The Adopted Cannon Fodder Made a Comeback

Everyone stared, dumbfounded. Was this Zhou Gu’er? The same Zhou Gu’er who was always being bullied and barely ever said a word? ’Is she possessed by a ghost?’ they thought. To actually want to disown Zhou Mazi, to be able to say such things... It was terrifying. They had never encountered anything like this before!

Zhou Mazi also thought he must have misheard.

Zhou Mei and Zhou Feng’er were so shocked their mouths hung open.

"You... what did you say!"

Zhou Mazi pointed at Gu’er, his hand trembling.

"I said I’m disowning you as my father. From this day forward, my surname is no longer Zhou. I have nothing to do with you. You don’t have to regret the day my mother brought me into your house. I am no longer a member of your family. Whether I live or die is none of your business. In the future, even if I starve to death, I will never step foot in the Zhou family’s home or eat the Zhou family’s food again! Did you hear me clearly?"

Gu’er repeated herself. Even though she had wanted to leave the Zhou family ever since her rebirth, she had never imagined it would be like this. Her heart ached, but the more it hurt, the colder and harder it became.

"I’ll beat you to death, you ungrateful wretch! You think you can walk all over me now? After all the years you’ve eaten my food, you think you can just disown me? No way! You dare say I’m not your father? I’ll beat you to death and see if you still dare to say that."

Zhou Mazi charged at Gu’er like a madman, swinging his hands wildly at her head and face.

Of course, Gu’er wasn’t going to just take another beating. She used the knife to block him, keeping Zhou Mazi at a distance. If anyone had looked closely, they would have seen that her back was ramrod straight, a testament to the immense courage she had summoned.

"Alright, that’s enough! What is all this commotion!"

A man in his sixties scolded, and someone stepped forward to restrain Zhou Mazi.

"Zhou family girl, you stop this nonsense too. You injured people, so you have to give them an explanation. If you don’t, this matter won’t be settled today. As for all that talk about disowning your family, just stop. We’ll pretend we didn’t hear it."

The old man was displeased with Gu’er, feeling she had gone too far.

Gu’er shot him a cold glance. She was supposed to call this old man Second Grand-uncle, but right now, she didn’t want to say a single word to him.

She looked toward Zhou Mazi.

Zhou Mazi was grunting and snorting, clearly furious.

"How about this? A few of us have discussed it. If you really do as your father said and cut yourself twice, then we’ll let things go with Zhang Da and Zhou Mei. If you don’t want to cut yourself, then you’ll kneel, kowtow to Zhang Da and Zhou Mei to apologize, and pay for their medical expenses. Then this matter will be considered over."

The old man who had spoken earlier announced their proposed solution.

Gu’er sneered. ’They’re giving me two choices: cut myself twice? Or kneel, kowtow, and apologize to them?’

’In this life, she would never kneel to Zhou Mei and Zhang Da. She would rather die.’

’As for cutting herself twice?’ Gu’er’s lips curved into a smile. She didn’t seem to mind that option very much.

"Did you hear me? Get on your knees for me! Kowtow until they say it’s enough! Don’t even think about me paying any money. If you don’t kowtow, then you can cut yourself twice!"

Zhou Mazi roared at Gu’er, pushing her to kneel.

Zhang Da said nothing, but a gleam of excitement flashed in Zhou Mei’s eyes. ’Just the thought of Zhou Gu’er kneeling and kowtowing to her made her forget the pain in her arm. She would not let Zhou Gu’er off easily. She would humiliate her viciously. She would kick her, slap her a few times, and maybe even ruin that face of hers. Then we’ll see if she still dares to seduce Sun Jiaming.’

A few people in the crowd looked displeased, but none dared to step forward. More people, however, were shouting for her to kneel quickly. They were just there for the spectacle, and many were closer to the Zhou family—not Zhou Mazi’s family, of course, but Zhou Mei’s.

"We’re not unreasonable people. You kneel and give my Mei ten kowtows, then slap yourself twice and say it was your fault, that you were in the wrong and our Mei is blameless. Then, give us ten yuan for medical expenses, and we’ll call it even."

Zhou Erpao pointed at Gu’er, demanding she come forward and kneel to his daughter.

Someone in the crowd started to step forward, but before he could part the throng, he saw the look on Gu’er’s face and stopped in his tracks.

Gu’er was so furious she laughed. ’Who did they think she was? And who the hell did they think they were?!’

Gu’er looked at Zhou Erpao.

"Kneel to your daughter? Is she dead? Demanding kowtows and worship... heh. Even if Zhou Mei were dead, you should be looking for filial sons and grandsons, not me! What, you think your precious daughter has no one to mourn her? Aren’t you rich? Doesn’t your Zhou family have people? Then you all kneel! You all worship her! Let’s see if your Zhou Mei can even bear the honor!"

After speaking, Gu’er watched the color drain from the faces of Zhou Erpao and the other Zhous. Without pausing, she whipped her head around to face the seated elders.

"You all walk around all day thinking you’re the elders, that everyone has to respect you, that you’re so high and mighty. You’ve lived all these years, so how can you have no shame? Sucking up to her Zhou family, you all gang up on me, telling me to kneel to Zhou Mei. Aren’t you afraid it’ll shorten her lifespan? You think your word is law? You tell me to kneel, and I’m supposed to kneel? Whatever you say goes? Who do you think you are! You want me to do what you say? Are you even worthy!"

Gu’er had truly thrown all caution to the wind. She had never known people could be so cruel. Just because she had no one to back her up, just because she was brought here by her adoptive mother, just because she was a lone, weak girl, they thought they could bully her and force her hand like this.

She might be weak, but she wasn’t spineless. Kneel to someone? She would never do it in this lifetime. In this lifetime, no one could force her. She would not accept such a humiliation!

No one had expected Zhou Gu’er to say such things. The elders, Zhou Mei’s uncle and father, and all the people who had been shouting felt as if Gu’er had just slapped them across the face.

To be cursed at by a young girl pointing right at their noses—nothing like this had happened in all their years.

Her Second Grand-uncle was shaking with rage, and Sixth Grand-uncle’s white beard was bristling. Another, Fourth Grand-uncle, clutched his chest. None of them could believe what they were hearing.

"Such impudence! Zhou Laosan, you handle this yourself. If this isn’t settled today, if Zhou Gu’er is still standing here in one piece, then you can forget about living in this village anymore."

Zhou Da Kui was also seething. Seeing that the elders were rendered speechless, he wanted to curse at Gu’er himself but held back, afraid of what even nastier things she might say. He could tell the girl had either gone crazy or had thrown all caution to the wind. Whatever the case, he didn’t want to get into a shouting match with her. He put pressure on Zhou Mazi instead, knowing full well that words like these would ensure Zhou Mazi wouldn’t let Gu’er off. It was better to let Zhou Mazi handle Zhou Gu’er; why should he bother arguing with her himself?

Zhou Mazi hadn’t expected that not only would this daughter of his want to disown him, but she would also curse out the elders. He still hadn’t fully processed it.

"You don’t have to threaten him. I already said he’s not my father. He has no control over me. From now on, I’ll do as I please, and nothing anyone says will make a difference!"

Zhou Gu’er stared coldly at Zhou Da Kui. ’Trying to get Zhou Mazi to deal with me? I’m not falling for that trick anymore.’