Old Mrs. Song is reborn; get out of here, you scumbag husband and illegitimate child!

In this era, pork is a hard currency.

Especially in the countryside where food and clothing are scarce, three pounds of pork belly with alternating layers of fat and lean meat is more valuable than money.

With the meager wages and meat ration coupons at school, we rarely saw meat throughout the year.

This glistening piece of pork belly exudes an irresistible allure.

"Comrade Song Xianglan, what are you doing? The school has its own rules, and we cannot accept things from students' parents."

Teacher Wang adjusted his black-rimmed glasses, trying to appear more serious.

"Teacher Wang, this is the tuition fee." Song Xianglan stretched out her rough fingers and pointed to the bag of pork. "It will be used to offset Tingting's tuition and fees. The rest can be used to improve the teachers' meals."

Her words were frank and direct, without the slightest hint of bribery.

Teacher Wang was speechless, choked by her words.

"This...this is against the rules," Teacher Wang said awkwardly.

"Rules are rigid, but people are flexible." Song Xianglan's words blocked his way out. "Isn't the biggest rule to ensure that children who want to study have access to education?"

You're a good teacher, you wouldn't just stand by and watch a promising student be wasted, would you?

"You know it's not easy for girls to get an education."

These words struck a nerve with Teacher Wang.

He knew better than anyone that Song Tingting was among the top students in her class and had a natural talent for studying.

In the town's junior high school, very few girls attend.

Song Tingting almost shrank into the corner.

The mother who forced her to drop out of school and prepare to get married actually used pork to pay for her tuition so she could continue her studies.

A long silence fell over the office.

Finally, Teacher Wang let out a long sigh.

He walked around the table to Song Xianglan, not looking at the piece of meat, but at Song Tingting.

"Song Tingting, you can continue with your classes tomorrow."

"Teacher Wang..."

"Go back." Teacher Wang's voice carried a hint of weariness and a helpless compromise. "Have your mother... leave the things behind. Don't let it happen again."

A knowing smile appeared on Song Xianglan's face.

"Thank you, Teacher Wang." She thanked him crisply, then pulled her daughter, who was still standing there in a daze, and turned to leave.

"mom……"

Song Tingting was pulled along by her, staggering behind until they walked out of the school gate before she could find her voice again.

"Mom, that piece of meat...my brother and sister-in-law will have a huge fight." Her voice was barely audible, filled with fear.

My daughter is timid and cowardly, always putting other people's feelings first and sacrificing herself completely.

Song Xianglan stopped and turned around, looking at her daughter with such seriousness for the first time.

The girl in front of me was as thin as a bean sprout, with a sallow face, but her eyes were surprisingly large and were now filled with fear and unease.

Song Xianglan felt as if something had clenched her heart tightly.

She reached out, not pushing her away impatiently as before, but gently smoothing her daughter's bangs that had been ruffled by the wind.

Her movements were very light, and her voice was very calm.

"From today onwards, you don't have to worry about anything, and you don't have to be afraid of anything."

"You only have one thing to do." Song Xianglan stared into her daughter's eyes and spoke each word clearly, "That is to study hard for me."

"After junior high, go to high school. If you pass the entrance exams, go to university! Leave this village and live a good life of your own!"

"Don't worry about the money. As long as I'm still alive, I'll sell everything I own to support your education!"

These words were like a thunderclap, exploding in Song Tingting's mind.

University?

It's a term you only hear on the radio, something that's incredibly far removed from rural girls like them.

From a young age, she was taught that it was useless for girls to study so much, that they would get married sooner or later, and that knowing a few words and being able to distinguish between men's and women's restrooms was enough.

Her mother, who had always favored boys over girls and constantly beat and scolded her, told her that she was going to go to university.

Song Tingting's tears welled up immediately.

She looked at the unfamiliar mother in front of her, her lips trembling, unable to utter a single word.

Song Xianglan didn't say anything more.

She took her daughter's hand and continued walking towards home.

Before the mother and daughter even entered the yard, they heard Yang Jianjun's agitated roar.

"Where are they? Where have they all gone?! It's almost dark and there's still no sign of them!"

Song Xianglan pushed open the courtyard gate.

The yard was a mess, with brooms lying on the ground.

Yang Jianjun paced back and forth in the middle of the courtyard. As soon as he saw them, he rushed over like a firecracker that had been lit.

"Mom! Where did you go? Where's Xiuqin?" His eyes were bloodshot as he launched into a barrage of questions.

He only had eyes for his wife and completely ignored his sister who was cowering in fear beside him.

Song Xianglan pulled her daughter behind her and spoke softly.

"I don't know, maybe she's gone back to her parents' home."

Yang Jianjun's voice suddenly rose eight octaves, "You sent her back to her parents' house? Mom, how could you hit her? She's my wife!"

"She talked back to her elders and caused trouble in the family. Was I wrong to teach her a lesson?" Song Xianglan retorted.

"She...she just wants a job, right? Just give it to her brother! It's such a small thing, why make such a fuss?"

Enraged, Yang Jianjun blurted out, "Now look what's happened! You've driven her away, and her family must know everything. Where am I supposed to put my face now?!"

"Your face?" Song Xianglan sneered. "Is your face more important than this family?"

"You have to come with me to her parents' house, apologize to them, and make them come back to me!"

"I'll go apologize?" Song Xianglan thought to herself that she had heard the biggest joke in the world.

"Yes! It was you who went!" Yang Jianjun said stubbornly, "You're the one who caused this trouble."

"Yang Jianjun," Song Xianglan called him by his full name, "Get this straight, Chen Xiuqin is your wife, not mine."

"It's the two of you who live your lives. What does it have to do with me if she wants to go back to her parents' home?"

"How can it not be your business! You're the one who drove her away!" Yang Jianjun snapped, resorting to shamelessness. "I don't care! You have to come with me today! If you don't, I'll... I'll disown you as my mother!"

One threatened to divorce, the other threatened to sever their mother-son relationship.

This couple is truly a match made in heaven.

This is the illegitimate child born from Yang Dashan and Zhang Yujuan's affair; in their previous life, she choked to death while being fed rats.

"Tingting, go back to your room and do your homework."

"Mom!" Yang Jianjun became extremely anxious when he was ignored and stepped in front of them.

Song Xianglan stopped, looked up, and quietly looked at him.

Yang Jianjun felt uneasy under her gaze, but remembering the harsh words Chen Xiuqin had sent, he gritted his teeth and went to confront her.

"You have to go! If you don't apologize, Xiuqin won't come back! And if she doesn't come back, this family will fall apart!"

Seeing that Song Xianglan remained unmoved, he steeled himself and used his last trump card.

"Mom, you've forced me to lose my wife and children."

His legs went weak, and he made a move to kneel down.

"If you don't agree today, I'll kneel before you and die!"

Song Tingting turned pale with fright and reached out to pull him away, saying, "Brother, don't do this..."

Song Xianglan raised the hand holding the pig-slaughtering knife and slapped Yang Jianjun, leaving him stunned.

"Mom, did you hit me?"

"I'll beat you to death, you unfilial son! Your wife moved all the rice from the rice jar to the Chen family's house. And you're still forcing me to apologize? I'll beat you to death, you dog!"

Song Xianglan slapped him again.