Aside from the people at the Knowledge Youth Institute, who saw Deng Yuyuan’s true determination, the rest of the villagers assumed her actions were just an ordinary wife throwing a tantrum. Now that her man had bowed his head and made a promise, they figured she ought to go back home.
After all, how far could a woman with a child really take a tantrum?
Zhang Jiahua could be considered a good man across the neighboring villages. Every family had its own share of troubles, didn’t they?
The villagers had witnessed everything he had done for Deng Yuyuan over the past month. Between bringing gifts and dropping to his knees, many of their internal scales had already tipped in favor of Zhang Jiahua, who had grown up right under their noses. They felt that if Deng Yuyuan still refused, she was simply being ungrateful.
How could a divorced woman survive with a child? She would still have to rely on her ex-husband.
Lately, Deng Yuyuan hadn’t outwardly accepted any of Zhang Jiahua’s things, but she hadn’t been earning work points either. Wasn’t she just relying on the people at the Knowledge Youth Institute to support her? As time passed, how could they possibly support her for the rest of her life? In the end, Zhang Jiahua would still have to secretly provide for her.
Seeing Deng Yuyuan’s delayed response, the village chief’s wife gave her a gentle push. "Silly girl, why are you just standing there? Hurry up and help your husband up. There is no such thing as an overnight grudge between a husband and wife."
Deng Yuyuan bit her lower lip, wondering if she should just go with the flow and agree. Glancing around, she noticed the villagers sizing her up. If she refused Zhang Jiahua, public opinion would likely undergo a massive reversal today, making it extremely difficult to gain the villagers’ support in the future.
The young adults from the Knowledge Youth Institute also watched her with concern. At a time like this, they didn’t know how to advise Deng Yuyuan for her own good, so they could only stand silently by her side. They weren’t selfless enough to support a woman and her child forever, but after spending so much time with Tuantuan, it would be a lie to say they hadn’t grown attached. Since they were still making ends meet, they figured they could just keep living like this for now.
"You child, why are you so stubborn..." The village chief’s wife had barely started speaking when her sleeve was tugged by Zhang Ci Hao.
Zhang Jiahua’s gaze gradually shifted from anticipation to disappointment. He tried to grab Deng Yuyuan’s hand once more but grasped nothing but air.
"Even if it’s just for Tuantuan, let’s try one more time, okay?" Zhang Jiahua pleaded.
"Tuantuan..." Deng Yuyuan abruptly snapped to her senses.
Zhang Jiahua hadn’t truly changed his ways. He was merely deeply provoked by the idea of divorce and wanted to return to the way things were—a state where his immediate family suffered losses to maintain the harmony of the extended family.
In the original novel, after the original owner died, he and his daughter continued to be exploited by the large extended family. It wasn’t until his daughter died as well that he finally grew disillusioned with his relatives. However, since his wife and daughter had already passed away, he felt there was no point dwelling on the past. Thus, he chose to let go of his hatred, continuing to live with the big family as an old man who worked tirelessly without complaint.
Zhang Jiahua’s ending was equally tragic. After Granny Zhang died, he was all alone once more, so he continued living with his brother’s family, no longer caring about splitting from the household. He suffered a fall in his small room, and even though his nephew clearly heard the commotion, he chose to pretend otherwise. Zhang Jiahua lay on the floor for an entire night, eventually closing his eyes forever.
Deng Yuyuan didn’t think the prospect of her divorce could carry more weight than two human lives. If he were capable of changing, he would have done so back when he was a widower raising a single daughter!
Even for Tuantuan’s sake, she couldn’t afford to be soft-hearted! If Zhang Jiahua could use the sympathy card, so could she.
Steeling her heart, Deng Yuyuan dropped straight to her knees. The soil beneath her trembled; she knelt with far more force than Zhang Jiahua had.
"Zhang Jiahua, then I’m begging you too—let’s get a divorce, okay?" Tears welled up in Deng Yuyuan’s clear, amber eyes. She pointed two fingers toward the sky. "I swear, if I don’t divorce Zhang Jiahua, I would rather be struck down by lightning!
"Instead of going back to be bullied by your family, I would rather take a knife, slaughter everyone in your house, and then hang myself at the entrance of the Zhang Family’s home!" Deng Yuyuan spat out every word as if she were weeping blood, her tear-filled eyes looking as though they were about to bleed.
Deng Yuyuan had originally wanted to threaten arson or poisoning, but those were too easily executable and could paint her as a true terrorist. Threatening with a knife was better; it was difficult to wipe out an entire family with a blade, making it sound like words spoken in a fit of rage, while fully demonstrating her determination and hatred. A knife couldn’t kill an entire family, but it was still more than enough to kill a person.
By the time Tian Tian and Zhao Erdong helped Deng Yuyuan up, fresh blood had already soaked through the fabric over her knees. Deng Yuyuan’s face was deathly pale, her lips completely devoid of color.
This couple’s current state, each looking more tragic than the other, silenced the villagers. Finally, someone managed to choke out a sentence.
"Ah Hua looks like an honest and simpleminded fellow, but who knows how he treats his wife behind closed doors. She’d rather die than go back."
At this point, both husband and wife were finally supported and escorted away.
Before leaving, Granny Zhang spat out some harsh words. "Fine, divorce! As soon as you divorce, I’ll find my son another wife, and we’ll see exactly who no one wants! Don’t even think about turning back then, because it will be impossible!"
Supported by the others, Deng Yuyuan still had the strength to bend down, scoop up a handful of dirt from the ground, and throw it right into Granny Zhang’s face.
"PTOOEY! PTOOEY! PTOOEY! You wicked jinx!" Granny Zhang furiously placed her hands on her hips, ready to lunge forward and fight.
Tian Tian quickly intervened. "Alright, alright, stop arguing." She then firmly shut the door, leaving Granny Zhang staring at the wood, blatantly taking Deng Yuyuan’s side.
Tuantuan was carried into Tian Tian’s room, away from the smell of medicine.
As Zhao Erdong applied medicine to Deng Yuyuan’s knees, she scolded her, "Why are you tormenting yourself like this? If you really wanted a divorce, just say so. We would definitely stand by your side."
Deng Yuyuan tried hard to relax her brows, which had furrowed involuntarily from the pain, maintaining a calm and breezy exterior. "It wouldn’t be enough. I didn’t want everyone to be bothered by gossip along with me. This way, my knees will heal in a few days, but I’ve exchanged it for peaceful days ahead."
"What do you mean they’ll ’heal in a few days’? Are you foolish? We’re going to leave this place eventually anyway. As long as our reputations aren’t so ruined that the production captain refuses to write us recommendation letters, it’s fine," Zhao Erdong blurted out.
The two women exchanged a glance and shared a smile.
"Once I’ve recovered, could you please bring me some wood? I want to make some small trinkets to sell secretly," Deng Yuyuan whispered.
"Sure, I’ll save a few good pieces of firewood for you!"
As evening approached, a knock sounded at the door.
The educated youths opened it to find an older village woman who loved gossiping and wandering about standing outside.
"That boy Jiahua is asking Deng Zhiqing if she has time tomorrow. If so, you should go find the production captain to write a letter, and then head to town to get a divorce." The woman muttered to herself at the end, "That boy really doesn’t know how to dote on his wife. Everyone saw that Deng Zhiqing’s knees were bleeding, yet he still insists on getting divorced tomorrow."
This was exactly what Deng Yuyuan wanted. "Alright, tell him to knock on the Knowledge Youth Institute’s door when he arrives tomorrow!"
Tomorrow, she also needed to register Tuantuan’s household status. Tuantuan had been born at home and didn’t have a birth certificate. Even though the village had a record, she still needed to go to town to get an official one issued.
She had long since decided on Tuantuan’s official name: Deng Wangshu. "Wangshu, the charioteer of the moon, drives ahead to pave the way." In this life, she would walk her own path properly.