Ever since they found out that Dai Weiguo, the heartless scoundrel, was coming back to bury his deceased mother, Liu Shouren and Liu Shouyi, the two protective brothers, had been on edge.
They were cautious at all times, prepared for anything.
They specifically arranged for people to watch over the old Dai family courtyard, keeping an eye on their every move as much as possible.
So, when the whole Dai family marched boisterously towards Lianshan’s home, several groups of people rushed to report the news to Liu Shouren, the brigade captain, and Liu Shouyi, the factory manager, at dawn.
Hot-tempered Second Brother Liu, who heard the news first, sprang up in a flash, dressed rapidly, and slipped on his shoes. He ran to his elder brother’s room, knocking on the window: "Bro, bro, bro, don’t sleep! That bastard Dai Weiguo and Bai Jing have taken the pack of ungrateful wolves from the Dai family to our little sister’s place, hurry and go support her!
Damn it, they’ve been far away for years, beyond our reach to support her.
This time, I swear I’ll beat that bastard half to death, venting this rage that’s been bottled up for over ten years!"
Liu Shouyi said with righteous indignation, his voice brimming with anticipation.
With his loud voice, it wasn’t just Liu Shouren, who had concerns on his mind, but even Wu Yinghong, who was more lethargic due to pregnancy, was awakened by his shout.
"Dai Weiguo? Bai Jing?" Wu Yinghong frowned, feeling that these names sounded all too familiar.
"Of course, it’s those two, the scumbag and the bitch, who claimed it was true love and said our little sister was old-fashioned crap!" Even after more than ten years, Liu Shouren still felt enraged when he thought of it. Hearing his sister-in-law’s question, he answered through the window.
Hey, scumbag and bitch in the name of true love—the guy’s Dai Weiguo and the girl’s Bai Jing, could it be the pair she remembered?
Fearing to wrong someone good, Wu Yinghong quickly reported Bai Jing’s father’s and brother’s names.
"What, wife, you know that family?" Liu Shouren paused while getting dressed, looking at Wu Yinghong in confusion.
Wu Yinghong’s face lit up with a bright smile: "Of course! Not only do I know their names, but I also know a huge scandal about Bai Jing! Shouren, wait, let me go with you guys. Then, I’ll do a good deed and tell Dai Weiguo what exactly made his precious daughter fall for a poor boy and insist on marrying him despite the stigma of being a homewrecker. Also, let him understand why on earth he can no longer have kids.
Heh heh, after such a revelation, I guarantee those two will lose face and be at each other’s throats. They’ll be too caught up to bother my sister-in-law!"
Inside and outside the room, the two brotherly protectors asked simultaneously.
Wu Yinghong raised an eyebrow: "Absolutely, truer than gold!"
"Then what are we waiting for? Sister-in-law, hurry up and get ready, I’m gonna call my Hong Ying over to keep an eye on the kids in the west yard!" Liu Shouyi, who dreamt of Dai Zha’s downfall and disgrace, cheerfully responded, and Liu Shouren, having his lines stolen, shot a fierce glance in the direction of his silly younger brother outside the window.
Su Hongying, who was dealing with her fumbling husband’s hurried antics and had come over to hear the news on her sister-in-law’s side, responded immediately: "Right, you three brothers hurry up and go support little sister-in-law. I’ll handle the children at home, so big brother and sister-in-law, don’t worry."
Liu Shouren and Wu Yinghong didn’t stand on ceremony with her, only quickly freshened up.
The three of them grabbed two bicycles, with Liu Shouyi leading and Liu Shouren taking Wu Yinghong behind, heading towards Lianshan’s place.
Meanwhile, the Dai family, with their crying and pleading, were persuaded by several clueless leaders that grudges should die with the deceased, and the deceased should be respected. Ultimately, she was an elder, and it wouldn’t be right to let the elder pass away with regrets, so Shuzhen sneered with hands on her hips, "No wonder they’re officials, their grasp of manipulation and scheming is really high-level! Hmm, and their tactics are genuinely impressive.
In just one night, they managed to summon nearly half the city’s leadership. Dai, you think you’ve got my soft-hearted temperament pinned down, counting on my husband Lianshan’s face, so I wouldn’t dare expose the scars, right? Then with a combination of soft and hard tactics, your plot would succeed."
"One step back leads to another. Once the bottom line is broken, there’s no talk of steadfastness. By then, Lianshan and I might argue over insignificant past grievances and even see Lian En as the source of discord in the family, treating him poorly, which would be just what you wanted, right?"
"What, you thought back then that I, Liu Shuzhen, was not as good-looking or well-born as Miss Bai, who would better support your career, so you quickly abandoned me and divorced, not only that, but also labeled me as outdated?
And now, lacking virtue for so long, remarried yet childless for years, you find my outdated son acceptable?"
Watching as Shuzhen’s mouth rattled off the past scandals in a jumbled mess, Dai Weiguo was utterly dumbfounded!
He was thinking of playing the pity card, using both pressure and persuasion to make Shuzhen compromise, hoping to start by letting Xiao En participate in the mourning and gradually making progress. No matter what, the blood bond exists, and eventually, a son isn’t going to deny his biological father, right?
But he never imagined having all his disgrace laid bare in the sunlight for scrutiny and judgment!
His face changed colors from blue to red, then purple, unable to utter a coherent word for a long time. The rest of the Dai family didn’t know whether they felt guilty facing their former sister-in-law and lacked the courage, or they were even more reluctant to speak up seeing their big brother so defeated. They all simply cried and pleaded with Shuzhen for the sake of once harmonious years as mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, to fulfill the old lady’s last wishes.
Originally, Bai Jing thought she’d just play a minor role, appear to show her stance, and that would be it.
But with Liu Shuzhen’s recounting of the past, everyone’s disdainful eyes turned sharply towards her and Dai Weiguo. Wanting to clear her name while also currying favor with Dai Weiguo, she began sincerely, "Regardless of who was right or wrong back then, dredging up past events serves no meaningful purpose. We’re here now for the old lady’s last wishes and for Lian En’s future, Shuzhen, won’t you reconsider?
After all, Weiguo is now young and promising with a limitless future. Lian En, in our care, was sure to receive better education and have a broader and better future. For the sake of the child’s future, can’t you let go of your grudges just a little, Shuzhen?
Or, why not ask for Lian En’s opinion? After all, it’s his future that’s at stake, perhaps he also wishes to have a better start and foundation!"