Rebirh: My Dear Little Wife Is So Scheming

The stunned murmurings of the villagers echoed throughout, for who would ever discipline their child with such severity? Behind closed doors, what horrors must the Bai Family be inflicting upon this child?

The sheer weight of this information was overwhelming. Bai Xiao isn't even the child of Bai Jianguo—this is outright abuse.

"This, Xiao, it can't be possible. During the holidays, everyone at least eats dumplings. You can't possibly be deprived of even plain wheat flour, right?"

"Exactly, who can't afford to eat these days?"

Tears streamed down Bai Xiao's face. "Aunt, Madam, it's true, during the holidays, every household has dumplings, large cuts of meat, and pork dishes so oily they leave your mouth gleaming. But I never get to partake. Technically, I experience the holidays too. I can only wait until my grandma, my uncle, and my aunt finish eating. Then with the leftover soup, I eat the remaining mixed wheat buns. That's my version of the holidays. At least I get to eat buns made of mixed flour, and I mix them with the pork oil in the soup. I'm satisfied, even though there's no meat. But there's still a bit of pork oil in the soup, so I consider that celebrating the holidays too.

My grandma says I don't deserve to eat," he added.

The crowd was astonished. Many people turned their gaze to Bai Jianguo and Li Chunhua. "Jianguo, this isn't right. Your family isn't poor here in the village. With seven capable workers at home, even though Bai Xiao has to go to school, he's never missed helping with the harvest, irrigation, or weeding!"

"Exactly, don't tell me you're struggling to make ends meet with the nineteen yuan a month you get from your nephew and niece. That should be more than enough to support two Bai Xiaos! And yet, you treat your own family members so differently—it's no wonder the child feels disillusioned."

"Not feeding him properly, not to mention the scolding and beating—how could the hearts of the Bai Family be so cruel!"

"Bai Jianguo always cries poverty, but how poor can you actually be? Each year, your family makes more than a hundred yuan just from selling pigs, not to mention the grain sales. Over a year, that adds up to at least two to three hundred yuan, plus the cash from your nephew and niece. How can you possibly claim to live in hardship with that kind of income? If that's what you call poor, then I wouldn't mind being poor too. Maybe Bai Xiao should come live with me. Auntie isn't like Bai Jianguo, at least I can guarantee you'll have enough buns to eat and you'll definitely be fed well."

"Indeed, my home works too. With nineteen yuan a month, even if it's just plain wheat buns every meal, you can afford it. Guaranteed no shortfall!"

Upon hearing these words, Bai Jianguo's eyes widened in alarm and his heart thrummed wildly; sweat dripped down like rain. He frantically thought about how to smooth over his words, how to explain himself, for he could not afford to lose face in front of everyone. If he didn't manage to turn things around today, Bai Jianguo's reputation would be completely destroyed.

He had always maintained an image of integrity and benevolence, not only to ensure that Bai Shan could attend the military conscription every year, but also to find a way for Bai Zhuang to learn to drive tractors. All this had been his groundwork, aimed at portraying a good impression before the village chief and the villagers, to gain acceptance for his children. Now, one false move could completely ruin everything for Bai Shan and Bai Zhuang.

Looking at Bai Xiao with a pained expression, Bai Jianguo spoke in a low voice, "Xiao, I really didn't know about these things. Your grandma said you didn't like eating with us because it reminded you of your parents, and it made you upset. I thought it was true. I had no idea you were going hungry. Your uncle isn't that kind of person. I just didn't know…"

Indeed, such an explanation was sensible. What man would pay attention to such trifles? Isn't every household's man busy with farming and earning a living, and when idle, seeking odd jobs for some pocket money? The women at home take care of everything. Since Li Chunhua was both a mother and a grandmother, if she did these things, who could say anything about it?

Bai Jianguo murmured, "I didn't know! If my younger brother knew, he would rather starve himself than let you starve!" These words already shifted all the blame onto his mother, Li Chunhua. Bai Xiao sneered. Li Chunhua had always pampered her youngest son, and people wouldn't even dare accuse their own daughters-in-law; the scapegoat had always been this old mother.

And so, Li Chunhua probably relished it, this abnormal mother-son relationship indeed left people speechless.

"Uncle, you say you didn't know? Haha, you didn't see Grandma hitting me? Every single time Grandma hit me, it was in front of the whole family, raining blows upon me. You also didn't see the meals at home? Every time Grandma made steamed buns, she counted them. If one was missing, I got beaten. How could you not know?

Whatever delicacies were prepared at home were always reserved for you. If I dared to keep some for myself, would I escape physical punishment? You think I'm a three-year-old child! One word of 'didn't know' is supposed to dismiss it all? Without your permission, there's no way Grandma and Aunt could dare to treat me like this. You're supposed to be the head of the family!

Trying to clear his own name wasn't going to happen if Bai Xiao didn't allow it.

"Uncle, Grandma, call me heartless, call me an ungrateful wretch, but if you pity me, and want me to survive, then give me the keys to our home. Let me fend for myself—it would be better than being beaten to death by Grandma now!" What Bai Xiao needed was just one word from Bai Jianguo.

Before Bai Jianguo could speak, Li Chunhua spoke up, "Good, good. Bai Xiao, you've learned some skills, you've grown hard-winged. We worked hard to raise you, and now you just want to leave? No way. Let me also tell you, I'm your grandmother. I've raised you all these years; you have to be filial to me your whole life. I hit you for your own good. Isn't it normal for parents to discipline their children if they don't obey? If you think about leaving, and I don't agree, your uncle can't defy me either."

Village Chief's Wife was just about to scold Li Chunhua—what era was it still using filial piety as a weapon to trap a child, wasn't it shameful?

Unfortunately, before the Village Chief's Wife could speak, Bai Xiao had already forcefully freed herself from the Village Chief's Wife's grip and asked Li Chunhua desperately, "Grandma, you don't plan to let me go, do you?"

Li Chunhua sneered, "I am your grandmother; you can try being unfilial to me. If you dare to mention living on your own again, I'll die right here for you to see, and let the whole village see you pushing your own grandmother to death. I want to see how you could continue living then!" She wasn't afraid of Bai Xiao defying her; Bai Jianguo certainly couldn't say anything at this moment. She wasn't unaware of her son, the scapegoat definitely had to be her, and she wasn't worried; the villagers couldn't do much to her at her age—at most, they'd call her a shrew.

But Bai Xiao absolutely could not be let go. If they let Bai Xiao go, where would the money for Bai Zhuang's dowry come from?

Bai Jianguo feigned concern and held onto Li Chunhua, "Mom, don't make it so hard for the child. Although you can't bear to part with Bai Xiao, you can't make things difficult for her!"

"Get away, it was me who said to let you raise Bai Xiao back then. Over these years, I was hard on her because I didn't want to burden you. But why did I do it? It was all for this ungrateful girl. And now, she can be so heartless. My heart is cold! I raised someone who turned out to be such an ingrate. I don't believe it; she really will drive me to death."