Seeing her thin figure and haggard face, perhaps due to overwork or long-term malnutrition, the hardships of life and lack of care made her look much older than her actual age. Jiang Shuya guessed she was at most in her early thirties. From her clothing, it was clear that her clothes were faded and patched in several places.
Jiang Shuya smiled as she looked at Kung Fu, and was then invited into the main room to sit for a while.
While apologizing, Zhang Xiaohui handed Jiang Shuya a glass of water, generously saying that her home was rather simple and she didn't have much to offer. She pulled Jiang Shuya to sit down, but then got up and went to the backyard. A little while later, the sound of chickens clucking came from the coop. Seeing that Jiang Shuya was holding a chicken, Zhang Xiaohui said, "You helped me last time, and I didn't have much to thank you for, except that I have some chickens at home. You should still be breastfeeding, so take this home and stew it for soup. It's nutritious."
Jiang Shuya stood up in surprise and waved her hands repeatedly: "No need, no need, you're too kind, please keep it!"
Zhang Xiaohui's face became visibly anxious: "Sister, if it weren't for your help, I would have been beaten to death that day. When I got to the hospital, the doctor said I was barely clinging to life."
After saying that, she wiped away her tears, her swollen eyes reddening, and she began to sob aggrievedly.
Seeing her like this, Jiang Shuya comforted her repeatedly: "Although I don't know what happened, I think that people only have hope as long as they are alive. Think about what your hope is."
"First, you must live for yourself. Only when you live well can you protect your son."
Zhang Xiaohui looked up at her closely, opened her mouth as if to say something, but didn't say anything.
Jiang Shuya took the chicken from her hand, smiled, and put it on the ground: "It's still laying eggs, it's a pity to kill it, let's keep it! I ate too much chicken during my postpartum period, and now I feel uneasy seeing it."
Zhang Xiaohui, her face filled with shame, didn't know what to say. She didn't know how to say anything nice, nor did she have anything worthwhile to give her. In her anxiety, she stammered, still feigning reproach: "I've been here for almost ten years. When I arrived, I learned that every family here grows grapes. Over the years, I've adapted to the local customs and learned to grow grapes. I don't have much education, so it's difficult for me to find work. For the first few years, I lived with my in-laws. With them keeping an eye on things, everything was peaceful. A few years ago, my father-in-law passed away, and my mother-in-law moved in with my brother-in-law's family. We started living on our own..."
Zhang Xiaohui looked at Jiang Shuya as if making casual conversation, and then asked, "You should know about my family's situation, right? Xixia Village is so small, and everyone in the neighborhood knows a little about each other's situations."
"The man who hit you that day was the father of your child," Jiang Shuya said.
Zhang Xiaohui nodded silently: "I'm from Huainan. I met him through an introduction. I have many siblings, and I'm the fourth oldest. When I met my child's father, he was eloquent and very good at handling things. He had almost no bad habits and treated me quite well. His parents were also good to me. But after we got married, he went to Shenzhen and came back and changed. He first became addicted to slot machines, then to all kinds of gambling, and then he started cheating and stealing. A few years ago, he served three years in prison, and his father-in-law was so angered by him that he died. After he got out, he didn't change his ways. He sold everything of value in the house. Now there's nothing left to sell. The other day, he beat me because I didn't get the money, and that's when the conflict started. Every time he beats me, he beats me to death. He doesn't even spare his son."
At this moment, an unknown smell filled the room and entered her nostrils. After sitting for a while, Tangtang didn't want to stay there anymore. Her eyes looked around as if she was trying to find the unpleasant smell. Like Jiang Shuya, Tangtang had a keen sense of smell, so she got up, picked her up, and took her outside. Zhang Xiaohui noticed that Tangtang was uncomfortable and followed her out.
Although Jiang Shuya had guessed this was the case, she still looked around. The main house was three square meters and was built in the 1990s. The furnishings inside were simple. In the middle, there was only a small dining table and a few low stools. On the two side rooms, there was only a bed and a cabinet. There was a small desk on the bedside table, which was probably where her son lived. All the furniture in the house was old-fashioned with peeling paint.
Next to the main house was a kitchen, filled with hay and firewood. The outside was open, with no walls in front or behind. The backyard was just surrounded by a few wire fences. There was a slightly larger chicken coop in the corner, and several hens wandered around the yard. The ground was not paved with cement. It was fine on sunny days, but on rainy days...
Looking at Zhang Xiaohui herself, even in the sweltering summer heat, she was wearing shorts and a short-sleeved shirt. Upon closer inspection, one could see the wounds all over her body; some had already scabbed over, while others were red and inflamed. The hot weather was certainly not good for wound healing. Perhaps noticing Jiang Shuya examining her wounds, Zhang Xiaohui waved her hand helplessly, indicating, "It's okay, it's much better now."
"Why don't you choose to divorce him after treating you like this?" Jiang Shuya asked, then noticed the desolate look in her eyes, a look of helplessness on her face.
"I did mention it, and he said we could get a divorce, but only if I could take our son and leave. This house belongs to him, not me, and the land certificate is his too." Jiang Shuya secretly sneered. This man was a real scoundrel, even kicking out his son. Even tigers don't eat their cubs.
"I'll give you an idea, see if it works. If you don't, just pretend I didn't say anything," Jiang Shuya said.
Zhang Xiaohui looked at her with anticipation.
Jiang Shuya said in a low voice, "This place will be demolished soon. He is still in detention. You have the injury certificate from the previous beating. You can directly file for divorce. The law will be on your side. Or you can directly negotiate with him. Try to build a 150-square-meter house. After the divorce, the house and compensation from the demolition will be directly placed in your name and protected by law. That way, no matter how much trouble he causes, he will not be in the right."
After saying that, he continued to comfort her, saying that she shouldn't be afraid, that we live in a society governed by law, and that there is a lot of news and public opinion around, so she shouldn't be afraid of him causing trouble. First of all, society will not let him off the hook, and neither will the law.
Zhang Xiaohui looked at her in surprise. She had recently heard that a house had been built on the homestead of her family's house without any prior rumors. It had only been completed in the last few days. She heard that Jiang Shuya had handled everything. She was secretly amazed. What a decisive and efficient woman!
Seeing that she was about to leave, she still asked some specific questions about building the house. Jiang Shuya promised to go back and get the business card that Master Fang had given her before, so that she could contact him herself. As for the price, she did not say anything, and she could not guarantee whether Master Fang would do it for her according to the price on her house.
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