Chapter 57: I Won't Have Children Anymore

Granny Chen immediately nodded in agreement, rolling up her sleeves and snapping harshly, “That’s right. No need for the young mistress to lift a hand; the two of us old women can handle this ourselves.”

So the two women, both in their fifties, plucked willow branches and fetched hemp rope soaked in oil. Before Little Six could even react, they had him tied up securely to a wooden bench in just a few quick moves.

They had thought it would take quite a bit of effort, but although Little Six struggled and shouted curses, he was unexpectedly easy to bind. Of course, the two women didn’t mind being kicked by him—after all, this boy wasn’t their own grandson.

Watching Little Six tied up and looking thoroughly bewildered, the two women exchanged a glance. Granny Chen handed the willow branch she had hidden behind her back to Little Six’s grandmother.

These willow branches could only be found by the stream; Granny Chen had hurried there just now, afraid that Little Six’s grandmother wouldn’t be able to handle things on her own, and had nearly tripped on the way back.

Do you need to tie someone up to help them give birth?

Little Six had no idea what was going on. He thought maybe this was how every childbirth went. After a brief struggle, he resigned himself; otherwise, with just a kick or two at his grandmother, he could have run off long ago.

He did feel a bit ashamed that his grandmother had called in Granny Chen from next door, but since everyone was here and his grandmother was old, having another pair of hands to deliver the baby was probably for the best. After all, he had eaten quite a lot of pumpkin seeds.

Yet when Little Six saw his grandmother grinning menacingly at him with the willow branch in hand, and Granny Chen glaring fiercely from the side, he suddenly realized something was wrong.

“Wait, Grandma, what are you doing?”

“Don’t call me Grandma. You’re not my grandson.”

Little Six was stunned. “Grandma, what are you talking about? How am I not your grandson?”

Granny Chen chimed in, “You never were.”

Hearing this from Granny Chen too, Little Six’s heart went cold. He stared at the two women in a daze. What? He wasn’t really his grandmother’s grandson?

Seeing Little Six fall silent, the women exchanged another look, convinced they had exposed this “Little Six’s” true identity and that she would stop pretending.

“Speak up! What is your real purpose here?”

Startled by the sharp demand, Little Six snapped out of his daze. He hadn’t even noticed when his stomach had stopped hurting. He stared blankly at his grandmother and Granny Chen and said in a bewildered voice, “Grandma, what do you mean I’m not your grandson? Aren’t I part of the Li family?”

“Pah! As if you could be one of us.”

Granny Chen threatened, “Stop pretending. We know everything.”

“Know what? I don’t know anything!” The moment Little Six thought he wasn’t from Niuluo Village, his heart ached and tears began to fall.

His grandmother hesitated when she saw him cry, but Granny Chen gave her a nudge and a cough, reminding her. She snapped back to herself—this wasn’t her grandson. Her heart hardened, and she lashed out with the willow branch. “Don’t try to win my pity. I’m not falling for your act.”

“Tell us—what are you really after?”

This time, she didn’t hold back. Little Six took a stinging blow and yelped in pain. “Ow! Grandma, what are you saying? I don’t understand! What purpose?”

“You’re still pretending! Stubborn to the end!” His grandmother, seeing how hard-mouthed this “Little Six” was, struck him twice more with the willow branch.

Granny Chen egged her on, “Spit it out, or we’ll beat you until you’re unrecognizable!”

“Stop, stop! Grandma, please, no more!” Little Six tried to dodge, but tied up as he was on the bench, there was nowhere to go. He howled in pain.

“What am I supposed to say! I don’t have any purpose! I just wanted you to help deliver my baby! I’m about to give birth!” Even if he wasn’t really her grandson, surely they wouldn’t just let him die? Wasn’t there any affection left after all these years?

“Still so stubborn!” His grandmother cursed and struck him again.

“Grandma, please, stop hitting me…” He hadn’t even had the baby yet and was already getting beaten; Little Six felt his life was shrouded in gloom.

“Ha! Still a tough nut to crack?” After four strikes, this “Little Six” still wouldn’t yield.

His grandmother glanced at Granny Chen, saying, “Looks like this one’s a hard case. I can’t do it alone.”

Granny Chen had been itching to join in. At these words, she eagerly agreed, “Let me help! The longer this drags on, the worse it’ll be for Little Six.”

Little Six, hearing this, thought they were finally going to help deliver the baby and breathed a sigh of relief. But before he knew it, both Granny Chen and his grandmother, each wielding a willow branch, began to thrash him together.

“Ahhh! Stop! Stop! Are you supposed to get beaten while giving birth? If this is childbirth, women really have it tough…”

“Stop! I don’t want to give birth anymore! I don’t want to!” At that moment, Little Six suddenly understood why women in childbirth cried out for their mothers and fathers, why their pain was so intense that they’d scream they didn’t want to go on—it was truly pitiful.

Of course, Granny Chen and his grandmother had no idea what was going through Little Six’s mind. Seeing him only crying out in pain and nothing more, they continued to strike him without pause.

Though passersby heard Little Six’s wailing, no one thought much of it. Beating children was common in the village; whose kids didn’t get a beating every few days? If you didn’t beat them for three days, they’d be tearing the roof off.

Serious trouble called for a serious beating; minor infractions, a minor one.

Judging by Little Six’s howling, he must have done something to deserve a good thrashing.

Everyone minded their own business behind closed doors; no one would be so tactless as to go over and gawk.

Meanwhile, Little Shun ran first to Little Stone’s house, since it was closer.

Before he even reached the house, he heard the wailing and froze, then dashed over even faster.

Entering the yard, he saw Little Stone’s mother wielding a stick of firewood, making Little Stone lie across a bench. She beat him as she scolded:

“You little brat! I told you not to spout nonsense, and you dared to call me a wicked landlord? An evil stepmother who abuses you? How have I ever mistreated you?”

“Ah, ah, Mom, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I was just flustered and misspoke, please stop beating me…”

His mother retorted, “I went through all the pain and trouble to bring you up, cleaning up after you, and instead of being grateful, you accuse me of abuse…”

What could Little Stone do? He knew he had made a mess of things. Normally, when he got beaten, he’d just run away, but this time was different. So, even though his mother wasn’t holding him down, he obediently lay there and took his punishment.

(Hey there, little cuties, are you still with me?)