12dz Chapter 26: The Aftermath of the Fight Was Easily Overlooked
Chapter 26: The Aftermath of the Fight Was Easily Overlooked
Tian Xiaoju looked at Niu Aixiang, who had her head bowed, and chuckled incessantly.
"Do you think everyone else is stupid?" Tian Xiaoju questioned sharply. "Do you think Lu Yuanqing is cowardly and honest, so you think he can't protect his younger siblings?"
"You don't know, but often the most honest people are the ones who, when pushed to the limit, do things that will absolutely make you regret it."
Tian Xiaoju understood this kind of person best. She was saying this not only to Niu Aixiang, but also to Gu Baoxia.
She understood this kind of person best, so even though she knew that the Lu family was declining and she was dissatisfied with Lu Yuanqing as her future son-in-law, she did not do anything too forceful to force him to break off the engagement.
Tian Xiaoju plans to take it slow.
Gu Baoxia pursed her lips; she understood the meaning behind Tian Xiaoju's words.
If her mother had previously agreed to the marriage because Lu Yuanqing's family was relatively well-off, but later considered breaking off the engagement due to poverty, then with Lu Yuanqing doing this today, Tian Xiaoju's heart is likely to waver again.
But she refused!
Having grown up in a life arranged by Tian Xiaoju, and witnessing her suppression of Gu Weichang and her arrangements for her older brothers, Gu Baoxia only wanted to find someone with no opinions of their own, someone she could completely control.
Lu Yuanqing has changed, and for the Lu family, he has become better.
But she didn't want to lose control of the situation.
Sometimes Gu Baoxia felt that she was indeed Tian Xiaoju's daughter, and that they were most similar in personality.
She had a rebellious streak, but before she became powerful, she knew she couldn't defy Tian Xiaoju.
Gu Baoxia frowned; she wouldn't be so easily arranged to do this.
While she was suffering, Niu Aixiang was still being scolded.
"Hmph, I don't know what's in your head, is it all shit? So childish, and your ideas are so naive. Who do you think you and your brother can threaten with the rumors you spread?"
“It is true that he can threaten Lu Yuanhuan, and even the group of young boys in the Lu family, but as you saw today, as long as Lu Yuanqing stands up for himself, no one can bully them.”
Gu Hailiang was utterly speechless at Niu Aixiang, looking at her like she was an idiot. He couldn't understand why he insisted on marrying her just because she was pretty.
She knew perfectly well that her family was also a mess.
A hint of regret flashed in Gu Hailiang's eyes. He finally understood why Tian Xiaoju had said those things to him back then.
Seeing his disappointment, Niu Aixiang panicked. "Hailiang, I was wrong, I won't do it again, really!!"
Niu Aixiang was terrified of Tian Xiaoju, but even in her fear, she was very confident.
This confidence came from Gu Hailiang.
Tian Xiaoju didn't want her to marry into the Gu family, but Gu Hailiang had his eye on her and insisted on marrying her.
Niu Aixiang didn't know what Tian Xiaoju did at the time. She only knew that Gu Hailiang must have given up something in order to marry her, and his mood was not very good during that period.
But she still ended up in the Gu family.
Relying on Gu Hailiang's favor, Niu Aixiang did indeed act arrogantly after entering the house, but her arrogance was quickly suppressed by Tian Xiaoju. In several exchanges, Niu Aixiang did not get the better of Tian Xiaoju, which is why she was very afraid of her.
If Gu Hailiang develops a problem with her, Niu Aixiang doesn't know what her situation will be like in the Gu family.
An apology is necessary, but whether it's sincere cannot be guaranteed.
Seeing that her second son was soft-hearted, Tian Xiaoju snorted coldly, "Fine, then you two are responsible for the things that were smashed in the house today. If you can get them back from the Lu family, that would be best. If you can't get them back, then you'll have to pay for them."
"Also, your dad, your sister, and I were all beaten because of you. You have to pay for our medical expenses too. I won't ask for more than five yuan each!"
"Five yuan?" Niu Aixiang shouted in disbelief, but when she met Tian Xiaoju's cold gaze, she shrank back and tried to argue, "Mom, isn't five yuan too much?"
The Gu family did not split up, but they allowed their own small family to save money.
But five yuan is too much. If she hands it over, her family won't have much savings left. Besides... Niu Aixiang looked at the mess on the ground, especially the two thermos bottles 'placed' on the ground, and she suddenly felt dizzy.
Tian Xiaoju glanced at Gu Hailiang indifferently, then reached out her hand.
Money is a must; she won't consider anything else.
A quick calculation shows that the second son's family could easily come up with fifteen yuan.
Judging from Niu Aixiang's pained expression, it's not hard to guess how much of her own family's belongings she gave back to her parents' home.
Tian Xiaoju didn't care how difficult it was for Gu Hailiang; he was the one who insisted on marrying her, so he would bear it himself.
In the end, no matter how reluctant Niu Aixiang was, Gu Hailiang gritted his teeth and paid the money.
There's nothing Tian Xiaoju can't do if she sets her mind to it.
She wants medical expenses, and even if they are unwilling, they will eventually pay them.
Ignoring the ugly expressions on the faces of the second son and his wife, Tian Xiaoju took the fifteen yuan and gave five yuan to Gu Weichang and another five yuan to Gu Baoxia.
Gu Baoxia didn't hold back either. She had also participated in the fight today. Although she fought rather gently because she was unwilling, she was still hit several times by Lu Yuanhuan with a stick. She suffered the loss and took the money without any guilt.
However, "Mom, my second brother has objections!" Gu Baoxia calmly reminded her.
Tian Xiaoju scoffed, "It's not the first time he's had a problem. Besides, don't you know your second brother? He only takes his anger out on his wife."
But Niu Aixiang was the one who could handle him best, so this opinion didn't last long.
For Tian Xiaoju, Gu Baoxia's matter was the most important thing.
"Do you still have any thoughts about what your older brother mentioned in his last letter?" Tian Xiaoju asked.
Gu Baoxia was stunned. "I don't know!!"
Tian Xiaoju smiled and said, "Lu Yuanqing really opened my eyes today. I thought that since Old Man Lu and his wife were dead, the eldest and second sons of the Lu family were not blessed, and the third son was weak and incompetent, and there were a lot of burdens in the family, I was not comfortable letting you marry into the family."
"But now it seems you still had good judgment, insisting on agreeing to that kid Lu Yuanqing back then."
"A grown man should have some backbone, otherwise he won't be able to utter a single word, and life will be a real pain."
"But the family is still too poor, and there are too many burdens. If you are not willing, you can still think of a way to call off this marriage. Your older brother is also considering it and plans to introduce you to a comrade-in-arms!"
This is the real reason why Tian Xiaoju hesitated.
It has to be said that Lu Yuanqing's methods today finally satisfied her a little.
He's a man, after all. She really couldn't stand the way he used to hide behind his family no matter what he did.
After Gu Yingqing wrote back with his intention to introduce Gu Baoxia to his comrades, Tian Xiaoju was naturally willing. However, since Gu Baoxia seemed satisfied with Lu Yuanqing, she didn't want to make the decision for her directly.
"Mom, let's just forget about my brother's situation!" Gu Baoxia said, her head bowed.
When the matchmaker introduced Lu Yuanqing to the family, Tian Xiaoju was the only one who was against it, thinking that Lu Yuanqing was not a good person.
However, Tian Xiaoju didn't know that her daughter Gu Baoxia was most satisfied with Lu Yuanqing's indecisiveness, thinking he was easy to control.
After many changes in the Lu family, Tian Xiaoju wanted to change her mind. Gu Yingqing's plan made her even more eager to resolve her marriage with Lu Yuanqing as soon as Gu Baoxia agreed.
However, Gu Baoxia was a little unwilling, since her elder brother's comrades-in-arms were naturally very good.
But she had never wanted to be arranged or controlled by others since she was a child. No matter how well she pretended to be obedient in front of Tian Xiaoju, it did not extinguish the rebellious spirit in her heart.
Now that Lu Yuanqing is like this, she hesitated again.
However, she couldn't directly say that she didn't like Lu Yuanqing. She was afraid that without Lu Yuanqing standing in front of her, Tian Xiaoju might take it upon herself to reply to her older brother.
Gu Baoxia is just thinking about delaying things as long as possible! She'll deal with it when she comes up with a solution.
……
The Lu family.
Once home, Lu Mingxi immediately fell silent, her face showing no trace of tears.
People who are always worried about her are completely stunned by this.
Especially Lu Yuanhuan, who genuinely believed that Lu Mingxi had been hurt somewhere, was crying so hard she could barely breathe. But this sudden incident stopped her tears and sobbing.
"Hiccup...hiccup..."
The sudden stop caused her to burst into uncontrollable hiccups.
Lu Yuanqing was taken aback for a moment, and then he understood why Lu Mingxi was crying. He not only didn't think she had done anything wrong, but praised her instead, "Xiao west did a good job, her crying was very genuine!"
If they hadn't cried so pitifully and helplessly, things wouldn't have been resolved so easily today!
"Hehe!" Lu Mingxi chuckled twice and said, "Xiao Dong is so smart; he reminded me in time!"
After the fight, there's always a lot of arguing, and it can drag on for hours.
However, given their actions, in the eyes of the onlookers, they naturally appeared to be the weakest, most helpless, and most pitiful!
Besides, they do have an uncle!
Lu Guobin would definitely help them if he saw them suffering losses.
Lu Yuanqing rubbed the expressionless face in front of him. "Xiao Dong did a great job today. You'll get a bowl of malted milk powder as a reward."
The large tub of malted milk powder that was brought back was used by Lu Yuanhuan for the twins, except for the first day when each of them drank a bowl. Moreover, she always mixed it with a lot of water. The two children have been eating it for so long, and there is still almost half a tub left!
Lu Mingdong was very uncomfortable with someone being so close to him, especially the gesture of rubbing his face, and, "Third Uncle, it hurts!"
He still has injuries on his face!
"Ah!" Lu Yuanqing immediately withdrew his hand and placed it on his head again to rub it. "Third Uncle forgot that your face was scratched! I don't know who scratched your face, it's really too much. Don't you know you shouldn't hit someone in the face? Our Xiaodong's handsome face is now ugly from being scratched, how will he find a wife in the future!"