Chapter 12: The Petty Person Fears Authority But Not Virtue

Listening to the neighbors' chatter, Chen Jie laughed.

Good, the double standards are real. When Lu San hit someone, no one stopped him, but I barely took a couple of swings and everyone's up in arms.

Plainly speaking, it's just because I, Chen Jiusi, used to be timid and easy to talk to.

Lu San has turned into a total thug, and everyone doesn't want to mess with him, let alone dare to point fingers at him.

Thinking about it, Chen Jie sneered. Indeed, in this place, people have different standards for the bad and the good. Why the hell be a good guy then?

Today, I, Chen Jiusi, will let you all know, I'm certainly not your damn good guy!

Thinking this, Chen Jie said, "Fine, since everyone's begging, I can't spoil everyone's face."

Hearing Chen Jie relent, the neighbors exchanged glances.

They immediately started uttering self-serving words.

"Yes, I was just saying Jiusi has always been the most reasonable. We should consider that it's not easy for Lu San and his wife, let's show some mercy where we can."

"That's right, logically thinking, today's issues were stirred up by the Su family girl. If she hadn't provoked Lu Qinsi, how would it have escalated to this extent?"

"Exactly, I told you all, that girl from the Su family is bad luck. Her father died after she got married, and then she brought death to her mother-in-law too. She might well be a jinx star."

"Oh, isn't that the truth? Look at Jiusi after he married her, the vast family wealth his uncle left behind has been squandered. I reckon she's even cursed her husband!"

Everyone was passionately discussing, and in the past, not only would Chen Jiusi not blame them for such talk, but he might've even found it reasonable and beaten Su Yunjin as a result.

Hence, they carried on in the same vein this time, seeing it as a way to shift the blame and even curry favor with the Lu couple. Why wouldn't they?

However, Su Yunjin turned pale as she listened to their words from the courtyard, her hands clenched so tightly that her fingernails nearly embedded into her flesh.

The deaths of her father and mother-in-law had already burdened her too much; now, to hear the venomous words of the neighbors was like stabbing her in the heart.

She couldn't really be some cursed star, could she?

"Yes, Jiusi, if it's no good, just divorce her. A woman like that is unlucky..."

At this point, a group of people began to urge Chen Jie to divorce his wife.

Chen Jie was nearly enraged by these bastards. Lu San and his wife have bullied our Yunjin, and now, you've turned around and started shaming my Yunjin, is that it? Goodness truly is taken for weakness!

"Shut your damn mouths!"

Chen Jie roared angrily, silencing the people around him, while a gossiping woman still muttered, "Ah, one can't even speak now."

"I'll fuck your mother, come out here, come!"

Chen Jie, face full of murderous intent, brandishing his stick, pointed at the gossiping woman, who turned ashen and cowered behind her husband.

Her husband had been about to stand up for his wife, but seeing Chen Jie's fierce glare and the stick in his hand, he chickened out.

With a forced smile, he said, "Jiusi, we were wrong. We won't talk anymore, won't talk anymore."

Chen Jie, holding the stick, looked around at the neighbors and said, "I'm telling you all, Su Yunjin is my wife, married to me, Chen Jiusi, through proper and legitimate means. Whoever the hell dares gossip about her behind her back, I'll beat them every time I hear it. Don't believe me? Just try."

"And you, Lu San, didn't you damn want to break my legs? Fuck!"

Chen Jie brought the stick crashing down on Lu San's right knee, and the next moment he had shattered his kneecap, followed by Lu San's scream, "Ah..."

He fainted from the sheer pain.

Chen Jie suddenly turned his head, eyes bloodshot, spitting onto the ground!

"Ptui!"

"That's the fate of those who mess with Chen Jiusi."

Saying this, Chen Jie pointed his stick at the surrounding neighbors, all of whom lowered their heads at his gaze.

Chen Jiusi, with his desperate demeanor, truly terrified them.

Cowards fear power, not virtue. In the villages of ancient times, if you couldn't dominate your neighbors, they could bully you to the point where not even your bone scraps were left.

Chen Jie smacked his blood-stained stick onto the ground and, looking at the now petrified Lu Qinsi, said, "If I catch you bullying my wife again, I'll kill you!"

After he spoke, Chen Jie turned and walked straight home.

At this moment, everyone present was subdued by Chen Jie's imposing manner, while inside the courtyard, Su Yunjin's eyes were wide with tears falling!

He had actually stood up for her, he had actually stood up for her.

At this time, Little Douding said with wide eyes, "Brother-in-law is so imposing!"

Now, her eyes were full of little stars. Those who had once bullied her sister were now too scared to speak because of her brother-in-law; he was truly a great hero!

Drip, drip!

Little Douding felt water falling on her cheek and, looking up, saw Su Yunjin with tears streaming down her face.

"Sister, are you crying?"

Little Douding said this as Su Yunjin wiped her tears and said, "I'm not."

After saying this, she turned and ran into the house; she didn't want Chen Jie to see her crying.

Little Douding touched the tear on her face, stuck out her tongue to taste it – bitter, it was tears!

Chen Jie walked toward the small courtyard, leaving the surrounding neighbors shocked. Only after Chen Jie had walked away did they start to discuss among themselves.

"When did Chen Jiusi become so fierce..."

"Yeah, he scared me to death just now."

"No kidding, and how did he change so much? He used to grit his teeth whenever Su Yunjin was mentioned, and now he's protecting her?"

The crowd buzzed with astonishment and confusion.

However, at that moment, someone suddenly saw Chen Jie return, and everyone went silent.

Then, Chen Jie actually picked up two fish from the ground; they were brought by Lu San.

"Quite plump."

Chen Jie muttered, then proceeded to carry the fish home and said as he passed everyone, "It's getting dark; aren't you all going home?"

With that, he entered the courtyard.

On hearing this, the outside crowd immediately said, "Let's go, let's go, time to go home."

Watching Chen Jiusi enter the courtyard, Chen Xiaohu's eyes lit up, and he said, helping Chen Erba, "Dad?"

Chen Erba nodded, "Just now, for an instant, I thought I saw my uncle. It seems Jiusi has grown up; let's go home."

"Yes!"

Saying this, Chen Xiaohu helped Chen Erba back home.

Meanwhile, Chen Jie had entered the courtyard, closed the gate, and looking at Little Douding standing by the door, asked, "Where's your sister?"

Little Douding, still somewhat fearful of Chen Jie, pointed to the house and said, "She went back to the room; sister cried."

"Cried?"

Chen Jie paused, recalled the hurtful things the neighbors had said, and sighed, "Well, anyone would cry after being talked about like that."

"Alright, let's not call her. Ruirui, how about fish soup tonight?"

"Fish soup?"

Hearing about fish soup, Little Douding's eyes grew wide, and she gulped down saliva, already imagining the delicious taste of the soup.