"Zhang Erlai, we’re your own uncles!" Seeing Zhang Erlai’s resolute expression, Niu Dashun and Niu Ershun panicked. ’We can’t let him cut ties with us! Where else would we get handouts?’

"Are you getting out or not?" Zhang Erlai grabbed a piece of firewood from the courtyard and swung it at Niu Dashun and the others, who scrambled to dodge.

Niu Dashun and Niu Ershun were instantly fuming. "We’re your uncles! How dare you raise a hand to us? It looks like we’ll have to teach you a lesson on your mother’s behalf."

With that, Niu Dashun and Niu Ershun moved to strike Zhang Erlai. As they saw it, it was only natural for elders to discipline their juniors.

But the villagers of Lihua Village weren’t having it. They were fine with watching a good argument, but they wouldn’t stand by and watch outsiders bully one of their own right in front of them—especially when Niu Dashun and his group were so clearly in the wrong. Two young men immediately rushed into the Zhang family’s courtyard, blocking Niu Dashun and Niu Ershun. "What do you think you’re doing? Trying to bully our people in our own village? Who gave you the gall?"

"That’s right," the surrounding villagers chimed in. "Get lost! If you dare to bully anyone in our village, don’t blame us for roughing you up."

This show of force immediately cowed Niu Dashun and Niu Ershun. Without these villagers interfering, they were confident that dealing with Zhang Erlai would have been child’s play. But with everyone else getting involved, they knew they wouldn’t be able to gain the slightest advantage.

"Little Sis, are you just going to stand there and watch your two brothers get bullied?" Niu Dashun’s wife turned on Er La Niang.

Just as Er La Niang was about to speak, Zhang Erlai cut in coldly, "Mom, if you dare say a single word in defense of these animals today, we will sever our mother-son relationship. You can go live with your precious older brothers. Let’s see how well they treat you then."

Er La Niang immediately snapped her mouth shut. Though she acted like a madwoman, funneling all her family’s best possessions to her parents’ home, she knew perfectly well what would happen if she was no longer useful to them. ’They wouldn’t treat me well at all. Forget treating me well, they probably wouldn’t even let me through the door.’

Seeing that Er La Niang wasn’t going to help them against Zhang Erlai, and with the villagers of Lihua Village still glaring at them menacingly, Niu Dashun and his group knew they wouldn’t get anything out of this today. Niu Dashun turned to Er La Niang and said viciously, "Fine! We’ll just chalk today up to bad luck. Niu Ni, you’d better not show your face around us anymore."

"Exactly," his wife added. "If you want us to ever acknowledge you again, you know what you have to do. Figure it out yourself. Hmph."

With that, the four of them turned and stalked away, huffing in anger. They practically ran, afraid the villagers of Lihua Village would beat them up if they moved too slowly.

Watching her brother and sister-in-law leave just like that, Er La Niang grew anxious. She glanced in the direction they had gone, then back at Zhang Erlai. She opened her mouth to speak, but ultimately, she didn’t dare say a word.

Zhang Erlai shot his mother a cold glance before turning to the crowd. "Thank you, everyone, for today. I’ll come by and thank you all properly another day."

No matter how you looked at it, these people had helped him. Zhang Erlai had always been a tactful person, so he naturally knew the right thing to do.

"Ah, Er Lai, don’t mention it. You’re being too kind," the crowd replied with friendly smiles, preparing to disperse.

But just then, Er La Niang suddenly snapped. She rushed into the kitchen, grabbed a cleaver, and hurled it toward Su Qing, screaming obscenities. "You little whore! This is all your fault! If you had just agreed to marry into my family, none of this would have happened! You shameless little bitch!"

No one had expected Er La Niang to suddenly go berserk. Even Zhang Erlai couldn’t stop her in time and could only scream, "Get out of the way!"

Su Qing’s expression turned to ice. She yanked Aunt Cuihua and Aunt Tao away, dodging the cleaver, then stormed into the yard and sent a swift kick at Er La Niang.

The force of Su Qing’s kick sent Er La Niang flying, and she crashed hard onto the ground.

"OW, my back!" Er La Niang cried out from the ground, trying to play the victim. "Help! Su Qing attacked me! Ouch, I can’t move!"

Zhang Erlai’s face burned with shame. "Mom, just stop making a scene."

Then he quickly turned to Su Qing to apologize. "Su Qing, I am so sorry. My mother is in the wrong. I apologize on her behalf."

Su Qing had a good opinion of Zhang Erlai, so she said, "Your mother should count herself lucky that cleaver didn’t hit anyone. Otherwise, this would be about a lot more than just a kick."

"I know, I know," Zhang Erlai said quickly. Having spent so many years knocking around the county town, he naturally understood a thing or two about the law.

"Er Lai, and you’re apologizing to her? I..." Er La Niang, unwilling to let it go, tried to start another fuss. Her heart was filled with resentment. She hated Su Qing for refusing to marry into the Zhang family and for publicly humiliating her. She hated her son, Zhang Erlai, for refusing to help her raise the bride price for her nephew. ’In short, it’s all their fault. I’ve done nothing wrong. Everything I do is right.’

By now, Aunt Cuihua and Aunt Tao had recovered from the shock and stormed into the yard, fuming. "Pah!" Aunt Cuihua spat, cursing at Er La Niang. "You black-hearted woman! It’s one thing to bleed your own son dry to subsidize your birth family, but to target Su Qing too? Where do you get the nerve!"

"Ptooey! You’re a shameless creature, just sucking your own family dry for your maiden family," Aunt Tao added. "Er Lai must have had eight lifetimes of bad luck to be born to a mother like you."

One after another, Aunt Cuihua and Aunt Tao ripped into Er La Niang, giving her a vicious tongue-lashing.

The villagers who hadn’t left yet began to whisper amongst themselves, their eyes filled with contempt for Er La Niang.

Even though Er La Niang felt she’d done nothing wrong, being berated and scorned like this made her flush red with shame. She scrambled to her feet and started trying to chase everyone away. "Go on, get out! What are you all doing crowding around my house? Are you all crazy? Get lost!"

"Tch, she’s the one in the wrong, but she’s still acting so high and mighty. Poor Er Lai," a villager muttered, and then the crowd finally dispersed.

Su Qing then said to Zhang Erlai, "For your sake, I’ll let the matter of your mother trying to attack someone with a cleaver go for today. But if there’s a next time, your reputation won’t be enough to stop me. I’ll report it directly to the police, and she can go eat prison food."

Su Qing’s words made Er La Niang flinch. But then she heard Zhang Erlai say, "Don’t worry. If she ever pulls something so unreasonable again, you won’t even have to call the police. I’ll personally drag her to the station myself."

Er La Niang never expected Zhang Erlai to say something so heartless. Her hand, pointing at him, trembled. She was about to start screaming at him when she met his gaze and froze, stunned into silence.