Outside the Gao residence, Aunt Hao was so enraged by Gao Old Lady’s twisted reasoning that she nearly rolled up her sleeves to argue with Xing Zhaozhao on her behalf, but Xing Zhaozhao stopped her.
“It’s fine, Auntie, I can handle this myself,” Xing Zhaozhao said, handing Xiao Hongling over to Aunt Hao. “Could you please keep an eye on Xiao Hongling for me? I don’t want her to get scared later.”
Aunt Hao took Xiao Hongling with a puzzled expression: “Scared?”
What did she mean?
The next moment, she watched as Xing Zhaozhao walked up to the Gao family’s front door, lifted her foot, and delivered a powerful kick.
With a loud “BANG,” the entire door shook violently.
Aunt Hao stood nearby, utterly dumbfounded.
Such… incredible strength!
Hongfei and Hongyu watched their mother, their little faces flushed with excitement and amazement.
This was the first time they had discovered their mother could be so formidable.
Xing Zhaozhao frowned at the still-closed door.
It didn’t open?
Another kick.
Another resounding “BANG” followed, and the door bolt snapped with a sharp “CRACK.” The previously shut door swung wide open instantly.
Inside, Gao Old Lady stared at her broken door in stunned disbelief, watching as Xing Zhaozhao strode in from outside.
Was this really the same second daughter-in-law she knew?
Xing Zhaozhao entered the Gao house without acknowledging the stunned Gao Old Lady and headed straight for the room she had previously occupied.
Truthfully, even without going inside, she knew what it would look like—completely ransacked.
It had been the same in her previous life.
Back then, she had let it slide to secure her stay.
But not in this lifetime.
Seeing Xing Zhaozhao’s aggressive demeanor, Gao Old Lady knew trouble was brewing and immediately called for Gao Meimei: “Quick, go get your grandpa and parents! Tell them the Traitor’s Wife is back…”
Gao Meimei nodded and dashed off in a flash.
No sooner had Gao Meimei left than Xing Zhaozhao emerged from her room, staring expressionlessly at Gao Old Lady: “Where are my things?”
Gao Old Lady stiffened her neck in denial: “How should I know?”
If she wouldn’t talk, then she’d have to search for herself.
Xing Zhaozhao turned and marched directly into Gao Old Lady’s room.
“What are you doing? Stop right there!” Gao Old Lady panicked, trying to grab Xing Zhaozhao.
Unexpectedly, not only did she fail to hold her back, but she was also dragged into the room along with her.
Gao Old Lady: “??”
Gao Old Lady hurriedly yelled at her grandchildren standing idly by: “What are you all standing there for? Come help your grandma!”
The children snapped out of their daze and rushed forward en masse.
Hongfei and Hongyu couldn’t stand by and watch their mother at a disadvantage, so they charged in too, quickly tangling with the other children in a scuffle.
Aunt Hao watched from the sidelines, her blood boiling with the urge to help. But with the child in her arms, she couldn’t join the fray, anxiously pacing in circles.
Just then, her daughter Hao Xiu’ning from next door heard the commotion and came out to see what was happening: “Mom, you’re back? What’s going on?”
Aunt Hao thrust the child into Hao Xiu’ning’s arms: “Watch the child for me. I’m going in to help your Sister Zhaozhao.”
Without waiting for a response, she charged into the Gao house: “Liu Cuihua…”
Meanwhile, the work in the fields had finally ended.
Villagers began trickling back home in small groups.
Gao Meimei quickly spotted Gao Old Man and her parents in the crowd and rushed over. “Grandpa, Dad, Mom, something terrible has happened! The traitor’s wife is back and she’s trying to take her things back!”
The Gao family’s expressions instantly darkened upon hearing this, especially the wives of Gao Laoda and Gao Laosan. When Gao Old Lady had looted Xing Zhaozhao’s belongings, they had participated too and even secretly kept quite a few items for themselves.
Without another word, they immediately dashed home.
Gao Old Man, his face grim, was about to follow when someone grabbed his arm firmly.
“What were they just saying? ‘Traitor’s wife’? Is that how you usually refer to Mingcheng’s wife? The higher-ups in the troops haven’t even confirmed any evidence or reached a conclusion yet, and you’re already smearing your own child with such a filthy label? How dare you, Gao Dahe?”
The stern voice, tinged with anger, sent a shiver down Gao Old Man’s spine.
He slowly turned to look at the person holding him and forced a stiff smile. “Cousin Dahai…”
Gao Dahai was Gao Old Man’s cousin from his paternal uncle’s family and also the brigade leader of the village.
“Mingcheng’s wife was discharged from the hospital today? How come I didn’t know? Why didn’t any of you go to pick her up? And what did Meimei mean about taking her things back? Did you seize her belongings while she was away?” Brigade Leader Gao fired off questions one after another.
Cold sweat dripped from Gao Old Man’s forehead, but he couldn’t utter a word.
Brigade Leader Gao glared at him angrily. “You people really have the nerve to do such things.”
With that, he strode quickly toward the Gao family home.
The others, their eyes gleaming with curiosity, forgot about their meals and followed along to see the commotion.
By the time they arrived, a large crowd had already gathered outside the Gao family home.
Thinking about how rare it was for the village to produce someone as promising as Gao Mingcheng—who, at just thirty, had already become a battalion commander in the troops with a limitless future ahead—and now, while his fate on the front line remained uncertain, his wife and child were being bullied right under everyone’s noses, Brigade Leader Gao felt a vein throbbing angrily at his temple.
He quickly pushed through the crowd and squeezed inside, only to freeze at the scene in the Gao family courtyard. “What… what on earth is going on here?”
The courtyard was in complete chaos. Gao Old Lady was pinned to the ground by Aunt Hao, unable to move. The couples of Gao Laoda and Gao Laosan were groaning on the ground, each with a slap mark on one side of their faces. Even the children had been subdued by the combined efforts of Hongfei and Hongyu.
In the middle of the courtyard, a bedsheet was spread out, piled high with clothes, quilts, shoes, cups, basins, and even scattered money and ration tickets.
Then, Xing Zhaozhao emerged from Gao Laoda’s room carrying an armful of items. She casually tossed them onto the bedsheet in the courtyard, brushed off her hands, and said, “Alright, that should be all of it.”After saying this, she bundled everything into a large bundle using the bedsheet and even lifted it to test its weight.”
Everyone around was stunned speechless.
“Mi-Mingcheng’s wife…” Brigade Leader Gao finally found his voice after a long pause.
Xing Zhaozhao turned to him, her eyes lighting up. “Brigade Leader, you’re here! I was just about to look for you. I can’t stay in this house for another day…”
Before she could finish, Brigade Leader Gao understood. “You want to separate from the family?”
Indeed, if it were him, he wouldn’t be able to stay in such a family either.
But Xing Zhaozhao shook her head.
Captain Gao: “??”
“I want to sever family ties,” Xing Zhaozhao said.