“Sister-in-law!”

Xia Da Jun was shocked. While he was disappointed in Xia Xiao Lan, he didn’t want her to go to prison. Zhang Cui had always been the most prudent person, so why was she deliberately trying to implicate Xiao Lan?

Zhang Cui had gotten carried away.

She felt somewhat embarrassed, “I was just too anxious, afraid Zhang Er Lai would spread lies. Xiao Lan has absolutely nothing to do with that good-for-nothing.”

The villagers from Shi Po Zi Village didn’t believe it. Everyone knew the Xia family were cowards – even when their daughter was wronged, they should have confronted Zhang Er Lai. Instead, these three strong brothers did nothing while Zhang Er Lai acted arrogantly, and their daughter was driven to attempt suicide at home… what kind of people were they?

Someone, wanting to mock the three Xia brothers, said with a sneering smile:

“Zhang Er Lai was caught breaking. Yesterday he was paraded through the county during the crackdown. He was wearing a sign listing his crimes. That scoundrel will get a heavy sentence. Everyone in the village hates him – this finally takes care of that menace.”

As long as Zhang Er Lai wasn’t wandering around the village, the rumors would fade with time – this truly saved the Xia family’s daughter’s life.

Once things settled down, they could find her a husband from a distant place, and wouldn’t this matter be over?

Looking on coldly, Xia Da Jun as a father couldn’t understand the situation, though he was certainly happy that Zhang Er Lai had been arrested.

Sister-in-law Zhang Cui’s smile was too forced, and Third Sister-in-law Wang Jin Gui’s expression kept changing – who knew what she was thinking.

Was this the Xia family that had produced a female university student?

The villagers of Shi Po Zi silently shook their heads.

Xia Da Jun paid them no mind, “Xiao Lan and her mother don’t know yet. I need to tell them this news.”

After walking a few steps, he remembered that he and Liu Fen had just divorced. The mother and daughter had watched coldly as he was beaten by the people from Qi Jing Village. Xia Da Jun’s happiness instantly vanished.

He dragged his heavy feet back to the Xia house.

Zhang Cui had a belly full of words to say, and Wang Jin Gui seemed to have something on her mind as well.

Old Mrs. Xia saw only three people return and understood the situation – they hadn’t brought the people back. That loose woman Xia Xiao Lan had quite the temper.

“What’s this? Are those two putting on airs? Do they want this old woman to personally go fetch them?”

Xia Da Jun shook his head.

Wang Jin Gui, always quick to speak, said, “Mother, Second Sister-in-law and Second Brother are divorced. Liu Yong brought a group of people from Qi Jing Village to beat up Second Brother, and forced him to put his fingerprint on some document.”

The Xia family members couldn’t believe it.

But Xia Da Jun still bore his injuries, and the three wouldn’t make up such a story.

Old Mrs. Xia immediately began moaning and groaning, cursing Xia Xiao Lan and her mother. If Xia Xiao Lan was a loose woman, then Liu Fen was an even bigger shameless woman.

“How could Sister-in-law bring up divorce? She must have been forced by the Liu family.”

Xia Chang Zheng tried to save some face, but Wang Jin Gui foolishly argued: “Oh, it was Liu Fen herself who brought it up. She had a cold face the whole time, acting as if the Xia family owed her money!”

Wang Jin Gui couldn’t understand Liu Fen’s behavior and was hoping someone could explain it.

Old Mrs. Xia felt her head was about to explode. Ever since Xia Zi Yu got into university, Old Mrs. Xia had felt the Xia family’s status was above others. She despised Liu Fen for not bearing a son and wanted to throw her out, but that was supposed to be the Xia family’s decision!

How dare that shameless Liu Fen bring up divorce?

Old Mrs. Xia’s voice was so loud that half the village could hear her cursing. It was truly remarkable – Xia Da Jun’s wife had run back to her maternal home for over ten days, and this morning before dawn Xia Da Jun went to fetch her, but not only did he fail to bring her back, Liu Fen had divorced him?!

The jokes about the Xia family this year could last the whole year.

Xia Da Jun was in a daze, his male pride severely wounded. He made up his mind that if Liu Fen ever regretted it and wanted to return home, no matter how pitifully she cried, he wouldn’t soften his heart!

The news of Liu Fen asking for divorce turned the Xia family upside down, and all of Da He Village was discussing it.

Xia Chang Zheng gave Xia Da Jun a few dry words of comfort, but privately asked Zhang Cui to recount what had happened.

“They divorced?”

“Of course it’s real. They wrote three copies of the same document, both Da Jun and Liu Fen put their fingerprints on them, and the village head of Qi Jing Village said he would submit the documents to the county civil affairs bureau.”

Zhang Cui was worried, “On the way back I also heard that Zhang Er Lai was arrested for breaking and will get a heavy sentence. Should we send a telegram to Zi Yu about this?”

Zhang Er Lai wasn’t arrested for improper relationships with women.

Xia Xiao Lan couldn’t be implicated anymore, so that card was useless now. Before Xia Zi Yu left for Beijing, he had instructed them to keep Xia Xiao Lan under tight control, but no one had expected Liu Fen would divorce Xia Da Jun. How could they control Xia Xiao Lan now? She wouldn’t even return to the Xia family!

Xia Xiao Lan had already escaped their control.

This was beyond Zhang Cui’s ability to resolve, and Xia Chang Zheng had no ideas either.

“Tomorrow I’ll find an excuse to go to the county, send a telegram to Zi Yu, and ask around about Zhang Er Lai’s situation.”

The Xia household was in chaos.

At the Liu family home in Qi Jing Village, Li Feng Mei, with help from neighbors, prepared three tables of dishes to thank those who had helped the day. Of course, the invitation wasn’t just for men – their wives were invited too, though everyone tacitly agreed not to bring children. The family planning policy had only been implemented for two years, and there were few children. If everyone brought their children, three tables definitely wouldn’t be enough.

One table was set in the main hall, with Chen Wang Da sitting in the seat of honor.

Chen Wang Da hadn’t brought many people – just his elderly wife and grandson Chen Qing.

The guests hadn’t expected such lavish dishes: braised pork ribs with potatoes, scrambled eggs with chives, dry-fried loach, carp soup with tofu, stir-fried pork liver with green onions, stir-fried vegetable hearts with garlic, and a large bowl of lamb noodle soup as the main course… Since Liu Yong couldn’t get good pork, he simply brought back some lamb.

The lamb noodles were piled high, with generous slices of meat.

Even during New Year’s, meals weren’t this luxurious.

Liu Yong also placed cigarettes and alcohol on each table, making the invited villagers click their tongues in amazement.

“Brother Yong, you’re spending too much today.”

“This meal is beyond words!”

Chen Wang Da didn’t dampen the mood either, joking that Liu Yong was wastefully spending his earnings.

Liu Yong raised his wine cup, “Uncle Da, I’m truly happy today! A Fen is different from my little sister – she’s always been too accepting of her fate. It’s my fault for being worthless in my younger days and not being able to stand up for her… You know, my parents passed away early, and both my sisters didn’t marry well. I was worthless!”

Even before drinking, Liu Yong had started his self-criticism session.

He wasn’t lying, and Chen Wang Da nodded in agreement:

“You were quite worthless when you were young, but fortunately you became sensible after getting married. Your wife has worried a lot about you.”

Li Feng Mei, still wearing her apron, felt embarrassed hearing the village head’s approval. Before marrying Liu Yong, she had been married once before, but her in-laws had driven her out after ten years of failing to bear children. Later, through a matchmaker, she married into the Liu family. Liu Yong was already over thirty but still immature, and Li Feng Mei had often cried under her blankets.

Fortunately, their son’s birth gave Liu Yong a sense of responsibility, and only in recent years had their life improved and Liu Yong become more considerate towards her.

Liu Yong immediately expressed gratitude for his wife’s management of their home.

Li Feng Mei was good to his sister and niece, and Liu Yong was well aware and grateful for this.

Chen Wang Da brought up the matter of the household registration for Xia Xiao Lan and her mother, “I’ll accompany you in the next couple of days to transfer their household registration back here. The sooner this is done, the better.”

Liu Fen felt a bit awkward, but when Xia Xiao Lan poured her a cup of wine, she took small sips.

The guests naturally weren’t so tactless as to speak their minds, whatever they might think. They all said Liu Fen’s suffering was over and good days were ahead.

Xia Xiao Lan sat with her mother, with Chen Qing coincidentally on her other side.

Xia Xiao Lan had a thought, “Brother Chen Qing, I’d like to ask you something later.”

Chen Qing was holding his chopsticks but didn’t dare to pick up any food. It wasn’t that he had never interacted with girls his age – his female classmates at school were about the same age as Xia Xiao Lan, but none of them looked like her… Sitting next to Xia Xiao Lan, his face was red, though fortunately, his farm work tan concealed it.

Thinking about Xia Xiao Lan wanting to ask him something, he hurriedly responded with an “okay” that was barely louder than a mosquito’s buzz.

“Xiao Lan, come over and chat with your uncles and elders!”

Liu Yong called her, and Xia Xiao Lan happily ran over. Chen Qing watched her back, feeling his heart beating intensely.