Chapter 34
“What did I do that’s considered challenging authority?” Jiang Yexun retorted; his tone confrontational.
Team Leader Jiang wanted to continue scolding, but Su Xiaoxiao interrupted him. “Team Leader Jiang, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you. May I start it now? It’s getting late, and if I stay any longer, it might disturb the rest of the educated youths.”
Team Leader Jiang took a deep breath, maintaining a stern expression as he looked at Su Xiaoxiao. “Su Xiaoxiao, go ahead, what’s on your mind?”
“I’ve had a falling out with Dong Jiaxuan from the educated youth team, and Pan Yongsheng is spreading rumors about me and him behind my back. The three of us can’t coexist under the same roof without getting into fights. To avoid causing more trouble in the future, I think it’s necessary for me to immediately build a small house and move out of the educated youth dormitory.”
Su Xiaoxiao spoke with determination, her gaze fixed on Team Leader Jiang. Her expression told him that she wouldn’t accept rejection from him.
But Team Leader Jiang furrowed his brows, took a few puffs of his cigarette, and finally said, “In a week, the production team will start the harvest. After that, you and Yexun’s wedding preparations will begin. By then, we’ll have Yexun build two new houses. This way, the houses won’t belong to the production team anymore.”
“Father, are you planning to build new houses for third younger brother when he gets married?” Jiang’s eldest son’s face turned dark with anger.
Team Leader Jiang scolded impatiently, “He has money of his own!”
“It’s not about who will pay for it! Father, have you considered that if you do this, how can my brother and I hold our heads high in the production team?” Jiang’s eldest son protested.
Su Xiaoxiao blinked, looking at the man who seemed like he hadn’t been weaned yet with a speechless expression. “You guys can’t hunt, your wives can’t get financial help from their families. But you won’t allow Yexun to live a better life? You’re so selfish, how can you call yourself the eldest brother?”
“It’s our matter, when…” Jiang’s eldest son hadn’t finished speaking when Jiang Yexun delivered a punch to his face, sending him sprawling to the ground. He clutched his head, groaning in pain, unable to get up for a while.
When Hu Yuezhen saw her husband being beaten, she screamed and rushed towards Su Xiaoxiao. However, Jiang Yexun’s eyes darkened, and he kicked her away. “I warned you not to provoke the little educated youth.”
“You’ve gone too far! You’ve really gone too far!” Team Leader Jiang was furious, and his face turned iron-gray.
But apart from these words, he couldn’t do anything else. As for Yu Siping, who had already retreated beyond the storm’s reach, she covered her belly and expressed some disagreement. “Third younger brother, you’re such a robust man, how can you raise your hand against a woman?”
“Anyone who bullies the little educated youth will be treated equally by me,” Jiang Yexun said coldly, his eyes filled with hostility as he glared at her.
Yu Siping trembled in fear but still managed to maintain a caring appearance. “I know you’re doing it for Su Xiaoxiao’s sake, but she comes from the city. She probably won’t like everything being solved with violence. Moreover, if she thinks you can’t control your temper and can’t communicate properly, what if you turn out like the other men in the production team, beating your wife within two or three years of marriage?”
Annoyed, Jiang Yexun furrowed his brows deeply and said, “Enough of your nonsense.”
He knew his second sister-in-law was skilled at saying things that sounded reasonable but aimed to sow discord. He had fallen for it twice in his past life but wouldn’t be fooled again. However, Su Xiaoxiao was so simple-minded; what if she believed her?
Splap! Splap! Splap!
Suddenly, applause rang out. “You’re quite the silver-tongued speaker. But with all these twists and turns, aren’t you tired? What if we didn’t understand anything? It’s better to just tell Jiang Yexun directly that I, as a city girl, prefer cultured intellectuals and dislike rough men like him. And then tell me that Jiang Yexun has always had an uncontrollable temper since childhood and can’t communicate with people properly. Furthermore, he grew up in the production team and has the same characteristics as the other men in the team. Don’t be fooled by his good treatment now, as he’ll change after two or three years of marriage and beat me black and blue.”
Su Xiaoxiao’s face was sweet and innocent, but her words were mocking and sarcastic.
However, only Jiang’s eldest son, eldest daughter-in-law, and Team Leader Jiang, after hearing Su Xiaoxiao’s interpretation, stared at her with disbelief. They looked at her and then at Yu Siping. Yu Siping’s face turned awkward and embarrassed.
“Su Xiaoxiao, you city folks sure love to overthink things. I don’t have such intentions,” she forced a smile, twitching her mouth.
Su Xiaoxiao glared at her angrily and then turned to Jiang Yexun with an unsatisfied expression. “Look at your second sister-in-law. She says I’m from the city, sensitive, and prone to suspecting people and things. How can she do this to me?”
“second sister-in-law, can’t you speak nicely? If you don’t know how to speak, you should discard that mouth on your face,” Jiang Yexun said, his tone icy.
Jiang’s second son immediately stepped forward and shielded Yu Siping. “What do you want? Su Xiaoxiao hasn’t even joined our family, and you want to break up our family for her?”
But Su Xiaoxiao was fearless. “Jiang Quansheng, what do you mean? Are you trying to instigate your younger brother not to marry me?”
“Exactly! You haven’t even married into our family yet, and you’re already causing so many problems. If you really marry into our family, won’t our Jiang family fall apart?” Jiang Quansheng stood tall; his words righteously spoken.
Indeed, people of different backgrounds couldn’t share the same bed.
But in her previous life, she was too proud and it was she who couldn’t match Jiang Yexun. But in this life, she was naturally paired with Jiang Yexun, destined to share the same bed.
Su Xiaoxiao secretly enjoyed the situation.
Seeing that Jiang Yexun still wanted to beat Jiang Quansheng, she instinctively wanted to stop him. After all, it was her first time visiting the Jiang family, and both Jiang’s eldest and second sons had already been beaten up. It wouldn’t sound good if this news spread to the production team.
However, as she was about to raise her hand, she quickly retracted it. She remembered her strange condition and decided not to intervene.
Jiang Quansheng saw his brief moment of joy quickly evaporate. He was so angry that he felt like cursing. However, Jiang Yexun had already grabbed his collar and delivered several punches to his stomach in rapid succession. The muffled sounds of pain made it clear that the beating was particularly brutal.
“That’s enough! Are you done yet?!” Team Leader Jiang scolded in frustration.
Jiang Yexun finally stopped and tossed Jiang Quansheng to the ground. “You’re getting beaten up for your wife,” he said through gritted teeth, his tone icy and warning.
Exactly! Just because she was pregnant didn’t mean she was special. After all, it wasn’t their child, so why should they endure hardship for someone else’s? Su Xiaoxiao raised her nose, which was round and perky, and secretly praised Jiang Yexun’s protective behavior in her heart.