The husband I snatched halfway through his life is strange.

Chapter 233 The World Can Eat People

Aunt He witnessed all of this, and it would be a lie to say she wasn't heartbroken.

Yu Tingwan paused slightly, unable to hear: "Didn't your aunt make a scene?"

Aunt He's eyes dimmed.

It's ironic, really. Looking around, the only person I can truly confide in is that little girl.

There were some things she had kept to herself for a long time.

No hiding.

"Your uncle isn't stupid. Even if he's itching to do something, he still knows his limits. He only dares to chop wood. How could he possibly take care of someone's bed?"

Yu Tingwan suddenly realized.

Yes.

Uncle He is very good at reading people's expressions.

Although he was a man, the real head of the He family was Aunt He.

If something really happens, her son and daughter-in-law will naturally side with Aunt He.

That old woman, Lu, lived a miserable life in her later years, with no younger relatives to care for her; the example is right before our eyes.

He wouldn't do something foolish.

"What's more..."

Aunt He gestured towards Widow Jiang's house with her lip, saying, "She's also a person with a hard life."

Aunt He sighed.

"After her husband died, her in-laws abandoned her because they thought she only had a daughter. If they weren't afraid of gossip, they probably would have driven the mother and daughter away. She was young and pretty, and I heard that her family came a few days ago to take her away. They were thinking of taking her back so she could remarry and get another dowry."

"How could she agree? She couldn't bear to part with her four-year-old daughter."

"Many men were tempted to spend money to buy her a night, but she refused."

She shook her head as she spoke.

"He's clever; he saw that your uncle had the will but not the guts, so he..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but Yu Tingwan understood.

Aunt He is stubborn but soft-hearted. Even if Uncle He doesn't help, she'll lend a hand.

Otherwise, they would have come knocking on her door long ago and given the widow a hard time.

Aunt He sighed, "I've finally made it through."

"What a hopeless girl."

She smiled and reached out to tuck the girl's messy hair behind her ear.

"You don't know, women have it the hardest in this world. Their husbands' families don't value them, and their own families try to squeeze every last bit of value out of them. The law can't control them. Since ancient times, marriages have been arranged by parents and matchmakers. Without anyone to protect them, the world will devour them. It will swallow us women up completely, leaving not even a trace."

“If we women continue to make things difficult for other women, then we will truly have nowhere to go.”

"Do you think she'd be willing to say nice things to that old man, your uncle?"

"Do you think she's willing to be shameless?"

"She now takes on laundry work. In the dead of winter, her hands are cracked and frostbitten from being soaked in water. She hasn't sold her body, yet a bunch of stinky men are eager to bring her rice and food. Why doesn't she accept them? To survive, she has no choice but to bend her spine and beg for mercy."

"I despise her flirtatious and seductive ways, but I respect her as a mother."

"If I were in that situation, I'm afraid I would do the same."

Seeing that the girl didn't speak, she realized that the topic had unknowingly gone astray and that she had talked too much, and that she hadn't stopped talking since she entered the room.

Aunt He slapped her thigh.

"Look how confused I am, why am I telling you this? You don't understand."

You won't know the hardships of life if you haven't experienced them.

As she spoke, she looked at Yu Tingwan's hand.

After being wiped with the plaster, her skin became white and tender, and the calluses on it were gone. You couldn't tell what it used to look like.

"Your aunt also hopes that you will never understand in this lifetime."

Yu Tingwan followed her gaze.

For a moment, I didn't know what to feel.

She doesn't understand?
Pity.

She understands.

Mother understands too.

The girl smiled faintly, revealing not a trace of the hardships she had endured in the past.

What's past is past, and everything is getting better.

What she needs to do now is to look forward to the future.

As they were talking, they heard a commotion outside. Then came the sounds of banging and crashing, filthy curses, a woman's screams, and a child's loud cries.

The sound was coming from Widow Jiang's house.

Aunt He had a bad feeling.

"I'm afraid something bad has happened, so I'll go out and take a look."

Unlike the quiet alley near the Wei family's house, this place is more lively.

It has a good geographical location, being the most prosperous area in Zexian County. The alley leads directly to the main street, lined with clinics and restaurants.

The alley was completely blocked. Many people who were buying groceries on the street came running to see what was going on.

"You won't come with me? You bitch!"

"Your parents took five taels of silver from me! You're mine. I didn't complain about you being secondhand, and you dare to complain about me?"

The lame man, with a fierce look on his face, grabbed Widow Jiang's arm and dragged her outside.

Widow Jiang's face was very cold as she tried to struggle.

"open."

“I am, after all, a member of the Jiang family. I have parents-in-law above me, so it’s not their place to buy and sell.”

The lame man was delighted.

He was in his forties and had two previous wives, both of whom he beat to death. If it weren't for Widow Jiang's delicate skin and tender flesh, he would have already taken action.

Now I'm reluctant to part with it.

"What do you mean by 'buying and selling'? This was agreed upon by our elders. Even if the authorities come, they can't interfere."

“It was your own brother who approached me, saying he had a widowed sister who was quite beautiful. I came here to keep watch after hearing that, and when I saw you, I thought you were nice, so I agreed to give you five taels.”

Nor did his money come from strong winds.

"Your in-laws?"

"How come you're still in the dark? Your in-laws have no objections at all. They split the money with your parents and are very happy."

"They're shrewd enough to outsmart anyone. They don't even want their granddaughter anymore, they want me to take her with them. Then they'll sell this house and sit back and count their money. Pshaw. Do you think I'm stupid? Raising someone else's child?"

“Come back with me, give me a few more sons, and serve me honestly and dutifully. I will definitely love you.”

"From now on, you are not allowed to have any contact with these people, including this little bastard."

"If you see this little bastard behind his back, I'll beat you to death."

He said that he was unwilling to waste any more words.

Seeing that Widow Jiang was still struggling, he was so angry that his face turned ashen. He whipped her twice with a rattan cane, then picked her up and took her away.

Widow Jiang was in excruciating pain.

"mother!"

"Let go of my mother."

A little girl with pigtails, who had been neatly dressed, caught up with them.

Her face was streaked with tears; she was clearly terrified. Even so, she lunged forward and bit the lame man's leg.

The man with the limp cried out in pain and kicked him away.

"You blind little beast! Get lost."

The child, already delicate, was kicked and sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground. He convulsed in pain, curled up in a ball, and burst into tears.

"That's my mother, she's my mother!"

"You are a bad person."

"You are all bad people."

She cried as she crawled toward her mother.

Yu Tingwan felt a pang of sadness upon seeing this scene.

Moreover, it was Widow Jiang.

She remained silent, anxious, her eyes red.

That was the child she had almost given birth to; after her husband passed away, it was her life.

"Zhao Zhao!"

Overwhelmed with grief, she pleaded, "Please, I beg you, you've hurt her. Please let me go and see."

"I have no intention of remarrying; I just want to live with my daughter."

“Go find whoever accepted the betrothal money. My mother accepted it, so you should marry her.”

These words drew sighs from those around them, who were all pointing and whispering among themselves.

"How unfilial!"

"Her mother gave birth to her and raised her, how could she possibly harm her?"