The December wind, carrying the chill of lingering snow, was barely dispelled by the laughter in the courtyard when a series of rapid, sharp taps of a cane pulled everyone back to a somber mood. Old Mrs. Shen's withered hands gripped her jujube wood cane tightly; the carving of the God of Longevity on the head of the cane had long since lost its luster, yet now, with each step, it struck the bluestone pavement with a resounding "thud," each sound like a blow to the heart. Behind her followed her sister-in-law, Zhang Lan, wearing a faded, floral-patterned cotton-padded jacket and carrying a tattered cloth bag. Her face was plastered with a fawning smile, but she couldn't hide the greed in her eyes—as soon as they entered the courtyard, their gazes, like hooks, were fixed on the vermilion gate of the blue-brick house, not even glancing at the red lanterns swaying under the eaves.

"Lin Wanqiu! You heartless jinx!" Old Mrs. Shen shouted as soon as she stepped into the courtyard, her voice as sharp as a broken gong. "You built a new house and held a banquet, how dare you not inform the Shen family! Do you have any respect for me, your mother-in-law? Do you have any respect for the ancestors of the Shen family?" As she shouted, she rushed to the center of the courtyard, her cane sweeping across the wooden stool by the table with a loud "clang," startling the child who was eating a meat bun so much that he almost cried.

Lin Wanqiu was pouring fruit wine for Secretary Zhao when the commotion interrupted her. She put down the wine jug and turned around; the tenderness in her eyes had vanished, replaced by a cold, calm. Shen Tingzhou instinctively pulled her behind him, his arms taut, his military aura instantly radiating. The once lively courtyard fell silent; even the sound of the wind rustling the lanterns became clear.

“Grandma Shen,” Lin Wanqiu stepped out from behind Shen Tingzhou, her voice low but clear, “I built my new house with my own money, and I invited the villagers who helped me to the banquet. Why should I inform you? Have you forgotten when you kicked me and Nian’an into the drafty woodshed and didn’t give us a hot meal for three days? Have you forgotten when Nian’an had a fever and you withheld my dowry to call a doctor?”

With each word she spoke, Old Mrs. Shen's face paled further, her grip on her cane tightened, and her knuckles turned bluish-white. Seeing this, Zhang Lan quickly stepped forward to help, her voice high-pitched but lacking in conviction: "Wanqiu, how can you speak to the old lady like that? She's your mother-in-law! Besides, Tingzhou is the Shen family's son. Even if you have a share in this house, it should belong to the Shen family! You can't just take it all for yourself!"

"Take it all for yourself?" Lin Wanqiu seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world. She raised her hand to signal Aunt Wang to bring Nian'an over, and pointed to her son's brand-new royal blue cotton-padded jacket, "Where were you when Nian'an was wearing patched-up clothes and shivering from the cold? Now that I'm doing well, you come to take the house. There's no such thing as a free lunch."

Nian'an was being held by Aunt Wang, her little head nestled in her arms, but she still bravely poked her head out and shouted at Old Lady Shen, "You're a bad old lady! You never fed me and my mother before, and now you want to take our house! I don't like you!" The child's voice was clear and crisp, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly resonating with the villagers.

"That's right, Grandma Shen, you've gone too far!"

"We all saw how much Wanqiu and her daughter suffered in the Shen family. Now that they've built their own house, how dare you come here and cause trouble!"

"Zhang Lan, you're no better than me! You used to bully Wanqiu with the old lady every day, and now you're trying to take advantage of her!"

The murmurs surged like a tide, and Old Mrs. Shen's face turned from white to green, then from green to purple. She trembled with rage, raising her cane to strike Lin Wanqiu: "I'll beat you to death, you unfilial shrew! How dare you incite the child to curse me!"

Shen Tingzhou reacted swiftly, grabbing the cane with a force that made Old Madam Shen wince in pain. His eyes were icy, his voice devoid of warmth: "Old Madam Shen, I'm warning you, don't lay a finger on Wanqiu and Nian'an. When news of my 'sacrifice' arrived, you not only failed to care for them, but you tormented them even more. I haven't settled that score with you yet. Now that I'm back, I will never let them suffer the slightest grievance again!"

"You...you unfilial son!" Old Mrs. Shen was in so much pain that tears were almost streaming down her face, but she still stubbornly insisted, "I am your mother! You're helping outsiders bully me, you'll be punished by heaven!"

"Outsider?" Shen Tingzhou sneered, throwing his cane on the ground. "Do you consider Wanqiu and Nian'an family? Do you care about the reputation of the Shen family? Today, you caused trouble at the housewarming banquet, not only disgracing me, but also yourself and the Shen family! From today onwards, I, Shen Tingzhou, sever all ties with the Shen family and am no longer your son!"

These words struck like a hammer blow, causing Old Mrs. Shen to collapse to the ground instantly. She froze for a few seconds, then suddenly burst into tears, slapping her thigh and crying out, "Why is my life so miserable! I raised an unfilial son, married a shrew, and now she wants to sever ties with me! Folks, be the judge! I can't live like this anymore!"

Zhang Lan tried to help her up, but Aunt Wang pushed her away, saying, "Don't play the victim! Wanqiu and her mother have suffered far more than you've shed these few tears! Quickly pull her away, don't let her disturb everyone's meal!"

Several strong young villagers, unable to bear the sight any longer, stepped forward and grabbed Old Lady Shen's arms. Old Lady Shen tried to struggle, but the villagers held her down firmly, and she could only be dragged out of the yard while cursing. Seeing this, Zhang Lan didn't dare linger, and carrying her tattered bag, she slunk away after her.

Watching the two men's disheveled figures, a cheer erupted in the courtyard. Secretary Zhao raised his glass, smiling as he said to Lin Wanqiu and Shen Tingzhou, "Wanqiu, Tingzhou, you did well! You can't be soft-hearted when dealing with such unreasonable people. The commune supports you in this matter!"

Lin Wanqiu took the wine glass, feeling a warmth in her heart. She looked at Shen Tingzhou and found him looking at her too, his eyes full of tenderness and apology: "Wanqiu, I'm sorry, I've made you suffer."

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