Wei Dazhuang yelled, "What are you going to do about it... ah!"

Song Yan splashed a whole tub of tea onto Wei Dazhuang's face.

Only then did the people arguing realize that Song Yan had arrived.

Song Yan: "I was wondering why your wife was so bold as to lie through her teeth. Turns out you were backing her up!"

"I don't care how you fight, shouldn't the leaders give me an explanation for what happened today? Wei Dazhuang's wife and Widow Wang also deserve an explanation. If I don't get justice today, I'll appeal to the commune, to the county, to the province—I'll fight for justice!"

"You, you..." Wei Dazhuang didn't dare to say anything more; it was indeed his wife who was gossiping.

Song Yan spoke up. The Cheng brothers gave him face. The Wang widow's husband's family was unwilling to step forward and rarely spoke. Wei Dazhuang, knowing his wife was in the wrong and also fearing Wei Aiguo's return to cause trouble, also quieted down considerably.

Secretary Cheng: "Captain Wu, how do you think we should resolve this matter today?"

Captain Wu: "It's an old rule in the village: whoever gossips gets beaten up. Nobody cares, right? Those two gossiping people got beaten up because they asked for it."

If you ask me, Captain Cheng just needs to write a self-criticism.

As for Song, the educated youth, he did make contributions to the village.

As the old saying goes, to catch a thief, you need to get the evidence dirty; to catch an adulterer, you need to catch them both. Da Zhuang's wife and Wang the widow, have you caught them yet?

The women in our village are really bold; they say whatever they want. They really need to be disciplined.

Wei Dazhuang: "No way. My wife was beaten like this, I want Cheng Yousuo to pay for my wife's medical treatment."

Song Yan: "I also think it's not right. Such a punishment is too lenient."

I'm not the only one living here; they can all testify to that. Captain Cheng stood in the yard the whole time, never stepping inside our house.

Why do they have the right to slander me like this?

Logically speaking, they should be responsible for their words and actions.

From a purely emotional standpoint, they don't deserve to be human; they're worse than pigs and dogs. Look at what Shuanzhu and Damei have become! All they can do is feed their child an egg. So what if his father just came to ask me for an egg?

We all live in the same production brigade, how could we not know each other's situations? The Cheng family has several members whose lives are hanging in the balance…”

I didn't even need to prepare my emotions before my eyes welled up with tears.

"They are disrupting the stability and unity of our brigade."

Is it because my husband isn't home and I have no one to back me up?

I had no idea that being a military dependent meant enduring so much mistreatment. I believe I have a place to seek justice.

The leaders will handle this as they see fit, and as long as I'm not satisfied, this matter won't be over. My husband is sacrificing his life for the country; I cannot endure such humiliation.

No village cadre dared to accept this. Everywhere else, people are too busy supporting the military, yet their own brigade is bullying military families.

After saying this, Song Yan seemed to be leaving. She took a few steps and then stopped. "Do you know why I deliver medicine to Captain Cheng's house every day? It's because I've been reading medical books and know a little bit. Today, I'll say a few more words."

Sister-in-law Cheng is pregnant, and she can't sleep or eat every day because she's trying to keep Da Mei occupied. She's getting on in years, and she's carrying twins; she can't handle any stress, or she and her unborn children could die in the blink of an eye.

If she knew about today's rumors, if she knew her husband was going to be punished, I wonder if she could bear it. Everyone knows what his two older children are like, plus herself and the baby in her belly—that's five lives. Five lives! Wei Dazhuang, your wife, and Widow Wang, can you bear this responsibility?

And those who are gossiping today, examine your conscience. Those were five lives!

No one questioned Song Yan's words. Regardless of whether it was twins or not, everyone believed that if something happened to Shuanzhu and Damei, Cheng Yousuo's wife would be in serious trouble.

After speaking, Song Yan looked at each of the brigade leaders one by one. The meaning was clear: five lives were at stake. You decide what to do; if you can afford the consequences, then punish Cheng Yousuo as you see fit.

"It's twins," Cheng Yousuo muttered, but then he remembered what Song Yan had said about the possibility of all three dying at any moment. The man couldn't help but burst into tears.