Zhao Mei’s eyes widened instantly when she heard this. She hurriedly looked at the woman whose messy hair she was still clutching.

Pushing the hair aside, it was indeed Liu Jiaojiao.

The older women and young wives all gasped in shock, while the two old men stood there with their mouths open, unable to stop marveling.

Young people these days are really bold…

It took Zhao Mei a long moment to react. Seeing the disdainful looks from the crowd, she quickly grabbed the scattered clothes from the ground and clumsily dressed Liu Jiaojiao, blocking the neighbors’ view.

“Turn around! All of you, turn around!”

Zhao Mei felt like she was going crazy. Everything had been planned perfectly—how had it suddenly become her own daughter?

Zhong Kai looked at Zhao Mei and hurriedly put on his scattered clothes as well. While dressing, he said, “Aunt Zhao, Jiaojiao and I truly love each other. We’ve been in a relationship for a long time. Please, just let us be together.”

“Get lost!”

The older women and wives began chattering among themselves.

“Wasn’t Zhao Mei just telling us it was Yun Xi dating? Turns out it’s her own daughter!”

“Let’s go, let’s go. A stepmother is still a stepmother! Anything shameful, she just pushes onto Yun Xi. Look at this—caught red-handed. How embarrassing!”

The more they talked, the harsher it got. Zhao Mei’s mind was in complete chaos.

When she finally snapped back to her senses, she glared fiercely at them. “What happened today—if anyone dares to spread it, I won’t let them off!”

Grandma Ma laughed. “What? You did something this disgraceful and still don’t want people to talk about it?

If you ask me, you should hurry and marry your daughter off. Otherwise, the more it spreads, the less likely any man will want her.”

Another old man chimed in from behind, “Exactly! She’s already been seen by everyone. If it were me, I definitely wouldn’t want her.”

His wife immediately stomped on his foot. “You shameless old thing, get lost!”

The old man just chuckled.

Grandma Ma’s words grew harsher and harsher. She was rather conservative and already disapproved of young people dating privately before marriage—let alone something like this.

Zhao Mei couldn’t tolerate her talking about her daughter like that. The angrier she got, the more she lashed out, and she suddenly lunged at Old Madam Ma.

Despite her age, Grandma Ma was strong and used to hard work, unlike Zhao Mei, who stayed at home all day. She grabbed Zhao Mei’s hair fiercely.

Zhao Mei cried out in pain and scratched at Old Madam Ma’s face.

Old Madam Ma felt a sharp pain and, touching her face, realized it was bleeding.

“Oh, you dare scratch my face? Then don’t blame me for getting rough!”

She grabbed at Zhao Mei’s chest and yanked hard.

The cloth bag tucked there tore open, and what was inside spilled out.

The two old men behind them were thoroughly entertained, grinning from ear to ear.

Two young wives, unwilling to miss such a spectacle, ran back to call more people over.

Soon, a crowd gathered to witness the chaotic scene.

After learning what had happened, people began spitting toward Liu Jiaojiao.

“Shameless! Absolutely disgraceful!”

“Exactly! If you ask me, the two of them should be taken away!”

Seeing more and more people gathering—and hearing talk of being seized—Zhong Kai quickly put on a pitiful expression.

“Uncles, aunties, please stand up for me! Liu Jiaojiao and I truly love each other. We’ve been together for a long time.

She was still studying when she started seeing me. But even after all this time, she refused to marry me and only wanted to keep things like this in private.”

At this point, Zhong Kai even pretended to look shy.

“I didn’t want to either, but she said it’s just the difference of a marriage certificate. She kept insisting, and I had no choice but to go along with her.

Please, all of you, help me! Everything I’ve said is true. If you don’t believe me, you can ask her former classmates—they’ll know we’ve been together for a long time.”

With that, everyone believed that Liu Jiaojiao was the one who couldn’t control herself and had initiated this improper relationship with Zhong Kai.

Ironically, it was her own mother who had brought people to “catch” her.

Liu Jiaojiao was still groggy and not fully conscious.

Zhao Mei stepped forward and slapped her hard twice across the face. Today’s incident had completely ruined their reputation.

Yun Xi looked at Zhao Mei. “Aunt Zhao, your daughter did this herself—why are you trying to make me take the blame?

Good thing I followed along. Otherwise, you might have covered your daughter’s face and told everyone it was me with Zhong Kai. Wouldn’t that have driven me to death?”

Zhao Mei no longer wanted to say anything to Yun Xi. She knew this was all Yun Xi and Zhong Kai’s doing.

They had been the ones outplayed. No matter what she said now, it wouldn’t help. She grabbed Liu Jiaojiao and hurried home.

The crowd behind them continued pointing and gossiping.

Yun Xi also headed home. Zhong Kai stayed behind, continuing to talk about his relationship with Liu Jiaojiao. Many young wives blushed at what they heard.

After dragging Liu Jiaojiao home, Zhao Mei scooped a ladle of cold water from the kitchen and splashed it onto her face.

“You useless thing! You got played instead!”

Only then did Liu Jiaojiao regain a bit of clarity.

Soon after, Yun Xi swaggered in and looked at Zhao Mei.

Liu Jiaojiao, grinding her teeth, said to Zhao Mei, “Mom! Go shut the door. Today I’m going to make that little wretch suffer worse than death!”

She lunged at Yun Xi.

Yun Xi quickly stepped back. Before Zhao Mei could even close the door, Yun Xi kicked it shut herself.

Liu Wei had taken the day off. Hearing the commotion, he opened his door and shouted, “What’s going on?

Didn’t I tell you to talk to Yun Xi properly today and have her transfer her job to you?”

Zhao Mei, seeing Liu Wei come out yawning, snapped, “Your daughter is vicious! She actually schemed against Jiaojiao. If we don’t beat her to death today, I won’t be able to swallow this anger!”

Liu Jiaojiao could no longer hold back. She raised her hands, ready to strike Yun Xi repeatedly.

But Yun Xi grabbed her wrist in one swift motion—smack, smack, smack! Three loud slaps landed in quick succession, knocking Liu Jiaojiao straight to the ground.

“A wretch? A wretch? If anything, you mother and daughter are the stupid and vicious wretches.

Trying to use such childish tricks on me—you brought this upon yourselves. You deserve it!”