Chapter 106

Qin Huaiju cried for a while, then said: “From now on, if I’m disciplining Banggeng, you’re not allowed to interfere—he’s my son, my lifelong reliance. If he’s ruined, I won’t live either, and you won’t fare well either.”

Jia Zhangshi panicked: “How can you say that? Banggeng is fine—he’s just not studying hard yet!”

Qin Huaiju listed Banggeng’s past misdeeds: “I won’t even bring up the incident with Xu Damao’s chicken. Go back further—how many times has he stolen materials from the factory and sold them to the recycling station? Get caught once, it’s a lifetime sentence. Do you really want Banggeng to get shot?”

Jia Zhangshi hurriedly defended: “It’s not that bad, not that bad! We agreed before it was just to pick up scrap iron. Now he’s improving, isn’t he?”

Qin Huaiju grew even harsher: “If you ever incite Banggeng to steal again, I’ll turn you in first—you’ll go get shot before he does. I mean it.”

Qin Huaiju turned around, glaring fiercely at her mother-in-law, tears streaming down as she spat: “Didn’t you see how Xu Damao acted today? Still dare to gossip with the old women in the courtyard? Do you think they won’t tell the Li family? Do you really think that front-yard bandit is a good man?”

“Every day he greets Xu Damao first, smiling, polite as ever. But today, look how brutally he acted—Banggeng’s face was smashed into a bloody mess. Banggeng will eventually fall into his hands.”

“I begged him, I went out of my way to help him—all to cling to him. If Banggeng ever makes a mistake someday, I’ll have someone to beg for mercy. When he grows up, I’ll have someone to ask for a way out. What good is clinging to Li Shuzhu? Two boxes of meals won’t give Banggeng anything. Now do you understand why I begged Li Xuewu to help me?”

She finished, then broke into a sobbing wail.

Banggeng, hearing the conversation between his grandmother and mother from the outer room bed, ran in crying and crawled under Qin Huaiju’s covers, hugging her as he wept with her.

Seeing her son, Qin Huaiju unleashed years of suppressed grievance and wept uncontrollably.

“Banggeng, don’t hate your mother for being cruel—if I didn’t beat you, didn’t discipline you, one day that gun will be pressed against your forehead!”

Jia Zhangshi had never seen Qin Huaiju like this. She cried out to Banggeng: “Grandson, comfort your mother! How can you say that? We won’t steal anymore, never again—we’ll take nothing! No more stealing!”

“Grandson, tomorrow you and I will go feed the chickens and sweep the yard again. We’ll study properly—we won’t provoke Li Er… Li Xuewu.”

Jia Zhangshi had thought that if one plaintiff went to jail, her grandson wouldn’t have to keep feeding chickens anymore—given the current situation, Lou Xiaoe was clearly barren, so she hoped to end the punishment.

Jia Zhangshi had been utterly terrified—when Li Xuewu pulled out his gun, she nearly wet herself, and the memory of last time came rushing back.