“Gangpao, if this had happened to you today, could you have swallowed it? You’d have skinned that beast alive by now.”
Wang Daren stood there in a stalemate. Chen Dajun had violated Zhou Lanxiang, and now the entire brigade knew about it. If he didn’t kill the man, how could he ever swallow this green-hatted humiliation?
“Hey, Brigade Leader, we’ve got to look ahead,” Li Gangpao said, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and handing one to Wang Daren.“Think about it—both the year before last and last year, the Advanced Brigade went to neighboring Phoenix Brigade. This year, our brigade finally has a chance. Don’t let this ruin it.”
Wang Daren said nothing, clearly unwilling to give in.
Shen Fuyao also wanted Chen Dajun dead and joined in persuading him.“Dad, the brigade leader back in my natal brigade has a son who’s an officer. Phoenix Brigade wins Advanced every year—his son has face in the army too, right? Chaoying is also in the military. If Niubi Mountain Brigade wins Advanced this year, you’re the brigade leader—send Chaoying a telegram at the unit. That would bring him honor too.”
The moment his son was mentioned, Wang Daren’s balance tipped. After thinking for a bit, he said, “Alright. For the sake of Niubi Mountain Brigade, I’ll endure it.”
Shen Fuyao clapped. “Dad has a big-picture mindset.”
“But I can spare his life—still, that thing has to be cut off. I’ll do it myself,” Wang Daren said, brandishing the scissors.
Shen Fuyao kept her face neutral, but sneered inwardly. Even if Wang Daren hadn’t planned to cut it, she would have talked him into it.
For a man, becoming a eunuch was more painful than death. Shen Fuyao wanted him to experience utter humiliation before ending him.
In her previous life, when Shen Fuyao was young, she hadn’t dared to kill. Later, after weathering the business world, she’d hardened her heart. When she was finally ready to take revenge on Chen Dajun, he’d inexplicably died on the mountain.
In this life, the scum who had bullied her childhood friend—Shen Fuyao would deal with him personally.
“Don’t come near me!” Chen Dajun wailed.
“Gangpao, restrain him,” Wang Daren said, advancing with the scissors, snip, snip.
Li Gangpao deeply despised rapists. If not for the Advanced Brigade and Advanced Individual titles, he would have tied the man up and sent him straight to the Public Security Bureau.
“Behave yourself.” Li Gangpao was strong and easily subdued Chen Dajun.
Wang Daren surged forward in fury, yanked Zhou Lanxiang aside, and a foul, indescribable stench hit him. Suppressing nausea and humiliation, he made a few snips and cut off that thing.
Chen Dajun screamed in agony, not even bothering to put on clothes as he rolled around in the straw. Blood poured out, quickly dyeing the straw red.
Old Guo the vet had already brought hemostatic powder from home and kindly sprinkled it on both wounds.
“Aiyo, aiyo,” the powder hitting the wounds made it hurt even more.
An elderly onlooker couldn’t bear it and picked up the man’s trousers, tossing them over him. With a sigh, he said, “Sigh—those who bring this on themselves cannot live. Don’t follow his example in the future. Be honest, work hard. Otherwise you’ll end up like Chen Dajun—unable to find a wife and resorting to stealing the brigade leader’s.”
It was meant as a lesson, but to Wang Daren’s ears it sounded like mockery.
“You wretched woman, what are you still standing here for? Shameless trash. I can tolerate many things, but this I cannot. Tomorrow I’m divorcing you,” Wang Daren said, wrapping Zhou Lanxiang in the military coat and heading home.
There were too many people here—the looks of pity and ridicule were like countless sharp needles stabbing his heart.
Knowing that Wang Zhuo’er and Wang Caifeng were her brother’s biological children, Wang Chaomei picked up the two little ones and followed their parents home.
Shen Fuyao cupped her hands to the villagers. “Thank you all for your trouble today. Family shame shouldn’t be spread—comrades, please don’t talk about it, especially those with relatives in other brigades. Please don’t tell them.”
“Alright, we won’t, we won’t,” the crowd replied, eyes sparkling. Comrade Shen Fuyao’s reminder was timely—some had only planned to gossip at the village entrance tomorrow, but now it seemed they should make a trip back to their natal homes. Such a bizarre affair had to be shared with one’s closest kin.
Zhou Lanxiang was thrown to the ground by Wang Daren; that thing still hadn’t fallen off, and Wang Daren was furious to the point of explosion.
“Divorce—absolutely divorce. Tomorrow at first light, you’re coming with me to the commune to get the divorce papers.”
At this, Zhou Lanxiang nearly fainted. What happened today had already stripped her of any face. If she were divorced too, she couldn’t go back to her natal family. If she didn’t divorce, at least she’d still have a roof over her head.
Shen Fuyao quickly tried to persuade him. “Dad, Mom was forced—this can’t end in divorce. If you divorce, what about Chaoying and Chaomei? These days, even if couples can’t go on, no one divorces. Especially people like you, with children already grown—it’s even more impossible. Back in my natal Phoenix Brigade, there’s an auntie whose husband’s been paralyzed for years. She took up with a wild man next door and was caught in the act—and they still didn’t divorce.”
Zhou Lanxiang looked up, surprised that her daughter-in-law was being so kind.
“Is her husband a thousand-year-old turtle? That tolerant?” Wang Daren didn’t believe it.
“How could that be?” Shen Fuyao said calmly. “Even if he could tolerate it, his parents couldn’t. I don’t know what they said exactly, but less than an hour after they were caught, that auntie hanged herself from a crooked-neck tree. She had to—otherwise their children and descendants wouldn’t be able to hold their heads up and live.”