Chapter 69 Divorce? "Hey, don't rush..."
"Hey, don't rush, let me tell you slowly. This is a long story, it all started when Cai Xiaoli married into the Wang family..."
The middle-aged woman in front of him spoke slowly and deliberately, and even though Mingxi was anxious, she could only listen patiently.
"When Wang Deyi first married Xiaoli, maybe he became more sensible after getting married and knew he had to shoulder the responsibility of supporting the family. Or maybe his father had disciplined him. Anyway, for the first few months after the wedding, he stayed at home obediently and didn't go out gambling. But if gambling were something you could just quit so easily, it wouldn't have ruined so many people, right? Wang Deyi didn't stay quiet for more than a few months before he went out gambling again. Xiaoli found out and they started arguing. Wang Deyi, blinded by gambling, directly started hitting Xiaoli."
Oh.
This is probably the story Wang Deyi told when he was at the Women's Federation about fighting with his wife.
Mingxi was so angry that she cursed the Wang family ancestors in her heart.
Thank goodness they came to investigate, otherwise they would never have guessed that what Wang Deyi said about his wife arguing with him over money was actually Wang Deyi gambling.
Yu Xiaomin's face was tense, clearly she was also furious.
On the way here, I was still thinking, is there any need to investigate? Wang Deyi looks like such a spineless man, he certainly can't lie.
Surprisingly, he wasn't lying, but he didn't tell a single truth either!
The old lady hadn't finished speaking yet.
"Xiaoli is not the gentle type. When Wang Deyi hit her, she hit back. The two of them fought like they didn't care about their lives, and they were bleeding from head to toe. Several young men from our courtyard tried to break them up, but they couldn't separate them. Later, Xiaoli got serious and took a knife out of the kitchen. Wang Deyi was so scared that he wet himself and finally gave in."
Mingxi pursed her lips, subconsciously wanting to ask why they didn't contact the police when the matter had escalated so much.
Then I thought about it again. These days, people still prefer to handle things at home and don't want to make a big fuss. Besides, people in Beicheng care a lot about their reputation. If they go to the police station, things will definitely escalate, and the whole courtyard will lose face because of it.
Moreover, Wang Deyi started this gambling incident, so if we report it to the police, they will definitely investigate.
When Wang Deyi is arrested, his family might blame the person who reported him to the police.
Thinking about it this way, Mingxi could understand why neither Wang Deyi himself, nor the Wang family, nor the neighbors in the same courtyard had reported it to the police.
"And then what happened?" Mingxi asked curiously.
This refers to the fight between Wang Deyi and Cai Xiaoli, not the domestic violence incident involving Cai Xiaoli.
"Later, Wang Deyi still wouldn't behave. Every time Xiaoli beat him up and disciplined him, he would behave for a while and wouldn't dare to go out and gamble with others. But it wouldn't be long before he would relapse and go out to gamble again. No matter how Xiaoli tried to control him, it was no use. She kept a close eye on him, but she couldn't stop him from going to work, could she? He could gamble with his colleagues at work, and he could leave early after get off work to gamble. Even if she didn't give him money, he could borrow money from others to gamble. Later, after it happened so many times, his relatives and friends all knew what kind of person he was. If they didn't lend him money, he would go to the people who ran the gambling dens to borrow money."
"Xiaoli had no choice but to beat him every time she caught him gambling, making Wang Deyi behave for a while and stop him from going out to gamble. Then she would beat him again the next time she caught him..."
At this point, the woman let out a deep sigh.
Cai Xiaoli is a good girl, it's a pity she ended up with a man like Wang Deyi.
Mingxi asked with some doubt, "Even after all this, hasn't Cai Xiaoli ever thought about divorce?"
The woman raised her eyebrows high and her voice instantly rose: "Divorce?!"
"Oh dear, what are you saying, young lady? Even if Wang Deyi is no good, he and Cai Xiaoli are still husband and wife, and they have a child together. How can they just get a divorce like that? Besides, although Wang Deyi has some problems, the rest of the Wang family are still good people."
She kept repeating, "For so many years, Wang Deyi's parents have always sided with Cai Xiaoli. Even when Cai Xiaoli laid a hand on Wang Deyi and beat him up like that, the old couple never said a bad word about it. How could this happen in any other family! Even Cai Xiaoli herself said that her in-laws treat her too well, almost like their own daughter..."
Mingxi pursed her lips and didn't say anything.
But I strongly disagreed.
Why did the elderly couple in the Wang family watch Cai Xiaoli beat Wang Deyi without saying a word? Wasn't it because Wang Deyi deserved to be beaten?
If Cai Xiaoli hadn't been there, would the Wang family elders have tolerated Wang Deyi's gambling? Wouldn't they have physically punished him?
That's definitely impossible.
Now, Cai Xiaoli has become the bad guy who taught Wang Deyi a lesson, while the Wang family elders have become exemplary father-in-law and mother-in-law because of this. Mingxi thinks the old couple has a very clever plan.
The old woman continued muttering, "Not only are the Wang family elders good to Xiaoli, but Xiaoli's family isn't doing well either. Her three younger siblings are still in school, and her mother is sickly and can only support the family by doing handicrafts for the neighborhood office. The Wang family is well-off, and as long as Xiaoli doesn't divorce them, she can still occasionally get things from her in-laws to help her own family. If they divorce, Xiaoli won't have a job, and the whole family might starve..."
If Cai Xiaoli is unemployed, this is indeed a problem.
No wonder she didn't file for divorce from Wang Deyi.
Mingxi then asked the old woman for more information, getting a general understanding of the Wang family's situation, before bidding her farewell.
After leaving the old woman, Mingxi and Yu Xiaomin walked into the courtyard and found the location of Wang Deyi's house. However, instead of going in, they knocked on the door of the house opposite Wang Deyi's.
The family living there was also an older woman. When she saw Mingxi and Yu Xiaomin, two strangers, she looked wary and asked, "What are you doing here? Why are you knocking on our door?"
Mingxi stepped forward, identified herself, and explained her purpose. Upon hearing that Mingxi had come to investigate Cai Xiaoli's domestic violence against Wang Deyi, the woman's expression relaxed. She lived across from the Wang family and knew more about their situation. Without holding back, she quickly told them everything she knew.
What this woman said was largely the same as what the woman at the door said, only more specific. Cai Xiaoli didn't actually intend to kill Wang Deyi from the beginning; it was Wang Deyi's unscrupulous behavior that caused the problem.
When Cai Xiaoli was pregnant and about to give birth, she didn't have the energy to keep an eye on him, so he secretly went out to gamble. As a result, he lost the gambling and the creditors came to collect the debt, almost causing Cai Xiaoli to miscarry. The creditors got scared and ran away in a hurry.
So Wang Deyi didn't think gambling was bad at all; on the contrary, he was pleased that his creditors had run away and he didn't have to pay back his debts.
Next, Mingxi and Yu Xiaomin asked several neighbors in the courtyard, and everyone's account was consistent: Cai Xiaoli often hit Wang Deyi, but it was because of his gambling.
Now that Mingxi and Yu Xiaomin have a general understanding of the situation, it's time to meet with the other party involved.
Mingxi arrived at the Wang family's door and knocked: "Is Cai Xiaoli here? We're from the Women's Federation. We need to find Cai Xiaoli to investigate something!"
"They're here! They're here!"
Someone inside answered, and soon a young woman in her twenties opened the door, her hand clutching the hem of her clothes: "Comrade, I am Cai Xiaoli. What can I do for you?"
Mingxi glanced at her secretly. She looked rather thin and didn't resemble the woman in the legend who abused her husband at all.
Mingxi swallowed her thoughts and said, "Comrade Cai, it's like this. Today, Wang Deyi came to the Women's Federation to report your domestic violence against him and filed for divorce. We're here now to understand the specifics."
"What?!"
Cai Xiaoli's eyes widened, and she stood there dumbfounded, as if she had been frozen in place, seemingly unable to believe what she had just heard.
After a long while, she blinked blankly and said in a dry voice, "Comrade, what did you say? Wang Deyi said I abused him and he wants a divorce?"
Mingxi glanced at her and nodded: "This is the situation."
Cai Xiaoli took a deep breath, unsure of what to say. After a long while, she said with a stiff face, "Comrades, please come in first. Let's talk inside."
Mingxi and Cai Xiaoli followed her into the house. Wang Deyi's mother was also home. When she saw Mingxi and Cai Xiaoli come in, she smiled and asked, "Xiaoli, who are these two?"
Cai Xiaoli: "These two are comrades from the Women's Federation. They came to my home to investigate my domestic violence against Deyi."
The Queen Mother's face changed instantly. She frowned and said, "What nonsense? When did Deyi become a victim of domestic violence? Who is spreading this rumor?"
She looked at Mingxi and said, "Comrade, although I don't know where you heard that my Deyi was being abused, I must explain that this is false. Deyi was not abused. You can go back now."
Mingxi sensed the mother's unwelcome tone and said, "It was Comrade Wang Deyi himself who came to the Women's Federation and personally reported this situation to us. In addition to the domestic violence, he also made a request to us, asking us to help him find a lawyer and file for divorce."
Upon hearing this, the Queen Mother was instantly speechless.
If someone else had reported this to the Women's Federation, she could have said it was someone spreading rumors, but Wang Deyi personally reported it, so what could she say?
"Um, Xiaoli, don't be angry..." Wang's mother subconsciously turned to look at Cai Xiaoli.
She deliberately put on a stern face and said angrily, "That Deyi is such a muddle-headed and ignorant boy. He just does whatever comes to mind. I'm going to give him a good talking to when he gets back!"
As she spoke, Madam Wang reached out and took Cai Xiaoli's cold hand, patting it reassuringly. She said, "Xiaoli, it's Deyi's good fortune to marry such a wonderful girl like you, and it's also a blessing for our Wang family. Don't worry, I'll stand up for you. We definitely won't let him divorce you. Our Wang family only recognizes you as our daughter-in-law!"
The Queen Mother launched into a long speech, but Cai Xiaoli remained silent for a long time, which made the Queen Mother even more uneasy.
She turned her head, forced a smile, and explained to Mingxi, "Comrade, there's a misunderstanding about this. It's not what you think. Xiaoli didn't commit domestic violence against Deyi. Marital life is bound to have friction. As the saying goes, 'quarrels at the head of the bed are reconciled at the foot of the bed.' Let the young couple resolve their own issues."
The Queen Mother's meaning was clear: she didn't want the Women's Federation involved in this matter.
But that's impossible.
Mingxi: "Auntie, even if this is a misunderstanding, we still have to take care of it."
After all, Wang Deyi went to the Women's Federation.
Queen Mother: "Oh dear, why are you so stubborn, young comrade? Didn't I tell you that this was a misunderstanding? Can't you just pretend it never happened?"
Mingxi maintained a smile, but her attitude was clear: no.
Mingxi: "Comrade Cai Xiaoli, we have something we'd like to ask you. Could you talk to us privately?"
Cai Xiaoli snapped out of her daze, glanced up at Mingxi, and then nodded.
With permission granted, Mingxi turned to Wang's mother and said, "Auntie, could you please excuse us for a moment? We need to speak with Comrade Cai Xiaoli alone."
"Oh!" The Queen Mother stood anxiously to the side, wanting to say something, but in the end she couldn't say it. She drooped her eyelids, pursed her lips and said, "Fine, I'll avoid it, I'll avoid it."
"Is it alright if I go out? You two can chat inside, I'll go out," said Wang's mother as she walked out of the house.
As soon as she left, Mingxi immediately went up and closed the door.
With a "snap," a door panel separated the two worlds inside and outside the room. The Queen Mother leaned forward and pressed her ear against the door panel, but she couldn't hear anything from inside.
She frowned anxiously.
What should we do? What if Cai Xiaoli really divorces her son?
Wang's mother wasn't stupid. She knew perfectly well that their good life was all thanks to her daughter-in-law, Cai Xiaoli. If it weren't for Cai Xiaoli managing everything at home and outside, relying solely on her good-for-nothing son, Wang Deyi, they wouldn't even be able to support themselves. He might even gamble away their retirement savings. How would the two of them survive then?
The Queen Mother paced anxiously at the door, but after a long time, she still couldn't hear any sound from inside the house.
Having no other choice, she gritted her teeth and decided to go to the factory to find Old Man Wang.
The old man is smart; he'll definitely come up with a solution!
Thinking it over, Wang's mother quickly scurried off to Wang's workplace.
Meanwhile, inside the room, Mingxi, as usual, inquired about Cai Xiaoli's domestic violence situation.
Cai Xiaoli explained, "I didn't commit domestic violence. I just wanted to stop him from gambling..."
What Cai Xiaoli said was pretty much the same as what outsiders said.
In summary, all the problems stemmed from gambling.
Mingxi: "Haven't you considered reporting Wang Deyi's gambling to the police?"
Cai Xiaoli's face turned pale: "No, we can't go to the police."
She said tremblingly, "If he gets arrested because of this, won't our whole family become bad elements? And if the factory finds out about this, they'll definitely fire him."
Cai Xiaoli had considered reporting it to the police. When she was eight months pregnant and about to give birth, and when people from the casino came to her door demanding repayment of Wang Deyi's debts, she genuinely considered reporting it to the police.
She didn't want her child to be born with a father like Wang Deyi, and she didn't want her child to live a life like hers, constantly fearing debt collectors who would come to her door.
Cai Xiaoli had already reached the entrance of the police station, but she eventually stopped.
If the police are notified, Wang Deyi could be arrested, but what happens after that?
If a father is arrested and imprisoned, will his child be able to have a normal life after birth? Won't other children discriminate against his child?
And, without Wang Deyi as her breadwinner, how will she make a living?
Cai Xiaoli ultimately gave up.
At worst, she would just keep a closer eye on Wang Deyi and prevent him from gambling.
Mingxi could probably understand what Cai Xiaoli was worried about. She thought for a moment and then asked, "Have you ever thought about divorcing Wang Deyi?"
divorce?
Upon hearing this, Cai Xiaoli paused almost imperceptibly, her fingers unconsciously curling together as she clutched the hem of her clothes, and said, "Divorce? I haven't thought about that."
Mingxi paused for a moment: "So what are your thoughts? I see that Comrade Wang's intention to divorce is quite firm. Even if we are to mediate, we must respect the thoughts of both of you."
If Wang Deyi insists on getting a divorce, there's nothing the Women's Federation can do.
Cai Xiaoli's breath hitched. To be honest, she had never thought that Wang Deyi would contact her, nor had she ever imagined that he would want a divorce.
Her mind was a mess; it felt like her head was full of mush, and she couldn't think straight at all.
Mingxi: "Well then, think about your thoughts first. Tomorrow afternoon, the Women's Federation will arrange for someone to come and mediate between you and Comrade Wang Deyi."
Cai Xiaoli nodded blankly.
After explaining this, Mingxi took the initiative to get up and say goodbye.
On the way back to the Women's Federation after leaving the Wang family, Yu Xiaomin cursed at me.
Of course, they weren't after Mingxi, but after Wang Deyi.
"Shameless! Absolutely shameless! How could Wang Deyi be so shameless? He gambles and owes money, leaving Cai Xiaoli alone at home, taking care of the children, two elders, and all sorts of housework. And yet Wang Deyi sues Cai Xiaoli for domestic violence! That's outrageous!"
Yu Xiaomin's anger was not without reason.
After all, the investigation confirmed that Cai Xiaoli did indeed commit violence against Wang Deyi.
Although everyone can understand that Cai Xiaoli did this to stop Wang Deyi from gambling.
However, from a legal perspective, she is still committing domestic violence. In this case, if Wang Deyi insists on divorce, the judge will most likely support Wang Deyi's idea.
At that time, Cai Xiaoli will be unemployed, have no savings, and as the party at fault in the divorce, she certainly won't gain any advantage.
Mingxi's expression was also not good.
This time, their Women's Federation was used by Wang Deyi.
She wanted to help Cai Xiaoli, but first she needed to know if Cai Xiaoli planned to get a divorce. If she did, things would be much easier.
But it would be more difficult if she didn't intend to get a divorce.
With these thoughts in mind, Mingxi quickly returned to the Women's Federation office with Yu Xiaomin. At this time, Sister Wang had already returned from the investigation at the street office. When she saw Mingxi and Yu Xiaomin return, she spoke.
"Xiaoming, Xiaoyu, have you found anything? The neighborhood office said that Wang Deyi and his wife had a big fight a few years ago, and the police even went there. But that was the only time it escalated, and they haven't heard of it since. So they don't know if what Wang Deyi said is true."
The people in the neighborhood office were unaware of Wang Deyi's gambling activities.
That's not hard to understand.
Having a gambler son is definitely not a good thing, and Wang Deyi's family certainly didn't want this to get out. As for the neighbors living in the same courtyard, they might want to gossip, but if this got out, it would be a disgrace to the entire courtyard, and besides, it might cause trouble for Old Man Wang, so they definitely wouldn't spread it.
"Sister Wang, we've found out quite a bit, but..."
Mingxi quickly reported what she and Yu Xiaomin had found out.
Sister Wang was also very angry after hearing this.
She gritted her teeth, and the thought of speaking up for Wang Deyi, that gambling addict, ignited a nameless fire within her.
Mingxi advised her, "Sister Wang, don't be angry. Actually, it depends on what Cai Xiaoli thinks. If Cai Xiaoli is willing to get a divorce, this matter is easy to handle."
"Hmm? What do you mean by that?"
Sister Wang looked at Mingxi.
Mingxi: "The key point of this matter is still Wang Deyi. He is a gambler, and that is his weakness."
Ms. Wang: "You mean report it to the police? But won't that affect Cai Xiaoli?"
Mingxi: "If Cai Xiaoli gets divorced, then no."
She said, "Wang Deyi is just a gambler; the casino has nothing to do with him. Even if he's arrested, it's just an administrative penalty. At most, he'll be detained in the police station for a few days before being released. It won't affect Cai Xiaoli's child. But this whole incident makes the divorce between Wang Deyi and Cai Xiaoli more negotiable. And even if they still end up filing for divorce, given Wang Deyi's gambling, the court will likely favor Cai Xiaoli when granting the divorce."
Sister Wang nodded, agreeing with Mingxi's point.
Ultimately, it all depends on what Cai Xiaoli thinks.
She sighed and said, "I hope Cai Xiaoli isn't confused."
If Cai Xiaoli doesn't want a divorce, things will get complicated.
Mingxi nodded in agreement.
She shared her feelings with Sister Wang, but could only wait until tomorrow to see Cai Xiaoli and hear her thoughts.
After all, she was the one who truly lived with Wang Deyi.
As everyone in the office packed up after get off work, Yu Xiaomin tossed her hair and said, "Hey, Xiaoming, are you free after get off work today? If not, why don't you come with me to the hair salon to get your hair permed?"
Sister Wang: "Xiao Yu, are you going to get your hair permed? Which salon?"
Yu Xiaomin: "That place next to the department store, a classmate of mine got her hair permed there, and she said it's really good. I'm planning to try it too. Sister Wang, do you want to go too?"
Sister Wang: "To be honest, I'm actually thinking of styling my hair a bit."
Yu Xiaomin jumped up and said, "Then let's go together!"
She turned her head excitedly: "Xiaoming, are you coming? If you come too, the three of us can go together!"
"No, no, no!" Mingxi shook her head like a rattle-drum, strongly refusing.
Yu Xiaomin: "What's wrong? Why don't you want to get your hair permed with me?"
Mingxi's delicate eyebrows furrowed, her pretty face contorted into a bitter expression: "I'm afraid of burning myself."
Nowadays, perming hair is nothing like in later generations, where there are electric heating caps and perming solutions. The simplest and most direct method is to use hot tongs to curl the hair directly.
The barber used red-hot tongs to curl the hair on the head, creating curls.
Ming Xiguang finds it terrifying just to think about it.
"Pfft—"
Seeing Mingxi's face scrunched up, Sister Wang and Yu Xiaomin couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Yu Xiaomin: "Haha, Xiaoming, you're so cute. The barbers at that barbershop are all experienced; they definitely won't burn you."
Ms. Wang: "That's right, so many people get their hair permed every day. If she could still accidentally perm someone, the shop would definitely go out of business."
No matter what they said, Mingxi remained firm: "No, I'm scared, I don't dare to go."
"Alright, then forget it. Sister Wang and I will go together."
Since Mingxi was unwilling, Yu Xiaomin gave up and left together with Sister Wang.
Mingxi slung her schoolbag over her shoulder and headed outside.
However, she didn't go straight home today; instead, she headed towards the train station.
Yang Weihong had told her beforehand that the stall was opening today, but she wouldn't have time to come and support it during her lunch break. Now that she's off work, she has some free time to go and check on things.
If Yang Weihong's business is not doing well, she can offer a few words of comfort.
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