Reborn in a small village in the 1990s

Just as the broom was about to hit her, Xu Meihua reacted quickly and grabbed it, preventing it from falling on Cheng Jinxiang.

After listening to Cheng Jinxiang's complaints, Xu Meihua had long harbored resentment towards Wang Guixiang. She angrily rebuked her, "Wang Guixiang, what are you doing here! Your daughter-in-law has sacrificed so much for your family, giving birth to your son's daughter, working hard to earn money, and taking care of you, her mother-in-law. And what do you get in return? You actually come here to hit her, and you even have a broom in your hand! Don't you have any conscience?!"

Xu Meihua thought to herself, if she were Cheng Jinxiang and had such a wicked mother-in-law, she would definitely have a good talk with her. She didn't care about the rumors and gossip; anything that made her uncomfortable was unacceptable.

Upon seeing this, Wang Guixiang immediately launched into a tirade, "Who do you think you are, interfering in our family's affairs? Get out of here! I think you've got something wrong with your head!"

Xu Meihua's eyes widened. Why did Wang Guixiang start cursing right away? How could she be so unreasonable!

Turning around, Wang Guixiang launched into a tirade against Cheng Jinxiang, "Cheng Jinxiang, as my Zhao family's daughter-in-law, you should be carrying on the Zhao family line. But look at your worthless belly, it only produces daughters. You're going to make my son's family line die out. What kind of good face do you expect me to give you? Can you compare to Cuilan? Have some self-awareness! I'm already being magnanimous by not kicking you out of the house, and you still dare to speak ill of me outside. I'm really being kind to you!"

In Wang Guixiang's mind, only daughters-in-law who give birth to boys can be considered true daughters-in-law. Cheng Jinxiang is a useless woman who can only give birth to daughters. If it weren't for that brat Zhao Da'e causing trouble, she would have thrown Zhao Xiaojuan away long ago, as far away as she wanted.

She was so excited that she stepped forward, waved her hand, and slapped Cheng Jinxiang across the face.

In full view of everyone, a bright red handprint appeared on Cheng Jinxiang's face with a "slap".

Cheng Jinxiang stared at her mother-in-law in disbelief. She really didn't expect Wang Guixiang to actually hit her. She stood there stunned. Thinking about how she had served her parents-in-law wholeheartedly in the Zhao family all these years, only to be called a "cheap woman" by her mother-in-law in return, and even being slapped in public, Cheng Jinxiang felt wronged and her eyes immediately reddened.

Xu Meihua shouted from the side, "Wang Guixiang, how could you hit someone? If you want to go crazy, go somewhere else. Your daughter-in-law is so good, how could you hit her? Even I, an outsider, can't stand it."

Zhou Chunwen was also furious, but she had never seen anything like this before. Seeing Wang Guixiang hit her third aunt, she rushed to break up the fight and then shouted to the surrounding area, "The mother-in-law is hitting her daughter-in-law! Everyone come and see, judge for yourselves, the mother-in-law is hitting her daughter-in-law! Everyone come quickly! It's outrageous! The daughter-in-law has worked so hard for this family, and in the end, she still gets slapped by her mother-in-law! Everyone come and see!"

Zhou Chunwen's shout instantly attracted the attention of more people in the market. Based on the principle of "why not watch a show if it's going to be a spectacle", many people gathered around to see this drama between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

Looking at the red, swollen handprint on Cheng Jinxiang's face, Zhao Da'e felt her heart ache so much she was about to bleed. She choked out, "Mom, your face..."

Zhao Da'e had witnessed many such scenes in her previous life. In her previous life, just because her mother had not given birth to a son, Wang Guixiang would beat and scold her mother. When her father went out to work, she would slap her mother at the slightest disagreement. Zhao Da'e wanted to help, but she was too small to help at all. Instead, she would anger Wang Guixiang and be dragged to the ground by her ear and beaten.

Zhao Da'e hated Wang Guixiang to the core. She stared intently at Wang Guixiang, but reason told her that she couldn't do anything irrational right now, otherwise she would be made to look unreasonable even if she was in the right.

Thinking of this, Zhao Da'e immediately suppressed her resentful expression and instead cried out, "Grandma, why did you hit Mom? What did Mom do to offend you? She just finished her postpartum confinement and her body hasn't fully recovered yet. The doctor said she needs to take good care of herself, otherwise she'll develop health problems later. I beg you, please don't hit her. Hit me instead. I beg you, Grandma, don't take your anger out on my mom."

After saying that, Zhao Da'e pounced on Cheng Jinxiang.

The small body and the sound of crying instantly swayed the unsuspecting crowd to Cheng Jinxiang's side, and they all pointed at Wang Guixiang and began to criticize, "What kind of person is this? How can she even hit her own daughter-in-law? My God, if I had a mother-in-law like this, would I even be able to live my life?"

"This little girl is really filial. She stood in front of her mother to prevent her grandmother from hitting her. She was willing to let her grandmother hit her to vent her anger."

"Oh my god, I almost cried when I saw this scene. This mother and daughter are so pitiful."

"Sigh! I know this mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. I'm from the same village as them. They're the ones from Dongtaizi Village who've been making quite a fuss lately... They've been through the fence twice. I'm telling you to keep your voice down."

Most of the gossip was directed at Wang Guixiang, with some even digging up her name and cursing her. The place was small, and it was easy to run into acquaintances at the market. Before long, all of Wang Guixiang's secrets were exposed, and people's gazes towards her became increasingly unfriendly.

Hearing the others criticizing her, Wang Guixiang's face turned red with anger. She shouted at them, "What are you saying? I'm minding my own business, it's none of your business to interfere!"

After saying that, Wang Guixiang looked back at Cheng Jinxiang and found her increasingly displeasing. If it weren't for that bitch, would she have been the one being scolded by others? And that damned Zhao Da'e, why did she yell so loudly just now? After she said those things, everyone sided with the mother and daughter.

Wang Guixiang was even more furious. She strode forward, wanting to teach Cheng Jinxiang another lesson. Her hands were raised in mid-air as she cursed, "I'll teach you to twist the truth! I'll beat you to death!"

But before they could even start hitting each other, Xu Meihua stopped them. Although Xu Meihua was also in her seventies, she had been doing farm work for many years and was very strong. She quickly restrained Wang Guixiang's right hand, which was about to strike. She shouted, "Crazy woman, that's enough!"

When Wang Guixiang heard someone call her a crazy woman, she shouted angrily, "Aaaaaah! How dare you call me a crazy woman! I'm so angry! How dare you call me a crazy woman!"

Xu Meihua sneered, "Don't you look like a crazy woman? Shouting and yelling in the street, acting crazy and trying to hit people, it's really shameful. If you want to fight, go home and do it, don't do it in front of my steamed bun stall, I can't stand it."

Wang Guixiang's eyes widened upon hearing this. This was the first time someone had ever called her a crazy woman. In the past, no one in her family would dare to treat her like this. Even Cheng Jinxiang would greet her warmly and not dare to resist. But for an outsider to speak to her like this, Wang Guixiang was furious. She shouted, "If you're so capable, let go of my hand and let's fight!"

Xu Meihua sneered, "Let you fight me? Ha, I'm not stupid. Why would I let you go for no reason? Do you want to cause trouble for yourself? What if you suddenly rush over and slap me?"

Cheng Jinxiang stepped forward and tugged at Xu Meihua's sleeve, saying with a wry smile, "Aunt Xu, you don't need to stand up for me. After all, my mother-in-law is trying to cause me trouble. It wouldn't be good if you stepped forward to speak up for me and got into trouble."

Looking at Cheng Jinxiang, who was so sensible, Xu Meihua felt a pang of heartache. Such a good daughter, yet she ended up with such a wicked mother-in-law. It was truly unfair.

"Good girl, don't worry about me, Aunt Xu. No one dares to bully me. Don't worry, even if Wang Guixiang wants to cause trouble for me, she can't beat me. At most, she can only talk her way out of it. It's nothing serious. But you, you suffered such a great injustice and even have a slap mark on your face. Look at your mother-in-law, she really does nothing right. If you have any grievances, just tell her. Aunt Xu will help you. Anyway, my granddaughter is going on a blind date with your nephew in a few days. Maybe we'll become even closer in marriage."

Xu Meihua couldn't help but start criticizing Wang Guixiang. The more she said that, the more disgusted Xu Meihua looked at Wang Guixiang.

Cheng Jinxiang felt a warmth in her heart, and her eyes couldn't help but redden. It was the first time she had seen a stranger treat her so kindly, and it was also the first time someone had told her that she should speak up when she felt wronged. If she had known so much before, she wouldn't have been bullied all this time.

Cheng Jinxiang had been secretly plotting a fight with Wang Guixiang, the more people the better. Wang Guixiang's attack surprised Cheng Jinxiang, but it was also in line with Wang Guixiang's character. Cheng Jinxiang's goal today was simple: to utterly disgrace Wang Guixiang. The more people involved, the more humiliating it would be.

Seeing her mother's forlorn expression, Zhao Da'e felt a pang of heartache. She tugged at Cheng Jinxiang's clothes and murmured, "Mom."

Hearing her daughter calling her, Cheng Jinxiang looked at Zhao Dage. Thinking about how Zhao Dage had rushed in front of her earlier, wanting to take the beating from Wang Guixiang for her, she felt a pang of sadness. She knew she had to be strong and fight back against Wang Guixiang, otherwise not only would she be bullied, but her daughter would also be bullied along with her.

Thinking of this, Cheng Jinxiang reached out and ruffled Zhao Da'e's hair. "Don't worry, Da'e, this time Mom won't let you or me be bullied again."

Cheng Jinxiang's eyes were full of determination. In a daze, Zhao Da'e seemed to feel that something about her mother had changed. It was an indescribable feeling.

If my mother before was tired and had worries bottled up inside, then my mother now is strong, a flower with thorns, no longer the easily bullied and manipulated person she used to be.

Cheng Jinxiang walked up to Wang Guixiang, no longer showing the same respect she had for her mother-in-law. She didn't call her "mother-in-law" anymore and said directly, "You say I'm distorting the truth outside? Fine, I'll ask you, which of the things I said to Aunt Xu just now was distorting the truth? If you can tell me, I'll kneel down and apologize to you in public."

Hearing this, Wang Guixiang instantly felt confident. In her eyes, Cheng Jinxiang was wrong in every way, and she could talk for seven days and seven nights without finishing.

"I can say whatever you want, but making you kneel down and apologize is too lenient for you. I want you to slap yourself ten times before I'm satisfied!" Wang Guixiang said with a sharp and sarcastic tone, as if Cheng Jinxiang would slap her ten times today.

Those who overheard this couldn't help but murmur among themselves, "Sigh, is this really a mother-in-law? How can a mother-in-law treat her daughter-in-law so cruelly, even making her slap herself ten times? That's too cruel."

"That's right, that's right. This mother-in-law is so heartless. No matter how big the grudge or what the hatred is, she shouldn't torture her daughter-in-law like this. This is just making things difficult for her."

Wang Guixiang heard all the harsh words spoken by others, but this time she didn't react as strongly as before. Instead, she mocked, "If Cheng Jinxiang has nothing to hide and hasn't been distorting the truth outside, she can swear it. If she doesn't dare to do it, then she has something to hide and is afraid. In that case, it's better for me, as her mother-in-law, to teach this daughter-in-law a lesson."

Xu Meihua couldn't stand it anymore and warned, "Wang Guixiang, I'm telling you, don't go too far!"

Wang Guixiang was displeased. No one had ever dared to call her by her name so loudly since she was a child. She had long disliked Xu Meihua. Wang Guixiang retorted, "You old hag selling steamed buns, this is our family matter. I can do whatever I want, it's none of your business!"

Xu Meihua trembled with anger, pointing her finger at Wang Guixiang and shouting, "You! You! You!"

Wang Guixiang laughed when she saw Xu Meihua's expression as if she wanted to hit her. "What do you mean, 'you'? If you want to hit me, then come on! Let everyone see how unreasonable you are!"

Wang Guixiang has also learned to fight back, giving them a taste of their own medicine.

Cheng Jinxiang turned to look at Xu Meihua, a hint of gratitude in her eyes, but she knew in her heart that it was best not to let others get involved in this mess. She could handle her own affairs: "Auntie, it's alright. Don't worry."

When Xu Meihua heard Cheng Jinxiang say this, she sighed and said, "Oh dear, daughter, are you really capable of handling this? Your mother-in-law is so unreasonable, I don't think you can win an argument with her."

Cheng Jinxiang shook her head with a wry smile, "It's nothing. It's our own family matter, I'll handle it myself."

After saying that, Cheng Jinxiang turned to Wang Guixiang and said in a very cold voice, "I can do as you say. If I have really distorted the truth, then I, Cheng Jinxiang, will kneel down and slap you to apologize today. But if you are being unreasonable, then please give me back the silver bracelet on your wrist. It is my dowry from my mother and also a family heirloom of the Cheng family."

“When I married into your Zhao family, you took a liking to my silver bracelet and claimed that you were seriously ill and that you needed to wear the silver bracelet to recover. I was poor at the time and didn’t have the money to buy you a silver bracelet, but I wanted to be filial, so I gave you the silver bracelet I was wearing. I thought that since I was just borrowing it, you could wear it for a few days and then get it back. But I didn’t expect that you would keep the bracelet and refuse to return it, claiming that you were unwell and that you would feel pain everywhere if you took it off.”

“At the time, I thought we were family, so I could just put up with it. But I think, mother-in-law, you don’t deserve my filial piety! Wang Guixiang…” Cheng Jinxiang’s eyes were icy cold: “I should have learned from my sister-in-law and kicked you out so you could sleep on the street.”