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

The dust that rose at the village entrance settled cleanly.

The people gathered under the banyan tree did not disperse.

"See that? Those Huang brothers didn't even show their faces." Old Zhang, who collects shrimp next door, tapped his pipe. "They swarmed in like flies to blood when they came, but when they left, not a single person came to see them off. They're not even as good as us outsiders who just wanted to watch the show."

The fat aunt spat on the ground:

"If he hadn't borrowed money, who would even recognize Huang Guoping? Those brothers of his are the type to take advantage of you and then forget about you."

"To be honest, Huang Guoping is just like them, cut from the same cloth," someone chimed in. "They're all selfish and cold-blooded to the core."

Huang Guoping only made a little money on the other side of the strait, and because he has money, he acts more like a decent person than them. But when it comes down to it, doesn't he just think of himself?

"He had money, but he didn't share much with his brothers."

"That's not enough. I heard one family got 1,100 yuan."

The crowd chattered, their words filled with disdain for the Huang family.

Huang Xiaoxiang stood by the roadside.

My gaze followed the asphalt road all the way out of the village.

Until the end of the road, nothing could be seen anymore, not even the tire tracks.

She then turned around and walked towards Liu Dahua's house.

yard.

Liu Dahua was sweeping fallen leaves in the yard with a bamboo broom.

Huang Xiaoxiang took a brown paper package out of her pocket and handed it to Liu Dahua.

"Mom," Huang Xiaoxiang said, "he gave it to me."

Liu Dahua stopped sweeping.

I glanced at the paper package but didn't take it.

"Take it back. Keep it for yourselves." Liu Dahua continued sweeping. "Haiyan already gave me three thousand yuan. I asked him for sixteen thousand, but he actually gave me three thousand."

"This is what you deserve." Huang Xiaoxiang took a step forward and blocked the broom. "This is what he owes you. You've been a slave to the Huang family for so many years, this is the compensation you deserve."

"I said I didn't want it. The compensation he offered was enough. This money is a small token of your father's appreciation; you can keep it. It has nothing to do with me."

"Why would he give me so much?" Liu Dahua asked, puzzled.

"You asked for 2,600, but Aunt Fei added 400 to make it 3,000. She said she felt bad for you in the end."

Liu Dahua felt strange; she had asked for 1,600. "What does it have to do with her? It's a huge loss for a young woman to marry a divorced man."

"Tianyun told me that her maternal grandfather's family is quite wealthy. Back then, my dad was always hanging around the old man, saying that he was arrested in mainland China before he could even get married. Aunt Fei only recently found out that my dad had a family in Qingyang."

Liu Dahua spat out, "Shameless dog of a man, can't control his lower body and all he does is lie to women."

Huang Xiaoxiang stamped her feet in frustration, "He's done so many awful things, why shouldn't he take this money? I wish you could be like Aunt Song, rush up and beat him up, give him a good scolding. Let him pour out all the grievances he's held in for decades."

Liu Dahua looked at her daughter, whose eyes were red with tears.

She suddenly smiled.

The wrinkles between his eyebrows and eyes have all smoothed out.

That was the relief of being completely free of burdens.

Liu Dahua propped the broom against the wall. "Looking at him now, I feel it's not worth the effort at all. I don't care about him, unlike your Aunt Song."

Xiang Dong has always been treated like an adopted son by your Aunt Song, and she has poured all her heart and soul into Yang Jianjun. Your Aunt Song didn't kill him on the spot because she wanted them to experience what it's like to be tortured.

Huang Xiaoxiang was stunned.

"In the end, I'm still glad I listened to your Aunt Song a few years ago." Liu Dahua pulled over a stool and sat down. "And even though your dad was a scoundrel, he did at least do something decent before he passed away."

You gave me the opportunity to have you two, siblings.

Although Zhu Zi is a scoundrel, my daughter-in-law is reasonable, and my grandchildren are all sensible and obedient.

Liu Dahua looked up at Huang Xiaoxiang.

"The selfish and self-serving dregs of the Huang family have been completely eradicated by the time they reached Zhu Zi."

Huang Xiaoxiang's eyes became even redder.

She sat down next to Liu Dahua and told her everything that had happened at the Huang family's house in the past few days.

He recounted how Huang Lao Si cursed and yelled, how Huang Lao Er demanded exorbitant sums, and even how their children schemed against Huang Guoping.

Huang Xiaoxiang wanted to give all the money her father left her to her mother.

But they don't want the big flowers.

Da Hua is not short of money; she wants to use that three thousand yuan to help her daughter.

But she also knew that Xiao Xiang wouldn't accept it.

"Big Flower Sister".

A noise came from outside the courtyard gate.

Widow Wang from next door walked in.

Widow Wang was more than ten years younger than Liu Dahua, just over forty years old.

The family has three children who are at the age where they need to go on blind dates and start school.

She works hard every day, delivering goods to earn money. Today, she finished work early, which was rare for her. She happened to pass by the door and overheard the mother and daughter talking.

"Xiao Xiang is right. Those Huang brothers are truly disgusting. Each of them received a gold ring and 1,100 dollars in cash. And they're still not satisfied?"

"You couldn't borrow the bulk of the money, so you're using the excuse of taking care of the old lady in her old age. How can you even bring yourself to ask for that? You were the one who took care of her for the first thirty years. You only started complaining in the last few years."

Liu Dahua remained silent.

"Those fields that the old lady had are still being cultivated by her brothers. All the harvest belongs to them." Widow Wang became more and more angry as she spoke. "Sister Da Hua, don't blame me for being nosy."

That blind bastard Zhu Zi still keeps bringing chicken and meat to the old lady's house. It's like throwing meat buns at a dog—it doesn't even make a sound.

The pillar was mentioned.

A sour taste rose in Liu Dahua's mouth.

"When Zhu Zi was little, his grandma was always at home from the moment he opened his eyes. He never saw me, his mother, at home playing with him." Liu Dahua sighed helplessly, "He's been closer to the old lady since he was little."

Widow Wang sighed.

Just then, a loud crash came from the yard of Widow Wang next door.

Widow Wang immediately stood up.

"Someone's come to visit. Sister Da Hua, I'll go back and check on them." Widow Wang hurried towards the gate, her steps light as a breeze.

We left the Liu family's courtyard.

Widow Wang spotted Zhao Shengli standing at the gate of her yard at a glance.

Zhao Shengli was wearing an old, faded blue-gray shirt. He had a bulging snakeskin bag slung over his shoulder. The sun shone on his dark face, which was covered in sweat.

"Ju Hong. The day before yesterday you mentioned you wanted to buy some soybean residue cakes." Zhao Shengli's voice was a little rough. "This morning I went to the next village and saw someone frying soybean oil, so I bought some soybean residue cakes and brought them to you."

Widow Wang quickly took a few steps.

He pushed open the gate to his own yard.

"Brother Zhao, come in quickly." Widow Wang stepped aside. "Thank you so much. You always help me with things. Before, I had to beg and plead with everyone to lend a hand with these chores around the house. Only you are so selfless in helping me."

Zhao Shengli carried the bag inside.

My right leg is a little weak, and I walk with a slight limp.

He put the snakeskin bag down against the corner of the wall.

Hearing her thank you, an awkward blush crept onto Zhao Shengli's honest face.

"Let's help each other." Zhao Shengli turned to leave.

"Oh." Widow Wang caught a glimpse of him raising his arm.

There was a large hole worn through at the elbow of the blue-gray shirt. Loose threads were sticking out.

Widow Wang quickly called out to him, "Brother Zhao, wait a moment. Come inside and have some tea. Take off this shirt, I'll mend it for you."

Zhao Shengli looked down at his arm.

"No need. Zhao Yuan will mend it when we get back," Zhao Shengli waved his hands repeatedly.

Widow Wang glared at him, a hint of reproach in her eyes:

"Yuanyuan is a young woman. She should do what young people do when she has time. Don't hesitate to ask me for favors that are easy for her."

Widow Wang turned and went inside to fetch a thermos to make tea.

Zhao Shengli was caught in a dilemma: neither advancing nor retreating.

After thinking for a moment, he followed them into the house.

Urged by Widow Wang, he took off his shirt and handed it to her.

He felt awkward staying inside with just the two of them, a man and a woman alone.

"Leave the clothes here. I'm going to check on the pigsty in the backyard."

Zhao Shengli ran to the backyard to help her tidy up the pigsty.

The manure in the pigsty was dug out and composted, then washed clean with water.

Before she finished her work, Widow Wang had already sewed the clothes and taken out a pair of cloth shoes that she had made earlier.

After Zhao Shengli finished his work, he went to the front yard.

Widow Wang handed him all the clothes and cloth shoes.

Widow Wang stared at him, "Knowing you like wearing cloth shoes, I made you a pair with a thousand layers of soles."

Zhao Shengli held the pair of cloth shoes, his face instantly turning bright red.

"That won't do." Zhao Shengli hurriedly reached into his pocket. "I have to give you the money."

Widow Wang's face darkened.

"What money?" Widow Wang's tone hardened. "You already paid for the bean curd cakes you brought me. If you're paying for the shoes, I have to give you all the money for these cakes."

Zhao Shengli is a man of few words.

Hearing this, I was speechless.

"I have to go," Zhao Shengli said, turning and walking out of the courtyard.

They walked very fast.

The slight limp became more noticeable when walking briskly.

Widow Wang did not stop him.

My gaze followed that figure from behind.

As Zhao Shengli stepped out of the courtyard gate, he longed to look back one last time.

But the gazes from behind were so intense that he quickened his pace, not daring to even turn around.