Chapter 123: The Usual Trick

Not giving the old woman a chance to react, Tang Xin continued her eloquent tirade, pouring out a stream of persuasive arguments. Being well-traveled and knowledgeable, she spoke with logic and authority. Not only was the old woman of the Qian family stunned, but the neighbors—the elders and children who had gathered to watch the spectacle—were also taken aback, whispering amongst themselves that it was no surprise she was an educated youth from the big city; she truly knew more than they did.

The old woman’s face paled, then flushed, unable to mount a defense. Tang Xin used so many technical terms that she could not even comprehend, and fearing that she would make a fool of herself in front of the crowd, she dared not retort.

Just then, Qian Darong returned. As he stepped into the courtyard, the first thing he saw was Tang Xin standing at the gate, head held high, gesturing grandly as she held court. Gazing at her prominent figure, Qian Darong felt as though his own ailing anatomy might suddenly be cured.

Noticing the man leering at her with a drooling, lascivious gaze, Tang Xin was deeply disgusted. She immediately snapped, "What are you looking at? Look again, and I’ll have my brother-in-law, Li Sheng, gouge those eyes of yours out."

Qian Darong snapped back to reality, realizing the implications of the beautiful girl’s words, and sighed to himself in disappointment. Putting on a sycophantic smile, he asked, "Oh, so this is my sister-in-law? Why are you here? Did you come alone? Did my younger brother not bring you? Oh, you should have sent word; I would have gladly sacrificed my labor points just to pick you up."

His words were reeking with ambiguity. With Mrs. Fang standing right there—his mother-in-law and an elder—Qian Darong had completely ignored her. Tang Xin mentally lashed Li Xihua a hundred times over. She knew how to act tough with her own family, so why did she never stand up for herself in her husband’s home? Tang Xin had once thought Li Xihua was simply deceived, but seeing this firsthand, she knew Qian Darong was a scumbag through and through. Why did she insist on staying with such a man, and even speak well of him when visiting her parents' home?

Tang Xin shot a cold glare at Qian Darong, then turned to link her arm with Mrs. Fang’s, saying, "Oh, Mother, who is this person? The way he’s looking at me is so frightening." As she spoke, she intentionally shrank back, putting on a pitiful, fragile act.

It was a blatant performance, but the content of her speech left everyone present at a loss. This was especially true for the Qian mother and son, who assumed all women were as easy to bully as Li Xihua. They had never expected a daughter-in-law of the Li family to speak so boldly in front of her mother-in-law. Usually, women would suffer in silence for fear of ruining their reputations.

Under this pressure, Qian Darong’s brazen gaze wavered, while Li Xihua felt utterly humiliated.

The old woman rushed to change the subject. "Oh, our Darong is just anxious. They’ve been married for years without a child, you see."

This was her usual tactic. Whenever she and her son said this, the daughter-in-law would always assume the fault was hers, leading her to be even more obedient and submissive at home.

Unfortunately, she had miscalculated this time. She had run into Miss Tang, who did not play by the rules and possessed a skin three times thicker than anyone in this era. Cold violence, infidelity, and eventually domestic abuse—did the old woman really think Tang Xin would show such a man any kindness?

Following the old woman's lead, Tang Xin countered, "My sister looks quite healthy to me, but my brother-in-law looks rather sickly. Perhaps we should take him to the hospital for a check-up?"

She had already educated the crowd earlier: if a couple had no children, it was not necessarily the woman’s fault—the man could also be the issue. Indeed, Li Xihua, likely due to her constant, tireless labor, was in good health with a rosy complexion. Qian Darong, on the other hand, was always finding ways to avoid work. Tang Xin recalled from the original story that he often used excuses to sneak off and mess around with another woman. Over time, he had drained his own vitality, and having injured his "manhood" in a scuffle, he now looked pale and sickly.

The crucial point was that Qian Darong had a guilty conscience. Though he thought he had hidden his secrets well, he couldn't help but worry that this "educated youth" from the city might actually know something. His face faltered. Habitually, he complained to Li Xihua, "Your sister-in-law is too unruly! How can she speak to her brother-in-law like that?"

Although Li Xihua was always meek in the Qian household and often spoke harshly to Tang Xin at her parents' home, she was fiercely protective of her brother and sister-in-law when in public. Rare for her, she turned a cold face to her husband. "This is my sister-in-law. How she behaves is a matter for my parents and my brother; it is not your place to speak."

In truth, Li Xihua was diligent and capable; back in the Fengshou Brigade, she had been a real beauty. If not for the leverage her mother-in-law and husband held over her, why would she be bullied day after day? Rural women of the past often didn't know better; if they didn't have children after a few years of marriage, they assumed it was their own failure. Since Li Xihua had married into this family lured by a hundred-yuan dowry, she had never felt secure. Such an unequal marriage was destined for a tragic end from the start.

Li Xihua’s rare display of defense made Tang Xin regard her with a bit more respect, which only intensified her hatred for Qian Darong. Furthermore, no one could call her "unruly" to her face.

Tang Xin glared at Qian Darong, her posture aggressive. "You criticize my sister daily, calling her a hen that won't lay an egg. Do you dare go to the hospital with me and let a doctor examine you first?"

Of course he didn't dare. He knew his own condition. He had been messing around with that other woman for years, and she hadn't conceived either. He had only been able to fool ignorant women. In truth, over these years, communes and brigades had begun providing some education on physiology and hygiene. Being a man who traveled, Qian Darong knew more than his mother or wife. He had long suspected the problem lay with himself—especially two years ago, when he was caught by the husband of the woman he was seeing and kicked in that very spot. It started as a dull ache, but as it grew worse, he realized he was likely a ruined man.

Naturally, he had to shift the blame onto his wife so that Li Xihua would continue to serve as a beast of burden for his family. He also had his own calculations: he couldn't go without an heir forever, so he had simply adopted that woman’s son. After all, he had been with her for so many years; the boy was no different from his own.