Chapter 4: Changed the Core

4. A New Heart

Shi Ermei gave a light snort and said displeasurely, "If she wasn't thinking of ruining me, would I talk to her like that? Anyway, I'm laying my cards on the table right here: whoever makes my life miserable, I'll make sure their life isn't easy either!"

Shi Ermei's last sentence wasn't quiet at all; the whole family could hear it!

Thud! A loud noise came from the west room.

"Alright, alright! The more you talk, the more brazen you get!" Lady Li glanced at the window of the west room where her son and daughter-in-law lived, then reached out and lightly tapped her daughter's arm. "Your sister-in-law's matter is something your father and I have in mind! Don't go around sticking your neck out and talking like a fighting cock all day, making the house restless!"

Only after hearing Lady Li say they "had it in mind" did Shi Ermei's expression soften. She said with a grin, "I knew Mother loved me! I'm going to go stir-fry the dishes now!"

Watching her youngest daughter run into the house, Lady Li sighed secretly and shook her head!

In the past, the youngest daughter had been quite well-behaved and sensible! Three months ago, because her daughter-in-law had mentioned for the first time that she wanted to arrange a marriage for Ermei's foolish younger brother, Ermei had cried in anger and had a fight with Tian Laidi!

Tian Laidi was a fierce character when she was at home. When her sister-in-law, who had always had a soft temperament, suddenly lost her temper and called her black-hearted beyond measure, Tian Laidi's temper flared up as well, and she said several nasty things! Shi Ermei couldn't stand it and ran out of the house in the middle of the night! This terrified the whole family; they didn't even have the heart to blame Tian Laidi, they just went out to look for her!

Later, it was the two dogs raised by Shi Ermei that found her first. They barked by a large earthen pit, attracting the attention of the villagers helping with the search, and rescued the half-dead Shi Ermei from the pit!

Shi Ermei remained unconscious for two days before waking up. Seeing that she was actually such a fierce girl, the family didn't dare say much more! And after this incident, Shi Ermei's temperament suddenly became vastly different from before! She became uncompromising and developed opinions on everything!

This change in Shi Ermei didn't actually arouse much suspicion from the Shi family, because Shi Damei was also a girl with a fierce and independent personality! Back when it was said that she would marry the lame widower Carpenter Ge to exchange for a bride price, that was Shi Damei's own idea!

After Ermei's accident, Shi Damei, who lived in the county town, received the news and made a special trip back to her maiden home! Upon seeing her sister-in-law Tian Laidi, she didn't give her a good face and even used sharp, stinging words! She shamed Tian Laidi so much that the latter hid in the west room to cry. The next day after Shi Damei left, Tian Laidi kept clamoring to return to her own family! It was only after Lady Li's persistent persuasion that she was calmed down!

The whole family simply assumed that Shi Damei had taught Shi Ermei something, which was why the once-gentle Shi Ermei had turned into the troublemaker she was today!

Lady Li felt a bit of guilt toward her youngest daughter, because before Tian Laidi had brought up her brother's marriage that day, she had already discussed it with her mother-in-law, Lady Li. Tian Laidi had been silver-tongued, leaving Lady Li dazed, and for some reason, she truly felt that the youngest daughter wouldn't suffer if she married into the Tian family and could live a good life! Thus, she had tacitly allowed Tian Laidi to lay it all out! Who could have guessed that beneath her youngest daughter's soft exterior lay such a fierce spirit!

Judging by the noise, they were definitely bickering in secret in the west room again! Lady Li sighed deeply once more, put down the broom she was using to sweep clothes, and went into the house to help her daughter cook.

The fact that the Shi family did not doubt Shi Ermei's transformation truly put Shi Nan at ease! She had thought she would have to pretend for a while and change slowly to gain the Shi family's recognition!