After hearing Aunt Niu recite about Shanyin, Li Wanshi became increasingly worried about her son when she got home. She couldn't sit still any longer and went straight to Li Jin's house.
It's a little past 11 a.m., and seven or eight women are busily making canned goods in Li Jin's yard.
Li Wanshi simply kicked the door open!
She didn't go inside, nor did she acknowledge the women in the courtyard. Instead, she shouted at Zhao Sufang in a loud voice, "Zhao Sufang, you jinx! Get out here right now!"
Her shout was so loud it startled the women in the yard and attracted the attention of many neighbors outside.
Everyone had been on edge these past few days because of the arrival of the investigation team, and when they suddenly heard the shouts, they all put down what they were doing and came over.
Everyone crowded around the doorway, watching Li Wanshi yell and curse at Zhao Sufang.
"Zhao Sufang, Zhao Sufang, I was so blind! I made you my son's wife! You jinx, born to bring misfortune to your father, now you're bringing misfortune to your husband, what's the point of you still being alive?"
Zhao Sufang was preparing lunch in the house, her mind wandering to the work group and worrying about her husband and son who were far away in Dongfang City. She didn't hear Li Wanshi's first scolding.
She only snapped out of her daze when the next string of vicious curses came.
She stuffed the firewood in her hand into the stove, patted the dirt off her clothes, stood up, pushed open the door, and looked coldly at her mother-in-law, who had a furious expression on her face.
Li Wanshi suddenly choked. When had Zhao Sufang ever dared to look at her like that, except when she was smiling obsequiously and crying timidly in front of her?
Li Wanshi was furious and immediately started yelling, "What are you glaring at me for! If you keep staring at me like that with those bull eyes, I'll gouge your eyeballs out!"
"You little whore! If it weren't for you instigating my son to make this damn canned food, would the county and commune have sent a work team down to investigate him?!"
"I also want to remove my son from his position as brigade leader. If my son really gets thrown in jail, I'll skin you alive, pull out your tendons, and burn you to a crisp!"
If it were the original Zhao Sufang, besides crying, she would probably just run away in embarrassment; there probably wouldn't be any other reaction.
Zhao Sufang lost her father at a young age, and her mother remarried when she was young. She grew up with her uncle and aunt. She married into the Li family at the age of fifteen and was then manipulated by Li Wanshi for decades.
In Li Wanshi's words, if it weren't for the Li family taking her in, Zhao Sufang would have starved to death!
Who would have thought that Zhao Sufang today is not the Zhao Sufang of the past at all!
“Mom, I only call you Mom because of my husband! But don’t take advantage of me and think I owe you something! If you have something to say, say it like a normal person. If you can’t speak like a normal person, then go and learn how to speak like a normal person first!”
Zhao Sufang's outburst completely stunned everyone present.
Is this really the same gentle and polite wife of the brigade leader?
Li Wanshi couldn't believe her ears, and it took her a long time to process what Zhao Sufang had said.
After realizing what was happening, Li Wanshi let out a "whoosh," sprang up from the ground, and reached out with both hands to grab Zhao Sufang's face.
The people around her couldn't possibly let the brigade leader's mother actually hit the brigade leader's wife, so they quickly grabbed Li Wanshi and pleaded, "Don't do it, Auntie!"
"Grandma Qingshan, just say what you want to say. If your fingernails were to scratch Aunt Liu's face, she'd be covered in scratches!"
"Yeah, yeah, wouldn't that ruin your face?"
"A person who dares to insult their mother-in-law deserves to be beaten to death!"
Amidst the various attempts to mediate among the crowd, a discordant voice suddenly rang out. Those around her glared at her angrily, but Aunt Niu coughed strategically and fell silent, continuing to watch the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law battle with excitement.
Zhao Sufang stood ramrod straight. "Building the cannery was a decision made by the entire brigade. The country encourages brigades to establish collective enterprises and revitalize the economy, and there's nothing wrong with that! Don't come here to cause trouble just because you hear some rumors outside. That will only hurt your loved ones and please your enemies!"
These words were spoken to Li Wanshi, but also to everyone else.
Don't believe everything you hear and lose your composure.
Sun Zhiqing and his group also heard the news and rushed over to watch.
This woman looks so gentle and frail, yet her words are as sharp as knives.
That's impressive!
While the group was making a ruckus, a young man in a green military uniform carrying a backpack walked over.
He looked around at the familiar, low-lying mud-brick houses and sighed inwardly. His hometown remained the same for years, still so poor and dilapidated...
Why are there so many people gathered in front of my house?
And they're still making a racket!
Li Weijun pushed through the crowd and saw his grandmother, Li Wanshi, who was being held back by the crowd and was still hopping around. Opposite her was his mother, Zhao Sufang, who stood straight with a somber expression.
Huh?
Something seems off about this art style!
Li Weijun first called out "Mother," then "Grandma."
When Zhao Sufang suddenly saw her eldest son in his military uniform, standing tall and straight, years of longing came to a tangible end. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she took a few steps closer to her son, gazing at his face with loving eyes.
Li Weijun was also very moved to see his mother like this, and gave her a very stylish hug.
"Weijun! Come here to Grandma! Don't get so close to that jinx of yours! Lest you get tainted by bad luck that you can't wash away!"
Taking advantage of everyone's attention being on Li Weijun, Li Wanshi broke free from her restraints, quickly walked up to Li Weijun, and pulled him and Zhao Sufang apart.
"Grandma, what are you doing? Why are you being so rude?" Li Weijun was caught off guard and stumbled as his grandmother pulled him. He said to Li Wanshi with dissatisfaction.
"Eldest grandson, you be the judge..." Li Wanshi rattled off the evidence of Zhao Sufang's crimes, asking her eldest son and grandson to judge the matter.
"Tell me, didn't your mother cause your father so much suffering? What a misfortune for our family..."
Li Weijun frowned, feeling irritable. He didn't pay much attention to anything else, but one sentence really struck him: his father might go to jail!
Oh My God!
What will he do if his father goes to jail?
He had just been discharged from the army and was still unemployed. He was about to get married. If his father, the battalion commander, was dismissed, what kind of good family would he be able to marry?
With so many people living in these three small mud houses, where will he live after he gets married?
Besides, there are two younger brothers and three younger sisters. Mother is a weak and helpless person. Does she expect me to raise my younger siblings in the future?
Will he ever have a chance to rise above his circumstances?
Li Weijun was in a state of utter confusion, overwhelmed by self-pity and sorrow. How come his comrades, after being discharged from the army, were all able to get permanent jobs? He, on the other hand, not only didn't have a permanent job, but he might also have a criminal father and a bunch of children to support. Why was his life so miserable...?
Seeing that her eldest grandson remained silent and stood there blankly for a long time, Li Wanshi became anxious and shoved him twice, "Grandson, say something! Quickly tell your jinxed mother to stop making that damn canned food!"
Who would have thought that Li Weijun, preoccupied with worries and agitation, would react by pushing Li Wanshi to the ground, making her land hard on her bottom!
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