She had been banging on the door quite loudly, which drew the attention of the neighbors, who all stood at their doorways, curiously watching the mother and daughter, and starting to point and whisper.
"Why is this woman here again? That family finally came back today, and it's a young girl!" An older woman crossed her arms, leaned forward slightly, and muttered to herself. Her face was full of curiosity, and her eyes sparkled with gossip, as if she were searching for a mysterious treasure, not missing a single detail. Her gaze darted back and forth between Xia Wan and Wu Zhaodi.
"I heard she remarried a long time ago, what's she doing here now?" An old man asked, puffing on his cigarette and slowly exhaling a large smoke ring that rose and disappeared into the air. His face was full of deep confusion, as if he were pondering an unsolvable puzzle. His brows were furrowed, his eyes revealed doubt, and he paused for a moment while smoking.
"I guess they saw that other people are doing well now and want to take advantage of it." A young wife curled her lip, her eyes filled with disdain, her tone full of certainty, as if she had already seen through the whole truth. The corners of her mouth turned up slightly, with a mocking smile, and she snorted softly.
"She's still her own mother, how could this girl be so heartless!" An old woman shook her head and sighed, her face full of regret, as if she felt deep sorrow for the broken relationship between the mother and daughter. Her eyes were filled with love and pity, and she looked at Xia Wan with heartache, unable to help but sigh softly.
Although the neighbors' chatter was not loud, every word they uttered reached Xia Wan and Wu Zhaodi's ears clearly.
Xia Wan didn't care. She straightened her back and glared back at Wu Zhaodi without fear.
Hearing these comments, Wu Zhaodi felt embarrassed and enraged. Pointing at Xia Wan, she shouted, "You unfilial daughter! You don't care about your own mother! I carried you for ten months and gave birth to you, how can you treat me like this?"
Her fingers trembled, like withered branches shivering in the cold wind, each finger telling a story of her inner turmoil, her nails turning white from the force.
The anger on his face couldn't hide the panic in his heart, and a hint of guilt was revealed in his eyes. Like a child whose lie had been exposed, his eyes flickered, and he dared not look Xia Wan in the eye, his gaze shifting uncertainly.
Xia Wan sneered and retorted without backing down, "I have no mother, and my father is single. Aren't you only concerned about your nephew from your mother's side and disown me and my brother? Don't you find it ridiculous to come here saying this?"
Xia Wan's voice wasn't loud, but every word was full of power. Years of resentment erupted at this moment, like a long-accumulated volcano erupting, spewing out scorching lava with endless anger and resentment, wanting to burn away all the pain of the past.
Her voice trembled slightly, not from fear, but from anger. The emotions that had been suppressed for many years were released completely at this moment. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she stubbornly held them back.
Wu Zhaodi was still not giving up. She started to argue and make a scene, crying as she said, "What are you saying, you brat? Where's your father? Call him out! Xia Jianguo abandoned his wife who had shared his hardships. How can he live with himself?"
Her cries were sharp and piercing, echoing through the courtyard like a shrill alarm, making everyone feel uneasy. The neighbors around couldn't help but frown, and some even covered their ears, not wanting to hear the shrill crying anymore.
Her cries were tinged with despair, as if she were making a last-ditch effort to salvage some dignity, and her body trembled slightly with emotion.
Xia Wan couldn't stand it anymore. She turned around, took out a dollar from her pocket, handed it to a child watching the commotion, and said, "Little friend, help me call the police and tell them that someone is causing trouble here."
The child's eyes lit up. He took the money and ran off. His figure quickly disappeared at the end of the alley, leaving only a series of light footsteps echoing in the alley, as if announcing that this farce was about to end.
The footsteps faded into the distance, yet left a deep impression on Xia Wan's heart, bringing her a sense of relief, as if a heavy weight had finally been lifted from her chest.
When Wu Zhaodi heard that the police would be called, she panicked and a guilty look appeared on her face. She knew she was in the wrong, and if the police came, she would definitely not fare well.
Her eyes began to dart around frantically, trying to find a place to escape. She looked left and right, like a frightened fawn being chased by a hunter, her eyes filled with fear and helplessness.
Her hands clenched involuntarily, her body trembled slightly, she didn't know what to do, and she was muttering to herself as if she were praying for something.
Just then, Wu Zhaodi's current man walked over from a distance.
Seeing Wu Zhaodi making a scene, his face darkened, and he strode over. In a few quick steps, he reached her, grabbed her arm, and said fiercely, "Come home with me!"
His voice was deep and powerful, filled with anger, like a muffled thunderclap that made one's eardrums ache.
His eyes revealed a fierce glint that sent chills down one's spine, as if he were about to explode at any moment.
After saying that, he ignored Wu Zhaodi's struggles and dragged her away. Wu Zhaodi was pale and still tried to struggle, crying out, "Let me go! Xia Wan, save me!"
But her man ignored her completely, dragging her further and further away with a face full of anger, until they disappeared at the end of the alley. Only Wu Zhaodi's shouts gradually dissipated in the air, the sound growing fainter and fainter until it finally disappeared.
Xia Wan watched their departing figures, her heart filled with mixed emotions. There was anger, because Wu Zhaodi's unreasonable behavior had once again stung her heart with the hurt she had suffered over the years, causing her fists to clench involuntarily.
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