825 Slander
“What are you doing?” Qiao Mei asked impatiently.
“You’re finally out! It’s this woman! She’s going to take over our house!” Jiang Yi’s hair was in a mess as she knelt on the ground and cried.
The corners of Qiao Mei’s mouth could not help but twitch a few times. She seemed to have seen this situation before. Old Madam Li had also cried outside their house at the village with the two children.
Could it be that all shrews used the same trick? Other people would cry and throw tantrums, but they would pretend to be pitiful and lie and ask everyone to be the judge.
“Make yourself clear. How did I take over your house?” Qiao Mei said resignedly.
“It’s you, you vicious woman! Ever since you married into the family, my daughter has been bullied because of you! You’re really too scheming!” Jiang Yi did not mention any details at all and just simply slandered Qiao Mei.
She wanted those people who did not know the truth to think that Qiao Mei was a heinous sinner, so that everyone would side with her.
“I’ve been staying in my own house ever since I married into the family. The neighbors around here know that I’ve only returned from my maternal home in the past two to three days. How did I bully your daughter from thousands of miles away?” Qiao Mei asked.
It was only then that Jiang Yi realized Qiao Mei had just returned a few days ago. That wretched girl, Tan Jing, did not tell her about Qiao Mei going back to her maternal home!
“My family is so miserable! My daughter’s life is so tough! She married into your family at such a young age and worked like a slave! Not only are you not grateful to her, but you also keep hurting her! I don’t want to live anymore!” Jiang Yi shouted.
“My sister-in-law was already 24 years old when she married into the Xia family. That’s not very young. All these years, my eldest brother also doted on my sister-in-law very much. You can go and ask around. Everyone knows about it,” Qiao Mei said.
Jiang Yi lowered her head and pretended to cry, but she was already panicking. How could a newlywed daughter-in-law know so much about the Xia family? Who told her all this?
“That son-in-law of mine always comes to help you! He even helps you build a house and buy furniture for you! He helps you with everything! Even if your husband isn’t at home, you can’t behave like this!” Jiang Yi shouted as she pointed at Qiao Mei.
This time, the way everyone looked at Qiao Mei changed. What Jiang Yi said was true. They had not seen Qiao Mei in this house for a long time, but Xia Wen had been in and out a lot. They had all seen him spend a lot of money and effort to repair the house.
Could it really be as Jiang Yi had said… between Xia Wen and Qiao Mei…
Qiao Mei could have held back her temper and treated Jiang Yi nicely on account that she was Tan Jing’s mother. However, this woman had now done a terrible thing and slandered both her and Xia Wen, and her marriage with Xia Zhe. She could not tolerate it any longer.
“You’re doing all this to get to my new house. Yesterday, you came to tell me that you wanted to stay there for free, and now you’re slandering me? My eldest brother came to help because my husband asked him to. Besides, I wasn’t in the capital when he was helping us. What’s wrong with brothers helping each other out? Besides, I paid for this house and it has nothing to do with the Xia family,” Qiao Mei said forcefully.
Qiao Mei looked at the onlookers and continued, “Although I haven’t stayed here for very long, everyone here knows that I don’t leave the house often. Other than my grandfather and two younger brothers, no one else comes to the house. Is this also a problem?”
“You’d better think carefully before you speak. You’re slandering me and my husband, slandering a soldier’s family and destroying a soldier’s marriage. If you’re so sure about what you said just now, then I’m going to make a police report. What you’re doing is called slander, so you have to bear legal responsibility.” Qiao Mei narrowed her eyes and looked at Jiang Yi.
Jiang Yi was so scared that she did not dare to look Qiao Mei in the eyes. She had just said it casually and did not expect there to be such serious consequences.
It would be a big thing if Qiao Mei had behaved indecently. It was a serious crime for a military wife to have an affair. There would be a poster put up on the notice board in the alley and she would even be arrested and thrown into jail!
At that time, Qiao Mei’s reputation would be completely ruined. There were past cases of people who could not withstand the gossip and committed suicide.
“Say something! Weren’t you so confident just now?!” A voice came from the crowd.
“That’s right! If you have evidence, then take it out! Otherwise, don’t spout nonsense here! Show us quickly!” the neighbor shouted.
More and more people around spoke up for Qiao Mei. In the end, Jiang Yi shrank to the side in fear and did not dare to speak.
