Phoenix Golding, who was playing dead, sensed Phoebe Huxley’s malice and grew truly afraid. She clutched her collar tightly. If this shrew really managed to rip her clothes off, how could she ever show her face in the village again?

She wouldn’t be able to stay at the school any longer, either.

"Vernon Spann, where the hell are you? Jacqueline, go get your grandpa and uncle... Hurry!"

Phoenix Golding called for her husband a few times, but there was no sign of him. She had no choice but to send her daughter to get her family to intervene. Seeing that things were really getting out of hand, a few of the other onlooking villagers also began trying to mediate.

"Don’t any of you dare stop me! This isn’t the first or second time Phoenix Golding has seduced my Felix. I’ve put up with it for years without raising hell, but now she dares to bully my little girl! You really think I’m a pushover? I’m going to skin you alive today, and if I don’t, I’m no better than a hussy like you!"

Phoebe Huxley wouldn’t listen to anyone. With new resentment piled on old hatred, she would absolutely not let this woman off. If she didn’t teach her a lesson, people would really start to think she was a pushover.

"What nonsense are you spouting? There’s been nothing between us for a long time! Stop making a scene, we can talk about this at home!" Felix Thorne’s face darkened, but he didn’t dare speak too harshly, genuinely afraid Phoebe Huxley would do something drastic.

"He gave this hussy meat last time, and the time before that, and the time before that one. She didn’t spend a single penny and got to eat so much of our meat for free," Jim Thorne muttered, unable to hold back any longer, his voice just loud enough for everyone to hear.

The villagers, who had just been thinking that Phoebe Huxley was being too aggressive, immediately looked different upon hearing this. Their eyes darted back and forth between Felix Thorne and Phoenix Golding, their expressions full of intrigue.

Everyone in the village knew that Felix Thorne and Phoenix Golding had been an item back in the day. They had been on the verge of getting married, but for some unknown reason, Byron Thorne was dead set against it, so the wedding was called off. Rumor had it that Felix Thorne had even run up a mountain to get drunk by himself late one night!

’Could it be that these two had really rekindled their old flame and hooked up again?’

"Nobody asked you, shut up!" Felix Thorne shot a vicious glare at Jim Thorne. He wanted to strangle the little brat. ’That little bastard, loves nothing more than stirring up trouble! Is now the time to be talking about meat?’

"I paid for the meat... I didn’t get it for free!" Phoenix Golding yelled.

"Ten cents for over half a pound of meat? Is your money made of gold or something? Tsk. No wonder Ulysses Spann tried to snatch my little sister’s meat. Your whole family is shameless!" Jim Thorne said with utmost scorn, completely ignoring the murderous glare from Felix Thorne.

’Even if he got a beating from Felix Thorne for this later, he had to get revenge for his little sister and teach this shameless vixen a lesson!’

The villagers’ expressions grew even more profound. Meat cost seventy cents a pound these days—and that was with a ration coupon. Without one, it was at least a dollar, maybe even a dollar twenty. For Phoenix Golding to spend ten cents on half a pound of meat... tsk, that was basically a freebie.

’Looks like this pair of old lovers really did get back together. No wonder Phoebe Huxley is so furious. Being cheated on like that... anyone would be angry in her shoes!’

The crowd started to feel more sympathy for Phoebe Huxley. Her husband had been seduced away by Phoenix Golding, all that meat had been given away, and now her precious daughter was being bullied by their family. Who could possibly swallow that insult?

"Felix Thorne, you’re really something... You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you? You don’t want this marriage to work? Fine... Fine... Fine..."

Phoebe Huxley gritted her teeth, her eyes savage. With every "Fine," she threw another punch at Phoenix Golding. Guilt-ridden, Felix Thorne didn’t dare to look at his wife. He hung his head, but then he saw Phoenix Golding’s wretched state and couldn’t bear it. He quickly looked away, pretending to admire the scenery.

"Stop it! Phoebe Huxley, are you insane? Let go of my sister!"

A man in his thirties ran over. He had refined features and bore a slight resemblance to Phoenix Golding. It was her younger brother, Linden Golding. When he saw his sister beaten to a pulp, Linden Golding’s eyes blazed with fury. He raised his fist to strike Phoebe Huxley.