Aunt grabbed the down jacket from Ning Jiali as soon as she returned.
She touched the material and examined the style, finding it very attractive. Then she put it on herself.
She was not tall, just about 1.6 meters.
Ning Jiali was a bit taller than her, although only sixteen years old, she was already 1.65 meters.
Aunt tried it on and found it to fit perfectly. She was increasingly satisfied and didn't want to take it off.
Ning Jiali could see her mother's intentions.
If they were at home, she definitely wouldn't dare to say anything.
But now all the elders were present, especially her grandparents.
She pouted, looking as if she was about to cry.
Holding her grandmother, she said, "Grandma, look, Mom is bullying me. This is the jacket Third Aunt bought for me."
The people at the dinner table were all watching the drama unfold, but no one spoke up for Ning Jiali.
Everyone knew this sister-in-law was difficult to deal with.
When she went crazy, she would scold even her in-laws.
Grandma tried to persuade her daughter-in-law not to take her granddaughter's jacket. But as soon as she opened her mouth, her daughter-in-law glared at her, and she didn't dare to say anything more.
Ning Jiali was very disappointed to see that even her grandmother was not helping.
Usually, she would have given up, but she really liked this white down jacket. She liked it at first sight.
But who could stand up for her?
She suddenly remembered that the jacket was bought by her Third Aunt. If Third Aunt spoke up for her, maybe her mother wouldn't take it from her.
She immediately looked at her Third Aunt, hoping she could help.
Ning Wanqiu was in a difficult position. She knew very well her sister-in-law's personality.
She knew if she spoke up, it would definitely lead to a quarrel, and she was hesitant.
But seeing her niece's pleading eyes, she chose to stand up and say, "Sister-in-law, I bought this jacket for Lili. If you like it, I can go back and see if there are any more. If there are, I'll buy one for you."
Before Aunt could speak, the Youngest Aunt interjected, "Third Sister, you bought three jackets for Lili, but only two for my Hu Suo. You should treat us equally, right? So, buy me one too. I quite like this down jacket."
As soon as the Youngest Aunt finished speaking.
Aunt got angry.
She glared at Ning Wanqiu and shouted, "Do you think I care about your jacket? You bought it for Lili, but as her mother, I have the right to decide who gets it. A kid wearing such a good jacket is just wasting it. Don't think you're something special just because you have some money. I hear city folks have messed-up relationships; who knows if your money is clean."
Ning Wanqiu was not angry at her younger sister's words.
But her sister-in-law's words were outright insults, insinuating that she was involved in improper relationships!
Ning Wanqiu was instantly furious.
She wanted to retort, but just as she was about to speak, a hand covered hers.
It was her son, Xu Xiuwen.
Xu Xiuwen couldn't stand it anymore.
Ever since he was a child, at every family gathering, Ning Wanqiu would be bullied by her sisters.
When Xu Xiuwen was in middle school, he once scolded his aunts fiercely during a gathering, but instead of receiving praise from his mother, he got a slap.
Ning Wanqiu, her face red with anger, questioned how he dared speak to his elders like that and made him apologize to his aunts on the spot.
After returning home, Ning Wanqiu told him never to interrupt adults, no matter what he heard.
Xu Xiuwen, being young at the time, couldn't understand why his mother scolded him for standing up for her.
He was very upset, so in the following years, he would quickly eat his rice at family gatherings and then hide in the backyard, avoiding the drama.
But now, Xu Xiuwen was no longer that boy. He wouldn't hold a grudge against his mother.
He could understand his mother's need to endure, but he couldn't accept her method.
Now, he was capable of protecting and taking care of his mother.
Xu Xiuwen slammed the table hard.
The loud sound startled everyone at the table.
Xu Xiuwen stood up abruptly.
He looked at his Aunt coldly and asked, "What did you just say? Did you say my mother's money is dirty?"
Aunt was shocked by his imposing manner, but regained her composure soon, as she knew Ning Wanqiu wouldn't sit idly by. So she yelled fearlessly, "You little bastard, who are you talking to? Have you forgotten what your mother taught you as a child?"
Hearing the word "bastard," Xu Xiuwen couldn't hold back any longer.
He slapped her directly!
It was a particularly hard slap!
One slap knocked Aunt to the ground!
Everyone in the room was stunned!
Xu Xiuwen knocked his Aunt to the ground with a slap, then spat on her.
Glaring at his Aunt, he said, "If you dare to speak ill of my mother again, I'll beat you to death!"
His Aunt was stunned.
Faced with Xu Xiuwen's imposing manner, she was momentarily speechless with her mouth wide open.
But she quickly came to her senses. Seeing Xu Xiuwen's fierce expression, she was frightened and didn't dare to look at him directly.
So she looked at her quiet and submissive husband nearby, and shouted with a voice like a shrew, "Ning Zhuo, your wife has been beaten, and you're just sitting there watching! Are you even a man?"
Xu Xiuwen's Uncle, Ning Zhuo, was about to speak under his wife's pressure.
Xu Xiuwen suddenly took out his wallet, pulled out a wad of hundred-yuan bills without counting, and threw them in his Aunt's face, "Take this money and go see a doctor. Shut your damn mouth. I don't want to hear any more of your nonsense!"
Xu Xiuwen knew his Aunt well.
This woman was greedy and especially loved money.
Not to mention slapping her, even if someone stripped her naked and threw her onto the street, as long as they gave her money, she might even shout a few more times.
His Uncle was even more of a coward, particularly afraid of his wife.
Just as Xu Xiuwen expected.
Seeing the money, his Aunt stopped shouting, immediately got up to collect the money, and while picking it up, she shouted, "This is all my money, don't anyone dare try to take it from me."
In fact, no one was trying to take it.
The entire extended family—his eldest aunt's family, second aunt's family, and youngest aunt's family—were all stunned.
His grandparents looked displeased but remained silent.
Ning Jiali, thinking it was her mother after all, wanted to help her.
But her mother misunderstood, thinking she was there to take the money, and pushed her away, shouting, "You worthless thing, don't touch my money!"
Ning Jiali wasn't hurt by her mother's push, but her mother's words made her tear up instantly.
Ning Wanqiu finally came to her senses.
Seeing her son standing up for her and slapping her sister-in-law hard, she felt a sense of satisfaction!
But she had to consider reality, so she intended to stop her son from causing more trouble.
She had just started to speak, "Son, you should..."
Before she could finish.
Xu Xiuwen suddenly turned to her, his tone icy, "Mom, don't try to stop me. They've gone too far! It's because you always tolerate them that they keep pushing their limits!"
After speaking to his mother, Xu Xiuwen turned and glanced at his aunts and cousins.
None of them dared to meet his gaze.
His eyes were as sharp as knives.
Xu Xiuwen sneered.
He suddenly looked at his eldest cousin, Li Lei, and asked with a smile, "Big cousin, Aunt said you got a scholarship and told me to learn from you. What do you think?"
Everyone was family, and although there had been mockery and sarcasm before, no one had ever actually gotten physical.
Xu Xiuwen's outburst this time had shocked everyone.
But now they were gradually regaining their composure.
Li Lei said, "Did my mom say anything wrong? You're only attending a third-tier college. If you don't work hard, you're done for, you have no future!"
His eldest aunt turned to Ning Wanqiu and said, "Look at how you've raised your son. Even if my sister-in-law said something inappropriate, he shouldn't hit people. He's nothing but a hooligan!"
Xu Xiuwen sneered again, then suddenly pulled out his phone and started making a call.
No one knew what he was up to.
The call was quickly connected.
Xu Xiuwen put it on speakerphone.
Secretary Li's voice came through the phone.
"Xu Xiuwen, what's the matter?"
A moment ago, Xu Xiuwen's face was still cold, filled with rage, but upon hearing Secretary Li's voice, he immediately put on a smile.
He smiled and said, "Secretary Li, it's almost the New Year. I'm worried that too many people will be greeting you on New Year's Day, so I'm giving you an early greeting. Happy New Year, Secretary Li."
Secretary Li chuckled, in a good mood, "That's considerate of you, but just tell me, what's the matter?"
Secretary Li wasn't easily fooled, given her position as a school committee teacher.
Xu Xiuwen didn't intend to fool her.
He smiled and said, "It's like this, Secretary Li. You mentioned last time that I could run for the top ten outstanding youth students next year. Is that still valid?"
Secretary Li replied, "Of course it is. I'll arrange it for you next semester. Don't worry about it."
"Thank you, Secretary Li. My mom didn't believe me and thought I was lying."
As he spoke, Xu Xiuwen glanced at his eldest aunt and cousin Li Lei.
Their faces turned ashen.
"Hehe." Secretary Li laughed.
Xu Xiuwen smirked, then asked, "Secretary Li, I have a question. I heard that the national scholarship is 4,000 yuan. Are there any conditions?"
Secretary Li said, "Who told you the national scholarship is 4,000 yuan? 4,000 yuan is the first-class poverty aid scholarship. The second and third classes are 2,000 yuan and 1,000 yuan respectively. The national scholarship is 8,000 yuan. Considering your situation, forget about the poverty aid scholarship, but you meet the criteria for the national scholarship. I heard from your counselor that you scored above 90 in every subject this semester. Well done, you didn't let me down."
Xu Xiuwen had long known about Secretary Li and Guan Congshan's connection, so he wasn't surprised.
He laughed heartily, "The 8,000 yuan scholarship should go to someone who needs it more. Thank you, Secretary Li. Sorry for bothering you so late, and Happy New Year in advance. I wish you eternal youth and beauty."
Secretary Li laughed even more happily at that.
"I appreciate your thoughtfulness. Have a great New Year…"
After hanging up the phone, Xu Xiuwen stared directly into his cousin Li Lei's eyes, causing the latter to guiltily avert his gaze immediately.
Xu Xiuwen sneered, "Cousin, didn't you say you won the national scholarship? How come the national scholarship for your first-tier university is only 4,000 yuan, while the one for our third-tier university is higher? Could it be that you confused the poverty assistance grant with the national scholarship?"
Li Lei was sweating profusely and didn't dare to look at him.
His guilty behavior spoke volumes.
Everyone present already understood what was going on.
It turned out that Li Lei had used the first-class poverty assistance grant to impersonate a national scholarship.
Earlier, the First Aunt had boasted about her son's excellence to everyone, saying he had won the national scholarship.
Now, hearing it was actually a poverty assistance grant, and a first-class one at that, she felt like she was being slapped in the face.
Her face was burning with embarrassment!
First Aunt transferred her anger to Li Lei.
She grabbed his ear and slapped him twice, leaving two handprints on his face.
Xu Xiuwen had exposed his cousin Li Lei's lie, causing the First Aunt great embarrassment.
Xu Xiuwen felt much less angry now.
After this incident, his aunt and others would probably not dare to mock or ridicule Ning Wanqiu in front of him again.
The second aunt, who had been tired of hearing the first aunt brag about her son's achievements, felt a surge of satisfaction.
Wu Qiang, who was often compared to cousin Li Lei and felt unhappy about it, was also feeling quite pleased.
At this moment, their grandfather suddenly spoke up, "We're supposed to be having a reunion dinner, but you all have to cause a scene. Do I have to die before you can peacefully eat a meal together?"
"Dad, that's not what we mean."
Wanchun, Wanlan, Wanju, and Ning Wanqiu all quickly said.
Ning Zhuo didn't say anything. His wife was counting money and wasn't concerned about what her father-in-law said; she only cared about how much money there was.
This rascal really didn't mind spending money.
Their grandfather snorted coldly, "Eat! If you're not eating, then leave!"
So everyone sat down to continue eating.
At this point, the second aunt suddenly asked, "Mom, is the car outside from Old Ning's family next door? Did they suddenly come into some money?"
Everyone else also looked over curiously.
Earlier, when they came back, they all saw the car parked outside.
Their grandmother looked at Ning Wanqiu, hesitating whether to reveal the truth.
She knew her daughters' personalities well and feared that telling them might provoke envy and jealousy.
Ning Wanqiu noticed her mother's hesitation and shook her head.
Xu Xiuwen, however, didn't care about that. Wealth should be flaunted; hiding it was like wearing fine clothes at night where no one could see.
How would people know you have money if you keep it a secret?
Besides, he had already figured out that these aunts and uncles were the type to envy the wealthy and look down on the poor—they bullied the weak and feared the strong.
He directly told his second aunt, "Second Aunt, that car is a new purchase by my mom today. The contract is still in the car."
As soon as he said this, the room fell silent.
The aunts and uncles looked at Ning Wanqiu, then shook their heads, not believing what Xu Xiuwen said.
After all, they knew what Ning Wanqiu did for a living.
She was just a teacher, without a husband, and it was already hard enough raising her son alone.
And buying a car?
Where would she get the money for a car?
Unless it was dirty money.
Ning Wanqiu didn't want to spoil the atmosphere and intended to say, "The car isn't mine; Xu Xiuwen is just making things up."
Xu Xiuwen saw the expressions on his aunts' and uncles' faces.
He smiled wryly and, without saying more, took out the car key and threw it on the table, "Look, this is the key to my mom's new car. If anyone still doesn't believe it, they can go and try the car."
Seeing the car key, the aunts and uncles, even if they didn't want to believe it, had no choice but to.