Chapter 52: Part One

Could it really be such a coincidence? It couldn't possibly be that coincidental.

Dong Liguang's forehead was slick with cold sweat. Logically speaking, a big-name figure of that caliber had nothing whatsoever to do with their tiny village and remote town. Besides, he was merely a grandson-in-law—doesn't everyone have a few prestigious distant relatives?

The last time Lin Yanqiu put on airs at Lin Yuexia's expense, she bragged that the groom was the county magistrate's nephew from an extraordinary family. In reality, the groom and the magistrate merely hailed from the same village, sharing a distant blood tie and exchanging a few casual words, with nothing more to it.

However, a direct maternal grandson was entirely different. The man's biological mother was a true daughter; with a grandfather like that, how bad could the mother possibly be? She was his very own flesh and blood.

"Dad, Mom, has this prospective cousin-in-law ever mentioned what his family background is like?"

Zheng Qiaoli replied, "He can throw a serious punch, comes from some sort of compound, and used to be a soldier, that's all."

In the freezing cold weather, a fine layer of sweat broke out on Dong Liguang's forehead. Fortunately, he hadn't rushed forward to boast prematurely.

"Yanqiu, your cousin has snagged an incredible match!" Dong Liguang's eyes lit up. If he could use this connection to build rapport, it might just make his superiors look at him with newfound respect.

Lin Yanqiu was stunned. "What incredible match?"

Dong Liguang exclaimed, "Your cousin has found a prospective husband beyond anything we could ever dare to imagine. Look at them, the moment he arrived, he was lavish with his money—he definitely comes from a massive background!"

Dong Liguang spilled everything he knew to Lin the Eldest Uncle's family. At this moment, the expressions on the faces of Li Yinhua, Lin Fujia, and Zheng Qiaoli were exceptionally complex. Looking closely, not a single one of them was happy.

—Resenting your prosperity, mocking your destitution, looking down on your poverty, and fearing your wealth.

The impoverished relatives living next door, who had been bullied and oppressed for over a decade, had suddenly turned the tables and grown rich, about to live out the good days they themselves wouldn't even dare to dream of. Lin Fujia and Zheng Qiaoli's eyes turned bloodshot as scenes of their condescension and mockery toward Lin Yongfu and Zhang Yuqin's couple over the past ten-odd years flashed through their minds... No, no, absolutely not. They could never let them get rich! Otherwise, the ones laughed at and ridiculed by the villagers in the future would be their own family, and they would become the ultimate joke of the village!

Lin Yanqiu refused to believe it. "That's utterly impossible! How could a man like that ever marry my cousin? Her family has three daughters; isn't he afraid she won't bear a son?"

"His family wouldn't let him marry a wife like that anyway."

Zheng Qiaoli chimed in, "Of course not. Their branch simply doesn't have the fate to bear sons..."

Mother and daughter huddled together, resorting to their usual malicious mindset to speculate about the family next door.

Meanwhile, eager to cozy up to the next-door household, Dong Liguang hurried out of his courtyard. As soon as he stepped next door, he caught sight of a tall, handsome figure. His eyes brightened as he thought to himself that a general's grandson certainly carried an imposing and heroic air.

However, before he could even approach, a stout stick blocked his path.

Fu Wei said coldly, "Get lost!"

A single blow struck Dong Liguang right on his backside, sending him scrambling away in utter panic and disgrace. Transfixed by Fu Wei's distinct yet fiercely intimidating gaze, he didn't dare utter a single word.

"If you're half-blind, go to the hospital for treatment. Cross this line again and you'll see what you get!"

Humiliated and furious, Dong Liguang picked himself up, brushing the dirt off his backside, and retreated to his own yard.

Beneath the eaves, Lin Yuexia and Lin Xuexia watched the entire scene unfold. Lin Yuexia was gripped with deep anxiety—with her future brother-in-law possessing such formidable combat skills, what if he beat her older sister in the future? What kind of temper did he actually have?

Lin Yuexia glanced at Lin Xuexia beside her, hoping to trace a hint of worry and fear on her face. To her utter astonishment, however, a smile bloomed across her usually gentle and virtuous eldest sister's face, and she even remarked, "Served him right."

"How can you call that serving him right... Xuexia, dear, that's your cousin's fiancé!" Lin Yongfu stammered as he spoke, trying to persuade them in a subservient tone, "We can't afford to sour relations like this. A person always needs to maintain ties with their relatives. Your cousin's fiancé drives for the leadership; we can't afford to offend them. Let's just keep things amicable and not—"

"Your cousin has never provoked you."

Lin Xuexia said coldly, "Say another word. If you dare to utter another single syllable, I'll take Mom and my three younger sisters far away tomorrow, and you can stay here and live in sweet harmony with the people next door all by yourself."

"Grandma never said a wrong thing: you were born to lick other people's boots. Spineless, cowardly, what else are you good for besides cursing my mother and sisters?"

"What cowardice are you afraid of? How great and powerful could that family possibly be? Are they going to come here and kill you? Did they beat you? If they beat you, why didn't you fight back?"

Lin Yongfu wiped away his tears. "I was afraid your mother and you girls would get bullied."

"The ones bullying us all along have been Uncle's family next door," Lin Xuexia said coldly. "If you're so scared of us being bullied, why don't you risk it all, grab a hoe, and beat their three sons to death? Would they still be able to bully our family then?"

A look of utter panic washed over Lin Yongfu's face. "This... how could that be? Murder is a crime."

"You know murder is a crime. You won't die, and neither will we sisters; just how much worse could our bullying possibly get?"

Lin Yongfu's lips quivered, too terrified to speak.

"Xuexia, stop wasting your breath on him," Zhang Yuqin suddenly stepped out from the house. "I am divorcing your father. From now on, you girls go live in the city and never come back. Coming back here feels as disgusting as eating shit."

"The family next door and your father are cut from the same pile of shit—just looking at them makes me sick."

Recalling the farcical events of the day, Zhang Yuqin felt a deep wave of nausea. She didn't want to live another single day like this. If her future son-in-law's parents could get divorced, she could get a divorce too.

With tears glistening in her eyes, Zhang Yuqin looked over at Fu Wei. "Xiao Wei, you won't despise Xuexia for having a divorced mother, will you?"

Fu Wei shook his head. "I won't."

"From now on, Xuexia is in your hands. Don't let her come back here ever again; her parents aren't worth her filial piety, and she doesn't need to support us in our old age."

"Yuexia, study hard and secure a good job in the future. Yuexia, follow them to work over there, put in the effort, and save up some money."

"Once I'm divorced from your father, I'll rent a place in town and live by myself. Don't worry about me; just come back to visit me during the holidays."

Hearing Zhang Yuqin's words, Lin Xuexia and her sisters felt a mixture of shock and relief, yet no one stepped forward to dissuade her. For the three daughters, this was ultimately a favorable outcome.

"You—how can you say such things?" Lin Yongfu stared at Zhang Yuqin in utter disbelief. How could a woman initiate a divorce? In all his life, he had never imagined that Zhang Yuqin would ever dare to mention divorce to him. This woman should have been terrified of divorcing him! Which rural woman would dare to seek a divorce? Weren't she afraid of being drowned in the spit of public censure?

Surely their daughters wouldn't allow their parents to divorce, either.

Lin Xuexia stated, "Mom, don't bother renting a place in the town. Come with us far away and don't come back."

"You can do some odd jobs over there and earn two or three yuan a day. After I get married, you can rent a place together with Yuexia and Yuexia, and look after one another."

Lin Yuexia chimed in excitedly, "That's right, Mom! Even if I go work as a laborer, I can still make one or two hundred a month. Eldest Sister said that with my junior high school diploma, I can go learn typing; they're hiring typists over there!"

It had only been two years since Lin Yuexia dropped out of high school; she still retained her educational foundation, and picking up past knowledge wasn't difficult. In this era, a junior high school diploma was already considered a decent level of education.

Lin Yuexia continued, "I can earn money during my winter and summer breaks, too!"

"All right, then that's settled!" Zhang Yuqin's eyes lit up. She had originally feared that bringing up a divorce would put her daughters in a difficult position, but to her surprise, all three daughters were more supportive than the last.

Even her future son-in-law supported her, especially since his own biological mother had divorced as well. She believed he wouldn't look down on her for being a divorcee too.

"You people—" Lin Yongfu's face flushed crimson with fury. Every single one of them—the women of this entire household—were drawing a rigid boundary line against him at this moment, cutting ties cleanly and decisively.

Clearly, he was the only man in this household, the absolute pillar of the family!

"Fine, if you want a divorce, let's get a divorce!"

"Zhang Yuqin, you will live to regret this!"

"Yuexia, Yuexia, Xuexia! Think carefully tonight—with divorced parents, will you ever be able to hold your heads high in front of people in the future?"

Fu Wei replied calmly, "Yes, we will."

His own parents had been divorced for so many years, and he had never once lowered his head.

Lin Xuexia and her sisters couldn't help but smile.

Lin Xuexia stepped forward and took Fu Wei's hand, interlacing her fingers with his palm to palm. Looking at him with a gentle smile, she said, "Sisters, let's go outside and set off fireworks. Don't let your brother-in-law's fireworks go to waste. Starting today, we're going to live good lives."

The group paid Lin Yongfu no further mind. Even Zhang Yuqin joined her daughters and future son-in-law out in the open fields to watch the fireworks. Looking back at Lin Yongfu one last time, a look of profound relief crossed her face.

After surviving twenty years of wind and rain together as husband and wife, it still ultimately failed to outweigh the obsession with having a son.

She no longer wanted to shoulder the guilt of failing to bear a son.

Zhang Yuqin rubbed her nose, took a deep breath, and felt a surge of yearning and anticipation welling up within her heart for her brand-new life ahead.

Upon reaching the open field, Fu Wei wouldn't let Lin Xuexia and her sisters light the fireworks, handling the ignition all by himself. Lin Xuexia stood close by, listening to the sharp, successive whistling sounds as the fireworks soared into the sky and burst across the star-studded night sky, instantly transforming into a breathtaking canopy of dazzling sparks.

"Eldest Sister! Eldest Sister! It's so pretty!"

A gentle smile played on the corners of Lin Xuexia's lips as she met the gaze of Fu Wei, who had turned around to face her. Gazing deeply into each other's eyes for several long seconds, Fu Wei pulled her tightly into his embrace.

Lin Yuexia and her younger sister giggled as they walked far away to give them space. Villagers had emerged to watch the fireworks, accompanied by the joyful exclamations of adults and the excited shouts of children, creating an exceptionally lively atmosphere.

After resting for the night—with Lin Yongfu sleeping alone in one room, Fu Wei occupying Lin Xuexia's former room, and Lin Xuexia, her sisters, and Zhang Yuqin huddled together across two beds—the next morning before dawn broke, Fu Wei woke up early. After working out for a while, he urged Lin Xuexia to hurry to town and handle her household registration transfer procedures.

Zhang Yuqin and Lin Yongfu also completed their divorce formalities, leaving the township officials clicking their tongues in amazement.

Staring at the certificate of divorce in his hand, Lin Yongfu's eyes turned red. To this day, he still refused to believe reality—had he genuinely gotten a divorce? How could a husband and wife possibly get divorced?

He had assumed Zhang Yuqin was simply throwing a tantrum and making a scene because she had her daughters and future son-in-law to back her up. How could daughters possibly not need a father? After all, he was the sole pillar of the household!

At the very last moment, Lin Yongfu felt a pang of regret, but Zhang Yuqin refused to let him turn back, adamantly finalizing the divorce papers.

"You're making a fuss, this is all your fault! Aren't you ashamed of yourself? Your daughter is getting married, and you're picking a fight over a divorce..." Lin Yongfu blurted out in a panic. Once Zhang Yuqin left him, where on earth could she possibly go?

It was impossible for her to genuinely follow her daughters and son-in-law; since when did children and sons-in-law support a mother-in-law in her old age? Within three months—no, within three days—she would surely regret it!

"All of you daughters are fanning the flames. Your parents are getting divorced, and not a single one of you tried to talk your mother out of it. Your mother is losing her mind, and you're all losing your minds right along with her."

"Now that things have come to this, let's see if you girls can still manage a smile in the future!"

Facing such an outcome, Lin Xuexia felt quite content. Initially anticipating several days of delay at home, she now had Fu Wei hastily purchase return tickets so they could head back to Shenzhen the very next day.

Zhang Yuqin took nothing with her, wearing only the clothes on her back. The old radio, the bicycle—none of those bulky possessions did she ask for. Let bygones be bygones; this marriage was over and done with.

Lin Yuexia packed only the new clothes her eldest sister had bought her. Lin Xuexia brought her books and clothing, and since her school records here needed to be transferred, her fiancé had assured her he would arrange all transfer matters through a friend, sparing her the trouble of returning in person so she could begin her studies at the new school immediately.

The group of five—Lin Xuexia, Fu Wei, and the rest—headed to the county railway station.

Lin Yongfu walked back to the village entirely alone. All the way home, he stubbornly refused to accept that Zhang Yuqin had truly divorced him. Trudge along the pathway back to the village, he kept turning his head back in frequent glances. How could that submissive woman who had spent half her lifetime with him simply abandon him and head off to an unfamiliar place?

At her age, she had barely been to the county town a handful of times—how could she possibly dare to board a train?

The moment he stepped back inside the house, he was certain he would still find his wife quietly tending the stove and cooking dinner. If she wanted to buy meat to feed the dog, then so be it, let her feed the dog...

When Lin Yongfu stepped into the house, the chickens and ducks were exactly as they had been yesterday. The fire in the hearth was extinguished, and Big Yellow and Big Black were nowhere in sight; Zhang Yuqin had entrusted the two small dogs to other villagers to raise. The leftover braised pork trotters and pig stomach from yesterday were still sitting in the pot.

The house was dead silent, devoid of the sound of anyone speaking.

Back then, his mother had favored his older brother, securing him a wife from an advantageous background. When his turn came, there was nothing left. Zhang Yuqin had lived a bitter life too, asking for no betrothal gifts as they married and settled into life together.

In the first few years, they had experienced a sweet and lively period. Their eldest daughter, Xuexia, was born fair and well-behaved, and upon having this daughter, he had cherished her so deeply that he wished he could take her everywhere he went.

...

From which day had everything started to change?

From the moment his greed drove him to desperately want a son.

Even though people were living perfectly fine lives, he obsessed over needing a son to carry his spirit tablet after death just to look grand and save face.