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Chapter 63
An ZhiAng and An ZhiXian were so calm and didn't show up at all, so An Zhi was even calmer.
At An's house, the Liu family had all come. Liu Ling's parents and two elder brothers respectively stopped An JingZhi and Zhou Nan. The two sisters-in-law had also come out in full force, dragging An MeiYun out. They beat and scolded her, while also telling the incident of An MeiYun beating the child in detail.
Liu Ling held An WenQing, whose forehead had been stitched with several needles, and just stood there. Her crying red eyes and forbearing expression made her look both aggrieved and strong. Little Wen Qing was even more pitiful, lying on his mother's shoulder with his stitched forehead exposed. Anyone who saw this would say An MeiYun deserved the beating.
There were also people yelling outside, "Teacher An, you two don't have to feel so bad. She wasn't your own flesh and blood after all. Raising her to adulthood was already doing right by her. A girl who doesn't understand propriety like this, even harming a child like Wen Qing, I see this is just her nature. People all say a rat's child will bore holes. She's just a bad seed that can't be taught..."
The speaker wasn't too far from their house and normally had a decent relationship with them. His family had a daughter about the same age as An MeiYun.
The difference was that An MeiYun had acted out since she was little, while his daughter had always been obedient and often bullied.
As children's quarrels went one or two times he could still ask An JingZhi about it, but An MeiYun never learned and even acted worse after being disciplined, forming a little clique in the neighborhood to isolate others.
When adults wanted to intervene, they couldn't exactly go to someone's house and tell their child not to play with their own daughter!
Over time, his obedient daughter didn't even want to go out now, and she looked spiritless when seeing people.
Now he finally had a chance to vent!
The loud chaos in the house soon attracted people from the street committee.
The two Liu sisters-in-law quickly let go with smiling faces, explaining to the cadre about the cause of the matter. They didn't cause trouble for no reason, just protecting their younger sister and nephew who had suffered humiliation in their marital home, as older sisters ought to do.
These were family matters, even an upright official found domestic affairs hard to judge. The street cadre most hated dealing with things like this. He only told them to speak properly and not use violence again.
But with this spread, An MeiYun's already meager reputation was thoroughly ruined.
An MeiYun still lay curled up on the ground. Unfortunately, her past conduct had been so poor that few spoke up for her. The only two were local young men who got dragged away by their parents pulling their ears.
Liu father also released his grip on An JingZhi and smiled, "Young people are hotheaded. Good conversations can't be had when things aren't phrased right and hands fly at a single disagreement. But they didn't have ill intent either. This just shows my daughter was well-behaved and obedient since she was little, otherwise her two sisters-in-law wouldn't have been so furious to hear she was bullied that they hit so hard. Father-in-law, don't be angry. Let's sit down and talk things through properly..."
An JingZhi was definitely angry, both at An MeiYun and Liu family's lack of face. But he understood even more clearly that he really couldn't justify his family's actions this time.
In fact, the Liu family wasn't unreasonable. Otherwise, he wouldn't have seen Liu Ling as a suitable daughter-in-law for his son back then.
Just as he was properly explaining his intention for An MeiYun to leave home tomorrow, since what was done couldn't be undone, and having her kneel for a few hours could count as punishment, while they would also compensate Liu Ling and Wen Qing, as nothing else could be done.
They certainly couldn't slash An MeiYun's forehead too, right?
But Liu father's expression changed. No one expected the two Liu sisters-in-law to drag people outside.
The Liu family was large, yet his sons were all hiding inside without one coming out.
This attitude, along with his disappointment, was also the first time An JingZhi gained awareness.
If An MeiYun's matter wasn't handled well this time, it could really drive a wedge between the hearts of all his children.
Liu father earnestly pulled An JingZhi to sit in the living room, and had just opened his mouth. "Father-in-law, no matter how the children are, we two can get along like one person after all these years. If not for my ties with you, I wouldn't have felt assured marrying my daughter to your family. I had hoped you would look after her more originally. But this matter... I'm not saying you and mother-in-law aren't good people, I definitely trust both your characters and actions, just that when it comes to children..."
Liu father paused and sighed softly, "Don't blame me for accounting too clearly, but as your father-in-law I still have to tell you, you don't know how outsiders talk about your An family. But your good reputation built up over the years has nearly been ruined by An MeiYun. People all talk about how you two think by letting your own daughter suffer so much while still doting on the daughter of your exchanged child's enemy. To be honest, I also can't understand your thoughts. Anyway, I feel that no matter how deep the affinity, it should have a limit. Don't hurt your own children's hearts for another's child, otherwise you'll have nowhere to look for regrets when it's too late."
He had asked the child's mother earlier. If his daughter wanted compensation, then this matter could be glossed over simply. But his daughter had her own career these years and didn't lack her husband's allowance either, so she wasn't lacking money or that bit of compensation.
What she lacked was an outlet for the grievance in her heart.
Since this was so, he could take off the gloves.
An JingZhi wouldn't dare make further demands of his daughter anyway, or the Liu family wasn't just eating plain rice. Even if it meant mutual destruction, An ZhiQing wouldn't be better off either.
One who couldn't protect his own wife and children was useless to him.
His daughter's maternal attitude was Liu Ling's greatest backbone, otherwise she wouldn't have been so stubborn.
Zhou Nan was still in the yard, pulled aside by Liu mother to speak.
Before coming, Liu father had instructed that the children still had to live their days together, so the juniors should handle the beatings and scoldings, while the elders as parents had to steady the situation and couldn't lose face even if angry.
In this aspect, Zhou Nan couldn't compare to Liu mother. Instead, Liu family's lack of propriety made her even more upset and stiff-faced without speaking.
After much fruitless persuasion without concession from the other party, Liu mother also tired of flattering them.
She protected her daughter, so Zhou Nan could frown like a donkey with no use. They still had to avenge the proper grievances.
This situation continued until the old master and madam came over after hearing of An family's news not long ago, hurrying over anxiously.
Liu mother quickly went up to warmly grab old madam's arm, "Mother-in-law, it's just the childishness of the children causing you elders such worry at your age."
Old madam patted Liu mother's arm. She didn't even glance at Zhou Nan.
Considering Liu father and mother's temperaments and the dissatisfaction likely simmering from not resolving the children's matter to their satisfaction, she and old master immediately realized they had to fiercely protect their youngest generation, the heart of their hearts.
The old master and madam were extremely seasoned at their age. What was more heart-stabbing than their great-grandchild being harmed?
Old madam first went to see her great-grandson, very distressed for a time, before arranging her expression and going with the old master to the living room.