Chapter 1187

Miao Yiqiu walked in just as she heard the two sisters' later conversation: "Chunxiao, how are you speaking to your elder sister?"

Hearing her aunt's reprimand, Chunxiao felt deeply wronged: "Auntie, it's my elder sister who's stirring up trouble—I only said a few words in response."

Miao Yiqiu had seen every kind of person; this little girl's petty tricks were plain to her: "Chunxiao, you're thirteen years old—you should know which actions are acceptable and which words are appropriate. You must not treat your elder sister and brothers-in-law with such domineering arrogance. Frankly, they've done more than enough. A person cannot be too greedy."

"Your father now has a salary—he's not yet unable to support his wife and children. Those things should be provided by him as a husband and father, not dictated by you. You simply have no right to do so."

Miao Yiqiu truly looked down on this step-granddaughter—her mouth was only good for eating and causing trouble.

Hearing her step-mother-in-law's words, Xiao Mu's face twisted with guilt: "Auntie Miao, Chunxiao doesn't mean any harm—she always speaks without filter when talking to her two elder sisters. Please don't be angry with her."

Miao Yiqiu frowned slightly: "Do you think I'm angry with her?"

Xiao Mu didn't quite understand and froze for a moment.

Seeing her expression, Miao Yiqiu realized she had completely missed the point: "Xia Qiu and Liu Chuxue are married—they each have their own lives to live. Among their peers, they—no, including their spouses—have already done exceptionally well. As a younger sister, Chunxiao shouldn't keep demanding. Think carefully—isn't that the truth? You and Shi Tou are Changsheng's responsibility, not Xia Qiu and Liu Chuxue's. You must understand this."

The words weren't complex; Xiao Mu clearly understood them, her face flushed with discomfort: "Um, Auntie Miao, I didn't mean it that way—it's just that Chunxiao's a child, immature, that's why... um..."

After all, she wasn't their real mother-in-law. Some things should be said and then dropped. She had come here to care for the postpartum mother only out of respect for the old man and Sister Chunyi, and had no intention of meddling in her stepson's family affairs. But if Chunxiao wasn't corrected now, she might say something even more outrageous and further disrupt family harmony.

Chunxiao's face was clouded with gloom. She had tried hard to please this step-grandmother, yet for some reason, Auntie Miao had always treated her coldly—and now she was defending her elder sisters again. Chunxiao's heart ached with resentment.

When Xiao Fu returned home, he sensed the atmosphere was tense. He quietly approached his eldest daughter: "Xia Qiu, what happened?"

Xia Qiu believed Auntie Miao's words were right, so she didn't hide anything—she recounted everything that had happened, step by step.

Xiao Fu's face darkened with each word. He and his wife truly needed to discipline Chunxiao—since moving to the city, her speech and behavior had grown increasingly reckless: "Xia Qiu, I apologize on her behalf. Auntie Miao is right—your mother and Shi Tou are my responsibility, not yours or your sisters'. Later, I'll speak seriously with your mother, and I'll also talk to Chunxiao."

As they spoke, the sound of little Junjun crying came from inside the room.

Xia Qiu hurriedly said: "I understand."

She ran off toward the room.

When she entered, Chunxiao was walking out with a strange expression.

Xia Qiu was focused only on her son's deafening cries and didn't notice Chunxiao's expression.

Normally, the child would stop crying the moment he was picked up—but now, no matter how she soothed him, he cried harder and harder, breaking Xia Qiu's heart: "Baby, Mama's holding you, don't cry, don't cry."