Lin Yi and Yingzi left the Bai family’s house together. Along the way, Yingzi’s little mouth never stopped chattering.
“Second Sister-in-law, you’re amazing! You could tell at a glance those two men were bad people.”
Yingzi looked at Lin Yi with sparkling eyes, filled with admiration. It embarrassed Lin Yi a little.
Before they had gone very far, Aunt Wu and Xiumei hurriedly caught up with them from behind.
Aunt Wu still had an old, tattered scarf wrapped around her head, looking rather miserable, but the way she looked at Lin Yi was as if she had found her savior.
Without saying a word, she rushed over, grabbed Lin Yi’s hand, and trembled with excitement.
“Lin Yi, you’ve finally cleared my name this time. Don’t worry. If you ever need anything from me, just say the word!”
Xiumei also said shyly,
“Sister Lin Yi, you’re a good person.”
Lin Yi was speechless.
Only then did she realize that although Bai Feng’er’s situation appeared to be a divorce dispute between the Bai and Niu families, at its root it had all been caused by Matchmaker Liu’s deception.
Had Matchmaker Liu not concealed the truth and lied during the matchmaking, none of this would have happened.
This incident had thoroughly slapped Matchmaker Liu across the face in front of the entire village.
Aunt Wu had finally been able to hold her head high again.
“I won’t say anything more. Just remember, if you ever need me, call for me.”
With that, she hurried away with Xiumei.
Meanwhile, everyone in the Zhou family had become anxious.
Lin Yi and Yingzi had been gone for such a long time that they were beginning to worry and were about to go looking for them.
Zhou Lijun and Meng Juan were also standing outside, looking around anxiously.
Recently, Lin Yi had caused one major incident after another—trying to smash her head against the wall, wanting to remarry…
The Zhou family had been thoroughly frightened.
“Mom, do you think Lin Yi ran away?” Meng Juan guessed.
Liu Huilan was annoyed.
She didn’t believe Lin Yi had run away. If she wanted to leave the Zhou family, she would have done so openly.
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
Meng Juan pursed her lips and fell silent.
Just then, Yingzi came skipping back, happily linking arms with Lin Yi.
As the father-in-law, Zhou Xiangdong found it inappropriate to say much, so Liu Huilan quickly stepped forward.
“Why are you back so late? I was just about to send your elder brother and sister-in-law to look for you.”
Before Lin Yi could answer, Yingzi excitedly blurted out,
“Something happened at the Bai family! Bai Feng’er ran back to her parents’ home yesterday. Today her husband’s family came to take her back, so we all went to watch.”
“Really?”
Liu Huilan had stayed home these past two days and hadn’t heard a thing.
“Bai Feng’er has always been such a pretty, clever girl… it’s just a pity about the family she married into…”
She had heard before that Bai Feng’er hadn’t married well and had always felt sorry for her.
“It’s all that Matchmaker Liu’s fault. Why couldn’t she just tell the truth about the groom’s family? She hid this and concealed that. Of course Bai Feng’er was going to make a fuss after discovering the truth.”
Yingzi added,
“Sister Bai Feng’er is getting divorced tomorrow.”
“Divorced?”
The entire Zhou family froze.
The word “divorce” was still something very unusual.
Village couples arguing or even fighting was perfectly normal.
Sometimes people couldn’t even be bothered to watch.
But someone actually getting divorced?
That was something entirely different.
Lin Yi quietly stood to one side without saying anything.
Whenever there was no need for her to speak, she never said more than necessary.
Seeing that Lin Yi was safe and unharmed, Liu Huilan finally relaxed.
Compared to Bai Feng’er, she naturally cared much more about her own daughter-in-law.
Other people’s family matters were beyond their control.
“Alright, alright. Let’s all go home and get some sleep. It’s getting late.”
People in the village usually ate as soon as it became dark and went to bed early.
A night this late was a rare occurrence.
“I’m sleeping with Sister-in-law!”
Yingzi happily followed Lin Yi into the room.
Neither Zhou Xiangdong nor Liu Huilan stopped her.
Smiling warmly, Lin Yi found herself genuinely fond of the little girl, treating her like a younger sister.
“Sister-in-law, if you hadn’t stopped them, Bai Feng’er would’ve been taken away. She looked so pitiful.”
“Shh…”
Lin Yi whispered.
“Don’t tell Mom.”
Yingzi grinned.
“Pinky promise!”
The two hooked their little fingers together and winked at each other.
After entering the room, Yingzi skillfully carried in a basin of cool water.
The two washed their feet before climbing onto the heated kang.
Yingzi naturally took out her second brother’s brand-new quilt, spread it out, and climbed underneath it.
Lin Yi was speechless.
This little girl really didn’t treat herself as an outsider.
“Sister-in-law, you smell so nice.”
Wrinkling her little nose, Yingzi sniffed around Lin Yi like a curious puppy before rubbing against her affectionately.
At only fourteen or fifteen years old, Yingzi hadn’t fully grown yet.
Even so, anyone could tell she would become very beautiful.
Her eyebrows, eyes, and nose looked remarkably similar to those of the Zhou brothers.
The Zhou family clearly had strong genes.
Their facial features were sharply defined, especially their high noses and pronounced brows.
Yingzi suddenly sighed.
“Those men are so awful. I’ll never marry someone like that. Someday I’ll marry a good man like my Second Brother or Third Brother.”
Lin Yi was speechless again.
How had the conversation suddenly turned to finding a husband?
She couldn’t help wondering what kind of man Zhou Lixing had been.
Although she had never met him, she was certain he hadn’t been a bad person.
Even though he would never come back…
Lin Yi suddenly felt that staying with the Zhou family had been well worth it.
Early the next morning, someone knocked loudly on the Zhou family’s front gate.
Zhou Xiangdong had gotten up early to sweep the courtyard.
Opening the gate, he looked at the visitor in surprise.
“Why are you here so early? What’s the matter?”
Standing outside was Zhao Erzhu.
Seeing Zhou Xiangdong, he stammered,
“Uncle Zhou… I’m looking for Lin Yi… I’ve got something to tell her.”
“Looking for who?”
Zhou Xiangdong immediately became alert.
Just a few days ago, he and his wife had been worried that Lin Yi might leave their family.
Now the thing they feared most was seeing her talking to another man.
He looked Zhao Erzhu up and down.
The young man was dark-skinned, sturdy, and not particularly handsome.
Surely Lin Yi wouldn’t be interested in someone like him…
As a father-in-law, he knew he shouldn’t think that way.
But what choice did he have?
His daughter-in-law was simply too beautiful.
“What do you need? You can tell me.”
“No… I need to talk to Lin Yi. Not you.”
“What can’t you say to me?”
Zhou Xiangdong frowned.
The people inside the house had also heard the commotion.
“Dad, is someone looking for me?”
Lin Yi called from inside as she walked into the courtyard.
Today she was wearing a red plaid cotton jacket, black trousers, and blue canvas shoes.
Her hair had been pinned up neatly, revealing her smooth forehead and snow-white neck.
Bathed in the soft morning sunlight, her striking features seemed to glow with a radiant brilliance that made people almost afraid to look directly at her.
“Dad, Team Leader Liu needs me for something. I’ll head over first. Don’t wait for me for breakfast. Just let Mom know.”
With that, she left together with Zhao Erzhu.
Zhao Erzhu was so captivated that he almost lost his senses.
He didn’t even know how his own legs had carried him out of the Zhou family’s courtyard.
Zhou Xiangdong was equally bewildered.
Still, if the team leader had summoned Lin Yi, then it must truly be official business.
In the village, no one questioned Liu Dalong’s integrity.
But what could he possibly want with Lin Yi?
Turning to his wife, Zhou Xiangdong asked,
“Yingzi’s mother, why do you think the team leader is looking for Lin Yi?”
Liu Huilan shook her head.
“How would I know? But if it’s the team leader, it shouldn’t be anything bad. He’s an upright man. He’d never have improper intentions toward our daughter-in-law.”
Yingzi hurried over and explained,
“It’s because of Sister Bai Feng’er. She’s going to get divorced today, and she probably wants someone to accompany her, so they asked Second Sister-in-law to go.”
The moment the elderly couple heard that, their faces turned pitch black.
Just a few days ago, Lin Yi had wanted to remarry.
Now she was accompanying someone to get divorced.
Wasn’t that…
Wasn’t that practically setting an example for Lin Yi?
What if seeing the divorce made Lin Yi start wanting one herself?
Deep down, they still believed their son wasn’t truly dead.
As long as Lin Yi remained with the Zhou family, they could continue believing that their son was still serving in the army.
If Lin Yi suddenly left now…
They simply couldn’t bear it.
Perhaps, given more time, it would become easier.
“This Liu Dalong…” Zhou Xiangdong muttered unhappily. “Why did he have to ask Lin Yi to go? Divorce isn’t exactly something worth encouraging.”
He had actually started blaming Liu Dalong.
If his daughter-in-law ever ran away, he’d hold Liu Dalong responsible.
Though Zhou Xiangdong was usually quiet and looked honest, he was actually someone who held grudges.
Liu Huilan, on the other hand, was more broad-minded.
Then again, she had little choice but to be.
“Oh, enough already. Lin Yi’s just going over to help. Stop imagining things.”
Lin Yi would have left long ago if she had truly wanted to. There was no need for them to worry themselves sick over it. Liu Huilan had already come to terms with that.
Lin Yi followed Zhao Erzhu to the Bai family home.
Bai Feng’er had been waiting for her since early morning.
To Bai Feng’er, Lin Yi was now her lifeline.
Everyone else had been urging her to return to the Niu family.
Only Lin Yi had told her to make her own decision.
The members of the Niu family also came out of the west wing.
The day before, Niu Lidong had wanted to leave, but the Bai family had insisted they stay the night, leaving them no chance to escape.
They had been treated to good food, good drinks, comfortable lodging, and even had people accompanying them while they drank and chatted.
How could they possibly have slipped away?
Besides, the village patrol had reportedly been on duty throughout the village all night.
Lin Yi immediately said,
“Team Leader, send someone to the Niu Family Village and ask the production team leader of Team Two to come over.”
Things had already escalated to this point.
Without the production team leader present, there was no way to settle the matter properly.
She was also taking precautions in case the Niu family became desperate and resorted to reckless measures.
Liu Dalong hadn’t gone home the previous night either.
Lin Yi’s words immediately reminded him.
“Right! Hurry and get Niu Laoliu over here.”
The production team leader of Niu Family Village was named Niu Laoliu.
Liu Dalong often met him during meetings at the commune, and the two had even shared drinks together. They knew each other well.
Since this involved one of his villagers, the production team leader had to be present.
Turning to Lin Yi, Liu Dalong said,
“Lin Yi, stay with Bai Feng’er and don’t be afraid. Whatever happens, the people of our village won’t stand by and do nothing. They’ve bullied someone right to our doorstep. Is there no justice left?”
Liu Dalong’s booming voice carried throughout the courtyard.
Niu Lidong and the others heard every word clearly and were so intimidated that none of them dared say a single thing.
Meanwhile, the Bai family prepared a communal meal.
A large pot of cabbage stew simmered over the stove, while another pot held freshly baked cornmeal flatbreads.
Bai Jingmin warmly invited everyone to eat, making the atmosphere feel almost like the New Year.
Of course, the Bai family also remained perfectly courteous toward the Niu family, serving each of them a full bowl of cabbage stew.
As the Niu family ate, however, every bite tasted bitter.
They had come here expecting to prevent a divorce.
Yet the Bai family looked almost… happy.
On top of that, they themselves had committed marriage fraud.
Back then, they had owned practically nothing, and all those promises about the bride price and household possessions had been nothing but empty boasts.
Their guilty conscience had already been weighing on them.
Now, under these circumstances, they felt even more uneasy.
Yesterday, they had loudly claimed they didn’t care if Bai Feng’er left them.
That had only been empty bravado.
Now that the Bai family genuinely wanted a divorce, they no longer had any arrogance left.
Zhao Lanfen ground her teeth in anger.
She hated the Bai family.
And she hated Lin Yi even more.
If that little widow hadn’t interfered, things would never have reached this point yesterday.