Divorce?!
The villagers stared at Jiang Nuan in disbelief.
In this era, divorce was shameful—many women would rather hang themselves or take poison than face it.
Lu Daqiang had done terrible things to Jiang Nuan, but he had a dream job at the meat processing plant and was even a team leader.
It was the kind of job most people could only dream of.
And besides… everyone looked at Jiang Nuan. She had beautiful facial features, but she was very fat.
“Too fat to be desirable. Who would want her after divorce?” they whispered.
Even though she worked hard after marriage, putting up with her mother-in-law’s cruelty without complaint, nobody thought she’d actually leave Lu Daqiang.
They assumed she was just acting out of anger over the affair.
Lu Daqiang sneered, hearing the whispers: “You want a divorce?”
He looked smug. “This fat pig is so attached to me, she could never leave me.”
He fixed his hair, posing as if he looked handsome.
“Jiang Nuan, think carefully. If you regret it and want to come back to me, even kneeling before me, I won’t soften.”
“Regret my ass!” Jiang Nuan interrupted. “Lu Daqiang, if I regret it, I’ll eat shit in front of the entire village. Enough talking—do you agree or not?”
Lu Daqiang was stunned. Divorce was always something men suggested. How could this fat woman bring it up?
Everyone stared at Jiang Nuan in disbelief. She really dared to ask for a divorce.
Lu Lin, watching, never took his eyes off her.
Her resolve wasn’t impulsive. His hands under the blanket trembled. His heart raced with shock—but then he remembered his current situation, and the excitement faded.
Jiang Nuan didn’t notice him. She was focused on Lu Daqiang.
“Lu Daqiang! Are you dead or alive? Give me a straight answer!” she demanded impatiently.
All eyes turned to Lu Daqiang, waiting to see what he would do.
Lu Rou looked at him hopefully. Their affair was now public knowledge. Divorce for Jiang Nuan was good news for her.
Lu Daqiang’s mother snorted. “Daqiang! Go on, divorce her! Let’s see if anyone besides you would want this fat pig!”
Lu Daqiang wiped sweat from his forehead. “Mom, if she leaves, how will we force Lu Lin to hand over the money?”
He knew his brother had feelings for Jiang Nuan. That was why he married her—she was easy to control, and it gave him leverage over his brother.
Holding Jiang Nuan was holding his brother’s heart in his hand. He could get anything he wanted.
Lu Daqiang’s mother quickly changed her face, smiling: “No divorce!”
“Warm, I spoke too hastily. Daqiang and Rou Rou were wrong, but they know it now. Marriage isn’t a game—you can’t make impulsive decisions like divorce.”
“Yes, yes! Don’t divorce!” Jiang Nuan’s mother, Li Cuizhen, agreed eagerly.
Divorce less than three months after marriage? They’d have to return half the dowry. Impossible.
Seeing Jiang Nuan unmoved, Li Cuizhen snapped: “Have you had enough?!”
“Family shame shouldn’t be exposed. Daqiang made a mistake, he didn’t hit or insult you, and you have such a good job. What more could you want? I’m your mother—I’m not trying to harm you.”
“Your mother is right!” Jiang Jianguo said, putting on an elder’s stern face.
“No woman asks for divorce! You’ve humiliated your mother and me—how can we show our faces to the village again?”
“Then let the world see me die,” Jiang Nuan replied impatiently.
Jiang Jianguo’s eyes widened. He couldn’t believe his weak daughter dared speak like that.
Jiang Nuan ignored him, tears flowing as she addressed everyone:
“Aunts, uncles, help me see reason. Lu Daqiang and Lu Rou produced a bastard, and my parents are still urging me to stay married. How is that any different from forcing me to death? How can parents be so cruel?”
The villagers frowned, seeing her tears and thinking of her suffering. They glared at Jiang Jianguo and his wife.
“How can parents be like that? The bastard is already born. If she doesn’t divorce, how can life continue?”
“Hmph! They claim to care for her, but we all know why—they don’t want to return the dowry! Sacrificing your own daughter for money—what’s the difference between that and being a beast?!”
Jiang Jianguo and his wife turned red with embarrassment as everyone condemned them.
Jiang Nuan seized the moment, looking at Lu Daqiang: “Lu Daqiang, are you dead or alive?! Speak! If you refuse, I’ll go to the police and report you for hooliganism. I’ll put up public notices about what you and Lu Rou did!”
Lu Daqiang’s face went pale. “Fine! I agree to divorce! Let’s go now!”
Lu Daqiang’s mother grabbed his arm anxiously. “Daqiang, are you crazy?! How will we get the money if she leaves?!”
He shoved her away. “It doesn’t matter anymore—we’re about to face worse things!”
He glared at Su Wan, thinking: once this is over, that fat pig would pay.
Divorce required the captain to issue official papers.
Jiang Nuan looked at Lu Lin. “Where are the pen and paper?”
Lu Lin, educated and the youngest commander in the military district, should have them.
But he shook his head.
Jiang Nuan froze, then rushed to the cabinet. Empty.
“Lu Daqiang! Where’s Lu Lin’s stuff? When he came back from the army, he had food, clothes, everything. How is it all gone?!”
Lu Lin had retired due to injury, with compensation and extra army support. The entire village had come to watch when he returned. Several green military jeeps had transported all his belongings over multiple trips.
The captain and villagers saw the empty cabinet, their anger and contempt for Lu Daqiang growing.
Lu Daqiang’s face turned red as he scrambled to explain—but Lu Lin spoke first:
“Big brother said I’m worthless, only fit to die, unworthy of these good things, so he took everything.”