My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]

Chapter 113

The saying "Evil people will be dealt with by even worse people" couldn't be more accurate.

Jiang Baohong was no saint, but when it came to scheming, she was no match for Aunt Su and her daughter-in-law, Wang Xiangxiu. After all, their life experiences were vastly different. Talk to Aunt Su or Wang Xiangxiu about office promotions, and they wouldn’t have a clue. But when it came to everyday scheming, Jiang Baohong was far from being their equal. For years, they had survived by outwitting others. How else could they live a decent life on their meager wages of just over twenty yuan?

Scheming in the courtyard wasn’t easy, as they were surrounded by long-time neighbors who could read their every move. Only the Bai father and son, who were ever so eager to please, fell for their tricks. Everyone else saw right through them.

But now, scheming against Jiang Baohong seemed like a piece of cake.

Aunt Su put on a frail, weak act, but Jiang Baohong wasn’t buying it. Still, she was at a loss on how to deal with this seemingly ill old woman. Jiang Baohong had connections, but in the capital city, half the people you’d hit with a brick would have some sort of background.

As the saying goes, "You don’t know how small your position is until you come to the capital."

That’s exactly what it meant.

Even though Jiang Baohong had connections, it didn’t mean she could act with impunity. Even in these times, that wasn’t the case. Her husband was a deputy director of a certain committee, but he wasn’t the only one. There were three deputy directors in total, and the director was nearing retirement. If he stepped down, someone would have to take his place. If Jiang Baohong made a scene or if Aunt Su kept harassing her, things would get complicated.

Jiang Baohong could ignore Aunt Su, but the old woman had made it clear that if Jiang Baohong tried to force a resolution, she would jump off a building to seek justice. For a moment, Jiang Baohong was truly cornered by the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law duo.

The fight had already become public knowledge, and her husband was furious, feeling humiliated. He demanded she resolve the matter immediately. Jiang Baohong was fuming. She wished she could arrest them all, but she knew she couldn’t. She felt utterly frustrated.

“Damn it, damn it, damn it!” she cursed in a corner, venting her anger.

“Jiang Baohong.”

She turned around in surprise. “Old Cai?”

Her face lit up. “You came? I knew you’d worry about me.”

It was her husband.

She hadn’t expected him to visit, and she immediately perked up. “You have no idea how much I’ve suffered. That family is so despicable. It’s clearly their fault, but they’re twisting the story and even dared to lay hands on me. They have no respect for you as a leader.”

Old Cai was displeased but said, “Didn’t I tell you yesterday to resolve this quickly? What have you been doing? Do you think this is a good look? A leader’s wife getting into a brawl with a bunch of street women, ending up at the police station—are you trying to embarrass me? If Deputy Director Zheng and Deputy Director Tian find out, they’ll have a field day. You’re really a great help, causing trouble everywhere!”

Jiang Baohong protested, “So I’m just supposed to take the loss?”

Old Cai waved her off. “Take the loss for now. You can settle the score later. Is it really that hard? Let it go today, and deal with them when things have calmed down.”

“Fine, I’ll listen to you.”

Old Cai looked at Jiang Baohong’s bruised face with disgust and turned away. “Go handle it with the police now.”

“I’ll go right away.”

Though she acted high and mighty at work, at home, she was just a dutiful housewife.

As she left, Old Cai’s disdain grew.

“Hello.”

A soft woman’s voice called out. Old Cai turned to see a woman stepping out from a nearby corner. She had a voluptuous figure, with a couple of minor cuts on her face that somehow added to her delicate appearance.

It was none other than Wang Xiangxiu.

Wang Xiangxiu had been keeping an eye on Jiang Baohong, as instructed by her mother-in-law. She had overheard Old Cai’s threat to settle the score later and was terrified. She knew she was no match for them, so she had to find another way.

As soon as Jiang Baohong left, she mustered her courage and approached.

She pinched herself, tears welling up as she looked at the middle-aged man.

Jiang Baohong was in her forties, but this man looked at least fifty, with a receding hairline. She bit her lip and spoke up. “I’m the mother of the child who had the conflict with your wife. My name is Wang Xiangxiu.”

Old Cai raised an eyebrow. “Hmm?”

He hadn’t expected someone to overhear his conversation with Jiang Baohong and cursed her inwardly for not checking her surroundings.

“What do you want?”

Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip and said softly, “I know we were wrong, but my mother-in-law is already in the hospital. I have three children at home. I beg you, please let this go.”

Tears streamed down her face. “If you can forgive this and promise not to retaliate, I’ll do anything you ask.”

Old Cai was taken aback but quickly understood. He looked her up and down, his expression changing. Wang Xiangxiu wasn’t unattractive; in fact, she fit the popular beauty standards of the time—curvy, with a full face, big eyes, and fair skin.

He smiled. “What can you do?”

Wang Xiangxiu blushed, clenching her fists. “I…”

She looked up, determined. “I’m a mother. As long as my children are safe and can grow up well, I’ll do anything. Whatever you want, I’ll do it.”

Old Cai’s smile widened. “Shall we find a place to discuss this further?”

Wang Xiangxiu nodded. “I know a spot…”

She led the way. Her family had been to the hospital so often that she knew the place inside out. She remembered a storage area in the back courtyard where discarded items were kept. It was usually deserted.

Coincidentally, it was the same spot where Jiang Lu had once seduced Xiao Xu.

It seemed the hospital was full of secrets.

Wang Xiangxiu walked ahead, with Old Cai following close behind. Technically, this matter should have been handled at the police station, but it wasn’t serious enough to warrant that. Everyone involved had injuries, and Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu both claimed to be unwell. Jiang Baohong, who had taken the brunt of the beating, was also hospitalized. Even Bai Fendou insisted on staying in the hospital.

They’d rather play the sick card than be locked up.

For serious offenders, this wouldn’t fly, but for their petty squabble, it wasn’t worth the trouble.

So, the authorities turned a blind eye, letting them stay in the hospital to sort things out. Otherwise, they’d just keep causing a scene.

Wang Xiangxiu wasn’t actually hospitalized, and neither was Bai Fendou. He couldn’t sit still and kept pacing the ward, driving everyone else crazy. Coincidentally, they were all placed in the same room.

Aunt Su sighed. “Bai Fendou, stop pacing.”

Bai Fendou replied, “I’ll go check on my dad upstairs.”

His father, who had been hit with a brick, was on the second floor, while they were on the third.

Aunt Su sighed again. “Go on. I was supposed to take care of him, but now I’ve ended up in the hospital too.”

Her voice was filled with melancholy.

Bai Fendou immediately said, "Auntie, please don’t say such things. This was an unexpected situation, and I can understand it. My father can too."

"You tell your father to take good care of himself. I’ll visit him as soon as I’m better."

He replied, "Alright, I’ll head over right now and pass on your message."

He cheerfully walked out the door and headed downstairs. From a distance, he spotted Wang Xiangxiu. He knew she had been keeping an eye on Jiang Baohong. Seeing her heading downstairs, he couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy.

Jiang Baohong was acting all high and mighty, and Bai Fendou wasn’t confident that Wang Xiangxiu could handle her alone. With that thought, he quickly followed her.

But then, why did it seem like that short, balding man up ahead was also following Wang Xiangxiu?

A sense of suspicion crept into his mind, but he continued to follow quietly without drawing attention to himself…

At the same time, Zhao Guihua, along with Ming Mei, Jiang Lu, and Wang Zhaodi, entered the hospital gates. Wang Zhaodi had planned to go fishing for Jiang Lu early in the morning, but the heavy rain showed no signs of stopping, so Jiang Lu stopped her.

It was too dangerous to go to the riverside in such a downpour, and she didn’t think it was a good idea.

Since the rain hadn’t let up, Jiang Lu took another day off. She had already taken so many sick leaves that this one would count as personal leave, which meant a deduction from her salary. But Jiang Lu didn’t seem to mind. Meanwhile, Ming Mei suddenly felt a stomach ache around noon.

Zhao Guihua didn’t dare delay and immediately took Ming Mei to the hospital. Whenever Ming Mei showed the slightest discomfort, Zhao Guihua, as her mother-in-law, couldn’t help but worry. After all, she had suffered a lot during her own pregnancy in her past life. So, the moment she noticed Ming Mei wasn’t feeling well, she didn’t hesitate to take her out.

In such situations, it was better to trust doctors than rely on personal experience.

Zhao Guihua took Ming Mei to the hospital, and Jiang Lu decided to tag along.

It wasn’t just for the sake of company. Jiang Lu also wanted to get herself checked, and since Ming Mei was going, it made sense to go together. It wasn’t that Jiang Lu had suddenly warmed up to the Zhuang family; their relationship had improved gradually. Being pregnant, they naturally had common topics to discuss. Now that Jiang Lu was entirely focused on her child, she found it easy to get along with them.

She brought along her companion, Wang Zhaodi, and the four of them headed to the hospital together.

As soon as they entered the hospital gates, they saw Wang Xiangxiu walking out and turning toward the back. Not far behind her was an unfamiliar man, also turning in the same direction. Then came Bai Fendou. The three of them looked like a skewer of candied haws, one after the other.

"What’s going on here?" Ming Mei’s stomach ache suddenly vanished, and she perked up with curiosity.

Zhao Guihua said, "Don’t worry about them. Let’s go upstairs to see the doctor."

Ming Mei replied, "I-I’m fine now."

She craned her neck to get a better look, clearly wanting to see what was happening. It was obvious she wanted to join the commotion, but Zhao Guihua couldn’t let her. Ming Mei was already four months pregnant, and her belly was getting heavy. It wasn’t worth the risk of someone bumping into her or pushing her in the chaos.

After all, who knew what kind of nonsense those people were up to?

Yes, it was hard to say.

Zhao Guihua said firmly, "Put that thought of watching the commotion out of your mind."

Ming Mei’s head drooped for a moment, but then she looked up and said, "Then can we find a spot to watch from a distance? My stomach doesn’t hurt anymore. We can check things out before seeing the doctor, okay?"

Zhao Guihua’s stern expression didn’t waver in the slightest.

Jiang Lu chimed in, "I know a place where we can see the backyard."

She smiled and said, "There’s a hot water room on the second floor. The window there overlooks the backyard."

She had discovered this while secretly meeting Xiao Xu in the backyard shed. It had startled her at the time, but since it was late at night, there was no one around, and she felt safe. If it had been during the day, someone would have surely seen her.

She didn’t know where Wang Xiangxiu was headed, but the hot water room offered a view of the entire backyard, which was good enough.

"Shall we go?"

"Let’s go!"

Jiang Lu said, "Then let’s move."

Zhao Guihua asked worriedly, "Are you really sure you’re not in pain anymore?"

Ming Mei nodded obediently and said, "Really, I’m fine."

In truth, the pain hadn’t been severe to begin with. It was just a slight, nagging discomfort, like the feeling of needing to use the restroom, but it had subsided. She knew her own body best, and since she wasn’t feeling unwell anymore, her curiosity took over.

The four of them headed upstairs together. By this time, Wang Xiangxiu had already reached her destination. She looked around, and Bai Fendou, unsure of his own motives, ducked out of sight. Wang Xiangxiu, satisfied that everything was clear, nodded at the balding man, Old Cai, and then entered the small storage room.

The storage room even had a resting area—small, but it had a bed.

Wang Xiangxiu smiled softly as Old Cai quickly followed her into the room…

Bai Fendou hid around the corner, calming himself for a moment. When he peeked out and saw no one around, he immediately headed for the storage room. He walked up to the door, still puzzled, when he suddenly heard faint moans coming from inside.

Along with the moans were other sounds that made his face flush with embarrassment. Bai Fendou stared at the door in disbelief, momentarily frozen, unable to muster the courage to push it open. He stood there, listening to the noises inside.

The sounds grew louder, and just as he was debating whether to enter, they abruptly stopped.

"Ah…"

Old Cai, satisfied, pinched Wang Xiangxiu’s cheek and said, "You’re not bad."

Wang Xiangxiu giggled softly, wrapping her arms around his neck from behind and cooing, "Between me and your wife, who’s better?"

"Of course, it’s you. She’s nothing."

Old Cai didn’t claim to like Wang Xiangxiu. Their relationship was purely transactional, so there was no need to talk about feelings. She was good, but even so, Old Cai wouldn’t continue seeing her. He was at a critical point in his career, aiming for a promotion to department head, and he couldn’t afford to leave any evidence for his rivals to use against him.

He stood up and pulled up his pants, asking, "So, between me and your man, who’s better?"

Wang Xiangxiu replied, "My man’s been dead for a long time." If he were still alive, she wouldn’t have to endure all this.

Old Cai was taken aback. "Wait, isn’t there someone who fought for your kids? Isn’t that their father?"

Hearing this, Wang Xiangxiu was displeased. She might engage in affairs out of necessity, but deep down, she was a virtuous woman. The only man she truly loved was her late husband.

She didn’t like hearing people associate her with Bai Fendou. She looked down on him.

She sneered, "He’s nothing."

Well, both of them had used the same phrase.

Wang Xiangxiu mocked, "With that pig brain of his, he thinks he can be my son’s father? He’s delusional. I’ve never had any respect for him. Sure, he’s deeply infatuated with me, but that doesn’t mean I have to accept him."

Old Cai teased, "Oh, so a widow like you looks down on him?"

"Even as a widow, I’m better than him. I never liked him back when he was in the security department, let alone now that he’s cleaning toilets and hauling manure. He’s nothing compared to my late husband. We just live in the same courtyard, so I can’t outright reject him. But in truth, I have no respect for such a brainless man. Who in their right mind would marry their daughter to someone like him? Isn’t that embarrassing? If he hadn’t impulsively started that fight, things wouldn’t have gotten so out of hand. What a disgraceful idiot."

Wang Xiangxiu laughed softly, saying, "A real man should be like you."

Though Old Cai was short, fat, and balding, with an unattractive appearance, his attire spoke of his status. And from what she had overheard, if she could latch onto this man, her future would be secure.

She clung to Old Cai, unwilling to let go, and said, "Will you still come looking for me in the future? I know I’m a widow, and I don’t have much charm, but you’re really something special..."

Old Cai felt a surge of pride. Men always enjoy being praised in this way.

He patted Wang Xiangxiu’s face and said, "This is just an exchange between us. There won’t be a next time. What? Are you already attached to me?"

Wang Xiangxiu replied, "I’ve never met a man as strong as you. I can’t bear to leave you."

"Who are you talking about? Aren’t you afraid your loyal dog will hear? He even got into a fight for your son and ended up in the police station, yet you don’t seem to care at all. How heartless can you be?"

Wang Xiangxiu defended herself confidently, "He chose to fight on his own. Did I ask him to? Isn’t it ridiculous? I’ve never even been interested in him. If it weren’t for the fact that we live in the same courtyard and I didn’t want to cause a scene, I would’ve told him to get lost long ago. Besides, you’ve heard about it, right? I have a mother-in-law and three children to take care of. As a woman, what else can I do? I have to keep him around for the money. But I swear, we’ve never crossed any boundaries."

Logically, Wang Xiangxiu shouldn’t have said all this, but she wanted to secure Old Cai’s favor. A little self-pity and proving her innocence were essential.

"Life has been really tough for me. Just look at this hospital stay—I don’t even know where the money will come from."

She bit her lip, looking at him with pitiful eyes. Old Cai, of course, understood her implication. Neither of them was naive. He reached into his pocket and pulled out twenty yuan along with a few coupons.

Wang Xiangxiu’s eyes lit up, and her hand immediately reached for them.

She cooed, "I’ll take these," in a flirtatious tone. A flicker of dissatisfaction crossed Old Cai’s face, but Wang Xiangxiu quickly added, "You can come find me anytime..."

Seeing Old Cai’s expression darken, she assured him, "I promise, there’s nothing going on with anyone else... You’re truly impressive..."

Old Cai’s mood shifted again, and he didn’t take the money and coupons back from Wang Xiangxiu. He simply said, "Alright, let’s go."

Wang Xiangxiu pleaded, "I don’t want to leave you..."

Old Cai chuckled, "Do you always manipulate your loyal dog like this to get what you want?"

Wang Xiangxiu protested, "Of course not! Don’t you believe me? I’ve already said there’s nothing between us. I haven’t even let him kiss me. That man is a fool, brainless. A few sweet words and he’s head over heels for me..."

She thought to herself, men love hearing others being put down while they’re praised. Didn’t you see how Old Cai puffed up with pride when she spoke ill of Bai Fendou?

"Aside from my husband, you’re the only one I’ve been with," she whispered softly. "Women are like this. Even though we’ve only just met, in my heart, you’re already my man."

Old Cai said, "Alright, hurry up and go back."

Though he enjoyed being praised by a woman, his status was already high, and he’d heard plenty of flattery before. It didn’t move him deeply.

He liked hearing it, but it didn’t touch his heart.

Wang Xiangxiu, seeing that her efforts hadn’t yielded much, bit her lip in frustration. "Are you in such a hurry to get rid of me?"

Old Cai replied, "This was just an exchange. Did you actually take it seriously?"

Though he enjoyed the compliments, he wasn’t swayed in the slightest.

"You’ve already taken the money, so stop acting like we’re deeply in love. I know you like me, but I don’t have any further interest in you."

"You!" Wang Xiangxiu hadn’t expected him to be so cold. After all her efforts, it had amounted to nothing.

"What? Are you going to turn on me?"

"How could I dare? You’re making it sound like I’m the one at fault," Wang Xiangxiu quickly adjusted her demeanor, putting on a pitiful expression. But in her heart, she cursed this old fox for being shameless. How could he just walk away after taking advantage of her? A woman like her, one in a million—how could he just treat her as a fleeting fling?

He had no taste. She might be in her thirties, but she was far better than those twenty-something girls. A woman should have her own charm.

"Aren’t you leaving? Do you want to get caught?"

Wang Xiangxiu said, "I’ll go, but... but..." She pinched herself, tears welling up in her eyes. "You’ll come find me again, won’t you?"

Old Cai laughed heartily and said, "We’ll see."

He didn’t give her a direct answer.

What he wanted was a fleeting affair, not to be tied down by this widow.

He’d had some initial interest, but this was a crucial year for his career advancement. He couldn’t afford to make a big mistake. Moreover, as Wang Xiangxiu kept badmouthing her loyal dog, Old Cai began to see her as untrustworthy.

He wasn’t some naive young man. He’d seen it all and wouldn’t be fooled by a woman like her.

Sleeping with her was enjoyable, but the idea of maintaining a long-term relationship was out of the question.

A woman like her was like a leech, and he had no intention of being her permanent host.

"Let’s go."

"Wait a moment, let me adjust my new clothes."

Wang Xiangxiu straightened herself and said, "Let’s go."

This time, she hadn’t fully succeeded, but she hadn’t lost out either. After all, she’d resolved the immediate issue, avoided future troubles, and even walked away with at least twenty yuan. It was a pretty lucrative deal.

If only all the men she encountered were this generous.

Unfortunately, when she "borrowed" money at the factory, she rarely got more than five yuan. She could’ve lowered her price, but her mother-in-law firmly opposed it. Lowering the price might seem like a way to earn more, but it would make her seem cheap. Some of the better-off men might stop coming to her. Plus, if word got out, it could ruin her reputation. For now, there were some rumors, but nothing concrete.

Most people only heard whispers, and since she sometimes firmly rejected inappropriate advances, many still believed in her innocence. If she took on too many men, it would inevitably backfire.

She could handle herself, but she couldn’t let her son have a mother with a bad reputation.

So, while Wang Xiangxiu made money, she didn’t flaunt it or get caught.

Overall, while she didn’t fully achieve her goal this time, it wasn’t a complete failure. After all, she’d gained quite a bit.

"I’ll miss you," Wang Xiangxiu said softly.

Old Cai smirked and said, "We’ll see. Maybe I’ll come find you."

He didn’t commit, and finally, they opened the door—"What the hell!"

As the door opened, they saw a man standing outside, drenched from the rain without a raincoat. His eyes were bloodshot, fixed on the pair in front of him, unable to believe what he’d just overheard.

In his heart, Wang Xiangxiu was like a celestial goddess, pure and untouchable.

Though she lived a hard life, she was strong and capable, never yielding to fate. She worked tirelessly every day but never fawned over anyone. She was a strong woman who deserved sympathy.

But now, what had he just witnessed?

His mind was in chaos, unable to process the despair he felt standing outside that door.

He’d listened to the sounds inside, wanting to burst in and kill the man who dared to take advantage of his beloved Xiangxiu. But a sliver of rationality held him back. There were no sounds of resistance, only compliance.

Bai Fendou was utterly devastated, even more so when it ended so quickly.

He hadn’t even entered the room before it was over.

And then, the words he heard sent him straight to hell. He never could’ve imagined that Xiangxiu saw him this way. He thought she was perfect, but she saw him as a fool, a wallet.

Bai Fendou listened to their flirtatious banter, the way they mocked him, and stood at the door like a statue, unmoving.

His heart was shattered.

"Who are you? Move aside!" Old Cai frowned slightly.

Wang Xiangxiu’s face instantly paled, as if she might faint at any moment. She immediately cried out, "Fendou, let me explain!"

Bai Fendou let out a bitter laugh. "Explain? Let you deceive me again?"

Suddenly, he erupted in anger, "You bitch!"

Bai Fendou was a man who was always quick to resort to violence. Without hesitation, he threw a punch at Wang Xiangxiu, sending her to the ground. She looked up at him in disbelief, "You dare hit me?"

This was the second time. The second time Bai Fendou had struck her.

The first time was because of Jinlai, and he had retaliated then too. She hadn’t expected him to do it again.

Wang Xiangxiu shouted, "You’re a jerk. A complete jerk! I’ll never forgive you!"

She screamed at the top of her lungs, "What does it matter to you what I do? Who are you to me? And who am I to you? I can do whatever I want! What right do you have to hit me? What right!"

Her hysterical screams filled the air. Old Cai, who was nearby, sensed trouble and tried to slip away. But Bai Fendou, now seeing red, grabbed him and started slapping him repeatedly. "You think you can sleep with her? You think you can mess around like this? You think you’re so great, huh? You think you’re so impressive?"

Wang Xiangxiu cried out, "What are you doing? Let him go!"

She had just managed to calm things down, and now this man was about to ruin everything.

"Get away from him!" Wang Xiangxiu pounded on Bai Fendou, "Let go of my man!"

Her words only fueled Bai Fendou’s rage, and he hit Old Cai even harder. Old Cai howled, "Let me go! You’d better let me go, or you’ll regret it! Do you know who I am? Do you know what kind of mistake you’re making? I’ll make sure you end up behind bars! You’ll never see the light of day again!"

Bai Fendou sneered, "Behind bars? You’ll be the one behind bars first! You two are carrying on an illicit affair, and I’m the one upholding justice. I’ll report you, and you’ll both be paraded through the streets. You’ll get what’s coming to you! Go ahead, bring it on! I won’t even blink!"

By this point, Bai Fendou was beyond reason, dragging Old Cai around like a dead dog.

Old Cai pleaded, "Brother, let me go. I’ll do whatever you want, just tell me!"

"Do whatever I want? You two deserve nothing but punishment!"

Wang Xiangxiu was terrified now, shouting, "Bai Fendou, you’re not my man! What right do you have to interfere?"

Bai Fendou retorted, "You’re carrying on an illicit affair!"

By now, a crowd had gathered, drawn by the commotion.

Old Cai offered, "I’ll give you money!"

"Pah! I don’t want your dirty money!"

Bai Fendou was furious. Looking at this balding man, thinking about how Wang Xiangxiu had whispered sweet nothings to him, allowed him to do whatever he wanted, Bai Fendou’s anger boiled over. He suddenly let go of Old Cai, who fell to the ground with a splash.

Splash, another splash…

It all started with that. Old Cai groaned, "Ouch!"

He looked up to see Bai Fendou’s menacing face and knew he was in trouble. Before he could dodge, Bai Fendou kicked him, aiming for a particular spot. Again and again, the kicks landed.

"I’ll teach you to use your power to force women! I’ll teach you to mess around! I’ll teach you to sleep with Wang Xiangxiu!"

Thud! Thud! Thud!

"Ah! What are you doing!"

Wang Xiangxiu collapsed into the water, feeling like everything was over.

It was over. Truly over.

Old Cai would never let them off the hook now.

Wang Xiangxiu sat in the rain, while Old Cai writhed on the ground, clutching himself, unable to speak.

"What are you doing? What did you do to my man?" Jiang Baohong suddenly appeared. She had just finished handling some business and was about to return to the ward to tidy up before heading home. Seeing the commotion, she decided to intervene, as a minor leader, she felt it was her duty to handle the situation. After all, she had some authority.

But as she approached, she saw her husband being kicked repeatedly, gasping for breath, rolling in the rain.

"It’s you again, you scoundrel! How dare you bully my man!"

Bai Fendou roared, "Get out of here!"

Jiang Baohong shot back, "You dare yell at me?"

She lunged at him, "You’re both dead! You’ve bullied my man, and we won’t let you off!"

Bai Fendou shouted, "I bullied your man? I—"

Before he could finish, Wang Xiangxiu suddenly spoke up, tears streaming down her face, "He bullied me! He forced me to sleep with him, said he wouldn’t let me go if I didn’t… I had no choice, so I went with him to the storage room…"

She had suddenly turned on Old Cai.

Wang Xiangxiu had been defending him earlier, but seeing Bai Fendou kick him repeatedly, she knew he was likely as good as ruined, just like Zhou Qun. If he was truly ruined, he’d have no use for her anymore.

She had been trying to curry favor with him, but Bai Fendou had gone too far. Old Cai would surely seek revenge later. Rather than suffer then, it was better to take him down now. If he was stripped of his position, he’d have no power to retaliate.

Besides, with the crowd growing, if she didn’t clear her name, she’d be humiliated. She didn’t want that.

Though it was a quick decision, it was the right one in the heat of the moment.

Wang Xiangxiu immediately shifted the blame onto Old Cai, crying, "I’m just a woman, an ordinary woman. What could I do? We’re just common folk, and we’ve offended him. He threatened to retaliate, and I was forced to go with him… Thank goodness for Bai Fendou, thank goodness he was here…"

Her sudden change left Bai Fendou speechless.

If he hadn’t heard her earlier words, he might have believed her. But while Bai Fendou didn’t buy it, the crowd did, murmuring among themselves.

"My goodness."

"This guy is shameless."

"That poor woman, no wonder her man is so angry."

"Just because he has power, he thinks he can bully women."

The crowd buzzed with indignation, while Jiang Baohong screamed, "You’re lying! You’re a vixen! You seduced my man, and now you’re slandering him! I’ll kill you!"

She lunged at Wang Xiangxiu, who cried pitifully, dodging while still managing to fight back…

The scene descended into chaos again. Ming Mei and a few others watched from a second-floor window, having seen everything from the beginning—Wang Xiangxiu entering the room, Bai Fendou hesitating at the door, and now the brawl.

Ming Mei watched for a long moment before saying, "The heat’s making people irritable."

Zhao Guihua replied, "…That’s quite the observation."

After watching all that, that’s what you conclude?

Ming Mei continued, "It’s true! In winter and spring, there aren’t as many fights. But lately, with the heat, people are quick to throw punches. It’s because everyone’s so worked up in this weather."

Zhao Guihua countered, "But our courtyard had been quiet for a while. I remember you saying that the heat made people too lazy to argue."

Ming Mei paused.

Oh, right.

Those two points did seem contradictory.

But she quickly added, "Both are true! Earlier, the heat made people too lazy to fight—who wants to break a sweat over an argument? But now it’s been raining. It’s still hot, but not unbearable. People aren’t drenched in sweat just from moving around. Summer’s always full of pent-up energy, and the rain’s cooled things down just enough to let it out in a fight."

Zhao Guihua sighed, "You’re just making excuses now."

Jiang Lu chimed in, "Forget about the weather. Look at them fighting! Are they going to kill someone?"

Ming Mei shrugged, "They won’t, right? This is a hospital—they can get treated immediately."

As she spoke, the hospital’s security team came running.

Ming Mei said, "See? The security’s here. It’ll be fine."

Suddenly, Jiang Lu exclaimed, "Oh my god!"

"What? What’s wrong?"

Ming Mei quickly moved closer, feeling she couldn’t miss such an event. Jiang Lu said, "That baldy is definitely done for. Bai Fendou kicked him, and he passed out. Look at the ground, there’s already blood…"

Sizz!

So ruthless!

Bai Fendou truly is a man’s nightmare!

He’s relentless in taking men down!

Though they were on the second floor, they had a clear view of the scene below. It was obvious that Jiang Baohong was losing it. She suddenly lunged forward and threw herself over the baldy. She hadn’t expected things to escalate like this.

Seeing her man suffer such a blow, she was overcome with rage. Without warning, she charged at Bai Fendou, who was already exhausted from the fight. Caught off guard, he stumbled and fell. Jiang Baohong immediately grabbed a rock and aimed it at Bai Fendou’s vulnerable spot. "I’ll finish you!"

"Ah!!!"

The scene froze for a moment. Those who had been watching the commotion instinctively took a few steps back. Jiang Baohong turned her attention to Wang Xiangxiu, grabbing her hair and dragging her forward, slamming her head against the wall.

"What are you doing? Ahhh!"

With both men down and Jiang Baohong in a frenzy, no one knew what to do. However, Wang Xiangxiu quickly fought back. Working in the factory, she was stronger than Jiang Baohong. She grabbed Jiang Baohong’s hair in return, and the two of them stumbled around, each trying to slam the other into the wall.

"Damn it, someone pull these two crazy women apart!"

"Hurry, hurry! Get these two men to emergency care!"

Finally, someone snapped into action.

The onlookers were too afraid to intervene, but the hospital security team quickly stepped in. The two men were covered in blood, and the two women were equally battered.

"Quick, quick, save them first!"

Being a doctor is never easy.

In such a chaotic situation, no one dared to step forward, but the medical staff had to act fast.

Jiang Baohong had never been humiliated like this before. She had always been praised and admired in her youth, but now she had suffered a crushing defeat. She glared at Wang Xiangxiu with dark eyes. Wang Xiangxiu covered her face and cried, "You and your husband are bullies! You’re so cruel…"

She was still putting on an act.

"My dear Xiuxiu, my dear Xiuxiu…"

Aunt Su, seeing that the fight was over and the security team had things under control, finally rushed out. She stumbled over to Wang Xiangxiu, hugging her and wailing, "How could you be so heartless? My dear Xiuxiu!"

Jiang Baohong looked at this old woman, the same one who had earlier claimed to be on the verge of death but now seemed full of energy as she screamed. Her anger only grew. Spotting the nearby restroom, she clenched her teeth and, while no one was paying attention, suddenly lunged at the old woman, grabbing her and dragging her away.

"Ah?"

"Oh my god!"

Even the security team was caught off guard by Jiang Baohong’s sudden burst of strength. They reacted quickly, but they couldn’t stop her. In a few steps, she had dragged Aunt Su to the restroom. As people closed in, she slammed Aunt Su’s head against the wall a few times before shoving her into the restroom.

Splash!!!

This restroom wasn’t like the ones in the alleyways, which had been reinforced with thick stone slabs. Here, they still used the old, thin wooden planks, which were easier for the waste collectors to move.

Jiang Baohong didn’t know about the incidents in their neighborhood, but that didn’t stop her from acting. Her main goal was to teach this old woman a lesson. Slamming her head against the wall would have been quickly stopped by security, but pushing her into the restroom would at least make her suffer a bit. Wang Xiangxiu had thought of how to shift blame in a crisis, and Jiang Baohong had thought of how to make someone miserable.

Aunt Su, after being slammed against the wall, was already seeing stars. Now, she was shoved into the cesspool.

"Ugh!"

"Oh my god!"

"Goodness, this is…"

"Stop talking and save her!"

Ming Mei and the others watched from the window, shaken by what they had just witnessed. This time, Jiang Baohong was truly restrained and couldn’t move.

Wang Xiangxiu screamed hysterically, "Mom! Mom, are you okay? Mom, you can’t die…"

Downstairs, chaos erupted once again.

Fortunately, they were far enough away, or the aftermath would have been unbearable. The heavy rain made things worse, and Aunt Su, dazed and weak, couldn’t hold onto the rope. It took a long time to pull her out…

Jiang Lu: "Ugh~"

She had a strong reaction. "I can’t take this. I’m already prone to nausea."

Now, she could somewhat understand how others felt when Zhou Qun fell into the restroom that one time.

Wang Zhaodi murmured, "The city is too scary… too scary."

"Ugh~" Jiang Lu gagged again, and Wang Zhaodi immediately asked, "Sister Jiang Lu, are you okay? Let’s go get checked out."

Jiang Lu: "Alright."

Zhao Guihua: "How are you feeling?"

Ming Mei blinked. "My stomach doesn’t hurt at all. I feel fine."

Zhao Guihua: "…"

She said quietly, "The little one in your belly sure loves watching the drama."

Ming Mei laughed. "Just like me and the baby’s dad."

Zhao Guihua: "Since we’re here, let’s get you checked at the OB-GYN."

"Okay."

Though the two pregnant women were eager to continue watching the commotion, the downstairs scene had ended. The injured had been taken in for treatment, and the next round… they didn’t dare get involved. Pregnant women couldn’t afford to be caught up in such chaos.

Given how wild things had gotten, they didn’t dare go near.

Zhao Guihua took charge and led them to the OB-GYN for a check-up. Fortunately, both were fine.

The elderly doctor at the OB-GYN looked at Ming Mei and smiled. "I think your baby is fine. You probably just ate something that didn’t agree with you and needed to use the restroom."

She put it bluntly.

Ming Mei’s stomachache was from overeating and needing to use the restroom, not because of any issue with the baby.

Ming Mei: "…"

She blushed.

But the doctor added, "However, your reaction was correct. It’s better to be safe than sorry. If you feel unwell, coming to the hospital is always the right choice. It’s better to be thorough and avoid misjudging the situation."

Ming Mei nodded quickly. "I understand."

The doctor: "Alright, both of you are pregnant. Don’t stay at the hospital watching the drama. You don’t want to get accidentally hurt. Especially you, since this is your first pregnancy at your age. You need to be extra careful."

Jiang Lu nodded quickly. "I know."

Zhao Guihua: "Let’s go, then."

They had spent most of the afternoon watching the spectacle. They had left at noon, and now it was almost time to clock out. The battle had been intense.

The four of them walked out together. Zhao Guihua glanced back at the hospital and said, "What were they all thinking, causing such a scene? It’s not over yet."

While others might have just seen it as entertainment, Zhao Guihua reflected, "This is why, if you have children, you must raise them well. When they’re young, they don’t understand right from wrong. They’re like blank slates. Parents play the most important role at this stage. If you don’t teach them properly, someone else will have to do it later. Look, if Jinlai and his brothers hadn’t been so mischievous, none of this would have happened."

The two pregnant women nodded silently.

On the way back, everyone was quiet. Though they were eager to gossip, the situation was just too complicated to even know where to start.

Jiang Lu suddenly said, "Wang Xiangxiu has been like this for years. This isn’t the first time…"

Though they couldn’t hear much from the second floor, they could see enough. A man and a woman had gone into a dark room, and Bai Fendou’s state spoke volumes.

Ming Mei voiced it outright.

Jiang Lu scratched her head and said, "That's not what I meant to say." After a pause, she continued, "What I wanted to ask is, why hasn’t Wang Xiangxiu gotten pregnant?"

She was puzzled: "She’s very fertile. She had a son in the first year of her marriage, and then kept having children every two years. She’s quite capable of bearing children. Since this isn’t her first time, why hasn’t she gotten pregnant again?"

Zhao Guihua glanced at Jiang Lu and asked, "What do you think the reason is?"

Jiang Lu: "???"

As they were about to enter the courtyard, Jiang Lu suddenly slapped her forehead and exclaimed, "She, she, she—you mean she’s had an IUD inserted?"

Zhao Guihua said meaningfully, "I didn’t say that. You’re the one who said it. I was just speculating."

"Uh…"

Jiang Lu was utterly shocked, and so was Ming Mei, who sighed in admiration, "She’s a tough one."

"Who’s tough? Is Ming Mei okay? Why are you guys back so late?"

Auntie Wang came out to use the restroom and happened to run into them.

Ming Mei immediately said, "Auntie Wang, we’ve got big news!"

Auntie Wang: "???"

She immediately perked up: "What happened?"

Ming Mei: "There was a huge fight—Bai Fendou and his gang got into another brawl at the hospital…"

Wang Zhaodi added, "Aunt Su was pushed into a manure pit."

Jiang Lu: "Bai Fendou might be done for."

"Oh my god," Auntie Wang said, holding her forehead.

She was completely exasperated. These people really knew how to stir up trouble.

She had thought that with Aunt Zhou gone, their courtyard would finally have some peace. But no—less than two months after things had quieted down, the drama was back in full swing. And on a stormy night like this, they weren’t even afraid of getting struck by lightning.

Though she was utterly baffled and couldn’t understand these people, it didn’t stop her from wanting to hear the gossip.

Well, no—as the courtyard manager, it was her duty to stay informed.

She had to know what was going on.

Auntie Wang decisively said, "You guys go home first. I’ll go to the restroom and then come find you!"

"Alright."

Auntie Wang: "They really are…"

She shook her head like a rattle drum.

…

People hurried home after work. On a rainy day, no one lingered, but the workers from the machinery factory walked in a daze. Something big had happened—something huge.

Enormous.

It wasn’t Zhao Guihua and the others who spread the news, but the hospital had informed the machinery factory.

Both Bai Fendou and Wang Xiangxiu worked at the factory, and with such a major incident, the organization had to be notified.

Of course, there were no secrets in the factory, and the news spread like wildfire.

Everyone was left in a daze.

The updates were coming in too fast. If you blinked, you’d miss the latest development.

Just this morning, the hot topic was the lightning strike incident from the night before last. By mid-morning, the gossip had shifted to Wang Xiangxiu and Yu Baoshan’s scandal. And before anyone could even make sense of that, a new incident had already occurred.

Keeping up with the gossip in their factory was exhausting—you couldn’t even take a nap.

The news was outdated in a flash.

You could say it moved at lightning speed!

But everyone was still in a state of shock.

How could Wang Xiangxiu, the young widow, and Bai Fendou, the old bachelor, have so much drama between them?

They didn’t yet know the full details, but it was safe to assume that Bai Fendou was once again involved because of the widow.

Though the specifics were unclear, they knew one thing: Bai Fendou had incapacitated another man—yes, yet another man…

And then, Bai Fendou himself had been incapacitated.

This was just…

"From now on, we really shouldn’t mess with Bai Fendou."

"Absolutely. I’ve never seen such a ruthless person."

"Did you hear? The guy he took down was the deputy director of the neighborhood committee…"

"Holy crap, what a hero!"

"Uh…does this count as eliminating a public menace?" someone muttered softly, and suddenly, everything went quiet except for the sound of the rain. No one spoke, and soon, a few coughs broke the silence…

"Let’s all just go home!"