says, he’s still just a child! Don’t you know that children speak without filter? Besides, as an older brother, you should always yield to your little brother. Second brother’s wife, is this how you usually teach the children?”

“He called me a consumptive ghost and wished I’d die soon. With words like that, should my brother really yield to him?” Shen Lingshuang lifted the door curtain and came out, casting a cold glance at Du Juan and her son. She pressed on, “Shen Xiaochuan insists these words were taught by the grownups at home. So is this how you normally teach your child? Teaching him to curse me to die quickly?!”

Du Juan shrank a little under the question but only panicked for two seconds before snapping back to battle mode.

Her phoenix eyes slanted scornfully as she sneered, “Shen Lingshuang, what’s wrong with you? What’s wrong with a few jokes?”

Shen Lingshuang replied, “But Shen Xiaochuan’s front tooth hasn’t fallen out yet. Is there really any need for you to make such a fuss?”

Du Juan’s eyes flashed angrily. “Shen Lingshuang! Are you trying to turn the world upside down? Look at you, talking back to your elders like that. It proves you’re in good health! You’re just pretending to be sick!”

Li Lanfang said, “Sister-in-law, you know perfectly well about Lingshuang’s health condition. How can you lie with your eyes open like this?”

Shen Lingshuang rubbed her forehead.

Knowing her mother wasn’t good at arguing, she took a few quick steps to stand in front of Li Lanfang and face off with Du Juan herself.

Looking at Du Juan with a mask of a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, Shen Lingshuang said, “It’s precisely because I know Aunt craves to see me that I have to get better quickly.”

“Otherwise, I wouldn’t get to see Aunt put on such a spectacular dog-and-pony show when she comes knocking!”