Ma-shi, caught off guard, couldn't dodge in time. Xiaozhu, full of rage, used all his strength to ram into her. Despite Ma-shi's hefty frame, the collision sent her stumbling backward, nearly falling to the ground.
Infuriated, Ma-shi rolled up her sleeves and slapped Xiaozhu on the head. "You little brat! How dare you lay a hand on me? I'll beat the life out of you!"
Her slap was so heavy that Xiaozhu was momentarily stunned. His face flushed with anger as he glared at Ma-shi. Inside, a fire raged—he hated himself for being weak, unable to protect his mother, and instead, watching her endure humiliation.
"Oh, you're glaring at me now, are you?" Ma-shi sneered. "Clearly, you haven't been disciplined enough! Your little vixen of a mother failed to raise you right, so let me teach you a lesson today!"
Before she could finish her sentence, Ma-shi grabbed Xiaozhu's arm and raised her hand to strike again. But just as her hand was about to come down, she felt a sharp pain in her wrist. Looking up, she saw Li Xiangli holding her wrist in an iron grip. Since when had this woman become so strong?
Without giving Ma-shi time to process, Li Xiangli yanked Xiaozhu away from her grasp and shielded him behind her. Her eyes were as cold as ice, emanating a chilling fury. Then, with one swift kick, she sent Ma-shi flying two meters back.
"My child is not someone you can bully!" Li Xiangli declared, her voice firm and commanding.
The onlookers were stunned. Was this the same timid Li Xiangli they used to know? And how did she suddenly have so much strength?
Ma-shi, now livid, scrambled to her feet despite the pain. She was unused to being overpowered, having relied on her size to dominate others. "I'll kill you, you little wench!" she screamed, charging at Li Xiangli like an enraged bull.
Uncle Liu, the cart owner, quickly stepped in to mediate. But Ma-shi, with her considerable bulk, easily pushed him aside and continued her assault.
To everyone's surprise, Li Xiangli didn't budge. She stood her ground, a smirk of disdain curling her lips. The sight only enraged Ma-shi further. "I'll tear your face apart!" she shrieked.
Just as Ma-shi lunged, Li Xiangli sidestepped gracefully, extending a foot to trip her. With a calculated move, she pinched Ma-shi in unseen places, causing her to howl in pain as she tumbled to the ground.
Standing tall and composed, Li Xiangli gazed down at Ma-shi with an icy glare, her presence exuding an intimidating aura. For the first time, Ma-shi felt a twinge of fear. The woman before her was no longer the submissive pushover she used to mock; she radiated an almost otherworldly menace.
Unable to retaliate, Ma-shi resorted to her usual theatrics. Sitting on the ground, she wailed, "She hit me! Look at what she's done to me! There's no justice in this world. I'm taking this to the village chief — she must compensate me ten taels of silver!"
Xiaozhu and Le'er, initially proud of their mother's victory, were now growing anxious. "You're shameless! Ten taels? You're nothing but a thief!" Xiaozhu shouted, his small fists clenched tightly.
Ma-shi snorted. "Oh, so now you want to deny it? We'll see about that. Let's see what happens when I report this!"
Li Xiangli crouched to reassure Xiaozhu. "There's no need to stoop to the level of a mad dog," she said, her tone calm yet resolute. "She demands ten taels? I say she owes us twenty. Let's see who pays up first."
Her words infuriated Ma-shi, who began shouting for the village chief to come and settle the matter.
Uncle Liu, feeling cornered, tried to mediate. "Ma-shi, let's just let it go. Small squabbles like this happen all the time in the village. Why make such a big deal out of it? It's not worth tarnishing your own reputation."
"Reputation? Can I spend reputation as money?" Ma-shi shot back. "No! I was attacked, and I demand justice!"
Realizing there was no reasoning with her, someone was sent to fetch the village chief. The crowd, now gathered in full, looked at Li Xiangli with pity. Everyone knew Ma-shi's notorious reputation—she was a loudmouthed bully who never let anything go. And now, Li Xiangli had directly humiliated her in public. There was no way Ma-shi would let this slide.
Le'er clung tightly to her mother's skirt, her voice trembling. "Mother, I'm scared."
Li Xiangli hugged her daughter protectively. "Don't be afraid. Your mother is here. Today, we'll set the record straight. No one can bully us!"
Her voice was calm but filled with an unyielding determination. Even Le'er and Xiaozhu felt emboldened by her words.
Xiaozhu clenched his fists. "That's right! We won't let anyone think they can push us around. I'll protect you, Mother. No one will bully us again!"
Touched by her son's resolve, Li Xiangli gently touched his bruised cheek. Her heart ached at the sight of the swelling and the trickle of blood on his lips. "Anyone who dares to harm us will pay twice over," she promised, her tone steely.
"But... what about the village chief?" Le'er asked hesitantly.
Li Xiangli's gaze hardened. "Watch and learn. Stay close to me and be ready for anything."
Though they didn't fully understand her meaning, the two children nodded firmly.
Soon, the village chief arrived. Ma-shi, seeing her opportunity, immediately burst into tears. "Village Chief! There's no justice left in this world! That little wench attacked me, look at my injuries! I demand justice. She must compensate me with ten taels of silver, or I won't rest!"
The village chief, expecting to see Li Xiangli battered and bruised, was startled to find Ma-shi the one in disarray. "What's going on here?" he asked, his tone sharp.
Disclaimer:
I am not the original author of this work. This is a translated version of the original text, shared for reading and reference purposes only. All rights to the original content belong to the original author. I do not claim ownership of the original work or its characters. This translation is intended solely for informational and entertainment purposes.