Chapter 266: Chapter 266: Convincing with Reason, Crushing with Strength

Boys are naturally combative. Once someone started throwing punches, the rest of the kids swarmed in, turning the whole thing into a chaotic brawl.

Beibei was left behind, crying her eyes out, sobbing, “Brother, don’t hit my brother!”

A few old ladies knitting sweaters nearby saw all these kids ganging up on Dabao, but pretended not to notice, turning their heads away and continuing their chat.

Gu Qinghuan knew she couldn’t stay hidden any longer.

She stepped out from behind the big tree where she’d been watching. “What are you all doing?!”

Her voice was laced with barely contained fury.

The kids froze at the sound, instinctively stopping what they were doing and standing still like little soldiers.

Dabao’s hair was a complete mess from the beating, and the other kids didn’t look much better—each of them sporting a few bruises.

Beibei, seeing Gu Qinghuan, ran over in tears and hid behind her, still crying.

The old ladies, seeing her approach, shrank back in fear—after all, they had a guilty conscience.

“Stand right there! Don’t even think about running off!” Gu Qinghuan barked.

But she didn’t immediately scold the kids. Instead, she shouted, “Whose children are these? Come claim them yourselves!”

That’s right—Gu Qinghuan had no intention of letting this go quietly. She wanted to make a scene, the bigger the better, so everyone could see what she was made of. Otherwise, these people would just keep pushing their luck.

Normally, she could ignore their gossip, treat it like a fart and let it go. After all, these women had never amounted to much and never would.

She could take it herself.

But her children shouldn’t have to suffer such injustice for no reason.

In a child’s eyes, even the smallest thing can shatter their confidence. She had to stand up for them!

These older kids kept calling her children “bastards.” She had every reason to believe someone was egging them on behind the scenes.

Today, she was going to make an example out of them!

Gu Qinghuan’s shout echoed through the courtyard, drawing everyone out of their homes. Even those who hadn’t heard were dragged out to watch the commotion.

“Big news! Gu Qinghuan’s lost her temper—come on, let’s go see!”

…

Soon, the whole courtyard was packed with people.

“Teacher Gu, what’s going on?”

“Teacher Gu, what happened to my kid?”

…

Gu Qinghuan cleared her throat.

“I called you all here for two reasons: one, to claim your children; and two, to have a discussion about parenting.

You’re all teachers, educated people. So tell me—how do you raise children who call others ‘bastards,’ bully the younger ones, and take pleasure in it? Is this what teachers’ children are supposed to be like?

If you can’t even teach your own kids properly, maybe you shouldn’t be teaching anyone else’s!” Gu Qinghuan’s anger was palpable, and her words were sharp.

Her words left the teachers and their families exchanging awkward glances. Teacher Gu was usually so gentle, but when she decided to speak up, she really made an impact.

She didn’t use a single curse word, but her scolding was devastating.

The parents of the offending children all looked embarrassed.

“Teacher Gu, what do you mean by that?”

“Are you saying only you know how to raise kids?”

“My kid is always well-behaved. I don’t believe he’d say something like that!”

…

Gu Qinghuan calmly recounted what she had just witnessed, making sure to mention the old ladies who had been watching from the sidelines.

The burly PE teacher, Mr. Li, stomped over and kicked one of the old ladies.

“I told you to watch the kids! I told you to teach them properly! All you do is cause trouble!” he yelled as he scolded her.

Chen Fang quietly came over and whispered in Gu Qinghuan’s ear, “The ringleader is Mr. Li’s son. The woman he just kicked is his wife.

They’re from the countryside. She spends all day gossiping in the courtyard, and her kid bullies others just because he’s bigger. She never disciplines him. A lot of teachers have complaints.”

Mr. Li’s wife started wailing in pain.

When he’d vented enough, two male teachers stepped in to break it up. “That’s enough, Mr. Li. It’s just a small matter.”

Mr. Li took the opportunity to back down.

He led his son—who looked as timid as a quail—over to Gu Qinghuan. “Teacher Gu, I’m really sorry. My troublemaker of a son is at it again. I’ll have him apologize to you.”

“Not to me—to my two children!” Gu Qinghuan corrected.

“Yes, yes, of course.” Mr. Li’s attitude seemed sincere, but who knew what he was really thinking?

But that didn’t matter.

All Gu Qinghuan wanted was to make a point—to show these teachers and their kids that her children were not the neglected “bastards” they called them. Anyone who tried to mess with them would have to answer to her.

“Some of you might think I’m making a mountain out of a molehill, that this is just kids fooling around.

But children are innocent and naive. The ones who aren’t innocent are the adults. Who taught them to call others ‘bastards’? I really don’t know who could say something so filthy.

I know some of you are very interested in my private life. I never wanted to say much, but some people just keep pushing their luck.

So let me make this clear: my husband is a retired soldier. During his service, he was awarded first-class honors and countless other commendations. In my heart, he’s a true hero.

The children of a man who once defended our country do not deserve to be slandered by you.

These two may not have come from my womb, but they live in my heart. They are my children.

If I ever hear this kind of talk again, don’t blame me for cutting ties.”

With that, Gu Qinghuan picked up a thick stick the kids had been playing with—about as thick as an arm—and snapped it in half with her bare hands, tossing the pieces to the ground with a crisp thud.

Her message was clear: Next time, I won’t just talk—I’ll take action.

Lin Muyang quietly slipped away into the crowd. He’d come over after hearing that Gu Qinghuan was arguing with someone in the courtyard, thinking he might need to help.

But after seeing how she handled things—first reasoning with everyone, then showing her strength—he realized she had it completely under control.

Her way with words was even better than his, logical and convincing, leaving everyone speechless.

And her physical strength was no joke either. Snapping a stick that thick—how strong did she have to be?

Clearly, he had underestimated Gu Qinghuan.

Wan Rong shivered in the crowd, remembering their last argument. Thank goodness Chen Fang had stepped in to mediate. If she’d gone head-to-head with Gu Qinghuan, with that kind of strength, she’d have been flattened!

The other parents quickly fell in line. Fine, time to apologize—what’s the harm?

The old ladies who’d gossiped about her before all went silent.

Gu Qinghuan had simply chosen not to stoop to their level before. This time, Mr. Li’s kid had really messed with the wrong person.

Led by Mr. Li, the parents lined up, each bringing their child forward to apologize to Gu Qinghuan and her two kids.

Gu Qinghuan’s plan to make an example out of them was a complete success. From now on, she’d finally have some peace and quiet."