The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Chapter 525: Chapter 516: The Stepmother Who Refuses to Be a Doormat 4 (November Bonus Chapter)

”The Village Chief is here, the Village Chief is here.”

Some neighbors from Li Zhifang’s house saw that things were taking a turn for the worse, so they invited the village officials over.

The Village Chief also had the last name Li and was of the same clan as the Li family, just five generations removed.

As soon as he arrived and saw the commotion, he sternly asked the Wang family, ”Your family really has no shame or decency. Who gave you the audacity to come to our Li Jiazhuang and cause such a scene? Your daughter has done such a disgraceful thing and yet you’re not embarrassed; you even dare to come out and make trouble.”

Wang Exi straightened her previously slouched back, ”Village Chief Li, my daughter is my daughter, and my grandson is my grandson—they should not be conflated. It’s true my daughter did something unreasonable, but my grandson is still young, he hasn’t done anything wrong. We heard Li Zhifang is getting remarried, and we’re just worried that the stepmother might not treat my grandson well.”

Village Chief Li was almost amused by anger, ”So, the Wang family is really devoted to their grandson, huh? After your daughter ran off, I haven’t seen you take the child to live with you even for a few days, nor seen you bring anything to visit the child. Now, when Li Zhifang is getting married for the child’s sake, you come to stir up trouble. Are you truly looking after the child’s well-being or afraid the child will have a better life?”

Then, the women’s director spoke up, ”If you truly care about the child, you should keep your peace and get along with Anning. If you treat her well, naturally she will treat your grandson well. But with such a fuss you’re making, are you not alienating the child and his mother?”

At this point, Anning had already thrown down the stick.

She went over to the women’s director and started crying, ”Sister, life is truly hard for me. Ever since Liu Shan left, I’ve had to play the role of both father and mother. I know raising children is not easy, seeing Zhifang having a tough time after his wife ran off, I can relate. We both sympathize with each other, and thinking about his three children being motherless and my three fatherless, we thought it might be better to join together as one family, perhaps to make life more bearable. This is all for the children. I’ve already promised my mother-in-law and co-sisters-in-law that I’ll treat the children well. But with the Wang family coming here like this, it’s like I’ve done something wrong. I’ve been wronged. Today is only my first day here, and I haven’t even really met the children.”

Zhao Erni and Zhang Fengfeng also supported Anning, ”Yeah, she just married into our family and hasn’t even gotten to know everyone yet, and they’ve already caused such trouble. If Anning really mistreats the children, Old Wang’s family can come and talk it over, but she has just arrived—how could they know for sure that she would mistreat the children? Fortunately, Anning is kind-hearted. If it were someone else with a stubborn streak, they might think, ’Since you’ve thrown dirt on me, I might as well live up to your accusations,’ and that would really hurt the children.”

Anning then broke into loud sobbing, ”What wrong have I done to be treated this way? Before I came here, I transferred the homesteads of Liu Shan and his brother Liu Hai to my two children. My son won’t lack a house or land. I just want the kids to have a father who loves them. I haven’t done anything wrong. I’m not like Wang Baozhu who shamelessly ran off with someone else. She’s the one who abandoned her husband and child, she deserves to be struck by lightning.”

Anning continued crying and cursing, making it impossible for the Wang family to keep their dignity.

”What are you cursing at?”

Wang Dahu raised his fists, intending to hit Anning.

Anning quickly hid behind the women’s director, ”Sister, look, they even think of hitting me while you’re still here. If I hadn’t taken out a kitchen knife earlier, they definitely would have beaten me to death. You must save me. It’s not important if I die, but I still have three children to raise.”

Both the Village Chief and the women’s director sided with a fellow villager and naturally protected Anning. They confronted Wang Dahu, ”What are you doing? Coming to our Li Jiazhuang to act wildly? Don’t you know this is private property you’ve entered without permission? If you alarm the police, you could be arrested.”

Wang Dahu, feeling intimidated and not daring to glare at Anning any longer.

Anning took the opportunity to pull Zhang Fengfeng to her side, ”Look at how they’ve beaten up my mother-in-law. What did the old lady do to deserve this? If the Wang family doesn’t give an explanation for today’s incident, it’s not over.”

The Li brothers were also angry.

Li Zhiyuan, the Eldest, stepped forward and said, ”Today is my fourth brother’s big celebration day, and the Wang family has come to cause trouble. If our family lets this slide, it would be too cowardly. We Li brothers are not few in number; the Second, the Third, the Fifth, all have a reputation outside. If we just let this go, how can we face anyone after this?”

The Second, Li Zhipeng, said loudly, ”Wang Baozhu ran off, and we didn’t trouble the Wang family—that was generous enough. Instead, they come over causing trouble, claiming to be afraid of a stepmother mistreating their grandson. Isn’t that just pointing at our noses and calling us spineless? Those three children are their grandsons, but they are OUR blood grandchildren. Grandsons or not, they’re still outsiders, but we are relatives. Can we just watch the children get bullied and do nothing? Our Li Family hasn’t even spoken yet, is it really their place to meddle like a dog chasing mice?”

When it came to fights or other matters, the Li brothers might not be a match for the Wang family, but in terms of verbal sparring, the Wang Family truly couldn’t hold their own.

One after another, they retorted, leaving the Wang family sweating profusely.

Village Chief Li also backs up the Li Family: ”Since you don’t think this can be let go so easily, let’s take it to the authorities.”

Taking it to the authorities means getting the government involved, which is to say, calling the police.

As soon as the mention of involving the authorities was made, the Wang Family immediately softened.

At that time, most issues in the countryside were resolved privately, and unless it was a case of murder or theft, people were generally reluctant to involve the authorities. Most villagers were very afraid of the police.

As soon as Wang Exi heard this, he hurriedly gave in: ”No, don’t do that. We were just concerned about the child. It was our fault. Is it not enough to admit our mistake?”

Anning was supporting Zhang Fengfeng, who kept groaning in pain.

Anning then said, ”So my mother-in-law’s injury is to be ignored? She’s old already. Never mind the other injuries, having her face hurt like this, how is she supposed to face going out in the future?”

”Oh my leg, my leg might be broken, my face... I have never been so humiliated in my whole life. How can I face anyone in the future?”

Zhang Fengfeng cooperated very well with Anning, crying and shouting, while the six Li brothers felt sorry for their mother and glared angrily at the Wang Family.

”Well, how do you suggest we resolve this?”

The Wang Family’s arrogance subsided, and Wang Exi became timid: ”How do you want to handle it? Give us a plan.”

As the eldest, Li Zhiyuan had to take the lead in this matter.

He stepped forward and said: ”Let’s not talk about other things for now. You barged into Lao Si’s house and injured my mother. This can’t be overlooked without a proper resolution. Let your son kowtow to my mother, and moreover, your family must pay US$10 for my mother’s medical expenses. From now on, the affairs of the children will be managed by the Li Family, there’s no need for the Wang Family to intervene.”

Li Zhiyuan feared the bad behavior of the Wang Family would lead his nieces and nephews astray, so he took this opportunity to assert that they should not manage the children’s matters.

Li Zhipeng also said: ”If you are unwilling, then we’ll go to the authorities. I have friends at the public security bureau anyway.”

Everyone knew that Li Zhipeng had friends all over the place, from all walks of life, and they believed him when he said he had friends in the government.

With that said, and looking at Li Zhiyuan standing next to Li Zhicheng and his wife.

This Third of the Li Family holds an official post in the county. If they really took it to the authorities, a little effort from Third of the Li Family, and the Wang Family would undoubtedly be at an even greater disadvantage.

After pondering for a long time, Wang Exi told his son Wang Sahu: ”Go, kowtow to your aunt.”

Wang Sahu was reluctant, but Wang Exi glared at him: ”What, you’d rather have your old man kowtow instead?”

Wang Sahu had no choice but to kowtow to Zhang Fengfeng: ”Auntie, it was our fault. Please, don’t take it to heart.”

Wang Exi then snatched US$10 from Zheng Xiuqin and gave it to Li Zhiyuan.

Seeing the matter resolved, Village Chief Li then told the Wang Family: ”Alright, let’s leave it at that. You lot should leave quickly.”