Chapter 47: Domestic violence. Fainted, blood all over the floor...

Seeing Captain Zhao like this, Jiang Xueyi was too lazy to say anything more.

I made an agreement with Liu Lu that I would come to see her tomorrow.

Jiang Xueyi planned to go home first.

Just after walking out of the ward, I saw He Chengze. He was holding the little bun, and the father and son had some similarities in their eyes and eyebrows.

Jiang Xueyi smiled and said, "Why are you here?"

He Chengze: "I returned home and saw that no one was home. I asked the neighbors and found out that you were in the hospital, so I followed you here."

He jokingly said, "Of course, Mr. Jiang, you're always good at scolding people." Then he asked, "What happened?"

He saw that there was a big quarrel inside and Captain Zhao was crying, so he didn't dare to go in to avoid embarrassing him.

I just listened outside.

Jiang Xueyi sighed: "Let's talk while we walk."

On the way back, she recounted how Kong Hongfang had fed Liu Lu the sex-changing drug without telling her.

He Chengze sighed and said, "Luckily you discovered it early. What would have happened if you had drunk it all?" He added, "Mrs. Kong was fine, but why did she make such a fuss? One careless move and the whole family fell apart."

"But every failure is a lesson learned. After this incident, she should repent."

"You're overthinking it," Jiang Xueyi said. "The idea of 'preferring sons over daughters' is ingrained in her. How could a person's beliefs, held for over fifty years, be altered by just a few events?"

"I just really hope that Captain Zhao will come to his senses and send her back home as soon as possible."

Before Kong Hongfang came, Captain Zhao and his family of three lived such a good life. Although they had occasional quarrels, they were just trivial frictions in the daily life of firewood, rice, oil and salt. But when she came, she turned their happy family upside down.

Since it cannot be changed, active isolation is the best way. I just hope that Captain Zhao can wake up soon.

After returning home, they simply fried two dishes, and after dinner, they started reading as usual.

He Chengze's basic knowledge is quite solid, so Jiang Xueyi asks him whenever she doesn't understand something.

As he asked, he bent down and picked up Jiang Xueyi: "If there is anything, we can talk about it tomorrow. Let's get down to business first."

Jiang Xueyi now understands why every family has three or four children these days.

There is no TV or computer at this time, let alone other entertainment activities. Couples have nothing to do in the evening, so they are busy discussing life.

"Just do your job." Jiang Xueyi kissed the corner of his mouth. "Don't leave marks on my neck. I have to go to work tomorrow."

Last time, he was not paying attention and left a strawberry mark on her neck, which made her wear a turtleneck sweater for three days.

Now that the weather is getting warmer, if you want to cover your neck, a turtleneck sweater is definitely not enough. Should you wear a scarf?

□□Happy.

Jiang Xueyi got up in the morning and stretched comfortably.

Looking at the sunshine outside the window, I felt refreshed.

He Chengze was indeed obedient last night and didn't bother her too much.

But my waist is still a little sore.

Jiang Xueyi rubbed her waist and when she looked up, she saw He Chengze leaning against the door frame looking at her.

"Breakfast has been bought, hurry up and eat."

Jiang Xueyi opened her arms. He Chengze curled his lips, picked her up by the waist, and helped her stand on the ground: "You're being lazy so early in the morning."

"You are bothering me late at night, why don't you say anything?" Jiang Xueyi said.

After washing up, I saw a pot of hot preserved egg and lean meat porridge on the table, plus a few simple side dishes, spinach mixed with sesame oil, halved greasy duck egg yolks, and two large fried dough sticks.

After breakfast, Jiang Xueyi fed the little bun and said, "Let's go to work with mom."

He Chengze took the straw hat for her: "When can you go to work with me, little bun?"

Jiang Xueyi glared at him, "Isn't that a regular class for you? A bunch of soldiers, either training under the scorching sun or holding meetings and singing military songs. Is it appropriate for a little kid to follow you?"

"I think it's quite appropriate." He Chengze said, "Let him undergo military training early."

The little boy lay obediently in Jiang Xueyi's arms, waving his little fists and giggling foolishly, completely unaware that his biological father wanted him to go to the military camp for training at such a young age.

"Come on, the little brat can't even walk, and you're still training like a soldier." Jiang Xueyi gently kicked his calf. "You should go train those soldiers instead."

"Let me train you then." He Chengze dodged quickly. "If he doesn't go to the barracks with me now, he won't be able to hide in the future. The kids in our compound...take me for example, I started secretly shooting bottles with a rifle when I was seven years old."

"You are so shameless. How many times have you been fed stir-fried bamboo shoots and pork?" Jiang Xueyi said.

He Chengze: "Not much, not much."

The two separated at the gate of the compound, one went to the military camp and the other rode a bicycle to the Women's Federation.

As soon as I arrived at the office, Xu Shanshan came up to me and said, "Little Baozi, I missed you so much after not seeing you for a day."

The little boy is now very familiar with this young lady. He is not shy at all and opens his arms to let Xu Shanshan hold him.

Xu Shanshan praised: "So good."

Section Chief You took a look and said with a smile, "I've never seen a child as well-behaved as him."

Jiang Xueyi: "Just praise him." She added, "He doesn't let everyone hug him. The other day, Section Chief Liu from the town committee came to deliver some information. When he saw the little bun, he wanted to hug him, but the little bun ignored him and just turned his head away."

"If you ask me, he only allows me to hug young and beautiful aunts and sisters."

Both Xu Shanshan and Section Chief You have held little Baozi in their arms.

As soon as these words were spoken, both of them were praised and they couldn't stop smiling.

The three of them were chatting and laughing when the person on duty at the front desk downstairs came up and knocked on the door and shouted, "Pediatrics, someone's looking for you."

The three of them looked at each other and stopped talking.

Chief You straightened his clothes and said, "Then let's go take a look."

After saying that, he led Jiang Xueyi and Xu Shanshan out.

Jiang Xueyi followed Chief You, holding the little bun in her arms, feeling a little excited, as this was her first time officially participating in work.

The front desk staff has already led the visitor to the mediation room on the first floor.

When Section Chief You led his men in, Xu Shanshan exclaimed, "It's you!"

The visitor also exclaimed: "It's you!"

But she was not looking at Xu Shanshan, but Jiang Xueyi.

Xu Shanshan found a place to sit down casually: "Hao Fang, why don't you run away this time? If there is anything, let's talk about it. Our Women's Federation can help you."

It turns out that this is the legendary nail house owner, Hao Fang.

Jiang Xueyi looked at her and felt that she looked familiar: "Have I seen you somewhere before?"

In fact, Hao Fang didn't recognize Jiang Xueyi at first, but when she saw the little bun in Jiang Xueyi's arms, she connected the two of them and remembered her immediately.

Hao Fang lowered her head, tightened her clothes, and whispered, "We've met before, at the market... chestnuts..."

Something flashed through Jiang Xueyi's mind, and she had some impression.

He looked at Hao Fang's face carefully again and suddenly remembered.

Wasn't Hao Fang the chestnut-selling woman she met when she and He Chengze went to the market? Someone had stolen her money and asked her to wait a moment. He Chengze would be here soon, but Hao Fang said she didn't want the money and told her to leave quickly...

It was no wonder that Jiang Xueyi didn't recognize Hao Fang at first, because she looked darker and thinner than the last time they met. She was wearing an ill-fitting red jacket and her head was wrapped in a dirty green scarf, covering most of her face.

After recognizing Hao Fang, Jiang Xueyi also had a vague idea of why she came to the Women's Federation.

Hao Fang glanced at Jiang Xueyi twice, and her toes, which were originally pointing towards the door, were silently retracted.

She had a good impression of Jiang Xueyi, so she offered to give Jiang Xueyi chestnuts for free. Jiang Xueyi disagreed, but later she bought ten kilograms of chestnuts from her.

He looks like a nice person.

Thinking of this, Hao Fang's heart gradually calmed down.

Jiang Xueyi poured her a glass of warm water: "Come, drink some water first. If you have anything to say, tell me slowly."

Hao Fang took the cup, moistened her lips with it, and put it aside.

She looked at Section Chief You, then at Xu Shanshan, and whispered to Jiang Xueyi, "I just want to tell you."

Jiang Xueyi introduced the two people. "This is Section Chief You, my leader. He has over ten years of experience handling women-related work. This is Xu Shanshan, Secretary Xu, and she's also the backbone of our section." She added, "I'm not afraid to tell you, I just joined the Women's Federation not long ago. If these two can't solve your problem, I'm afraid I can't help either."

Hao Fang looked at the two of them again, clenched his fists, and seemed to have made up his mind.

She rolled up her sleeves gently.

Section Chief You and Xu Shanshan both gasped.

Because both of Hao Fang's arms were covered with blue and purple marks.

Obviously, he was beaten.

It’s not over yet.

Hao Fang glanced at the tightly closed door, her hands trembling on the plate for a long time before she took off her red jacket.

He wore only a yellowed white vest, revealing skin covered in wounds: freshly formed black and purple scabs, and bruises interspersed with green and yellow, as if he'd been kicked. The most frightening thing was the crescent-shaped scar below his shoulder blade, the flesh protruding outward like an unhealed tree tumor...

Section Chief You immediately turned his face away.

Xu Shanshan screamed on the spot: "Who hit me?!"

Hao Fang's face was calm, as if she was not the one injured, and she said lightly: "My man."

She pointed to a burn and said, "This was burned by him using his pipe two years ago." She muttered, "He lost money that day and asked me for the silver bracelet that came with my dowry. I said he had pawned it when he lost money last time, and then he... pressed the red-hot pipe against my hand..."

"He kicked me... because when I washed his feet, the water was too hot..."

Jiang Xueyi dug her nails deep into her palms to prevent herself from screaming.

She saw a scar as thin as a thread on the back of Hao Fang's neck, which ran down along the spine. It was caused by a belt; there were a few blue spots on the inside of her elbow, which were caused by twisting; even her wrists were covered with a circle of dark purple marks, as if she was wearing a pair of invisible handcuffs.

The weather hadn't gotten completely hot yet, and a cold wind blew by, making Hao Fang shiver.

Jiang Xueyi quickly put clothes on her and asked, "Does anyone around you know about this?"

Hao Fang shook her head and picked at her nails repeatedly. "We don't care about these things in our place." She licked the corner of her chapped mouth. "They all say that it's natural for a man to hit a woman."

"Bullshit!" Section Chief You swore for the first time.

She called out to Xu Shanshan: "Why are you still standing there? Go get the medicine box."

Xu Shanshan reacted and took out the medicine box. Jiang Xueyi found the medicine from it and applied it to Hao Fang.

The more she applied the medicine, the more Jiang Xueyi realized that Hao Fang's man was very smart. Hao Fang only had wounds on her body, and there were no wounds on the exposed parts of her body, such as her face and the back of her hands.

After putting her clothes on, just looking at her appearance, you can't tell that Hao Fang has so many wounds under her clothes. There is not even a piece of good skin. I don't know how her man could be so cruel.

Section Chief You sighed and said, "Hao Fang, have you reported this to the police?"

"I did." Hao Fang lowered her head and said, "Last time he beat me so badly that I couldn't get up, I asked someone to report it to the police."

Xu Shanshan quickly asked, "Then the police didn't intervene?"

Hao Fang also had a few years of education and knew that hitting people was wrong, so when something happened, she immediately reported it to the police.

"I went." Her voice suddenly dropped, as if something was blocking her throat. "Two police officers came and saw that I was covered in bruises. They scolded him a bit. But he knelt on the ground and cried, saying he was drunk and that he wouldn't dare do it again..."

She raised her head, tears streaming down her face like beads from a broken string. "The police advised me, saying that marital grudges don't last overnight, and that living a good life is the most important thing. They also said that when a man gets angry, he's bound to be angry when he gets home, and asked me to be more tolerant..."

"Then the police made him write a letter of guarantee, promising not to beat me again," Hao Fang said. "He wrote it, and he made a very good promise in front of the police. But then he turned around and beat me again, even harder than before. He even said I dared to report him to the police..."

Jiang Xueyi frowned, keenly sensing something was wrong.

"Then how did you find the Women's Federation?"

The police have said so. Given Hao Fang's personality, she will just swallow her anger and bear it. It is impossible for her to report to the police and then go to the Women's Federation.

Hao Fang: "When I went to report it to the police, a kind person told me that. She said the police wouldn't take care of it, but the Women's Federation might."

"I quietly inquired about it and came here," she said timidly. "I didn't know if you would be like the police and not do anything about it, so I never dared to come to your house."

Hao Fang said, "I know. Family disgrace should not be made public. These words cannot be casually told to outsiders. Besides, I am a living person. I won't die from a couple of beatings. At most, I will lie in bed for a few days and can't work. I can take some medicine and I will be fine..."

As she spoke, she suddenly burst into tears: "It's our Shugen. He was beaten by his father just like me." She continued, "Yesterday, my husband and I had a quarrel and he wanted to hit me. Shugen rushed over to stop him, but he pushed him aside. It was dark and I didn't pay attention. Later I found out that Shugen's head hit the corner of the cabinet and he fainted. There was blood all over the floor..."

Hao Fang spoke incoherently, but the three of them understood.

Hao Fang tightened her grip, her eyes filled with hope. "At the time, I was thinking, even if it's just for Shugen, I have to leave that man. If I stay with him any longer, Shugen will die at his hands sooner or later."

Xu Shanshan didn't know what to say. She wrote down everything about Hao Fang in a notebook: "Then what is your request?"

Hao Fang's eyes lit up, she grabbed her hand and said, "I want a divorce."

He lowered his head again and stammered, "I know divorce is shameful, but at worst, I'll just die after the divorce. I can even hang myself anywhere. I just need to find a good family to adopt Shugen."

Section Chief You also sympathized with Hao Fang, but according to convention, he still had to go to mediate.

When she heard that they were going to mediate at home again, the light in Hao Fang's eyes gradually dimmed.

Jiang Xueyi also shook her head slightly in disapproval.

However, each generation has its own way of doing things. Let's first see what Chief You and the others will do.

You have to understand the situation first.

The group followed Hao Fang to Shuibei Commune where she and her husband lived.

It had just rained and there were puddles everywhere on the ground. If you were not careful, water would splash onto your trouser legs.

"Here we are. This is it."

Hao Fang walked to a mud house, hesitated for a long time, and finally pushed open the door.

Jiang Xueyi followed her in and looked around.

The mud house was leaking everywhere and looked like it was made of mud and straw.

Although other families cannot build red brick and tiled houses, they can at least build blue brick houses. There are not many families whose house is as shabby as Hao Fang's.

As soon as I entered the room, I smelled a strong smell of alcohol.

Xu Shanshan kicked something with one kick, and when she looked down, she saw wine bottles all over the floor.

The room was very simple, with nothing much to decorate it. There was just a table, a bed, and a cabinet that looked like it had been used for many years, and the paint on it was peeling off.

A man was lying on the bed. He heard the noise and said drunkenly, "You're back! Go buy me some wine."

Section Chief You stepped forward and coughed, "Um, Zhao Laosi, we are from the Women's Federation."

Zhao Laosi slowly climbed up from the bed and raised his eyelids lazily: "Women's Federation? What is that?"

Hao Fang found some matches and lit the oil lamp.

She swallowed hard, mustered her courage, and said, "Zhao, Zhao Laosi, I want to divorce you. I will never live with you again. I want to take Shugen with me and leave."

Zhao Laosi scratched his ear with his little finger, his eyes gleaming with ferocity: "Say it again, I didn't hear you clearly."

Chief You frowned and said, "Let me be frank. Do you often beat your wife?"

Xu Shanshan stepped forward and said, "We all saw it. Your wife's body was covered in bruises and wounds."

"Oh, so what." Zhao Laosi put on his shoes and walked over. "She's my wife, so what if I hit her a few times?"

It was not until now that Jiang Xueyi saw the full appearance of Zhao Laosi.

He is not tall, about 1.6 meters, but he has quite a lot of muscles. I guess he does a lot of farm work and has a lot of strength.

He is dark and thin, with an unremarkable appearance. He is the kind of person that no one would even glance at on the street. Who would have thought that he would be so cruel to his own wife behind her back?

Zhao Laosi: "Go ask around. In our village, which man doesn't beat his woman?" He curled his lips and said, "You city people are always nosy."

Xu Shanshan said angrily: "No matter what, it is wrong for you to hit someone. We, the Women's Federation, are committed to protecting women and children. We will not allow you to do this to your wife and children."

Zhao Laosi glanced at them.

In addition to Hao Fang, there were three women in the group, all dressed neatly. One of them was holding a child in her arms. Zhao Laosi didn't take this so-called "Women's Federation" seriously at all.

Zhao Laosi: "I don't care what you guys are talking about. Didn't the police come last time? It was useless, wasn't it?" He added, "So what if I beat someone up? Do you know what family matters are? Even if I beat them to death, no one would dare to intervene."

He grabbed Hao Fang's hair with a sneer and said, "Bitch, you've really grown up. You've already called the police and not been satisfied, now you've called this idiot. If I don't beat you to death today, I'll take your surname."

"How can you hit someone?" Section Chief You quickly stepped forward to stop him.

He was thrown aside by Zhao Laosi.

Hao Fang cried, "You can't hit people, they... they are public servants..."

Hearing the words 'public servants', Zhao Laosi finally calmed down. He waved his hands and said, "So what if they're public servants? Public security comrades are no longer public servants. They don't care about anything. I advise you to be smart and mind your own business."

It seems that the police came before but failed to take care of him, and instead made him become even worse.

Xu Shanshan fiercely slapped a pamphlet and said, "Zhao Laosi, look here for yourself. It says that family members are prohibited from abusing each other. You're breaking the law, don't you understand? If this gets reported to the police, you'll be put in jail!"

Zhao Laosi couldn't read at all: "What are you looking at? What did the police say last time they came? Why didn't I see them arrest me?"

He said with a playful smile, "What kind of letter is this? Do you want a letter of guarantee? I'll write another one for you, but first, I can't read. After you write it, I'll just put my fingerprint on it. I'll write as many letters of guarantee as you want."

He looked like a piece of meat on a rolling pin.

Section Chief You and Xu Shanshan were both at a loss.

Section Chief You rubbed her hands. When Zhao Laosi pushed her just now, she hit her head on the table and was obviously in great pain.

Hao Fang was disheartened, having obviously guessed this outcome long ago.

At this time, a little boy came in, hid behind Hao Fang, and called out timidly: "Mom..."

Jiang Xueyi looked at the bandaged wound on his forehead and recognized him at a glance. This was Zhao Shugen.

Holding the child in her arms, Hao Fang mustered up the courage to speak for the first time: "Zhao Laosi, for the sake of the child, I will fight you. Every time you hit me, I will contact the police and the Women's Federation."

"You go find it." Zhao Laosi looked indifferent.

He sneered: "You have to protect this little bastard well. If I can't beat you, I will beat him."

"You dare!" Xu Shanshan stood up, but her words obviously lacked strength.

Zhao Laosi was too lazy to even look at her, he just fell asleep and started snoring.

Hao Fang sighed deeply, took Zhao Shugen, and sent Jiang Xueyi and others to the village entrance.

She said, "Thank you."

Jiang Xueyi shook her head: "It's not a matter of thanks, we couldn't help."

Section Chief You rubbed his hands and said comfortingly, "Hao Fang, don't worry. I will bring people to visit and mediate frequently."

"And, and more." Xu Shanshan raised her hand and said, "I'll also go to the Public Security Bureau more often. This is assault and intentional injury. You were beaten so badly, and there were tree roots. A child with a head injury, I don't know if it will affect his brain. How can they let Zhao Laosi go so easily?"

Hao Fang looked at them gratefully, bursting into tears: "Thank you, thank you..."

When the villagers saw that she was beaten, they all closed the doors and windows and pretended not to see anything.

There are not many people who can stand up for her, and she will definitely remember this gratitude.

Jiang Xueyi took a few steps holding the little bun and looked back.

Hao Fang held Zhao Shugen's hand and stood under the big banyan tree. The mother and son were thin and small, shrouded in a huge shadow.