In an instant, the entire courtyard fell silent.
Song Lili was the first to react. With reddened eyes, she rushed up to Song Fanghua and demanded, "Sister, how can you be so heartless? Brother Zhang Yong was struck dead by your ill fortune on your wedding day. The Zhang family is sure to come demanding an explanation—what will our family do then?"
Song Lili’s words not only accused Song Fanghua of being heartless but also reminded everyone that Song Fanghua was nothing but trouble—the one who had brought disaster upon the Song family.
"Demand an explanation? He died of a cerebral infarction on his own—it wasn’t our Song family that killed him. What does it have to do with me? What does it have to do with the Song family?" Song Fanghua’s tone remained calm, without a trace of emotion.
Song Lili was left speechless, unsure how to respond.
Perhaps because Song Lili had jinxed it with her words—
Bang! The courtyard gate was kicked open with a loud crash.
"Song Fanghua, you jinx, you husband-killing bitch! Give me back my son’s life!" A plump middle-aged woman stormed in—none other than Zhang Yong’s mother, Wang Cuifen.
Behind Wang Cuifen followed several relatives who had come for the wedding, all with dark expressions.
"Smash it! Smash the Song family!" At Wang Cuifen’s command, the people behind her rushed into the Song family’s house and began smashing tables, chairs, and benches.
Wang Cuifen charged straight at Song Fanghua, raising her hand to slap her across the face.
Just as Wang Cuifen’s hand was about to land, Song Fanghua quickly took two steps back, easily dodging the blow.
Wang Cuifen, who had lunged forward with too much force and missed, fell flat on her face.
"You dare dodge?" Wang Cuifen froze for a second before scrambling to her feet, her face flushed with anger and a hint of barely noticeable embarrassment.
"Why wouldn’t I dare?" Song Fanghua retorted. "I’m not a fool, nor am I a masochist. Why would I stand here and take a beating for no reason?"
After speaking, Song Fanghua glanced at her parents.
Zhao Guilan and Song Weiguo had already retreated a meter away, afraid Wang Cuifen might hit them. Now, seeing their home being smashed, they hurriedly explained, "Mother-in-law, please calm down! This… this has nothing to do with our family! We’re victims too."
"Yes, yes! This wretched girl only returned to our family yesterday. She’s not close to us. Why don’t… why don’t you take her away and deal with her?"
To distance themselves, Song Weiguo and his wife didn’t hesitate to push their own daughter out.
Hearing this, Song Fanghua cursed inwardly: What a bunch of bastards.
Wang Cuifen glared at them furiously and spat, "Pah! As if I needed you to tell me that! I came here today to take her back. This wretched girl killed my son with her ill fortune and thinks she can stay happily at her parents’ home? Dream on."
The neighbors nearby turned pale at these words.
The people Wang Cuifen had brought stopped smashing things and began closing in on Song Fanghua.
Song Fanghua’s heart sank.
"Step aside! Everyone, step aside!"
Just as the tension was about to explode, a man’s voice rang out.
Earlier, a neighbor, seeing the Zhang family’s aggressive approach and fearing trouble, had gone to fetch Li Youde, the director of the neighborhood committee.
"Director Li, this is a family matter. You’d better stay out of it."
Under normal circumstances, Li Youde, as the director of the neighborhood committee and with his brother serving as the deputy chief of the police bureau, would have been given some face by Wang Cuifen. But now, with her son having just died, she couldn’t care less about such formalities.
Li Youde didn’t get angry either. His eyes flickered briefly as he pulled Wang Cuifen aside and whispered a few words to her. When the two returned, the anger on Wang Cuifen’s face had noticeably subsided.
Song Fanghua’s heart beat even faster.
The critical moment had arrived.
In the book, Li Youde was the main figure who pushed Song Lili into the fire pit.
In the story, Song Weiguo and his wife were very protective of Song Lili, and Song Lili herself intended to stay with her parents. However, under Li Youde’s instigation and persistent persuasion, Song Lili eventually went to the Zhang family. Logically, she should have inherited Zhang Yong’s job and received the compensation after joining the Zhang household.
But the book later briefly mentioned that the compensation was taken by the Zhang family under the pretext of safekeeping, while the job was sold to Li Youde’s youngest son just two days later.
So Song Fanghua guessed that the Zhang family’s matriarch must have struck a deal with Li Youde; otherwise, why would he help them?
Li Youde cleared his throat and began speaking. “As neighbors, we are all deeply saddened by what happened today. Zhang Yong was such a fine young man, yet he passed away due to a cerebral infarction. However, cerebral infarctions are usually caused by drinking and staying up late—problems that accumulate over time. So, Zhang Yong’s condition must have been the result of long-term overwork and staying up late. This matter cannot be blamed on the Song family’s girl.”
To anyone listening, Li Youde’s words seemed to be siding with Song Fanghua.
Just as Wang Cuifen was about to open her mouth and start cursing, Li Youde shifted his tone. “But the two families are already connected by marriage. The Song family’s daughter was meant to marry into your Zhang family. Although Zhang Yong is gone, his job remains, and as he died on duty, there is compensation to be claimed. So, even if the Song family’s girl goes to your Zhang household, she certainly won’t suffer any mistreatment, right?”
As he spoke, Li Youde subtly signaled Wang Cuifen with his eyes.
Wang Cuifen paused for a moment before catching on. Gritting her teeth, she said, “Yes, Director Li is right. Once she enters our Zhang family, she becomes one of us. She definitely won’t suffer any mistreatment.”
“So, Song family’s girl, what do you think—”
“Director Li, can I speak with you alone?” Song Fanghua directly interrupted Li Youde.
“Huh?” Li Youde was taken aback, unsure of her intentions.
Song Fanghua walked toward a corner of the courtyard, stopping only when she reached a spot where everyone could see her but where her soft-spoken words would be inaudible to others.
“Song family’s girl, do you have some concerns, or…?” Li Youde assumed Song Fanghua had something to say but felt too embarrassed to speak up in front of so many people.
“Director Li, I heard your youngest son has been causing you a lot of trouble lately with his job search?”
Song Fanghua’s words left Li Youde momentarily stunned. He hadn’t expected her to bring up this topic.
“What?”
Song Fanghua shifted the conversation again. “Director Li, as you just mentioned, Zhang Yong’s job and compensation should rightfully be passed on to me.”
“Yes, that’s the way it should be.” But Li Youde still hadn’t connected this to his youngest son.
"Director Li, the Zhang family must have already promised to sell the job to you just now!" Song Fanghua's tone was firm, as if she had known all along.
Li Youde's heart tightened.
"Director Li, I can transfer this job to your son for free, but I need to keep the pension for my living expenses. Additionally, I want to go to the countryside."
"What?" Li Youde opened his mouth wide in surprise. "You? Giving up a perfectly good job to go to the countryside?"
Song Fanghua nodded. "That's right, I want to go to the countryside. But my household registration is still under my parents, so I need your help to transfer it and register me for the program. I'll choose the location myself."
"Director Li, what do you think of this deal?" Song Fanghua stared straight at Li Youde.
Li Youde remained silent. Having risen to the position of neighborhood office director, he was no fool. Song Fanghua's proposal offered him nothing but benefits.