Liang Xiaoju wiped away her tears and ran to her grandmother, sobbing out her grievances, while Xiao Man helped her own Grandma to her feet.

The Great-Aunt turned, her sharp gaze landing on Xiao Man. "Where is that little brat? Huh? Mo Guoqiang and Liu Fengying, that pair of fools, picking up a vixen to raise. Look at this! It’s only been a few days, and she’s already turned the entire Mo family upside down! What are you waiting for? Beat this creature of unknown origin and throw her out!"

Grandma gripped Xiao Man’s hand and walked forward, step by step. "You’re the one disturbing the peace in my home now," she said coldly. "Back at the old Mo family residence, I never talked back to you, but I can’t tolerate you today! You have a wicked heart and an even fouler mouth. Leave. Don’t stand in my house insulting my family. I have no time to argue with you!"

The Great-Aunt slapped her thigh, her voice jumping an octave as words shot from her mouth like a string of firecrackers. "Your house? You blind woman, you’ve got skin thicker than a city wall! All these years, what have you ever done besides eat, drink, and waste food? Have you earned any money? Have you worked the fields for work points? You can’t even gather a stick of firewood! A useless waste of space who can’t even lay an egg! Your very existence is a burden on my younger brother. You’d be better off dead!"

Grandpa shot to his feet, throwing down the half-woven back-basket he was working on. He glared at the Great-Aunt and roared, "Shut your mouth! Get the hell out of my house! Get out right now!"

He shoved Mo Laoer aside and rounded on Second Aunt Mo. "You blame Liu Fengying, don’t you? If you’ve got the guts, go hit her back! What are you doing raising hell here? Demanding I pay three hundred for medical fees? The nerve of you! Did I teach you to come to my door and start fights? If you want to argue your case, go to the brigade headquarters and find the leadership! Now get out of my way, you pathetic bunch, only brave enough to bully your own family!"

Still cursing, Grandpa strode over and grabbed the Great-Aunt’s hand. Liang Xiaoju, knowing what was coming, spun around to run toward the vegetable garden, but Xiao Man wasn’t about to let her escape. She stuck out a foot and tripped her. Liang Xiaoju went down with a THUD, wailing and crying out in pain. Grandpa felt no pity for her this time. He seized her arm, and hauling the grandmother and granddaughter duo, he marched toward the courtyard gate. The Great-Aunt was so furious she looked like she wanted to rip Xiao Man to shreds, her face twisted in a snarl as she spewed endless curses. "You little jinx! You short-lived vixen!" the insults never stopped.

Caught off guard, Mo Laoer stumbled back from Grandpa’s shove, nearly falling. He didn’t have time to make an issue of it. Exchanging a look with Second Aunt Mo, he closed in on Grandma and Xiao Man.

Mo Laoer adopted a fawning tone. "Ma, you know how Dad has a short fuse. I wasn’t demanding he pay for Little Su’s treatment. I was just saying that Little Su is still recovering. Her whole body aches from the beating that madwoman Liu Fengying gave her, she’s taking bitter medicine every day, and living in our dark, gloomy old house is only making her feel worse. I just wanted to talk with you and Dad about letting Little Su move in here with you. It’s spacious, bright, the air is fresh... Ma, what do you think? Could you talk to Dad for me? Let Little Su come stay and keep you company!"

Second Aunt Mo also lowered her voice into a soft, wheedling tone. "Ma, Little Su is in such a pitiful state. The injuries on her face and the damage to her teeth haven’t healed yet. She just lies in that dark room crying all day! You’ve always doted on her the most, ever since she was a little girl. You’re the one who gave her her name! Even her teacher praised what a wonderful name she has and was willing to give her extra guidance because of it, teaching her the best ways to study. She’s always been first in her class... Ma, that’s your own flesh-and-blood granddaughter!"

Grandma was just recovering from the Great-Aunt’s vicious, soul-crushing insults, her face still pale. She gently patted Xiao Man, who was clinging tightly to her arm, and replied in a flat tone, "This one here is my granddaughter. The others... have nothing to do with me. You can leave now."

Second Aunt Mo shrieked, "Ma! You can’t be like this! Little Su is so good and devoted to you! Ever since she was small, she’s brought you water, served you meals, washed your clothes... She always gave you the first taste of any treat! And now, for some strange child from who-knows-where, you’ve stopped caring about Little Su? You senile old fool! You’ve wasted all your years on this earth!"

Mo Laoer’s eyes bulged, the muscles in his jaw clenching. "You blind old hag, don’t make me do this the hard way!"

Grandma was long accustomed to Second Aunt Mo’s talent for twisting the truth and Mo Laoer’s habit of turning nasty whenever he didn’t get his way. Her expression was placid; she wasn’t afraid of their threats. She just tightened her grip on Xiao Man’s arm, keeping her from jumping in to argue with them.

Grandpa was likely escorting the Great-Aunt and Liang Xiaoju a good distance away to make sure they didn’t just come running back. Xiao Man wanted to help Grandma to a stool, then thought, ’I should just use my Divine Power and, to hell with the consequences, drag these two pests out of here myself.’ But just then, Second Granny Qiu and Jiang Xuehua’s mother walked in with a few children in tow, so she had to drop the idea.

With outsiders present, Mo Laoer didn’t dare be openly disrespectful to Grandma. He could only resort to veiled insults, snarling under his breath like a mad dog. He and Second Aunt Mo went to inspect the house, peering into each room through the glass windows. Finally, the couple agreed that Xiao Man’s room would be perfect for Mo Xiaosu’s new bedroom. Mo Laoer even began planning the furniture arrangement, boasting that he had good lumber and would build his daughter a large wardrobe, a low cabinet, and a newer, wider, more beautiful bed frame.

A little while later, Grandpa returned. Mo Laoer and his wife immediately started pestering him again, but Grandpa gave them a tongue-lashing and drove them off. Backed by the disapproving murmurs of the neighbors, the couple finally slinked away for the time being.

In the Mo Family Courtyard, though blood brothers and their wives had become enemies ready to fight at a moment’s notice, the two families still had to live together for the time being. Liu Fengying clearly overheard Mo Laoer and his wife clamoring that Old Man Mo had money—that he had gone to the brigade headquarters early that morning to repay three hundred yuan.

Liu Fengying’s heart burned with curiosity, but she had no time to go pester Old Man Mo for money. She was busy mobilizing her own family—her brothers, sisters, and relatives—for a much more important task: fulfilling Xuanxuan’s request.

Two days earlier, in an attempt to cajole and trick Mo Xiaoman, she had accidentally injured Mo Xiaosu. Then she’d gotten into a huge fight with Mo Laoer at the brigade headquarters, during which he had snatched the five hundred yuan her precious daughter Xuanxuan had given her. Liu Fengying was beside herself, so sick with regret she could taste it. ’If I’d known this would be the outcome, I would have just listened to Mo Guoqiang and paid Xiao Feng’s medical bills. I wouldn’t have lost so much!’

Now the money was in Mo Laoer’s pocket, and there was no way he’d ever give it back. When she tried asking Old Man Mo for money, he wouldn’t even open the door, let alone see her. Left with no other choice, Liu Fengying ran back to her own family for reinforcements. But her family couldn’t sway Old Man Mo, and they were even more helpless against a scoundrel like Mo Laoer. In the end, she had to swallow her pride and go around begging and borrowing from everyone she knew. Her relatives managed to scrape together about two hundred yuan. It was nowhere near enough, but at least she could make a partial payment for now. She’d have to find a way to get the rest later.

But what weighed most heavily on Liu Fengying’s mind was Xuanxuan’s demand: she needed to get an ugly photo of that ugly Mo Xiaoman, and fast!

At the thought of Mo Xiaoman, Liu Fengying gnashed her teeth in regret—’I should have had the foresight to cripple or kill her back then!’

But getting her hands on Mo Xiaoman now was no easy task; it was incredibly difficult just to get close to her.

That wretched girl was like a skittish rabbit now, never giving anyone an opening. Even more infuriating, she was protected by that old man and old woman, holed up inside that sturdy, stone-walled courtyard. It was almost impossible to even catch a glimpse of her!