"Also, my mom kept some kerosene in case she gave birth at night, and you swiped it! Then there's the little bit of soybean oil that was left, two ounces of salt from the salt jar, and the new cotton shoes my mom made for my little brother. You said your grandson hasn't worn new cotton shoes, so my brother doesn't deserve them! Do you remember these words?"
Bai Xue clearly recounted everything Grandma Bai took that day, forcing the neighbors around to believe.
Everyone more or less knew that Grandma Bai regularly took things from this eldest son's house. They called it "taking," but in truth, it was "stealing." At this time, even a grain of food was lifesaving!
"You… filthy girl, stop spouting nonsense! Talking rubbish will make you unable to marry in the future!" Grandma Bai furiously shouted, standing up quickly with the intent to attack Bai Xue.
Bai Daliang swiftly shielded his daughter, glaring at Grandma Bai, trembling with anger.
"Grandma, over the years, it's not just these few things you've taken from our home! Do you need me to list them all for you?" Bai Xue continued speaking, shielded by Bai Daliang.
"Xiao Xue, take your brother and sister inside. I'll handle this!" Bai Daliang didn't want family scandals exposed.
But Bai Ruchuan, watching from the side, didn't like it. "Last winter, the team slaughtered pigs, and we got two pounds of pork. Grandma, what did you say then? You said third aunt just gave birth and lacked milk, needing to eat well. You took away those two pounds of pork. So what, my mom doesn't need to eat after giving birth?" Bai Ruchuan stubbornly stood with his neck out, looking fearlessly adorable.
"And during autumn, when the team distributed food, my mom wanted to give us some fine grains, so she exchanged coarse grains for a few pounds of fine grains. We never even smelled them before you snatched them away!" Bai Ruxia shouted with her hands on her hips.
The siblings didn't give Bai Daliang a chance to intervene, angrily criticizing.
Grandma Bai's face turned pale with anger. "Bai Daliang! Is this how you raised your children? I won't spare them today..." she yelled, about to hit the children.
"Grandma, no matter what, we're not as bad as third uncle's kids. This year, every family can raise three chicks, but we don't have a single one. All because they threw our chicks under the eaves and killed them!" Bai Rushan couldn't hold back after seeing his siblings almost get beaten, so he shouted.
"Mom, what do I mean to you? Sometimes I really wonder if I'm your biological son!" Bai Daliang, hearing his children's words, realized his mother not only took his things but also said such awful things. Cuihua never mentioned her words.
Whenever things got taken, he would go to the old house to ask for them back, but there were always reasons, and he never succeeded.
His mom always visited when he wasn't home, catching him unawares.
In his mother's eyes, his wife and children weren't worthy of eating those good things.
His third brother's wife giving birth warranted his mom taking meat from their house, but when his own wife gave birth, his mom took all the food away and left nothing.
While his mom favored boys over girls, it wasn't entirely true. She treasured both the daughters and sons from his third brother's house, but ignored his two sons.
The neighbors completely believed the kids after hearing their accusations.
"Grandma Bai, enough is enough! Everyone is short of food, and Daliang's wife just gave birth. You not only took their food but also caused a scene. Just like the kids said, give them a chance to survive! You're biased beyond reason!" defended a sixty-something lady from Bai Daliang's east courtyard, whom Bai Xue and the others usually called Grandma Zhao.
"Exactly! What kind of grandmother does that? If my mother-in-law treated me like that, I'd already..." A nearby woman spoke up.
Another woman beside her gestured, noting her mother-in-law was present. "Alright, alright, stop talking!"
The woman pursed her lips and fell silent.
"Old Zhao lady, what does our family matter to you? Don't meddle! Go home and deal with your fleas, aren't you itchy?" Bai Daliang's mother snapped at everyone, furious. The previously obedient kids had become articulate, leaving her unable to rebut.
"You filthy old crone, watch your mouth! Did you eat feces, making your mouth stink? Even heaven can't stand your actions! Just wait, heaven will get you!" Grandma Zhao was enraged as the madwoman behaved like a rabid dog.
"Say that again?" Unable to hit the kids, Grandma Bai aimed for Grandma Zhao.
The two were about to fight, prompting the onlookers to intervene.
Bai Daliang stood with tears in his eyes, filled with hatred.
He always thought his mom was just slightly biased toward his third brother, not realizing the awful things she said.
"Alright, alright, Grandma Zhao, Grandma Bai, don't fight, this is ridiculous!"
"Everyone say less and go home! It's cold, are you just full and bored?"
"Exactly, I'm heading home, freezing, and too hungry to fight!"
The crowd chimed in one after the other.
Eventually, Grandma Zhao's daughter-in-law came out and pulled her back in after hearing the commotion.
Seeing Grandma Zhao leave, Grandma Bai turned her attention to Bai Daliang.
"Bai Daliang, you unfilial son, hurry up and bring out my food!" She screeched.
"I'm saying one last time! The food is mine, and you won't get it! Don't even think of taking a bit from my house again! We annually give you two hundred pounds of respect food, and you're still unsatisfied, stealing my wife and kids' lifesaving food. Don't forget, I'm not your only son. I've fulfilled my filial duties, and that's it!" Bai Daliang firmly said, turning to head inside.
Bai Xue led her siblings behind him.
Seeing her once obedient son defying her, Grandma Bai sat on the ground, crying loudly, cursing as she cried and shouted.
"I'll kill you, you unfilial son! Daring to beat your mother and steal your mother's food, you ungrateful ingrate, worse than a beast..."
Bai Daliang clenched his fists tightly, suppressing his anger, stepping inside. Just then, there was a loud shout from behind, "Bai Daliang, you beast, daring to beat your own mother?"
Quickly turning around, Bai Xue saw her third uncle, Bai Dahe, charging with a wooden stick.
"Dad, watch out..." She managed to shout only these three words before Bai Dahe's stick hit the back of Bai Daliang's head.
In an instant, blood gushed from Bai Daliang's head. He only managed to glance backwards, then closed his eyes and fell.
"Dad..." Bai Xue was the first to react, rushing to hold Bai Daliang, but she couldn't support his 1.8-meter height, and sat down with him.
Watching the blood pour, her hands trembled uncontrollably.