Chapter 27: Stirring Up Trouble

As soon as Hua Ning spoke, the expressions of those present shifted once again. This time, however, all eyes turned toward Hua Hao.

Hua Hao had not expected his cousin to ask so bluntly. Originally, he had intended to leverage his aunt’s influence to ruin the reputations of his aunt and cousin—after all, they were the ones forcing him to pull pigweed every day! But now...

"N-no one," Hua Hao murmured, casting a fearful glance at Hua Ning before quickly lowering his head.

"What’s this? Even with me, his aunt, standing right here, you dare to threaten my nephew? It’s clear that you two mother and daughter have been mistreating him! A pair of vipers with hearts of snakes and scorpions, you harlots—no wonder you couldn't give birth to a son! Women like you deserve to be..." Song Xiangye pulled Hua Hao over, her short, stout frame shielding him as she unleashed a torrent of abuse, spewing every foul and filthy insult she could think of at Hua Ning.

"Slap!"

Hua Ning swung her hand across Song Xiangye’s face, the force sending the woman’s head reeling and causing stars to dance before her eyes.

"Since that foul mouth of yours doesn't know how to speak properly, I’ll wash it out for you!"

With that, Hua Ning grabbed the thermos of hot water Su Qiuxin had prepared earlier, clamped her hand firmly onto Song Xiangye’s chin, and poured the steaming water directly into her mouth.

"Ah!"

The scalding water drew a shriek of agony from Song Xiangye. Instinctively, she broke free from Hua Ning’s grip and stumbled backward. Hua Hao, standing directly behind her, had no time to dodge. The two collapsed to the ground together, with Hua Hao serving as the human cushion. This time, his performative tears turned into genuine, wailing sobs.

The brigade officials hadn't even had time to react before the situation spiraled into chaos.

"Ning, my girl, that was a bit too much. You mustn't be so impulsive next time," Li Qingxi said, his face stiff as he feigned a stern reprimand before shouting to a woman in the courtyard: "Hurry up and help them get up!"

Hua Ning stifled a laugh and bowed her head in feigned obedience. Li Qingxi glared at her, but all he could see was the top of her head. Irritated yet amused, he shook his head helplessly and turned to Song Xiangye and Hua Hao.

"Hao’s aunt, let’s stop wasting time. Let’s talk about your plan to take the boy with you."

Once Song Xiangye and Hua Hao were back on their feet, both looked worse for wear, wincing and hissing in pain at the slightest movement. Fortunately, Li Qingxi’s words distracted Song Xiangye from her injuries, and she regained her vigor.

"Captain Li, we had an agreement. If I take Hao home, then everything belonging to his branch of the family belongs to us! Furthermore, Hua Hao’s aunt must hand over all the grain and savings from my sister-in-law’s household!"

Perhaps sensing that everyone already knew her true intentions, Song Xiangye dropped all pretense and began demanding items outright. Li Qingxi’s face darkened, his brows furrowing like caterpillars.

"Hao’s aunt, the Hua family’s second household only has the old family home left; everything else was stolen. The grain they are eating now is borrowed from the brigade. Asking Zhongguo’s wife to hand over money and grain like this—isn't that blatant extortion?"

"Extortion? You say it was stolen, so it must be stolen? What if this mother and daughter hid it away themselves?"

Song Xiangye didn't care what Li Qingxi said; her mind was made up. She wanted the house, the money, and the grain. If she couldn't get a lot, she’d take whatever she could get her hands on.

This suspicion had crossed the minds of other villagers before, but when Grandma Hua and Su Qiuxin were sent to the county hospital, Hua Ning had gone with them, leaving only the child, Hua Hao, at home. If a child were crafty enough to hide the family’s wealth, he wouldn't have had the means to do so. Everyone knew Hua Hao was just a greedy, playful, and bossy brat. If he hadn't hidden it, then the family truly had been robbed. No one believed Song Xiangye’s malicious conjecture.

"Nonsense!" Li Qingxi barked at her. "Don't think that just because you're from the neighboring brigade, I have no way to deal with you. If you spout such nonsense again, I’ll have you tied up and sent back to your brigade. I’ll ask your captain if it’s the standard practice for your members to go around slandering people with such baseless accusations!"

Song Xiangye was intimidated by Li Qingxi’s threat, her arrogance waning. Still, she persisted stubbornly: "Even if there’s no money or grain, there are still the work points earned by my sister-in-law and her husband!"

In the end, under the mediation of the brigade officials, Song Xiangye signed the adoption agreement for Hua Hao. The document bore not only her thumbprint but also the signatures of Hua Ning and Su Qiuxin. Naturally, the officials’ names were included, and Hua Ning even insisted that the brigade captain stamp it with the official brigade seal.

"Now that Hua Hao belongs to the Zhao family, his parents' house belongs to us too. Hand over the deed immediately!" Song Xiangye didn't even glance at the adoption papers, reaching out to demand the property deed from Hua Ning.

Hua Ning did not hesitate, turning and walking into the house. In truth, she had retrieved the deed from her game inventory. Ever since the night she had returned to "raid" the house, she had tucked away all the important household documents, including the registry and the deed. Su Qiuxin, having a gentle nature, simply followed Hua Ning’s lead and hadn't paid any mind to those items.

"Captain, what about the work points for my sister-in-law and her husband?" Song Xiangye asked, stuffing the deed away with a satisfied smirk.

Li Qingxi twitched, deeply annoyed by her insatiable greed. Yet, he knew he had to settle the matter once and for all to prevent future trouble for Zhongguo’s wife and the girl.

"All members' work points are settled at the end of the year. You can just collect them along with the rest of our brigade members then!"

Song Xiangye considered this and accepted it; after all, that was how her own brigade operated. "Fine, I suppose I’ll make the effort to come back before the end of the year!" she said with shameless entitlement.

"Don't push your luck. Since Hua Hao is a member of the Zhao family now, pack his things and take him home!" Li Qingxi said, waving his hand in dismissal.

Once he had shooed Song Xiangye away, he walked to the doorway and shouted at the crowd of villagers lingering in the courtyard and outside the gate: "Have you not seen enough? Has everyone finished their assigned field work? I’ll be checking one by one when you finish your shift, and anyone who hasn't finished will have their work points deducted!"

With a collective stir, the onlookers scattered in a rush. With no outsiders left, Li Qingxi gave Hua Ning a final word of advice and left with the other officials.

Freed from the captain’s pressure, Song Xiangye began her antics again. "I say, sister-in-law, I came all this way to visit, and you haven't even offered a cup of tea. If word gets out, it’ll show you have no manners! At this rate, what kind of good family will your daughter marry into? Don't let her become a spinster—that would be a disgrace!"