Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

When the two elders of the Qi family heard this, their already wide eyes instantly widened even further, almost as if their eyeballs were about to pop out. They stood there in a daze, their mouths slightly open, trying hard to understand every word their grandson said. However, as time passed, the anger in their hearts became more and more intense.

The old man suddenly stood up, picked up a thick rattan stick beside the table, and without saying a word, he started to hit Qi Jianlin fiercely. The rattan stick drew a sharp arc in the air, and with a whistling sound, it landed heavily on Qi Jianlin.

Surprisingly, faced with this sudden and brutal beating, Qi Jianlin showed no sign of dodging. He knelt rigid on the ground, motionless, as if he had completely disregarded life and death. He kept muttering, "Hit me! Beat me to death today if you dare! As long as I have breath left, I will shout it down every day in the village, telling everyone you're abusing your own grandson, leaving us no chance of survival, and that your heart and eyes are filled with only Lao Er's family!"

The daughter-in-law, who had been huddled in the corner like a frightened quail, could no longer sit idly by when she saw her son being beaten. She rushed forward recklessly, opened her arms tightly to protect her son, and used her frail body to endure the beatings that rained down like raindrops.

"Mom! Are you trying to kill us, mother and son? Why are you selling my son? Why don't you sell the second son's son?" the daughter-in-law wailed, enduring the pain. And the usually cowardly man, Qi Jianlin, was now completely enraged. Years of pent-up anger and resentment erupted like a volcano. For the first time, he displayed the courage a father should have, roaring out in fury.

When Grandma Qi heard this, the cane she was waving suddenly stopped in mid-air. She stared ahead with wide eyes, her face filled with astonishment. After a moment, she came to her senses as if waking from a dream. She loosened her grip, and the cane, which had once been so intimidating, fell to the ground with a "clack".

Then, Grandma Qi's body went limp, and she collapsed on the cold ground like a deflated ball. She slapped her thighs with both hands and burst into tears: "Oh my! What sin have I committed? Oh, God, why are you punishing an old woman like me like this? I raised my son with so much painstaking effort, and now he dares to contradict his own mother! What's the point of living? I might as well die!"

Grandma Qi grew increasingly agitated as she spoke, her cries growing louder and louder, her grief-stricken cries echoing throughout the house. Her tears flowed like a flood, soaking her clothes. She kept muttering, "God damn it! Why didn't you send down a thunderbolt to strike you, an unfilial son, dead right here? If you dare to talk back to me again! You, you, you..." A stream of curses and accusations poured out of her mouth, twisted with anger, as if it would never stop.

Qi's father stood there anxiously, listening to his elderly mother sobbing incoherently. She kept explaining, "Mom, I really didn't mean that! Mom, it's all my fault, please stop saying that! No matter what, I'll always be your son..." The young father anxiously tried to comfort his agitated grandmother while helplessly watching the chaotic scene before him.

Finally, Father Qi gritted his teeth, as if he had made up his mind, and knelt down in front of Grandpa with a thud. His face was solemn, and his tone was extremely firm. He said, "Grandpa, you are the head of our family! This matter still requires your decision. If this endless commotion continues, I'm afraid it won't be long before everyone in the village knows about our family's affairs. By then, who would dare to introduce a wife to my second uncle's son? Which family would be willing to marry their daughter into our Qi family? Aren't they worried that their daughters will be sold after they marry into our family, just like today?"

After hearing this, Grandpa Qi was so angry that he was shaking all over. He stretched out his hand, his trembling index finger pointed directly at Qi's father. His lips trembled, and he could only squeeze out a few words for a long time: "You...you...you..." Grandpa Qi's face turned red due to excessive anger, and the veins on his forehead bulged, making him look very scary.

Qi Jianlin then said, "You should think about it carefully! In my opinion, going with me is the wisest choice." He said while observing the changes in the other person's expression.

Grandpa Qi was silent for a moment, then suddenly seemed to come to his senses, quickly adjusting his breathing and facial expression. His originally tense face gradually relaxed, but he still couldn't hide the faint trace of anger.

Grandpa Qi shouted angrily, "Old woman, stop crying! Come over here and sit down!" This sudden roar startled the crying Grandma Qi, causing her body to tremble and her sobs to stop abruptly. Although she was reluctant, she didn't dare disobey her husband's order. She slowly moved to Grandpa Qi's side and gently wiped the corners of her eyes with her sleeve, as if there were real tears.

Grandpa Qi immediately turned his head around, put on a friendly smile, and said to the old man next to him with a slightly apologetic look, "Oh, brother, I'm so sorry to have made a fool of myself!" He then sighed deeply.

Seeing this, the man called the old man quickly waved his hand and comforted: "Hey, it's okay! As long as you can come up with a result! If you have thought it through, that's fine! I can go back first." After saying that, he prepared to turn around and leave.

Grandpa Qi was a little weak from his cold, but he still forced himself forward, firmly grasping the old man's hand. He anxiously said, "No, no! We've already agreed. You can take the older child with you. Since he's willing to go, let him come with you." With these words, Grandpa Qi turned to look at the silent, anxious Qijian. At this moment, Qijian's heart finally settled a little. After all, he felt that he was grown up and should have some ability to cope with difficulties and protect himself no matter where he was. However, his younger brother was different. He was still young, and if he didn't live with his parents, he would probably face many unknown dangers.

At this moment, Qi Jianlin slowly stood up, walked up to his grandparents with firm steps, and said softly, "Grandma, leave my brother to me. I want to take him back to our house." As soon as the words fell, Grandma Qi was furious. Her eyes widened and she cursed angrily, "You little bastard, don't push your luck and get ahead of me!" Faced with the scolding from his grandmother, Qi Jianlin did not respond immediately. Instead, Grandpa Qi frowned slightly and sternly ordered his wife, "Old woman, don't worry about him anymore! Let him take my brother away. We have important matters to discuss with this old man!"

Qi Jianli rushed forward anxiously and hugged his brother tightly. At that moment, his heart, which had been beating violently with worry and could never calm down, finally slowly calmed down.

However, Qi Jianlin showed no sign of stopping. He hugged his brother tightly, then resolutely turned around and walked away without looking back, as if he had no attachment to this place. As he walked, he glanced back at his father, who was still standing there, and sighed deeply. Then, he quickly walked over to his father and urged him anxiously, "Dad, let's go! Let's go back to the house."

The father, as if he had lost his soul, was completely dazed and incompetent. He didn't respond to his son's calls. He just followed Qi Jianlin's footsteps, moving his body mechanically like a zombie.

Behind them, Qi's father's emotions surged like a raging sea, unable to contain himself. He thought bitterly, as a husband and father, he couldn't even protect his own family. What else could he do with such incompetence? At this moment, she was filled with self-blame and helplessness.

Qi Jianlin carefully carried his little brother into the house. Qi, beaming with joy, hurried over and gently took Qi Jianli's pregnant son, holding him tightly in her arms. She kept kissing the child's delicate cheeks, as if she couldn't kiss him enough, while hugging him tightly, fearing that the adorable little guy would disappear if she let go.

Qi Jianlin stood by quietly, watching his mother. Seeing her once pretty face now so haggard, he couldn't help but feel a deep pity and reluctance. He walked over to his mother and whispered, "Don't worry, Mom. After I leave this time, the family will be entirely up to you. You must be extra careful and take good care of my brothers and sisters. I'm afraid I can't count on Grandma and Grandpa anymore. If there's a chance, you might as well discuss a split with Dad and live separately. That way, we won't be constrained by others and can live our own lives freely."

After hearing what her eldest son said, Qi's mother was stunned for a moment, unable to react for a moment. When she came to her senses and thought carefully, her expression suddenly became extremely anxious, and she asked in a trembling voice: "Son, what did you just say? What do you mean you're not home? What happened? Don't scare me! Each of you is my sweetheart. If any of you lose even a hair, it will cost me my life!" As she spoke, tears rolled down her cheeks.