Wang Dahua grew more and more worked up as she spoke, slapping her thigh with loud pa pa sounds, spit flying everywhere. She cried and wailed as if she’d suffered eight lifetimes of injustice.
Zhang Shengli listened until his head ached and shouted sharply, “Stop crying!”
Wang Dahua paused, then yelled aggrievedly, “What? I’m not even allowed to cry? Ah~~~”
That scream nearly left her out of breath.
Zhang Shengli felt like he had two heads—anyone who didn’t know better would think some great injustice had occurred.
Shen Nian stood to the side, her fingernails digging deep into her palms.
The humiliation the original owner had endured over the years surged like a tide, pressing on her chest and sending rage straight to her head.
This fury was clearly the original owner’s buried resentment!
Thinking of all the suffering she had endured, she suddenly rushed forward, pointing at Wang Dahua and Shen Dafu, forcing out a hoarse roar, “Bad people! You’re all bad people! You all bully me!”
Then her tone shifted, breaking into a wailing cry.
“Mom~~ I want my mom~~ ah~~!”
Seeing the chaos before him, Zhang Shengli’s brows knit even tighter.
He shouted loudly, “Enough! Stop arguing! Talk things through properly—does shouting solve anything?”
His voice was deep and powerful, carrying an authority that brooked no resistance.
The crowd quieted for the moment, though their eyes were still filled with anger and discontent.
Zhang Shengli looked at Shen Dafu and his wife with disgust and said impatiently, “Hurry up and go wash yourselves. You stink enough to suffocate people. After that, go to the village committee to talk.”
This place felt like a latrine—he didn’t want to stay a second longer.
As he finished speaking, his gaze shifted to Li Hong.
“Shen Nian usually listens to you. Take her to wash up first, then bring her to the village committee.”
Li Hong nodded, unbothered, and took Shen Nian’s sticky hand with her rough palm, leading her toward her own yard.
Watching Li Hong’s thin back, a flicker of emotion passed through Shen Nian’s eyes.
Zhang Shengli then turned to the village head who had come with Old Man Liu and said politely, “Village Head Zhao, come with me to the committee to cool off. Don’t worry—since this has reached the brigade, for the peace of both villages, we’ll resolve it no matter what.”
Seeing Zhang Shengli’s reasonable attitude, Village Head Zhao nodded and led his people to the village committee.
Half an hour later, the atmosphere inside the committee office was heavy.
Shen Nian had been washed clean and was wrapped in Li Hong’s old, heavily patched clothes. Her eyes wandered blankly from side to side, the very picture of a simpleton.
Wang Dahua looked at her as if she wanted to swallow her alive.
Zhang Shengli cleared his throat and officially rapped the table.
“The facts are clear. Since Old Man Liu has returned the mad girl intact, you two return the two hundred yuan bride price. And as for your mad girl—lock her in the pigsty from now on and don’t let her out to harm people.”
Hearing this, Old Man Liu immediately relaxed.
Good—there was still hope of getting the money back.
Shen Dafu jumped up in agitation. His swollen cheek throbbed, and his speech whistled through gaps.
“Why should we return it? If he hadn’t sent her back, would our family be this humiliated? Who knows if he touched that madwoman or not!”
Wang Dahua choked out, “Exactly, Secretary. If they really shared a bed, and we return the money, what if this girl’s belly suddenly grows by the end of the year and a baby pops out? Where would I go to seek justice then?”
Shen Dafu slammed the table in agreement. “That’s right.”
Old Man Liu was so angry he nearly cried.
“Bullshit! Your daughter’s mad, and I never thought her parents could be this damn shameless. On the wedding night your daughter wet the bed three times. I wanted to do something to her? Hell, I spent the whole night changing sheets! You must return the money. If I touched her, may I be run over by a car the moment I step outside. If you don’t return it, then let your younger daughter marry in her place. She’s seventeen this year—at worst I’ll raise her two more years and have her bear me a son. I can live my life just fine.”
Wang Dahua panicked, slammed the table, and stood up.
“You toad dreaming of eating swan meat—ugly and perverted, and still dreaming big! Bah! You old bastard, why don’t you pull down your pants and piss to see what you look like? You want to marry my daughter? If you dare get any crooked ideas about her, I’ll scratch you to death!”
She anxiously grabbed the village secretary’s arm. “Secretary, say something! Are we returning the bride price or not? If it’s not returned today, I’m not leaving!”
Old Man Liu’s stance was extremely firm—he was determined to get the bride price back.
Shen Dafu and Wang Dahua were no less stubborn. They crowded around the village secretary, arguing over each other.
Listening to their quarrel, Shen Nian sneered inwardly.
What a fine show of dogs biting dogs.
Seeing that they were about to fight again, the village head who had come with Old Man Liu said, “Enough arguing. You two shouldn’t go too far. Your girl stayed in his house for two days. How many quilts do farmers have? Two quilts were soaked flat, the kitchen was nearly set on fire, and the one meal cooked was rat poison stewed with potatoes. Honestly speaking, mad or not, as long as she could cook a hot meal it’d be fine—but she nearly sent someone to the afterlife. Who would dare take her? How about this: the child really is still clean. Since things have gone this far, let’s not waste time. Return one hundred eighty yuan and be done with it.”
Zhang Shengli thought this was acceptable and sternly told Shen Dafu and Wang Dahua, “That’s enough. Don’t push people too far. If he really moves into your house as a live-in son-in-law, Shen Lan’s reputation will be ruined, and she truly won’t be able to marry for the rest of her life.”
Outside, Shen Lan was pressed against the window eavesdropping, nearly frantic. A girl named Yanzi, who often played with her, asked, “Lanlan, your parents aren’t really going to let that old man become a live-in son-in-law, are they?”
The young girls and boys watching the spectacle pointed and whispered. Shen Lan’s cheeks burned.
Her eyes reddened as she stamped her feet, then shoved the door open and rushed inside, choking back tears.
“Dad, Mom, hurry up and return the money. I don’t want to marry him. If you let him live in our house, I’ll jump into the river. I—I’ll hang myself with a rope.”
After saying this, Shen Lan turned and ran.
Wang Dahua was truly afraid something might happen to her. Flesh of her own flesh—how could she not care?
“Fine, fine, fine. I’ll go get it now, okay?”
Shen Nian sneered inwardly.
See? Truly double standards.
If she wasn’t your own child, you’d abuse her without restraint.
Shen Nian pointed at Old Man Liu and said foolishly, “Uncle, take me back. I’ll cook potatoes for you. I’ll heat the kang for you.”
At the mention of bubbling rat poison, Old Man Liu was so frightened he nearly fell off his chair.
Return! Hurry up and return her!
Zhang Shengli told the brigade leader to follow Wang Dahua back to get the money. When the iron box was taken out, Wang Dahua’s mind went blank for a moment.
Where was the money?
Soon, an ear-splitting wail came from the room.