Chapter 12: Knocking on the Door

  Mrs. Li saw that her only daughter was not clever and had married into the honest Qin family, living a comfortable life. If she had married into a petty and quarrelsome family, they would have been at odds with each other long ago. Now she is relying on her daughter to make a living, as her son has forgotten his mother after getting a wife. If her daughter didn't go back to the Qin's, no one would send her grain, and she estimated that she wouldn't be far from starving to death.

  "Xiao Mei, why aren't you speaking up?! Whatever you do, don't let your brothers, sister-in-law or brother's wife know that you got into a fight with Qin Ming before coming back. If they find out, they'll definitely go to the Qin's house and cause a big scene." Li Mu anxiously said, she had already spoken to this extent, but this foolish girl still didn't understand.

  "Brother will go and get revenge for me, that's the best." Li Mei said stubbornly, she had a brother after all, and wasn't afraid of the Qin family.

  "Listen, you silly girl," said Mrs. Li, pinching Li Mei's ear. "Think about it, your brother went to the Qin family and caused trouble. Even if we can't beat them, your brother and his wife will benefit from this and come back home. You'll still have to live with them afterwards. Besides, the Qin family has good relationships and their eldest son is a team leader with prestige. If they refuse to admit defeat, your four brothers won't get any benefits either, who knows, they might even get beaten up. Think about it deeply, if things escalate, the Qin family really won't want you as their daughter-in-law anymore. You'll have to come back home, but your brothers can't support you and your sisters-in-law will bully you. To be honest, you're not particularly good-looking and you're already 26 years old, married with a child, what kind of man can you find? Maybe your sisters-in-law will sell you off to some blind or crippled man for the dowry money. You don't have any dowry, even if you remarry, people will look down on you."

  Li Mei's face turned pale, and she was startled. She really hadn't expected to divorce Qin Ming. But thinking of the frightening gaze Qin Ming had this morning, if her brother went to stir up trouble, that stubborn man might really not want her anymore.

  "That......so I was beaten by Qin Mingbai just like that?" Li Mei said unwillingly, but her tone of voice was clearly lacking in confidence.

  "How can it be a waste of beating? You stay here for two days, Qinming doesn't come, I'll send you back, don't let your brother and sister-in-law get involved." Li Mu ordered that the four daughters-in-law were not good things, and they couldn't let their only daughter have a bad life.

  How could they have anticipated that Xia Hua would go to the vegetable garden to pick vegetables, and after listening for half a day behind the house, especially this old man who wouldn't die, letting the young girls be on guard against them, saying they had a guilty conscience. He was furious, not caring about anything, and threw the basket forward, saying: "Is there such a mother like you? Our Li family's people were beaten by others, you didn't let us few know, to give Xiaomei justice back. You even went to the Qin family to admit your mistake, aren't you ashamed, we are too."

  Mrs. Li said in her heart that it was not good, but she had always been timid and could only say dryly: "Bin'er's mother, which couple doesn't quarrel? You don't know Qin Ming, he is very honest..."

  Xia Hua's eyes lit up as she thought of what the young girl had said earlier, that Qin's youngest sister was back from the big city. This time, with a bit of commotion, maybe they could get some benefits out of it. Even if they couldn't get any money, at least they might be able to get some grain. If there wasn't any grain, how would they give the old man 30 kilograms of rice every month?

  "If you were honest, you could still hit Xiaomei. I think you're old and muddled. I'll go find Bin'er's father to get justice for Xiaomei." Xiaohua didn't even bother to pick up the basket, and rushed home excitedly.

  Mrs. Li was exasperated, and pushed her foolish daughter who was standing there in a daze, saying: "You've brought this on yourself, you're ruining a good life, why must you stir up trouble and make our home unsettled."

  Li Mei was scared, holding only her mother's hand, and said: "Mother, what to do now? I don't want to divorce Qin Ming anymore." Thinking of her sister-in-law and brother's greed, she shuddered and ran out.

  Xia Hua shouted, and several brothers living nearby came over to ask what was going on. These two brothers were tyrants in Guangyuan Village, and a few lazy villagers also followed the excitement, carrying hoes and shovels, rushing to Xiangfu Village.

  Li Mei walked for two hours in the afternoon, without drinking a drop of water, and was already so hungry that her stomach was sticking to her back. Her pace couldn't keep up with her two brothers, younger brother, sister-in-law, and younger sister-in-law.

  Mom said it's right, these brothers from her husband's side are all locusts. Once they arrive at her house, they will surely cause trouble and she will end up suffering losses. Li Mei gritted her teeth and followed them, not wanting things to get out of hand. If only she had known earlier, she would have taken care of it with a clear mind. As she walked, she thought about how her father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and even the younger sister-in-law were actually quite good to her, much better than her own brothers. Alas, she had lived a good life for several years and was not content. She thought back to before she got married, when every day she would get up before dawn to work, washing clothes, cooking meals, scrubbing pots and pans, doing everything herself, and still having to go out to work in the fields. The dowry given by the Qin family had been divided among her three sisters-in-law, and she didn't even have a decent set of clothes. It was only when Qin Ming heard about it that he secretly bought her a piece of clothing.

  Think about what Mother said earlier, if we get divorced, not only will I have to leave Qin Ming and our lovely son, but my brother and sister-in-law will also sell me to a cripple or a blind person to make money from the betrothal gifts.

  They soon arrived at Xiangfu Village, and Li Mei's brother and sister-in-law had been there a few times, so they knew where Qin Ming's home was. A few people kicked open the door with one foot. Every household here has wooden doors with fences, which can't withstand these heavy kicks.

  Li Dazhu held a stick and shouted loudly: "Qin Ming, you coward, hurry up and come out. You have the guts to hit my sister, don't you dare come out?"

  The neighbors looked over and saw Li Mei's brother, they quickly let the children in their homes go to Qin De's house to report the news. He didn't idle around either, running out from the back door of the vegetable field, calling for other villagers to come and help. With seven or eight people coming over, just the two Qin brothers couldn't win a fight and would be bullied.

  Although the villagers will gossip, when something really happens, they will help each other out. Distant relatives are not as good as close neighbors, which is fully embodied at this time.

  As soon as everyone heard that the captain's brother's house was smashed, they immediately rushed over to help, even if they didn't fight, they could at least make up the numbers.

  Qin Shan, Qin De is educating Qin Ming right now, just about to go downstairs and take a look. Unexpectedly, Er Mao's son came to report that Li Mei's family had arrived and was causing trouble at the Qin Ming's house.

  Qin Shan was stunned, thinking that his second daughter-in-law was just coming home to stay for two days and would let Qin Ming go pick her up. But he never expected that she would actually bring her brothers from her natal family over to cause trouble. Which couple doesn't fight? If they all beat each other up, I reckon not many families can live in peace.

  Qin Ming got angry, with a vein bulging on his forehead, he stamped his foot and said: "Bastard, let's fight them to the end."

  Qin De pulled Qin Ming and said: "Don't be too particular about things, Dad, little sister, you stay at home, I'll go take a look with Second Brother."

  "I couldn't sit still!" Qin Shan followed them out, Liu Guihua was worried and instructed Qin Qing for a few sentences, fearing someone would break in, hurriedly locked the door before heading to Qin Ming's house.