Upon hearing this, everyone around gasped in unison.
They had indeed noticed Li Mingjun frequently coming around those days.
At the time, they assumed it was because Zhou Yueshen had sent him over, and that Si Nian had seduced him.
But now, it turned out Zhou Yueshen didn’t even know about it?
If Zhou Yueshen hadn’t asked him to come, why was Li Mingjun always hanging around?
And if Zhou Yueshen hadn’t told him to deliver that meat, where had he gotten so much high-quality meat from?
As a certain possibility dawned on them, their expressions darkened.
Earlier, there was the incident where Aunt Liu had stolen meat Zhou Yueshen brought home for his children.
As a truck driver, wouldn’t it be even easier for Li Mingjun to take things for himself?
Hearing this, Mother Wang’s face immediately darkened. "That’s nonsense! My son isn’t that kind of person. He told me it was you who seduced him—he’s completely innocent!"
"Me? Seduce him?" Si Nian widened her eyes in exaggerated horror. "Am I out of my mind, seducing some hired hand working for my family? Auntie, no offense, but have you ever looked in the mirror? If even you look like this, how could your son possibly be any better? I’d have to be blind to take a liking to him!"
Mother Wang: "..."
The Li family: "..."
The onlookers nearly choked.
While it was true Li Mingjun wasn’t exactly handsome, calling him ugly was a bit much.
Si Nian seemed sweet and polite at first glance, but her words were venomous.
Not only had she insulted Li Mingjun, but she’d dragged his mother into it too.
Mother Wang was so furious she nearly jumped. "How dare you say my son is ugly!"
Si Nian took two exaggerated steps back, pretending to be frightened. Lin Xiao immediately stepped forward, shielding his delicate, helpless sister, his eyes sharp as a wolf’s as he glared at Mother Wang and her group.
Peeking out from behind her brother, Si Nian made an exaggerated face. "Oh my god, if you don’t have a mirror, at least look at your reflection in a puddle! Auntie, how can you be so delusional? I’m this stunning—even if I wanted to seduce someone, your son wouldn’t even make the list! First, he’s ugly. Second, he’s a broke loser who wears a leather jacket in the middle of summer, sweating so much he reeks. I’d gag if I got too close—why would I ever go after him?"
She even waved a hand in front of her nose, as if the mere thought disgusted her.
"I get it—you’re his mother, so of course you don’t think he’s dirty or smelly. After all, you gave birth to him. But you can’t force everyone else to feel the same way!"
The crowd’s lips twitched uncontrollably.
But looking at Si Nian’s face, they had to admit she had a point.
She was drop-dead gorgeous, standing out like a fairy among the villagers. Li Mingjun might’ve been considered decent-looking by local standards, but city folks like her had seen plenty of handsome men.
Would she really settle for him?
If anything, it was far more likely that Li Mingjun had been the one lusting after her.
The crowd’s suspicious, disdainful gazes turned toward Mother Wang, whose face flushed red with rage. She glared at Si Nian, who had just reduced her precious son to worthless trash. "You—shut your mouth!"
"Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to call your son ugly, Auntie. Don’t take it to heart—it’s not his fault. Sometimes, bad genes just happen. He can’t help it."
Mother Wang felt like she’d been punched in the chest, nearly fainting from anger.
This little witch kept harping on her son’s looks while insulting her in the process! Just as Zhou Tingting had said—she was downright vicious!
She was clearly doing this to twist the narrative, making everyone believe she’d never stoop so low as to go after Li Mingjun, shifting all the blame onto him.
Zhou Tingting was stunned.
She’d lived with her mother-in-law for years and knew just how sharp-tongued the woman could be.
But she’d never seen anyone reduce her to this state.
Still, she couldn’t let Si Nian get away with this. She stepped forward and snapped, "Si Nian, how can you be so foul-mouthed? My mother-in-law just wants justice for my brother-in-law! He’s already suffered so much, and now you’re slandering him? You’re truly wicked!"
Si Nian put on a wounded expression. "Zhou Tingting, you’re one to talk! If we’re comparing who’s more wicked, you’d win hands down. What kind of married daughter brings her in-laws to cause trouble for her own family? And with so many people, no less! What, are you trying to rebel against your own brother and attack his wife?"
The accusation was sharp, making Zhou Tingting’s eyelids twitch. Before she could retort, Si Nian continued, "Even a dog you’ve raised for over a decade would show some loyalty. But you? You’re a traitor, bringing outsiders to your own village to harass your family. Does that sound right to any of you?"
The crowd murmured in agreement.
She had a point—no matter what, Zhou Tingting was still part of the Zhou family. Bringing her in-laws to stir up trouble in her own village was just wrong.
This was outright bullying!
Villagers might bicker among themselves, but when it came to outsiders, they always closed ranks.
Zhou Yueshen wasn’t home, and Zhou Tingting had brought a bunch of burly men to intimidate Si Nian. But everyone here owed Zhou Yueshen favors—they couldn’t just stand by.
Hostility radiated from the crowd, making Zhou Tingting and the Li family pale.
They had brought a few men, but they were no match for an entire village!
Zhou Tingting gnashed her teeth. "You’re twisting my words! You’re just trying to drive a wedge between me and my brother so you can replace my brother-in-law with your own people. Don’t think I don’t see through your schemes!"
Mother Wang cut in impatiently. "Enough talking! If she doesn’t kneel and apologize to my son today—and pay compensation—she’s not getting off easy!"
She turned to the men behind her. "Take her with us. I refuse to believe I can’t teach her a lesson today!"
Zhou Yueshen wasn’t home? Fine. If he wanted his wife back, he could crawl to their doorstep and apologize.
Her son had been beaten half to death—she didn’t care if the perpetrator was her daughter-in-law’s brother!
With that, she and the men advanced.
Tensions skyrocketed.
Amid Da Huang’s furious barks and the clanking of chains, a small, shadowy figure slipped forward unnoticed.
The villagers, seeing a fight about to break out, tried to mediate. "Tingting, can’t we talk this out? No matter what, she’s your brother’s wife. This isn’t right—you should stop your mother-in-law before things get out of hand!"
Zhou Tingting glared hatefully at Si Nian. "She deserves it! My brother will understand once he knows the truth."
Si Nian’s eyes turned icy. "Go ahead, take me. Legally, this counts as kidnapping. I’ve already called the police—none of you will walk away unscathed."
The word "police" made the men hesitate, exchanging uneasy glances.
Mother Wang and Zhou Tingting’s faces soured.
Si Nian swept her beautiful eyes over the Li family and their group. "If his son were truly innocent, why didn’t he go to the police? It’s obvious he’s guilty—he knows he’s in the wrong and can’t admit it, so he resorts to causing trouble behind the scenes. I’d advise you not to let yourselves be used as someone else’s pawns."
The crowd fell silent.
She had a point. If Li Mingjun was innocent, why hadn’t he reported it to the authorities?
"Who are you trying to scare? The police are too far away to care. Don’t listen to her! My dad has connections at the station. If anything happens, I’ll take responsibility!"
Hearing this, the Li family remembered Mother Wang’s background.
Their courage surged, and they charged toward Si Nian.
"Who dares touch our sister-in-law?!"
Before they could lay a hand on her, a group of men in tank tops, faces dark with anger, stormed into the courtyard.
The workers from the pig farm had arrived.
Chaos erupted in the yard.
Seeing Si Nian safely shielded behind them, Zhou Tingting gritted her teeth in frustration. She moved forward, hoping to seize the chance to teach Si Nian a lesson. But the moment she got close, a sharp crack split the air—a gust of wind carrying the metallic clank of a chain whizzed past her head before she was violently knocked back.
"Ah—!" Zhou Tingting screamed as Da Huang pounced on her.
The massive dog went berserk, lunging and snapping at anyone in sight. No one had ever seen such a ferocious beast, and panic spread as people scrambled to escape its jaws.
Seizing the opportunity, Si Nian delivered two hard kicks to Zhou Tingting. "Think I didn’t notice you trying to hit me just now? Screw you!"
Zhou Tingting’s eyes rolled back as she shrieked like a slaughtered pig.
Mother Wang was frozen in terror. The dog was enormous—taller than her when standing on its hind legs. She had been bold earlier, relying on their numbers, but now, watching those fangs barrel toward her, her legs gave out. She collapsed to the ground, fainting on the spot.
Her last thought: Don’t see me, don’t see me!
The crowd: "..."
Hang in there~~~~
