Chapter 269 How to End This
Who gave you the guts? Who gave you the authority?
Xiao Shui's lips trembled, and she gripped the hem of her clothes tightly with both hands. She wanted to speak up and explain, but her voice was stuck in her throat, as if something was blocking it.
She had barely opened her mouth when Zhou Dajun couldn't help but speak up for her, his voice urgent: "Mom, Xiaoshui, she—"
Song Yu'an suddenly raised his right hand, the movement swift and decisive, like a cold command, cutting off all other words: "Don't give me that amnesia nonsense! Don't tell me you can't remember, don't tell me you were confused at the time—I don't care about any of that! I only ask one question: Did you get your marriage certificate? Did you have a wedding banquet? Do you have a marriage certificate? Did you have a matchmaker? Did you bow to heaven and earth and your parents? Can you say you did any of those things? Did I say anything wrong?"
Her words fell like hailstones, each one heavier than the last, leaving one breathless.
Her gaze shifted to the side, coldly landing on Weiwei, the little girl who was cowering to the side with her head down.
That gaze was devoid of any warmth, like the cold wind of winter, or an invisible blade that silently sliced through everyone's heart.
Without saying a word, everyone understood—she was using Weiwei's existence to emphasize the indelible fact: this child came into the world improperly and is not on her own.
Xiao Shui finally couldn't bear it anymore, and suddenly covered her mouth, tears welling up and sliding down her fingers.
She could no longer stand still, turned and ran, staggering and stumbling towards the door.
Her back view was as thin as a sheet of paper, as if it would be blown away by the wind.
Zhou Dajun clenched his teeth tightly, his cheek muscles tensed, and his throat bobbed, but he ultimately couldn't make a sound.
He didn't chase after Xiao Shui, but quickly bent down, grabbed Weiwei's little hand, turned around and chased after her, his steps heavy and hurried.
"Zhou Dajun!"
Song Yu'an shouted sternly, his voice piercing through the door and chasing after them downstairs, "You wait downstairs! This isn't over today! I have to go back to the Zhou family's old house, and I need to explain things clearly in front of all our relatives! You have to personally escort us back, not one of us can be missing!"
With a loud "bang," the door slammed shut, and the room fell silent instantly, leaving only the echoing sound.
She turned around and saw Shen Cuifen standing facing the wall, her hands tightly covering her face, her shoulders trembling violently, and suppressed sobs escaping intermittently from between her fingers, like a wounded animal wailing in the dead of night.
Song Yu'an felt a sudden clench in her chest, as if someone were gripping it tightly, the pain making it hard for her to breathe.
She rushed forward, opened her arms, and hugged Shen Cuifen tightly, her voice trembling but firm: "Don't be afraid, Cuifen, don't be afraid... Mother is here, Mother is here! You heard me clearly, your marriage with Zhou Dajun is over, from now on you are my own daughter! My precious daughter!"
She patted Shen Cuifen's back repeatedly, her tone resolute and brooking no argument: "I'll take care of you and protect you your whole life. If anyone dares to lay a finger on you, I'll fight them to the death! Even if it costs me my old life, I'll protect you!"
Shen Cuifen suddenly turned around and hugged Song Yu'an tightly with both hands, as if she had grasped her only support.
She cried like a child who had been lost for many years and finally returned home, her cries heart-wrenching, as if the sky had fallen, the earth had caved in, and the whole world was collapsing.
Song Yu'an already had a plan in mind. Her gaze was steady and her eyes were firm. She gently patted Chen Cuifen's back with her fingers and said in a calm and gentle tone, "Cuifen, don't be afraid. With your mother here, even if the sky falls, it won't crush you. Our Zhou family's daughters are not the kind of people who can bow their heads and accept their fate when they are bullied."
Judging by the time it takes, Zhou Dajun should have sent Xiao Shui's family back by now.
The sun was already setting in the west, and dusk was gradually creeping up the old locust tree at the village entrance. She took Shen Cuifen's hand and walked out of the courtyard gate. Her steps were unhurried, but they revealed an unwavering determination.
Sure enough, the black sedan was parked at the entrance, covered with a thin layer of dust and with mud on the tires, as if it had just sped along a dirt road.
But as soon as Song Yu'an opened the car door, he saw Xiao Shui sitting upright in the passenger seat, her body ramrod straight, her head slightly raised, clutching a piece of paper tightly in her hand, her eyes slightly red, secretly wiping away tears with her fingers, her expression both aggrieved and stubborn.
Her gaze swept over her mother-in-law, but she didn't even glance at her, as if there was no one behind that door.
She slammed the car door shut with a loud, muffled sound, like a heavy hammer striking someone's heart.
She sneered inwardly: Fine, let's go back together, saves me the trouble of looking for them one by one!
That saves me trouble. It seems like I won't be able to miss a single scene tonight.
After Shen Cuifen sat in the back seat, head down, fingers tightly clenched in her palms, Song Yu'an slowly walked around to the other side and got into the car.
As soon as she got in the car, she looked straight ahead and pointed out the way in a calm but commanding tone: "Take the national highway, don't take the back roads. It's getting dark, and I'm worried about you."
Zhou Dajun nodded silently, stepped on the gas, and the car slowly started, emitting a low roar, rolling over the gravel at the entrance and driving onto the dirt road outside the village.
The car was as quiet as well water in winter, chilly and silent.
The air seemed to freeze, and even breathing felt oppressive.
Xiao Shui would fidget with her hair, tucking a strand behind her ear, and then look down at the mirror to touch up her lipstick, her movements meticulous and deliberate.
The nail polish gleamed brightly under the dim streetlights, its red so intense it was almost blinding, like a silent provocation.
Song Yu'an glanced at her sideways, a nameless fire rising in her heart, her teeth itching as if an ant was gnawing at her nerves.
She suppressed her anger, her fingers gripping the fabric on her knees so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
But Chen Cuifen held her hand tightly the whole time, her palms slightly sweaty and her fingertips icy cold.
She whispered, "Mom, don't be angry, it's not worth it. Let's be patient, and justice will prevail later."
The voice was as soft as the wind, yet it pierced Song Yu'an's heart like a needle.
Song Yu'an gritted his teeth, his jaw clenched, and ultimately did not retaliate.
She simply closed her eyes tightly for a moment, then opened them, her gaze as cold and sharp as a knife.
She silently thought to herself: Once I get back to the Zhou family, let's see how you handle this!
This play has to be performed on stage eventually.
"Hey! A car's come to the village entrance? Whose official's back?"
Someone shouted at the village entrance, and before the words were even finished, a group of people swarmed around.
There were old ladies carrying baskets, men smoking cigarettes, and barefoot children.
The chickens and ducks were startled, flapping their wings and darting about, their feathers flying everywhere.
The car was stuck in traffic and could only move forward little by little, its wheels making a rustling sound as they rolled over weeds and gravel.
Xiao Shui frowned, leaned forward, and shouted urgently, "Bian Jiang, stop! Stop right now! What if you run over someone's chickens or ducks and they try to extort money from you? These country folk are very shrewd!"
She paused, then raised her voice a few decibels, with an exaggerated air of grievance: "Have you forgotten what happened to my uncle? Last month, he was driving back to his hometown when he hit and killed a stray dog. The owner insisted it was a 'family member,' and kept wailing and crying every day. In the end, they demanded eight hundred yuan from him! What bad luck!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
