Chapter 7

I quickly listened carefully to identify the sounds.

Mixed in with Lily's mother's cries and pleas for mercy were a man's curses and beatings. It was John Smith.

Occasionally there were also a few sounds from Mrs. Smith.

Her voice was thin and shrill, actually the clearest to hear: "You should teach this lazy daughter-in-law a good lesson! At my age, I still have to go up the mountain to cut pig feed! These old bones of mine nearly fell apart!"

Hadn't Lily's mother gone to cut pig feed today?

It was because she went to cut pig feed that she asked Emily and Tommy to bring me food.

This old hag was distorting the truth and sowing discord!

John Smith seemed even angrier. While cursing, he continued beating Lily's mother: "You dare lie? It was clearly Mom who cut the pig feed!"

"You shameless woman needs to be stripped naked, hung up, and whipped hard with a belt!"

Rage surged within me, and I was about to rush out to save Lily's mother.

As soon as I moved, I nearly fell from the bed to the floor.

The leg injury had been healing for almost two months. Although the injury was recovering well, the leg muscles were weak and I still couldn't move flexibly.

This body was far inferior to my previous one.

I sighed and secretly resolved that starting tomorrow, I must exercise my muscles properly. Otherwise, even if the leg healed, without muscles and strength, it would be useless.

Lily's mother's voice gradually grew quieter. She must have passed out.

Finally John Smith stopped. But his conversation with his mother made my heart rise to my throat again.

I heard him say to Mrs. Smith: "Mom, if you don't like this woman, we can just send her back to her parents' home. Why do we have to beat her to death?"

Mrs. Smith said, "You foolish child, if we send her back to her parents' home, what if her brothers come demanding the dowry back! She brought a cow as dowry when she married in!"

So Mrs. Smith and her son were planning to beat Lily's mother to death.

I looked down at my right leg, my face turning cold.