Chapter 66: Chapter 57: Liu Fengying Hits Someone Again
With that, Xiao Man ignored Liu Fengying’s stunned expression, hugged Grandpa’s arm, and shook it gently. "Grandpa, Grandma told me this morning that she wants her eyes to get better soon. She wants to see what I look like, and she also wants to see if all your hair has turned white. Grandma said you started venturing into deep forests and climbing cliffs when you were just a young man. After all these years of hard work, her heart aches for you!"
The hand Grandpa had placed on Xiao Man’s head grew heavy. He glanced back at the frail figure sitting quietly on the porch, and when he turned around again, his eyes were red. He scanned the women and children on the threshing ground, his words directed at all of them, including Liu Fengying:
"This house and courtyard still belong to the collective. The brigade is only letting me live here for now. Whether it becomes mine in the future or not has nothing to do with you! We’ve already separated the family, so I am not your Grandpa anymore! In fact, I’m not your biological grandfather. We’ve told you this every year during ancestral worship and the Qingming Festival—you all know this! From now on, you will call me Granduncle. Only Xiao Man is my true granddaughter! I am only responsible for her; I have nothing more to do with any of you! I won’t ask for the money and things I gave you in the past to be returned, but from this day forward, I will not give you a single cent more! I have fulfilled my duty to our ancestors, and I have fulfilled my duty to you! Now go home. Stop dreaming about this house. And don’t ask about medical bills or money. When I say I have none, I mean it!"
As soon as Grandpa Mo finished speaking, a chorus of wails erupted in the courtyard. Anyone who didn’t know better would have thought someone had died.
The children from the house behind were as helpful as ever. They ran to the brigade headquarters again to report what was happening at the Knowledge Youth House. As luck would have it, the militia platoon leader was on duty today. He brought a few militiamen with him and arrived just in time to hear Liu Fengying, Second Aunt Mo, and the others wailing and causing a scene. The platoon leader was a man of action, not words. He knew he didn’t have Secretary Mo’s talent for eloquent persuasion. Seeing that these people were just there to make trouble, he didn’t waste a single word and directly ordered his men to act. They carried the children out in pairs and dragged the adults out by the collars of their shirts, tossing them all outside. After a quick word with Grandpa, urging him to bolt the gate securely, the militiamen hurried away.
Walking behind Grandpa, Xiao Man gave the neighborhood kids a little wink, letting them know she saw what they did. She didn’t say anything out loud for fear that Mo Xiaoqiang would retaliate against them.
And Mo Xiaoqiang was certainly no pushover. After being carried out by the militiamen and tossed onto the road, he scrambled to his feet, scooped up two handfuls of gravel, and hurled them violently at the men.
The militiamen dodged the stones, shouting, "Get him!" As they started to give chase, Mo Xiaoqiang took off running as fast as his legs could carry him.
Mo Xiaoneng, along with Mo Laoer’s sons, Mo Xiaobao and Mo Xiaogui, ran off as well.
Mo Xiaosu and Mo Xiao Zhi scrambled up from the ground, wailing and crying for their mothers. Meanwhile, their mothers were busy dusting themselves off while pulling and shoving each other. Neither was willing to let the other get to the gate first, as each one wanted to be the first to rush back inside.
After saying goodbye to the militiamen, Grandpa was gently pushed toward the courtyard by Xiao Man. "Grandpa, let’s go back inside! Grandma’s waiting for us to eat!"
"Oh, right! Time to eat! We’re all starving!"
Without so much as a glance at the people the militiamen had left scattered about, Grandpa strode through the gate. "Close it and bolt it tight!"
"Yes, sir!" Xiao Man took hold of one of the heavy doors, ready to swing it shut.
"Mo Xiaoman!"
"You wretched girl, you dare shut that gate!"
Mo Xiaosu and Liu Fengying shouted at the same time, charging toward the gate with Second Aunt Mo.
Seeing their furious charge, Xiao Man decided not to bother closing the gate just yet. Instead, she stepped outside and stood in the gateway. "What’s the matter? Not happy about being thrown out by the militia? Let me tell you something. What you’re doing is trespassing with intent to harm the elderly and a child. I could let you in, but then I’d just have to beat you back out with a club!"
The women and girls stopped in their tracks. They didn’t charge forward, not because they were afraid of Xiao Man, but because Grandpa had returned to the gateway and was glaring at them from just inside.
Liu Fengying’s expression shifted several times before settling on one of heartbreak. She reached a hand out toward Xiao Man, her voice a fragile, skin-crawling whisper. "Xiao Man, my dear daughter, don’t listen to the wagging tongues of others. You are my flesh and blood. I carried you for ten months..."
"Enough!" Xiao Man cut her off, her voice making her skin crawl. "Like they say in the movies, actions speak louder than words! Even without everyone’s gossip, I could figure it out. How you doted on Xiao Feng and Xiao Zhi, and how you abused me! Why did the two of you say those things when you thought no one was listening? Why do I look nothing like anyone in your family? Why did you two go to the city so often, claiming to be looking for your ’real daughter,’ only to come back and call me a ’wretched girl’? I’ve been piecing it together for a long time, Liu Fengying. You can’t fool me anymore. I know exactly what you’re thinking! Don’t mess with me, and don’t cause trouble for my Grandpa and Grandma. If you do, you’d better believe I’ll shatter that ’beautiful hope’ you’ve been clinging to for your whole life!"
Liu Fengying stood dumbstruck, at a complete loss for words. Below her, Mo Xiaohua tugged on her hand, wailing shrilly, but Liu Fengying didn’t even seem to notice.
Xiao Man paid her no more mind and turned to Mo Xiaosu. "That word, ’bastard’... I’ve heard you say it a few times now. So tell me, who’s the bastard?"
Mo Xiaosu was taken aback by Xiao Man’s outburst. She couldn’t believe it. ’How could Mo Xiaoman be so unconcerned about something so taboo to everyone else! She’s openly defying Liu Fengying, announcing to the world that she isn’t Mo Guoqiang and Liu Fengying’s biological daughter!’
’Has the little bitch lost her mind? In the countryside, people might pity an orphan, but they’re also looked down on! It’ll be impossible for her to get married in the future. A man from a good family with both parents alive would never marry an orphan girl, and a decent girl would never marry an orphan boy. How could she... oh, right. She’s latched onto Grandpa and Grandma now. Grandpa has money, and he has this nice Knowledge Youth House. If she can trick them out of their family fortune, with that kind of backing, she won’t have any trouble finding a husband!’
Mo Xiaosu glared at Xiao Man as if she were her mortal enemy. ’That’s right, Mo Xiaoman *is* my enemy! Everything that belongs to Grandpa should have been mine, but she snatched it all away!’
Mo Xiaosu shrieked, "So what if I said it? Now you finally get it, don’t you? You’re not my uncle and aunt’s biological daughter at all! You’re just a bastard! A stray they picked up from somewhere else! Bastard! Bastard!"
Hearing the word "bastard" shouted three times in a row, Xiao Man’s blood began to boil. Her clenched fist suddenly snapped open...
SMACK! But the one who slapped Mo Xiaosu was, surprisingly, Liu Fengying!
Liu Fengying had put every ounce of her strength into that slap. The force sent Mo Xiaosu flying backward, where she landed on the gravel road and lay sprawled like a dead dog, completely motionless.
Fortunately, not many cars drove on the roads in those days. Besides, even the cars seemed to have a schedule like people, and none were passing by at high noon.
Liu Fengying cursed viciously, "That’ll teach you to run your mouth! How dare you spout such nonsense right in front of me! If I didn’t give birth to Xiao Man, did you? Huh? Trying to ruin the bond between my daughter and me? I’ll beat you to death!"
Second Aunt Mo was stunned at first. When she snapped out of it, she ran over, cradled Mo Xiaosu in her arms, and after one look, burst into tears. "Oh, heavens! Liu Fengying has killed my daughter! I can’t go on living!"
