Chapter 35: Not Losing the Courage to Fight
In an instant, Su Hexi understood everything. Why was the proprietress so humble, why didn't she dare to call the chef, why did she keep apologizing... So this was the root cause!
She pointed out the problem with the dish, but it was the boss lady who suffered! And this man, instead of reflecting on himself, only blamed the woman for the poor business!
A surge of grief and sympathy replaced her previous irritation. She took a deep breath, looked at the boss coldly, pulled money from her bag, counted out enough for the meal, and slammed it on the table: "Every penny of the food! Cook me two more of the most expensive dishes, and take them away!"
When the boss saw the money, he was stunned for a moment, picked up the money cursing, glared at the boss's wife on the ground, and went back to the kitchen in a huff.
Su Hexi quickly bent down and helped the trembling and tearful proprietress to her feet, helping her sit down on a chair. Looking at the clear footprints on her calves and the frightened look in her eyes, Su Hexi softened her voice, "Does he... often beat you like this?"
The proprietress seemed to have found an outlet for her emotions. Her tears flowed even more fiercely. She choked and nodded, speaking incoherently, "Business is tough. I even get fired when customers say the food isn't tasty... It's all my fault. I didn't serve them well, I didn't manage the store well..."
The heroine listened, her heart sinking. She looked at this woman, torn apart by life and an unfair marriage, and suddenly felt a deep sense of sorrow. She felt pity for the boss lady, and even more pity for the countless women in this era who, like her, considered marriage a shackle but dared not break free.
"Have you ever thought about leaving him? Divorce?" Su Hexi asked softly.
"Divorce?" The proprietress suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with disbelief and horror, as if she had heard something outrageous. "How can that be?! What woman asks for a divorce? She'll be drowned in spit! Where will my parents stand? How can I live without a divorce?"
Seeing her reaction, Su Hexi suddenly smiled, with a smile that carried a sense of relief and bitterness after going through something: "Sister, to be honest, I just got divorced today."
The proprietress was completely stunned. She opened her mouth wide and looked at the beautiful young girl in front of her as if she were looking at a monster.
"Right now, I have nowhere to live, and even food will be a problem in the future." Su Hexi's tone was calm, even with a strange sense of ease. "But I'm not afraid. I believe that as long as I'm alive, the future is full of infinite possibilities. Most importantly, I have never lost the courage to forge ahead."
She held the boss lady's rough, cold hand, and looked at her with scorching eyes: "Sister, you should live for yourself, not for the opinions of others! If you are unhappy, you must stop it in time and leave decisively! You must have the courage to lose everything, and even more so, the confidence to fight against injustice!"
The proprietress stared at her blankly, her eyes changing from shock and confusion to a complex scrutiny with a faint light.
She recognized Su Hexi. She had squeezed into the crowd to watch the sensational street show before. She had envied the woman who shone brightly on the stage and imagined herself wearing such a beautiful dress. But she felt that it was too far away from her. She was no longer young, and she didn't have the money to buy such expensive clothes. She was just a yellow-faced woman who worked like a slave at home.
She had never imagined that this young woman who looked so successful and beautiful would also encounter marital misfortune, and...she actually dared to divorce! Divorced and penniless, yet she could still say such words that made her heart beat faster!
"Men always look down on us, thinking we're useless and have to rely on them to survive, so they try their best to oppress us." Su Hexi's voice was not loud, but it hit the boss lady's heart like a hammer. "But they never admit that women can also hold up half the sky! Since they don't admit it, then we will show them! We can still do it without them! We can even live a better life!"
These words were a bolt from the blue for the boss lady! For the past few decades, she had been taught to follow her husband wherever he went, to serve him and obey her in-laws. No one had ever told her that she could live for herself, that she could resist, that she could divorce!
"But... I..." The proprietress was confused and scared, but there was a glimmer of fire in her that was struggling.
"Don't be afraid." Su Hexi held her hand tightly. "Marriage is about two people coming together to live together as equals, not about one being the other's slave! If he only brings you pain and harm, you have the right to end it! If you don't dare, tell me, I can help you!"
The proprietress looked into Su Hexi's determined and sincere eyes, and her heart was in a fierce struggle. Finally, she said in a trembling voice, "I... let me think about it... I have to think about it..."
"Okay, think about it carefully. I'll come to see you again tomorrow morning." Su Hexi knew that she couldn't push too hard, so she picked up the unpalatable dishes that the boss had packed, left those words, and turned to leave the restaurant.
She found a small hotel to stay in.
The hotel sign was so old that the words could not be seen clearly. She pushed open the door and walked in.
The shop was empty, so quiet she could hear her own footsteps. She subconsciously took in the surroundings. The decor was old, even a little run-down, but the air was filled with a faint scent of oil paint.
There are several seemingly random but quite charming landscape oil paintings hanging on the wall. There is even a pottery jar in the corner with a few dry reeds stuck in it, which reveals a decadent and stubborn literary and artistic atmosphere. This place is like a corner of a forgotten artist.
Just as she was wondering, a voice came from the back room: "Hey, a customer is here. My shop hasn't had anyone come in a long time, and I didn't expect such a beautiful and smart girl to come in."
An elderly woman with white hair, wearing a clean but washed-out cotton coat, stepped out from behind the curtain. Her face was gaunt, but her eyes were unusually clear and bright. With a kind and gentle smile, she asked, "Little girl, would you like to stay at the hotel?"
Su Hexi nodded, "Grandma, is this shop yours?"
"Yes, my old man passed away, and my son went abroad. I am the only one left. I am old and can no longer work, so the business in the store has become quiet. Miss, how many days will you stay? If you stay longer, I can give you a free room, but you have to chat with me."
Su Hexi excitedly shook the old lady's hand, "Really?"
The old lady raised her head proudly, "Of course! This is my shop, I have the final say!"
Su Hexi stayed in the hotel.
The next morning, just as the sky was getting light, Su Hexi arrived at the door of the restaurant.
She pushed the door open and saw the proprietress sitting alone in the corner with new bruises on her face. Her eyes were no longer as timid and confused as yesterday, but were filled with a desperate determination and... a firmness after a hint of fear.
Seeing Su Hexi, the proprietress raised her head, tears streaming down her face, but her voice was unusually clear:
"Sister... I've made up my mind. I want a divorce! Please... help me!"
When Su Hexi heard that the boss's wife had made up her mind to divorce, she felt an indescribable excitement and sense of responsibility. She knew that this was not only helping one person, but also challenging the tacit rule of this era that turned a blind eye to the suffering of women.
She asked, "Madam, what is your name?"
The proprietress hadn't introduced herself to anyone for a long time. She took a deep breath and said word by word with a choked sob, "My name is Sun Moju."
She has made preparations to face life alone in the future and live without relying on men.
"Sister Sun!" Su Hexi didn't hesitate at all. She pulled Sun Moju and stood in front of the "Home Flavor Diet" store. In front of several curious neighbors and passersby, she spoke in a clear and indignant voice, "Everyone, look! Judge! Is this life still possible? Sister Sun was raised by her parents, so why is she being beaten and scolded every day? This marriage must be divorced!"
Su Hexi's voice was like a sharp sword, piercing the tacit silence among the neighbors. No one had expected that a little girl would actually tell the story of Sun Moju being beaten by her husband in public, and even demanded a divorce. Why did she care about other people's family affairs?
Su Hexi publicly disclosed her boss's long-term domestic violence and Sun Moju's miserable life, telling her everything! She even asked Sun Moju to roll up her sleeves to reveal the bruises on her arms, both old and new.
The news spread throughout the streets and alleys as if it had wings.
"The owner of Home Flavor Dining is getting a divorce!"
"Is this true? If she gets divorced, what will she do in the future without a man to earn money to support the family?"
"Who is that woman? How dare she meddle in other people's affairs?"
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