My Bizarre Relatives 012

"You..." Li Mei knew she couldn't out-argue Fang Yu, so she turned to her daughter instead. "Remember, Mom only wants what's best for you. They're family—sometimes taking a little loss is fine. Don't learn to be petty like some people."

Her words were a clear jab at Fang Zhiyi and his sister.

Fang Ruoruo seemed lost in thought.

Fang Yu, however, was already firing back: "Oh, so suffering is a blessing, is it? Well then, I wish you boundless blessings—may they flow like the East Sea!"

Li Mei choked on her words, her face darkening. Fang Ruoruo quickly pulled her aunt away, afraid the two would start arguing again.

In the car, Fang Yu was still fuming. "Listen here, kid—if you dare beg your dad to take in that pack of ungrateful wolves, I’ll kick you out myself."

Fang Ruoruo just smiled. She knew her aunt was all bark. "Don’t worry, Auntie. I’m not a child anymore. I’d never actually agree to it. It’s just... seeing Mom like this, she’s really struggling."

"Struggling? Hah!" Fang Yu gripped the wheel. "She chose to come back to this place and suffer. Whose fault is that? Your dad was right—we’re all first-time humans here. Why should I bend over backward for anyone? You’re a girl, Ruoruo. One day, you’ll have to stand on your own. If you keep this up, what happens when your dad’s gone? When I’m dead and buried? People will walk all over you!"

"Auntie, don’t say things like that." Fang Ruoruo’s heart clenched at the thought.

Fang Yu snorted. The girl reminded her too much of Fang Zhiyi in the past—too passive, too willing to endure. It irritated her.

"Use your brain! Can’t you tell who actually cares about you? Are you stupid?"

Li Xue waited and waited, but there was no word from Fang Zhiyi. Fang Ruoruo also claimed to be too busy with school to visit, so Li Xue pressed Li Mei to follow up. Li Mei camped outside Fang Ruoruo’s school for an entire day before finally catching her daughter.

Fang Ruoruo was happy to see her mother at first. With exams coming up, she’d even stayed at school over the weekend to study.

But her joy withered the moment Li Mei spoke.

"Ruoruo, how’s it going with asking your dad to arrange a job for your cousin?"

Fang Ruoruo bit her lip. "Dad said no."

"You—!" Li Mei grabbed her arm, squeezing too hard. Fang Ruoruo winced. "Then why are you still here? Why aren’t you at home, begging him properly? That’s your cousin—your own flesh and blood!"

Fang Ruoruo pressed her lips together.

"What’s wrong with you? The older you get, the worse you behave. Is this your dad’s influence? No—it’s your aunt’s! You’ll end up just like her, alone with no friends or family to rely on in your old age."

"Auntie has friends!" Fang Ruoruo shot back defiantly.

"Don’t talk back!" Li Mei scowled, then softened slightly. "Your aunt Li Xue is still waiting for an answer. Ruoruo, you can’t be so heartless. Your dad’s rich now—I’m not asking for money, just a job. If you won’t talk to him... if you have to, kneel and beg him!"

Fang Yu had just stepped out of her car, bringing supper for her niece, when she spotted the mother and daughter arguing by the school gate. She rolled up her sleeves. "Oh, hell no—" But someone yanked her back.

She whirled around. "Brother—Fang Zhiyi! You’re just going to let your daughter get bullied?"

Fang Zhiyi raised a finger to his lips. "She needs to face this sooner or later. You’ve sheltered her too much—she doesn’t even know how to think for herself. Let’s see how she handles it."

Fang Yu wanted to curse, but Fang Zhiyi had a point. Grumbling, she lurked nearby to watch.

"Mom! Am I your daughter, or is Xu Jiaqing your son?" Fang Ruoruo finally exploded, shaking off Li Mei’s grip.

Li Mei froze. This was the first time her daughter had ever raised her voice at her. "You—you’re yelling at your own mother?"

"You want me to kneel and beg—for someone who tormented me as a child! Is that right?!" Fang Ruoruo’s voice trembled.

Li Mei’s face twisted. "So what if you kneel to your dad? Your cousin was just a kid teasing you back then. Why hold a grudge?"

"A grudge? A grudge?! He tore up my homework, and Aunt Li Xue called me petty for crying! I had one dress—Xu Jiayuan poured ink on it, and all you did was scold him lightly before making me wash it myself!" Fang Ruoruo took a shaky breath. "At school, they told everyone I didn’t have a dad and gave me cruel nicknames. Did you know that? The child support Dad sent every month? It bought them new clothes, braised pork, ribs, milk! I sat in the corner eating plain rice and vegetables—and you still told me to be grateful!"

"And then you wanted me to give up my spot at a top school for Xu Jiayuan. Why? Because you’re scared of Aunt Li Xue? Because they’re ‘family’?"

Slap!

Li Mei’s hand trembled as she pulled it back. Fang Ruoruo clutched her cheek, stunned.

"You’re still young, Ruoruo. You don’t understand—outsiders will never help you. Only family..." Li Mei’s voice wavered.

Fang Ruoruo didn’t cry. She straightened up, still holding her face. "That’s the Li family’s relatives. Not the Fang family’s. I don’t want that kind of ‘family.’"

"You—!" Li Mei floundered, unprepared for her daughter’s defiance. But before she could react, her wrist was seized.

"What? One slap wasn’t enough?" A pale, furious face loomed over her.

"F-Fang Yu! You—you’re the one who turned my daughter into this!"

"Auntie..." Fang Ruoruo’s eyes welled up at the sight of Fang Yu. Then Fang Zhiyi’s voice cut in: "One hit is the limit. Touch my daughter again, and I’ll break your arm."

"Dad..." Fang Ruoruo burst into tears as Fang Zhiyi stepped forward.

He gently guided her away. "Let’s go. I’m taking you home." His heart ached, but this was necessary—she needed to see the truth about these toxic relatives and finally release years of pent-up anger. Otherwise, it would fester.

I won’t be around forever. You have to learn to stand up for yourself.

As Fang Zhiyi led his daughter off, Li Mei shrieked, "Fang Zhiyi! Stop! You’re so wealthy now—can’t you just give Jiaqing a job? Have you no conscience? They used to call you uncle!"

Fang Zhiyi paused. "And you remember that was in the past?" He had no patience left for this woman. Firmly, he walked away with Fang Ruoruo.

Li Mei tried to chase after them, but Fang Yu still had her by the wrist.

"Let go! What are you doing?!"

Fang Yu bared her teeth in a grin. "My brother let that slap slide. My niece let it slide. But I won’t." She waited until Fang Zhiyi’s car drove off—then struck Li Mei twice, fast and hard. Li Mei staggered, utterly unprepared.