Chapter 273: Wang Mei’s Combat Power Soars

’So, what bad luck had their family run into to keep attracting such oddballs?’

"Are you all right, Third Sister-in-law? If so, why don’t you give me a hand feeding the pigs?"

Her third sister-in-law’s eyes immediately reddened further. Her expression was one of sheer disbelief, as if she couldn’t imagine she would add to her misery while she was busy pouring her heart out.

"I—I have things to do at home. With so many of you here, you don’t need my help."

Wang Mei put on a fake smile. "In that case, you’d better get going, Third Sister-in-law. I won’t keep you."

’She knew it. Her third sister-in-law, though hardworking, was also quite shrewd.’

Besides, Wang Mei didn’t actually dare let her do any work. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be long before the whole village heard her sister-in-law’s laments.

Still, compared to Liu Hong, her third sister-in-law’s flaws—crying at the drop of a hat, always looking miserable, and a love for complaining—suddenly seemed tolerable to Wang Mei.

’At most, I’ll just have to see less of her in the future.’

’Sigh... It felt like seeing her just once more would be enough for all my good fortune to be cried away.’

Still, Wang Mei gave her a bag of white sugar to take home.

Yun Jiao: "That auntie sure cries a lot."

Wang Mei: "Just try not to talk to her much in the future. That’s just how she is."

’Just talking to her is exhausting.’

The pigs were fed, but Yun Linhe still hadn’t arrived. Wang Mei decided to just take the children and the two elders to go gather pig feed.

They couldn’t stay idle, anyway.

With the adults around, they weren’t afraid of running into any troublemakers.

It was just their bad luck, though, to run into Liu Hong on the road. She was cracking melon seeds and chatting with two other gossips.

The two women chatting with Liu Hong were well-known gossips in Wang Family Village.

The moment Wang Mei’s group appeared, the trio’s gazes turned to them, full of meaning.

"Well, well, Meizi’s back. Things are different now that your family’s struck it rich, aren’t they? You don’t even greet your own sister-in-law when you see her."

"Exactly. Getting all high and mighty. And letting your niece bully others? That’s just not right. You have to teach children properly, or you’ll never be able to correct them. Going to someone else’s house and hitting their kids... everyone’s just going to say their mother raised them poorly, that they’re ill-mannered."

Clearly, Liu Hong had already spread a wildly embellished version of yesterday’s events.

Yun Jiao: ’I want to charge up there and fight.’

Right now, however, she was in her Little Aunt’s arms, snarling and baring her teeth like a little cat with its hackles raised.

So adorably fierce.

Wang Mei had her hands full just trying to hold the little tyke back.

’Her Jiaojiao is as slippery as a fish.’

’Good thing Jiaojiao wasn’t really trying.’

"Jiaojiao, hold still. Watch me."

Even though she had married and left the village, she still knew a thing or two about some of the people there.

"Aunt Wu, you’ve got time to stand here gossiping? Hasn’t Granny Chen been looking for you? Well, I’ll be sure to mention I saw you when I pass by your house."

The darker, thinner of the two women’s face fell instantly.

"Heh heh, no need for that. I was just on my way to do the laundry."

’If that old hag found out she was slacking off, she’d be in for it when she got back.’

"Aunt Zhou, your son still hasn’t found a match, has he? What’s the matter, are the matchmakers slacking? I actually know quite a few good girls myself, but on second thought... never mind.

A nice girl would have to suffer so much going to your family. And your son’s reputation is way more ’impressive’ than mine. Whenever you do manage to find a daughter-in-law, be sure to let me know. I’ll come for the wedding feast."

"You, you..."

The other woman pointed a trembling finger at Wang Mei. Her son wasn’t a looker, and he’d even done time in prison over something. After he got out, he just loafed around without a job and drank too much. As a result, no one would give him the time of day.

Even the poorest families, or the stepmothers who were cruel to their stepdaughters, wouldn’t marry their girls off to him. After all, who would want a jailbird for an in-law?

Yun Jiao, Yun Xiaowu, and the other children could only watch, awestruck. Wang Mei’s fighting prowess was terrifying. She went straight for her opponents’ sore spots, poking them mercilessly.

They would have loved to hit Wang Mei where it hurt, but the problem was, she didn’t seem to have any weak spots!

They used to be able to say she’d married a poor man.

But now? Her family had bought a motorcycle and built a new house. Her children did well in school. She’d given him four sons, and her husband treated her well.

The thought just made them even more furious!

"You—you’re so rude! So ill-mannered! Is that any way to speak to your elders?"

Wang Mei laughed. "Oh, is that right? In that case, let’s talk about your sons and daughters."

"And you."

Her gaze turned dark as she stared at Liu Hong.

Liu Hong’s heart dropped. She could tell Wang Mei had a huge problem with her today; the urge to beat her up was barely concealed in her eyes.

"You—you wouldn’t dare do anything rash! I’m your sister-in-law! Watch out, or your brother won’t let you off!"

Wang Mei sneered. "Let him try. My father already said that if he ever lays a hand on me for your sake, he’ll disown him immediately. It’ll be like he never had such an unfilial son."

"’Sister-in-law?’ Who do you think you are? The only sister-in-law I, Wang Mei, acknowledge is Sister-in-law Lan Hua. You used shameless tricks to marry my brother, and now you actually think you’re something special.

I put up with you in the past because I didn’t want to stoop to the level of a shameless nobody, but I’m done holding back! If you dare ruin my reputation again, I’ll go buy a megaphone and broadcast everything to the whole village—how you destroyed my brother’s marriage, how you slept your way into this family! I’ll put it on a loop and play it every single day!"

"You wouldn’t dare!"

Liu Hong’s eyes flashed red with fury. She might be shameless, but having her dirty laundry aired by megaphone for the entire village to hear, on a loop no less... no one could endure that.

"Aren’t you afraid of ruining your brother’s reputation?"

Wang Mei scoffed. "He lost his reputation the moment he decided to abandon Sister-in-law Lan Hua and marry a shameless woman like you. He’s the only one left who still thinks he’s important."

The thought of this bitch making their family raise another man’s child—not to mention cheating and making a cuckold of her brother—made Wang Mei’s blood boil. Once she was this furious, she didn’t hold back, not even for her own brother.

Wang Mei’s fighting spirit was soaring. She was more thick-skinned and composed than she’d been as a young, unmarried woman. Liu Hong was trying to manipulate her with the same old tricks, but there was no way in hell it would work.

In the end, she succeeded in pushing Liu Hong past her breaking point, but Liu Hong didn’t dare say or do anything. She was genuinely afraid Wang Mei would grab a megaphone and start shouting in the village.

As for the other two women, they had long since scurried away with their tails between their legs.

Like a victorious rooster after a fight, Wang Mei clutched Yun Jiao, and, with her sons and nephews in tow, strutted away.

All Liu Hong could do was glare at their retreating backs with venomous hatred.

Yun Jiao: ’Mental note: I have to become this good with my words in the future. Then I can make people furious without even having to fight.’

"Little Aunt, you’re amazing!"

Yun Jiao clapped her hands like a little seal. Her older brothers followed suit, all of them praising how amazing she was, especially Yun Xiaoqi.

"I’m going to be that amazing when I grow up!"

Wang Mei was actually a little embarrassed.

"We’ll see when you’re older."

’She didn’t think having a sharp tongue was a bad thing. If you had a sharp tongue, you’d get bullied less.’

’People might call you harsh or mean, but what about those who couldn’t speak up for themselves? They just get called useless cowards. Are those words any better?’

The family didn’t have enough carrying baskets to go around, so Yun Jiao and Yun Xiaojiu, being the shortest, went without.

When they went up the slope, Yun Jiao even got to crouch inside a carrying basket while her Little Aunt carried her on her back.