"Mom, hurry back home to find the red medicine, Jiaojiao hurt her leg."
"How did she hurt her leg?" The Ruanlin Family lady looked at Ruan Jiaojiao with a heartache, her eyes catching sight of Little Fatty and immediately she bellowed in question, "Weren't you accompanying Jiaojiao to Tingting's house? How did she get hurt?"
Little Fatty was young and couldn't hold in his emotions. The day's events had already caused his feelings to fluctuate drastically, and now being yelled at by the Ruanlin Family lady, he just broke down and cried, "It's my fault, I didn't take good care of my sister, wuu wuu wuu…"
He cried loudly, his sobs thunderous.
"…" The Ruanlin Family lady.
"What are you bawling for, mourning the dead!" Despite her harsh words, seeing her grandson cry like that, she found it hard to say anything further, only turning around and dashing back to the Ruan Family's house to look for the red medicine.
Once the red medicine was found, Ruan Jiaojiao was seated on a stool, surrounded by the Ruan Family both inside and outside, everyone staring at her leg with furrowed brows, which made Ruan Jiaojiao, who was in pain and wanted to whimper, too embarrassed to make a sound and just bit her lip as she endured Ruan Jianguo's kneading.
There was no bone injury, but the fierce charge of the two pheasants had caused her knees to turn blue and purple, the white skin making the bruising look even more horrifying.
The Ruanlin Family lady felt an immense heartache and couldn't bear to scold her, so she vented her anger on several grandsons instead. All five young men were punished by being made to kneel in the courtyard, and even Ruan Jiaojiao's pleas couldn't save them.
When it came to matters concerning Ruan Jiaojiao, the Ruanlin Family lady was always firm in her decisions.
By the time Ruan Chi came back carrying the pheasants, Ruan Jiaojiao had already been medicated.
Liao Zhaoji had been at home all along, seeing them fuss around a little girl and thinking their brains were sick, she couldn't be bothered to come out. When she saw Ruan Chi coming out with the pheasants, she rushed over immediately.
"Son, where did these pheasants come from, did you hunt them?" Liao Zhaoji's eyes crinkled with her smile, reaching for the pheasants in his hand while speaking, "Looks like we can have an extra dish tonight, what flavor do you want, I will make it for…"
Her words came to an abrupt stop, as her reaching hand was dodged by Ruan Chi.
"What are you doing?" Failing to grab the pheasants, Liao Zhaoji's smile instantly vanished.
Ruan Chi sidestepped her and walked over to the Ruanlin Family lady, saying softly, "Grandma, these are the pheasants that injured sister."
In the short time that they had applied the medicine, the brothers had roughly explained the situation once over, but the Ruanlin Family lady and Ruan Jianguo found the story too far-fetched and didn't quite believe it, thinking it was a lie the brothers concocted to be forgiven.
Now seeing Ruan Chi actually return with the pheasants, they were instantly shocked.
If the Ruanlin Family lady and Ruan Jianguo didn't believe it, there was even less chance for Liao Zhaoji. Seeing her son actually side-step her and give the pheasants to the Ruanlin Family lady, she was so furious that her eye twitched, and she rushed over to slap Ruan Chi on the back of his head, scolding, "You ingrate, what did I raise you for!"
Ruan Chi was sent staggering from the slap, leaning forward and nearly hitting the corner of the table in front of him, lucky to be caught by the Ruanlin Family lady.
With a fierce expression, the Ruanlin Family lady coldly watched Liao Zhaoji and sarcastically snarled, "Are you talking about Chizi or me?"
Liao Zhaoji, having not intended to hit so hard and feeling regretful immediately after, now stung by the Ruanlin Family lady's jab, struck an ingratiating smile, "Mom, you misunderstand, how could I…" But before she could finish, her words were cut off by the Ruanlin Family lady's scolding, "You shallow, black-hearted wretch, trying to snatch away Jiaojiao's things. The Ruan Family has a jinx like you, truly bad luck for eight lifetimes!"