Upon hearing this, Han Xiaorui pressed the stop button and opened the door. “Officers, my former mother-in-law has been insulting me, threatening me, and attempting to extort me, which seriously endangers my personal safety. This is the evidence.”
Han Xiaorui shook the tape recorder in her hand and, in front of Zhang Xiufang, Yang Zhigang, and the villagers who had gathered to watch the spectacle, pressed the play button.
The voices of Zhang Xiufang insulting, threatening, and extorting Han Xiaorui emanated from the recorder, along with the sounds of her kicking and pounding on the door.
Upon hearing this, the two officers’ expressions turned serious, and they immediately restrained Zhang Xiufang.
Ye Feng looked around the scene and pointed to a few people who had been at the pier earlier that day. “At noon, you all were at the pier, so you should have seen the yellow croakers being unloaded from Comrade Han Xiaorui’s boat.”
If it weren’t for Ye Feng, those people might not have testified for Han Xiaorui, an outsider. But Ye Feng was wearing a military uniform; if they lied, they could be breaking the law and face detention. Therefore, they answered truthfully without hesitation: “Yes, I saw it. It was Han Xiaorui who caught those yellow croakers; she was there before Yang Zhigang returned.”
Another officer took down their statements, and these individuals signed their names and pressed their fingerprints to verify that the yellow croakers belonged to Han Xiaorui.
Zhang Xiufang tried to struggle, but the officers held her arms firmly. “I… let me go! I just heard it from someone else. We are all one family; this is just a domestic dispute.”
Han Xiaorui narrowed her eyes and said coldly, “I am already divorced from your son; I am no longer part of your family. This is not a domestic dispute; this is a matter of social order.”
Yang Zhigang opened his mouth, wanting to ask Han Xiaorui to let Zhang Xiufang go. But then he remembered how Zhang Xiufang would throw tantrums and say whatever nonsense came to her head—she needed to be taught a lesson to remember it in the future.
Wu Cuicui looked anxious. “Xiaorui, Second Aunt was wrong to curse at you.”
Han Xiaorui smiled. “Sister Cuicui, if it were anything else, I would give you face. But today, I must have Zhang Xiufang taken in. If the police do not detain her, I will go to the city, spend money to hire a lawyer, and sue. There is always a place to seek justice.”
When the officers heard this, they quickly handcuffed Zhang Xiufang and put her in the police car.
The situation was clear: a former mother-in-law was harassing her divorced daughter-in-law and trying to extort money from her. And this daughter-in-law was no pushover; she had recorded the evidence. If they handled it as a regular domestic squabble and tried to smooth things over as usual, and this Han Xiaorui went to the city to hire a lawyer, they would be held responsible. A reprimand would be a light consequence; they could even face disciplinary action! Given the circumstances, following the law strictly was the safest path.
Zhang Xiufang looked at Yang Zhigang, shouting frantically, “Yang Zhigang, you heartless man, save me! Are you hoping I go to jail so you can go off with this little vixen?”
Yang Zhigang, who had been worried, turned even darker with anger upon hearing this. “Zhang Xiufang, your tongue is your own undoing. I, Yang Zhigang, walk upright and sit straight. I have never done anything shameful in my life, let alone anything filthy.”
“Han Xiaorui will always be the mother of my granddaughters, Pingping and An’an. If I ever did anything so wicked, may I be struck by lightning, sink to the bottom of the sea, and be fed to the fish!”
After saying this, Yang Zhigang turned and left, ignoring Zhang Xiufang entirely.
Han Xiaorui looked at Zhang Xiufang with sharp eyes. “I warned you before: I am divorced from your son, so don’t come and trouble me. You treated my words like wind.”
“You listened to a few words of instigation and came over here to curse, extort, and threaten me. If I don’t deal with you this time, how am I, a divorced woman with two children, supposed to make a stand here in Jinshan Bay?”
The local people who had previously looked down on Han Xiaorui never expected her to be so ruthless! This was truly the path to sending her former mother-in-law to jail! Zhang Xiufang had wanted to curse back, but upon hearing Han Xiaorui, she instantly shrank back.
“Xiaorui, I was wrong. It was all because Song Laoer’s wife told me nonsense, saying Yang Zhigang sold hundreds of jin of yellow croakers and gave all the money to you…”
Han Xiaorui laughed coldly. “Do you think I believe your apology is sincere? Someone like you belongs inside to reflect.”
“Just wait. I will hire a lawyer tomorrow. Wait to be sued by me!”
“Thank you, Comrade Ye. Today is not a good day to host you; I apologize.” Han Xiaorui closed the door firmly.
Ye Feng sympathized with Han Xiaorui. It was truly difficult to be slandered when you were the one working so hard to catch the fish. He gave the officers a signal, and seeing this, they quickly drove off, taking Zhang Xiufang with them! They would detain her first and figure out the rest later!
The onlookers outside were left stunned.
“This outsider daughter-in-law is really tough!”
“She really is ruthless—she actually sent her mother-in-law in.”
“I always thought Han Xiaorui was quiet, but she’s truly something. It’s true what they say: the quietest dogs bite the hardest!”
“How could she not be strong? Have you ever seen anyone catch seven hundred jin of large yellow croakers alone?”
“Alright, don’t talk about her like that. With her children in that condition and Yang Jianguo abandoning her, the fact that she stayed and protected them shows she is a good mother and a good woman.”
“Exactly. Everyone knows Zhang Xiufang’s foul temper. Yang Zhigang is the most upright person in the village; how could he do such a filthy thing?”
Wu Cuicui quickly added, “Exactly. My Second Uncle’s character is known to everyone in the village, so don’t spread rumors. It was that couple, Song Laoer and his wife—they went too far. Because Xiaorui didn’t sell the croakers to him, he had his wife go and spout nonsense to Second Aunt.”
Hearing Wu Cuicui’s explanation, the villagers understood what had happened and dispersed one by one.
Once everyone had left, Wu Cuicui knocked on the door. “Xiaorui, it’s your Sister Cuicui!”
Seeing that no one else was outside, Han Xiaorui welcomed her in. “Sister Cuicui, come in. I apologize for my harsh tone earlier; please forgive me.”
Seeing Han Xiaorui’s attitude was good, Wu Cuicui sighed in relief. “Actually, I think you did the right thing. My Second Aunt doesn’t know how to keep her mouth shut; she just spouts nonsense. I couldn’t even bear to listen to the things she was saying to you.”
“But, since we’re neighbors, are you really planning to sue my Second Aunt?”
Han Xiaorui smiled. “Sister Cuicui, I will tell you the truth, but you must keep it a secret. You can tell Uncle Yang, but do not tell Zhang Xiufang.”
Wu Cuicui nodded repeatedly. “Xiaorui, I know what’s important; I’m not a gossip. To be honest, I’m often annoyed by my Second Aunt’s foul mouth.”
However, her husband’s parents had passed away long ago, and she had been raised by the Second Uncle and Second Aunt. Although they weren’t her formal mother-in-law, they were still her elders. Wu Cuicui couldn’t just watch her Second Aunt go to jail. Of course, knowing her Second Aunt and the locals, if she really went to jail, it might not necessarily be a good thing for Han Xiaorui. After all, the sword hanging over one’s neck is the scariest part; once someone is killed, it no longer intimidates those who needed intimidating.