Seeing the heavy slap about to land on Xin Er’s face, Mo Yan quickly reached out to pull her away, just barely avoiding the blow. However, Mo Yongxi’s long nails, covered in black dirt, still scraped across Xin Er’s tender cheek, leaving several red marks.
Mo Yongxi had used too much force and couldn’t stop herself in time. Stumbling forward, she almost fell to the ground.
Seeing she had missed her target, Mo Yongxi, undeterred, charged again, flailing her arms in another attempt to strike.
Mo Qingze stepped forward, shielding his children, and fiercely grabbed her wrist, yelling, "Mo Yongxi, have you lost your mind?"
"Ptui!" Mo Yongxi looked up and spat in Mo Qingze’s face, "You white-eyed wolf, what are you worth, let go of me!"
Enraged by her words, Mo Qingze trembled with anger, "Look at yourself, do you even look like a lady?"
Mo Yongxi glared at him with hatred, her appearance and expression were carved from the same mold as Mo Hong’s family, and she had inherited their temperament to the fullest.
"Hmph, my dear Ah Xi, you heartless thing, you’re not fit to lecture me!"
At that moment, hearing the commotion, Mrs. Hong emerged from the house. Seeing her precious daughter being bullied, she picked up the broom by the door and swung it at Mo Qingze.
Quickly releasing his grip, Mo Qingze, with Mo Yan and the others, retreated a few steps to avoid being hit.
"Mom, they bullied me, hit them, hit them quick!" With reinforcements arriving, Mo Yongxi played the victim and urged Mrs. Hong to attack.
On hearing this, Mrs. Hong, overwhelmed with old and new grudges, gripped the broom, ready to charge.
"Mother, let’s talk this over kindly, please don’t use violence!" Mo Wu rushed out from the kitchen, grasping her mother-in-law’s arm, "The family from Lao Mo’s House has come to pay a New Year’s visit; acting in such a way would only make us a laughing stock."
"A New Year’s visit? I have no need for it. You wretched woman, get out of my way, or I’ll have my eldest divorce you!"
Mrs. Hong spat at Mo Wu, narrowing her triangular eyes menacingly at Mo Yan and the others, a fierce gaze as if staring down enemies.
Mo Wu looked troubled but refused to step aside, frantically signaling Mo Yan with her eyes.
Mo Yan frowned, not wishing to entangle with the disagreeable mother and daughter any longer, and also not wanting to put Mo Wu in a difficult position, so she said to Mo Qingze, "Father, if Auntie does not welcome us, let us leave to avoid upsetting her further."
Upon hearing this, Mo Qingze hesitantly said, "Father... Father would like to see your Uncle before we leave."
Regardless of the strained relationship between the families, he had once considered his uncle as a father-figure and carried the weight of that bond in his heart.
Mo Yan understood his sentiment, but glancing at the predatory Mrs. Hong and her daughter, she shook her head and advised, "Let’s not provoke Auntie anymore, we can visit Uncle another time."
"Another time? Hmph, unless you hand over the Secret Technique and resurrect my second son, I would never let your family of evil offspring step foot in the Mo Family household, even in death."
Mrs. Hong spoke these threatening words with gleaming eyes, without a second thought.
Mo Yan watched Mrs. Hong with a twitch in her eye, as if observing a fool. Did she really believe they were eager to enter her doors? Where did this misplaced confidence come from?
They had brought gifts for the New Year’s visit today only to avoid gossip. Now, with their intentions clear and Mrs. Hong not only unappreciative but also shooing them away, people would speak not of their faults, but of Mrs. Hong’s unreasonable behavior.
"Father, we still have other places to visit for the New Year. We have no car today and need to get home early!"
Xin Er and Zhen Er tugged at their father’s sleeve, equally eager, for they never wanted to see their vicious Auntie and spiteful cousin ever again.