After the family split up, my stepmother and scumbag father begged me to come home.

Seeing that she had found a backer, Granny Li immediately straightened her back, grabbed Old Mrs. Lin's arm, and said in a tearful voice, "Old sister, you've finally come! Your granddaughter is too much of a bully—I'm her elder, after all, and she dares to talk back to me like this, slapping me in the face in front of so many people, how can I live like this?"

Grandma Lin patted her hand, then turned to Lin Qianqian, her face darkening: "Qianqian, apologize to your Grandma Li. You little girl, you lost your mother when you were young, and no one taught you manners, so Grandma doesn't blame you. But what happened today was your fault."

This was a clever way of putting it—first setting the tone, then offering a way out, and finally taking a jab at the fact that she "lost her mother at a young age," reminding everyone that it was only natural for this girl to be ill-mannered, while also holding Lin Qianqian's sore spot in her hands.

The courtyard fell silent, and everyone looked at Lin Qianqian.

Lin Qianqian sat there, a few copper coins still clutched in her hand. Sunlight fell on her face, illuminating the thin layer of light beneath her eyes. But when she blinked, that light vanished, replaced by a cold, almost sharp expression.

She slowly placed the coins into the bowl and stood up.

"I did nothing wrong," she said, her voice soft, but each word sounding as if carved from stone. "What are you apologizing for?"

Old Mrs. Lin's expression changed.

"I can give my coins to whomever I want." Lin Qianqian looked at her grandmother and said, word by word, "Even if the Heavenly King himself came, it wouldn't be my business. Don't talk to me about elders and juniors, and don't try to act like an old man taking advantage of his age—sorry, I, Lin Qianqian, lost my mother when I was young, no one taught me manners, and I don't buy into that."

She paused, then her voice suddenly turned cold, like a bucket of water poured out in winter: "When I get crazy, I really hit people."

The courtyard was completely silent.

Granny Li's mouth opened and closed repeatedly, like a fish thrown ashore. She turned to look at Old Madam Lin, whose face had turned ashen.

"You..." Granny Li pointed at Lin Qianqian, her fingers trembling.

"Let's go." Lin Qianqian uttered only one word.

"You little hussy—" Old Mrs. Li finally lost her temper, her voice shrill, "You dare to chase me away? I've already dug up these poisonous potatoes, you try not to take them!"

Lin Qianqian didn't say anything more and took a step forward.

Just one step.

Granny Li recoiled as if burned, scattering the poisoned potatoes from her basket all over the ground, rolling them to Lin Qianqian's feet. Lin Qianqian glanced down at them but didn't pick them up.

Grandma Lin stood there, her expression changing several times—anger, embarrassment, resentment—before finally transforming into something indescribable.

"Grandma, aren't you leaving yet? Should I go to Uncle's academy to find the teacher and get some answers?"

Lin Xiaohua tugged at her sleeve, but the old lady flung her hand away and turned to leave.

Granny Li picked up the basket and followed behind sheepishly, not daring to even turn around.

The crowd stirred again, but a few older women exchanged meaningful glances as they watched Lin Qianqian's retreating figure. This girl is different.

"Stop arguing with us," she said, her voice suddenly softening, as if she were soothing a child to sleep. "Take your basket and get out. Or don't blame me for throwing you and your basket out."

Grandma Lin trembled with rage, her finger pointing at Lin Qianqian like a withered branch in the wind: "You...you talk back to your elders! Who would dare marry you?"

After she finished speaking, she spat hard on the ground.

Lin Qianqian watched as the phlegm landed three inches in front of her feet, neither dodging nor getting angry.

"First, be a good person," she said, her voice as soft as a sigh, "then you become a person."

Then she turned away from them, no longer looking at them, and gestured with her chin to the villagers in line: "Next."

Grandma Lin stood there, her expression shifting several times—anger, embarrassment, resentment—before finally settling into something indescribable. Lin Xiaohua tugged at her sleeve and whispered something, at which point the old lady abruptly shook off her hand, turned, and left.

Granny Li picked up the basket and followed behind sheepishly, not daring to even turn around.

The crowd stirred again, but a few older women exchanged meaningful glances as they watched Lin Qianqian's retreating figure. This girl was different from what they had expected.