Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Be a Witness
Ma Zhuzi, being an elder, would make the Yue Family seem unreasonable even with a just cause if he were truly to kneel in front of everyone.
Yue Jiandong fiercely used the top of his foot to block his knee and, with both hands, lifted Ma Zhuzi and held him in place.
Lin Chunju coldly said, “Stop disgusting us with such tactics. Is this how you admit your wrongdoing? It’s clearly forcing Xiaofang to go back.”
“Just one kneel can cancel out the abuse that Xiaofang suffered? Then I will kneel for you too, and you can come and beat up Li Zhaozhi every day, can’t you?”
Li Zhaozhi, startled, couldn’t help but step back, and that’s when the surrounding people started to see clearly.
They had previously thought Yue Xiaofang to be heartless, but on second thought, wasn’t the Ma Family just putting on an act and using this method to coerce Yue Xiaofang?
If the father-in-law really knelt to his daughter-in-law, how could Yue Xiaofang continue to face others?
Yue Jiandong saw clear as day that the most calculating in the Ma Family were not Ma Jinbao and Li Zhaozhi but the seemingly honest and weak Ma Zhuzi.
He kept saying he never hit his sister, but was he blind when his wife and son were hitting her?
Wasn’t it just that they wanted to use Xiaofang as a servant without facing a bad reputation?
A typical case of taking advantage of a situation and still playing the victim.
A few light words and pretending now tilted the scales among the onlookers; indeed, it was a clever calculation.
Having been through hardships, Lin Chunju was no pushover, and she asked her daughter softly.
“Xiaofang, what are you really thinking?”
Yue Xiaofang bit her lower lip, mustering up courage and said, “Mother, I want this child, I can only…”
Stay in the Ma Family; after all, she couldn’t let her child be called a fatherless bastard by others in the future.
Lin Chunju knew her daughter’s predicament and, although sad, did not blame her.
“Mother understands. Village Chief Ma, since this is the case, please act as a witness.”
Ma Shulin, having learned what had happened from this elderly father, considered the Yue Family as lifesavers and naturally complied.
“Alright, that’s also my duty.”
Lin Chunju first asked Ma Zhuzi, “Are you sure you want my daughter’s child?”
Ma Zhuzi silently nodded his head. Wasn’t it obvious? Would they degrade themselves if it wasn’t for the child?
With savings now in the family, wouldn’t it be easy to marry another woman?
But the grandson in Yue Xiaofang’s belly was absolutely not to be lost to an outside family.
Lin Chunju asked again, “What if Xiaofang gives birth to a girl? Now we can only have one child.”
Before Ma Zhuzi could answer, Li Zhaozhi loudly said, “Don’t spout nonsense; the baby in Xiaofang’s belly is definitely my precious grandson, not a loss at all.”
If it weren’t for the Yue Family having three sons and she believed this family was blessed with males, she wouldn’t have bothered sending a matchmaker to Daye Village.
Yue Jiandong said angrily, “Whether a boy or a girl is born is determined by fate. If my sister gives birth to a girl, are you going to kill the person?”
Li Zhaozhi wanted to speak again, but Ma Zhuzi, seeing trouble, slapped her again.
“Don’t listen to her nonsense. From now on, the Ma Family will definitely treat Xiaofang sincerely, regardless of whether it’s a boy or a girl; all are progeny of the Ma Family.”
If they didn’t agree, the Yue Family, with their temperament, might forcibly abort the child rather than let Xiaofang return.
Initially, Lin Chunju brought so much dowry, and the Ma Jinbao family thought they could easily manipulate this mother-in-law. They truly had not expected her to be so intense and fierce, not even Li Zhaozhi could handle her.
After Ma Zhuzi said these words, Lin Chunju turned to the village chief.
“Then please be our witness; regardless of whether my daughter gives birth to a boy or a girl, the Ma Family should not mistreat her. That includes in the future, and if I ever find out Xiaofang is being bullied by you, even if it costs me my life, I’ll make sure you suffer.”
Each word seemed to be squeezed through clenched teeth; Ma Jinbao and his mother exchanged glances, feeling a throbbing pain in their bodies.
“Alright, and not just me, the people of the village will also bear witness; if the Ma Jinbao family acts like animals again, no one will spare them.”
Li Zhaozhi was still somewhat defiant in her heart.
Even if Lin Chunju was formidable, she was still an outsider to the village.
Could she control things forever just because she did for a while?
Once her precious grandson was born, Xiaofang would have no way to escape. When the door was closed, it would still be her decision that mattered.
As if seeing through her thoughts, Lin Chunju pointed at Ma Jinbao’s family, “An oral agreement won’t suffice. Since you have agreed, swear an oath to the heavens.”