Chapter 119 A Small Matter

"A trivial matter?!"

Liu Xiangyang trembled with rage: "Xuejun studied day and night for this exam, didn't you see? That's his future! You almost ruined his life! You call this a small matter?"

Seeing that her eldest son was about to explode, Zhang Xiuying stopped him and pointed at Shen Hongmei, saying sternly:

“Shen Hongmei! We’ve never wronged you during your years in the Liu family. We won’t ask for the things Xiangyang gave to the Shen family back; we’ll just consider them as food for the dogs. But once the divorce is finalized, we’re even! Let me make this clear today: if you ever dare to have any designs on my family again, we won’t go to the police station; we’ll have the police come and arrest you directly! Let’s see if I dare!”

Zhang Xiuying's words were firm and resounding. Shen Hongmei's face turned pale and then red. Just as she was about to argue, Liu Xiangyang directly unleashed his trump card.

"If you dare to cause trouble again, I will take back every penny of the money and grain I've given to the Shen family over the years, even if it means losing all my face! Even if the whole village laughs at me, I will fight the Shen family to the death!"

Upon hearing that she had to repay the money, Chen's mother instantly flew into a rage, feeling more pain than if her own flesh had been cut off.

Shen's two sons couldn't sit still any longer and rushed out of the house to smooth things over.

Old Shen shamelessly approached Liu Xiangyang, grinning and trying to get closer to him: "Brother-in-law, calm down! It's all a misunderstanding! My sister wanted to remarry you, but she was afraid that your family would look down on her now that you're doing well, so she made a foolish move."

Shen Lao Er nodded and bowed, "Yes, brother-in-law, we were just confused when we helped. We promise we won't do it again! How can we ask for money back after giving it away? It would hurt our feelings..."

The Shen family knew perfectly well that in the past, to show off, they would always exaggerate the amount of money Shen Hongmei brought back to the villagers. If Liu Xiangyang really made a fuss and got the villagers to testify, the final amount would probably be more than Liu Xiangyang himself had kept in his notebook!

Therefore, this cowardice must be admitted.

The speed at which the Shen family knelt and begged for mercy surprised even the Liu family. However, since their goal had been achieved, they didn't want to get entangled with these scoundrels any longer.

Liu Xiangyang's eyes sharpened as he stared intently at Shen Hongmei: "Speak! I want you to state your position in person! Explain yourself in front of the entire village!"

Looking at her ex-husband's resolute eyes, Shen Hongmei knew that remarriage was completely hopeless, and her eyes instantly reddened.

Seeing that she was pretending to be dead, Chen's mother became anxious, rushed over and pinched her hard, and whispered, "Speak up! Do you want the whole family to pay compensation?"

Shen Hongmei winced in pain and looked at Liu Xiangyang with despair, trying to find even a trace of reluctance in his eyes.

Unfortunately, all I felt was disgust.

"Okay... I understand. I won't bother you again."

Shen Hongmei's voice was hoarse, as if all her strength had been drained away.

Having received the promise, the Liu family was preparing to leave when Xu Zhihong suddenly stepped forward.

"Everyone! I am Xu Zhihong from the educated youth settlement next door. Shen Hongmei, I used to respect you as my sister-in-law, but today you actually used my name to deceive Liu Xuejun. You have to give me an explanation for this! You have to apologize!"

Looking at Xu Zhihong who stepped forward, and then at Liu Xuejun standing beside her with a protective expression, Shen Hongmei turned pale.

How ironic! He originally intended to sabotage things, but ended up becoming the matchmaker for these two?

Her eyes became empty and lost.

Why is it that every time I try to harm them, I end up being the one who suffers, while they seem to get better and better off?

Shen Hongmei had no energy left to think; she collapsed completely like a deflated balloon.

“Xu Zhiqing, Xuejun… I’m sorry.”

After saying this, she wiped away her tears and staggered into her house.

The Liu family left satisfied, but the chaos at the Shen family's home was just beginning.

As soon as the person left, Mother Shen flew into a rage, grabbed a firewood stick, and began to beat Shen Hongmei mercilessly.

"Slap! Slap!"

Shen Hongmei sat slumped on the ground like a soulless puppet, letting the sticks fall on her body without uttering a sound.

When Mother Shen finally got tired of beating them, she threw down the stick, panting, and pointed at the three siblings, yelling, "Didn't I tell you to go sell grain and buy jars? How did you end up going against the Liu family? You've gotten into trouble by messing around with important business!"

The eldest son shrank back, sheepishly defending himself: "Mother, this really isn't my eldest sister's fault. It was all that bitch from the Lu family who instigated it!"

Shen Lao Er quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes, yes! Now that I think about it, it must have been Lu Xiaohui's doing! She instigated us to deal with Liu Xuejun in order to buy time!"

Mother Shen slapped her thigh: "Oh no! That little slut is using this as a diversionary tactic! She must be taking this opportunity to go into town to buy jars! You bunch of idiots, why aren't you going to town yet? If you're any later, the Lu family will snatch all the business!"

Upon hearing this, the Shen family members panicked instantly. They no longer cared about arguing with the Liu family and hurriedly carried the grain outside.

Watching her sons' hurried retreating figures, Mother Shen gritted her teeth, glared in the direction of the Liu family's brigade, and spat viciously:

"Bah! You Liu family, don't think you're so great just because you have a few stinking coins! Once I take over all the business, you'll all be crying and begging my daughter to remarry you!"

Two days later, the day of the results announcement finally arrived.

Early in the morning, Liu Zhixia and Zhang Xiuying waited anxiously in front of the brigade's bulletin board.

Not long after, Xu Zhihong and Zhao Dongmei also arrived.

"Auntie, Comrade Liu, good morning! Where's Lao Si?" Xu Zhihong greeted him with a smile, full of energy.

Zhang Xiuying said with a smile, "That silly boy was so nervous that he didn't sleep all night. He's at home chopping wood and venting his anger right now, so he doesn't dare to come."

Xu Zhihong covered her mouth and chuckled, "Don't worry, he'll definitely pass!"

"Oh? Is that so?"

A sarcastic voice interrupted.

Lu Huaiyuan, holding Gu Mansheng's hand, swaggered over, both of them looking smug.

Lu Huaiyuan walked up to Liu Zhixia, his face full of schadenfreude: "I have some bad news for you. Liu Laosi failed the exam this time. I've heard that only one woman from our brigade passed, and the other two are from the brigade next door."

Zhang Xiuying's heart tightened, and she asked anxiously, "The notice hasn't even been posted yet, how did you know?"

Lu Huaiyuan proudly raised his head: "Don't you know who my dad is! Just have a drink with the person in charge, what information can't I find out? Who gets this spot is just a matter of my dad's word."

As he spoke, he winked at Xu Zhihong with a lewd grin: "Xu Zhiqing, now that you've passed this time, how are you planning to thank your brother for it?"

Xu Zhihong shuddered at the greasy look in Zhao Dongmei's eyes and quickly hid behind her.

Zhao Dongmei stood in front of him like a mother protecting her child, angrily shouting, "Lu Huaiyuan! What do you think you're doing? Are you trying to be a pervert?"

Gu Mansheng was displeased and rushed over, pointing at Zhao Dongmei and yelling, "What are you yelling about? It's clearly this slut who dressed up so provocatively to seduce people! Stop daydreaming, my man only loves me!"