Old Madam Kang the traditional Chinese medicine practitioner who had spoken up the day before glared at Zhao Yafang disapprovingly and called out sharply Zhao Yafang stop talking nonsense.
I may not know every detail but I am certain of one thing Song Mianmian’s virtue and reputation are completely beyond question. She is still entirely pure and untouched. Anyone who practices traditional medicine or who has lived long enough can see that plainly.
Right after Old Madam Kang finished speaking two other elderly women stepped forward in agreement That is exactly right what Sister Kang said is true. We can tell from the way she stands and the way she walks that she has kept her purity.
I have noticed it too said another. Hmph Zhao Yafang do not be so confident. If Song Mianmian chooses to pursue a defamation claim the authorities will look into this and you may not be able to bear what follows.
Other women also spoke up in support of the three elders. Even as they stood up for her however some of the men in the crowd watched Song Mianmian with bold disrespectful glances.
If Song Mianmian had not lived through a previous life she would have burned with anger. Having died once and then spent more than fifty years as a spirit however she had learned to set such glances aside calmly. She would turn this moment to her advantage and dig the Zhao family’s grave deeper.
She lowered her head drew warm spring water from her private reserve and touched it to her eyes so that she looked as though she were weeping freely. In a halting tearful voice she said There are things I had hoped to discuss privately but since Zhao Yafang has spread such shameful accusations about me I will speak openly before everyone here.
Sobbing she went on Yesterday I only planned to go out buy something and come straight back but on the way people stopped me and said that now Zhao Zilin had ended our engagement I was worth nothing and could only marry a widower a disabled man or someone far too old for me. I became so frightened and when I heard about the rural assignment program I signed up without thinking further.
She sank down bowed her head and wept so hard her whole body shook. She looked so pitiable that several women began crying alongside her and agreeing how unfairly she had been treated.
Zhao Xinde felt her words were harming Zhao Zilin’s reputation and spoke in a tone of earnest gravity The childhood engagement was an old custom best left behind. When we took you in we intended to raise you as our own daughter. Later when we saw how well you and Zilin got along we thought marriage might be possible in time. As it happened Zilin saw less of you his feelings changed and he did not wish to marry you. This has been hard for you we know but you should try to understand. We have always treated you well. You should not turn against us over this. It pains us deeply to see you act this way.
This was exactly what Song Mianmian wanted to hear him say boasting of his family’s goodness in full view of everyone. When the truth came out the crowd would despise them all the more. She wiped her eyes hard lifted her head and fixed Zhao Xinde Huang Jing and Zhao Yafang with an unflinching angry gaze. Then in a clear firm voice she said You treated me well. Zhao Xinde Huang Jing I once truly believed you treated me well.
The afternoon before yesterday however I met Auntie Xie Wanning. She was busy at the moment and gave me a telephone number telling me to call if I ever needed help. Yesterday after leaving the Educated Youth Office I felt so troubled that I went to the post office and telephoned her. It was only then I learned how terribly you have wronged me.
Before the Zhao family could stop her she poured out the whole story. By the time Zhao Xinde grasped what she was saying it was too late to silence her.
The Educated Youth Office staff who had been preparing to leave stopped in their tracks. They exchanged quiet glances and agreed silently to stay and see matters through even if it meant working overtime later. Neighbours looked at one another in shock. Her account had not yet laid out every detail but her distress alone spoke volumes and they were desperate to hear the full truth. Fearing Zhao Xinde might try to stop her several women stepped forward to shield Song Mianmian and urged her Go on tell us everything.
At the mention of Xie Wanning all three members of the Zhao family felt a jolt of pure panic. They did not doubt her words. If she had not actually spoken with Xie Wanning she would never have known that name. They tried to approach her to intervene but found they could not get close. Zhao Xinde trembled so violently he nearly collapsed. Huang Jing and Zhao Yafang clung to one another pale as death to keep from falling.
Song Mianmian did not hesitate and continued.
Uncle Jiang Zheng and Uncle Zheng Shaohuai were there too. They told me that when I first came to you promised to raise me as your own daughter. They believed you and handed over my parents pension of ten thousand yuan and a deposit book for fifteen thousand yuan both entrusted to your care. They also sent forty yuan every month for my upkeep. Auntie Jiang and Auntie Xie in addition sent fine clothing footwear and nutritious provisions at least six times each year. My parents also left behind five houses from which you collected at least twenty yuan in monthly rent.
You accepted all of this and told them I was being raised with every comfort fed well clothed well and never made to do heavy work. They believed you. The truth is I never saw a single thing from any of it. From the very first day you had Zhao Yafang pretend to be ill said Huang Jing needed constant care and assigned every household chore to me. Do not deny it hold out your hands and let everyone see. Yours are smooth and unmarked while mine are rough and worn thin.
She held out her palms treated beforehand to look rough and hardened. Huang Jing and Zhao Yafang instinctively pulled their hands back into their sleeves.
The crowd saw everything clearly and those of sharper temper began to speak out again.
So it is all true. How could they take so much money and treat her this way. Are they even human.
And all the while they told everyone they were burdened raising her and acted as her benefactors. Shameful truly shameful.
It seems she has been the one supporting them all along.
Zhao Xinde and Huang Jing wanted to deny it all but dared not. They knew Jiang Zheng Zheng Shaohuai and Xie Wanning were prominent respected figures. To lie now would only make the consequences worse. Zhao Xinde thought frantically and settled on one desperate plan to save himself.