With Aunt Zhao's help, the rumor that Ding Yun had no job and was doing indecent things at home to earn money for mortgage payments, which had just begun to spread, quickly lost its audience and was successfully nipped in the bud.
Such matters truly required timely intervention.
The more timely, the better the effect.
If the people who helped dispel the rumors also held a certain authority, the effect would naturally be even better.
Aunt Zhao was undoubtedly an authority figure.
At least in the nearby several residential communities, she was definitely the reigning queen of square dancing, a big shot in the gossip circles of aunts and grandmas, and the person in charge of the local matchmaking corner.
With her intervention, one person was equivalent to an entire district.
The original body's effort to maintain a good relationship with her was partly due to the fact that she was alone here, with no relatives or friends, making her vulnerable to bullying. She had sought a protector.
And now, she was indeed using that connection.
Therefore, unless one was absolutely confident in their own abilities, able to disregard everyone, or certain they wouldn't encounter any difficulties, it was still necessary to have some connections and make some friends.
It was best if they could help when needed.
If not, at least there was someone to talk to.
For this matter, Ding Yun dedicated some of her energy, going out for walks and strolls occasionally, and even had the junior artificial intelligence she possessed collect some circulating information in the nearby communities.
Only then was she sure that her response had been timely.
People had only made a few verbal remarks and hadn't spread rumors widely on social media platforms like WeChat Moments.
Originally, things should have ended here.
After this, it would have been a normal life.
Unless her novel became a massive hit, leading to adaptations into movies and TV shows, and winning prestigious awards.
However, just over a month later, Ding Yun's peaceful life was shattered. Three or four people, whom Ding Yun had not expected, suddenly appeared.
It was noon on November 17th of that year, at 12:00 PM.
Ding Yun heard a knock on the door, and without looking through the peephole or thinking much of it, she opened the door directly. Then, one man and three women rushed in. The older woman among them immediately pointed at Ding Yun and yelled:
"You little brat, you can really run.
Do you think we won't find you just because you ran over here? Don't forget, your hukou is still registered with our family.
You can run from the monk, but not from the temple."
"You are truly a beast. I raised you, feeding you and taking care of you with my own hands for over a decade, and you just took money from the house and ran away without a word, without a sound. You didn't come home for the New Year, you didn't come home for your father's birthday, you didn't come home for your older sister's or younger sister's weddings.
You haven't sent a single penny home. Are you even human?"
"Everyone, come out and see! Come out and see this unfilial daughter! She's worse than an animal!"
Hearing this, Ding Yun could roughly guess their identities. Based on the original body's memories, she managed to discern the subtle resemblance between the woman and the original body's mother.
Although Ding Yun didn't know how they found her or what their intentions were for starting with such accusations, she calmly placed her hands on her hips and said:
"You need to have evidence for what you say. When I left home, I didn't go back. I took my ID and left midway. What money did I steal from home? The money for the train ticket was saved by picking up trash. If it wasn't for a kind boss who took me in to work, providing food and lodging.
I would have starved to death on the streets.
If you continue to spout nonsense, be careful, or I'll sue you for defamation."
"Defamation, you want to sue me for defamation?
My heavens, my own daughter wants to sue her mother! What sins did I commit in my past life to give birth to such a wicked daughter who deserves to be struck by divine retribution! Everyone, come and see! My own daughter wants to sue her mother!
How can this be so unfilial and rebellious?
Beast, beast!
Everyone, come and judge!"
Whether Miao Cuihua intentionally chose to make a scene at noon was unclear. As she yelled so loudly, some of the neighbors who were eating lunch at home opened their doors to peek, while others poked their heads out to listen. Even those who were too embarrassed to show themselves would at least press their ears against their doors or walls to listen to the commotion outside.
If one wasn't home during such neighborly drama, how could they not listen when they were home? That would be such a waste.
"How could you make your mother so angry?"
"Do you know how worried we were when you ran out alone? What if you were abducted and sold? What if you were violated?"
"Fifth Sister, don't argue with Mom anymore. Come back with us quickly. Mom didn't let you go to high school back then because our family didn't have money, and your grades weren't that good anyway. If you had good grades, Mom would have sent you, even if it meant selling everything.
So many years have passed, your anger should have subsided!
Come back with us!"
"That's right, Little Brother is getting married soon. As an elder sister, you should at least go back and meet your sister-in-law!"
"And I heard you're still not married, right? What kind of talk is that? With so many people in our family, even Little Brother is getting married, and you're the only one left who reportedly doesn't even have a boyfriend. This is just not right. Hurry back, we'll find you a partner."
While Miao Cuihua played the bad cop, Fu Haiyang, who came with her, and her eldest daughter Fu Daya and second daughter Fu Erniu, reluctantly played the good cop.
They tried to point out Ding Yun's flaws while also expressing their goodwill and urging her to return home.
As for names, the original body's name was Lai Di. Her current name was changed later. After the family had a male heir, she stubbornly insisted on changing her name.
Only then did her parents reluctantly agree to let her change it.
Otherwise, she probably would still be called Lai Di.
Putting aside the digression about names, facing the relentless pressure from these four people, even if Ding Yun hadn't understood at first, she now had a general idea of why they were here. She guessed that they either wanted to bring her back to collect a bride price, or their youngest brother needed money for a bride price or a house for his wedding.
They were coveting the house and money she possessed.
In summary, those two points could be combined: they were coveting what she had and were unwilling to give up bleeding her dry.
They had gone through great lengths to find her.
"What's going on? Are you guys putting on a play at my doorstep? One plays the bad cop, and a few play the good cop. Do you think I'm stupid, or do you think you're so clever!
And Big Sister and Second Sister, it's your choice to side with your maternal family and be drained dry by these two, sucking your own blood and that of your in-laws' families. I can't control that; it's your husbands' own foolishness.
But don't set your sights on me!
Do you really think I don't know why you're here?
Is the blood of the seven or eight daughters you have not enough for you to drain, and you're not satisfied until you drain me too?"
"I'm not afraid to tell you, you're not welcome here. Please get out of my sight immediately.
As for the kindness of raising me, when you reach an age where you can consult the law, I will legally provide you with the minimum amount required, and I will give it to you without fail.
Now get out, I don't welcome you!"
Ding Yun didn't want to argue with them, so she immediately turned hostile and forcefully pushed them outside.
For this, she even took out a cleaver.
Some things can be met with weakness and compromise, but you must also bear the consequences of that weakness and compromise.
Ding Yun believed that if she showed any sign of backing down,
the future would inevitably lead to them pushing their luck further.
When faced with shameless people, one has to be equally shameless, otherwise, one will inevitably suffer losses, or even be dragged down for a lifetime.
Sometimes, being a bit selfish and thick-skinned.
is not a bad thing.