Su Jianguo's chopsticks stopped in mid-air.

"Just...go home..."

Su Yufen lowered her head further and further.

"The children's father hasn't come to pick them up yet, and I'm worried about the two children..."

The air at the dinner table froze instantly.

Su Mingfu's chopsticks fell to the table with a "clatter," Su Mingde finally turned his gaze away from the window, and even the sobbing Su Yuzhen raised her head.

Wang Xiulan gently placed her hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"Yufen, you've only been back for three days..."

"A married daughter is like water spilled from a bowl,"

Su Yufen's voice trembled.

"If we stay any longer, the neighbors will start gossiping..."

Su Jianguo suddenly slammed the bowl down, and the porcelain bowl spun halfway around on the table.

Everyone held their breath.

"Who's gossiping?"

Su Jianguo's gaze swept across everyone's face.

"My daughter, Su Jianguo's daughter, can go back to her parents' home whenever she wants. Who has the right to gossip about it?"

Su Yufen's tears fell onto the table.

"But...the child..."

What's wrong with the child?

Su Jianguo's voice suddenly rose.

"That drunkard can't take care of children? There are no elderly people left in his family besides him."

Wang Xiulan gently pressed down on her husband's arm.

"The head of the household..."

“The last time I went to my older sister’s house, she wasn’t home.”

Su Mingfu suddenly interrupted.

"I saw my brother-in-law lock the two children inside and go out drinking. My little nephew was so hungry he was gnawing on the corner of the table."

Su Yufen suddenly looked up, tears streaming down her face.

"What? He clearly promised me he would..."

"Is this your reason for insisting on going back?"

Su Jianguo interrupted her.

"Go back and keep getting beaten up? Wait until he gets drunk one day and beats you to death?"

These words shattered the tranquility of the dinner table like a knife.

Su Yufen's shoulders trembled violently; years of pent-up grievances finally broke down. She covered her face and ran towards the inner room, but her father grabbed her arm.

"Let's make things clear today."

Su Jianguo's voice was low and deep.

"Do you still want to live?"

Su Yufen stood frozen in place, her thin body trembling like a leaf in the wind.

Wang Xiulan wanted to step forward, but her husband stopped her with a look.

"I...I don't know..."

Su Yufen's voice was fragmented.

"But what about the children if we get divorced..."

Su Jianguo pressed his daughter back into her chair and took out a wad of cash from his pocket, slapping it on the table.

The brand-new ten-yuan note made everyone's eyes widen.

"I'll go with you to pick up the kids tomorrow."

His voice was beyond question.

"If it works out, great; if not, divorce. These days, three-legged toads are hard to find, but two-legged men are plentiful."

Su Mingde suddenly stood up, the chair scraping against the floor with a screeching sound.

"Dad! Divorce is so shameful! Eldest sister..."

"Shut up!"

Su Jianguo roared.

"What do you know? Is it something to be proud of to watch your own sister get beaten up?"

Su Mingde's face turned pale, and he subconsciously touched the belt marks on his buttocks that hadn't faded yet.

But unexpectedly, the third brother, Su Mingfu, also stood up.

"Dad, I support my eldest sister's divorce."

His voice trembled slightly, but was firm.

"The daughter of one of our school's teachers got divorced last year and is now married to someone who works at the grain station; she's doing very well."

Su Jianguo glanced at his third son in surprise, a slight smile playing on his lips.

The child is more opinionated than he imagined.

Wang Xiulan suddenly began to sob softly.

"The head of the household...a divorced woman...from now on..."

What happened next?

Su Jianguo wiped away his wife's tears.

"Yu Fen is only twenty-eight, diligent and capable; why would she worry about not finding a good husband?"

Su Yufen stared blankly at her father, as if she were seeing him for the first time.

The father who used to only say "follow your wife wherever she goes" is now actually supporting her divorce?

"father..."

Her voice trembled.

"You really think...I can..."

"able!"

Su Jianguo was resolute.

“Go pick up the child tomorrow. If he doesn’t change, we’ll get a divorce, and you can come back and live with the child. We’ll clean up the east wing; it’ll be big enough for the three of you.”

Wang Xiulan wiped away her tears and got up.

"I...I'll go tidy up the east wing..."

"Let's eat first."

Su Jianguo picked up his chopsticks again, placed a piece of egg into his eldest daughter's bowl.

"It's all cold."

Su Mingfu cleverly added a spoonful of egg sauce to everyone's bowl, and even Su Yuzhen timidly picked up some wild vegetables for her eldest sister.

Seeing this scene, Su Mingde suddenly said something.

"Sister, I know Officer Li from the neighborhood committee. His cousin works at the supply and marketing cooperative and was widowed last year..."

There was a moment of silence at the dinner table, followed by a burst of laughter.

Even Su Jianguo couldn't help but shake his head; this second son certainly knew how to take advantage of the situation.

The sun had completely set, and Wang Xiulan lit the kerosene lamp.

Bathed in warm yellow light, the family picked up their chopsticks again.

The fresh scent of wild vegetables mingled with the rich flavor of egg sauce; on this ordinary evening, something was quietly changing.

Su Yufen ate the food her father had put on her plate in small bites, and suddenly felt that the weight that had been pressing on her heart for many years had lightened a bit.

She stole a glance at her father's resolute profile and for the first time felt that perhaps she really could have a different future.