Mo Xiaoman was utterly speechless!
’What is wrong with today? I’ve clearly got so of my strength back. I just want to try and solve a problem on my own, is that too much to ask?’
’Just now in the courtyard, I was waiting for Liu Fengying to co closer so I could kick her. But then Grandpa grabbed and took away. Now, I deliberately provoked Mo Xiaosu, trying to get her to say sothing rude so I could slap her and vent my frustration. Who knew that crazy bitch Liu Fengying would beat to the punch!’
’And that slap from Liu Fengying... she obviously put her full force into it, with no control whatsoever. I’m afraid she’s seriously injured Mo Xiaosu!’
’This is happening right at our doorstep, in front of Grandpa. Grandpa... alright, I’ve made more trouble for Grandpa again! Knowing him, he’ll probably have to open his wallet, assuming he even has any money left!’
Grandpa hurried out the door and ran to Second Aunt Mo’s side to check on Mo Xiaosu. Mo Xiaoman stood on the stone block by the entrance, peering into the crowd to get a better look.
Liu Fengying’s slap had been vicious. It had landed squarely on her face. Blood was pouring from Mo Xiaosu’s nose and mouth, saring her whole face red. She was unconscious. Second Aunt Mo pried open Mo Xiaosu’s mouth, and several teeth fell out... The crowd of onlookers tsk-tsked in dismay. Second Aunt Mo let out a shriek and collapsed to the ground, fainting.
Another child scampered off toward the brigade headquarters!
Liu Fengying was starting to panic, but she dawdled, avoiding looking at the person she had injured. Turning her head, she saw Mo Xiaoman standing on the stone block and imdiately sidled up to her, saying, "Xiao Man! My dear daughter, Mom did this for you!"
As if Mo Xiaoman didn’t know Liu Fengying’s intentions. She shot her a cold glare and shouted, "Liu Fengying, you vicious woman, don’t you co near ! Nothing good ever happens to a girl you get close to! You blinded Mo Xiaofeng, and now you’ve knocked Mo Xiaosu unconscious. Is it my turn now? Are you trying to disfigure ? Dream on, Liu Fengying! I won’t let a monster like you get anywhere near !"
The onlookers imdiately turned their heads, their voices rising to condemn Liu Fengying. An auntie in her fifties, carrying food back on a shoulder pole, said, "Liu Fengying, what is wrong with you? Harming people one after another, and all of them girls just around ten years old... Heavens! I heard a woman in Shangling Village went crazy, runs around naked all day, grabbing and biting anyone she sees. Y-You... have you gone crazy too?"
Hearing this, the old won in the crowd grew flustered and began to shout:
"Ah! Where’s my eldest girl? Oh, there you are! Quick, get ho right now!"
"Second Daughter? Where are you, Second Daughter? Get Third Daughter and go ho! And tell your big sister that from now on, when you’re out digging for pig feed or whatever, if you see Mo Xiaoqiang’s mom, you take the long way around! Do you hear ?"
...
Liu Fengying was so furious she could have flipped over backward. She tried to grab people to explain, but no one would listen. The old won shielded their children, avoiding her like the plague!
Nearby, Second Granny Qiu helped Grandpa get Mo Xiaosu onto his back to carry her to the clinic. Grandpa glanced down at Second Aunt Mo, who was still lying on the ground in a daze, and roared at Liu Fengying, "Liu Fengying, what the hell are you standing around for? Get over here and help carry her to the clinic for ergency treatnt! A life for a life, a debt for a debt! If this mother and daughter die, you can wait for the police to co and throw you in jail!"
Liu Fengying hadn’t expected one slap to leave Mo Xiaosu bloody and unconscious. It wasn’t that she wasn’t scared, but when she saw Grandpa stepping up to take charge, she sensed an opportunity. She deliberately stayed put, thinking she could just push all the bla onto Grandpa later!
’Anyway, Grandpa has influence with the brigade,’ she thought. ’For the sake of Mo Guoqiang and the children, he ought to take so of the burden for !’
But this ti, she had miscalculated. Grandpa’s voice was stern, his expression severe, and he had even shouted about her being "thrown in jail." Liu Fengying shuddered, and her legs suddenly felt a little weak.
"Dad! Dad, look, I did it all for Xiao Man! Xiao Man is my daughter, I couldn’t just let Little Su spout nonsense, could I? Her Second Aunt and Little Su are always bullying Xiao Man. That girl Little Su just went too far!" Liu Fengying tried to keep up the act.
Grandpa turned to leave with Mo Xiaosu on his back. "Liu Fengying, I’m not getting involved in the rest of it. I’m taking Little Su to the clinic because she’s a descendant of my Mo family. If her mother dies or is crippled, that’s on you!"
Seeing Grandpa walk off so quickly, Liu Fengying was dumbfounded. She quickly shouted to Mo Xiaoman, "Xiao Man! Xiao Man, co quickly! Help carry your Second Aunt to the brigade clinic!"
Mo Xiaoman shrieked, "Liu Fengying, stay away from !"
She ran through the courtyard gate, slamming it shut with a CLANG. From outside ca Liu Fengying’s crazed shouting, "Everyone, co and look! Co and see! This is Mo Xiaoman! This is the fine daughter I raised! She’s an ungrateful wretch... She’s unfilial!"
Soone tried to reason with her, "Feng Ying, you’d better hurry and get her to the clinic for treatnt. If she really dies and Mo Laoer cos looking for you, you’ll be in for more than you can handle!"
Liu Fengying stopped her tirade, and silence fell outside. Mo Xiaoman opened the gate a crack and peeked out. Everyone was gone. She guessed so had gone ho, while others had followed the group to the clinic.
Mo Xiaoman ran back to the house. Seeing Grandma sitting under the eaves, she went and squatted beside her, sighing, "Grandma, you heard all that, didn’t you? I made trouble for Grandpa again today!"
Grandma’s hand fumbled over to pat her. "It had nothing to do with you. Grandma’s ears aren’t deaf. It was all them!"
"If I hadn’t said those things, none of this would have happened!"
"Xiao Man, Grandma knows that for all these years, Liu Fengying has kept you down. You didn’t dare to speak up or act out. But you’re a smart girl. What you were thinking, what you said just now, it was all right! Grandma is so happy. I didn’t know you had such a quick mind and a sharp tongue! Rember what Grandma told you: I don’t want you to bully others, but you don’t have to be too kind either! I’ve lived a long life, and I see things clearly. If you let soone bully you once, they’ll co back and bully you twice, then three tis, until it becos a habit! I’m not afraid of spoiling you. If soone bullies you and you have the ability to fight back, you must fight back! Understand?"
"I understand, Grandma." After a pause, Mo Xiaoman said, "Grandpa couldn’t stand the sight of Mo Xiaosu’s bloody face, so he took her to the clinic. It looks like he’ll have to pay again. Now our family is really out of money, and we’ll even be in debt!"
"Let him be. Once your Grandpa spends this last bit of money, let’s consider the matter settled. The next ti he earns any, it’s all coming to Grandma’s hands—we agreed on this before. Grandma is going to be in charge of the household now! With Xiao Man to help , I have nothing to worry about!"
"Okay, I’ll help you!" Mo Xiaoman said with a smile. "Grandma, I had a dream this morning when I was sleeping under the pear tree. A beautiful dream!"
"What beautiful dream did my Xiao Man have? About wearing new clothes and eating chicken drumsticks?"
"Hey, you call that a beautiful dream? Grandma, you think I’m a three-year-old!"
"If new clothes and chicken drumsticks don’t count, then what else could there be?"
"I dread that I was going to school with a bookbag on my back, and I scored a perfect one hundred on a test! Grandpa didn’t have to guard the reservoir anymore; he was ho with us every morning and evening. The three of us were living happily together. I took all the goji berries, cassia seeds, wild chrysanthemum buds, and all the other herbs Grandpa picked that are good for eyesight, and I brewed them for you to drink. Then, suddenly, your vision was restored, and you could see Grandpa and ! You walked all around our new courtyard house, planting vegetables and lons, feeding the chickens, ducks, geese, and pigs... Grandma, tell , isn’t that a great, beautiful dream?"
Grandma cackled until tears stread down her face, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket. "It really is. A dream as big as the sky! Grandma is happy just thinking about it!"
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