My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]-Chapter 159

Fighting is quite different between men and women.

Men fight with real swords and spears, relying on their fists to teach people a lesson. Women, on the other hand, tend to opt for slapping and pulling hair. This difference is largely due to physical strength. Of course, men do sometimes pull hair, but it's considered shameful.

Let's focus on women.

Guan Guiling may seem delicate and fragile, but she's actually quite strong. She managed to pull Jiang Baohong's hair so hard that it left her with a patchy bald spot.

Although Guan Guiling did get beaten up, Jiang Baohong's tactics were clearly inferior. Guan Guiling looked worse off, but in reality, Jiang Baohong suffered more severe injuries. However, when the doctor arrived, the first thing he did was attend to Guan Guiling.

Who could blame him? Guan Guiling had a preexisting condition, and while Jiang Baohong might have been the stronger fighter, Guan Guiling's health was already on the verge of collapse. Lying in the hospital bed, she looked like she was on the brink of death. Jiang Baohong, on the other hand, was furious after being beaten and yelled, "Guan Guiling, you bastard! You ungrateful wretch! Mark my words, I'll make you pay for this!"

Guan Guiling silently shed tears, playing the part of the injured party to perfection.

Jiang Baohong continued to scream, "Stop acting like that! You think I'm some naive man who'll fall for your innocent act? You're the most cunning and manipulative person I know!"

The doctor, sick of her yelling, finally said, "Take her to the security office. We'll hand her over to the police when they arrive."

The security officers agreed, "Alright."

They were quick to act, as this hospital seemed to attract all kinds of disturbances. It wasn't uncommon for fights to break out right in the hospital, sending people straight to the emergency room. This had become so routine that both the security team and the medical staff were always on high alert.

Experience had taught them to react quickly to any incident.

As the security officers escorted Jiang Baohong out, she suddenly remembered something and shouted, "Where's my bicycle? Guan Guiling, where's my bicycle?"

Guan Guiling froze for a moment, then recalled that the bicycle had been left on the side of the road the previous day.

But now, she didn't dare admit to it.

After all, it had been a day since then, and she hadn't even locked the bike.

She didn't believe it would still be there.

Her eyes flashed, and she weakly replied, "What bicycle?"

Jiang Baohong, already at the door, clung to the frame, afraid of being dragged away, and screamed, "I lent you my bicycle! You can't just deny it! Are you shameless, Guan Guiling?"

Guan Guiling softly replied, "Don't slander me. You've already accused me enough. I have no idea what bicycle you're talking about. I never borrowed a bicycle from you. Are you trying to frame me again? That's a valuable item. What kind of family do I have? How could I possibly afford to borrow such a thing?"

Jiang Baohong was stunned by her denial and became even more furious, yelling, "So you've stolen my bicycle! No wonder you were acting so hostile today. Give me back my bicycle!"

She lunged forward, but the security officers quickly restrained her, warning, "Lady, if you don't calm down, we won't be gentle anymore."

Jiang Baohong spat and retorted, "Who do you think you are, daring to speak to me like that? When my husband was in a leadership position, you were all picking up sheep droppings. You have no idea who you're dealing with. Get out of my way, or when my husband gets reassigned, I'll make sure you all pay!"

She missed those days dearly.

Her family used to get access to all sorts of nice things. Now that her husband was gone, she felt even more resentful. How could her life be so unlucky? Everything seemed to go wrong. She shouted, "I'll make you all pay!"

Such threats might have worked elsewhere, but this was a hospital—their most frequent destination.

This hospital was notorious for countless chaotic battles.

Even Jiang Baohong hadn't escaped unscathed here. Her husband's affair with Wang Xiangxiu was common knowledge among the medical staff and security officers. Who would be intimidated by her threats? The security officers didn't hold back, replying, "Threaten us all you want! We're shaking in our boots! Keep talking, see where it gets you!"

With a firm shove, they dragged Jiang Baohong out.

Jiang Baohong continued to scream and struggle, but with her ordinary looks and her battered face—thanks to an elderly man—her yelling had no effect. The crowd made way for the security officers to drag her out.

Jiang Baohong, however, wasn't giving up. She screeched, "Unhand me! How much did Guan Guiling pay you to side with her?"

"Help! They're killing me!"

"Let me go!"

"I'll never forgive you, you filthy security dogs!"

...

Jiang Baohong was truly skilled at making enemies. Within moments, her endless yelling had turned the security officers' faces black. She didn't realize that the security team wasn't one to be trifled with. Despite her relentless ranting, no one intervened. They simply dragged her away, and Jiang Baohong's screams grew even louder. Her shrill, unpleasant voice grated on everyone's nerves. One of the security officers finally covered her mouth, dragging her away like a struggling pig being hauled to the slaughterhouse.

Jiang Baohong quickly disappeared from everyone's sight.

She was too busy flailing and yelling to notice that Sister Chen and Ming Mei were among the onlookers. Sister Chen and Ming Mei exchanged glances, feeling both amused and horrified by the spectacle.

Sister Chen leaned closer to Ming Mei and said, "Can you imagine? What's she thinking? This is so embarrassing."

Wasn't it better to live a dignified life? Why stoop to such humiliation?

Ming Mei, usually soft-spoken and polite, was surprisingly blunt. "She's just asking for it."

Sister Chen was rarely heard Ming Mei speak like that, as she was usually gentle and friendly. However, Sister Chen quickly understood why Ming Mei was so irritated.

She suddenly recalled the conversation between Guan Guiling and Jiang Baohong, where they mentioned scheming to frame Ming Mei. How could Ming Mei be happy about that? Thinking about it, Sister Chen also felt a surge of anger.

Yes, that's right. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.

She and Guan Guiling had no past conflicts or recent grievances. Why would Guan Guiling try to frame her?

Now, Sister Chen found Guan Guiling even more despicable. Her behavior was utterly unacceptable. She made a mental note to spread the word about these two women, as they were bringing shame to all women with their immoral actions.

She muttered inwardly, but didn’t bother hiding it on the surface. Why would she?

She and Ming Mei were in the same trench.

"I’m so fed up with this..."

Before she could finish, an old lady came charging straight towards them. Seeing the woman about to crash into Sister Chen, Ming Mei quickly pulled her to the side. Like a locomotive, the old lady didn’t stop at all but rushed into the room. Her gaze swept around, finally landing on Guan Guiling. With a wail, she dropped to her knees, "Girl, please spare our family..."

She howled and covered her face, weeping loudly.

Though it was more like thunder without rain.

Following behind the old lady were several men and women, not exceptionally old, but their weathered expressions suggested they were used to hard labor. This family of six or seven people stormed into the room, all crowding around Guan Guiling’s bedside, wailing, "Please forgive my son! He didn’t mean it, it was an accident!"

This old lady wasn’t just anyone; she was Fan Cai-shi, the matriarch of the Fan family.

The Fan family was quite the oddity. Last night, both Fan Jianguo and his sister Fan Lian didn’t come home, yet the entire family didn’t think it was unusual. In fact, they found it utterly normal. Fan Cai-shi, privately chatting with her husband, Old Fan, thought her son must have spent the night with Cheng Xiaoping. If that were the case, she’d be quite pleased. This Cheng Xiaoping had the audacity to cut ties with their family after everything they’d done for her. That was something Fan Cai-shi couldn’t tolerate.

Once you’ve eaten at someone’s table, you become part of their household. Cheeky girl, daring to throw a tantrum.

Fan Jianguo himself hadn’t thought about doing anything with Cheng Xiaoping, but it was Fan Cai-shi who came up with this scheme. Women, once they’ve given their bodies to a man, couldn’t leave him. And if she dared to, they’d spread it far and wide, making her lose face.

After all, they could always control her.

Fan Jianguo might look shrewd, but he was actually a mama’s boy, though this term didn’t exist back then. He was utterly filial and naive. While he could scheme against others, he never kept money for himself, always handing it over to his mother. Whatever she said, he obeyed without question.

So when Fan Cai-shi suggested this underhanded plan, although it was despicable, Fan Jianguo surprisingly found it appealing. He was tempted, though he never expected things to turn out like this.

Fan Jianguo was detained at the police station, a situation the Fan family was completely unaware of. Fan Cai-shi, thinking her strategy had worked, was smug, but still chatted with her husband, "This Cheng Xiaoping can’t stay in the cultural troupe anymore. Once they’re married, she’ll have to come back and serve the elders. Her job will go to our Lian. Cheng Xiaoping absolutely can’t stay in the troupe; she’s too loose with her morals. Look, she’s already living together with our Jianguo before marriage. Who knows what she’ll do next? A woman like that... no good."

Old Fan agreed with this assessment.

He said, "That’s true, but once the son is married, he’ll be alone again..."

Fan Cai-shi’s eyes twinkled with cunning. She smiled triumphantly, "Let Zao Hua, from my side of the family, go take care of Jianguo. Although she’s a cousin, we’ll just say she’s a sister. Day and night, she’ll look after him. If anyone asks, we’ll say she’s helping her brother and looking for a match out there. People will understand. My brother’s daughter? Can’t compare to any outsider."

Old Fan nodded. "Zao Hua will do. She’s obedient and filial."

"Exactly."

The elderly couple’s expressions were sinister, like the evil spirits of ancient times.

Old Fan spoke with admiration, "Old lady, you’re the one with a plan. If it weren’t for you, our family wouldn’t be so prosperous. All your credit. You hear people say, ‘Marry well for a virtuous wife.’ I’m lucky."

Fan Cai-shi smiled smugly, "Of course. Look, if it weren’t for my arranging for our two eldest sons to marry village girls, could we have stayed in the village? If I hadn’t insisted on buttering up Old Master He, could we have married He Lan? Unfortunately, the old bastard was so biased, leaving his entire fortune to his daughters. A measly two thousand dollars."

She had expected more.

Even though their farming barely kept them from starving, never saving a penny, she still felt He Lan’s two thousand dollars was too little. She wanted more. Other families could get rich, why not hers?

Thinking back to when she humiliated the once-noble young lady, Fan Cai-shi was filled with pride.

But now, with the current state of affairs, bad ties had to be severed quickly; otherwise, they’d jeopardize her son’s future. He Lan must go, and that mewling little daughter? Who knew if she’d even survive. Not that they cared.

If it were a boy, perhaps they’d keep him, but a girl? Hmph.

Now, it was Cheng Xiaoping’s turn.

She was trickier than He Lan, but with her around, everything was under control.

The couple was immensely pleased with themselves, certain their schemes were unmatched. Little did they know, their son Fan Jianguo hadn’t followed their plan and slept with Cheng Xiaoping, but instead spent the night in the police station.

If they had any sense, they’d have realized something was wrong. After all, Jianguo wasn’t alone; his sister Fan Lian was with him too. But the daughter’s position in the family was already so low that the parents never considered her.

Old Fan and Fan Cai-shi, having not seen their son all night, weren’t worried but rather smug. Their son was so capable that even the finest women had to woo him.

Delighted, Fan Cai-shi went about her work that morning with a proud swagger.

This left others puzzled, wondering what joy had befallen the Fan family. Considering their son, Jianguo, they speculated he must have charmed that girl again.

"What kind of blind luck would make anyone want him?" someone whispered.

"She’s already left, unlikely to be willing," another murmured.

"Hard to say."

"Look at her smugness. And Jianguo—"

As they whispered their speculations, a clerk from the township came riding furiously, shouting, "Yang Family Village! Is the village head here?"

The village head hurried out, though it wasn’t harvest season, he was always out in the fields overseeing things as they approached maturity.

"You’ve got a Fan Jianguo here, right? Which one’s the Fan family?"

The village head was puzzled. "The Fan family? Over there. I’ll take you. What’s the matter?"

The clerk was furious. "What’s the matter? Disgrace, that’s what! Last evening, Fan Jianguo assaulted a woman in the city, causing her severe injury and miscarriage."

"What?"

The village head was dumbfounded. What kind of business was this?

He stammered, "H-he assaulted a woman? Who did he hit?"

The clerk’s anger grew. "The woman didn’t even know him. She’s a factory worker."

Why was he so angry? It was a matter of disgrace.

Having such a person in their village brought shame to them all. The clerk was furious, and the village head was equally outraged. He cursed, "That family never knows rest. Do they think the outside world is as accommodating as our village? How dare they act wild out there!"

Unable to help himself, he tentatively asked, "Could it be a misunderstanding?"

He was desperate for it to be just that.

"Misunderstanding, what misunderstanding? There were at least a hundred or eighty people crowding around at the time, and everyone saw it. Do you think it was a misunderstanding? Let me tell you, he's not just involved in this incident. There are reports that he tried to forcibly take away another female comrade as well. Now, his situation has become quite complicated. You should notify his family immediately. Regardless of everything, the injured female comrade is still in the hospital, so their family should go there to pay for her medical expenses. Don't think this is a small matter; it's definitely not. Fan Jianguo didn't just cause the woman to miscarry; she may never be able to have children again. You can think about how big this issue is!"

The clerk didn't know Fan Jianguo and already regarded him as a shame to their side. He wouldn't cover up for Fan Jianguo either, speaking loudly as he walked, ensuring that many people overheard.

Upon hearing this, everyone expressed shock.

"My goodness, she can't have children anymore?"

"Has he gone mad? That's incredibly vicious."

"Exactly, if a woman can't have children, that's no small matter..."

Fan Cai-shi, upon hearing all this, almost fainted.

She shouted loudly, unable to believe it, "Impossible! This absolutely can't be true. My son is so good; how could he hit someone?"

Last night, she had been dreaming of controlling Cheng Xiaoping, but now she found out her son had actually spent the night in the police station?

"This..."

"Fan Cai-shi, what are you shouting for? Hurry up and pack your things to go to the city to see what’s going on! What’s the point of yelling here? Did they pick your son up without reason? There were witnesses at the scene. You all flaunt yourselves all the time, and now you've gotten into trouble? I've always said that people shouldn't act like this..." The village leader wanted to say a few more words, but seeing Fan Cai-shi's unconvinced face, he lost patience and simply said, "Forget it, you won't listen anyway. Just go quickly."

Fan Cai-shi never expected things to be this way. She dropped her hoe and ran home, with the rest of the Fan family quickly following. This was a big deal, and no matter what, they had to go and see.

Moreover, they needed to pay for the victim's medical expenses.

As the other family members, they were unhappy, feeling that this was taking their share. The old folks’ money was for the whole family, not just Fan Jianguo’s. They had to keep an eye on this.

So, the entire Fan family left together, and everyone else started speculating...

Meanwhile, when the Fan family arrived at the police station, they only met Fan Jianguo's siblings, not Cheng Xiaoping. It turned out that after sorting things out, Cheng Xiaoping had communicated with someone and left Beijing early this morning, returning to her unit directly.

It could be imagined that from now on, she would have no further ties with the Fan family.

Seeing that Cheng Xiaoping had left, Fan Cai-shi was furious and trembling. She hadn't expected Cheng Xiaoping to be so heartless. She cursed, "Bitch, this cheap woman, she slept with my son and ran away. This slut, this whore..."

The police officers couldn't stand it and said coldly, "If you continue to slander the military, we will detain you."

Although Cheng Xiaoping was only part of the artistic troupe, she was still a soldier. Moreover, in this incident, she was the victim. It was the Fan family that fit the saying, "Old lady leaning against the wall drinking porridge—despicable, shameless, and vile."

Such people wouldn't get any kind treatment from them.

Furthermore, they didn't believe the rumors that Cheng Xiaoping and Fan Jianguo had slept together. If that were true, Cheng Xiaoping wouldn't have left so decisively. After all, women are usually soft-hearted.

"One night together, a hundred days of affection."

However, Cheng Xiaoping seemed very upright, and they didn't believe the rumors.

Besides, if Cheng Xiaoping and Fan Jianguo really had something going on, Fan Jianguo wouldn't have been so desperate to forcefully take Cheng Xiaoping away yesterday. He could've used private matters to threaten her. They were aware of such tactics in police cases involving gender disputes, but Fan Jianguo didn’t. Cheng Xiaoping wasn't afraid either, so they believed Cheng Xiaoping and Fan Jianguo didn't have an actual relationship. Seeing the old lady trying to smear Cheng Xiaoping with such slander, they couldn't stand it.

"If you keep spreading defamatory rumors about Comrade Cheng Xiaoping, we will arrest you."

Seeing that the police weren't giving her any face, Fan Cai-shi realized this wasn't a place where she could behave recklessly. Even if she wanted to smear someone, it wouldn't affect Cheng Xiaoping's reputation, since Cheng Xiaoping was from here and had left without looking back.

At this thought, she became more subdued, realizing Beijing wasn't like their village, where she could do as she pleased.

"Fan Jianguo injured Comrade Guan Guiling, and she is still in the hospital. You should go and pay her hospital fees first. We will also arrange for someone to negotiate the compensation with you. Of course, if you don’t want to negotiate, that's fine too. If you can’t obtain the victim’s forgiveness, we will impose a heavier punishment on Fan Jianguo, as this was intentional harm."

"What!" Fan Cai-shi cried out again, "Look at my son beaten like this; they should compensate him too..."

The police officer interrupted her impatiently, "Your son was beaten because someone stepped in to help. If he hadn't been doing bad things, no one would have touched him. Look for your own reasons."

The men who intervened this time would be commended, with commendations sent to their units. It wasn't something a quarrelsome old lady like Fan Cai-shi could slander. Seeing that she wasn't getting any sympathy, she thought for a moment and said, "Then, I'll go to the hospital to see the victim first."

She paused and added, "I'll go pay the medical fees first so as not to delay her treatment. As for what she wants, you can take me to negotiate later, how about that?"

The police officer replied, "Alright." Many cases were settled privately before involving them, as people often didn’t want them interfering.

Upon hearing this, Fan Cai-shi sighed in relief.

Although things seemed complicated, she knew the most important thing now was this matter. She had to force Guan Guiling to forgive her son. As for compensation? Pfft, he didn't deserve it.

Money? No way.

Moreover, a woman should stay at home; why was she running around outside? Getting beaten was her own fault.

She started cursing Guan Guiling in her heart, then hurried to the hospital.

This was when Ming Mei encountered them.

Ming Mei watched as the old lady walked in, screaming without shedding a tear. She raised an eyebrow with a subtle expression. A group of people surrounded Guan Guiling, who remained calm, coughing continuously and lying on the sickbed, as if unable to respond.

The daughter-in-laws of the Fan family looked at Guan Guiling's bruised and swollen face and messy hair, feeling even more shocked. Honestly, they were a bit stunned. They had always thought Fan Jianguo was a gentleman, as he never laid a hand on He Lan when their family mistreated her.

But now, seeing this, they realized he wasn't easy to deal with either. He was too vicious, hitting a woman's face like that. This woman didn't look bad, yet she got such a beating!

Indeed, the quiet ones bite hardest.

Surprisingly, the other brothers of the Fan family had similar thoughts.

They couldn’t understand why Fan Jianguo would go so far as to strike a random woman so violently.

What was the point?

What they didn’t know was that Guan Guiling wasn’t beaten by Fan Jianguo but by Jiang Baohong.

Misunderstanding.

But, no one explained.

Madame Fan Cai-shi cried out loudly, “Daughter, I know my son accidentally hurt you, but he didn’t do it on purpose. He’s a kind-hearted person, I know him best—he wouldn’t even dare step on an ant! Please forgive him. If you don’t forgive him, his future will be ruined!”

Madame Fan Cai-shi’s moral blackmail came as easily as opening her mouth.

However, she wasn’t getting anywhere with Guan Guiling. Instead of responding, Guan Guiling silently began to cry. Compared to Madame Fan Cai-shi’s fake wailing, Guan Guiling’s tears flowed like broken pearls.

“Forgive him? Who will bring back my child?” Her voice trembled with bitterness as she said, “I didn’t even know him, and he treated me so cruelly. How can I just let this go when I can’t even give my unborn child justice?”

Her tears flowed even more as she continued, “He has a future, but what about my child?”

Madame Fan Cai-shi retorted, “That’s not how you should look at it. Your child wasn’t even born yet. It just wasn’t meant to be...”

“What kind of nonsense is that?” someone interjected.

“Yeah, who talks like that? How shameless can this old woman be?”

“Exactly!”

The crowd immediately expressed their disapproval. None of this was sitting well with the onlookers. What kind of human beings were these people?

Madame Fan Cai-shi was met with widespread disdain, yet she still thought she had the upper hand, as if she were still in their village where she could act with impunity. She turned around and shouted, “Shut up, all of you! What business is it of yours? You busybodies, let me tell you—this little woman, she’ll agree whether she wants to or not. She’ll forgive my son today, or I won’t pay a single penny for her medical bills. Let’s see what she does then!”

“Good heavens. How vicious can one person be?”

“Man, my fists are itching to punch something.”

“This woman is despicable.”

...

The crowd buzzed with indignation, their eyes full of hostility as they glared at the Fan family.

Madame Fan Cai-shi, however, didn’t care. She didn’t think she was in the wrong. After all, everyone acted in their own self-interest, and her family was no different. Besides, why should a woman be allowed to stay in the hospital? Couldn’t she just recover at home? After all, hadn’t everyone else gone through a miscarriage before? Why was she acting so high and mighty?

What was so precious about her?

Madame Fan Cai-shi ignored the jeers and continued to act arrogantly. “Think carefully,” she said. “If I don’t pay your medical bills, what will you do? If you agree not to pursue this, I might even give you ten or eight dollars. Your body? Just go home and rest.”

Guan Guiling had already anticipated that getting money wouldn’t be easy, but she hadn’t expected the Fan family to be so malicious. Nevertheless, she held her ground and retorted, “If you don’t intend to compensate me, then leave. I will pursue your son’s punishment regardless.”

“You dare!” Madame Fan Cai-shi roared.

Guan Guiling replied calmly, “Why wouldn’t I dare? Are you going to kill me?”

The two sides reached a stalemate. Meanwhile, outside the door, Ming Mei and Sister Chen were stuck as well. They were having a tough time just trying to visit a patient.

They hadn’t even entered the room when they first saw Jiang Baohong, and now they were dealing with this vile old lady. It seemed like every time they tried to visit, something got in the way.

Sister Chen: “...”

She pulled her lips into a thin smile and whispered to Ming Mei, “This is the first time I’ve encountered something this absurd.”

Ming Mei: “...”

Well, I have—I’ve seen even more unbelievable things.

At that moment, Ming Mei felt a newfound sense of her own experience, knowing that she wasn’t just anyone.

She hesitated for a moment, then said, “I have a feeling we’re not getting into that ward today.”

Sister Chen: “...Funny, I was thinking the same thing.”

She felt the same way—there was no way they were getting in. The people inside were still arguing.

But just as they whispered to each other, Madame Fan Cai-shi erupted again. Having failed to achieve anything through her wailing, she resorted to threats.

“You dirty little woman! Do you even know who you’re messing with? You think you can provoke me? Let me tell you, with a mother like you, it’s no wonder the child couldn’t be born. Look at you—half dead already. No wonder you can’t even have a child... Agh!”

Before she could finish, Guan Guiling slapped her across the face.

“Ah! How dare you hit me!”

Guan Guiling retorted fiercely, “I hit you because you deserved it!”

Madame Fan Cai-shi, who had never been treated so disrespectfully, screamed, “I’ll kill you, you little wretch! Old man, help me!”

The room quickly descended into chaos as punches and shouts flew.

Updat𝓮d fr𝙤m ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com.

Several onlookers who couldn’t stand by and watch anymore stepped in to help, but even so, Guan Guiling was injured. She was now even more disheveled than before. She’d been scratched across the neck, and it was only by dodging that she hadn’t been hit in the face.

She hadn’t expected the old lady to be so ferocious. Not only was Madame Fan Cai-shi fierce, but Old Fan also joined in.

However, the younger generations of the Fan family didn’t step forward. Instead, they took a few steps back.

Though they were uneducated, they could see that the situation wasn’t looking good.

Such behavior might be acceptable in their village, but this was Beijing!

They were hesitant.

Madame Fan Cai-shi and Old Fan, feeling unstoppable because of their age, continued to attack mercilessly. Fortunately, the security team arrived quickly!

They were, after all, very experienced.

Normally, if it had been someone else, Ming Mei would have stepped in to help, especially since the Fan family was being particularly cruel. But with Guan Guiling... Ming Mei would rather watch from the sidelines. She didn’t believe in turning the other cheek.

Why should she?

The security team, however, was efficient. Their movements were swift and decisive, and soon they had subdued everyone.

But looking at Madame Fan Cai-shi and Old Fan, it was clear they’d been injured—though slightly less so than Guan Guiling.

“Enough of this! What are you doing? Are you here to cause trouble in our hospital? Over and over again! Do you ever plan to stop? You’ll have to compensate for the damages here.” The head of security yelled in frustration.

Their hospital seemed to attract nothing but medical disputes.

Madame Fan Cai-shi retorted, “Why should we?!”

“There’s no ‘why.’ Just because you broke stuff! You can refuse to pay, but then it’s off to the slammer for you.”

“You’re being so harsh! You city folks just look down on us rural folks...” Madame Fan Cai-shi wailed. “You’re the ones discriminating against us!”

“How can you lie so blatantly?”

“You’re disgustingly shameless.”

“Your face is thicker than the city wall.”

At that moment, Guan Guiling spoke up, “Quiet, everyone. Quiet.”

She took a deep breath and said weakly, “Let’s just forget it. I believe they didn’t intend any harm.”

Everyone looked at Guan Guiling in surprise. She continued, “They’re just worried about their son.”

She paused, then added, “Let’s discuss the compensation matter calmly. I believe they’ll be willing to talk. Gentlemen from security, could we have a moment to discuss this privately?”

The security team frowned.

Guan Guiling explained, “Honestly, we should handle this privately. Otherwise, I can’t even process my medical bills.”

She looked pathetic as she addressed Madame Fan Cai-shi and Old Fan, “Let’s have a quiet talk, just the three of us.”

Seeing that Guan Guiling had backed down, Madame Fan Cai-shi smirked, “Did you hear that? She wants to talk privately. Step aside, everyone.”

The crowd furrowed their brows, not entirely approving of Guan Guiling’s approach but considering her possible reasons for doing so, they decided not to say more. The security team warned, “Don’t cause any more trouble.”

“We understand,” Guan Guiling said softly. She didn’t seem to be in a hurry to deal with her injuries. Instead, she said, “Let’s go out and talk.”

Madame Fan Cai-shi: “Fine!” Ha! This little wench has finally caved! She thought to herself. She had known that a little threat, a little beating, and this little vixen would give in. Did she really think she could demand money? What did she think she was?

Guan Guiling lowered her head, a crafty light flashing in her eyes, which no one noticed. She said, “Then let’s go to the restroom at the end of the corridor.”

She added, “We’ll discuss things there.”

Madame Fan Cai-shi: “No problem. Let’s go.”

She pulled Old Fan along, saying, “We’ll go together.”

Guan Guiling nodded, giving a faint smile that no one saw.

As the three prepared to leave, Sister Chen quickly pulled Ming Mei toward the stairwell, avoiding the others and making it clear they didn’t want to see Guan Guiling again.

Sister Chen: “...”

She sincerely said, "What about we leave first? We can come back another day. This situation is really..."

Ming Mei: "That sounds fine."

Right now, entering the hospital to visit a patient seems highly inappropriate.

Just as they had agreed, they peeked inside and saw Old Fan and Fan Cai-shi walking with Guan Guiling towards the end of the corridor, heading for the restroom. A crowd of onlookers had gathered, but it was clear they didn't want anyone listening. Once inside the restroom, Guan Guiling checked to ensure no one else was there, then relaxed and said, "Come in."

She added, "Close the door properly; we don't want outsiders to hear us."

Fan Cai-shi gloated, "Alright, you're sensible. Let me tell you, don't think you're so great. You city folks, in my eyes, are nothing. Not even as good as money."

When Guan Guiling heard the word "money," her eyes darkened even more. She gently curled her lips and said, "Oh, you have money? With money, you still don't want to compensate me?"

Fan Cai-shi frowned, "You've just had a miscarriage. Just stay home and recover. Ten yuan is more than enough! Old Man, don't you agree?"

Old Fan nodded, "Yes, that's right."

Guan Guiling chuckled, "Ten yuan? Are you treating me like a beggar?"

Fan Cai-shi cursed, "Pfft, don't be ungrateful. You..."

Suddenly, Guan Guiling laughed, a strange and eerie laugh. Fan Cai-shi's words got stuck in her throat, feeling something was off. Guan Guiling whispered softly, "Trying to fight me? You two old fools aren't even worthy."

In a flash, she fell backwards and screamed, "Don't push me! Please, don't push me! Help!..."

She plunged out of the second-floor window and fell to the ground below.

Old Fan and Fan Cai-shi were stunned. They hurried forward, trying to grab her, but it was too late.

The crowd outside, waiting to watch the spectacle, had already heard Guan Guiling's screams. They burst into the room, only to hear a loud thud as someone had fallen from the second floor... "You killed her!"

Old Fan and Fan Cai-shi turned pale. "We didn't! We are innocent! Someone is framing us..."

By now, many had heard the commotion. Looking out the window, they saw Guan Guiling lying on the ground. Medical staff rushed out immediately. Ming Mei and Sister Chen had just been heading downstairs. They dashed to the other side of the building where Guan Guiling had fallen.

"Damn!"

"Oh my God!"

Sister Chen: "Those two old bastards pushed her down? This is a murder attempt!"

Ming Mei looked up, then at the spot where Guan Guiling had fallen. The medical staff reacted quickly, putting her on a stretcher and rushed her to the operating room. Sister Chen and Ming Mei stayed rooted in place, observing the spot where Guan Guiling had fallen. The soil there looked loose... someone had dug there; it was different from the rest.

Ming Mei frowned, feeling something was off.

She couldn't quite figure it out. Did Guan Guiling jump down herself? But to risk her life for money? A second-floor drop, though not too high, could still be dangerous. Such acts were rare, especially with someone like Guan Guiling, who was already in poor health. If the old couple had pushed her, were they out of their minds? Publicly committing such a crime? And that spot had been disturbed...

Ming Mei scratched her head, utterly confused.

She stood still, and Sister Chen tugged her, saying, "Scared, aren't you? Don't worry; we'll go see what's happening."

She led Ming Mei upstairs, occasionally glancing back at the spot where Guan Guiling had fallen. Still, she said nothing in the end.

Once upstairs, Sister Chen took the initiative to introduce herself to the security chief, saying, "We're from the bus station. We came to visit a patient, but..."

The security chief forced a smile: "We didn't expect this either."

Sister Chen added, "We understand the situation. They wanted a private talk; it's not your fault."

"You're very understanding. But this is indeed our oversight; we should have had someone follow them."

Sister Chen sighed.

Guan Guiling hadn't come out of the operating room yet when the police arrived.

Many had heard Guan Guiling's screams. No matter how Old Fan and Fan Cai-shi tried to defend themselves, it was futile. The two were promptly taken away. Meanwhile, Guan Guiling was wheeled out of the operating room.

Sister Chen approached quickly: "Officer, I'm from Guan Guiling's unit. How is she?"

The doctor replied honestly, "She's sustained severe damage to her body, but there's no immediate danger to her life. She has a fractured leg. Given her poor health before this and now the fall, it’ll take at least half a year to recover."

Sister Chen nodded.

Ming Mei looked around, asking, "What about the other members of the Fan family?"

One onlooker said, "As soon as they heard that the old couple had pushed Guan Guiling down, they fled in fright."

Ming Mei: "...reliably unsympathetic."

Ming Mei added, "Sister Chen, this is a big deal. The hospital can't foot the bill for her treatment. Should we report this to our unit or..."

Sister Chen was more experienced and directly said, "There's a culprit here. Our unit will go straight to the culprit. I'll report to the police on behalf of our unit. They're from Yang Family Village. If they don't pay for Guan Guiling's treatment, we'll communicate with Yang Family Village, have the village collectively cover the costs, and deduct their family's work points. It's nearly autumn harvest, and if they don't pay, their work points will be deducted, leaving them with no grain. It's their fault."

Ming Mei didn't understand all this, but since Sister Chen explained it, she nodded.

"We won't stay here long; we need to return to our unit."

"Understood."

On the way back, Sister Chen explained to Ming Mei, "For those who can afford it, we don't cover the expenses from our unit. We go straight to the village to deduct work points, forcing them to pay. Otherwise, they’d be as stubborn as dead pigs in boiling water. But when it comes to food, they’ll be more cooperative. This is how we usually handle such cases. For those with jobs, we deal through their work units. For those without, we handle it through the village. Otherwise, you'll encounter deadbeat troublemakers."

Ming Mei nodded, feeling emotional: "Your job isn't easy."

Sister Chen: "Who says otherwise? Fortunately, such cases are quite rare."

Suddenly, Sister Chen said, "Later, stay away from Guan Guiling."

Ming Mei tilted her head: "Huh?"

After some hesitation, Sister Chen finally said, "Guan Guiling is a tough one."

Ming Mei remained silent, knowing Sister Chen likely suspected that Guan Guiling's fall wasn't as simple as it seemed. However, she didn't comment further, and they soon returned to their unit. Sister Chen: "Take a half-day leave and go home to rest. You've had quite a scare."

After ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‍all, encountering a person falling from a building could frighten anyone.

Ming Mei nodded silently: "Okay."

Ming Mei took leave, but Sister Chen couldn't.

At the bus station, word spread about Guan Guiling's incident in the hospital, leading to much discussion...

Regardless of what others said, Ming Mei quickly rode her bicycle home. She had an easy time taking leave due to the shock, a benefit of being a long-time employee's child. Everyone knew her, so asking for leave was simple.

She rode home at noon. As soon as she entered the yard, she saw He Lan washing baby clothes. The yard was quiet, indicating others were probably napping.

She smiled and said, "Washing things?"

He Lan: "Indeed. While the baby's asleep, I can get some work done. Otherwise, she's always looking for me."

Her baby was very clingy.

She looked at Ming Mei in surprise, "Why did you come home at noon?"

Ming Mei: "I took a half-day leave from work. The boss said not to deduct my salary; how could I not take the opportunity to leave?"

They were being considerate due to her shock.

"That’s good, your unit is really understanding."

Ming Mei: "I'm so shocked that my workplace told me to come back and rest. This morning, I went with my colleagues to visit a patient in the hospital, only to run into Guan Guiling being pushed down the stairs by someone."

She paused for a moment, then continued, "It was Old Fan and his wife, Fan Cai-shi, from Yang Family Village. They pushed Guan Guiling down the stairs."

He Lan's soap bar fell straight into the water, and she instantly looked up at Ming Mei, her eyes wide with shock, stuttering, "Wh-who? Who?!"

Ming Mei: "Old Fan and his wife, Fan Cai-shi, from Yang Family Village. They didn't want to compensate He Lan for her losses, and when the conversation went awry, they just snapped and acted."

In fact, she suspected there might be some ulterior motives involved, but speculation was just speculation. For now, everyone believed that the two old folks were out to hurt someone. And even if there were ulterior motives, it wouldn't be easy for those two to get away with it.

This wasn't her concern.

She was just spreading a bit of juicy gossip that would soon be known to everyone.

She reached out and patted He Lan on the shoulder, saying, "Congratulations!"

He Lan: "!!!"

She shivered all over, asking, "Is... is this true? Did they... have they been caught?"

Ming Mei: "Yes, they’ve been caught!"

She smiled brightly: "The police have already taken them away. This time, Guan Guiling won't let them off easy."

He Lan: "……"

For a moment, an overwhelming sense of joy filled her heart. He Lan had never thought that retribution would come this quickly. She had originally believed that it would be incredibly difficult to get revenge on this family, as she knew her own situation well. She hadn’t even been able to stabilize her own life, let alone take revenge on these heartless people.

But, unexpectedly, things had taken an unexpected turn.

She said earnestly, "Thank you so much."

She was truly grateful. Without someone’s help, things wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.

Ming Mei quickly replied, "It’s no big deal to thank me. Who could have foreseen these developments in the end? If it started with Bai Fendou taking action, then it might have been Heaven's will that things turned out this way."

She laughed and continued, "If Bai Fendou hadn’t cross-dressed to provoke Fan Jianguo’s fiancée, none of this would have happened. But it’s really great. If the Fan family doesn’t end up in jail this time, they’ll at least have to pay a hefty price, financially ruined would be the least of their troubles."

She wouldn’t mention that it was actually their scheme to pit Guan Guiling against Fan Jianguo.

There’s no need to tell He Lan about that.

But Zhuang Zhixi was right about one thing; Guan Guiling was incredibly tenacious. Even when dogs fight, she could bite the Fan family to death! It seems Zhuang’s words had come true.

Ming Mei sighed: "They’re finished this time."

He Lan thought about it herself and nodded wholeheartedly.

Who could have imagined that Fan Jianguo’s rage and embarrassment would lead to such catastrophic consequences?

"The two of them have always been overbearing and domineering. They really thought they could harm others at will. They deserve it! Do they really think this is still their village?! To behave so recklessly."

However, He Lan also felt very fortunate to have left Yang Family Village and the Fan family. The fact that these two old folks dared to harm others so casually here showed just how vicious they were. If she had still been in Yang Family Village, who knows what the Fan family would have done to her.

She had no doubt that if she hadn’t agreed to leave Fan Jianguo, the Fan family would have found a way to harm her!

Thinking of this, she shuddered. Luckily, she had made a prompt decision.

She bit her lip and said, "Thank goodness I left."

Ming Mei patted her shoulder, "So, congratulations again!"

Hearing this, He Lan nodded forcefully: "Yes, I really should be grateful."

Thinking again about how those two old folks and Fan Jianguo were getting their comeuppance, she let out a series of gleeful "hehehe" laughs, looking foolishly delighted but undeniably happy.

She exclaimed, "Thank the Heavens! I used to be skeptical of divine retribution, but now I believe. The Heavens really do have eyes!"

Otherwise, how could Fan Jianguo and his family fall deeper and deeper into their predicament?

The Heavens are watching!