"Uncle, aunt, you misunderstood. He is not a wild man. His father is my father's comrade-in-arms. He came here to send my father and mother off."
Zhou Yunwan pretended to show a horrified expression, as if she was frightened by his words, and hurriedly explained Shen Yanli's identity. Her soft voice was neither too high nor too low, making sure that everyone present could hear it, while also appearing pitiful, and her credibility soared.
In this era, soldiers and their families are highly respected and popular wherever they go. Upon hearing that Shen Yanli is the descendant of a soldier, some onlookers couldn't help but speak up to express their dissatisfaction.
"What's wrong with the Zhou family? They don't even know the situation, but they just call him a wild man. How disheartening."
"That's right. His niece has just come of age. He is not afraid of ruining Ren Yunwan's reputation."
Listening to the people around her criticizing the Zhou family, Zhou Yunwan curled her lips imperceptibly. As expected, no matter what time, the troll's mouth is a sharp weapon, and using it well can achieve twice the result with half the effort.
At the moment, I’m afraid no one knows how to use public opinion better than her, the queen of hot searches.
"Uncle, you have to be conscientious. Now that you've said this, I want you to help me judge the matter."
"It's true that I live in your house, but my parents send me fifteen dollars every month as my living expenses. It's not true that I eat your food or use your things."
...
...
"On the contrary, you use and eat my things."
Fifteen dollars a month! A family in the countryside doesn't spend so much money in a year to raise a daughter. No wonder so many people want to join the army these days. The benefits are so good. Both husband and wife have positions in the army and receive two salaries. No wonder they are so wealthy.
It’s just… this girl Zhou Yunwan doesn’t look like she was raised in wealth. Instead, she looks skinny, as if she had not had enough food for years.
Just as everyone had this doubt in their minds, they saw tears hanging on Zhou Yunwan's long eyelashes, lingering on them as if they were about to fall. Her shoulders were trembling slightly, and her thin figure was on the verge of falling. Everyone couldn't bear to look away.
"I never received a penny of the money my parents gave me. It was all kept by you and my aunt. You and your two cousins also have better clothes and things than me."
Hearing this, everyone looked at the Zhou family, who subconsciously hugged their new cotton-padded jackets, which had just been made this year, with their hands, trying to block the gazes from all around, but it was more like trying to cover up their own mistakes.
In contrast to their obviously warm new clothes, Zhou Yunwan was wearing a coat that was full of patches, the wrong size, thin, old and extremely shabby. Although this was very common in poor villages, there was no harm without comparison. Combined with her tears, the balance in everyone's hearts had already tilted.
"How shameless! He embezzled the little girl's living expenses to make clothes for himself."
"Stop talking nonsense. We all spent our own money to do this." Luo Xiangjuan pouted, but she couldn't hide the guilt on her face.
Of course, no one believed her at all. They all worked in the fields to make a living, and they only earned a little money every year. It was hard to make ends meet, let alone a new piece of clothing for everyone.
Seeing that they were about to quarrel, Zhou Yunwan quickly raised her voice to draw everyone's attention back. She hadn't finished speaking yet, and it wouldn't be too late to criticize this family of heartless people after she finished!
"I do all the housework, big and small. I get up before dawn every day to cook and wash for you, go up the mountain to collect firewood and wild vegetables, and work during the day to earn work points. I am like an old ox and you can do whatever you want. If I don't do what you want, you will beat and scold me. I ask myself if I have done anything to let you down."
"But……"
At this point, Zhou Yunwan choked up for a moment before continuing, "My parents had just died, and you called me a jinx. You didn't even let me see them for the last time, and you kicked me out of the house. If it wasn't for Brother Shen who saved me last night, I would have frozen to death in your yard."
After she finished speaking, she bit her lower lip tightly, as if she was using all her strength to control herself from crying, but the tears still fell silently, "I don't know what I did wrong. Could it be that you really are like what they said, wishing that I would die sooner, so that you can justifiably seize my parents' pension?"
"I know about the Zhou family. Didn't the couple die in an accident? They can blame their daughter for that? This family is too shameless."
"Military pensions are quite a bit, but they did something as immoral as freezing their own niece to death just for money. Aren't they afraid of being struck by lightning? Tsk tsk, this is so unfair."
"Not only did they embezzle the living expenses to spend on their own family, but they also ordered people to do this and that, beat and scolded them. They really have no conscience. What's the difference between such people and landlords? I think they should be reported to the secretary, tied up and criticized and educated."
Most people these days are simple, honest and kind-hearted. When faced with such injustice, no one would stand by and watch. Instead, they would go to the commune and call the secretary over.
Seeing that the matter was getting bigger and bigger, Zhou Qifeng's family started to panic. They never thought that Zhou Yun, who had always been timid and dared not say a few words, would tell all the secrets of their family in front of so many people at the party.
"What nonsense are you talking about, girl? Is your brain frozen? Why are you talking nonsense?" Zhou Qifeng was so angry that he jumped up and down, but he didn't dare to anger Zhou Yunwan again, so he could only coax her, "We are here to take you home. Let's talk about it when we get home."
After saying that, he kicked Luo Xiangjuan on the calf and winked at her: "Pay the medical expenses quickly, and take Xiaowan back home as soon as the snow stops."
Luo Xiangjuan immediately showed a painful expression on her face. Asking her to spend money on Zhou Yunwan was more painful than killing her. This was their family's money. Why should she spend it on Zhou Yunwan, a money-loser? Isn't this a pure waste?
But seeing the warning and urging in Zhou Qifeng's eyes, she didn't dare to delay any longer and quickly squeezed out of the crowd to pay. On the way, someone took advantage of the chaos to spit at her face, which made her so angry that she cursed. However, the other party was outnumbered, so she could only stop talking awkwardly and ran to the payment window cursing under her breath.
But even so, the situation did not improve much.
"That's not my home." Zhou Yunwan wiped the tears from her face. The implication was very clear. She would not follow Zhou Qifeng and the others.
Seeing that Zhou Yunwan was unmoved, Zhou Qifeng's patience was exhausted. He narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "Think it over carefully. Your parents are dead, and you will have to rely on our family to make a living in the future. Uncle won't bother with you about the nonsense you said today. You'd better be obedient and come back with me. Otherwise, I won't take care of you. I'll see who will take care of you and who will dare to marry you in the future."
After these words were spoken, Zhou Yunwan fell silent, as if she was really shocked by Zhou Qifeng's words. She bit her lower lip and seemed to be hesitating.
Seeing her like this, Zhou Qifeng curled the corners of his lips. As expected, she was just a silly girl who hadn't even fully grown her hair yet. She was frightened by a few words. As long as she followed him back and closed the door, he would see how he would deal with her!
But before he could open his mouth to force Zhou Yunwan to go home with him, a deep voice interrupted from the side.
"If you don't care, I will."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com