MGASC -Chapter 144 Bully My Sister, and You’re Asking for It

This kind of mother-in-law was truly disgusting—one face in front of people, another behind their backs. Zhang Qiao couldn’t understand how her silly older sister had endured it all these years. With her naïve, sweet personality, it was a miracle she hadn’t already been bullied to death by this family.

If Zhang Qiao hadn’t witnessed it herself, she wouldn’t have believed that a person could change their expression so quickly.

Xu Liang’s mother, dazed, tried to stand up. To show she was frail, she staggered forward, almost falling.

“Oh, isn’t this Lingling’s little sister? Coming from so far—what brings you here? You came, that’s fine, but why bring anything? Coming to see your sister? She’s napping in the room right now. I’ll go get her for you…”

“No need. You’ve got osteoporosis—don’t fall!”

Zhang Qiao stepped into the house. The old lady had tried to snatch the snacks from her hand but came away empty-handed, pouting in frustration.

As soon as she entered the courtyard, she overheard Xu Liang’s self-righteous scolding:

“Mom’s still sick, and here you are—a healthy adult—doing nothing! Not washing clothes, just lying down! Get out now and go wash that pile of clothes!”

Zhang Ling was being forcibly pulled out of bed by her husband. She rubbed her aching waist in grievance.

“Xu Liang, can you be reasonable? I just came back from the town delivering grain taxes. All that grain, I carried it all myself. My waist is twisted. Can’t I lie down here for a while? I’ve been back less than half an hour. Xu Liang, even your family’s oxen aren’t treated this way!”

“So, you want Mom to wash your clothes? How dare you!”

“Who said she washed them? It just so happened that when you got back, she was washing at the doorway. Have you ever seen anyone wash clothes right at the front door?”

“So you mean Mom did it just to show off?”

“Exactly!”

“Zhang Ling, try talking nonsense to me one more time…”

“Nonsense? Aren’t you coming at me right now? This was your mother’s bad idea!”

Slap!

Xu Liang smacked Zhang Ling across the face. She was stunned.

Outside the door, Zhang Qiao heard the slap and felt her heart leap into her throat.

Damn, he actually dared to hit her!

“Sister!”

Zhang Qiao shouted and charged into the room.

Zhang Ling covered her face, her lips trembling with grievance.

Xu Liang and Zhang Ling both stared at Zhang Qiao, surprised—the sister’s family had actually come.

Zhang Qiao’s face was pale with anger. Without another word, she swung her hand and slapped Xu Liang across the face.

The slap was even louder, leaving a clear fingerprint on his cheek.

Xu Liang, a grown man, had been slapped by a small woman. His face turned iron-cold.

“Zhang Qiao, who do you think you are, daring to hit me!”

He stormed toward her aggressively. Unexpectedly, Zhang Ling suddenly lunged, crashing into his chest.

“Xu Liang, try touching my sister, and you’re asking for it!”

She was furious. Xu Liang’s ribs nearly broke from the impact. He fell backward, thankfully catching the edge of the table behind him with his hands, but his waist slammed into the corner. Pain shot through him, his face pale.

“Zhang Ling, you—”

“You what!” Zhang Qiao grabbed her sister and pulled her to her side. “Xu Liang, you’ve really done it! You cried and begged to marry my sister, and this is how you treat her? Hitting her at the slightest provocation—you could at least treat her like a person!”

“How have I not treated her like a person…”

“In other families, delivering grain taxes is done by men. Are you dead? A bag of grain weighs at least a hundred pounds, and you expect a woman to do that? Xu Liang, you’re despicable!”

Xu Liang gasped in pain. “I…I’ve been busy at school.”

“Busy? I think you’ve just been eating too much! Coming home, you don’t care about your wife, don’t ask if she’s tired, or why she’s lying here. You only know how to pick fights!”

“Not only do you pick fights, you hit people! Really something, Xu Liang. A ‘people’s teacher,’ indeed. I’ll take my sister to your school and see—do you know any other teachers who do nothing but hit their wives?”

Zhang Qiao looked at her sister, whose face was streaming with tears. “Sister, let’s go!”

Zhang Ling was beyond heartbroken.

The last time she had tried to overlook things for the sake of years of history, she had hoped to give Xu Liang another chance. But her tolerance had not tempered him—he had only grown worse.

He even began swinging at her.

That slap shattered the years of their relationship and ripped apart the last shred of her dignity.

Yes, Zhang Ling’s worst self was exposed before her family. What did she have left to shield him from?

She wiped her tears and sobbed, “Alright, Qiao Qiao, I’ll pack my things now.”

She turned to collect her belongings. Seeing that they were serious, Xu Liang and the recently arrived Mrs. Xu panicked slightly.

“What’s all this about? Liangzi, I said I’d wash the clothes. You don’t need to. Why are you hitting people? Zhang Ling, go talk to your sister. If it doesn’t work, I, as an old lady, will apologize.”

Xu Liang originally wanted to back down. But hearing his mother apologize, he got furious again and grabbed her.

“Mom, let her leave if she wants! Our house will survive without her!”

Zhang Ling, crying, packed her few belongings. She realized just how little she owned.

After barely fitting her clothes and toiletries into a bundle, she took Zhang Qiao and left.

From behind came Xu Liang’s voice: “Zhang Ling, think carefully—once you step out that door, coming back won’t be easy!”

Zhang Ling’s steps faltered. Her heart grew colder.

Zhang Qiao held her sister without looking back. “What is this, the Imperial Palace? You think you can come back? Beg my sister? She’s not coming back!”

At the door, seeing that pile of dirty clothes, Zhang Qiao kicked it over in anger.

“Sister, I really didn’t expect you to live like this. You heard what that man said. You need some backbone—this time, make me proud!”

On the way, Zhang Qiao listened as her sister sobbed, a mixture of sorrow and anger.

Fearing villagers might follow, she hailed a tricycle, paid the driver, and got the two of them to the county town.

The wind dried Zhang Ling’s tears on the bumpy ride. When they got off, clutching her bundle, she no longer wanted to cry—but uncertainty about the future gripped her.

Her initial departure had been impulsive. But now, where should she go?

To her younger sister’s house? But why would anyone take her in?

Zhang Qiao read her mind in an instant. “Sister, remember what I told you last time? I need help at my place. I came today to ask you to work for me. We sold the chickens, the house is painted. You’ll live with me. Help me watch the workers, and I’ll give you a hundred yuan a month.”

Zhang Ling looked up, astonished.