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Sister-in-law Xiao tried to morally bind Chu Qingzhi, “How can you speak like that to an elder? She’s much older than you, and deserves respect. Didn’t your parents teach you to respect your elders?”

Chu Qingzhi retorted, “Didn’t your parents teach you to speak politely to elders?”

It took a moment for everyone to digest her words and grasp their meaning.

Impressive!

Sister-in-law Xiao was exasperated. “You’re so young. How can you have the cheeks to call yourself an elder?”

Chu Qingzhi replied calmly, “You seem to like talking about elders so much. Wouldn’t it be a disappointment if I didn’t act like an elder?”

Some people couldn’t help but laugh.

Sister-in-law Xiao’s face turned green with anger, “I was talking about my grandmother. She’s the elder! And who are you to try to act like my elder?”

Chu Qingzhi glanced at Old Madam Xiao, “Then who is she to act like my elder?”

Sister-in-law Xiao was at a loss for words.

Old Madam Xiao, with an air of self-importance, declared, “I’m older than you, so 1 am your elder!”

Chu Qingzhi didn’t even deign to give Old Madam Xiao a glance, finding it a waste to even look at such a foolish person.

Seeing that Chu Qingzhi was ignoring her, Old Madam Xiao’s face darkened. She felt like she was asking for humiliation.

Unable to outwit Chu Qingzhi, the Xiao family shifted their anger towards Xiao Zongchao.

Madam Xiao pointed at Xiao Zongchao, her eyes wide with fury. “Hurry up and come home with me. You’re not allowed to interact with such a woman again!”

Xiao Zongchao looked at his family with disappointment and sorrow in his eyes, his voice low and suppressed, “She gave me food today. Even if 1 were a dog, 1 should wag my tail and make her happy in return for her kindness.” He paused before adding, “Is there even a room for me at home?”

The Xiao family avoided answering this question.

Old Madam Xiao, venting her anger on Xiao Zongchao, said harshly, “So, if there’s no room for you, you won’t come back? Can’t people sleep under the eaves?”

Everyone was astonished.

Chu Qingzhi couldn’t help but retort. She felt uncomfortable if she didn’t retort. “Then why don’t you sleep under the eaves?”

Old Madam Xiao looked at Chu Qingzhi with disdain, “I wasn’t talking to you, so mind your own business!”

Chu Qingzhi turned to look at her. “I wasn’t talking to you either. Why do you respond to my words? Mind your own business!”

Old Madam Xiao was left gasping for breath, feeling overwhelmed and outclassed by Chu Qingzhi, and dared not speak to her again.

The crowd secretly gave Chu Qingzhi a thumbs up. Old Madam Xiao was known as the top shrew of her generation, and seeing her defeated in a quarrel was immensely satisfying for everyone.

Xiao Zongchao didn’t know what kind of a change had taken place in him. In the past, he felt that it was only right for his family to treat him like this. But now, he felt that he was also human. Why should he be treated like this?

He felt a lump in his throat and asked, “Mother, am 1 your biological son?”

Madam Xiao, oblivious to how much she had alienated her son, retorted harshly, “If you’re not my biological child, did you spring from the cracks in the rocks? Heartless and ungrateful son. I should have just taken an abortion pill and gotten rid of you!”

Her words pierced Xiao Zongchao’s heart like needles. He covered his eyes, tears seeping through his fingers, slowly trickling down like his shattered heart.

A kind-hearted auntie intervened, “How can a mother speak like this to her child?”

Madam Xiao, unrepentant, snapped back, “I’m talking to my son, what’s it to you?”

The auntie, indignant, said, “I just can’t stand to see you mistreat him like this. They’re both your sons; how can you be so cruel?”

Madam Xiao scoffed, “Don’t like it? Then don’t look. Who’s begging you to look?”

The auntie covered her chest, shaking her head, no longer wanting to argue, “What goes around comes around. People like you will get what’s coming to them.”

Xiao Zongchao turned and whispered to Chu Qingzhi, “I’m sorry for making you go through this. Shall we go?”

Chu Qingzhi did not take these people to heart at all. They were just fleas. “Let’s go.”

Madam Xiao shouted after them, “Xiao Zongchao, if you leave today, don’t ever come back!”

Xiao Zongchao looked back at his family one last time, feeling nothing but strangeness.

The crowd parted, allowing Chu Qingzhi and Xiao Zongchao to walk away.

The Xiao family, red-faced and furious, continued to curse behind them.

But as they cursed, they suddenly found themselves unable to speak. Their mouths moved, but no sound came out.

The neighbors watched this scene, stunned for a moment, and then burst into laughter.

“Instant karma, they’ve become mute!”

“Karma, it’s truly karma!”

“As they say, what goes around comes around, and they weren’t wrong!”

At the Li Family Porcelain Workshop.

Yan Yanrong, accompanied by a maid, entered the porcelain workshop dressed flamboyantly, her head adorned with numerous valuable ornaments, flaunting her airs as a rich young lady.

She deliberately approached Chu Qingshuang, “Chu Qingshuang, still playing with clay here?”

Chu Qingshuang looked up, feigning surprise, “Oh, Yan Yanrong, have you become a rich young lady? But why is your dress so tacky?”

She pointed at Yan Yanrong’s head, “Wearing so much jewelry, aren’t you afraid of being robbed? Or doesn’t it feel heavy?”

Yan Yanrong touched her hair, looking down on Chu Qingshuang, “I thought you hadn’t seen fine things, so 1 specially brought these for you to see. Open your eyes wider.”

Chu Qingshuang calmly asked, “Have you seen the jewelry in the palace? The fabrics there? Or imperial edicts?”

Yan Yanrong’s expression froze, and her face suddenly burned as if she had been slapped.

She forgot that Chu Qingzhi had received many rewards from the emperor, naturally including items from the palace.

Her expression was awkward. She rolled her eyes and retorted weakly, “Those are all your fifth sister’s, what do they have to do with you?”

Chu Qingshuang replied, “Well, my fifth sister gave me a tian-tsui hairpin. You haven’t seen it, have you? It’s worn by noble ladies in the capital and the ladies of the palace. Someone of your humble origins wouldn’t have seen such things.”

Yan Yanrong’s face changed colors like a palette, displaying a range of emotions.

Taking a few deep breaths, she said haughtily, “I didn’t come here to talk about this. I’m here to tell you that my cousin and I are going to the capital. There’s a big porcelain competition there, and porcelain merchants from nearby regions are all invited. My cousin hasn’t told you, has he?”

Chu Qingshuang wasn’t aware of this but didn’t care. She smiled sweetly, “Sorry, I’m also going to the capital. My second sister is marrying a wealthy young master from there, and I’m going to attend the wedding.”

She had never boasted about her future brother-in-law’s family background before, but Yan Yanrong was so annoying that she had to put her in her place.

The words “wealthy young master” irritated Yan Yanrong, who scoffed, “A village girl marrying a wealthy young master from the capital? How rich can he be?”

Chu Qingshuang tilted her head, pondering for a moment before saying, “Not much, just about a quarter of the wealth of the richest man in Daling.”

This left Yan Yanrong seething with indignation..