631 Everyone, Do Not Leave
Everyone was very envious of Li Gui then, and felt that beautiful people really had more luck. Even though she was a widow, many men came to ask for her hand in marriage.
However, the current Li Gui looked like a completely different person from back then. She had only been married to Zhang Qian for more than 10 years, but she looked like she had aged for more than 20 years.
After so many years in the Zhang family, she had to bear children as well as take care of the housework. She did not go through her confinement period even once!
Old Madam Li and the Zhang family were the same kind of people!
“What… what can I owe them! That’s the money I deserve!” Old Madam Li said vaguely.
“Then who else can the Zhang family look for if not you? Whoever takes the money should be the one to take it out again. This matter is as simple as that,” Qiao Mei said.
Old Madam Li quickly said, “You can’t say that! I raised her for so many years! Is it wrong of me to take the betrothal gifts from the Zhang family! That is money for my hard work!”
Auntie Wang said indignantly, “So you mean you sold your daughter! You’re really shameless to say such things.”
“What hard work? Have you given my mother nice clothes or bought jewelry for her? Where were you when my mother was seriously ill? Were the betrothal gifts for you! They were for my mother! You took them all away! You even took away the money that my mother gave you to support me! If we calculate everything clearly, don’t you still have to return this money to me?” Qiao Mei asked.
Although Old Madam Li was stubborn yesterday and insisted that Li Gui give her money to show her filial piety, everyone knew very well that if they really haggled over the sums, it would show that she had taken more than 500 dollars over the period of more than 10 years.
When Old Madam Li could not win with logic, she started to act shamelessly.
She immediately lay on the ground and sobbed. “Oh my heavens! Why are you doing this to me! I gave birth to a daughter who is not filial to me! Let me die! Old man, take me away! I don’t want to live anymore!”
Li Gui could not bear to see Old Madam Li like this. No matter how badly Old Madam Li treated her, this was still her biological mother! Blood was still thicker than water. This blood relationship could not be severed.
Tears welled up in her eyes. She wanted to go forward and help Old Madam Li up a few times, but the people beside her stopped her.
“Alright, alright! Just say what you want,” Qiao Mei said impatiently.
Old Madam Li immediately perked up. She sat up and stretched out her palm as she said, “I want 500 dollars. In the past two days, the Zhang family has taken more than 100 dollars from me and more than 50 dollars from my eldest son. All the valuable items in the house have been taken, so I want 500 dollars!”
“We don’t have money for you! Even if you cry yourself to death here, no one will care about you. Everyone, let’s disperse. Don’t stay here to watch the commotion.” Qiao Mei waved her hand to dismiss everyone.
Auntie Dong pulled Qiao Mei to the side and said anxiously, “You’re so muddle-headed! If you really let her kick up a fuss here, what if she dies? She’s already so old and her health isn’t good. Her health can act up at any time!”
Of course Qiao Mei had thought of this. She returned to the house and asked Zhang Wei to bring out a stool.
She intended to sit at the entrance and watched Old Madam Li kick up a fuss. When Old Madam Li got tired from shouting, she would give her a bowl of water. When the old woman was hungry, she would give her some wild vegetables to eat. If she really fainted, she would get someone to carry her to the clinic.
In any case, she would sit at the door for as long as Old Madam Li could shout. There were so many people at home and they could take turns. How could they not be able to keep an eye on this person?
“It’s fine, Auntie Dong. I know what I’m doing. Just wait and see.” Qiao Mei patted Auntie Dong’s hand and comforted her.
The people standing around gradually dispersed and Old Madam Li started to panic. She had wanted to use this opportunity to force Qiao Mei to submit to her. She knew that Li Gui did not have any money, but Qiao Mei did!
As long as she acted shamelessly, Qiao Mei would definitely send her away if she found it annoying. That was what everyone said outside.
The old widow and her son from the same village as her seemed to have become different people after returning from the capital. Every day, they would publicize in the village how Qiao Mei’s in-laws were presentable and rich.
The amount of money they had could pile up into the shape of a mountain and they would not even be able to spend it all. Why would Qiao Mei be unwilling to part with a mere 500 dollars?
“Hey! 400 dollars is fine too! Don’t go! 300 dollars! I want 300 dollars! Everyone, don’t go!” Old Madam Li shouted as she looked around her.
Now, only Li Gui’s family, Qiao Mei, Old Madam Li and Auntie Dong were left.
Aunty Dong was really curious about how Qiao Mei was going to solve this prickly issue.
