TSWPF – Chapter 24 Cruelty

When Li Qingling pounded on the door outside, Madam Liu and Madam Lin were terrified. Their bodies trembled and they didn’t dare make a sound, afraid Li Qingling would burst in and stab them with a knife.

Old Man Li shot them a displeased look, then stood up and headed for the door.

He refused to believe a granddaughter could do anything to him.

“Old man, what are you doing?” Madam Liu hurriedly called to stop him. “Li Qingling’s gone mad out there — are you really going to open the door and let her in?” If Li Qingling got in, would they even survive?

“Not opening the door? You want to wait for her to break it down?” Old Man Li snorted and ignored Madam Liu, taking another step toward the door.

Madam Liu’s whole body shook with fear as she grabbed Old Man Li to stop him.

Outside, Li Qingling caught her breath twice and resumed pounding on the door.

Liu Zhimou had rushed over to Old Li’s house and saw Li Qingling acting so frantically. He hurried forward and pulled Li Qingling’s hand, trying to calm her and stop her from acting rashly.

She ripped her hand free, face full of fury. “Don’t stop me. My mother was killed by Liu and Lin. I came here today to get justice.” If she did nothing, Liu and Lin would think they could walk all over her, and next time something like this would happen again.

“What?” Liu Zhimou’s eyes widened. “What happened?” He had thought Madam Zhao had simply fallen and had a premature birth, but now he realized there was more to it.

Li Qingling kicked the door until the boards clattered. “Liu and Lin went to my house to take our meager grain. My mother tried to stop them and they shoved her to the ground. If they hadn’t been so vicious, would my mother have died?”

Thinking of that kind woman who had treated her so well, the corners of Li Qingling’s eyes stung.

Hearing this, Liu Zhimou’s expression hardened. He turned and bowed slightly to the crowd of villagers who had come to watch. “Uncles and aunts, I’m sure you heard what Xiaoling said. Please help poor Aunt Zhao get justice.”

He and Li Qingling were still young; their words carried less weight. If the villagers helped, things would be different.

Although the villagers loved gossip and a spectacle, most of them had kind hearts. Hearing Li Qingling and Liu Zhimou and thinking of poor Madam Zhao, their sympathy was stirred.

A woman roughly the same age as Madam Liu was the first to step forward. She slapped the door and called out Madam Liu and Madam Lin’s names loudly, telling them to come out or everyone would start breaking the door down.

Inside, Madam Liu and Madam Lin were terrified. They repeatedly asked Old Man Li what to do — would they be beaten to death?

Old Man Li hadn’t expected Madam Zhao’s death to involve his wife and his son’s wife.

A few days earlier he’d heard there was a newborn granddaughter and had suggested Madam Liu and Madam Lin go check on them and offer help. But they had refused, saying if they went and were then accused by Li Qingling it would be bad. No matter how he tried to persuade them, they refused. He’d given up — after all, she had married out of the family; whether they went or not didn’t matter so much. He never expected today’s trouble to erupt.

“Explain yourselves — what exactly happened?”

Madam Liu rubbed her hands and avoided Old Man Li’s gaze. In a small voice she tried to cast doubt on Li Qingling’s words, saying Li Qingling was only making a fuss to freeload, that she’d invented the story.

Old Man Li had lived with Madam Liu for years; he could tell when she felt guilty by looking at her.

He glared at her and said, “I’ll ask again — what happened? If you don’t tell me properly, I’ll open the door right now. I won’t protect you anymore and you can fend for yourselves.” With the sound of the kicks outside, his heart churned.

Now truly afraid Old Man Li might abandon her, Madam Liu told the story in a low voice, but she shifted all the blame onto Madam Lin. If Madam Lin hadn’t shoved, none of this would have happened — Madam Lin bore the most responsibility, she said.

Madam Lin wouldn’t accept that. “Mother, you can’t blame me! You pulled me to go to the Li family in the first place. If you hadn’t, none of this would’ve happened!”

Mother and daughter-in-law started arguing, each pushing responsibility to the other.

Old Man Li rubbed his temple and told them to stop — arguing wouldn’t help.

He shot an especially angry look at Madam Lin. How dare she talk back to her mother-in-law?

“Teach your wife properly so she learns respect for elders,” he had just said to his son when the courtyard gate came down with a thud.

The door had been broken down…

“It’s over, it’s over — old man, you must save me this time!” Once Madam Liu and Old Man Li finished speaking, Madam Liu ran into her room and locked the door from the inside.

Madam Lin wasn’t about to be outdone. She hurried back to her room and left Old Man Li and Li Laifu to handle the mess.

Li Qingling, eyes reddened, held a knife and rushed into the courtyard first. She glared at Old Man Li and Li Laifu and demanded they hand over Madam Liu and Madam Lin.

Old Man Li looked at the crowd and then at Li Qingling. He kept a stern face. “What are you trying to do? Do you still see me as your grandfather?”

Since she had left the family, the granddaughter had changed. She used to never speak up; now she repeatedly contradicted her elders.

Li Qingling sneered. “What I want you know perfectly well, Grandpa.” Her gaze was sharp. “I’ve come today to demand justice for my mother.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“If you don’t, your wife and daughter-in-law do.” Li Qingling tightened her grip on the knife. “Killing must be paid for with a life. If Grandpa doesn’t hand over the murderer today, don’t blame me for being ruthless.” Don’t think this will be brushed aside just because there are no adults in her house.

As long as she was around, this matter couldn’t be easily swept under the rug.

Li Qingling’s wild-eyed, wolf-like stare chilled even Old Man Li; he knew this would not end peacefully.

“Killing and paying with a life — you can’t say things like that,” he protested. He couldn’t admit Madam Liu and Madam Lin had killed anyone. If he did, his family’s shame would be exposed.

Li Qingling’s mouth curved slightly, but her eyes grew colder. “If that’s the case, have Grandma and Auntie come out and face me. If they didn’t do it, I will kneel and kowtow and apologize.” Li Qingling would not lie.

Her words put Old Man Li in a bind. If he refused to call them out, it would look like he was hiding something. If he did call them out, he feared Li Qingling might go berserk and hurt them.

Seeing Old Man Li hesitate, Li Qingling threw the knife to the ground and spread her hands. “Satisfied now?”

“The old man, tell them to come out and we’ll see.” The village head arrived and said with a dark face.

He had been fed up with the trouble the women from Old Li’s house caused.

With the village head’s words, Old Man Li could no longer refuse. He turned to Li Laifu and told him to call his mother and daughter-in-law out.

Hopefully Madam Liu and Madam Lin would be sensible and not panic.

Madam Liu and Madam Lin shuffled out of their rooms slowly. Faced with the full courtyard of people, they were startled. Madam Liu regained her composure quickly — she was older and steadier — and asked Li Qingling what she wanted.

“No need to pretend. You know why I’m here.” Li Qingling gave her no face and answered directly.

Madam Liu planted a hand on her hip and pointed at Li Qingling. “Li Qingling, I am your grandmother. How dare you talk to your elders like that? Ungrateful child.” Filial piety was everything; calling her unfilial was meant to shame her.

Li Qingling’s expression grew darker but she wouldn’t let the topic be diverted. “Don’t try and change the subject. I’m here today to get justice for my mother.” She had no patience for Madam Liu’s theatrics.

Thinking of Madam Zhao, Madam Liu hunched her shoulders and mumbled, “What does Madam Zhao’s death have to do with me?” She absolutely could not admit any involvement; if she did, it would be the end of her.

“Two days ago, did you and Auntie go to my house?” Li Qingling looked at Madam Lin. “Don’t try to fool people — someone in the village saw you leaving my house.”

At this, Madam Liu’s words died in her throat. “We… went? So what? That doesn’t prove your mother’s death has anything to do with us.”

Old Man Li closed his eyes helplessly. This wife was nothing but fierce at home.

Under Li Qingling’s pressure, the truth slipped out.

Li Qingling’s face was icy, like an envoy from hell as she stared at Madam Liu. “Do you dare swear to heaven?” She didn’t believe Madam Liu would. “If you’re lying, may heaven strike you down and end your line.”

That oath was vicious enough to make Old Man Li and Madam Liu blanch. They muttered that Li Qingling was too cruel for someone so young, to make such a vicious vow.