In truth, when Gu Zi became serious, others couldn't hope to match her stature, even if they climbed to a higher position. Her figure and appearance were far beyond lowering herself to seduce Tian Hai —it was clearly his own initiative.
"I was being polite when I called him trash. Trash can still be useful when picked up. Your son's value is so pitifully low that even the first use is worthless, let alone any prospect of recycling. You may not see what kind of person he is, but others certainly can," Gu Zi remarked with finality, eliciting pointing and murmurs from the crowd.
Many found Gu Zi's words undeniably true. Tian Hai might seem presentable as a city dweller, but apart from that, he appeared to lack significant worth. This realization made some people reconsider their envy toward Su Jing for having a boyfriend from the city. At this moment, they realized that merely being a city dweller held little actual value.
Tian Hai's father found her words particularly cutting, and though he wanted to retaliate, the widespread agreement from the villagers made him momentarily apprehensive. This was Daqing Village. If the villagers sided with Gu Zi, he couldn't afford to further incite public discord.
However, he couldn't simply leave without compensation. He insisted, "I don't care about this. I know I can't win against you. But since this matter started because of you and your reliance on Su Shen's influence, you have to compensate our Tian family with 800 yuan!"
The others accompanying him eagerly supported this demand as soon as they heard it. Despite being relatives and friends of Tian Hai, their motivation to come was solely fueled by the expectation of extracting money from the Su family.
The moment Tian Hai's father requested money, the tension spiked once again. Lin Cheng, Lin Hun, and Li Zhu positioned themselves protectively in front of Gu Zi. But this time, Gu Zi wasn't afraid. Earlier, Su Bing had brought Big Yellow out and handed the leash to Gu Zi.
That gesture made Gu Zi realize how much she had been rattled by the preceding commotion. She had completely forgotten about Big Yellow. She grasped the dog's leash and stepped forward, standing before the three men. Big Yellow advanced, barking fiercely at the Tian family members opposite, intimidating them into repeated retreat.
"Are you intending to set the dog on us? You vicious woman!" Tian Hai's father's voice quivered with agitation.
Gu Zi smiled and responded, "Negotiations require equal strength. You brought so many people to cause trouble at my home, but I can't have a dog guard against it?" She then added, "I'm willing to compensate, but let's settle the bill now."
Father Tian was left flabbergasted, unable to figure out how to proceed.
"I won't admit it, " he retorted, thinking himself clever. "Your side was involved in the fight too. I won't admit it!"
Gu Zi countered, "I won't insist on that, but you must return the money Su Jing took from the Su family to aid the Tian family. According to Su Shen's calculation, 1,000 yuan isn't unreasonable. Your demand for 800 yuan is exaggerated, but I'll let it pass. Nevertheless, you still owe the Su family 200 yuan!"
As soon as these words were said, everyone despised the Tian family even more. They had long heard that Tian Hai wandered around the city all day and did not have a proper job. So it was true.
He and Su Jing were apparently reliant on Su Shen's money for survival. Gu Zi's reasoning was indeed clear. Even in this situation, she still sought repayment of the money owed. It was evident that she was a scholar.
Tian Hai's father couldn't tolerate it any longer. Not only was he not being paid, but now there was a demand for the return of the money! This woman was truly unyielding.
"That money was voluntarily given by Su Jing to Tian Hai," he declared loudly.
"Why should we repay it just because you demand it?"
"Su Jing is a part of the Su family. She have no objection to using Su Shen's money.
If Tian Hai were to openly marry Su Jing and declare it's for the family's support, I wouldn't object. But Tian Hai hasn't married her yet, and he's already asking her to support his family? That's unacceptable!" Gu Zi's words were articulate and her tone forthright. Despite not being loud, everyone heard her clearly.
It dawned on everyone that Sister-in-law Fang's accusations against Gu Zi were baseless. Gu Zi didn't treat Su Jing as an outsider. In fact, she seemed genuinely invested in helping Su Jing change for the better—a truly good sister-in-law.
Tian Hai's father was left speechless, his anger evident as his chest heaved up and down. Just as he struggled for a response, someone shouted, "Isn't that Su Jing? Su Jing is here!"
Despite Gu Zi's intentions being for Su Jing's benefit, many suspected that Su Jing's naivety might not allow her to appreciate Gu Zi's efforts..
...