Chapter 1855

Xiao Changqian was burning with rage, cursing as he struggled to his feet, reaching for his crutch, preparing to charge onto the balcony and settle things with Ma Lan once and for all.

Although Old Mrs. Xiao was also somewhat annoyed inside, she still hurriedly stopped Xiao Changqian, saying resentfully: "Ma Lan really is a stray dog that's turned over these days—we can't afford to provoke her, so you'd better not go out!"

Xiao Hailong, upon hearing this, also immediately wilted, sighing dejectedly: "Yeah, Dad, didn't Weiwei tell you? Her job now was arranged by Ye Chen, and our whole family relies on Weiwei's income to make ends meet. If you offend Ma Lan now, we'll be drinking northwest wind tomorrow..."

Xiao Changqian's expression instantly turned ugly, his face darkening as he said: "To be frank, Ye Chen really did help Weiwei, and also helped us—it's a kindness to us. Since he's Ma Lan's son-in-law, I can let bygones be bygones regarding her past offenses against me..."

Saying this, Xiao Changqian, filled with righteous indignation, declared: "But she's now running downstairs shouting your mother's name—isn't that just slapping my face? Her family isn't far from ours. Back then, your mother stole your grandmother's money and ran away, and your grandmother even reported it to the police. Ma Lan certainly knew about this—isn't she just blatantly looking for trouble?"

Xiao Hailong said in a muffled voice: "That's how it is, but even if we know the truth, we can only pretend to be ignorant while knowing it inside. I don't want to go back to those days of lying in bed, starving to the point of wishing for death..."

Xiao Changqian also felt a bit dispirited. After a moment, he waved his hand and let out a long sigh: "Ah!!! Forget it! I won't stoop to her level—just treat her as a dog barking downstairs. When she gets tired from yelling, she'll probably leave!"

Old Mrs. Xiao said approvingly: "Changqian, you've finally made some progress compared to before! Being able to yield and stand firm is what makes a real man—you used to suffer losses simply because you'd never endured enough hardship!"

At that moment, downstairs, Ma Lan exchanged glances for a while, seeing no movement at all, and grew somewhat annoyed: "That dead old hag, along with Xiao Changqian and Xiao Hailong—this pair of turtle grandsons—are definitely hiding at home! All of them are shrinking turtles, not a single one daring to come out and fight!"

Xiao Changkun shook his head and said: "Since they won't come out to fight, then let's just leave!"

"No way!" Ma Lan let out a cold snort, saying firmly: "If we leave now, they'll still think I, Ma Lan, only have this much ability!"

After saying that, she raised her voice slightly and shouted loudly: "Xiao Changqian?! Xiao Changqian?! I know you're at home! Your legs, feet, arms, and hands—weren't they all broken by Wu Donghai's men? Besides lying in bed, where else can you go? Don't act like a shrinking turtle—you don't even dare to fart!"

Xiao Changqian spat blood from anger, but he stubbornly propped himself up with his crutch, leaned on it, and prepared to go onto the balcony.

Old Mrs. Xiao hurriedly rose to stop him, but being old and having just finished serving this pair, utterly exhausted, she couldn't hold him back for a moment—so she could only follow him onto the balcony.

As Xiao Changqian stepped onto the balcony, he saw Ma Lan poking her head out of an off-road vehicle, and he angrily cursed: "Ma Lan! Are you just looking for trouble? I, Xiao Changqian, haven't provoked or offended you lately—why are you down here barking like a dog all afternoon?"

Ma Lan pursed her lips and said disdainfully: "I came to find your wife, Qian Hongyan—where is she? Let her come out! I just picked up a Rolls-Royce Cullinan..."

As the words reached her lips, Ma Lan suddenly forgot the exact model of this car, so she turned back and asked Xiao Changkun: "What's this car called again?"

Xiao Changkun rubbed his temples, helplessly saying: "It's the Cullinan."

"Oh, right!" Ma Lan said, then quickly poked her head out again and told Xiao Changqian: "I just picked up a Rolls-Royce Cullinan—worth over ten million!"

Xiao Changqian stared at this Rolls-Royce Cullinan, trembling with rage all over.

Meanwhile, Old Mrs. Xiao, upon hearing the car was worth over ten million, had her eyes nearly sucked out by the vehicle.

Xiao Changqian suppressed his anger, speaking coldly: "You bought a car—fine—but why come to our house to show off?"

Ma Lan said with a serious expression: "Hey hey hey, I'm not here to show off to you! I'm here to find your wife, Qian Hongyan!"

As she spoke, she couldn't help but sigh, feeling deeply moved: "Qian Hongyan and I are sisters-in-law—we've both suffered eight lifetimes of bad luck and become daughters-in-law of the Xiao family, so we two are fellow sufferers..."

Saying this, Ma Lan said sorrowfully: "Ah! My elder sister-in-law is worse off than me! At her age, she's still pregnant and miscarried—it's truly harmful to her body. So I want her to come out, ride in our family's new car to go out and relax—then her mood might improve too!"

Xiao Changqian listened to Ma Lan's hypocritical act, especially when she mentioned Qian Hongyan's miscarriage, and instantly flared up, pointing at Ma Lan and cursing uncontrollably: "Ma Lan, you... you... you bastard! You clearly know Qian Hongyan ran away long ago, yet you still come here to humiliate me again and again—damn it, I'll smash you to death, you dog!"

Saying this, Xiao Changqian prepared to swing the crutch under his arm and smash Ma Lan's dog head.

Seeing Xiao Changqian about to hit her with the crutch, Ma Lan was so frightened she broke out in a cold sweat.

Never mind whether Xiao Changqian could actually hit me—this Cullinan is such a huge beast parked here, he could easily smash his crutch into this car with no effort.

Ma Lan thought: This is a car worth over ten million—if I really smash it, where would my family get the money to fix it?

Even if I just dent it and say we can still drive it without repair, but if the glass shatters, what then—can't we just wrap the windows in plastic wrap or tape them up with transparent tape like a spiderweb?

We barely managed to afford this luxury car—if it gets damaged again, wouldn't that mean we'd cry without tears?

At this critical moment, Old Mrs. Xiao rushed forward a step, desperately gripping his arm, and blurted out: "Changqian! You mustn't smash it! Absolutely mustn't smash it! Even if you don't think for yourself, think of me and Hailong! If you smash it, how will our family go on?"

Hearing this, Xiao Changqian's eyes filled with shameful tears, and he choked out: "Mom... I'm not insisting on opposing you, but Ma Lan is really bullying people too much!"

Old Mrs. Xiao gripped the crutch tightly, sorrowfully saying: "Changqian! Endure for a moment, and the wind will calm and the waves will settle; retreat a step, and the sky will widen and the sea will open!"

Xiao Changqian fell silent for a moment, finally let out a long sigh, and threw that crutch onto the ground.

Seeing Old Mrs. Xiao step forward to stop Xiao Changqian, Ma Lan finally breathed a sigh of relief, then said to Old Mrs. Xiao: "Old lady, I've known you for nearly thirty years—today you finally did something human!"

Old Mrs. Xiao felt deeply humiliated, but could only say to Ma Lan: "Ma Lan, our family can't afford to provoke you—I, this old lady, beg you: in the future, don't come again to amuse yourself with our family members..."

Ma Lan hadn't expected that the usually proud and even grudge-holding Old Mrs. Xiao would actually take the initiative to lower her head before her—this left her momentarily stunned, and instead she didn't know how to respond.

At that moment, out of the corner of her eye, she saw two people walking toward each other under the streetlight, glanced down instinctively, and exclaimed in surprise: "Oh my goodness, Qian Hongyan?! You... you actually came back?!"

Xiao Changqian hadn't seen those two people, but hearing Ma Lan bring up Qian Hongyan again at this moment, the anger he had just barely been calmed by Old Mrs. Xiao flared up again, multiplying several times over!

He cursed furiously: "Ma Lan! You damn dog—can't change your habit of eating shit! Old man! Today I'm fighting you to the death!"

After saying that, he swung the other crutch to throw it outward, but Old Mrs. Xiao hurriedly grabbed it tightly, shouting loudly: "Changqian! Acting on impulse is devilish!"

At this moment, Ma Lan grew anxious, pointing at the distant figure sneaking and dodging, and shouted loudly: "Xiao Changqian, look carefully! It really is Qian Hongyan who's come back!"

Xiao Changqian glanced over, and instantly felt his blood surge like a pierced oil well, booming as it shot straight up to his heavenly spirit crown.

He stared at that familiar figure, furious and defeated, and cursed: "Holy shit! Qian Hongyan! You damn well still have the nerve to come back!"