Rebirth: Splendid Marriage in the 80s Chapter 6 - 6 6 A Different Person

What kind of absolute nonsense was this?

Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao were consumed by such fury that they could scarcely draw breath.

The girl is a mere thirteen years old—this was nothing short of dragging her name through the mud! How could anyone utter such despicable words?

Who exactly was Old Li from the front alley? He was a widower in his forties who had remained childless since his wife passed away over a decade ago. Being nearly the same age as Chiang Songhai, Guihua truly possessed no morals; how blackened must a person’s heart be to cast such filth upon a thirteen-year-old child?

Then there was Desheng, the son of the village’s alluring widow. Three years older than Chiang Xiao, he had inherited his mother’s good looks. Despite being only sixteen, his handsome features caused many young girls in the village to blush at the sight of him.

According to Guiying’s vile implications, was Chiang Xiao supposedly seducing both the old and the young?

“Guiying, you are taking this too far!” Ge Liutao, who was naturally mild-mannered and unaccustomed to conflict, felt her chest tighten from those cruel accusations, managing to force out only that single sentence.

Chiang Songhai lifted his hand in anger, but in the end, he did not find the nerve to strike her.

When dealing with a woman like Guiying, who thrived on malicious tantrums, what could an elderly man actually do? Was he truly supposed to lay a hand on her?

Seeing her grandparents’ faces turn a deep crimson from pure rage, Chiang Xiao felt a surge of resentment. Gripping the broom with all her might, she leaped up in a fury to strike Guiying’s head.

“I’ll teach you to spew filth! I’ll teach you to ruin my name with your baseless rumors and lies!”

Clutching her head, Guiying hopped about on one foot in a panic. In the past, Chiang Xiao had always maintained a sense of dignity because of her education, looking down on the villagers as if they were beneath her. Now, however, she was behaving like a common shrew!

Wasn’t she supposed to be bedridden with a burning fever? She clearly still possessed more than enough energy to beat people!

Gritting her teeth, Chiang Xiao screamed, “Grandma, go fetch the boiling water! I want to douse this foul woman who dared to tarnish my reputation!”

What?

She was going to use boiling water?

Looking at her now, she seemed entirely capable of actually doing it!

Guiying was struck by genuine terror and bolted toward the door to escape outside.

“You just wait! I’m going to get Da Qiang from my house! This isn't over until you compensate me for my ruined innocence!”

Her shouts were a mixture of empty bravado and hidden desperation.

The moment she crossed the threshold, Chiang Xiao violently hurled the broom at her. It whistled past her body and slammed against the ground, causing Guiying to shriek in fright and run even faster than before.

Song Xiyun had witnessed the entire ordeal and stood there in shock. Had Chiang Xiao ever acted this way? Because she excelled in school and read many books, Chiang Xiao had always believed she would eventually enter university, leave this impoverished mountain village, and become a cultured urbanite. Consequently, she had always maintained an air of aloofness toward the other villagers.

In the past, she had been reluctant to even assist Chiang Songhai with the medicinal herbs, though she eventually obeyed out of necessity.

Song Xiyun recalled a time when Chiang Xiao’s nails were stained with medicine that wouldn't wash off; she had seen the girl sitting under the courtyard tree, quietly weeping for a long time.

Furthermore, because of her naturally pale skin, she didn't look like the other village children or women who were tanned and weathered. She was a beauty with large, watery eyes and a small, pouty red mouth, speaking in a gentle whisper. Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao had pampered her like a delicate young lady.

In Song Xiyun’s view, no other child in the village was as fragile as Chiang Xiao.

Whether it was feeding livestock, chopping wood, gardening, hauling water, cooking, or cleaning—every girl her age in the village did those chores. It was obvious that Chiang Xiao usually carried herself like a dainty miss from the city.

But just now, Chiang Xiao appeared to be a completely different person!

Not only had she attacked Guiying with a broom, but she had also threatened to douse the woman with boiling water and used harsh language like ‘spewing filth.’ When had the old Chiang Xiao ever spoken such words?