The old man had handled it beautifully!

Though forceful autocracy wasn’t a trait Xia Xiaolan typically endorsed, having been a leader herself, she knew sometimes strength was necessary.

“Thank you, Grandfather Chen.”

Since her rebirth, she had encountered many scoundrels, but also many good people: the lonely old Wang who watched the cattle pen in Dahe Village, Zhou Cheng, and Kang Wei who had saved her, the individual vendor Hu Zhuliang who sold eel noodles in Shangdu City, and now Village Chief Chen who stood up for her and her mother.

None of these people were related to her—they had no obligation to help like her Uncle Liu Yong, yet they extended helping hands. Xia Xiaolan silently remembered each kindness.

Chen Wangda glanced at her, “You’re a good child. Take good care of your life with your mother from now on.”

Chen Wangda had been observing Xia Xiaolan since she started her business. Unlike the rumors, she wasn’t frivolous or delicate—she could endure hardship and only earned what she deserved in business. Chen Wangda’s public approval meant mother and daughter could establish themselves in Qijing Village.

“Uncle Da…”

Liu Fen’s tears threatened to fall as she clutched the agreement. Was she free of all ties to the Xia family now?

Liu Fen couldn’t describe how she felt.

She had married Xia Dajun at sixteen, spending more years in the Xia family than in her own. Initially, their marriage had been decent, but somehow it had deteriorated to this state. Her hardships didn’t matter, but she couldn’t watch her daughter Xia Xiaolan continue to suffer. Sister-in-law Li Fengmei was right—the Xia family could only control Xia Xiaolan through her.

So divorce was the answer. With no more connection to the Xia family, they couldn’t bully Xiaolan anymore.

Despite Zhang Cui’s eloquence, she couldn’t salvage today’s situation. Wang Jingui was dumbfounded—how could the divorce happen so decisively? Where did Liu Fen get such courage? Nearly forty years old, no longer fertile, dark and thin, and unremarkable—who would marry Liu Fen after Xia Dajun?

Still, thinking about it, Liu Fen wouldn’t return to the Xia family, and they’d also shed Xia Xiaolan the loose woman. Wang Jingui was the only one of the three secretly pleased.

The Qijing villagers watched them like thieves, making sure they left the village territory.

Xia Dajun tore his copy of the agreement to shreds and threw it in the roadside ditch.

Even Zhang Cui knew that with three copies made, destroying one meant nothing: “Dajun, don’t be hasty. Once your wife’s anger subsides, you might still reconcile…”

Zhang Cui’s words rang hollow—even she didn’t believe them.

Xia Dajun remained silent. Wang Jingui thought Liu Fen seemed determined. Talking about filing the divorce agreement at the county civil affairs bureau—what couple’s quarrel ever reached such proportions?

Liu Yong must have struck it rich.

With such a brother’s support, Liu Fen dared to divorce.

Wang Jingui was extremely jealous, “How will we explain this to Mother?”

After Qijing villagers drove away the three from Xia family.

Liu Yong wanted to treat the villagers who had beaten Xia Dajun to drinks, and properly thank Village Chief Chen Wangda. Xia Xiaolan also felt this was her mother’s farewell to the past and the beginning of a new future—even business could wait.

“Uncle, I’ll go buy groceries!”

Liu Yong stopped her, “Go about your usual business. The dinner’s not until evening—why should a young woman like you run around showing off? Your uncle’s happy today, just come for dinner tonight.”

How could Liu Yong let his niece pay when he was hosting?

Not only was Xia Xiaolan struggling financially now, but even if she had money, this meal had to be Liu Yong’s treat.

Li Fengmei had no objections either.

The couple shooed Xia Xiaolan out. With Liu Fen at home, unsure what to do and still dazed from the divorce, Xia Xiaolan simply took her mother along to collect eels. After they left, Li Fengmei opened her bedside chest, and Liu Yong followed her in:

“How much money do you have left?”

Liu Yong had given most of his earnings to Li Fengmei. In his three trips over half a year, he had brought money home twice, about seven or eight hundred yuan. Including the new bicycle Liu Yong bought, he had brought home over a thousand yuan this half year.

Li Fengmei quoted the amount without counting: “690 yuan left.”

Over six months, Li Fengmei had only spent a bit over a hundred yuan, including Tao Tao’s medical expenses, various household expenses, and fertilizer purchases. Liu Yong frowned, not because Li Fengmei spent too much, but because he felt he wasn’t earning enough.

“Zhang Erlai’s been arrested, and today we’ve dealt with the Xia family. I’ll head out again in a few days. Don’t be stingy with money, spend where needed. We don’t need fancy clothes, but don’t skimp on food. Xiaolan’s right—make more bone soup for Tao Tao so he’ll grow taller.”

“I’ll do as you say. We’ll need at least three tables tonight, right? Tell me what standard to follow.”

“Each table should have at least four or five meat dishes. Handle the rest as you see fit. I’ll go to the county to buy some alcohol. How much meat should you buy?”

Li Fengmei calculated quickly in her mind. With enough oil, crucian carp and loaches were good eating too—they had plenty in their water vat. Weren’t those meat dishes? They couldn’t get much good meat in town now. The sweet and sour ribs Xia Xiaolan made the other day were tasty—no, no, they could braise the ribs with potatoes instead:

“Buy three jin of meat, two jin of ribs, and some pig liver if they have it, if not, never mind.”

Liu Yong would need to buy alcohol and cigarettes for hosting—that’s how it worked—plus some candy and sunflower seeds for snacks. Li Fengmei gave Liu Yong fifty yuan, certainly enough for three tables of guests.

Liu Yong borrowed a bicycle in the village and immediately rode to Anqing County.

Meanwhile, the three hungry Xia family members trudged back to Dahe Village.

They had left full of confidence but returned dejected. Their route passed through Shipozi Village, and Xia Dajun wanted to shrink away passing through—Zhang Erlai, who allegedly rolled in the hay with Xia Xiaolan according to rumors, was from Shipozi Village.

Xia Dajun felt ashamed.

Who wouldn’t feel awkward?

As they walked through Shipozi Village with lowered heads, Xia Dajun suddenly remembered Xia Xiaolan’s stern face declaring she had no relationship with Zhang Erlai, asking if he, as her father, had ever confronted Zhang Erlai. Xia Dajun hesitated and stopped:

“Sister-in-law, who first spread the rumor about Xiaolan and Zhang Erlai’s improper relationship?”

Zhang Cui’s eyes flickered, “How can you trace such things? Someone in the village saw them and spoke up. When people asked Zhang Erlai, he admitted it—why would he admit if nothing happened?”

Wang Jingui sided with her sister-in-law this time, “Second Uncle, I think Xiaolan’s just too stubborn, unwilling to admit her mistakes.”

Now that they’d thrown out the loose woman, they absolutely couldn’t take her back.

Wang Jingui and Zhang Cui spoke back and forth, truly dragging Xia Xiaolan through the mud, speaking with certainty about things that never happened. Finally, Zhang Cui had to bring up Xia Ziyu:

“Xiaolan was seen fooling around with Zhang Erlai on the road, Ziyu saw it too, though she never spoke a word about it outside.”

The rumors had indeed spread after Xia Ziyu and Wang Jianhua left for school. Xia Dajun never doubted his niece.

Xia Xiaolan didn’t want to acknowledge her father, and Xia Dajun was equally disappointed in his daughter. She had brought shame to the old Xia family with her promiscuity, yet spoke righteously with a mouth full of lies.

All three wanted to quickly leave Shipozi Village, but someone called out to them.

Being neighboring villages, everyone knew each other.

The person asked curiously, “Dajun, did you hear Zhang Erlai’s been arrested? They paraded him through the streets in the anti-crime campaign. I think he won’t escape this time!”

Zhang Erlai was arrested?

A bold idea suddenly struck Zhang Cui—did they only arrest men and not women for improper relationships? If Xia Xiaolan were also imprisoned for a few years, she’d never recover. Zhang Cui didn’t bother with pretenses anymore, grabbing the person’s hand:

“Did Zhang Erlai implicate my niece? Will the police arrest her too?”