TSWPF -Chapter 186 Cowardice

Li Laifu saw that Liu Zhimou was completely impervious to persuasion, and hatred gnawed at his heart until his teeth clenched. “Scholar Liu, don’t think that just because you’re a xiucai you can do whatever you please. I’m telling you, I, Li Laifu, am no coward. I’m not afraid of you!”
If he didn’t want to go, could Liu Zhimou really force him?

“Since Uncle Li has such courage, that’s even better,” Liu Zhimou said calmly. He glanced at Li Laifu, then turned to Zeng Tietou. “Uncle Zeng, please go to the yamen and use my name to ask the constables to come here.”

As soon as Liu Zhimou finished speaking, Li Laifu’s heart jolted. He could tell Liu Zhimou was serious. If he refused to go, the constables really would come and drag him away.

If he entered the yamen, he might never come out again.

No, that wouldn’t do. He absolutely could not go—no matter what.

Seeing Zeng Tietou lift his foot to leave, Li Laifu panicked and hurriedly called out, “Wait—wait! If there’s something to say, we can talk it out properly. Why do we have to do this?”

Liu Zhimou gave Zeng Tietou a look. Zeng Tietou immediately stopped and waited for Liu Zhimou’s instructions.

“What is it you want to say, Uncle Li?” Liu Zhimou asked.

Li Laifu forced a smile onto his face. “Scholar Liu, it’s not convenient to talk here. Why don’t we go inside and discuss it?” Once they were inside, with fewer people watching, he could say whatever he wanted. What could Liu Zhimou do to him then?

Liu Zhimou looked at Li Laifu with a half-smile. Didn’t this show of weakness only prove that he had a guilty conscience?

“If there’s something to say, say it right here,” he replied. “Let everyone bear witness.”

He wasn’t stupid. How could he possibly go inside with Li Laifu? Once inside, if Li Laifu did something, could he even defend himself?

Just like that wretched girl Li Qingling—hard-boned to the core.

Li Laifu clenched his fists tightly and bit down hard on his gums to suppress the rage that was about to explode. “If that’s the case, then there’s nothing more to say.” With that, he turned and went into the house.

He had to go inside and think of a way out—somewhere he could escape.

Judging by Li Qingling and Liu Zhimou’s attitudes, they clearly weren’t going to let him off this time. He couldn’t just sit here and wait to die.

Once he escaped, let’s see how they’d catch him.

Liu Zhimou snorted coldly and signaled to Zeng Tietou to go to the yamen.

Zeng Tietou nodded silently and strode away.

Seeing this, Old Li frowned and shot Li Qingling a reproachful look, anger surging as he said, “Li Qingling, what exactly do you want? Do you really have to destroy our family before you’re satisfied? Huh?”

If he had known this wretched girl was so vicious, he should have strangled her to death the moment she was born. “Even though you’ve severed ties with us, by blood we’re still family. Do you really want to turn on your own kin?”

Li Qingling looked at Old Li expressionlessly and said flatly, “I’ve wanted to ask you this for a long time—was my father really your biological son? How could you be so cruel to him? If you had been willing to spend money back then, my father wouldn’t have died.”

She had truly never seen such heartless parents, able to watch their own son die without lifting a finger. “Don’t think I don’t know—my mother was also killed by Madam Liu. If it weren’t for Village Head Grandpa stepping in to mediate, would she still be standing here shouting?”

People’s hearts could be biased, but Old Li and Madam Liu were biased beyond measure. In their eyes, only Li Laifu was their son—Li Laigui was treated as if he had been picked up from the roadside.

She truly hated Old Li and Madam Liu—hated their favoritism, hated their cruelty.

Seeing the hatred in Li Qingling’s eyes and thinking of his younger son Li Laigui, Old Li felt a trace of bitterness in his heart. He opened his mouth to speak, but Madam Liu beat him to it.

“Old man, the master said Li Laigui has a hard fate—he brings misfortune to his parents and siblings. I wanted to send him away, but you refused. Now look—look at it! Li Laigui’s daughter—just look at the kind of person she is! Her heart is vicious! She was born to bring disaster to our family too!”

Thinking of Li Laigui, Madam Liu was filled with regret. If she had insisted on sending him away back then, their family wouldn’t have suffered like this. “If it weren’t for Li Laigui, I wouldn’t have had a difficult labor, and I wouldn’t have been unable to bear children ever again. This is all Li Laigui’s fault—his fault!”

The more Madam Liu cursed, the louder she became, almost like a madwoman.

Seeing others with many children while she only had two sons and could never give birth again was a deep pain in her heart.

From Madam Liu’s words, Li Qingling finally understood why Madam Liu treated her parents—and them—so badly.

But her father was the most innocent of all, forced to bear Madam Liu’s hatred for no reason.

“If it were possible, I think my father wouldn’t have wanted to be your son either—to live such a painful life,” Li Qingling said coldly as she looked at Madam Liu. “As for whether his fate was hard or not, I don’t know. I only know that this house you live in was built with the money my father earned through hard labor. You’re able to eat yourselves fat because of my father’s efforts. Without him, would you have lived such a life?”

Her father was the biggest fool under heaven—giving his whole heart to Madam Liu and the others, only to receive not a shred of gratitude, and instead making his own wife and children suffer.

If he had just a little selfishness—if he had hidden even a bit of private money—he wouldn’t have died, and his wife and children wouldn’t have lived such miserable lives.

He was truly foolish—so foolish that even at death, he bore no resentment toward Madam Liu or Old Li.

She had never seen such a fool.

Hearing this only made Madam Liu more agitated. She waved her hand and shouted angrily, “That’s what he owed me! He had to repay it! If it weren’t for him, I would’ve had more children!”
Everything was Li Laigui’s fault—it was he who caused her to lose the ability to bear children.

Looking at Madam Liu, who seemed half-crazed, Li Qingling knew there was something wrong with her mind, which made her so unreasonable.

But no matter what, her heart ached for her father. If he had known Madam Liu was this kind of person, with such a twisted mindset, would he still have given so much for her?

Sadly, she would never know her father’s thoughts. He died so early—no longer having to endure Madam Liu’s torment. Perhaps that, at least, was a kind of release.

“Yes, he’s already repaid you—he repaid you with his life. Are you satisfied now?”

“He—”

“That’s enough. Stop talking nonsense,” Old Li said quickly, afraid Madam Liu would say something even more shocking. He reached out and covered her mouth, stopping her from speaking further.

If back then he hadn’t indulged her so much—if he had stopped her even a little—perhaps things wouldn’t have turned out like this.

In the past, he had been poor, while Madam Liu’s family was relatively well-off. She could have married a better man, but she chose him anyway, ignoring her parents’ objections and insisting on marrying him.

Her parents couldn’t dissuade her and eventually had to agree.

After marrying into his family, she endured many hardships with him. Because of this, he was determined to treat her well and indulged her in everything.

She hadn’t always been like this. It was after giving birth to Laigui—after losing the ability to bear children—that her temperament gradually changed.

He saw clearly how she treated Laigui, but for the sake of keeping her happy, he pretended not to see it and let her do as she pleased.

If he had known things would come to this, would he still have indulged her?

“Li Qingling, you should leave quickly. Our family truly does not welcome you,” Old Li said, issuing a direct order to leave.

Every time Li Qingling appeared, nothing good followed. He truly didn’t want to see her again.

He would just pretend that this granddaughter never existed.

After all, they had already severed ties—so she really was no longer his granddaughter.

Li Qingling crossed her arms and looked at Old Li, shaking her head. She wasn’t leaving now.

If she left, what if Li Laifu seized the chance to escape?

She had to stay here and guard the entrance, leaving Li Laifu with no chance to flee.

Hearing this, Old Li was so angry his teeth itched. He took a deep breath and shouted, “What exactly do you want? Huh?” Did she really have to see his eldest son taken away before she’d be satisfied?

Was she really going to take revenge on their family like this?

“I’ve already said it many times,” Li Qingling replied. “If Li Laifu doesn’t come out, I’m not leaving.”

“Fine, then keep waiting!” Old Li snapped. He tossed out those words, dragged Madam Liu with him, and strode into the house. With a loud bang, he slammed the door shut.

Once inside, he saw Li Laifu sitting on a chair. Lowering his voice, he asked him whether he had really done something that wronged Li Qingling.

He understood Li Qingling somewhat—if Li Laifu truly hadn’t done anything, she wouldn’t be clinging so stubbornly to this matter.

In front of so many people, he had to protect his son. But behind closed doors, he also needed to find out what had really happened.

Li Laifu said helplessly, “Father, I don’t understand what you’re talking about. Don’t you care about your own son at all?”

“What’s wrong with you, old man?” Madam Liu shoved Old Li hard, glaring at him in dissatisfaction. “Do you believe that wretched girl Li Qingling? She’s only biting down on our son like this to take revenge on our family!”

That wretched girl had a vicious heart!

“Shut up!” Old Li glared fiercely at Madam Liu, then turned back to Li Laifu and pressed him again. “Laifu, I know what kind of person you are. If you want me to protect you, you’d better tell the truth.”

If Li Laifu truly hadn’t done anything, and Li Qingling was framing him, he would have exploded long ago. He wouldn’t have run back into the house so easily.

That behavior was clearly the sign of a guilty conscience—afraid to face Li Qingling and the others directly.

“Father, what exactly do you want me to say? Are you trying to force me to admit to something I never did?”

Old Li looked at Li Laifu quietly for a few moments, then nodded. “It’d better be that way.”
With that, he walked over to a chair, sat down, and lit his dry tobacco pipe, smoking in silence.