“Mother.” Yu Yaozu and Yu Zhaodi supported the unconscious Wen Zhihua, intending to take her to the hospital. But feeling her hand tighten in a firm grip, they paused. The brother and sister exchanged a look and quickly carried their mother back into the Yu family home instead.
Yu Jianshe wore a dark expression the entire way. His heart ached at the loss. That was his money. Being dismissed meant not a single penny would come back. Worse still was the invisible green hat hanging over his head. He felt every gaze in the courtyard heavy with ridicule, burning with unbearable shame. If not for Yu Yaozu his own son he would have thrown Wen Zhihua out this very instant. He would not keep a faithless wife. And now she was sentenced to cleaning toilets. Filthy work. Yu Jianshe’s expression grew uglier by the moment.
Upon stepping inside and seeing Wen Zhihua awake and weeping he said plainly. Tomorrow we shall get a divorce.
Wen Zhihua’s vision swam. This was ruin piled upon ruin. Jianshe we still have Yaozu. I will not agree to a divorce. Do not cast me aside. She dropped to her knees with a thud gazing up at him in desperate supplication.
But Yu Jianshe remained unmoved. The image of Wen Zhihua with Wang Baogen remained burned into his mind. He would sooner gouge out his own eyes.
Father. Yu Yaozu began to speak. Yu Jianshe thundered at once. Silence.
Father if you divorce her she will have nowhere to go. I beg you for my sake do not send Mother away. Yu Zhaodi fell to her knees and joined the plea. If they divorced it would become her burden. Thud. Yu Yaozu knelt as well. Father I know you are hurt. But Mother has lost her work already. And Sister is soon to marry Xiangyang. Can you not wait.
Yu Jianshe stood trapped as the two clung to his legs. He yearned to kick them away. His face twisted into something dark and menacing. Yu Zhaodi trembled terrified and dared not speak further.
It was then that Yu Zhaozhao walked through the door. Surveying the scene she remarked dryly. Well now. Why is everyone on their knees.
Yu Zhaozhao. All pent up fury erupted. Yu Yaozu charged forward first fists raised ready to strike her down.
Yu Zhaozhao tilted her head aside dodging the blow. She lifted her foot and drove it hard into Yu Yaozu’s groin. A sharp cry rang out. Yu Yaozu collapsed clutching himself screaming and rolling on the floor.
Yaozu. My son. Wen Zhihua and Yu Zhaodi rushed to his side in alarm.
Yu Zhaozhao. Yu Jianshe roared in outrage. He is your own brother.
Strike someone and be ready to be struck back. This is retribution. Serves you right. Yu Zhaozhao met his gaze unflinching. Wen Zhihua drugged me yet she lay with Wang Baogen in shameless adultery. Yu Zhaodi drugged me and tried to take my fiancé so she could marry him herself. Perhaps she is your illegitimate daughter born of your affair with Wen Zhihua. Is that why you favor her above your own flesh and blood me? When she graduated you spent five hundred yuan to buy her a permanent post. When I graduated suddenly there was no money left. Yu Jianshe. Pay me what is owed.
You ungrateful wicked girl. Yu Jianshe raised his hand to strike. Yu Zhaozhao lifted her chin slightly and glanced with open contempt toward his lower body. Her look said plainly come and try. Yu Jianshe froze in place.
Yu Zhaozhao continued. Yu Zhaodi’s post is gone. Together you owe me one thousand yuan. Pay me now.
Yu Jianshe burned with resentment and refused to pay. If you refuse I shall go to the authorities.
At those words Yu Jianshe finally moved. He stepped into his room and Wen Zhihua hurried after him. Before the door could shut Yu Zhaozhao pushed it open. Yu Zhaodi and Yu Yaozu stumbled in behind. Yu Jianshe’s face darkened further seeing them all crowding inside. Wen Zhihua looked pale and deeply uneasy. Yu Zhaozhao watched with keen interest knowing more trouble was about to unfold.
Sure enough Yu Jianshe opened a cabinet and pulled out an iron box. He lifted the lid stared at the stack of cash and coupons and his expression turned sharp. Where is the rest of the money.
Wen Zhihua stammered unable to answer. Where did you spend it. Yu Jianshe felt as though he might cough up blood. Despite household expenses both of them had worked earning over one hundred yuan each month. Even after the five hundred yuan spent on Zhaodi’s post there ought to be more than three thousand remaining. Now barely one thousand remained. Fury surged through him.
Yu Yaozu turned to his mother urgently. Mother where is the money. Where did it go. That was meant to be his inheritance. He was the only son and knew exactly how much should have been saved. Yu Zhaodi frowned watching her mother and guessed the truth.
I… I… Wen Zhihua had not expected to be discovered. In ordinary times she would not have feared him. But today everything had fallen apart. A divorce was already threatened. She was finished.
Mother speak. Where did it go. Yu Yaozu pressed growing desperate.
Your younger uncle’s wedding. Your cousin’s employment. Grandmother’s medical bills…
Yu Jianshe staggered nearly losing consciousness. He had known of those expenses but had assumed they were borne by her family. He had never dreamed his own savings had been drained. Wen Zhihua you thief inside this home. How have I ever wronged you. He shouted loudly. For over ten years how much money has your family taken from me? Why must I pay for their weddings jobs and sickness?
Mother you have disappointed me deeply. This was not a few tens or hundreds of yuan. It was thousands. And year after year nearly your entire salary had flowed back to your parents home. Even Yu Zhaodi who had always been fond of her maternal relatives felt a rising sense of disgust.
Whatever quarrels you may have pay me my one thousand yuan first. And hand over the household registration booklet. Yu Zhaozhao spoke up determined to secure her post immediately.
Impossible. Wen Zhihua refused to surrender the booklet. If Jianshe cast her out she would ensure this hated stepdaughter suffered too. Before the divorce was finalized she would have Yu Zhaozhao forcibly registered for rural assignment.
Yu Zhaodi caught her mother’s thought and added quickly. Father give the booklet to me. Xiangyang and I must go to register our marriage.
Yu Zhaozhao read the malice in their eyes. That booklet must never fall into their hands. If they registered her for rural life she would be trapped. I shall keep the booklet. Who knows what mischief you intend. If I am to suffer neither shall you. Her voice carried a grim resolve to burn everything down and drag them with her. The entire Yu family felt a chill. She cared nothing for her own life while they clung dearly to theirs.
What do you need it for. Yu Jianshe frowned unwilling to hand it over.
To secure work. To purchase a post. Until I have employment the booklet remains in my keeping.
Before Yu Jianshe could speak Wen Zhihua cut in. Never. You shall not have it. She had always kept the registration hidden even from Yu Jianshe fearing Zhaozhao would elope.
Yu Jianshe said. Bring it out here. He looked at Wen Zhihua now with nothing but revulsion and trusted her no longer.
Agree not to divorce me and I shall produce it. Wen Zhihua bargained. She could not face poverty and disgrace together with divorce. Returning to her parents home would shame them beyond bearing.
Divorce is certain. I will not share a roof one more day with an adulterous woman like you. Yu Jianshe gathered her clothing and threw it out the door then pushed her after it.
Stripped of all dignity and publicly humiliated Wen Zhihua screamed in fury. Yu Jianshe you heartless wretch. I was tricked and wronged. But are you entirely without fault?
Yu Jianshe laughed bitterly. And what fault of mine is that?
You are useless. After all these years only today have I known what it truly means to be a woman.