Chapter 11: Seeking Liu Yongming for a Solution

Lin Qin nodded heavily, accusing each word with weight, “I am Liu Li’s second sister-in-law. Back when Liu Li’s second brother, Liu Yongming, got into high school but couldn’t afford the tuition, he came to propose because he knew I brought a dowry of one hundred yuan. After marrying into the Liu family, they took that hundred yuan from me for one reason or another!

Over these years, I have worked like a beast of burden in the Liu household—six years, six long years! I didn’t even dare to buy myself a single new piece of clothing. Just look at what she wears and uses!

I devoted myself to the Liu family wholeheartedly. Now that Liu Yongming is about to graduate from college, they look down on me for being uneducated and having given birth to a daughter. They want to cast out both me and my child!

More than half a month ago, the whole family ganged up and knocked me unconscious, falsely accusing me of infidelity. It was only when my father called the police and they intervened that they admitted their guilt.

While I was recuperating at my parents’ home, they sent someone to say Liu Yongming had returned and wanted us to come back. But when we returned, Liu Yongming was nowhere to be seen, and my child was sent to the hospital after Liu Li poured a ladle of scalding hot water on her!

Afterwards, they claimed my child was mischievous and had pushed the sister-in-law, causing injuries to both her and herself!

But that’s not the truth at all! My mother-in-law, Liu Cuihua, and the sister-in-law, Xu Manzhi, grabbed me on each side, while Liu Li poured the hot water on me. My child, trying to save me, pushed Xu Manzhi, which caused the hot water to spill on both my child and Xu Manzhi’s backs!

All of this was done by Liu Li! She is a vicious, heartless, ungrateful wretch!

I swear to heaven, everything I say today is true. If there’s a single lie, may lightning strike me down and may I meet a terrible end!”

Zhang Hua watched the hysterical Lin Qin and then glanced at Liu Li, whose eyes flickered and head hung low, and her heart sank deeply.

Liu Li had been her student from seventh to ninth grade, a promising girl with a sweet and sensible demeanor who got along well with classmates. How could she have done such things?

Unwilling to believe it, Zhang Hua looked at Liu Yaya, who lay on the stretcher, then knelt down gently and asked, “Sweetheart, tell Auntie, who hurt you?”

Liu Yaya looked up at Liu Li and said, “It was her! She’s a bad woman. She hit my mom, kicked me, cursed at my mom, and poured hot water on my mom. She’s really, really bad.”

“You’re lying! I didn’t do any of that!” Liu Li sobbed, tears blurring her vision, crying angrily.

Lin Qin retorted loudly, “There are plenty of children in this school from our neighborhood. Just ask them if Liu Li has done these things! On the day my daughter got hurt, I went door to door begging neighbors to lend money for her medical treatment. Everyone knows that! It’s not that you say it didn’t happen, so it didn’t!

And the police records are still there. The police documented how your Liu family ganged up to bully me!

Liu Li, how can your heart be so cruel? Your second brother could continue his studies only because he married me. Your family not only shows no gratitude but also wants to poison us. Aren’t you afraid of retribution?”

Seeing Lin Qin so agitated, Zhang Hua immediately went next door to ask a few students from Liu Li’s neighborhood.

After the class teachers’ investigation, the results pretty much matched Lin Qin’s account.

Everyone was stunned and pointed fingers at Liu Li.

For the first time, Liu Li felt terror, helplessness, and confusion. It was Lin Qin who first splashed water on her; she only retaliated in kind. Why was everyone blaming her?

Zhang Hua shook her head in disappointment and apologized to Lin Qin, “Comrade Lin Qin, we understand the general situation, but since this is a matter of personal character and not against school rules, I don’t have the authority to punish her. The best I can do is ask her to apologize to you. Would that be acceptable?”

“No!” Lin Qin’s face turned cold as she looked at Liu Li. “I came here to expose Liu Li’s hypocrisy and let everyone see what kind of person she really is. Her apology is worthless. I don’t want it and never will. I’m just waiting to see what fate awaits such a vicious woman!”

With that, Lin Qin bowed to Zhang Hua. “I’m sorry, teacher, for disturbing your class. I’ll take my child and leave now.”

Her departure stirred more sympathy and pity from Zhang Hua and the students.

After Lin Qin left, everyone subtly sized up Liu Li. Those who once got along well with her now turned their backs and ignored her.

Zhang Hua said nothing and continued the lesson.

It was as if nothing had happened, but only Liu Li knew she had become notorious from that day forward. She was no longer the admired sister of the college-bound brother nor the promising student in the teachers’ eyes.

It was all because of Lin Qin!

Liu Ling, who had witnessed the whole drama, ran away from school even faster than Liu Li.

Once home, she eagerly told her family about Lin Qin’s actions.

Grandma Liu listened in disbelief. “This... this... Lin Qin is making such a fuss. Can Ma Cuihua’s family really let her off? This is bad! Something serious is going to happen!”

Liu Li was Ma Cuihua’s late-born daughter, and Ma Cuihua doted on her like the apple of her eye. She could not bear to see Liu Li suffer any slight injustice. Lin Qin had truly stirred up a hornet’s nest this time.

Sure enough, as Grandma Liu reached the doorstep, she heard Liu Li’s crying and Ma Cuihua’s furious curses.

“That wretched Lin Qin actually came to your school to complain to the teachers and classmates?”

Liu Li stomped her feet anxiously, tears and snot smearing her face. “Now the teachers look at me differently, classmates won’t play with me, and they’re whispering and pointing behind my back. Mom! What am I going to do? What am I going to do?”

Ma Cuihua’s eyes darted wildly as she decisively grabbed Liu Li and headed out. “Let’s find your second brother. Only he can help you now!”

Mother and daughter inquired their way to Liu Yongming’s internship site.

“Mom, little sister, what are you doing here?” Liu Yongming frowned upon seeing Liu Li’s dirty appearance.

Ma Cuihua was furious and unleashed a barrage of complaints, “Don’t talk to me! If it weren’t for your future, your sister wouldn’t have targeted Lin Qin. But that wretch was so bold that she caused trouble at your sister’s school and told the teachers and classmates about our family’s business. Now your sister can hardly stay at school! What do you intend to do about this?”

Liu Yongming looked shocked. “That’s impossible! If Lin Qin were that daring, you wouldn’t have been able to suppress her all these years!”

“Don’t talk back!” Ma Cuihua glared at him.

Liu Yongming quickly changed his tone. “Alright, alright, Mom. You take little sister home first. I’ll go to Lin Village shortly. As long as Lin Qin explains things again at school, it should be fine. It’s not a big deal.”

Ma Cuihua finally calmed down a little. “She’s getting more and more lawless. If she keeps this up, we won’t be able to bear it. If it comes to it, just divorce her directly!”

“Mom! I want to, but there’s no reason! A baseless divorce would ruin my reputation. This involves conduct issues affecting job assignments. We can’t just act recklessly.” Liu Yongming put his hands on his hips, frustrated, trying to figure out a plan.

No matter what, that woman Lin Qin must be dealt with. Liu Yongming’s wife could only be someone like Fang Ying, a highly educated woman.