Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

Chapter 523: Chapter 273: Demanding an Explanation

Qingmu met Zhou Baozhu’s gaze coldly, not backing down an inch. He said, ”Uncle Zhou, I don’t understand what you’re saying. What do I have to be satisfied or dissatisfied about? This is your family’s business. It has nothing to do with me, and nothing to do with the workshop. Even if you don’t send her away, no one will force you to. I just need one thing from her: was she the one who shut the gate last night?”

’This old coot. Is he trying to saddle me with the blame for forcing someone to send their wife away?’

’Hmph! He wants to get rid of his daughter-in-law, but he wants to blame the workshop for it, blame me, Zheng Qingmu? I won’t let him get his way.’

Hearing this, Xiaonian’s wife was like a drowning person clutching at a straw. She immediately cried out, ”It was me! I was the one who closed the gate! I must have had lard for brains. I wanted to see Qingmu make a fool of himself—it was because the Zheng Family made me kneel in punishment last time. I was confused for a moment, but I know I was wrong now. Please, everyone, forgive me! I’ll work myself to the bone to make it up to you all.”

She pleaded tearfully with the crowd.

Turns out, she’d thought her father-in-law was only sending her away due to public pressure, so she’d bitterly resented everyone. But when she heard Qingmu say he only wanted a confession and had no interest in the Zhou family’s business, she sensed an opportunity. The whole story came pouring out of her as she admitted her guilt.

Although the wives present disliked her, when they saw things escalate to the point of her being sent back to her family, they felt a pang of sympathy. They began to whisper among themselves, their tones compassionate. It was true, after all. If a woman was sent back to her family, her life was basically over.

Zhou Xiaonian, supporting Caihua, also looked pleadingly at his father, then glanced at Shorty Zhou. To be honest, he feared his uncle even more than his own father, but right now, his uncle was the only one who could possibly change his father’s mind.

The expressions on Zhou Baozhu and Shorty Zhou’s faces turned even uglier. Neither of them had expected Qingmu to say such a thing. Seeing the crowd’s reaction, they were momentarily at a loss for what to do.

Qingmu, however, ignored them and announced to the crowd, ”Xiaonian’s wife made a mistake. She is fined three months’ wages and dismissed from the workshop. Alright, the rest has nothing to do with us. Uncle Zhou, it would be best for you to handle your family matters at home.”

Furious, Shorty Zhou shot Zheng Changhe a vicious glare. ”You’ve raised a fine son! Such skill!” With that, he turned and stormed off. Zhou Baozhu, his face grim, followed him out.

Zheng Changhe wasn’t a smooth talker. Infuriated, he yelled at the man’s retreating back, ”Of course my son is fine! My daughter is too! You got a problem with that?” This made everyone sneak in a few chuckles.

Li Gengtian, suppressing a laugh, tugged on his arm, signaling for him to stop shouting. The man had already stormed off in a huff; couldn’t he be allowed to get a few angry, face-saving words off his chest? Besides, even though the two of them were glaring daggers now, they’d probably be sitting around chatting by evening.

As Zhou Xiaonian was leaving, he said to Qingmu with sincerity, ”Qingmu, I’m truly sorry—I’ve caused you so much trouble. I’ll make sure to discipline Caihua properly when we get home. She won’t do something so foolish again.” He then tugged on his wife’s sleeve and hissed in a low voice, ”Caihua, what are you waiting for? Apologize to Qingmu.”

Caihua—that is, Xiaonian’s wife—wiped her tears and said to Qingmu, still shaken, ”Brother Qingmu, you’re a capable man. Please don’t lower yourself to the level of a simple woman like me. I’ll never do anything like this again.”

Qingmu’s expression remained stern. He said to Zhou Xiaonian, ”I punished her according to the workshop’s rules. If everyone acted so recklessly, what would become of this place? As for apologies, you should be apologizing to Jinling.”

Zhou Xiaonian quickly pulled his wife along, about to go and apologize to Jinling.

Li Mingtang waved his hand, stopping him. ”Enough with these empty pleasantries! You’ve already caused my Jinling to be publicly humiliated. You think a simple apology is enough to finish this? And you, Qingmu! What do you mean by having Xiaonian’s wife apologize? Are you saying this matter is now closed? You’re quick to wash your hands of it...”

”Third Brother!”

”Grandpa!”

Two shouts erupted at the same time. One was from Li Mingrui, who felt his third brother was going to be the death of him. It was clearly his own actions that were disgraceful, yet he was calling his granddaughter a disgrace. The other shout was from Jinling. Yesterday, with fewer people around, she could tolerate her grandfather demanding an explanation from Qingmu. But today, in front of so many people, if her grandfather repeated those words, she would just as soon die.

Li Mingrui’s lips trembled as he pointed an accusing finger at Li Mingtang. ”You... you must have lard for brains! Are you trying to drive the girl to her death? What in the world are you trying to do? Tell me! You damned fool, don’t think I won’t hit you just because you’re old! Gengtian! Gengniu! Drag him back home for me! I’m going to beat this old fool to death!”