They've all separated, so what does it matter to me if they get poorer and poorer?

Chapter 203: Death to prove one’s ambition
Aunt Hua's ability to spout nonsense was well-known throughout the village; even he, who didn't interact much with villagers and didn't like visiting others, had heard about it.

He himself might be fine, but if he implicates Zhichun and ruins her reputation because of this, how can he face her?
They kindly helped the father and son, but he ruined their reputation and left them unable to defend themselves.
What's the point?
Yang Ming felt a chill run through his body, trembled with anger, and his eyes turned red.

Yang Xiaoan was startled, "Dad!"

"Xiao An."

Now that things had come to this, Yang Ming no longer hid it from his son and told Yang Xiao'an everything about why Aunt Hua had stopped him.

Of course, he didn't say any of those explicit, vulgar things.

Yang Xiaoan's face flushed with anger: "Aunt Hua is so awful! How could she think such things about Sister-in-law Zhichun! What will happen to Sister-in-law Zhichun if she goes out and spreads rumors? Will our family ever be able to see Sister-in-law Zhichun again!"

Sister-in-law Zhichun is such a good person; everyone can see that she is wholeheartedly raising Mingxuan and will never remarry. Besides, even if Yang Xiaoan loves his father very much, he can't possibly say that his father and Sister-in-law Zhichun are a perfect match—that's just nonsense.

I'm going to find her—

"Come back here!"

Yang Ming quickly pulled his son back: "Don't do anything rash. If you really go, won't that just make things worse? It'll only make things more complicated."

Yang Xiaoan also grew anxious, "But what about Aunt Hua's mouth—"

This is what the father and son fear most.

Who knows what Aunt Hua might say to others? If she does, there's no way to defend herself.

"Dad, what should we do?"

Yang Ming was at a loss; he didn't know what to do.

He shook his head helplessly, dejected, "Let's...let's think about it again."

The father and son ate dinner in terrible moods, their minds in turmoil.

Yang Ming had considered quitting the job Xu Zhichun had given him the next day and staying far away from Xu Zhichun's family, but it was probably too late.

If he were to actually do that, it would make him seem guilty.

Once Aunt Hua opens her mouth, she absolutely won't shut up unless she spouts some nonsense.

Before going to bed that night, Yang Ming gently rubbed his son's head and said softly, "From now on, whether Dad is here or not, you have to take good care of yourself, okay? You're a big boy now, and you can take care of yourself."

Yang Xiaoan was a little confused, but still nodded obediently: "Don't worry, Dad, I'll take good care of myself, and I'll take care of you too. Where else can you go if Dad's not here?"

Yang Ming forced a smile. "Dad was just saying. Alright, let's go to sleep first. We can talk about it tomorrow."

"Ah."

Yang Ming barely slept all night.

As dawn broke, he quietly left the house, crept into Aunt Hua's fenced yard, and quietly carried a ladder over the wall, hanging a hemp rope under the eaves of Aunt Hua's main house.

Hearing faint noises from inside the house, Yang Ming steeled himself, closed his eyes, peered over, and hung himself on a hemp rope. He then kicked away the ladder and hung himself on the porch in front of Aunt Hua's house.
Yang Song's wife, the eldest son of Aunt Hua, yawned and stretched as usual, lazily opening the front door. As soon as she looked up, she saw a pair of men's feet hanging down and trembling gently in the air.

She froze, instinctively looking up at the feet, and let out a horrifying scream.

"what--"

"Someone's dead! Someone's dead! Help!"

Yang Song's wife's uncontrollable screams woke up her sleeping parents-in-law and husband. Before Aunt Hua could even scold them, they were startled by their eldest daughter-in-law's chaotic screams. They hurriedly got up and rushed to rescue Yang Ming.

"Oh no! What's going on? What's going on?!"

"Quickly check if he's still breathing, hurry!"

"Quickly pinch the philtrum! Quickly pinch the philtrum!"

The neighbors were alarmed, and soon a large number of villagers gathered to watch the commotion and offer assistance. "Isn't that Yang Ming? How did he end up hanging at Aunt Hua's house?"

"Pah, pah, pah! What nonsense are you spouting? He's not dead! He's not dead!"

"What happened? What's wrong?"

"I do not know!"

"What happened out of the blue—"

"That's not strange at all!"

"Hey, she's awake! She's awake!"

Both the Yang family and the villagers breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness, everything's alright!"

"What a scare! What a scare!"

Aunt Hua was furious, wishing she could tear Yang Ming apart, but she didn't dare to touch him at the moment. She gritted her teeth and glared at him: "Yang Ming, what's wrong with you, you little bastard? What did my family do to offend you that you're trying to harm people like this? Why are you coming to our house if you want to die?"

"Father! Father!"

Someone ran to tell Yang Xiaoan, who ran in crying all the way.

Liang, the village head, also came.

Xu Zhichun had just gotten up and was about to make ice jelly when she heard someone shout, "Someone has died!" Startled, she quickly nudged Chunfen and said that she had to go out and would lock the courtyard gate, asking her not to leave if she got up, and to wait for her to come back.

Xu Zhichun also rushed out.

The village has always been peaceful. Although there are occasional conflicts between neighbors or within families, no one has ever died in one incident. This is no small matter.

When Liang Lizheng arrived, Yang Xiaoan was crying with tears streaming down her face, accusing Aunt Hua.

"It's all your nonsense that drove my father to his death."

"Don't talk nonsense, you little brat! I have no grudge against your father and I keep to myself. Why would I force him? Why would I force him?"

Aunt Hua nearly jumped up.

The Yang family members also glared angrily and cursed Yang Xiaoan.

This family was inherently unreasonable, and they certainly wouldn't get involved in anything that involved human life. Taking advantage of Yang Xiaoan's young age, they glared at him menacingly, accusing him of talking nonsense and demanding an apology. The brothers Yang Song and Yang Feng rolled up their sleeves, pretending to beat him up.

Yang Ming's throat burned with pain, as if it were about to break, and he trembled, unable to speak.

The villagers were somewhat disgusted by the Yang family's fierce manner and couldn't help but try to persuade them, creating a chaotic scene.

As soon as Liang, the village head, arrived, he stopped the Yang family.

"What are you all arguing about now that he's like this? Hurry up and save him! Yang Song's wife, quickly pour some warm water. Xiao An, feed your father a few sips slowly. You two brothers go back and bring out a chair to help him sit down and lean against something. We'll talk about it later. What are you glaring at me for? Hurry up and go! We'll have to find out the truth soon enough, and we won't wrong anyone."

The Yang family members then left reluctantly.

Yang Ming leaned back and sat down, slowly drinking several sips of warm water from his son's hand, then raised his hand and gently pushed the bowl away.

Aunt Hua had been holding back for a long time. "Village head, you must stand up for our family! What kind of sin have we committed? How could someone be so cruel as to come to our doorstep to commit suicide?"

"that is!"

"Humph!"

The Yang family was furious; what bad luck! Luckily, they hadn't died.

(End of this chapter)