“I’ve already returned the job to you. Now I have no income and rely entirely on subsidies. You still want me to share half of the subsidies with you. Aren’t you trying to drive my daughter and me to our deaths? I beg you, please do me a good deed and leave my daughter and me a way to survive.”
Many neighbors who heard the commotion came out to see what was going on. Upon hearing this, they pointed and whispered at Hua Li, whose face turned red and who was too tongue-tied to utter a single word.
Luo Yan, who was studying the jade pendant in the room, heard the noise outside and came out to stand at the front door. Her clear and innocent eyes looked at Hua Li and then at Liu Jingqiu.
Seeing Luo Yan, who had suffered so much alongside her, and thinking that much of that suffering came from Liu Jingqiu's relentless pressure, Hua Li's eyes reddened.
"The leader understood the facts and requested that 15 yuan be deducted from your military martyrs' family allowance every month to compensate me. You were there at the time. If you disagree, you can talk to the leader directly."
Why didn't you object in front of the leaders, but then came to criticize me afterwards?
Hua Li, who was usually timid and submissive, suddenly became assertive and spoke eloquently, catching Liu Jingqiu off guard.
Hua Li added, "Since you're not satisfied, let's go. Let's go find the leaders now and renegotiate the compensation issue."
Liu Jingqiu was not about to make a fool of herself. As Hua Li approached, she suddenly stumbled back a few steps and fell to the ground, clutching her lower back and screaming in pain.
"Hey, why are you pushing me when you can just talk?"
Hua Li was taken aback. "I didn't touch you at all."
Because of the angle, the neighbors who were watching only saw Hua Li approach Liu Jingqiu, but they couldn't see clearly whether Hua Li pushed them or not.
However, Hua Li's words were very clear: it was the leadership who stood up for Hua Li, not Hua Li unilaterally bullying Liu Jingqiu...
Moreover, Hua Li was usually quiet, polite, and never caused trouble. The neighbors didn't have a bad impression of Hua Li, so no one believed that Hua Li had really pushed Liu Jingqiu.
Seeing that no one stood up for her, Liu Jingqiu pinched An Xiaotong, who had run over to help her.
An Xiaotong understood immediately and burst into tears.
"Aunt Hua, please don't bully my mom, waaaaah..."
Children are innocent and naive, and they wouldn't lie without reason. Everyone's hearts began to lean towards Liu Jingqiu again, and they suspected that Hua Li really pushed Liu Jingqiu.
After watching the commotion for a while, Wu Cuihua advised Hua Li.
"Don't even mention a widow being afraid of leaders. Even someone as thick-skinned as me trembles when I see a leader. I have to do whatever the leader says. Even if the leader gives me half of the subsidy, I wouldn't dare to utter a word."
Afterwards, remembering that I still have a child to raise, and not daring to go to my supervisor, I could only come to you for help. This is all understandable.
You have men supporting you, but those men sacrificed their lives for the country. For that reason alone, you can't go too far.
Wu Cuihua's words were reasonable and resonated with some timid people who were like mice before a cat when they saw their leaders, and they all echoed her sentiments.
"Yes, yes, even those of us who have men to support us don't have an easy life, let alone a woman who has to support the family and raise children. It's really shameless to bully someone like that."
Hua Li blushed with embarrassment, but refused to budge for Luo Yan's sake.
"You say I'm bullying you, that I'm trying to drive you to your death? Fine, if you don't want to go, I'll go myself. If the leader thinks what you said makes sense, then I won't have to pay you back, okay?"
How could Liu Jingqiu possibly let Hua Li go to Sun Bailing and wail and cry?
“Your child has recognized the leader as his grandfather. My child is stupid and doesn’t know how to please the leader. If you ask the leader, he will definitely still side with you. You don’t need to say anything more. I don’t need to beg you anymore. I’ll just take my child and die right now.”
As he spoke, Liu Jingqiu scrambled to his feet, picked up An Xiaotong, and ran towards the river outside the compound.
How could anyone stand by and watch Liu Jingqiu take the child to his death? Several kind-hearted women rushed forward to stop Liu Jingqiu.
“Let’s talk this out. Comrade Hua Li isn’t unreasonable. How could she possibly want to force you to your death? You agree, Comrade Hua Li.”
This was practically forcing Hua Li to agree to Liu Jingqiu's request for no compensation.
Hua Li wanted to refuse, but if Liu Jingqiu really jumped into the river with the child in her arms, not only would she be affected, but Luo Shicheng would also be implicated.
If she agreed, wouldn't she be letting down Sun Bailing, who stood up for her, and the children who suffered with her? If Liu Jingqiu hadn't taken her job, the children wouldn't be so emaciated from hunger.
Just as Hua Li was in a dilemma, Luo Yan walked out of the courtyard gate and reached out her hand to Hua Li.
Hua Li picked up Luo Yan, and Luo Yan pointed at An Xiaotong.
"Daddy buys dresses and shoes, but Yan Yan doesn't have any..."
As Luo Yan spoke, she lifted her shirt, revealing her bony upper body, a sight that was shocking to behold.
Hua Li suddenly had an idea.
"Liu Jingqiu, you say I want to force you to your death, but I'd like to say you want to force my mother and me to our deaths."
The child's father was indeed rescued by Anguo, but aren't all comrades like that, helping each other and protecting each other...?
And you, however, used their precious camaraderie to blackmail my husband, forcing him not only to give you my job, but also to give you most of his monthly allowance.
You and your daughter are so well-fed and healthy, you change your clothes every season. Look at me and my daughter, our clothes and shoes are patched and mended for three years, then patched and mended again for another three years.
As she spoke, Hua Li lifted up the clothes that Luo Yan had put down.
"I can barely afford to eat, and my daughter is so thin she's skin and bones. Are you blind? Can't you see that?"
The leader was worried that my daughter and I would starve to death. Besides, it's unreasonable for you to take my job when you have one. That's why the leader made the decision to have you return the salary that is rightfully mine.
Instead of sincerely reflecting on your mistakes, you came to my house to cause trouble and then turned around and accused me. Liu Jingqiu, I've never seen such a shameless person.
Luo Yan clung to Hua Li's neck listlessly, looking as if she were on the verge of death, but in her heart she kept cheering for Hua Li.
Facts speak louder than words. The tragedy of Hua Li and her daughter cannot be faked. And after hearing that Liu Jingqiu used their camaraderie as bargaining chips to extort so much money from Luo Shicheng and his wife, who could still feel sympathy for them?
The older women who had been blocking Liu Jingqiu stopped stopping her and even looked at her with disdain.
Liu Jingqiu never expected Hua Li to suddenly open her mouth and almost expose all her secrets, so she simply picked up An Xiaotong and headed straight for the Yangtze River.
Anyway, if she really jumps, whether it's right or wrong, it will all be Hua Li's fault.
When Hua Li saw that Liu Jingqiu was really going to jump into the river, she panicked. She was fine, but if Luo Shicheng was implicated, she would be guilty of a terrible crime.
Liu Jingqiu is such a troublesome woman, Luo Yan frowned.
"Grandpa! Yan Yan wants Grandpa!"
Luo Yan cried out for her grandfather as if she were frightened.
Hua Li was immediately enlightened and called out loudly to Liu Jingqiu.
"Liu Jingqiu, you don't need to act like you're going to kill yourself. I'm going to call the leaders right now. Whether you jump today or not, you'll still get punished. Think it over carefully."
As she spoke, Hua Li carried Luo Yan straight to the guard post at the entrance of the compound.
There was a telephone in the guard booth; she refused to believe that Liu Jingqiu could travel over the radio waves…
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