Li Youqing immediately left Ke Xiaohong behind, rushing to keep pace with his cousin to investigate the scene ahead. Along the way, his cousin gave a brief account of what had happened.
With every word, Li Youqing’s heart grew heavier. He couldn’t help but curse Jiang Hongdou dozens of times in his mind.
As for Ke Xiaohong, who had been left behind, she had no complaints at all; in fact, she was quite pleased. She hadn't yet figured out how to squeeze some money out of her father-in-law. Yes, she had given up on the idea of a job from the start because she was an outsider to the family. She lacked her sister-in-law’s cunning and lacked the backing of her mother-in-law, so they would never give her a job. Even when Jianshe was alive, she hadn't managed to get one, let alone now that he was dead. Rather than fighting for something unrealistic, it was better to grasp what she actually could.
Money—she had to get her hands on it. She was determined to succeed. She needed to plan this carefully.
Seeing the two men walking further away, Ke Xiaohong stopped her brainstorming and hurried to catch up. She had heard exactly what her cousin-in-law had said earlier. She never expected that, in this second life, she would witness such a vivid and interesting spectacle; she could barely keep from laughing out loud even in her dreams. In this life, she had prayed for her mother-in-law’s downfall, and she hadn't expected the heavens to start cleaning house so soon after her return.
Oh, this was just too wonderful.
She needed to get there quickly. She hoped her sister-in-law would show some grit; it would be perfect if she could just tear this family apart.
"Where is everyone? Where did you all die off to?" Li Youqing stormed into the courtyard, his anger surging. Seeing the pool of blood on the ground, his vision blurred with rage.
"Big Brother, Sister-in-law’s foot is swollen, so I helped her lie down on the bed. Youcai took Youfeng to the hospital, and Jianguo went along too," the second sister-in-law said, emerging from the house to address the man shouting in the front yard.
This was originally the room of the second son, Jianshe. Since everyone was busy helping, and the second sister-in-law couldn't carry Jiang Hongdou, she had to arrange for her to be placed in the nearest available room.
Jiang Hongdou’s face burned with pain. Her body hurt everywhere—lying down, sitting, even lying on her side. That bitch Li Youfeng had specifically targeted the soft flesh at her waist, inner thighs, and inner arms, making her tremble with agony. She wanted to tear her to pieces. The piercing pain only fueled her hatred, and it spilled over into her speech.
"That bitch, that foul-mouthed piece of trash! It’s no wonder she can’t bear a son. Whoever’s son enters her family is cursed for eight lifetimes. If she’s really miscarried, I’ll set off a string of firecrackers to celebrate! She acts like she’s as sturdy as an ox, hitting me with such force—with that kind of toughness, she’s pregnant? I don't believe it for a second. She’s probably trying to extort us, splashing chicken blood in her pants. I’m not buying it. She’s just looking for trouble—like lighting a match in a latrine, courting disaster."
Li Youqing turned sharply and headed straight for the room where Jiang Hongdou was lying, his face full of murderous intent. He had heard her cursing Youfeng while still outside the door. His fury shot straight to his head.
*The wretched woman,* he thought. *She’s caused such a catastrophe and shows no remorse. Today is the day of our second son’s funeral, yet she dares to make such a scene. Does she want to prevent him from resting in peace? Does she have to drag everyone else down with her?*
As soon as he entered, he grabbed Jiang Hongdou by the collar. *Slap, slap, slap!* The crisp sounds of his hand striking her face echoed through the room.
Outside, the second sister-in-law and Ke Xiaohong, who had just arrived, watched in shock as their mother-in-law’s already bruised cheek instantly swelled into the head of a pig.
"Li Youqing, you bastard! How dare you hit me? I’ve spent half my life slaving away for this family—if I’ve done nothing else, I’ve at least suffered! Why are you hitting me? You heartless wretch! Ah… you bastard!" As she spoke, she tried to flail at Li Youqing with both hands and feet.
Li Youqing didn't pamper her; he hit her twice more. He knew his wife’s character all too well; if he didn't beat some sense into her, she wouldn't talk like a human being.
"Are you calm now? Do you want to continue?"
Seeing Jiang Hongdou shake her head, Li Youqing continued, "Today is your son’s funeral. Look at what you’re doing! Do you only feel happy when you’ve offended every single relative we have? And you hit Youfeng—I’m telling you, you’d better pray she’s alright, or you can pack your bags and get back to your maiden home."
He walked away without looking back. Several people were missing, and he had to make arrangements immediately. Otherwise, burying his son today would become a problem. Even though the weather was cold and a few more days wouldn't hurt, given the chaos today, who knew what else might happen? *No,* he thought, *the dead must come first.* After all, it was his own son; he had to handle this final journey properly to fulfill their bond as father and son.
Watching the beating, Ke Xiaohong could barely suppress the curve of her lips; she had to bite her teeth together for fear of laughing out loud. The second sister-in-law didn't dare approach the storm either; her brother-in-law’s expression earlier had been terrifying, as if he might eat someone alive. She was truly impressed by her sister-in-law’s audacity—daring to light the fuse right in front of him. Seeing her sister-in-law’s face swollen so badly that her eyes were nearly shut, she poked her arm and turned to leave. The battlefield was too brutal; it was better to stay away.
The second sister-in-law scurried off, and Ke Xiaohong turned and followed.
"Doctor! Doctor, help! Save her! My wife is pregnant and bleeding! Hurry!"
As soon as the tricycle came to a halt, Lin Dequan jumped off and lunged forward, grabbing a man in a white coat and dragging him over. The doctor gasped for air as he began to examine the patient.
Breathing: present, shallow.
Pulse: present, weak.
Complexion: pale, white around the lips.
Consciousness: unresponsive.
Blood continued to flow incessantly from her legs.
The doctor’s expression tightened; his heart sank. "This is very bad. It looks like the mother is hemorrhaging."
"Quick!" the doctor shouted. "The rest of you, help move her to the emergency room! Now!"
The doctor took the lead, rushing to push the gurney. The patient needed surgery immediately. Upon hearing they were heading to the emergency room, the group panicked, quickly moving Youfeng onto the gurney as doctors and nurses hurried her into the operating room.
"Family members, one of you needs to come over immediately to pay the fees. The patient has lost too much blood and the bleeding won't stop; she needs surgery right away."
None of them had expected such a disaster today. No one had much money on them, and even after emptying their pockets, it wasn't enough. In the end, Jianguo had to run out to borrow money from a colleague who lived nearby.
Once the payment was made, they waited anxiously outside the operating room. The sister-in-law’s husband looked like a man possessed, his eyes fixed on the door, mumbling to himself.
"It’s all my fault, it’s all my fault. If I had pulled them apart in time, this wouldn't have happened. My child… you have to be strong, you must be strong…" As he spoke, his eyes turned red.
The second uncle sighed and pulled Jianguo aside. "I’ll watch here. You go back. Your brother’s funeral is today, and they can’t do it without you. I’ll keep an eye on things here."
Jianguo nodded, glanced at his sister-in-law’s husband and then at the operating room door, and turned to leave.
Several hours later, the operating room door finally opened.
"Family of Li Youfeng? Is the family of Li Youfeng here?"