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

Song Xianglan snorted coldly.

"Is it under her jurisdiction, or is it entirely her responsibility?"

The table erupted in laughter.

Old Lin's face turned red, and he couldn't say a word for a long time.

Zhao Yuan, carrying a glass full of soda, walked up to Zhao Shengli and Widow Wang.

"Dad, Aunt Wang, happy wedding." Zhao Yuan's eyes reddened. "Dad, thank you for bringing me out of that place and raising me. I wish you both a happy and prosperous future."

Xiaoxia also stood up and raised her glass.

"Mom, Uncle Zhao, I also wish you happiness."

Several elders looked at the sensible child.

They all nodded in agreement.

Ah Jin sat in the corner.

He gritted his teeth and stood up. He was holding a half-full glass of soda, his hands trembling.

He walked up to Zhao Shengli and suddenly knelt down.

Zhao Shengli was startled and quickly reached out to help him.

"What are you doing, child? Get up now."

A-Jin looked up at Zhao Shengli.

"dad."

The courtyard fell silent instantly.

Widow Wang sat in the chair, and tears immediately streamed down her face.

"I said a lot of hurtful things to you when I was being foolish before," Ah Jin said, his voice trembling. "I've been thinking a lot lately. My mother has suffered so much with us."

"Dad, please be nicer to Mom from now on. We siblings will definitely listen to you and won't cause you any trouble."

Zhao Shengli's eyes were completely red.

He forcefully pulled Ah Jin up and patted his strong shoulder.

"Good boy. We're family, no need for formalities." Zhao Shengli's throat tightened. "If we work together, things will only get better."

The atmosphere had just become a bit heavy.

Tongtong and Ayang ran over with cups in their hands.

Ah Yang, the youngest and most lively, said, "Mom, Dad, when you have a younger brother or sister, I'll help you take care of them."

Widow Wang, who had just finished crying, suddenly felt her face burn up to her ears.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Widow Wang scolded, covering A-Yang's mouth. "How old am I? Don't talk nonsense."

Liu Chunhua spat out the chicken bone from her mouth and pointed with her chopsticks.

"Juhong, you're wrong. What's wrong with your age? It's perfectly normal to have a baby. As long as you still have your period every month, you're guaranteed to be able to give birth."

As she spoke, Liu Chunhua nudged Wang Jianguo, who was standing next to her, with her elbow.

"Old man, do you think they can have children?"

Wang Jianguo was chewing on a piece of braised pork when he was nearly choked by the sudden movement.

He glared at him fiercely.

"What nonsense are you spouting all day long, you old woman? How am I supposed to know if they can have children?"

The courtyard suddenly erupted in loud laughter that seemed to lift the roof off.

Everyone was holding their cups.

Whether the glasses contain wine or water, they all clink together.

It was exhilarating.

As night deepened, the wedding banquet came to an end.

Firecracker debris covered the ground outside the courtyard, leaving a red carpet.

Widow Wang sat on the edge of the bed in the new house, clutching the brown paper package that Liu Dahua had given her during the day.

She gritted her teeth and tore open the paper package.

He shook out the palm-sized strip of red cloth and examined it from both sides.

These few straps are attached to a pitiful piece of fabric, which can't cover anything at all.

Her face turned red all the way down to her neck.

I reckon Zhao Shengli is still washing up.

Widow Wang hurriedly put the clothes on.

The fabric clung tightly to the skin.

She stood in front of the mirror in the wardrobe and looked at herself; she was completely unpresentable.

It was just a piece of cloth, less than the size of a palm, and a few straps.

She hurriedly pulled the bright red nightgown from the headboard and wrapped it tightly around herself.

He took off his shoes and crawled straight into the bright red quilt.

Even my head was covered.

The door creaked open.

Zhao Shengli walked in, reeking of alcohol.

He was given a lot of drinks today, and he felt unsteady on his feet.

He locked the door behind him.

The incandescent light in the room was off, with only a small red lamp lit on the bedside table.

Zhao Shengli had lived most of his life and never imagined he would get married one day.

He turned around and looked at the large bulge on the bed.

My throat is so dry it feels like it's on fire.

My palms were covered in sweat.

He stood there for a full three minutes, not daring to take a single step toward the bed.

This feels so unreal.

The blankets on the bed remained completely still.

Zhao Shengli licked his lips, hesitated for a long time, and finally opened his mouth.

"Ju Hong... how about I sleep in the next room?"

Widow Wang, lying in bed, suddenly threw off the covers.

With her hair all messy, she stared wide-eyed at the man standing by the door.

"You're going to sleep next door? Zhao Shengli, then why did you spend so much money to get a wife today?"

Zhao Shengli scratched the back of his head and chuckled.

He took off his shoes.

I lifted the corner of the blanket and crawled inside.

The battle between the jaws began.

Two bodies merge into one, secretly grinding away.

Rapeseed flowers play with butterflies that lick the flower stamens.

Honey-loving bees hide in their honeycomb.

In the shadow of red lanterns.

The night is long.

They began a happy life together.

One week later.

Lingang Town.

The dilapidated temple was shrouded in the morning mist.

Song Yulu's broom swept across the bluestone slabs, making a rustling sound.

Over the past week or so, her daily routine has become extremely regular.

They did their homework in the back row of the main hall in the morning, noon and evening.

The rest of the time was spent washing diapers, chopping firewood, carrying water, cleaning, cooking, and feeding.

In the afternoons, when she has some free time, she goes to an empty room in the backyard to give lessons.

On the blackboard were her clothing design sketches drawn from scrap paper.

Several junior high school girls gathered below, staring intently with bright eyes.

"Do city people wear clothes like this?" a short-haired girl asked.

"This is called a batwing shirt." Song Yulu held up half a piece of chalk. "Later, when you go to the textile school in the city, you can learn how to draw patterns and how to cut. You can make all kinds of beautiful clothes yourselves."

These girls originally had no concept of the future.

They had a clear destination in mind.

"Then I want to apply to a textile school."

"I'm not good at studying, so I'll learn to make clothes."

"I'll learn a skill too."

Song Yulu said with a smile, "I support you learning a skill. Skilled people won't starve during famine years. Having a skill provides a way out, whether it's making clothes, hairdressing, or shoemaking."

Several girls chattered and asked her about the new city.

After dinner.

Master Jinchan sat on a prayer mat, fiddling with the prayer beads in his hand.

"Have you calmed down these days?" Master Jinchan did not look up.

Song Yulu sat cross-legged opposite her: "It's not completely decided yet. But I'm confident about the future and I know which path I should take."

Master Jin Chan nodded.

"The scriptures say that all phenomena are empty, but cause and effect are not empty." Master Jinchan pushed an old Buddhist scripture over. "When people encounter difficulties, they always like to get stuck in their own attachments."

Step back and look. Look at the children in those barrels, look at the girls you're teaching.

Only when you break free of the shell that encases you will you know how vast the world outside is. Your past obsessions are insignificant.

Song Yulu picked up the scriptures.

He responded with a low voice.

Back in the guest room, the woman with cigarette burns on the opposite bed was folding clothes.

The two lived and ate together for a week.

Song Yulu worked efficiently and without complaint, which completely changed her opinion of Song Yulu.

The woman with the cigarette scar poured a cup of hot water and pushed it in front of Song Yulu.

"When I first saw you, I thought you were like those other wealthy ladies who came here before, because you were wearing such nice clothes."

"When I feel wronged, I come to the temple to find peace and quiet, but after a day or two I'm crying and saying I can't take it anymore and want to leave." The woman with the cigarette scar sat down. "I didn't expect you to stay until now."

Song Yulu picked up her cup and took a sip of water.

"Is the wound on your arm a burn?"

The woman with cigarette burns looked down at the dense array of scars.

He gave a forced smile.

"My man burned me." She said in an extremely flat tone, "When he was drunk, he would press a cigarette butt against my arm. After he sobered up, he would kneel on the ground and slap himself in the face, begging for my forgiveness."

Song Yulu gripped the water glass tightly.

"I escaped three times. Each time I was caught and beaten half to death."

The woman with the cigarette burns touched her scars. "The last time was when my mother-in-law broke the lock in the middle of the night. She gave me fifty yuan and told me to run, or I'd lose my life."

"After I ran away, I didn't dare go back to my parents' home. Someone mentioned this place to me, so I came."

Song Yulu walked over and hugged her tightly.

"I need to live my life properly from now on." Song Yulu's eyes welled up with tears.

The woman with the cigarette scars didn't struggle and leaned on Song Yulu's shoulder.

"I will leave. This is a refuge. Master Jin Chan said that when I have the confidence to stand on the street without being afraid of people seeing these scars, I will leave here and go to the south to work. When I leave, other people will come to take my job."

"I need to earn money so that my child, who lives with my mother-in-law, can have a future."

The woman with the cigarette burns said a lot.

Speaking of her mother-in-law, who was also beaten by her father-in-law, she said, "My mother-in-law said she didn't want me to follow in her footsteps."

Song Yulu shed tears.

In life, we will encounter many setbacks.

Many people will also lend you a hand, allowing you to bravely step out of this situation.

The next morning.

The thick fog has not yet dissipated.

Song Yulu went to the county bank and withdrew the money from the sale of the house from her savings account.

She returned to the temple and placed the money, wrapped in newspaper, directly in front of Master Jinchan.

"Master, these are for the children," Song Yulu said directly. "They're for medical treatment, schooling, milk powder, clothes, and daily necessities. I'll send them over when I earn more money."

Master Jin Chan did not refuse.

Put it in the drawer.

As the two were talking, a very faint cry of a baby came from the front yard.