Liu Meishu was banging her head against the wall, stopped by Qingshan’s wife, who reacted quickly, "You can’t cause trouble here. People would think Uncle’s family forced you to seek death."
"Don’t pull me. I can’t live with shame. I might as well give this life back to his family. Who told my family to be poor without any backbone... Poor people have lowly lives, can’t even find a place to reason..."
Lin Juhua slapped Qingshan’s wife’s hand disdainfully and said, "Why are you pulling her? If she really wanted to die, would she let you stop her?"
"Juhua, say one less word. Consider your elders; Big Aunt is here. Stop making trouble, even if the kid did say something about you. You’re old enough, why are you still fussing with them?"
Qingshan’s wife then spoke to Liu Meishu, "Quickly apologize to my Aunt. It’s lucky my Aunt is kind; if it were someone else, you’d have been kicked out already. Besides, my Uncle hasn’t even spoken yet."
Ping’an looked meaningfully at Zhang Qingshan’s wife. How interesting! Is this a ploy to break the ice, so later she can use crying and trouble to force our family into arranging a job? You really can’t underestimate these illiterate village women; they’re sly with their schemes.
Ping’an stared at her, slowly smiled, and let out a soft laugh, "So it seems, you’ve kindly passed judgment on the three of us brothers already?"
Qingshan’s wife felt a chill in her heart and quickly said with feigned annoyance, "You child, Uncle’s wife couldn’t care more for you three. See, you misunderstood!"
Ping’an lazily ignored her, waved a hand to interrupt her, walked slowly in front of them, stared at Liu Meishu, curled his lips, half-smiling at her, "Do you know just that kind of trash, you’re lucky we recognize your grandparents, otherwise would you dare step out of our courtyard? Who do you think we three brothers are?"
May 1st said offhandedly, with hidden meaning, "Big Brother, why bother talking to them? Really thinks they’re the little master’s elders, what riffraff dare?! A job? Even if the little master could give one, would you dare take it?"
Liu Yi frowned, "Crushing her is like squashing an ant, why waste the effort? Send her to fix the dam, don’t play her to death."
With the casual sneering of the three brothers, Liu Meishu panicked and hurriedly called out, "You, you dare? I haven’t done anything wrong."
Uncle Zhang nudged Mr. Zhang. Mr. Zhang glanced at him, shook his head slightly. These three kids want to establish their authority, would he, as their grandfather, hold them back?
He had long disliked those few ingrates in his sister’s family. A lesson might be good, let everyone present see his three grandsons aren’t clueless children, and stop scheming against them.
——What would be the consequences, nobody can guarantee that.
After May 1st finished, he jumped off the chair, smiling as he approached Ping’an, looking cheerfully at Qingshan’s wife, Huang Cuilan, and finally Liu Meishu, letting out a soft laugh.
"The little master just doesn’t understand, you’ve lived enough years, how could you live so senselessly? Tsk tsk, even daring to anger my grandmother."
As May 1st spoke, he shook his head and laughed, "You didn’t do anything wrong? Just because you threatened the general’s grandson..." With that, he smiled and reached out to her, squinting, making a shooting gesture, "Bang, dead without a word, believe it?"
Believe!
Everyone present believed!
Especially Qingshan’s wife and Huang Cuilan, who’d just been scrutinized, felt their scalp tingling. They clearly understood the child was warning them.
Despite the child’s small limbs, he smiled innocently, yet everyone could sense deep malice.
Liu Yi, sitting silently, jumped off the chair, went to the door, and clapped his hands. Xiao Wang and Xiao Zheng, on guard outside, immediately pushed through the crowd to stand before him.
"Uncle Wang, Uncle Zheng, don’t let May 1st play her to death. Would you mind taking a trip to send this old woman back to the village?" Liu Yi said lightly.
After a pause, "Oh, let that brigade captain reflect, his work wasn’t up to par. Tell him, if he can’t handle it, don’t take the job."
Is that what he meant? The youngest is just like his mother, smiling while ready to strike. He could imagine the brigade captain would know how to handle his niece.
Ping’an sat quietly by Mother Zhang’s side, listening to Qingshan’s wife judging Liu Meishu, a dark gleam flashed in his eyes. It seemed the three brothers should head out, his father’s name was being used too freely by some, affecting their reputation.
As Liu Yi listened to the mixed chatter, he frowned and looked at Mr. Zhang, "Grandfather, I’m a bit sleepy, I’m going back first."
"Alright, alright. Let your grandmother accompany you back."
Ping’an stood up, holding Liu Yi’s hand, "No need, let my grandmother chat with Big Aunt; I’ll take my brothers back for a nap."
...
After the three kids waved goodbye, the women chatting in the hall and the three elder men on the kang fell silent, everyone thoughtfully staring at the ground.
Qingshan’s wife saw the situation wasn’t good, pulling Lin Juhua and a disoriented Huang Cuilan out of the hall and into the kitchen.
She looked outside, patted her chest, "Scared me to death, why am I so talkative? I feel the three kids are upset with me, truly innocent!"
Lin Juhua didn’t speak. What could she say? Admit everyone has secrets? Or comment the kids didn’t mean anything? Such words are clear to all; pretending to comfort was unnecessary.
She glanced at Huang Cuilan and sighed inwardly. Today’s drama of ’killing the chicken to scare the monkey,’ hopefully she’ll reflect well and not assume a son in college and one in the revolutionary committee means they’re unstoppable.
Do you think your attitude scares them? May 1st already said, really think you’re the little master’s elder? Those words aren’t only aimed at Liu Meishu.

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