Chapter 245

"Where did you go wild? Why are you only just back? I'm starving to death, hurry up and open the door!"

The person speaking was an old man with a slightly hunched figure; his skin was dark, his forehead had several deep lines, and his expression was impatient and fierce.

Zhao Liuniang's footsteps stopped; meeting those eyes filled with malice, her hands and feet suddenly went soft.

This was a psychological shadow left over from being beaten since childhood.

"... Father."

Zhao Liuniang called out with a stiff face.

She wanted to ask why he had come, but heard Old Man Zhao say: "Don't talk nonsense, open the door! I haven't eaten, I'm starving, make me a bowl of noodles first."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Liuniang's face turned green.

Her heart was stifled, and not wanting to be watched by others, she bit the bullet, took out the key, and opened the door.

Old Man Zhao pushed Zhao Liuniang aside, swaying his body as he rocked into the Gu family's courtyard.

The Gu family members had all gone out; there was no one at home, and he was as comfortable as if he were in his own home.

He rushed straight toward Gu Father and Gu Mu's room.

Zhao Liuniang hurried forward, spreading her arms to block the door.

"Father, my mother-in-law will be back soon. She doesn't like people entering their room, and you also know my mother-in-law has a bad temper. If she sees..."

Old Man Zhao remembered the few sons of the Old Gu family who were not to be trifled with, and his face darkened.

His cloudy old eyes stared at the door for a few seconds, he spat out a thick glob of phlegm, and shifted his gaze.

He was very unhappy in his heart.

"Smack!"

Zhao Liuniang's elbow was struck, and half her body went numb for a long time.

This pain reminded her of the experience of being beaten from childhood to adulthood, and her face turned deathly pale.

"What are you still standing there for, go cook! It's rare for me to come, is this how you treat me?" Old Man Zhao's eyes were unkind.

Zhao Liuniang walked toward the kitchen in a daze.

Arriving at the kitchen, her wits returned, and she realized she hadn't resisted again. She bit down hard on the soft flesh inside her mouth, her whole body trembling uncontrollably.

Zhao Liuniang, you useless thing, you're already married, you have several children, what are you afraid of him for? Drive that man who is unkind to his children and bad to his wife out!

This is your home, what are you afraid of?

Zhao Liuniang's right hand touched the kitchen knife, her eyes bloodshot.

"... Eh, why is the door open, who's back?" Lamei's voice rang out, and seeing the kitchen door open, he came to the kitchen.

"Mother, it's you, why didn't you answer me when I spoke?" he asked casually.

He poured half a bowl of water and drank a few gulps.

While drinking water, he noticed his mother was acting strange. Lamei put down the bowl and walked to Zhao Liuniang's side, sizing her up.

He noticed something was wrong.

"Mother, why are your eyes red?" Lamei frowned, his tone indignant, "Did Father make you angry?"

The Gu family children were raised by Gu Mu; Gu Mu had a good nature internally and never ground down her daughters-in-law. When she taught her grandsons and granddaughters, she also told them that it wasn't easy for their mothers to give birth to them, so they should respect them and listen to them.

She taught them well; the few boys all had good natures. If they picked up a wild chicken egg, they would bring it back and share it with the family.

Zhao Liuniang looked at her son in a daze, unable to speak, her eyes burning.

"Lamei..." she called out, her voice very soft.

Lamei's brows furrowed even tighter.

This is a disaster!

His mother was like his grandmother, doing everything with a rush; when had she ever been so listless before?!

"Mother, what exactly is wrong with you?" Lamei asked, "Was it really Father who provoked you? I'll go find him!"

As he spoke, he rushed outside.

Standing outside the door was a person, Old Man Zhao.

He appeared silently, giving Lamei a fright.

"Damn! A ghost...!" Lamei blurted out.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Old Man Zhao raised his hand and slapped his head. He didn't hold back his strength, and Lamei wasn't prepared, so his body fell, his forehead hitting the corner of the wall.

This blow was hard, and blood immediately bubbled out.

Lamei fell.

Zhao Liuniang supported her son, pressing down on his forehead, and blood flowed out through her fingers.

She shrieked, "Lamei!!"

After shouting once, she hugged Lamei, looked at Old Man Zhao with eyes full of hatred, and ran out of the house in a disheveled state.

"Someone come quickly, Lamei hurt his head!!" she shouted, her brain in a panic. The moment she saw Yubao, she took off running toward the third house.

Yubao and the others saw this scene, their faces changed slightly, and they followed their second aunt.

"Second Aunt, what happened to Lamei brother?" Yubao's tone was urgent.

Even though Zhao Liuniang was anxious, she didn't ignore his question, "... He hit his head on the wall."

Thinking of Old Man Zhao, she thought fiercely in her heart that if her son couldn't get through this, she would definitely take a knife and chop that person up.

"Lamei, don't sleep, Mother is taking you to find your Third Aunt. Your Third Aunt has medicine there, Mother will apply medicine for you right away, once the medicine is applied your head won't hurt anymore, just hold on a little longer..." Zhao Liuniang kept talking on the road, her voice hoarse from fear.

Lamei was nine years old after the new year, a big child, not light. She had done farm work for years, so her strength was considered great, but hugging her son and running was still a significant burden.

She hugged him very tightly, and her speed didn't drop; her whole mind was on taking her son to seek hemostatic medicine.

Yubao saw his second aunt keep calling Lamei brother, so he followed suit, "Lamei brother, don't sleep, I have good things for you, I'll give them to you when you recover from your injury!"

Hengbao was also shouting, "Lamei brother, hold on, my mother has medicine, don't be afraid!!"

Bangbang's face was very ugly; he didn't expect that his younger brother would suddenly become like this just by going back to drink water.

He stared at the blood on Lamei's padded jacket, his heart sinking.

"Lamei, hold on!" Bangbang roared.

Lamei had a head injury, and Zhao Liuniang was hugging him and moving in a hurry; this scene was seen by many people in the village.

Everyone was a bit puzzled.

"What happened to Lamei? I saw him running all over the village earlier, how long has it been, why is his head all bloody? I see he looks like he's fainted, he won't be okay, will he?"

"Where is the Gu family's second son? His son is hurt like this, why haven't we seen him?"

"He and Old Man Gu went to the neighboring village; the neighboring village is composting, calling the technician to help."

"Technician... Uncle Gu has also become a technician." The young people in the village were very envious.

Someone with sharp eyes saw Gu Mu and said loudly: "Yuanshan's mother, your grandson hit his head, he's being hugged by your second daughter-in-law to the third house..."

After Gu Mu heard this, she ran toward the third house.

Huang Xiulan also heard it, gave her things to Tie Dan, and hurriedly followed.

The Gu family's third house.

Lin Zhao was stewing chicken soup and heard the panicked sounds.

It was her second sister-in-law's voice.

Didn't her second sister-in-law just leave, what's the situation?

Her eyes were puzzled as she walked out of the kitchen.

Zhao Liuniang rushed over, panting, and asked anxiously: "Third Sister-in-law, Lamei hit his head on the wall, blood is gushing out, do you have medicine?"

"I do."

Lin Zhao hurried to get it.

Soon, she came out carrying the medicine kit.

Seeing Lin Zhao open the medicine bottle, Zhao Liuniang finally loosened her hand covering Lamei's wound.

Once loosened, blood continued to gush out.

The wound was quite deep.

Lin Zhao's expression turned solemn, her hands very steady as she sprinkled on the hemostatic powder.

The moment the medicine powder fell, the blood stopped flowing out.

Zhao Liuniang's tense expression softened slightly, she cried with joy, and said incoherently: "It's not bleeding anymore, it's not..."

Tears flowed from her eyes involuntarily.

Lin Zhao used gauze to wrap Lamei's forehead, "The wound is a bit deep, send Lamei to the hospital for a checkup."

Zhao Liuniang knew how to live, but she wasn't stingy. She said: "Right, right, it must be checked."

At this time, Gu Mu ran in.

Seeing her grandson lying on the lounge chair, deathly pale, her old face was full of heartache.

"Is Lamei okay?" her speech was hurried and worried.

"Wasn't he fine before, how could he suddenly hit his head? He lost so much blood, how long will it take to recover, my poor grandson."

Hearing her mother-in-law ask how her son was injured, Zhao Liuniang clenched her fists, her eyes full of hatred.

"My father came, he pushed Lamei."

Gu Mu had nothing to say.

Her second daughter-in-law had a bitter life; she lost her mother at a young age, and her father was a scoundrel who didn't treat his daughters as human beings, only knowing how to beat, scold, and suck their blood...

Back then he even wanted to marry her off into the mountains to be a shared wife for others; if it weren't for her being smart and knowing how to run, she wouldn't know what she'd be like now.

"... Why did your father suddenly come?" Gu Mu muttered.

Zhao Liuniang had no expression, "It should be that he heard our family had divided the property, and it's almost the New Year, so he ran to the homes of us sisters to scrape things up."

Her father scraped good things from their hands, kept the majority for himself to eat and use slowly, and gave a small portion to the widows in the village. She knew all of this; when she first found out, she felt like vomiting from disgust.

If she could, she would rather not have this father.

Lin Zhao only just learned that her second sister-in-law's maiden family was like this.

No wonder she never mentioned it.

She took out a White Rabbit creamy candy, tore open the candy wrapper, and handed it to Zhao Liuniang's hand.

"Eat a candy."

Zhao Liuniang lowered her head, staring at that candy, her eyes sour.

She took the candy, and for the first time, didn't think about saving it for the children, eating it herself.

The sweet, rich milky taste spread in her mouth, and she couldn't help but shed tears.

"Truly sweet."

Lin Zhao took out a handful and placed it in her palm.

"Keep them well, eat one when you're irritable, your mood will get better."

Zhao Liuniang didn't refuse and said thank you.

Her sister-in-law, who had no blood relationship with her, was willing to give her precious White Rabbit creamy candy, yet her own father wished he could force her to death; it was truly ironic.

He despised that they were girls, causing him to be scolded for having no descendants, and in the future, they wouldn't be qualified to hold the funeral basin for him, yet every year he came to sweep through the homes of them sisters.

Bangbang learned that his younger brother was like this because of Old Man Zhao's masterpiece, his face darkened, and he left silently.

Running a little, he walked toward home.

On the way, he picked up a sharp stone.

The Gu family's old house.

Old Man Zhao saw his own grandson fall, and didn't even blink, rushing into the Gu family's kitchen, packing up everything good he saw.

After packing up the kitchen, he went straight to the second house, packing whatever he saw.

His main goal was to leave nothing behind.

Bangbang returned home, heard movement in his parents' room, walked up quietly, lightly lifted the door curtain, and looked into the room.

Old Man Zhao was very sharp and soon sensed someone.

He turned his head, saw it was Bangbang, and even smiled.

"Big grandson." Old Man Zhao greeted him, saying without any guilt: "Lamei hit his head, did you see? Is he okay?"

Bangbang gritted his teeth, took a deep breath, "This is my parents' room, get out."

Old Man Zhao: "What's the rush, I'll naturally go out when it's time."

Seeing the glued matchboxes, he picked them up and shook them, saying unhappily: "The family even has work gluing matchboxes now, I haven't come for a few months, your family's life is getting better and better, and your mother didn't even tell me, this is not taking me, this father, seriously."

He tore up the matchboxes Zhao Liuniang had glued, the corners of his mouth drooping, looking terrifyingly gloomy.

Bangbang went to stop him, not wanting his mother's hard work to be in vain; he didn't dare use force, just grabbing Old Man Zhao's hand.

"... My mother worked hard to glue these, don't tear them."

Old Man Zhao didn't pay attention; he was very dissatisfied with Zhao Liuniang and made up his mind to give her a taste of his power, sweeping away his grandson's arm and tearing them one after another.

Bangbang's eyes turned red.

He pounced again.

Old Man Zhao was impatient, raised his fist to hit him, and this scene was just happened to be seen by Gu Yuanshan, who had rushed over.

"What are you doing!" He rushed over and hooked Old Man Zhao's arm, his face as if covered in cold frost, "Coming to my house to hit my family's child, as if our brothers are all dead."

Bangbang took the stone out of his pocket, raised his arm high, and smashed it fiercely onto Old Man Zhao's arm.

He said: "I said, don't bully my mother."

Bangbang knew his mother had a bitter life before, and just seeing his mother cry, a huge surge of anger welled up in his heart.

Old Man Zhao cried out in pain, his eyes fierce, his palm slapping toward his face.

Gu Yuanshan blocked in front of his nephew, once again hooking the old man's arm, his voice very cold, "Don't use your hands and feet!"

Old Man Zhao was pushed until he staggered, the sack fell to the ground, and the things inside rolled out.

Looking at the mess on the ground, Gu Yuanshan laughed in anger.

Old Man Zhao knew he couldn't take advantage today, his eyes darkened, he glanced at Bangbang, picked up his things, and wanted to leave.

Gu Yuanshan couldn't just watch him carry away his family's things, so he pulled the sack, used a little force, and without saying a word, looked at him with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Gu family boy, what are you doing?" Old Man Zhao had extremely thick skin and said righteously: "It's rare for me to come once, can't I take the things my daughter uses to honor me?"

Bangbang exposed him: "You hurt Lamei, that's why my mother doesn't want to let you take advantage."

"Who hurt Lamei, he hit the wall himself, how is it that I hurt him." Old Man Zhao shamelessly refused to admit it.

Zhao Liuniang returned and heard this, trembling with anger.

"If you didn't push him, could he have hit his head?" She rushed into the room.

Seeing the torn matchboxes on the ground, her face turned livid.

Old Man Zhao said: "He doesn't respect his elders, so what if I hit him! Not only will I hit him, I'll hit you too!"

He swung his palm, "You unfilial thing!"

At this time, Gu Mu entered the room and said loudly: "Yuanshan, pull this person out!"

Gu Yuanshan listened to his mother and pulled Old Man Zhao out of the room.

He was young and strong, Old Man Zhao couldn't beat him, and fearing he would sprain his waist, he sensibly didn't struggle.

After reaching the courtyard, he shook off Gu Yuanshan's arm, swiped a jar of pickles from the Gu family, and ran out of the Gu family quickly, cursing all the way, saying Zhao Liuniang was unfilial to her own father, saying the Gu family looked down on their in-laws...

Old Man Zhao came every year; the people in the village all knew what kind of nature he had and didn't believe him at all. Learning that he even hurt his own grandson, they criticized him one after another.

The old man who was being criticized wasn't ashamed at all, even cursing back at people, and was almost beaten.

Zhao Liuniang looked at the messy room, sat down on her bottom, and shed tears silently.

How could she have such a father!

Gu Mu glanced at her and tidied up the room.

Bangbang helped silently.

The grandmother and grandson worked, and the room soon became tidy.

Zhao Liuniang kept her head down the whole time.

Gu Mu spoke, "Don't overthink it, he didn't take advantage this time, isn't that a good thing? It's a good start. If he couldn't take advantage this year, he couldn't take advantage in previous years either. Organize your mood well, when the second son comes back, you two still have to take Lamei to the hospital."

Lamei's deathly pale face flashed in Zhao Liuniang's mind; she pulled herself together and wiped her face.

"Mother is right, it's a good start this year."

Bangbang said: "Mother, can we not go to Grandpa's house for the New Year this year?"

Zhao Liuniang was in the middle of her anger and said immediately: "We aren't going! We aren't going ever again!"

She hated her father; going in previous years was out of consideration for her reputation, fearing her father would come looking for them regardless of anything, causing her to be unable to hold her head up in her husband's family.

Today Lamei was injured, and she completely gave up on Old Man Zhao, only wanting to have no contact with him until death.

"If Grandpa comes looking for us again, I will protect Mother," Bangbang said.

After speaking, he felt a bit embarrassed, rushed out of the room, took the candy he had saved, and found the children in the village to develop informants, letting them be his eyes.

With candy to eat, the children all agreed happily.

Lamei slept on the twins' bed, Little Gold coiled beside the pillow, its clever eyes turning.

Lin Zhao was afraid it would pat Lamei's head, so she hugged Little Gold and stroked it from head to tail.

"Don't think about doing bad things."