Free Web NovelChapter 259: Chapter 259: Do You Dare?
Li Zhi’s words were utterly merciless; "merciless" wasn’t even a strong enough word. Gu’er watched him. ’What would people in the future call someone who talks like this? They’d probably say Li Zhi has a venomous tongue, right? But why do I find it so satisfying to hear? I could never say things like that myself. I guess Li Zhi is letting out my anger for me right now.’
Dingzi was also greatly impressed as he watched Li Zhi. He was fine with getting physical, but having to use his words felt worse than getting into a fight. He originally thought Li Zhi just spouted a lot of nonsense, but now he saw that it wasn’t so bad. Being able to tear someone down like that was a skill in itself.
Sun Jiaming also admired Li Zhi’s sharp tongue. Perhaps it was because they grew up in different environments, but he could never say the kinds of things Li Zhi just had.
"You... you... how can you say that? What’s so bad about my Meizi? She’s a good, unmarried girl! How can you be so vicious?"
Zhou Erpao was so angry he could barely speak. When it came to a battle of words, he was no match for Li Zhi.
"What does it matter to me if she’s an ’unmarried girl’? I’m not marrying her. I wouldn’t take her even if you offered her to me for free. You ask what’s so bad about her? Is there a single good thing about her from head to toe? You say I’m vicious? That my words are harsh? You’re the ones who came knocking, looking for a verbal beatdown. In all my life, I’ve never seen someone bring their daughter to someone’s home to peddle her like this. You brought her here to be insulted, so who can you blame? Any family with a shred of dignity wouldn’t do something like this. You won’t even save your own face, so why should we do it for you?"
Li Zhi curled his lip. It wasn’t that he, a grown man, wanted to argue with a girl, nor was it that he wanted to completely humiliate Zhou Mei. First, he wanted to vent Gu’er’s frustrations. Second, he truly looked down on the Zhou father and daughter. What they were doing was just too disgusting.
"Are you even a man? Aren’t you ashamed of yourself, bullying a girl like me?"
Zhou Mei couldn’t take it anymore. ’At first, I thought Li Zhi was a good catch. Seeing him smile, I was secretly thrilled. I thought I might become a city man’s wife. Once I marry Li Zhi, I’ll definitely stop him from seeing Gu’er and Sun Jiaming. I’ll make him buy me the best things. I’ll make him listen to me. I’ll make him help me deal with Gu’er and Sun Jiaming. I’ll be better than everyone else. But I never imagined he wasn’t even interested in me, and would say such horrible things about me.’
"Don’t you go spouting nonsense. How did I bully you? If you go around saying that, you’ll ruin my reputation! You might not care about yours, but I care about mine. I still have to find a wife, you know. If I get tainted by a filthy tramp like you, I’m afraid my future wife will find me disgusting. Besides, what’s it to you whether I’m a man or not? As long as my future wife thinks I’m a man, that’s all that matters."
Li Zhi felt no qualms about tearing into Zhou Mei. ’If a woman has any dignity,’ he thought, ’she wouldn’t just show up at someone’s door like this.’
"Hmph. You make yourself sound so noble, calling me a filthy tramp and saying you’re just helping Gu’er vent her anger. Doesn’t Gu’er have Sun Jiaming? What does she need you for? Why are you so enthusiastic? Don’t tell me you’ve got your eye on Zhou Gu’er? And Sun Jiaming is a real coward, bringing you home with him. Are the three of you men planning to marry one wife? No wonder Sun Jiaming suddenly struck it rich—it’s because he’s being cuckolded! Pah! You say I’m no good and shameless? Zhou Gu’er is far more shameless than I am!"
"What did you say?"
Gu’er’s expression darkened. ’Does Zhou Mei think I’m an easy target? She and her father were the ones who came here uninvited. Now that Li Zhi has put her in her place and she’s lost face, she’s turning around and blaming me?’
Sun Jiaming’s face darkened as well. ’This Zhou Mei is like a mad dog, just biting indiscriminately.’
Li Zhi’s expression turned ugly too. He hadn’t expected that when Zhou Mei couldn’t win the argument against him, she would resort to slandering Gu’er. freēwēbnovel.com
"I’ll say it again! You, Zhou Gu’er, are a shameless hussy! Back in the village, you were always seducing men. If it weren’t for you, Jia Ming would have married me long ago! It was none of your business! Now you’ve gone to the city and you’re still at it, cuckolding Sun Jiaming!"
Zhou Mei couldn’t control the rage in her heart. Life had indeed been difficult for her lately.
"Even without Gu’er, I would never have married you. Don’t measure others by your own filthy mind. You are not welcome in my home. Get out now. And from now on, if I ever hear you say another bad word about Gu’er, Zhou Mei... I’m not one to hit a woman, but your family has men. If you dare to curse her, I will beat them. I’ll beat them until you shut your mouth for good."
"You dare!"
Zhou Mei glared. She might have felt a certain awe toward Li Zhi and Dingzi—an instinctive reverence that villagers had for city folk, who she always felt were a class above her. But Gu’er and Sun Jiaming had been villagers too, just like her. Her feelings for them were a mix of envy and jealousy, but most of all, indignation. ’If I’d had the chance,’ she thought, ’I wouldn’t be any worse off than them.’
"Then watch and see if I dare."
The moment Sun Jiaming finished speaking, before he could even move, Dingzi struck like a bolt of lightning. By the time the others snapped out of their shock, they saw Dingzi’s hand clamped on the scruff of Zhou Erpao’s neck. Zhou Erpao, a large, heavy man, was lifted right off his feet. Before anyone could react again, both Dingzi and Zhou Erpao had vanished.
Zhou Mei let out a shriek and ran outside. After exchanging a glance, Gu’er, Sun Jiaming, and Li Zhi followed. By the time they got out, Zhou Erpao was already lying on the ground, groaning in pain.
"You... you hit my dad! I’ll kill you!"
Zhou Mei charged at Dingzi like a madwoman.
Dingzi frowned and dodged out of the way.
Gu’er suddenly understood. ’The reason Dingzi acted is because Sun Jiaming said he wouldn’t hit a woman, but he *would* hit the men in Zhou Mei’s family. Since Sun Jiaming had said it, Dingzi put his words into action, grabbing Zhou Erpao and tossing him out. But he’s dodging Zhou Mei and not laying a hand on her because Sun Jiaming also said he wouldn’t hit women.’
Sun Jiaming and Li Zhi had clearly realized it as well, and were left speechless by Dingzi’s speed.
"Stop this madness! They won’t hit a woman, but I will. Zhou Mei, if you don’t stop, I’ll throw you out myself."
Seeing this was getting nowhere, Gu’er closed the distance in a few steps and grabbed Zhou Mei.
"I’d like to see you try! Zhou Gu’er, don’t think I’m afraid of you just because you found a few men to back you up! You’re the shameless one, seducing men! If you dare touch me, I’ll—"
Before Zhou Mei could finish her threat, Gu’er’s hand flashed out, and a sharp slap landed on her face. Zhou Mei fell silent.
’Isn’t she the daughter of a high official now? Shouldn’t she have changed? Shouldn’t she be putting on an act? Shouldn’t she be afraid of people finding out about her past, and not dare to touch me? I thought she wouldn’t dare, which is why I cursed at her... but she actually hit me again.’
As she looked at Gu’er, whose eyebrows were bristling with fury, she was suddenly thrown back to that night. The night Gu’er had chased her with a knife. She had been so terrified then. How could she have forgotten? If Gu’er was daring enough to chase someone with a knife, what was a simple slap to her?
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