For a moment, the two partners turned on each other, creating utter chaos.

Wang Cui wasn't someone to be easily provoked. She relied on the influence of her family, having enjoyed a smooth ride in her husband's household for years. Her mother-in-law had always catered to her, and she had never experienced such treatment before. But once she realized what was happening, she wasn't going to take it lying down. The two women, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, ended up grabbing each other's hair and scratching each other's faces, rolling around on the ground in a full-blown fight.

By the time the police separated them, their hair and clothes were all tangled together, making them look like two madwomen.

"Alright, that's enough! This is a hospital! What do you think you're doing, causing such a commotion? If you want to fight, I'll take you down to the station!" the police officer scolded.

Both women, who were only tough in their own homes, immediately fell silent at the mention of going to the station.

Si Nian watched the whole scene with a faint smile, finding it all rather amusing. "See? Even my grandma can't stand what Aunt's family is doing. Whether it's paying up or going to jail, Uncle and Aunt, you decide."

"Pay up? No way! You can't take a child's words seriously! I think you're just jealous of our family's success!" Wang Cui bristled instantly at the suggestion.

As long as she refused to admit it, she didn't believe these people could really do anything to her.

Si Nian sneered, "What's so great about your family that I would be jealous of? On the contrary, it was your son who just said that the one who can't stand seeing others do well seems to be you, Aunt."

Wang Cui's face turned livid with anger. "That's nonsense! You wretched child, don't be so malicious. No matter what, Xiaowei is still your cousin. You're dead set on sending him to jail—what's your motive?"

Si Nian responded calmly, "My motive? It's nothing but good intentions. I can't stand seeing someone harm their own son. After all, who sends their own child to do harm? It's like you're sending your own son to prison. Anyone who didn't know better might think you were actually his wicked stepmother."

Wang Cui was nearly driven mad with rage. "I... I didn't do it!"

"Well, that just makes it worse. If it wasn't you, then it means your son decided on his own to cause harm. A child with such thoughts at such a young age must be taken in for reformation. Officer, don't you agree?"

"Grandma, you heard it yourself. Your daughter-in-law says she didn't instruct him, which means your own grandson wanted to harm your own son. This time it was your second son, but who knows? Next time it could be your eldest son. This could leave you without an heir!"

Old Mrs. Lin was so dizzy from the fight that when she heard this, she could hardly catch her breath, half-reclining on her husband's shoulder and groaning, looking as if she might faint from anger.

Wang Cui glared at Si Nian through gritted teeth, "What exactly do you want?"

There was no way she would admit it, but if she didn't, her own son would go to prison!

Wang Cui was seething with anger, wishing she could skin Si Nian alive, but she didn't dare act out in front of the police.

Si Nian, with a calm and indifferent expression, said, "The police already told you—jail time or compensation."

"You have so much money in your family, yet you still expect us to pay. Do you have no conscience?"

Si Nian responded, "What does my family's wealth have to do with you? I wasn't the one who did the hitting."

Wang Cui was at a loss for words, wanting to say more, but Si Nian was already losing patience.

"Alright, alright. My mom is a patient and needs rest. The rest of the matter is for you to handle yourselves," she said, effectively dismissing them.

The police then announced they would take Lin Wei in for further investigation. Wang Cui panicked. "We didn't say we wouldn't pay! Why are you taking my son?"

"Well, then you can bring the money over, and we'll talk. For now, he needs to cooperate with the investigation until the plaintiff drops the charges," the officer stated matter-of-factly before escorting Lin Wei away.

The hospital finally quieted down, with the whole family gathered together. Lin's mother, having won her first victory in the family, couldn't help but feel elated, especially seeing her mother-in-law and sister-in-law so stifled. Even though she was injured, her complexion was glowing.

With her whole family around her, Lin's mother felt even more content. Since the hospital had no place for them to rest and knowing that everyone had responsibilities the next day—work for the adults and school for the children—she urged everyone to head home.

Initially, it was decided that only Lin's father and Zhou Suisui would stay to watch over things. However, Si Nian was worried that her uncle's family might come back to cause trouble, so she wanted to stay as well.

But when she turned around, she saw a few tired little ones looking up at her with hopeful eyes. Before she could say anything, Zhou Yueshen stepped in. "Lin, you stay here. I'll drive the kids home and take care of things tomorrow. You can take a day off, and I'll handle the deliveries."

Lin Xiao felt uneasy about leaving his family behind, especially since they were all either elderly, sick, or injured. He had already felt guilty for not being around when the incident happened. Hearing his brother-in-law's words, he was filled with gratitude.

"Thank you, brother-in-law. Sorry for all the trouble."

"It's nothing," Zhou Yueshen replied, keeping it brief as usual.

It was getting late, and the kids were exhausted. Si Nian, concerned about the safety of her two younger brothers at home, suggested to Zhou Yueshen, "How about Xiaofeng and Xiaoyu stay at our place tonight? Tomorrow we can all come back to visit my mom together."

Zhou Yueshen gave a slight nod, showing no objection. Hearing this, the little ones, who were already familiar with each other, grew excited. Zhou Zehan, always generous, offered, "Mom, I can share half of my bed with them."

Although Zhou Zedong wasn't particularly fond of interacting with people he didn't know well, he understood that these were his mom's younger brothers. Not wanting to make Si Nian uncomfortable, he quietly agreed as well.

Si Nian reached out and patted both children's heads. "You're both so thoughtful. When we get home, Mommy will make you something delicious."

The group climbed into the truck. Si Nian, holding the well-behaved Yaoyao, sat in the front seat. The window was open, and the wind was strong. It blew her hair into her face, which she brushed aside before turning to Zhou Yueshen. "Having my brother stay here, will it delay work? Won't it be too busy for you tomorrow on your own?"

"It won't be," Zhou Yueshen replied with a glance, then closed the window.

In the back, the four little ones climbed into the truck and took their seats in an orderly fashion. It was their first time in such a vehicle, and they were all curious, touching everything around them.

"Dad, we're all buckled up!" one of the children called out.

Zhou Yueshen's lips curved slightly into a smile. "Good."

So much had happened in the Lin family that day. The daughter-in-law was beaten and ended up in the hospital, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had a falling out after a physical fight, and the grandson was taken away by the police. Old Mrs. Lin was so furious she could hardly move, lying in bed groaning, unable to get up.

The whole village was watching the spectacle. Some were gloating, some were sighing in sympathy, and others thought that Si Nian's family was being too strict.

Lin's eldest uncle and the old man didn't return home until the next day. Lin's mother had been seriously injured, and the medical expenses had already amounted to nearly a hundred yuan. She still needed to stay in the hospital for observation, with additional costs for hospitalization, medication, and further tests. Altogether, they couldn't escape spending less than three hundred yuan.

Though Lin's eldest uncle's family had some savings, it wasn't much—just a modest amount. Three hundred yuan was a sum they could barely save up over an entire year, and now it was suddenly about to disappear. There was no way they were willing to part with it so easily.

They didn't want their son to go to jail, but at the same time, they couldn't bear to spend that much money. Their expressions were understandably grim.

Old Mr. Lin, despite feeling sorry for his grandson, couldn't shake the anger he felt whenever he thought about his daughter-in-law instructing the child to harm his own son. The thought made his heart ache, so he decided to wash his hands of the matter, leaving it to his eldest son's family to figure out. After all, if they had to pay up, so be it—it wasn't his money. Besides, the money would go to his second son, which still meant it stayed within the family. To him, it didn't feel like much of a loss.

As the couple pondered their options, struggling to find a solution, Lin Sisi came home at this critical moment.

"Dear niece, please, I beg you, go and talk to your parents and ask them to spare your cousin. Xiaowei is someone you've watched grow up. Your parents love you the most—if you ask, they'll surely let him off!"

Initially, they were resigned to paying to solve the problem, but when Lin Sisi returned, Wang Cui's eyes lit up with hope. She dragged her husband along to plead with Lin Sisi.

Lin Sisi looked at the family, who were suddenly so eager to please her, and quickly realized what was going on. Her eyes flickered, and a hint of disdain flashed within them.

Lin Wei, the cousin who had always been inappropriate with her since childhood, disgusted her to no end. She had no desire to save him. As for her eldest uncle and aunt, they had always looked down on her, treating her with contempt. Now that she had money, they were fawning over her like dogs.

Despite her disdain, Lin Sisi found herself unexpectedly enjoying this reversal of power. Putting on a concerned expression, she said, "How did it get to this point? I only heard from others that something happened to my mom, so I rushed back. I had no idea it was this serious."

"All because of that Si Nian making a fuss, turning our Lin family upside down! Sisi, you must help us!" Wang Cui exclaimed.

Lin Sisi feigned righteous indignation. "No matter what, Xiaowei is her own cousin. How could she let him go to jail? This is too much, really. Don't worry, Uncle, Aunt—I'll talk to my mom and see what I can do."

Lin Sisi had returned home with her parents, as she was planning to invite her family to her wedding with Fu Yang, even though they weren't planning on a grand ceremony. She thought it would be a good opportunity to mend some fences with the Lin family. But she hadn't expected to walk into such a mess, nor had she anticipated Si Nian being so ruthless as to try and send Lin Wei to jail.

While she was shocked by Si Nian's actions, she also thought it was incredibly foolish of her. Lin's eldest uncle and aunt were known for holding grudges, and Lin Wei was no better. If they managed to escape this situation, they would surely seek revenge later.

Lin Sisi secretly welcomed this outcome. After all, no matter what happened, Lin's eldest uncle was still her father's brother. They had had their share of disputes and arguments in the past, but those were things you could move past, especially in a large family where maintaining some sense of harmony was important for future interactions.

She remembered how she had been bullied before but had never made a big deal out of it. So why should Si Nian be allowed to make such a scene? In Lin Sisi's mind, Si Nian, having never lived in the countryside, didn't understand the nuances of rural relationships and social norms. By causing such a stir, she was bound to lose support and only succeed in making others dislike her.

When Si Nian's parents, who had raised her from a young age, heard that she had caused trouble again, their expressions darkened. After all, if Si Nian was stirring up trouble, it reflected poorly on them, suggesting they hadn't raised her properly. The embarrassment was now spread across the village, leaving them worried about how others might perceive their family.

Initially, they had come to invite Si Nian and Zhou Yueshen to Sisi's upcoming wedding, especially since Zhou Yueshen was connected with the police chief and Boss Wang. But upon arriving and hearing about the incident, their mood soured immediately.

Seeing Lin's eldest uncle and aunt in a pitiful state, they quickly reassured them, "Don't worry, we'll help you with this. The child is just being immature—we'll apologize on her behalf."

Wang Cui, crying as if she had lost her son, lamented, "She's now using the Zhou family as her backing, completely disregarding us, her own relatives. I'm afraid that even if you go, it won't do any good. Oh, my poor child!"

Si Nian's parents, their faces stern, retorted, "She wouldn't dare!"

Si Nian had biked to the county earlier that day, bringing Yaoyao along, and had prepared a lot of food to deliver to her family. Just as she reached the hospital room, she saw Lin's eldest uncle's family arriving in a rush, with her parents in tow.

"Si Nian, stop right there!" her father shouted.

Si Nian turned around and saw the group approaching with an air of hostility. She frowned slightly, sensing the impending confrontation.

Lin's eldest uncle's family was unexpectedly aligned with Si Nian's family. Si Nian pulled the frightened Yaoyao closer to her as the group began to berate her all at once.

"You wretched girl, why did you have to send someone to jail?"

"You need to go to the police station right now and get your cousin out. Apologize properly to your aunt and uncle, and let this matter end here. How can you create such a huge fuss and still have the nerve to show your face?"

"Yes, Si Nian, this is really too much. No matter what, he's still your cousin. Even if you haven't spent much time together, you're still family. Blood is thicker than water. How could you have him arrested? Can't you resolve things peacefully?"

Wang Cui, who had been so arrogant the day before, now wept pitifully, "Si Nian, Auntie is begging you, please let this go. Your cousin didn't mean to cause any harm. Please, just this once..."

Seeing the group's indiscriminate accusations, Si Nian lowered her gaze slightly, her dark lashes hiding the coldness in her eyes.

"Yesterday, Auntie, you didn't say it like that," Si Nian retorted.

Wang Cui gritted her teeth. "I was confused then. I realize my mistake now."

Lin Sisi stepped in to defend her aunt. "Si Nian, Auntie is older. Even if she said something wrong, it wasn't intentional. You don't need to hold a grudge."

Si Nian scoffed. In the novel, although Lin Sisi was favored by the Lin family initially, she had also been looked down upon by her aunt and uncle. Now, she was defending them. It was ironic that the Lin family, who had treated her so well, was being painted as the villain.

"Is this really what you say after my parents were beaten and hospitalized by them, people who raised you for eighteen years?"

Lin Sisi, who had heard about the incident on her way back, feigned concern. "I understand, but I believe Auntie and Uncle didn't mean any harm. Your parents are kind-hearted and wouldn't hold a grudge against them. Your aggressive stance will only make things harder for your parents."