The iron pot on the stove was still steaming, and the freshly steamed cornbread emitted a sweet aroma. But the noise from the courtyard gate was like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing the warmth inside. Lin Wanqiu had just picked up the last cornbread and put it into the bamboo basket when Chen Nian'an grabbed her clothes and hid behind her, burying her head in her waist, her voice trembling: "Mommy, Grandma's voice is so fierce..."

Lin Wanqiu patted her son's hand, her fingertips touching his thin, bony wrist, and her anger flared up instantly. She put the bamboo basket on the chopping board, rolled up her sleeves, and said in a deep voice, "Don't be afraid, with Mom here, no one can bully us."

No sooner had she finished speaking than the courtyard gate was kicked open with a bang, and Old Lady Shen led a large group of people in. Leading the group, besides her sister-in-law Zhang Lan with a drooping mouth, was Old Lady Shen's brother Zhang Laoshuan—a notorious scoundrel in the surrounding area, who would stay at the door and curse for three days and three nights if anyone offended him; next to him was Granny Wang, an even better gossip, clutching a crumpled handkerchief in her hand, who started wiping away tears as soon as she entered, making it seem as if she had suffered some great injustice.

"Lin Wanqiu! You jinx!" Old Mrs. Shen walked in with her hands on her hips, spitting all over the floor. "Your husband has only been gone a short while, and you dare to hide things in the house? If you don't hand over the grain and money you've hidden today, I won't call you my daughter-in-law!"

Zhang Lan immediately followed, her eyes fixed on the cornbread on the cutting board, swallowing hard. "That's right! Mom's right! You're a widow with a child in tow, what use is such good food to you? You must have stolen it from home! You have to hand it over today, or we'll report you to the commune!"

Lin Wanqiu sneered, stood on the threshold, blocking them from the inner room: "I'm hiding something? What am I hiding? I traded this cornmeal with dried sweet potatoes from Aunt Li next door, and I steamed the cornbread myself. What does it have to do with your Shen family? It's you who barged in first thing in the morning, shouting and cursing. Are you trying to steal things or beat people up?"

"You dare talk back!" Old Zhang leaned forward, his face contorted with menacing fat, and reached out to shove Lin Wanqiu. "Let me tell you, this isn't over! Either hand over the stuff, or you and your little brat get out of the Shen family!"

Lin Wanqiu was prepared and dodged his hand by sidestepping, deliberately taking a step to the side so that Zhang Laoshuan missed his target and almost fell to the ground. The neighbors watching the commotion couldn't help but laugh. Zhang Laoshuan, enraged, turned around and was about to grab Shen Nian'an's collar: "Fine, you won't cooperate, huh? I don't believe I can't handle your son!"

This really hit Lin Wanqiu where it hurt. With lightning speed, she grabbed Zhang Laoshuan's wrist and twisted it hard. Zhang Laoshuan immediately winced in pain and howled, "Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! You bitch, you dare to lay a hand on me!"

"So what if I hit him?" Lin Wanqiu's eyes were as cold as ice. "You dare to touch a single hair on my son's head? I'll fight you to the death today!" She increased the pressure on his hand, and Zhang Laoshuan stomped his feet in pain, tears welling up in his eyes.

Seeing her brother being taken advantage of, Old Mrs. Shen jumped up and down in a panic: "Lin Wanqiu, let go! Are you trying to murder a relative?! Let me tell you, if you hurt my brother today, the commune will never forgive you!"

"The commune?" Lin Wanqiu released her grip. Zhang Laoshuan, clutching his wrist, squatted on the ground groaning. She glanced at the crowd and raised her voice, "Perfect timing! I also want to have something to say to the commune! How did your Shen family treat me, the widow of a martyr? After Shen Tingzhou's sacrifice, not only did you not help my daughter and me, but you also came to rob us of our grain and hurl insults every day. Now you're even joining forces with outsiders to bully us. How can you face Shen Tingzhou's spirit in heaven?"

These words immediately sparked a flurry of discussion among the neighbors. An elderly woman who knew the inside story sighed, "Wanqiu has really had a tough time. After Tingzhou left, she and her child couldn't even get a decent meal. The Shen family is really outrageous." Someone else secretly glared at Old Mrs. Shen, saying, "That's right, how can they treat their daughter-in-law like this? It'll be a laughing stock if word gets out."

Old Mrs. Shen's face flushed red and then turned pale, pointing at Lin Wanqiu for a long time without being able to speak. Seeing this, Zhang Lan quickly chimed in, "Don't listen to her nonsense! She just wants to monopolize the Shen family's things! Look at the fragrance wafting from her room, she must have hidden a lot of good things, maybe even stolen!"

"Stolen?" Lin Wanqiu raised an eyebrow, turned around and took out a cloth bag from the inner room. "I want everyone to see what 'good stuff' I've hidden." She opened the cloth bag, and inside were neither food nor money, but stacks of papers—there was Shen Tingzhou's martyr certificate, records of receiving pensions issued by the commune, and a neatly folded divorce application.

Everyone was stunned, and Old Mrs. Shen's eyes widened in disbelief: "What...what are you going to do with this?"

Lin Wanqiu picked up the divorce application and said in a clear and firm voice, "What are you doing? Old Mrs. Shen, let me be frank with you. Everyone has seen how you've treated Nian'an and me since Shen Tingzhou left. Today you've brought so many people to steal our things and drive us away. Fine, I won't argue with you. But I, Lin Wanqiu, am not someone to be trifled with. If you try to force me, I'll divorce the Shen family!"

"Divorce?" Old Mrs. Shen shrieked like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "Are you crazy! A widow getting a divorce? Do you want to bring shame to the Shen family? Do you want Nian'an to be unable to hold her head up high for the rest of her life?"

"Disgraceful?" Lin Wanqiu sneered. "You brought people in today to break in, steal things, and bully people. Aren't you ashamed? As for Nian'an, if he stays with your Shen family, he'll only go hungry and be bullied every day; if he comes with me, I'll sell everything I own to make sure he's well-fed and clothed, and can live with dignity!"

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