"Aunt Zhao, why?" Ji Xiaoxiao's question immediately silenced the small ward.
Bubbling and bubbling, the water boiled. Steaming hot vapor drifted freely in the ward, bringing a heartwarming and comforting warmth.
The sun was shining brightly outside, and it was warm as springtime inside, but Aunt Zhao felt cold all over.
Why? No reason. It's just because Aunt Zhao from Zhao Village married into Li Village and became a resident of Li Village. It's just because Aunt Zhao watched Li Lanhua grow up. It's just because we can't let the married and unmarried girls of Li Village be tainted by Li Lanhua's affair. So we can only blame Zhang Xiaoxiao for not being a resident of Li Village.
Aunt Zhao's body trembled. Ji Xiaoxiao turned around and said calmly, "My mother is also a member of the Zhao family."
"I'm old, I'm old, I'm really old." Aunt Zhao's body stopped trembling, and she walked unsteadily back to her bed.
Everyone had left, and Ji Xiaoxiao could finally get a good night's sleep.
Ji Xiaoxiao, who had just fallen asleep, was unaware that Wang Da'an had already hurriedly headed towards Zhangjia Village. However, the landmines had already been planted, just waiting for someone to step on them without thinking, so Ji Xiaoxiao had nothing to worry about.
Ji Xiaoxiao is currently in a large hospital in the county seat, which is at least a two-hour drive from the county. Ji Xiaoxiao had already called back to the village, and with Aunt Zhao leading the way, she believed that this time there would be no repeat of Wang Da'an spouting nonsense that everyone took as gospel.
Meanwhile, Wang Da'an helped Li Lanhua, who was hobbling along, leave the county hospital and get on the oxcart back to Wangjia Village. Li Lanhua, that restless old witch, was up to her old tricks again.
Looking around at the other three people on the oxcart, Li Lanhua tugged at Wang Da'an's sleeve. Wang Da'an leaned down, and Li Lanhua whispered in his ear, "Da'an, a wife like Zhang Xiaoxiao can't stay in our Wang family any longer."
Wang Da'an was furious at Zhang Xiaoxiao's disrespect and filial impiety towards Li Lan, and his harsh words hurt his widowed mother who had depended on him since childhood. Despite his anger and resentment, Wang Da'an had never truly considered divorcing Zhang Xiaoxiao. Compared to the short-sighted people in the surrounding villages, Wang Da'an was a worldly man; everyone else was like a frog in a well in his eyes. It's easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go back. Having experienced the beauty and charm of Zhang Xiaoxiao, the thought of choosing a backbreaking laborer from the fields was simply too much for Wang Da'an to bear.
"Mom, this isn't a good idea!" Wang Da'an thought it over and over, torn between not being able to give up Zhang Xiaoxiao and not wanting Li Lanhua to be sad and disappointed.
Li Lanhua was also a woman who had been married before. During her honeymoon, Wang Da'an's father doted on her, and everyone obeyed his every command. Li Lanhua knew Wang Da'an's true intentions even if she didn't want to.
Li Lanhua has managed to keep Wang Da'an firmly under her control all these years, and she hasn't resorted to petty tricks like crying, making a scene, or threatening suicide.
With her eyes reddening and tears streaming down her face, Li Lanhua used a strategy of retreat to advance, gradually breaking down Wang Da'an's defenses. "If you don't want to divorce, then don't. I'm your mother, and I can't bear to see you suffer." Li Lanhua's resigned attitude shook Wang Da'an to his core.
Li Lanhua turned her back, and just enough to let Wang Da'an see her secretly wiping away tears.
Wang Da'an stopped thinking about Zhang Xiaoxiao and focused entirely on Li Lanhua, who had toiled and suffered for him all her life. Recalling the past, Wang Da'an hugged Li Lanhua and burst into tears, "Mom, whatever you say, I'll take you home later and then I'll get a divorce from Zhang Xiaoxiao."
The oxcart carried not only Li Lanhua and her son Wang Da'an, but also other strangers. The mother and son cried and shouted with satisfaction, while those around them frowned, clearly showing their impatience.
When the oxcart arrived at Wangjia Village, Li Lanhua and Wang Da'an got off. Everyone on the cart breathed a sigh of relief. "It's just a divorce, why make it sound like a life-or-death situation?"
Unaware of others' dislike for them, Li Lanhua and Wang Da'an returned home. Li Lanhua pulled her son to sit down and began to teach Wang Da'an, word by word, "the art of divorce."
“Da’an, don’t go back to the county town yet. Zhang Xiaoxiao is still in the hospital. If you take her to the Civil Affairs Bureau now, won’t people gossip about our Wang family?” Li Lanhua usually pays a lot of attention to her reputation, otherwise she wouldn’t be known as “Sister Li” by everyone in the village.
"What should we do then?" Wang Da'an's mind was filled with books, and he had no opinions on the private matters of life.
“We have a witness when we get married, and we’ll have one when we get divorced. Da’an, go to Zhangjia Village and find Zhang Xiaoxiao’s parents and their village chief. In a crowded place, tell them that Zhang Xiaoxiao is unfilial to me, that she even miscarried to frame me, and then pin all the blame on me. Finally, tell them that the Wang family can’t do without Zhang Xiaoxiao.” Li Lanhua’s “battle skills” were truly impressive.
"Okay!" Wang Da'an, who had become dull-witted from reading too much, readily agreed. He admired his mother even more; she was wise and experienced, managing to get a divorce with just a few words, while also giving his family a good reputation.
Overjoyed, Wang Da'an hurriedly bid farewell to Li Lanhua and rushed towards Zhangjia Village. He was delighted; this filial son would do anything for his mother, completely forgetting that Zhang Xiaoxiao was his wife. They say a night of marriage is worth a hundred days of kindness—weren't Wang Da'an and Zhang Xiaoxiao husband and wife?
After Wang Da'an left, Li Lanhua's kind expression vanished; her face became twisted and distorted, looking extremely frightening. "Debts owed must be repaid sooner or later."
Unaware of his mother's change, Wang Da'an arrived at Zhangjia Village. Knowing the way well, he went to his in-laws' house, only to find the gate tightly shut and his in-laws nowhere to be seen. After waiting a while, his in-laws still hadn't returned, and losing patience, Wang Da'an went directly to the village chief's house. Just as Wang Da'an reached the village chief's door, a scream echoed through the heavens and earth. Turning back, he saw his face was disfigured.
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