She put her things on the ground, rolled up her sleeves, and stood forward, standing straight in front of the village chief. She asked word by word, "Where were you at that time? Where were all you cadres? Who will stand up and say, 'Zhong Jingui, stop talking'?"
"Now it's my turn to be more sharp-tongued, and you accuse me of fanning the flames?"
"Brother Aiguo, please judge for yourself. What did it mean when I was scolded? When she scolded me, it was just venting, but when she retorted, she called me adding fuel to the fire?"
"What's the logic behind this? Just because Zhong Jingui is your relative, you feel sorry for her and can't bear to embarrass her?"
After she finished speaking, she folded her arms and glanced at the people around her. "If anyone dares to say that I wronged her today, just stand up and I, Zhang Chunxue, will even kneel down and apologize to you."
No one spoke, and the scene was silent for a moment.
Zhang Chunxue snorted again: "Village Chief Zhong, you know my temper. If I add fuel to the fire, she'll just pour the hot pot on my head. I'm just throwing the pot back."
"If you want to judge the truth, then be fair and don't protect your own family. Otherwise, who will obey you in the future?"
She rolled her eyes, turned around and prepared to go find Uncle Liu to help her fix the stove.
Song Xingzhi stood there, pursed his lips, and was silent for a while. Suddenly, he spoke to Zhong Aiguo, "Uncle Aiguo, to be fair, it was indeed Zhong Jingui who started this trouble first."
"Sister Chunxue was just buying something at the supply and marketing cooperative when she was publicly scolded by her. She used some very harsh words. I think it's normal for her to get angry."
He spoke in a calm and steady tone, but everyone present had heard him speak before and knew that he usually didn't like to get involved in trivial matters. But when he said this today, it seemed like he was being serious.
Zhong Aiguo's heart pounded as he listened. Originally, he had been thinking of slowing things down and preventing a commotion that would be difficult to deal with later. But now that Song Xingzhi had spoken, Zhong Jingui was truly on the spot.
"Wuwuwu——" a burst of sobbing sounds suddenly became louder.
Zhong Jingui was still sitting on the ground, crying even harder than before, like singing an opera, even with a roundabout way of speaking: "I just... I just spoke too quickly... I didn't hit her..."
Wang Anguo stood behind her, gritting his teeth, his face nearly cramped. Hearing her cry, he was filled with rage, so when no one was paying attention, he shifted his heel and gave her a "tsk" kick on the butt.
Zhong Jingui screamed "Ouch" and rolled on the ground, like a turned-over turtle, with his limbs flailing around.
She cried even harder, cursing, "I'm just a bit mean...so what...Zhang Chunxue just doesn't like me...you all protect her...wuwuwu..."
There was another murmur among the crowd.
The captain smacked his lips and felt annoyed.
It is difficult for a judge to judge family affairs. Zhong Jingui had ulterior motives, and Wang Anguo hit someone. Both sides were wrong.
He simply stepped forward and said, "Alright, alright, now that the argument has been resolved. Zhong Jingui, you've been kicked out by your man, and you've lost face. Chunxue, why don't you stop holding a grudge? That's enough."
Zhang Chunxue had already taken several steps. When he heard this, he turned around suddenly and walked back quickly.
She spoke directly, as if piercing a window paper: "Why should I vent my anger? How can I vent my anger? I am so innocent. She pointed at my nose and scolded me at the door of the supply and marketing cooperative, saying that I was sorry for Zhong Guosheng and that I seduced men before Zhong Guosheng's body was cold. Is she talking fast? She is slandering me!"
Her tone also turned cold. "Did I wrongly accuse her? When she scolded me, there were a bunch of people in the supply and marketing cooperative listening! I am just being upright and not afraid of any slander! If anyone was timid and thin-skinned, would go home and hang themselves after being scolded like that by her?"
She crossed her arms and looked at the team leader: "Village Chief Zhong, it's fine if you're taking sides, but your last name isn't Zhong, Team Leader!"
"Why, do you want me to hang myself at your door tonight?"
The captain's face darkened. "What nonsense are you talking about! Saying these things!"
Zhong Aiguo's mouth twitched: "How am I taking sides? I just gave him some advice..."
Zhang Chunxue looked at Zhong Aiguo and said, "Village Chief Zhong...Okay, Brother Aiguo, let me ask you something. Zhong Guosheng has been dead for six years. During these six years, I raised three sons and one daughter by myself. My eldest son got married, my second son got married, and my youngest daughter Xiaoxiao got into high school. I raised all my grandchildren with my own hands. Tell me, how have I paid off?"
"I've been guarding it for six years, and I've never done anything wrong outside, nor have I ever messed around with any man."
"Today, Zhong Jingui ran to the supply and marketing cooperative and publicly scolded me, saying I was a seducer, just because Secretary Song ate a meal with me. Who does she think she is? Is she the reincarnation of my man? She's so happy about something that even Zhong Guosheng's mother can't decide!"
Zhong Jingui was lying on the ground, unable to lift her face. When she heard the words "Who does she think she is?", her body trembled and her teeth chattered.
Zhang Chunxue hadn't finished speaking when he glanced at the crowd and continued, "I'm going to be frank with everyone today. I'm only in my early forties. If I can hold on for another ten or eight years, I'll be half buried in the earth."
"My Zhong Guosheng's pension was used to marry my son and to help buy food and oil for the family. Who wouldn't spend a penny marrying a daughter-in-law? For the first few years, I wore cloth shoes made by my own mother. Who has ever seen me wear a new cotton-padded jacket?"
"Honestly, I've been a widow for six years, and I still have to depend on other people's opinions? Even if I remarry tomorrow, that's my own business. It's not her turn to be scolded by Zhong Jingui on the street!"
At this point, she suddenly looked at the onlookers and said, "Tell me, in our village these days, isn't it common for widows to stay together for a year or two? Five years is rare, but I've been here for six years now. No matter what I try, why is it that it doesn't work?"
Someone in the crowd said, "Yes, Sister Haruyuki is also a strong-willed person. We are all watching."
Others said: "It's not easy for her to support the family alone. In the past few years, when she was planting and harvesting wheat, she always took Xiaoxiao with her to the fields. Even if a person is strong, he is still a living being, right?"
"It's really not easy to wait for six years. My cousin remarried just three months after her husband died, and she ended up living a happy life."
"In this day and age, if a woman wants to start a new life, she should be given the right to do so, right?"
The crowd grew more and more excited as they talked. More and more people gathered around to watch. Even Aunt Hu, who didn't like to get involved in other people's affairs from the east end of the village, came over with an aluminum pot. As she lifted the lid, she shouted, "Zhang Chunxue is right. Even if she remarried, what's the problem? This isn't the old society anymore. It's really unreasonable to curse someone."
Seeing that everyone was in high spirits, Zhang Chunxue became more eloquent.
"I treated Secretary Song to dinner last night to thank him for helping me find a job for my second daughter-in-law."
"You, Zhong Jingui, don't understand the ways of the world, right? Someone helped you, can't you even treat them to a meal?"
Her voice rose a few notches: "Everyone, please be careful. This is the character of Zhong Jingui. From now on, please don't easily lend a hand when it comes to her family's affairs!"
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