“About that… I just wanted to avoid unnecessary trouble at home… After all, my mother is already so old…” Kong Lu still tried to explain himself.
Xia He sighed and sat weakly on the bed. “Even now, you’re still defending your mother. You’re really your mother’s good son!”
“I’m not defending her. I just want you to know what I’m thinking…” Kong Lu said.
“Alright! Then let’s not talk about your mother. What about your younger sister?” Xia He asked.
Kong Lu also knew that Kong Li was immature. As her elder brother, he thought that it was inappropriate for him to discipline a girl who was already at a marriageable age. However, his decision had caused her behavior to become worse over time.
“My sister is still young. She doesn’t know how to behave herself…” Kong Lu said.
“So does that mean I have to be more forgiving! One is too old and the other is too young. There are also a bunch of brothers whom I have to help because they’re not doing well! You all have your reasons and difficulties, and I’m the only one who’s not human, right?” Xia He shouted at Kong Lu.
Liu Fen, who had been listening at the door for a long time, rushed in and said to Xia He, “Xia He, talk nicely! How can you talk to your husband like that! How can you embarrass him like this? How are you going to get along in the future!”
At this moment, Xia He was so angry that her eyes had reddened. She threw a look of puzzlement at her second aunt-in-law, the one who always asked her to be more considerate of her husband’s family and to take better care of her in-laws.
Xia He was clearly the one who was a member of the Xia family and Kong Lu was an outsider. Why did her aunt-in-law scold her even more harshly after knowing what she was going through?
“Second Aunt-in-law, this is my family matter. Please leave the room.” Xia He calmed herself down.
After all, Liu Fen was still an elder. No matter how angry Xia He was, she had been brought up to have good manners.
Liu Fen looked at the trembling Xia He and felt at a loss. She took a few steps back and said to Kong Lu before closing the door, “Xiao Kong, don’t lower yourself to Xia He’s level. She’s just too worked up for now. Don’t be angry.”
“I’m not angry, Second Aunt-in-law. It’s fine,” Kong Lu said with a smile.
“That’s good,” Liu Fen said and left after she closed the door.
Qiao Mei thought that there were certain things that Liu Fen said which made some sense. Some men had a conscience and would protect their wives when they saw their wives being bullied. Sometimes, it was quite useful for a woman to act subservient.
However, when Kong Lu saw Xia He being subservient, he bullied her even more. It became a habit to bully her, which was what led to the entire situation today.
Third Uncle had probably doted on Third Aunt-in-law because Third Aunt-in-law took care of the family well and loved Third Uncle deeply enough to back down whenever they quarreled.
For people like the Kong family members, if they had been taught the lesson that the Xia family was not one to be bullied, they might have stopped their bad behavior long ago.
Qiao Mei looked at Liu Fen silently as she came down the stairs.
Liu Fen walked over agitatedly and said, “Look at this Xia He! She…”
Before Liu Fen could finish speaking, Qiao Mei looked at her and said, “Second Aunt-in-law, sit down.”
It was like Liu Fen suddenly had a fishbone stuck in her throat. She sat obediently on the sofa and started eating fruits, not daring to say a word.
Xia Zhe looked at Qiao Mei and Liu Fen curiously.?When did Liu Fen start giving in so easily? What exactly happened while he was away?
Qiao Mei sat beside Liu Fen and continued to maintain her “authority” as she looked at Liu Fen silently.
Liu Fen did not dare to look at Qiao Mei or to say anything else.
Even Zhou Hua, who usually liked to join in the fun and make mocking remarks for a long time, did not say a word today.
At this moment, Xia He did not want to argue with Kong Lu anymore. There would be no outcome even if they continued arguing.
She was completely disheartened.
“Finish up the food. I don’t want to argue with you anymore,” Xia He said calmly.
Kong Lu did not know how to persuade Xia He and just sat silently at the side to finish his meal.
Xia Zhe felt bored staying in the living room and brought Qiao Mei to the swing in the backyard to take a break.
“What method did you use to make Second Aunt-in-law so afraid of you?” Xia Zhe asked.
Qiao Mei touched her nose in embarrassment and said, “I just intimidated her a little.”
Xia Zhe asked again, “But what did you do to intimidate her?”
“I didn’t do anything. I just grabbed her and glared at her.” Qiao Mei stood up and glared at Xia Zhe with her hands on her hips.
