Chapter 411: Taking Action
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
At this moment, Su Wen no longer cared about her reputation. She did not want to be called unfilial but would march on if push came to shove. Besides, she was in a better position than they were.
Su Wen raised her hand and pointed at Ma Xiulan with a cold smile. “Third Grandma asked if I would fight with you to the death regarding this matter. Why don’t I enlighten you all to the answer?” She released Ma Xiulan and pointed at Su Xuewu, Chen Guihua, Zhang Chunxiang, Su Pingfan, Su Xueyong, and the others before settling on Su Dachun.
“Do you know why? It’s easy enough if you think about it. No matter how hard a fish struggles against the net, it isn’t going to break free – not even in death.”
It was like a thunderclap exploding in their ears. So much was said in just a few words, leaving them reeling and senseless for a long time. Su Dachun paled, no words escaping his lips.
However, none of that mattered to Su Wen, and she continued.
She advanced upon the poor, unfortunate soul while he retreated. Only when he returned to his senses, did Su Dachun realize how ridiculous his actions were. What was there to be afraid of? Su Wen was nothing more than a young woman wet behind her ears, someone he had always looked down on.
“You all are ridiculous.” “What did you say, you brat? Why don’t you say that again, if you dare?”
“You’re courting death!”
Cries of outrage punctuated the previous silence enforced by their shock. Ma Xiulan screamed with hatred, “Guihua, Chunxiang, I want that girl’s mouth in my hands! If I don’t teach her a lesson today, I, Ma Xiulan, swear I’m not a human.”
Su Pingfan beat Chen Guihua and Zhang Chunxiang to the punch. He was eager to exact vengeance, if only through beating Su Wen up. However, before he could throw a fist at her, Su Wen intercepted, kicking him between his legs.
Su Pingfan rolled on the ground, howling in pain.
Su Wen waved her hands, feeling embarrassed. She recently developed the habit of kicking people in their privates, and she had not overcome it yet.
“Son. ”
“Grandson, how are you?”
The courtyard descended into chaos. Seeing her precious grandson screaming in pain, Ma Xiulan hastened to his side. What if Su Wen had crippled him? Wouldn’t he be no better than a eunuch, then?
That was something she could not accept.
Since Su Wen wanted to play it rough, they no longer needed to consider their reputation. Su Xueqiang and Su Xuewu took to the field. Teaching a young whelp like Su Wen would not be an issue. This would not be the first time they had done so. Ma Xiulan could only factor in so much in the equation that had kept Su Wen, and her sisters leashed in the past; they, too, had had a part to play.
Some might have considered Ma Xiulan ruthless, but that was how life worked out in the rural countryside.
To live was to fight.
If one suspected their neighbor of stealing their chickens, they would speak to them with their fists. Were their grandchildren misbehaving? That was okay nothing a good beating would not fix.
A prodigal son? Well… it was their parents’ fault for not beating it out of him in his youth!
Su Xuewen had done as much to his daughters when he was still alive. How else would the previous owner of the body Su Wen now inhabited be so obedient toward him, considering her personality? Although the original owner had been selfish and unintelligent, she was no coward, as shown by how she had chased Zhou Hengyang away.
The Su Wen of the past listened to Su Xuefang, her two uncles and aunts, and her grandparents because she had suffered one too many times at their hands, nursing horrendous injuries for the abuse leveled against her.
Su Xuewen used to spend all year away from home, working to support the family and left his children in the care of his sister, who would exercise corporal punishment if they disobeyed her.
Afterward, she would be forced to kneel on a washboard for hours, made to reflect on the crime of disobedience.
It was torture.
In summer, kneeling on those ribbed boards was not so bad, but winter was another kettle of fish altogether. Those days would leave the body’s original owner bedridden for a month. After years of such treatment, it was no wonder the Su Wen of that time had been cowed into submission. Anything was better than the beatings and forced penance she was made to pay, kneeling atop the washboard if she dared to complain..