Her shout had finally stirred the villagers’ anger. Voices of accusation against Song Yanchuan rang out from the crowd.
“Old Song, this isn’t right! Yifan is your wife—how can you lay a hand on her?!”
“Exactly! Yifan has worked so hard all these years for your family, never a word of complaint. You’re in the wrong and still hit her—this is outrageous!”
The villagers’ scolding felt like cheers, fueling Wen Yifan’s energy.
Tears streaming down her face, she lamented: “All these years, I bore three sons and a daughter for the Song family, worked hard outside, managed the household at home, all for him! And he… he actually—”
“I have no face left to live with!”
A woman from the crowd stepped forward. Seeing Wen Yifan moved to tears, she helped her up and spat angrily at the couple on the kang, cursing: “Shameless people! Always bullying the honest ones!”
Leaning on the woman’s shoulder, Wen Yifan wiped her tears. She recognized the voice—it was the wife from Xu Erniu’s household.
Her words were like a stone thrown into still water, sparking a wave. Many women from the village began to denounce Widow Bai.
“Exactly! I always thought I was being paranoid, but that Widow Bai really is a fox spirit! Destroying a family!”
Seeing the situation escalate, Wen Yifan turned to the village chief: “Village Chief, you said before that as long as I had proof, you’d approve my divorce. Now the evidence is here. Isn’t it time for you to honor your word?”
“This…”
The village chief looked uneasy. It wasn’t that the matter was impossible, but divorce procedures were complicated and time-consuming, and he was not keen on handling it.
Before he could refuse, Wen Yifan continued: “I demand an immediate divorce, and Song Yanchuan must leave the house with nothing!”
“It’s not that I don’t want to help, but both parties have to agree for a divorce…”
At that moment, Song Huailin and his wife Shen Que finally arrived.
Seeing the chaotic scene inside, Shen Que’s face flushed with embarrassment. She wished she could roll her eyes and faint on the spot.
“Grandma, what are you doing?! Our own family matters should be handled privately, why make it public? You’re making me and Huailin… and the kids’ future lives impossible!”
She clutched Song Huailin’s arm tightly, almost drawing blood.
Song Huailin gasped from the pain, glared fiercely at Wen Yifan, and chimed in: “This kind of public humiliation—are you afraid no one will laugh at us?”
Looking at these two, Wen Yifan felt a chill in her heart.
Song Huailin was her and Song Yanchuan’s eldest son. Before she had seen Song Yanchuan’s true colors, she had considered him a precious child born of their love. From the moment he was born, she had cherished him above all, thinking of him first, almost forgetting herself.
But now, with Song Yanchuan and Widow Bai’s affair exposed, he still blatantly sided with his father, she realized how ridiculous her pampering and favoritism had been.
The tears falling now were from a deep, ironic self-reflection.
She closed her eyes and rubbed her sore nose.
“Ungrateful wretch!”
Seeing Wen Yifan silent, Xu Erniu’s wife could not bear it and said: “Brother Huailin, you really are unreasonable! Your mother is suffering like this and you still say such things!”
“Enough!”
The women’s director, overwhelmed by the noise, shouted to stop the arguments.
“Let me say something!”
She walked straight to Wen Yifan, holding her hands, warmth passing through her palms. As a woman, she deeply understood Wen Yifan’s pain.
“Yifan, it’s my fault. I used to tell you to endure it, but now I see clearly—your husband is nothing but garbage! I support your divorce!”
Then she turned to Song Yanchuan: “Old Song, given your current situation, I can’t let Yifan continue living with you. Give a clear answer today—will you divorce or not?”
According to the current rules, if a couple has been separated for a certain period, divorce can be granted. The women’s director’s implication was obvious.
Seeing things had escalated this far, Song Yanchuan had no choice but to grit his teeth and shout:
“Divorce! Is that not enough? I’ll divorce!”
The room immediately echoed with agreement.
The divorce was finalized, and a heavy weight was lifted from Wen Yifan’s heart.
The villagers dispersed. Seeing Widow Bai still hiding under the quilt and Song Yanchuan’s disheveled state, the women’s director coldly ordered: “Get dressed and come along,” then led Wen Yifan back to the village committee.
With villagers witnessing, the paperwork was completed quickly.
Once the names were signed, Wen Yifan and Song Yanchuan’s entanglement in this life came to an end.
Back at home, Song Yanchuan went into the house to pack, while Wen Yifan sat quietly in the front room, drinking water.
Song Huailin and Shen Que, who had followed her back, had sour faces. Shen Que, with a fiery temper, went straight to her room and slammed the door.
Hearing the commotion, the remaining three siblings emerged from their rooms.
They all sat together in silence for a while.
Finally, Song Huailin broke the silence first:
“Mom, really, couldn’t we have sat down as a family and talked peacefully? You had to make it public. Now we can’t hold our heads high in the village…”
Hearing Song Huailin’s complaint, Song Kuo and his wife silently agreed in their hearts. Their parents were in their forties, and a messy divorce like this was truly shameful.
Wen Yifan couldn’t help but sneer: “The reason you can’t hold your heads high isn’t me—it’s your useless father!”
Thinking of Song Yanchuan made her feel sick, so she didn’t elaborate.
“I’ll repeat it once more. Anyone who can’t bear Song Yanchuan can leave now. I won’t interfere with you if you go with him. But if you choose to stay, every bit of contribution you owe to this family must be fulfilled.”
Hearing this, Song Wanji immediately spoke up: “Mom, no matter what, I’ll always stand by you!”
At the same time, the usually quiet Song Chenyi and his wife also said: “We… we will too…”
Hearing their support, Wen Yifan felt a trace of comfort.
Taking Song Wanji’s hand, she gently said: “Wanji, from now on, focus on your studies. The most important thing is to get into a good university!”
Finally, she added: “And of course, if you work hard and get the chance to study abroad, Mom will fully support you too!”