Rebirh: My Dear Little Wife Is So Scheming

Upon hearing this, Li Chunhua forcefully pinched Bai Xiao's arm, causing Bai Xiao to shiver in pain. In pursuit of authenticity, she hadn't treated the wound on her arm, which was already a bulging mass of flesh! Now soaked in water, the wound was turning white. When Li Chunhua pinched her, it pulled at the wound, naturally causing excruciating pain.

Seeing the girl's complexion turn white, An Zhiyuan grabbed Li Chunhua's hand, "What are you doing?"

Li Chunhua was startled by An Zhiyuan's sternness.

"No, nothing!" she stammered, "Comrade instructor! Can't I discipline my own granddaughter? This child has grown up without parents, raised by me and her little uncle. Now she wants to leave just like that! She wouldn't even stay for one night, that's just too heartless. My heart aches, and my hands lost control of their strength. Is that a great sin?" She argued her case out of fear, for if Bai Xiao left, how would she cope in the future?

An Zhiyuan grabbed Bai Xiao's wrist and directly tore open the ripped sleeve. Many people had no idea what the People's Liberation Army soldier was trying to do.

But when they saw the numerous scars on Bai Xiao's arm, they were all shocked. Some scars were old, clearly years old, and some were recent wounds still healing and scabbed over. Combined with the bruises from yesterday's beating, and today's wounds and nail marks from Li Chunhua's pinching, everyone gasped in unison. How could anyone treat this child like this?

There was a fierce look in An Zhiyuan's eyes as he turned to call out to Liu Baoguo, "Village chief, come over here, please."

Looking down at Bai Xiao, he saw the girl clenching her lips tightly, her expression one of humiliation, awkwardness, and sadness. He couldn't help but feel sympathetic. How did such a girl grow up without resisting?

Hearing An Zhiyuan's voice, Liu Baoguo hurried back, only to turn ashen when he saw Bai Xiao's arm. What on earth was Li Chunhua thinking?

"Li Chunhua, what are you doing? Do you realize this is child abuse? Although you are her grandmother, you have no right to treat her like this. Today, she nearly died because of you, and now you're still assaulting her. I see it now; no wonder she screamed for help. She can't bear it anymore!" Liu Baoguo was truly enraged.

Such a serious incident had occurred in the village he managed. The push into the water could be considered an accidental injury, but these wounds on the arm were clearly the result of prolonged abuse. Could this be called a mere mishap? No family disciplines a child like this. No wonder this officer was outraged; if he were to react, it wouldn't be human.

It would be a beastly act.

Li Chunhua defended herself in a low voice, "How severe can it be? She's our own child, isn't this how every child grows up? How can she not survive like this? Her father, her uncle, when I was young, they all grew up strong and healthy after being disciplined." She always thought it wasn't a big deal to discipline one's child.

An Zhiyuan was so angry he almost wanted to slap Li Chunhua. The child says it's nothing, clearly, the grandmother is biased. Who would believe such words?

"Village chief, I don't think you can handle this. I suggest we call the police. We didn't save her just so her grandmother could beat her death. If that's the case, we would be worse than animals. She is a living, breathing person, not private property. The state has regulations; citizens have their own independent rights which cannot be taken away by anyone—not even by parents, siblings, or relatives, let alone by her grandmother. Even if her own parents beat her to death, they would still go to jail." If you don't agree, let's see if you will after this.

Li Chunhua trembled with fear. She hadn't expected the instructor to say such things. In her mind, how could disciplining a child be a serious matter?

How could it lead to prison for her?

Bai Jianguo had arrived early, with eyes like daggers, almost wishing to stab his own mother to death. What kind of sin had he committed in his past life to have his mother harm him like this?

Everything was about to be settled, as long as he could coax Bai Xiao back home with kind words, and once the door was closed, who could say anything?

But now, things had turned around and they were back to the point of going to the police station, an ill-fated turn indeed.

"Comrade Instructor, this is our fault. My mom is just a country old lady who doesn't know anything better and still holds onto old ideas, thinking that beatings will produce filial sons. So please don't hold it against an ignorant old lady. When I go back, I'll make sure she is contained and won't lay hands on Bai Xiao again. Don't worry, I'll definitely see to it," he said with sincere attitude, a face full of unease and shame, the perfect image of a good uncle.

An Zhiyuan looked at Bai Xiao, who timidly glanced at An Zhiyuan, her fingers nervously clinging to the corner of An Zhiyuan's clothes. She looked anxious and fearful, probably not believing a word her uncle said.

"Bai Xiao, you're the one involved, what do you say?" An Zhiyuan couldn't make the decision for Bai Xiao.

Bai Xiao shook her head, "Leader An, my grandma didn't mean it, please forgive her. I just want to go back to my own home to live, I don't want anything else! After all, my grandma did raise me, even if she didn't spend a penny, but she watched me grow up, I can't see her go to jail in her old age!"

An Zhiyuan suddenly felt that maybe Bai Xiao wasn't as fragile as he imagined; at least her stance was quite firm, wanting to return to her own home.

Alright! If you're going to do a good deed, do it to the end.

"Village Chief, you heard her. The girl is willing to not hold her grandmother responsible, but she doesn't want to live with her little uncle and grandma. Please help us tidy up a bit for her, that's not too much to ask, right?"

Liu Baoguo nodded, "Not too much at all, of course not! But it's embarrassing to bother you with our training. Otherwise, I will ask the villagers to help out." As long as there was no scandal in the village, Liu Baoguo was naturally willing to lend help in a way that went with the flow.

Bai Jianguo also echoed repeatedly, "Exactly! How can we trouble the instructors with our family matters? We'll find someone to clean up by ourselves!" He didn't dare let An Zhiyuan and others help, for if they did, the house would have to be handed over to Bai Xiao today, and his plans would fall through.

An Zhiyuan laughed, "How is it any trouble? Serving the people is our duty, isn't it? When we say 'serve the people', my students are all going to serve the people in the future. It just so happens we have many people here, all with some basic construction skills! Helping tidy up a house should be no trouble at all, right?"

As if he's a fool. This so-called uncle had shifty eyes at first glance and obviously didn't seem like a good person, likely harboring ill intentions. This young girl must have been out of options to seek help from an outsider like him, probably thinking that, given the uniform they wore, her uncle wouldn't dare make trouble.

His students immediately chorused in unison, "We're all one family, serving the people is our duty."

With the instructor's decision to get involved in this matter, how could they not agree? Besides, they found Bai Xiao quite pitiable—a young girl without parents, bullied by her own grandmother and uncle. As servants of the people, of course, they ought to right wrongs and uphold justice; it was an unquestionable responsibility.

An Zhiyuan was satisfied and turned to Bai Jianguo, "Go get the keys. We'll follow you. Let's consider our training today as doing some work for our fellow villagers!"

Bai Jianguo couldn't refuse any longer.