"Yes, Uncle Li's leg did heal quickly last time. He even said he didn't know who gave him the herbs."
"Aunt Wang's child had a high fever last time, but then suddenly recovered. Maybe it really was Wanqiu who helped."
"Grandma Shen and the others have gone too far. It's not easy for Wanqiu to raise a child alone, and they keep coming to cause trouble."
As Old Mrs. Shen listened to her neighbors' gossip, her face turned pale and then flushed. She hadn't expected Lin Wanqiu to have secretly helped someone, and now she had a good reputation. But she was still unwilling to give up, and shouted at her neighbors, "Don't be fooled by her! She's a widow, where would she get herbs and fever reducers? She probably stole them!"
“My family has ancestral medicinal recipes, and the herbs we gather ourselves, how is that stealing?” Lin Wanqiu immediately retorted. “On the contrary, you are always thinking about how to bully my daughter and me. Don’t you ever think about how you treat Shen Tingzhou’s wife and children when he is fighting a war outside? How can you face him?”
These words left Old Lady Shen speechless, and the surrounding chatter grew louder. Seeing the situation was turning sour, Old Man Zhang and Granny Wang also felt a little guilty and quietly retreated.
Seeing that things were going badly, Zhang Lan quickly gave Old Lady Shen a wink: "Mom, let's not waste our breath on her, let's just pack up her things and kick her out!"
Grandma Shen suddenly realized what was happening and immediately called out to everyone, "That's right! Let's not argue with her, move her things out, and kick her out!"
A group of people immediately rushed forward, some pushing Lin Wanqiu, others trying to force their way into the house. Lin Wanqiu panicked, blocking them while shouting into the house, "Nian'an, quickly take out the red cloth bag that Mom put by the bedside!"
Although Shen Nian'an was scared, she obediently ran inside and quickly came out with a red cloth bag. Lin Wanqiu took the red cloth bag, opened it, and inside was a neatly folded piece of paper.
She held up the papers and shouted to the crowd, "Look carefully! This is my marriage certificate with Shen Tingzhou, and also the certificate of being a martyr's family issued by the commune! If you dare to drive me away, you will be violating the commune's regulations! In that case, the Shen family will not only get nothing, but will also be branded as abusing their wife and children!"
Everyone was stunned; no one had expected Lin Wanqiu to be so tough.
Old Mrs. Shen was so frightened that her face turned pale. The most important thing to her in this life was the reputation of the Shen family. If Lin Wanqiu really went around saying that they had abused her, then the Shen family would be completely disgraced in the village.
Zhang Laoshuan and Wang Pozi panicked. They originally wanted to help Shen Laotai grab some things, but if things escalated to the commune level, they wouldn't get away with it and might even be criticized by the commune.
Seeing that things were not going well, Zhang Lan quickly tugged at Old Madam Shen's sleeve: "Mom, let it go. If this gets to the commune, it won't be good for our Shen family."
Old Mrs. Shen gritted her teeth, looked at the certificate in Lin Wanqiu's hand, then glanced at the strange looks from the neighbors, and finally gave up. She glared at Lin Wanqiu fiercely: "You just wait! This isn't over!"
After saying that, she shoved Zhang Laoshuan hard beside her: "Let's go! Let's go back!"
The group slunk away, not forgetting to glare fiercely at Lin Wanqiu before leaving. Seeing there was no more excitement to watch, the neighbors also dispersed, offering Lin Wanqiu a few words of comfort before departing.
Lin Wanqiu watched their departing figures and breathed a sigh of relief; the papers in her hands were soaked with sweat. Shen Nian'an ran over and hugged her leg: "Mommy, are they gone?"
"It's over, it's alright now." Lin Wanqiu squatted down and hugged her son, feeling a wave of lingering fear. If she had reacted any slower, they might have really kicked her out.
But she also knew that this was only temporary, and that Old Lady Shen and the others would definitely not let it go. She would have to be even more careful in the days to come. However, this experience strengthened her resolve; no matter what difficulties she encountered, she would protect Nian'an, live well, and live her own life in this era.
She stood up, put away the red cloth bundle, and then took Shen Nian'an's hand and walked into the house: "Nian'an, Mom will make you steamed buns, okay?"
Shen Nian'an immediately smiled happily: "Great! Mom's steamed buns are the best!"
Looking at her son's smiling face, Lin Wanqiu's weariness instantly vanished. She walked to the stove, picked up the sieve again, and continued sifting cornmeal. The flames in the stove still burned brightly, illuminating her figure with warmth and determination. She knew that as long as there was space and Nian'an, she would have the courage to face all difficulties and move step by step towards a better life.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com