Chapter 80
Her strength was remarkable, putting every ounce of effort into her actions. She even used all her might, just like a hungry baby would while nursing.
Aunt Ma was sent sprawling to the ground by her powerful blow. Everyone stood still for a moment before those accompanying Aunt Ma, along with Jiang Quankun and Jiang Quansheng, rushed towards them.
Jiang Yexun swiftly kicked two of them away, but someone’s hand was dangerously close to striking Su Xiaoxiao’s face.
“Su Xiaoxiao!” Aunt Guo and Jiang Xinyue yelled in panic.
Su Xiaoxiao, however, seized his wrist with ease, lifted it effortlessly, then twisted it toward herself and delivered a vicious kick to the person’s knee.
Two agonized cries followed, and the person collapsed on the ground and lost consciousness. Su Xiaoxiao was quite satisfied with her swift and precise moves. She had dedicated time to practicing self-defense techniques she had learned in a past life while cutting hogweed every day.
Nevertheless, her actions had everyone else taken aback, especially those brought by Aunt Ma. They had initially thought they could easily bully a thin, delicate girl, but she proved as capable as Jiang Yexun.
Su Xiaoxiao directed her gaze toward them, causing them to instinctively take two steps back in fear.
She pursed her lips indifferently and walked up to Aunt Ma.
“What do you want?” Aunt Ma exclaimed in shock, her voice rising two notches.
“Since you came to disrupt my engagement banquet, I can only make you bleed and bring some joy,” Su Xiaoxiao said sweetly but with a hint of malice.
Aunt Ma turned to run, but her hair was grabbed by Su Xiaoxiao and was yanked down to the ground. As she fell, Su Xiaoxiao knelt and landed her knee on her chest.
Aunt Ma cried out in pain, and a barrage of slaps rained down on her one after another. After a minute of beating, blood appeared at the corner of Aunt Ma’s mouth.
Su Xiaoxiao pushed Aunt Ma away like a piece of trash, then patted her own red and tingling hand.
Examining the slight swelling, she understood the meaning behind the phrase, “hurt a thousand enemies at the cost of eight hundred.”
Jiang Yexun also noticed the condition of her right hand. He furrowed his brows and quickly approached her, gently taking her swollen hand.
“Didn’t I say it before? Things like these, just leave them for me. Does it hurt?” Jiang Yexun asked with concern as he blew gently on her hand.
People watching wanted to tease them when they saw this but held their tongues when they noticed the grim-faced group of people nearby.
Su Xiaoxiao had initially planned to give Aunt Ma and her gang a piece of her mind, but Jiang Yexun’s caring gestures deflated her resolve. She leaned against him, looking much less fierce.
“You go warn them! Use a tone that will make them think twice about ever coming back,” Su Xiaoxiao instructed Jiang Yexun, somewhat reluctantly.
He sighed, looking at her pouting red lips, and then shot a stern gaze at Aunt Ma’s group. “Get lost! If you show up again, no matter the reason, I will take action.”
Naturally, they didn’t dare stay any longer. Helping the two fallen individuals to their feet, they hurriedly made their exit.
Su Xiaoxiao, seeing them disappear from sight, poked Jiang Yexun’s waist. “You lacked a bit of intimidation there,” she playfully chided.
Jiang Yexun shook his head and smiled. “Little educated youth, with you in my arms, how can I focus on scaring them?”
“True, but I hope they come back for a rematch. I’m not done with them yet,” Su Xiaoxiao admitted, even mocking herself.
Though their voices were low, the people around them heard clearly. Previously, some had thought Su Xiaoxiao was too delicate, incompatible with the rough Jiang Yexun. Now, they were convinced that they were a perfect match.
“Mom, is this really Su Xiaoxiao?” Jiang Xinyue asked, astounded. She had met Su Xiaoxiao before, but she had been bedridden for half a month due to her unstable pregnancy, so she hadn’t come when they announced their engagement. Su Xiaoxiao’s transformation was staggering.
Even though she looked fragile and seemed like she would cry at any loud noise, she kept replaying the image of Su Xiaoxiao pinning someone to the ground and viciously pummeling them.
“Su Xiaoxiao has a good temperament. She’s gentle when others don’t provoke her, but she won’t let anyone bully her,” Aunt Guo remarked, satisfied.
Jiang Xinyue agreed after some thought. They managed to remove the troublesome guests, and the rest of the engagement ceremony proceeded smoothly.
It was just an engagement, but since Jiang Yexun was the son of the production team leader, almost everyone from the production team attended. Every family had four or five adults come to the banquet with small gifts.
Jiang Yexun had caught some game in the mountains and they had also bought from the supply and marketing cooperative. Each table had a bowl of chicken soup, half a wild rabbit, and a large bowl of braised pork ribs with green beans and eggplant, and could seat eight people. They set up about twenty tables to accommodate everyone.
While the guests enjoyed the food, they couldn’t help but calculate the expenses for such an extravagant engagement banquet. In the end, they all believed it was Su Xiaoxiao who had paid for everything privately and given the money to Jiang Yexun to add to his man-pride, just like the house they were building now. However, when they thought about how fierce Jiang Yexun had been earlier, they couldn’t help but secretly lament why their own sons couldn’t be the ones living off their wives.
Once the banquet was over, some of the aunts stayed to help clean up the tables and dishes. Aunt Guo didn’t let Su Xiaoxiao or her pregnant daughter join in the cleaning. Jiang Yexun took them to find Team Leader Jiang, who was resting under a tree in the yard.
Team Leader Jiang was taken aback when he saw the four of them.
“Dad, you know, Xinyue’s pregnancy is unstable. The autumn harvest is over, so I want to take Mom to the city for a month to help take care of her.” Hua Shoucheng said politely.
“One month…” Team Leader Jiang hesitated.
Hua Shoucheng, his city-raised son-in-law, was essential to him. He could only suggest, “A month is too long. How about ten days?”
“Dad, the doctor said it’s necessary to wait at least three months for the pregnancy to stabilize a bit,” Hua Shoucheng replied calmly, seemingly unaware of Team Leader Jiang’s reluctance.
Team Leader Jiang had no choice but to agree.
Jiang Yexun immediately followed up, “Dad, Xiaoxiao and I also want to take a month off.”