Wang Chunhua grabbed Jiang Yutong’s hand and started pulling her outside. “We’re going to the Ning family! How can they bully someone like this? Now that he’s become a Scholar, he wants to abandon our Yutong? Hmph, he can dream!”
Looking at Wang Chunhua in front of her, Jiang Yutong almost thought that Wang Chunhua truly cared about the original owner.
She pulled her hand free. “We’re already divorced. What are you here for? Where were you when the Ning family was bullying me before?”
Wang Chunhua was furious. “You stupid girl! He’s a Scholar! There’s only one Scholar in the whole town every few years. Even if you have to die, you should die in the Ning family!”
When she first heard that Ning Zhengqing had passed the Scholar examination, she had been so delighted that she could barely contain herself. She had walked around the village with her head held high, imagining that her family would soon be the relatives of a Scholar’s wife. She had even dreamed that her own son, Jiang Yaozu, could use this connection to find himself a good wife.
But it had only been a couple of days, and Jiang Yutong had already divorced the Ning family.
How could there be someone so foolish? Just when good days were finally about to come, she had gone and gotten divorced. Now that she was divorced, what would happen to her son, Yaozu?
The more Wang Chunhua thought about it, the angrier and more heartbroken she became.
“Hurry up and come with me to the Ning family. This divorce cannot happen.”
Jiang Yutong ignored her. “Too late. It’s already done.”
Wang Chunhua raised her hands and started swatting at Jiang Yutong’s back. “Why is my life so miserable? I finally looked forward to you becoming a Scholar’s wife, and then you went and got divorced! You’re trying to kill me!”
Jiang Yutong quickly hid behind Aunt Wang and glanced at Jiang Dannian, who stood there like a wooden post.
When Jiang Dannian met Jiang Yutong’s eyes, he quickly lowered his head.
Jiang Yutong sneered inwardly, feeling sorry for the original owner.
Aunt Wang grabbed Wang Chunhua. “The child is already hurting. Stop twisting the knife in her heart.”
“She’s hurting? Then why did she get divorced?”
Wang Chunhua wiped at nonexistent tears. Knowing that the situation could no longer be changed, she immediately asked, “What about the ten taels of silver the Ning family gave you? Your brother is about to get married. Lend it to us for now.”
Even Aunt Wang was stunned. She wondered if she had heard correctly.
Jiang Yutong had just divorced the Ning family and didn’t even have a place to live. Wang Chunhua hadn’t even asked what grievances the girl had suffered in the Ning family, yet she was already eyeing the little bit of money Jiang Yutong had to survive on.
As expected of a stepmother.
Jiang Dannian instinctively tugged at Wang Chunhua’s sleeve.
“Why are you pulling me?” Wang Chunhua snapped. “Did I say anything wrong? Yaozu is already old enough to get married. Since she has money, she should help her own brother out.”
Jiang Yutong said coldly, “I don’t have any money. Since I’ve just gotten divorced and have nowhere to live, I’ll pack up my things and go back with you. I’ve already troubled Aunt Wang enough by staying here.”
Wang Chunhua immediately became anxious. “You know what the Jiang family is like. If you go back, you won’t even have a place to sleep. Your brother is about to get married, and there’s even less room now.”
Aunt Wang really couldn’t stand listening anymore.
“Girl, since we both have the surname Wang, I’ll call you ‘sister.’ But you can’t be this heartless. Yutong has just gotten divorced and only has those ten taels of silver to her name. Not only are you refusing to help her, you’re already thinking about taking that little bit of money from her. Aren’t you trying to take her life?”
Wang Chunhua was already full of anger. She gave Aunt Wang a sarcastic smile.
“Now I understand why you’re being so kind and taking in my Yutong. Could it be that you’ve got your eyes on the money in her pocket?”
Jiang Yutong shouted, “Wang Chunhua, get out! You sold me for ten taels of silver back then. From that moment on, we had nothing to do with each other. Don’t pretend you care about me while spouting this nonsense!”
Aunt Wang was so angry that she grabbed the broom beside her and started hitting Wang Chunhua.
“I’ve never seen anyone like you! Get out of my house right now. I’ll beat that filthy mouth of yours shut!”
With that, she began swinging the broom at Wang Chunhua.
Wang Chunhua dodged while shouting, “If that isn’t what you’re after, then why are you so worked up?”
Aunt Wang then chased Jiang Dannian and Jiang Yaozu out as well, both of whom had been standing there like wooden posts since entering the house.
“Out! All of you, get out! My house doesn’t welcome any of you!”
Just then, Doctor Li and Li Nanxing came in from outside. Seeing the chaotic scene, Doctor Li shouted sternly, “What’s going on here?”
Aunt Wang stood with her hands on her hips, panting from exhaustion.
“Husband, hurry up and drive these people out! As her maternal family, they aren’t here to stand up for the girl at all. They’re only thinking about those ten taels of silver Yutong has!”
Doctor Li had always been highly respected throughout the surrounding villages. Seeing him, Wang Chunhua instinctively toned herself down a little.
“Doctor Li, you’re back. I heard Yutong had gotten divorced, so I came to see how she was doing.”
Aunt Wang spat on the ground. “Hah! What a shameless woman. Get out of here!”
Seeing that Wang Chunhua had no intention of leaving, Jiang Yutong deliberately turned toward the inner room.
“Wait for me. I’ll pack up my things and go back with you.”
There was no way Wang Chunhua would let Jiang Yutong go home with them. She knew there was no chance of getting the money today, so she could only go back and think of another way.
She left while cursing and grumbling under her breath.
Jiang Yutong said to Aunt Wang, “Aunt Wang, don’t be angry. Don’t take anything she said to heart. I know who truly cares about me.”
After spending so much time with Jiang Yutong, Aunt Wang felt even more sorry for her.
“Silly child, I’m not angry. I just feel sorry for you. What a cruel fate.”
Jiang Yutong gently slipped her arm around Aunt Wang’s.
“Once you see some people for who they really are, you won’t expect anything from them anymore. And when you stop expecting anything, you won’t be hurt.”
Li Nanxing stood silently behind Doctor Li, watching Jiang Yutong with an unreadable look in his eyes.
“All right, hurry up and eat breakfast. Later, Nanxing and I will help you clean up the courtyard.”
Aunt Wang patted Jiang Yutong’s hand, secretly deciding that she would have to help the girl more from now on.
After breakfast, Jiang Yutong went with Aunt Wang and the others to the abandoned house at the edge of the village, carrying their tools to clean up the courtyard.
With Li Nanxing as their strong laborer, the work went much faster. In just one morning, they cleared all the weeds from the courtyard and removed the cobwebs.
Looking at the house, which was finally beginning to look somewhat presentable, Jiang Yutong felt a sense of satisfaction.
Aunt Wang stood up. “That’s enough for this morning. Let’s go back and rest. We’ll continue this afternoon.”
Jiang Yutong nodded and set the tools aside.
“Aunt Wang, you must be exhausted. I’ll make lunch.”
Then Jiang Yutong called out to Li Nanxing, “Brother Nanxing, come back and rest for a while.”
Li Nanxing was still clearing trash from the corner of the wall.
“You two go back first. I’ll finish dealing with this.”
Aunt Wang took Jiang Yutong’s hand.
“Let’s go back first. Let him work a little longer.”
Jiang Yutong was filled with gratitude toward Aunt Wang and her family.
“Then, Brother Nanxing, come back soon too.”
Li Nanxing gave a muffled hum and nodded.
Jiang Yutong and Aunt Wang walked back arm in arm.
Along the way, when they ran into villagers, they smiled and greeted them.
“You two look just like a mother and daughter!”
Aunt Wang smiled and patted Jiang Yutong’s hand.
“She’s not my biological daughter, though.”
After returning to Aunt Wang’s house, Jiang Yutong went to the kitchen, drew some water, washed her face, and cleaned her hands. Then she began preparing lunch.