“I asked around. The Bai family’s daughter was beaten by her husband’s family. She ran back home without even wearing any clothes. Luckily, it happened at night. If it had been during the day…”
“Why? Didn’t Matchmaker Liu say the man’s family had good conditions? Could it have all been a lie?”
Matchmaker Liu was quite famous in the village. Whenever there was a wedding or a funeral, the village couldn’t do without her. Even if she exaggerated a little when arranging marriages, it shouldn’t have gone this far…
“A matchmaker’s mouth is full of lies. If they told the complete truth, would anyone still let them arrange marriages? Before they got married, Matchmaker Liu went to the Bai family and praised the man’s side from head to toe. She said they had this good thing and that good thing—three rooms of brick houses, bedding made with brand-new cotton, and everything needed for eating and daily life already prepared. Who would’ve thought that after the marriage, not only did they have none of those things, but the man was also a cripple? Do you think the Bai family’s daughter could accept that? Of course, conflicts broke out! I heard that a few months ago, the man even beat the child she was carrying out of her. Bai Feng’er stayed in the commune hospital for five days.”
After hearing this, everyone immediately fell silent.
Whose family didn’t have sons and daughters? Hearing something like this, how could they not feel upset? However, they all believed that whether a woman married well or not depended on fate. If someone had good fortune, she could marry into a good family. Perhaps the Bai family’s daughter simply had bad luck.
But there was one thing…
Just two days ago, Matchmaker Liu and Wu Pozi had caused a huge commotion throughout the entire village because of a marriage arrangement. Now this happened again, and Matchmaker Liu’s reputation had already fallen to the brink of collapse.
If this matter was true, who would dare ask Matchmaker Liu to arrange a marriage anymore?
When arranging marriages, she made everything sound wonderful. After marriage, there was nothing. If it were anyone else, who could endure that?
“Just wait and see. The old Bai family and the man’s family are going to have a big fight. I heard the Bai family’s daughter wants a divorce.”
“Divorce?”
The moment everyone heard the word divorce, the atmosphere instantly changed.
In their eyes, it was normal for married couples to argue and fight after marriage. But getting divorced? That was going too far.
They believed in persuading couples to reconcile, not to separate.
While they were talking, several people appeared on the main road. They had ridden bicycles through the darkness and were discussing something as they rode. When they passed the village entrance, they didn’t stop and went straight toward the old Bai family’s house.
Aunt Sun and the others stopped talking as well and instinctively became alert. With their years of experience as the village’s information network, they guessed these people were probably Bai Feng’er’s in-laws.
Could it be that Bai Feng’er’s in-laws had come to make trouble?
What should they do?
Naturally, the villagers were on the Bai family’s side.
Aunt Sun suddenly remembered something.
“Come, come. Someone go to Wu San Ni’er’s house and send word to her. Tell her to hurry over.”
Someone beside her immediately said, “Forget it! Wu San Ni’er is so sick right now that she can’t even get out of bed. How could she come?”
Aunt Sun and Wu San Ni’er were close friends. Most of the village’s gossip was spread by the two of them and a few others. They had a real friendship.
Matchmaker Liu’s matter had frustrated Wu San Ni’er to death. Now this was a perfect chance to let her come over and watch the excitement.
“Go tell her. As long as she can come, her illness will disappear.”
Wasn’t this just making the situation more chaotic?
Lin Yi did not join in their troublemaking.
“Who can go to the team leader’s house and call him over?”
At this moment, the most important thing was to bring the team leader here. When the sky collapsed, they needed someone tall to hold it up—and Liu Dalong was that person.
“I’ll go!”
Yingzi answered and immediately ran off to call him.
Aunt Sun looked at Lin Yi with completely new eyes. She never expected that this girl who wasn’t even twenty years old would actually be more thoughtful than all of them. When something happened, her first thought was to find the leader.
Everyone’s impression of Lin Yi improved considerably.
The Bai family had four adobe houses in total. Outside, there was a circle of mud walls. The walls were not very high, making it convenient for people to watch the commotion.
In the past, Lin Yi had never liked watching gossip, nor did she often interfere in other people’s affairs. She didn’t know whether she had been influenced by these people or whether she simply felt sorry for Bai Feng’er, but she followed them over to watch.
The courtyard was completely silent.
Four old bicycles were messily parked outside the gate. The people outside could only vaguely hear voices coming from inside.
The quieter it was, the more excited the crowd became.
If Aunt Sun hadn’t told them, people wouldn’t have known about Bai Feng’er’s situation or paid much attention. But now things were different. Everyone already knew what had happened, and Bai Feng’er’s in-laws had come again. There was definitely no good reason.
“Are the Niu family’s people here?”
Bai Feng’er’s husband’s family had the surname Niu.
“Who else would come at this time besides the Niu family?”
“Tsk, tsk… Bai Feng’er was such a good girl, yet she ended up marrying into that kind of family. If she hadn’t suffered such a grievance, she wouldn’t have run back home without any clothes on.”
The people outside couldn’t hear clearly and became anxious.
A while later, Yingzi brought production team leader Liu Dalong over.
Liu Dalong walked quickly, his brows furrowed. The town commune officials had just come down to conduct propaganda work and hadn’t even left yet, and now this happened?
Wasn’t this just making the people of Xiao Guan Village lose face?
He already knew about Bai Feng’er running back to her parents’ home yesterday. So when Yingzi delivered the message today, he immediately came over.
“What are all of you doing here?”
Liu Dalong glanced at everyone.
The villagers grinned at him. Liu Dalong couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to them. He already knew what kind of people they were.
As his gaze swept across the crowd, it accidentally landed on Lin Yi, and he froze slightly.
It was because Lin Yi was simply too outstanding. Among the noisy crowd, she stood out like a white swan among a flock of black birds. Who could possibly fail to notice her?
Liu Dalong looked at her a couple more times but said nothing. He stepped into the Bai family’s courtyard.
The people inside were talking when they heard someone enter. They immediately froze.
“Team Leader, why are you here?”
The person who spoke was Bai Jingmin.
Liu Dalong cleared his throat.
“I heard your family had visitors, so I came to take a look.”
He didn’t hide his purpose and spoke openly.
Bai Jingmin immediately felt embarrassed. He didn’t want outsiders knowing about his family’s shameful matters, but since the person who came was Liu Dalong, he couldn’t say anything.
“Captain, please sit. Have some water.”
He hurriedly asked his wife to make tea for Liu Dalong.
Liu Dalong sat steadily in the main seat and looked at the four other people in the room.
These were all Bai Feng’er’s in-laws.
Among them were Bai Feng’er’s husband, Niu Lidong, and Niu Lidong’s mother. Behind them stood Niu Lidong’s younger brother, Niu Lijun, as well as an uncle from the Niu family clan.
When the marriage had been arranged back then, there had been two matchmakers. Xiao Guan Village had Matchmaker Liu, while Niu Family Village had another matchmaker named Niu Youwan.
Today, Niu Lidong had also brought Niu Youwan over. It could be said that they had come with quite an imposing lineup.
After the tea was served, Liu Dalong drank slowly while quietly listening to their conversation.
Niu Lidong hadn’t expected the matter to alarm the team leader, so he was somewhat flustered. However, his mother Zhao Lanfen gave him a look, and Niu Lidong immediately regained his confidence.
They had already discussed everything before coming. No matter what happened, they had to make Bai Feng’er return home with them. That was why they had brought quite a few things.
On the table were four packages of pastries and a piece of pork that looked to weigh more than two jin, tied together with hemp rope. Inside the basket on the ground were also two large pumpkins. Fresh soil still clung to them, clearly showing they had just been picked.
These gifts were quite generous.
Zhao Lanfen spoke first.
“Dear in-laws, you have to talk some sense into this matter. You can’t let the children act however they want. Whose spoon doesn’t bump against the edge of the pot? They can’t just run back to their parents’ home over such a small matter, right? Our Lidong was wrong, and his father and I have already disciplined him. He was beaten and punished as he deserved. Even someone sentenced to death only gets one strike of the blade. I think this matter should just end here. Let Feng’er come home with us. We will definitely treat her well.”
There was nothing wrong with what she said on the surface.
The children were young and foolish. The elders had disciplined their own son and even brought gifts to apologize. In terms of manners, there was nothing to criticize.
Liu Dalong remained silent beside them. Bai Jingmin and his wife also couldn’t find any fault with her words.
Their conversation faintly drifted outside. Although the villagers couldn’t hear every word clearly, they could understand the general meaning.
Some people began to feel that the Niu family had behaved properly, and Bai Feng’er was simply throwing a childish tantrum. She should return home with them.
Zhao Lanfen truly had a clever tongue. She made it sound as if Bai Feng’er was just young and immature, and that married couples shouldn’t run back to their parents’ homes after a quarrel.
Although Bai Jingmin and his wife disagreed with her, they couldn’t refute her directly. Some things were difficult to argue against face-to-face.
At this moment, Niu Lidong suddenly dropped to his knees with a thud.
“Uncle, Aunt, I know I was wrong. Please let Bai Feng’er come back with me.”
He had brought gifts, and his attitude of admitting his mistake was so good. Under such circumstances, Bai Feng’er seemed to have no reason not to return with him.
Just then, Bai Feng’er rushed out of the room.
Her face was deathly pale. When she saw them, she looked as if she had seen ghosts.
“Dad, Mom, I won’t go back with them. I won’t go back! I won’t go back! Their whole family are liars!”
Niu Lidong: “……”
Zhao Lanfen immediately dropped to the ground beside them and began wailing at the top of her lungs.
“How can you talk like that, child? My heart aches as a mother-in-law! My life is so miserable!”
Her cries were so loud and dramatic that everyone in the room was stunned.
Liu Yue’e quickly urged her daughter to say no more.
Although Bai Jingmin was thinking of his daughter, the Niu family had indeed been impeccable in their manners today. Both their words and actions were beyond criticism, which only made him feel even more stifled and resentful. It was obvious that the Niu family had deceived them first, yet he couldn’t even say it outright.
“Feng’er… why don’t you just go back with them?”
Bai Jingmin didn’t want the villagers gossiping behind his back. The groom’s family had already come to apologize with gifts. If they continued refusing, it would make it seem as though the Bai family was the unreasonable one. As for the Niu family’s marriage fraud, they could only swallow their anger.
The Niu family secretly rejoiced.
Niu Lidong immediately got up from the floor.
“Wife, come home with me. Look, Mom came with me to bring you back. Come on, let’s go home.”
Niu Lidong had also brought his younger brother, Niu Lijun. The two brothers grabbed Bai Feng’er by the arms and started dragging her toward the door.
But the moment they reached the entrance, they found Lin Yi standing there, blocking their way.
Lin Yi quietly watched them from the doorway.
At that moment, Bai Feng’er looked like a puppet whose soul had been ripped away. Her eyes were wide open but empty, completely devoid of life.
The instant the Niu brothers saw Lin Yi, they both froze.
After getting a clear look at her face, both of them unconsciously swallowed.
What a beauty… This woman is incredible! If only we could…
Niu Lidong was the first to recover. Raising his voice deliberately, he barked, “Why are you blocking the door?”
No matter how beautiful she was, she could never possibly be interested in men like them. Niu Lidong knew exactly what kind of man he was, and his embarrassment quickly turned into irritation.
Niu Lijun hurriedly tugged on his brother, signaling him not to scare Lin Yi.
Lin Yi stared coldly at the two brothers.
So this was what they really were.
Just moments ago, they had been crying and begging in front of Bai Feng’er, acting pitiful. Yet the moment they saw another attractive woman, filthy thoughts immediately sprang into their minds.
Since she had stumbled into this situation today, she wasn’t about to let them leave without clearing everything up.
When Bai Feng’er heard Lin Yi speak, a glimmer of hope suddenly returned to her despairing eyes.
Just moments ago, even her own parents had begun wavering, urging her to go back. She had never expected someone would actually stand in her way to stop them.
Her own father and mother were pushing her back toward that hell. She truly didn’t know what to do anymore.
Bai Feng’er grabbed Lin Yi’s arm tightly.
“Lin Yi, judge this for me. I don’t want to go back. I won’t go back.”
This was her last hope.
Looking into Lin Yi’s eyes, Bai Feng’er found herself believing, for no reason she could explain, that Lin Yi could save her.
“I won’t go with him! I won’t!”
Bai Feng’er was on the verge of losing her mind.
Everyone was telling her to go back.
Everyone was pushing her toward them.
No one believed her.
Lin Yi gently patted the back of her hand, offering a small measure of comfort.
Though it was only a tiny gesture, it gradually calmed Bai Feng’er, who had been on the brink of breaking down.
“There’s no need to rush back. Isn’t the team leader here? Whatever you have to say, tell Team Leader Liu. He’ll uphold justice for you.”
With a single sentence, she pushed Liu Dalong into the center of the matter.
Liu Dalong had still been sipping his tea. He never expected the issue to land squarely on his shoulders.
Ordinarily, there wasn’t much a production team leader could say about family marriages. As long as the husband and wife weren’t causing a major public disturbance, Liu Dalong had little responsibility. Still, he had a feeling the Bai family’s situation wasn’t so simple.
On his way over, he’d assumed the husband’s family had come to beat someone again. But when he saw how polite and apologetic they appeared, half his worries disappeared. In his mind, what married couple never fought? They fought, then continued living together.
He simply hadn’t expected Lin Yi to dump the burden onto him.
That second daughter-in-law of the Zhou family really is something…
“What Lin Yi says makes sense,” Liu Dalong said. “Since so many people from the Niu family have come, it’s better to clear everything up before anyone leaves. Otherwise, even if Feng’er goes back with you, she’ll still be unhappy, and that won’t do anyone any good.
“Today, I’ll take the liberty of acting as mediator. I’ve watched Feng’er grow up. She calls me Uncle. If there’s anything you want to say, say it to me. If I don’t see any problems after hearing everything, then she can go back with you.”
Liu Dalong could tell that Bai Jingmin and his wife were as silent as gourds with their mouths sawed off. There was no point expecting them to handle this. He would have to step in himself.
The expressions of Niu Lidong and Niu Lijun immediately changed.
Especially when they looked at Lin Yi and Bai Feng’er, their eyes were filled with hostility.
They didn’t dare underestimate Liu Dalong.
But they had never thought much of women.
Before Niu Lidong could speak, his mother, Zhao Lanfang, hurriedly rushed forward.
“You’re the team leader, right? Oh my, how could we trouble you with a little family matter like this? Young couples fight on the heated kang at one end and make up at the other. As elders, we should—”
She was trying to smooth things over and brush the whole matter aside.
Lin Yi immediately smiled.
“Oh, don’t say that. Bai Feng’er is a member of Production Team Three in Xiao Guan Village. Since she’s one of our team members, she’s under our team leader’s responsibility. If there’s any misunderstanding, wouldn’t it be best to clear it all up today?”
Normally, Lin Yi didn’t talk much. She was even a little lazy, often unwilling to waste an extra word.
But whenever she chose to speak, with her eloquence, she had never lost an argument.
Liu Dalong had just been handed an enormous compliment, and he couldn’t help feeling rather pleased.
Even though he knew Lin Yi was deliberately flattering him, it still made him happy.
“Feng’er, if there’s anything you’re unhappy about, just say it.”
Feeling that someone was finally standing behind her, Bai Feng’er’s courage also grew.
“They tricked us into this marriage. When the match was arranged, Matchmaker Liu said the Niu family had everything—three brick-tiled rooms, half a mu of private farmland, and all four major household items. She said that after I married into their family, I wouldn’t have to worry about anything.
“But after I got there, not only did they have none of those things… Niu Lidong is also disabled.”