Chapter 171
The team leader saw Wang Qinghe come in and greeted him warmly. "Qinghe, you've come to take Bai Xiuxiu home? You've arrived at just the right time. I need to thank you."
"Thank me?" Wang Qinghe immediately knew what it was about.
He skillfully picked up the two children, showing no hint of taking credit, and said modestly, "I just mentioned it once. The one who really helped is my master."
"Master?" The team leader was taken aback.
"It's Uncle Zhang. I'm learning some basics of traditional Chinese medicine from him now, so I started calling him Master. Captain, if you need any help when you go into the mountains, just let me know. By the way, these are some maps I drew over the years while hunting in the mountains."
Wang Qinghe thoughtfully handed the maps to the team leader.
Seeing the maps, the team leader became even more excited. "You're such a meticulous young man. Old Zhang has quite the temper, but he's willing to take you on as a disciple. Learn well. If you can make a living from this in the future, that would be great. Rest assured, I'll make sure to give you and Bai Xiuxiu a share of the benefits our village will receive this time!"
Chen Jinhua rolled her eyes at her husband's excitement. "Take a break already. Qinghe came to pick up Bai Xiuxiu. You're holding them back. It's not safe for them to travel after dark."
"I got carried away. Go back quickly," Chen Zhuangshi said sincerely, genuinely impressed by the young couple. They had improved their own lives and still cared about the villagers. Moreover, they did good deeds without seeking recognition. How admirable!
Meanwhile, Wang Qinghe took his wife out of the village.
On the other side, Zhou Jiaojiao went home with Wang Qingqi.
As soon as they entered the house, before they could even eat, they heard the bad news.
Zhou Jiaojiao felt terrible.
"Why does the whole village suddenly want to go into the mountains? What gives them the right?" Zhou Jiaojiao panicked. Although she had been lucky, those resources needed to be there. If they were all taken away, what would she do?
The family saw Zhou Jiaojiao's anxiety and shared her worry. After all, the benefits she received meant something for them too.
"From now on, Old Fifth's wife, go to the mountains before dawn. Have Old Fifth and your fourth brother accompany you. The third sister-in-law and fourth sister-in-law will stay home to prepare goods for the black market. You should..."
Before Wang Shoucheng could finish, Zhou Jiaojiao interrupted him.
"Dad, I can't reveal the secret recipe. I can prepare the fillings and have them do the rest. But... going to the mountains so early, I might not be able to handle it."
Thinking about having to work day and night and scavenge with her second sister-in-law in the mountains, Zhou Jiaojiao felt overwhelmed.
It's all because of Bai Xiuxiu!
If she hadn't suggested separating the household, none of this would have happened.
Bai Xiuxiu!
Zhou Jiaojiao cursed her name several times in her heart, wishing she could tear her apart.
Wang Shoucheng was a bit displeased with Zhou Jiaojiao's secrecy but knew he couldn't force her.
"Alright, prepare the fillings every day. Old Fifth's wife, we need to get whatever we can from the mountains. Don't feel tired; this is for the entire family. When things improve, you'll benefit too. Don't be like your ungrateful eldest sister-in-law." Wang Shoucheng instructed his youngest daughter-in-law.
Zhou Jiaojiao managed a forced smile, but the thought of being seen as better than Bai Xiuxiu gave her a sense of superiority.
Early in the morning.
The team leader of Xiahe Village began organizing people to enter the mountains.
When Bai Xiuxiu was dropped off by Wang Qinghe, the villagers had already started leaving.
She and Miao Miao were good at accounting, so the team leader assigned them to help tally the medicinal herbs to prevent mistakes.
"Xiuxiu, I'll head back to work now," Wang Qinghe said, seeing his wife busy and preparing to leave.
"Mm, be careful on your way," Bai Xiuxiu gently adjusted his scarf.
While the two were busy with their respective tasks, in the distant provincial city,
Yu Cheng returned to the provincial city and sold the medicinal herbs immediately, earning a profit of five hundred yuan. Half of this profit was to be given to Wang Qinghe.
But even so, after deducting his capital, he still had two hundred and fifty left.
With this much money, all it took was a small inconvenience for him, which made him feel as if even seeing a dog on the road was refreshing and extraordinary.
"Hey? Isn't that Aunt Qi from Uncle He's family? Aunt Qi, it's been a while. How is Uncle He?
How have you been lately?
How are He Cheng and He Ming doing? Are they still causing you trouble like before?
By the way, how about your daughter He Wei? Is she still hanging out with that little tyrant?"
Yu Cheng smiled like a bright and cheerful young boy, but every word he said was not what people wanted to hear!
The woman called Aunt Qi was around fifty years old but looked very gentle.
She had good features, and her smile made her seem approachable.
Her face was pale, but for the sake of appearances, she replied gently, "It's Yu Cheng. My nephew told me you went out of town with him?
After all these years, you should be settling down by now.
Why do you always think about playing?
Our daughter He Wei is getting married soon. As for He Ming and He Cheng, they've improved a lot under your Uncle He's guidance.
Thank you for your concern."
Her attitude was very polite.
Upon hearing this, Yu Cheng continued, "Really? Then, Aunt Qi, are you still looking for that child?"
The woman's face turned completely sour. "Who told you all these nonsense? Don't pry into our family affairs.
I need to hurry home, so I won't talk to you anymore."
The woman rushed off in a hurry.
She didn't even notice that the vegetables in her basket had fallen out.
Yu Cheng pouted. Who didn't know? Those two little tyrants caused another ruckus and got into trouble again.
They were now grounded at home.
Aunt Qi and Uncle He must be frantic right now.
They want to find their eldest son quickly and see if they can salvage some face.
This whole family is full of face-conscious people.
He needed to find out more. Wang Qinghe was an important step on his path to wealth, and he needed to help Wang Qinghe.
As Qi Yingying returned home, she put down the basket of vegetables and looked at her second son, who was lounging on the sofa, and her third son, who was eating canned food.
Then she glanced at her daughter, who was happily reading a book nearby.
She suddenly felt overwhelmed with frustration.
Why was she so unlucky? None of these three children gave her any peace of mind or brought her any honor.
If this continued, she would not only lose face but also risk losing Old He's affection to his brother's child.
Chapter 172
Qi Yingying endured her temper, controlling her tone to avoid showing any anger.
"Wei Wei, did you go to the matchmaking meeting that your mother arranged for you? The father of the child is quite close to your father. When he heard you were looking for a partner, he told me about it. How did it go? Did you have a good chat?"
Qi Yingying sat down next to her daughter. But as soon as she sat down, the little girl who was sitting beside her suddenly threw her notebook.
Her foolish smile gradually turned into despair: "Who asked you to introduce me to a match? Because of you, the person I like has misunderstood me! Do you know that without him, I'd rather die? Are you my real mother? You're just a stepmother; you want me dead.
Let whoever wants to go on a date do so. Just don't bother me."
After saying this, He Wei went upstairs to her room and slammed the door shut. The sound echoed in the already quiet house, making it even quieter.
Qi Yingying's face turned ugly after being scolded by her daughter.
She then looked at her unmoving second son and sighed: "Your sister is immature, but He Cheng, can't you make your mother proud? You can't always be overshadowed by He Tian, can you? Look at how your father praises him every time he comes back.
If this continues, our family will..."
Before she could finish, her lying son sat up.
He didn't look much like his mother; he had a somewhat heroic appearance, probably more like his father.
Frowning, with dark eyes filled with irritation, he said impatiently: "Mom, are you going to nag forever? Lately, you either talk about the lost eldest son or Uncle Wang's He Tian.
Why is he better than me?
How does Uncle help him? How does Dad help him? Can't you understand me and at least get Dad to arrange a good job for me?"
"You!" Qi Yingying was speechless after being reprimanded.
She awkwardly shifted her gaze to her third son.
He Ming, who was eating canned food, choked: "Cough, cough. Mom, are you going to scold me too? I think I'm doing pretty well. By the way, Mom, do you have any money? Can you give me some? I want to go out for a while."
Qi Yingying felt suffocated by these three children upon returning home. She held back her tears and couldn't bring herself to refuse giving them money.
She took out fifty yuan: "Is this enough?"
He Ming grabbed it: "This is enough."
He then ran out of the house.
Seeing his brother get money, He Cheng wasn't about to be left behind: "Mom, why should only the money go to the third one? I should get some too. Even if I'm a bit older, you can't be biased, right?"
Qi Yingying felt cursed to have such children.
With no choice, she took out more money.
She and Old He earned decent salaries, but losing a hundred yuan at once still hurt, especially since the two boys would squander it.
She wondered what her lost eldest son was like. He must be more well-behaved than these three, given that he hadn't been spoiled.
Even though she hadn't raised him, he was still her biological child.
At least they were family. If he could succeed, she would gain face, and the other three would benefit too.
If he didn't succeed...
Old He also thought about the child. If they could find him, Old He could arrange a job for him, which could eventually be passed to the second son.
Although this might seem unfair, it would ultimately benefit the family.
Regardless, finding the child would be beneficial for both the family and himself.
Moreover, she missed the child.
Even if not as much as these three, he was still her own flesh and blood.
Qi Yingying's mind was in turmoil as she picked vegetables while thinking about finding her son.
As dusk approached, the villagers of Xiahe Village returned from the mountains with their harvests. Although the items were varied, the total amount was substantial.
The team leader had been waiting in the courtyard all morning. Seeing the abundance of medicinal herbs, his smile never faded.
"Good, good. Everyone worked hard today. Tomorrow, we'll head to the mountains early again. Let others in the village process and dry these herbs, then send them to the pharmacy in the county. Don't worry; we've consulted the commune.
Everyone just focus on finding more herbs in the mountains."
The team leader's words boosted everyone's morale.
In the crowd, Wang Laosan breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, there weren't too many items.
He wondered how Old Fifth's wife managed to find so many herbs in the mountains. It was strange that no one else could find as many.
So many people went up the mountain, yet they only collected this much.
It seemed that Old Fifth's wife was indeed not an ordinary person.
Wang Laosan's expression caught Bai Xiuxiu's attention as she recorded the herbs. She also thought of something.
So she walked over to Aunt Jinhua, who had come to help, and whispered a few words in her ear.
Aunt Jinhua was taken aback, not understanding what she meant.
"Aunt, the villagers didn't know they could gather so many herbs before, but now that they do, some might try to sneak out at night or early in the morning to collect them. If everyone wants to keep things for themselves, who will still be motivated to work together?
It's better to have a few people guard the mountain area, ensuring that no one hides anything during the day."
Bai Xiuxiu explained why she wanted someone to watch over the area.
Of course, if someone really wanted to hide something, they could, but she just wanted to prevent Zhou Jiaojiao from doing so.
Given the temperament of Old Wang's family and Zhou Jiaojiao's character, it was impossible for them not to secretly gather more herbs for themselves.
Zhou Jiaojiao probably considered everything in the mountains as hers; how could she be content watching others take it all?
After hearing this, Chen Jinhua also thought it made sense, even if it only helped a little.
Most importantly, going into the mountains at night was extremely dangerous.
Her husband organized this to improve the villagers' lives, and if anyone encountered danger because of it, he would be held responsible.
Wouldn't that be counterproductive?
Thinking about this, Chen Jinhua felt an overwhelming gratitude toward Bai Xiuxiu.
She kept patting Bai Xiuxiu's hand, tears welling up in her eyes: "Xiuxiu, you... you're such a good child. I don't even know how to thank you. Everyone is driven by their own interests, but you are thinking of me and your Uncle. I'll go talk to your Uncle Chen first."
Chen Jinhua hurried off to find the team leader.
Just as Chen Zhuangshi was about to address the villagers again after mobilizing them, he saw his wife running over.
"Why are you here?" Chen Zhuangshi frowned, wondering why his wife had come.
Chapter 173
Chen Jinhua, feeling anxious, didn't care about his attitude and whispered a few words to him.
After listening, Chen Zhuangshi also felt it was a serious matter.
"You've reminded me. We should indeed do this. The things in the mountains are no longer private property; everyone needs to go up together." Chen Zhuangshi promptly raised this issue with the villagers.
"There's another matter. Today we found medicinal herbs in the mountains. To avoid anyone secretly going into the mountains at night and encountering danger, the village needs to select twenty people to patrol the mountains—ten in the morning and ten at night.
During these two times when people might sneak into the mountains, they need to keep watch.
This is for everyone's benefit, and since these herbs will be shared, no one should take them without permission."
Upon hearing Chen Zhuangshi's words, Wang Laosan wished he could run home immediately to tell his family about this troublesome matter.
He had a feeling that once this news reached home, there would be trouble.
"Alright, everyone, get back to your tasks. Let's have the designated people sort out the herbs," the team leader organized the villagers.
Soon, everyone got busy.
Wang Laosan ran home as fast as he could.
When he arrived, panting, Wang Shoucheng was talking to Aunt Qiu at the door, which was slightly ajar.
Wang Laosan saw his father smiling broadly.
The moment they saw him return, both were startled, and Aunt Qiu, her face slightly flushed, turned and ran away.
Wang Shoucheng looked displeased and glared at his son with disdain. "Didn't you go to the mountains? Why are you back now? And where's your wife? Why haven't I seen her all day?"
"My wife? She said she was going to the commune to buy some fabric to make winter clothes for the children.
But Dad, what were you and Aunt Qiu doing...?"
Wang Laosan awkwardly asked.
Wang Shoucheng gave him a stern look, and Wang Laosan dared not ask further.
His good mood ruined, Wang Shoucheng impatiently asked, "Tell me, why did you rush back so urgently?"
"Oh, right, I have something to say. Dad, something happened! From now on..."
Wang Laosan relayed the team leader's words verbatim to Wang Shoucheng, who became agitated. "What? They took our good stuff and now want to stop us from entering? What are they trying to do?
That old Chen Zhuangshi, he looks honest but is actually quite devious.
He's using our things as stepping stones to climb higher. He's behind this.
Bah!"
Wang Shoucheng cursed angrily.
In the village, Bai Xiuxiu and Miao Miao helped record the medicinal herbs. Chen Jinhua, who had left earlier, suddenly returned.
Seeing Bai Xiuxiu still in the courtyard, she quickly pulled her aside. "Xiuxiu, come with me."
They left the team headquarters, and Bai Xiuxiu followed Chen Jinhua. At the corner, they saw someone waiting for them—a woman riding a bicycle, looking very cool.
Bai Xiuxiu recognized her; she was the head of the Women's Federation in the village, Director Wang.
"Director Wang, this is the Xiao Bai I told you about. Look at her—didn't I tell you she's beautiful, diligent, and smart?"
Director Wang observed Bai Xiuxiu carefully. Although she wasn't familiar with the street office, she needed to find an assistant for her aunt and wanted to be thorough.
As Director Wang studied her, Bai Xiuxiu also sized her up.
After their gaze met, Bai Xiuxiu smiled and greeted her. "Director Wang, we met once here at the team headquarters."
"I remember you; you're very pretty. I couldn't forget you. Such a beautiful young wife is rare. I'm here today mainly to see you. Your director has already explained everything to you.
The work at the street office is more demanding than at the Women's Federation.
If you're willing, I'll talk to my aunt and take you there tomorrow morning for her to meet you.
If she approves, it's settled. If not, I can only help you this much."
Director Wang had a good impression of Bai Xiuxiu, and Chen Jinhua's praise added to her favorable view.
So she felt a strong affinity and was willing to help.
Bai Xiuxiu was grateful for her quick agreement. "Thank you, Director Wang. I'm willing to give it a try."
"Great. I'll go back now and pick you up tomorrow morning. Where do you live in the county? I'll come to fetch you."
Director Wang asked in detail.
Bai Xiuxiu provided her address.
Hearing this, Director Wang smiled.
"What a coincidence! The street office I mentioned is in your area. That's perfect."
Director Wang felt even more optimistic about the arrangement.
Bai Xiuxiu was delighted too. If she could work nearby, she wouldn't have to travel far with her children every day.
Chen Jinhua also thought of this and was happy for Bai Xiuxiu.
"Isn't it serendipitous? Director Wang, you must speak highly of Xiuxiu tomorrow. Not to brag about her, but she is truly outstanding." Chen Jinhua feared that she might not be thorough enough.
Director Wang smiled at her enthusiasm: "Alright, Aunt Jinhua, with such praise from you, how could I not believe it? If you hold her in such high regard, she must be capable. Well, it's late, and it's not convenient for me to stay any longer, so I'll take my leave now."
As soon as Director Wang left, Chen Jinhua became even more excited: "Xiuxiu, wonderful! This will definitely work out."
Bai Xiuxiu also had a smile on her face: "Auntie, don't worry. I will do my best to impress Director Wang's aunt and stay in the county. When that happens, Qinghe and I will treat you and Uncle Chen to dinner." Bai Xiuxiu spoke with genuine happiness.
"Good, good, let's go back first."
Evening.
The Wang household.
Zhou Jiaojiao had just returned home with her husband from the county. She had been up before dawn preparing fillings, then went up the mountain to try her luck, and finally visited the black market in the county. Zhou Jiaojiao felt like she had been spinning like a top all day long.
As soon as she got home, she wished she could lie down on the bed and sleep.
However, there was no such luck.
Seeing that they had returned, Wang Shoucheng mentioned at the dinner table that someone would be watching over the mountain from now on, which made Zhou Jiaojiao so frustrated that she wanted to curse whoever came up with the idea.
"What are we going to do now?" Zhou Jiaojiao asked, trying to keep her temper in check, looking expectantly at Wang Shoucheng.
If they couldn't go to the mountain anymore, could she finally get some rest?
Wang Shoucheng pondered for a moment and then suggested to Zhou Jiaojiao: "How about you go to the mountains in other nearby villages instead?"
Chapter 174
"Let me go to another village? If someone finds out, wouldn't that ruin everything? I'm not going. Whoever wants to go can go." Zhou Jiaojiao refused before Wang Shoucheng could continue.
She wasn't stupid; why should she go?
Marrying Wang Qingqi was supposed to bring her comfort, not turn her into a slave.
Now the Wang family relied on her, so they should be serving her. Why should she keep doing all this work?
Thinking about it made Zhou Jiaojiao feel wronged. Her mouth turned downward, and her eyes were cold. Anyone could see she was angry.
Wang Shoucheng had just been testing her, seeing how obedient this Old Fifth's wife would be.
Seeing her explosive reaction, he knew he couldn't push this daughter-in-law any further.
The Wang family still needed her. With her good luck, there must be more benefits than just finding good things in the mountains, right?
Seeing her cold expression, Wang Shoucheng sighed. "Child, why did you get angry before I even finished speaking? I was thinking that you could go to another village to check. If it doesn't work out, we'll stop this matter.
At worst, we'll lose one source of income, but it's not a life-or-death situation.
Actually, Dad wants you to go elsewhere because he cares for you.
Look at you, always working in the black market, making money while living in fear.
It would be better to earn enough money quickly, buy a job, preferably in the county. Old Fifth could also go to the county, and then you two could have a child. Wouldn't life be better then?"
Wang Shoucheng was an expert at painting a rosy picture.
Hearing this plan, Zhou Jiaojiao felt excited.
She had racked her brains trying to figure out how future Wang Qingqi became so wealthy and lived in such a large house.
Even the richest families in the county didn't live in houses like that.
She knew a little about the changes to come.
But not much.
Moving to the county was absolutely necessary.
If they didn't move to the county, they would know too little and miss opportunities to get rich.
She married Wang Qingqi not to stay in this small place but to live a truly good life!
The others in the room felt uneasy hearing Wang Shoucheng's plans for Old Fifth's family.
Wang Laosi was the most uncomfortable. His wife usually didn't care about these matters, and after breaking her leg recently, she cared even less. As long as her meals weren't delayed, she didn't ask questions.
Today, when asked to do some work, she came back angry.
No one helped him think about their future.
Hearing Old Fifth's family's plans, Wang Laosi felt envious.
Why them? They were all Dad's sons, and he didn't work any less than Old Fifth.
Why did all the good things happen to them first?
Wang Qingfu, the second son, also harbored his own calculations. Dad planned to buy a house in the county for Old Fifth's family and even find a job for Old Fifth's wife?
This meant giving all the family's money to Old Fifth's family eventually.
He was expected to help pay off debts now, and later, all the benefits would go to Old Fifth's family.
Dad sure had a good plan!
Compared to these two, Wang Laosan had no such thoughts; he was simply hungry.
After a day in the mountains, he was exhausted.
He didn't want to listen to these plans, which were all about the future. Who could predict what would happen?
"Dad, when are we eating? I'm starving," Wang Laosan urged.
Talking about these things instead of eating at the dinner table was ridiculous!
Zhao Cuihua glanced at her husband, feeling exasperated. Everyone else had their own plans, but this man only thought about eating.
All he cared about was food.
Their son couldn't be like him, or she'd be driven mad.
Wang Shoucheng gave his third son a faint look and immediately felt a headache coming on.
What could he do with Laosan in the future?
He had plans for the second and fifth sons, but not for Laosan and his wife. As for Laosi and his wife, they would rely on others for support.
Once the family's fortunes improved, he would find jobs for them in the commune.
Wang Shoucheng's ambitions had grown. The steady income made him want to act like a wealthy person.
But now wasn't the time.
"Alright, let's eat first. Tomorrow, Old Fifth's wife shouldn't go to the mountains; she should focus on the black market."
Wang Shoucheng stopped lecturing them.
Early in the morning.
In the county.
Wang Qinghe had prepared breakfast early and woke up the two children. Then, he carried his wife out of bed.
Seeing Bai Xiuxiu sleeping soundly, he couldn't resist stealing a kiss.
He gently called her to wake up: "Xiuxiu, it's time to get up. Even if we don't need to go to the village today, we still have to meet with Director Wang and her aunt."
Bai Xiuxiu felt extremely tired at this moment.
She opened her eyes only when a warm towel was placed on her face.
Bai Xiuxiu took the towel and wiped her face clean.
Seeing that she was awake, Wang Qinghe led her to eat breakfast.
The two children were already seated at the dining table by then.
Bai Xiuxiu looked at the scrambled eggs, cabbage and tofu soup, and freshly steamed rice on the table, and her appetite immediately returned.
After the family of four finished breakfast, Wang Qinghe prepared to leave. He looked at his wife and children, then hugged each child and kissed them.
Then he looked at Bai Xiuxiu.
Bai Xiuxiu laughed for a while under his gaze. Seeing the disappointment in his eyes, she mimicked how he had kissed the children and gave him a quick peck: "Alright, go to work now. If I come back early tonight, I'll cook dinner."
"No... you don't know how to light the stove. If you come back early, just rest. Don't try to figure out how to light it yourself." Wang Qinghe repeated his instructions twice before leaving confidently.
Bai Xiuxiu saw him off at the front gate. As she was about to go back inside, she was spotted by Ning Meimei, the wife next door.
"Xiuxiu? Oh, I haven't seen you in days. Your family is always out so early and back so late; every time I want to chat with you, something comes up." Ning Meimei was very enthusiastic, and her smile made it hard to refuse talking to her.
She glanced around to make sure no one else was coming out, then approached Bai Xiuxiu: "Xiuxiu, you're not going out today?"
Bai Xiuxiu had been observing Ning Meimei. Yunjiu's novel
She couldn't trust someone she had only met a few times, so she didn't reveal too much in conversation.
In response to Ning Meimei's question, she merely smiled without answering.
Ning Meimei didn't mind; she just wanted someone to talk to. Life in the Lin household was suffocating.
"Xiuxiu, do you know what happened in our backyard? At Old Yuan's place on the back street, the daughter-in-law almost got driven to suicide by her mother-in-law. Now she goes to the Women's Federation and the neighborhood committee every day to complain."
Chapter 175
"Back Street?" Bai Xiuxiu thought that if she were to work on this street, she would inevitably interact with this family in the future. Thus, she asked Ning Meimei with interest, "I'm not very familiar with it, Sister Ning, could you tell me more?"
Ning Meimei saw that Bai Xiuxiu was interested and felt she had finally found someone who enjoyed gossip.
Usually, everyone at home had deadpan faces, and no one liked to chat.
Every day at the dinner table, they only talked about who ate an extra mouthful of vegetables or who used an extra thread.
She was almost driven crazy by it.
Encountering Bai Xiuxiu, she suddenly had a lot to say: "Behind us is Old Yuan's house. They have three sons and one daughter. The third son and the youngest daughter aren't married yet, but the eldest and second sons are. The recent trouble is with their eldest daughter-in-law.
In Old Yuan's house, the mother-in-law favors her youngest son, and the second daughter-in-law gave her a grandson, so she has no complaints there.
But she bullies the eldest daughter-in-law, making her do all sorts of chores every now and then.
The eldest daughter-in-law's family are all honest people, and her mother-in-law often sends her back to her parents' house to fetch things. If she doesn't bring anything, she gets beaten, and even her granddaughter gets hit too.
Her husband acts like he's dead, never stepping in.
A few days ago, Old Yuan's little grandson scratched the face of the eldest daughter-in-law's daughter with a stone.
The family got into a fight, but instead of punishing the grandson, they forbade the eldest daughter-in-law and her daughter from eating. This led to her attempting suicide.
Luckily, she was saved. After this incident, she decided to take her child and leave, saying she didn't want to live like this anymore.
How could Old Yuan's family let her go?
They treat her like a donkey, how could they let her leave? They refused to let her go, and her husband even beat her up, threatening to kill her if she caused any more trouble.
Can you believe these people?"
As Ning Meimei spoke, her disdain for the family on Back Street was evident on her face.
Bai Xiuxiu also felt uncomfortable listening to this.
"What did the Women's Federation do about it?" Bai Xiuxiu asked.
"What can they do? They just mediate. If that doesn't work, they wait and hope emotions cool down. But if they keep waiting, I fear the eldest daughter-in-law might lose her life. Even the street office is having a hard time with this. My maternal aunt works at the street office, and she said the director is still struggling with this issue."
Ning Meimei wanted to gossip about another matter, but before she could, Director Wang arrived to meet Bai Xiuxiu.
"Xiaobai, sorry for keeping you waiting. Apologies, I was held up by some family matters this morning." Director Wang wore a white shirt and green pants, looking energetic and capable.
When she smiled, she exuded warmth.
She glanced at Ning Meimei, hesitating. "Am I interrupting something? Do you two need to finish your conversation first? If so, I can take a walk around. It's been a while since I've been here, and I miss the place."
"No, we were just chatting, Director Wang. Let's go. If you want to see around, we can do it together. I just moved here and want to get familiar with the area." With that, Bai Xiuxiu called over her two children and locked the door.
"Sister Ning, we'll continue our chat when I get back. I have something to attend to."
After saying this, Bai Xiuxiu took her two children and got on Director Wang's bicycle.
Ning Meimei found Director Wang somewhat familiar but couldn't quite place her.
She also envied Bai Xiuxiu, who could go out whenever she wanted.
Unlike her.
"Second daughter-in-law, what are you doing standing outside? Come in quickly. Don't always hang around with the neighbors; do they feed you? Go with your sister-in-law to catch fish in the wild river in the west of the city. If you catch a couple, it will help nourish the family.
Don't just sit around doing nothing."
Inside the house, Lin's grandmother's sharp tone made Ning Meimei's head ache, and she hurried back.
On the other side, Director Wang took Bai Xiuxiu to the street office of their area, known as Wutong Street because of the many wutong trees planted there.
Upon arriving at the street office, they found it in chaos.
A woman was holding a four- or five-year-old child, both crying.
The woman was bruised and swollen, clearly beaten. The child had scars on her face and cried pitifully as she watched her mother cry.
This mother and daughter matched the description of Old Yuan's eldest daughter-in-law and her daughter.
It must be them.
The woman was so thin she was skin and bones.
With one hand holding the child and the other grabbing someone's pant leg, she pleaded, "Please, you have to save me."
The woman looked utterly helpless.
The woman whose pant leg she was grabbing was nearly fifty, with short hair and wearing a blue coat. Her expression was stern, indicating she was not one to smile easily.
"Xiao Xu, it's not that Auntie won't help you. The street office has already tried to mediate, but the other party insists on not divorcing and is being unreasonable. How about I arrange for you to stay with me for now, and we'll think of another way?
Or perhaps we should report this to the police?"
She appeared cold, but when she spoke to the woman, she was considerate and wanted to help her temporarily escape her predicament.
The woman was moved, but for some reason, she shook her head frantically. "No, I can't go to your house, Director Wang. I can't go with you. If I do, they'll come to your house and cause trouble. No, I... I can't report it either. Reporting it won't help with the divorce."
The woman looked at the child in her arms and sadly wanted to hand the child over to the person in front of her.
"Maybe you should try reporting it? They fear nothing and act so aggressively; reporting it might be the best option."
They may not handle divorces, but they do deal with assault and injury.
"The injuries on your face are evidence of their assault. They intentionally harmed you; they should be detained for a while, or even lose their jobs."
Bai Xiuxiu also joined in to persuade her.
When she spoke, Director Wang finally looked over.
Seeing her niece with Bai Xiuxiu, she remembered her niece mentioning a beautiful young wife who did well with the Women's Federation and wanted to bring her to see if she could work in the county's community services.
Initially, she was hesitant since this young girl wasn't even from the commune.
But now, hearing what she just said, Director Wang felt that she was quite decisive and bold.
The eldest daughter-in-law of the Yuan family, upon hearing Bai Xiuxiu's words, was also moved. However, years of abuse had left her too afraid to act.
The moment she saw that family, she lost all courage.
Director Wang looked at the eldest daughter-in-law of the Yuan family; her condition was dire, and without help, she truly wouldn't survive.
Perhaps today, they could try to resolve her problem.
"She's right. Your in-laws don't understand the law; they need to know the seriousness of their actions. Xiao Xu, do you agree to report it? If you do, we'll accompany you now."