The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 251: Applying Medicine

Tong Huaqiong finished applying medicine and dressing Liu Yanhong, then had Man Er and Yaozu accompany him for snacks, and went to the inner room to see Chun Ni.

Mrs. Hong was undressing Chun Ni to apply medicine.

Tong Huaqiong saw that Chun Ni had become so thin she was all skin and bones, and from her wrist to her forearm, from her lower leg to her thigh, extending to her hip, she was covered with purplish-red bruises.

Not only were there fresh bruises, but also old scars.

Tong Huaqiong didn’t have much interaction with Widow Luo’s family, but she knew that most rural families didn’t care about girls. She never expected that Chun Ni would be so neglected at home.

The bruises all over her body could indeed be called abuse.

Mrs. Hong applied medicine to Chun Ni while tears fell in sorrow.

"Does it hurt?" Mrs. Hong used the cotton ball given by Tong Huaqiong, gently applying the medicine as she asked softly.

Chun Ni shook her head.

But a suppressed hissing sound slipped through her lips and teeth, and Tong Huaqiong knew Chun Ni was enduring the pain.

How could it not hurt?

Just now, Liu Yanhong screamed like a ghost when applying medicine, and Chun Ni’s injuries were more numerous and severe than his.

"Chun Ni, were all these injuries from your Grandma?" Tong Huaqiong asked.

Chun Ni said softly, "It was my Grandma and my Dad who hit me."

Chun Ni’s father, Tian Fugui, usually seemed like a very honest man, and Tong Huaqiong never expected he could be so harsh with his own daughter.

Tong Huaqiong asked again, "When your Grandma and Dad hit you, does your Mom just watch?"

Chun Ni endured the pain, lowered her head and said, "Sometimes Mom would protect me... then Dad would hit Mom too."

Tong Huaqiong held her breath; who would’ve thought that the usually tight-lipped Tian Fugui was a domestic violence maniac.

Chun Ni’s mother, Mrs. Cao, Tong Huaqiong didn’t know her well, only that she was a quick and skillful worker.

Upon hearing Chun Ni’s words, Mrs. Hong felt both heartache and anger.

Heartache that little Chun Ni had such a pitiful life, angered that she had no one at home to protect her.

If she had a daughter like this, she’d be willing to eat only vegetables her entire life.

Chun Ni’s tears fell rapidly. Growing up, no one had ever cared for her physical needs and gently applied medicine like Mrs. Hong and Tong Huaqiong.

Her mom would care for her secretly from her Dad and Grandma, but that care always contained helplessness and advice to endure.

Mrs. Hong finished applying the medicine and led Chun Ni to the main hall.

In the main hall, Man Er, Liu Yanhong, and Yaozu were gathered around the table, eating snacks and egg custard.

Tong Huaqiong handed Chun Ni a pair of chopsticks, and Man Er placed an egg custard in front of her.

Chun Ni dared not eat.

At home, she almost never sat at the table. Every time she and her mom finished cooking and set the table, she would hold her bowl and sit by the stove to eat.

Whenever the family had meat dishes, Chun Wang would eat first, then Dad would eat what Chun Wang left.

What Dad left would be kept for the next meal for Chun Wang and Dad to eat together.

She, Widow Luo, and Mrs. Cao had no right to eat it.

She saw that the egg custard in Man Er’s bowl was more than in Yaozu’s bowl, and she was not only surprised but also envious.

She had never dared dream of living like Man Er, being satisfied with just picking a few bites from the table.

"It’s alright, you’re at my house, no one will dare to hit you," Tong Huaqiong said.

Chun Ni swallowed her saliva and took a bite of the egg custard.

It was really delicious!

Widow Luo saw Chun Ni being taken to Tong Huaqiong’s house, and she already felt uneasy but dared not stop it, after all, she had hit the County Magistrate’s son, fearing she’d provoke Tong Huaqiong and end up being tied up like Xu Yong.

She waited outside for a long time, but when Chun Ni didn’t come out, she couldn’t stand it anymore and went to Tong Huaqiong’s courtyard, shouting toward the house, "Dashi’s mom, Chun Ni should go home now."

Upon hearing Widow Luo’s voice, Chun Ni quietly put down her bowl.

She had to go home.

The Gu Family was nice, but it wasn’t her home.

She knew she could avoid a beating by going home now, but if she delayed, the beating would be worse.

"Grandma Tong, I’m going home now. Thank you for the medicine and egg custard," Chun Ni said obediently, then stood up.

Tong Huaqiong and Mrs. Hong saw Chun Ni off.

Widow Luo saw Chun Ni come out and wanted to strike, but seeing Tong Huaqiong, she held back.

No rush, there’d be plenty of opportunities to hit her at home.

Tong Huaqiong said to Widow Luo, "You hit the child too hard. If you cripple her, who will work for you? You surely don’t expect Chun Wang to do all the work. If you beat her to death and have your daughter-in-law give birth to a granddaughter, how will she be a match for Chun Wang if she’s so much younger?"

Tong Huaqiong felt disgusted with her own words.

There was no other way; this might be the only way to get Widow Luo to be a little more lenient toward Chun Ni.

Widow Luo was expecting Chun Ni to work and to grow up to bring in a bride price for Chun Wang.

She hoped that by speaking to Widow Luo in a way she understood, emphasizing Chun Ni’s importance to Chun Wang, Widow Luo might show some restraint.

Widow Luo’s face creased with laughter, she said, "Who says it isn’t so. I was just too angry today to hit her like this; normally, I provide for her to eat and wear. As a Grandma, I surely wouldn’t beat her to death."

Widow Luo saw Man Er standing at the main hall door, looking outside.

Man Er was wearing brand new clothes, had two little pigtails, and wore golden cloves on her ears, looking no less than a young lady from the town.

Widow Luo was full of contempt for Tong Huaqiong at heart.

The Widow must be muddled, caring more for a granddaughter than a grandson, moreover one not even from her own son and daughter-in-law.

People said Widow had skills, could run a bakery and mix pesticides, but Widow seemed awfully stupid to her.

She used to spoil Gu Taohua to no end, and now she’s doing the same with Man Er.

Do you spoil girls like that?

Not afraid of shortening their lifespan.

Girls had to be beaten up at home; if they weren’t disciplined at home, they’d be beaten and tamed at their husband’s home.

No wonder Gu Taohua was nearly fifteen and no marriage proposals had come.

It was the consequence of Widow spoiling girls.

Chun Ni followed Widow Luo home, and Mrs. Hong felt sad for not being able to keep Chun Ni.

Tong Huaqiong said, "We can protect her for a moment, but not a lifetime; she has to return home."

Mrs. Hong asked, "Is there no way to stop Chun Ni from being beaten?"

Tong Huaqiong was silent.

They could only protect Chun Ni for such a short while, and returning home, who knew how much worse Widow Luo and Tian Fugui would beat her.

Since Tong Huaqiong saw it, she couldn’t just turn a blind eye.

But how to help?

Tong Huaqiong hadn’t figured it out yet.

Because this matter was rather tricky.

At nightfall, Chun Ni’s mother, Mrs. Cao, came to the house.

"Aunt Tong, Chun Ni troubled you today."

Mrs. Cao placed a basket of pigweed in Tong Huaqiong’s courtyard.

Tong Huaqiong knew she came to express her thanks.

Tong Huaqiong directly said to Mrs. Cao, "Chun Ni has injuries all over her body, as her mother, you must think of a way; she can’t live being beaten like this all the time."

Mrs. Cao lowered her head, twisting her hands.

Her daughter being beaten endlessly, how could a mother not feel pain, but what could she do?

Many girls came through life like this.

She couldn’t stop her man, nor could she stop her mother-in-law.

Tong Huaqiong knew one sentence couldn’t persuade Mrs. Cao.

"Here’s some medicine for you, apply it to Chun Ni’s injuries."

Tong Huaqiong took the medicine from inside and handed it to Mrs. Cao.

Mrs. Cao thanked her, took the medicine, and left.