Chapter 121: Cutting Ties
Aunt Liu firmly believed in Madam Li’s character and was convinced that her friend wouldn’t lie. She was certain the old man was the one fabricating the story.
A flash of malice flickered in the old man’s eyes as he continued with conviction, “I’m not lying! The old master of their family said it himself back then—I heard it loud and clear! If I were lying, the neighbors would have spoken up by now!”
Aunt Liu glanced pleadingly at the surrounding neighbors, but no one refuted his claim.
Instead, a few men even nodded in agreement.
“Yeah, something as important as a house wouldn’t be left to a daughter.”
“This old lady has been living here for free all these years and still refuses to leave. Now that her nephew is getting married and needs a place to live, how can she still cling to the house?”
Hearing such remarks, Aunt Liu’s eyes turned red with anger. In contrast, Madam Li remained uncharacteristically calm, without the slightest hint of rage, as if she had long grown accustomed to such treatment.
“You people are truly heartless! Bullying a poor old widow like this!” Aunt Liu accused.
Madam Li gently held Aunt Liu’s hand, comforting her, “A’Ping, I’m fine. Don’t cry.”
Aunt Liu choked back a sob and asked, “Why isn’t there a single person willing to stand up for what’s right? What about all those people you helped before? Won’t they support you now?”
Hearing this, Madam Li glanced at the surrounding neighbors. She had helped several of them in the past, yet those very people were now the first to shrink back, avoiding her gaze.
“The world is cold and fickle—that’s just how it is,” Madam Li said, her tone devoid of emotion.
Xu Youyou followed her gaze and instantly understood their mindset.
They didn’t dare to offend Madam Li’s older brother and sister-in-law because they had children and a large family. Unlike Madam Li, who was alone with no descendants, she was seen as disposable.
Madam Li’s sister-in-law, feeling triumphant, sneered, “Everyone here stands by me. The house is ours! You can forget about getting a share!”
Xu Youyou chuckled at her words. “Since there’s no will and the house title was never transferred, dividing the property is actually quite simple.”
Madam Li’s sister-in-law stiffened. “What are you trying to do?”
Xu Youyou smiled. “Don’t worry, nothing drastic. But since there’s confusion over the property division, why not take it to court and settle it properly?”
Madam Li’s sister-in-law bristled, “A married daughter has no right to inherit family property! The court won’t accept the case!”
Xu Youyou remained calm. “Courts only care about evidence. Without a will, the inheritance is divided equally among all the children.”
“We’re the eldest son’s family! The money should go to us!” Madam Li’s sister-in-law shouted, her confidence wavering.
Xu Youyou shook her head. “The court won’t be swayed by your logic. Since I’m Madam Li’s employer, I have a responsibility to support her. Don’t worry—I’ll get her the best lawyer to ensure this case is handled fairly.”
Then, she turned to the old man who had lied. “And you—making false statements in court has consequences. Sure, you may be old and unafraid of jail, but if you’re fined and can’t pay, they’ll seize your house. Are you ready for that?”
The old man immediately took a step back. “I was just talking nonsense! I don’t care about your business! I have something to do—I’m leaving!”
Seeing this, Madam Li’s brother and sister-in-law started panicking. In their eyes, Xu Youyou was a wealthy and influential person. If she really took them to court, they feared she would use her money and connections to manipulate the case and take the house from them.
“Little sister, say something! Are you really going to sue your own family?” Madam Li’s sister-in-law clung to her, no longer as aggressive as before.
Even her older brother softened his tone. “Sister, have you forgotten how well I treated you when we were young? Do we really have to take this to court and become a laughingstock? Do you really want to fight your own nephew over a house?”
Madam Li sighed. “Big Brother, Sister-in-law, you two were the ones who made things difficult for me first. Whether I take a salary or not has nothing to do with you.”
Compared to losing the house, her salary suddenly seemed trivial to them.
“Alright, fine. Keep your money. Whether you take a salary or not is up to you. But since you have a job now that provides food and housing, just don’t fight your nephew over the house. Okay?” Madam Li’s brother pleaded.
Madam Li nodded without hesitation. “I will move out. From now on, let’s keep our distance.”
She had lived long enough to understand what kind of people her brother and sister-in-law were. Instead of clinging to the illusion of family, she’d rather devote her energy to her cats and dogs—at least they would never betray her.
Xu Youyou had only been bluffing earlier, knowing that Madam Li wouldn’t actually go through with a lawsuit. Now that she had drawn the line with her family, Xu Youyou felt relieved as well.
Madam Li’s sister-in-law, no longer afraid of losing the house, quickly returned to her usual stingy and mean demeanor. She glanced at the animals in the courtyard with disdain. “These things have to go. I’m not taking care of them.”
Meanwhile, Madam Li’s brother had a strange glint in his eyes as he looked at the dogs, clearly calculating something.
Madam Li immediately blocked his view. “Big Brother, don’t even think about eating dog meat again!”
Her brother gave an awkward chuckle. “Come on, Sister, you’re overreacting. Last time, I was just joking—”
“Bark! Bark! You’re a bad guy! You want to eat dog meat!” Guai Guai barked at him furiously.
As soon as Guai Guai started, the other dogs in the courtyard sprang to attention, forming a protective formation and barking in unison at Madam Li’s brother.
“Little Sister! Control your dogs!”
Guai Guai deliberately lunged forward as if to bite him. “Bark! Bark!”
“Stupid dog, don’t bite me! I—hey, hold them back!”
Terrified, Madam Li’s brother and sister-in-law stumbled out of the courtyard, running for their lives.
Aunt Liu wiped away her tears and burst into laughter. “Honestly, Guai Guai should have just bitten them for real!”
