Whether others felt shame before their ancestors was none of Fang Yao’s concern.
She had acted with a clear conscience from start to finish never wronged a single soul. It was Xu Manjiang and his family who, greedy for the compensation money, had conspired with the Li family to stage this farce. They had threatened to file a report but when she had actually done so, they had folded at the last moment.
If only they had stood their ground filed charges, reclaimed the money, then withdrawn the case Fang Yao would have handed over the cash without complaint.
But now she was the victor and she had no reason to hold back. Standing tall and unflinching, she said:
“Comrades there is no dispute between us that needs resolving. The root of all this lies with them. Let them speak first.”
Turning the blame back on others exactly the trick they had tried on her moments before.
Wang Cuilian could not contain her rage. Her eyes bulged wide with fury as she jumped to her feet and shrieked:
“You have nothing to say? Of course not you’ve latched onto Xu Qingzhou and swindled us out of a fortune! What’s wrong with asking you to return what’s ours? You promised, then went back on your word and called the police! You’re determined to ruin us!”
Xu Manjiang, full of his own grievances, opened his mouth to speak: “Comrades ”
But before he could finish, Old Madam Xu in Wang Hua’s arms let out a sudden, sharp cry of pain.
“Mother! Mother what’s wrong? Don’t scare me!” Wang Hua shook her frantically. Old Madam Xu’s eyes flew open then closed again in mere seconds.
“Mother!” Wang Hua’s voice cracked with panic.
Instantly, Wang Cuilian and Xu Manjiang fell silent. The Li family’s faces hardened with restraint. The two officers rushed forward to check on the old woman.
“The old lady has fainted! Human life comes first set your dispute aside and get her to the hospital immediately!”
With the officers’ help, Wang Hua supported Old Madam Xu and made for the courtyard. Xu Jianshu moved to follow but Wang Cuilian grabbed his arm.
“Where do you think you’re going? We haven’t gotten our money back yet!”
Xu Jianshu, his concern for his mother overriding all else, glared at her and wrenched free. “At a time like this still thinking of that? If anything happens to Mother, I’ll never forgive you!”
He ran out in a panic. In the room, only Wang Cuilian, Xu Manjiang, and the Li family were left staring at one another.
Fang Yao had followed them to the gate but just as they reached it, Old Madam Xu drew a sudden, deep breath and woke up.
She seized Xu Jianshu’s hand at once, her face streaming with tears. “Jianshu… things have come to this. Must you strip away our last shred of dignity? I’d rather you take a rope and strangle me right now!”
“Mother… don’t say such things. You make me sound like a traitor to the Xu family!” Xu Jianshu slapped his thigh, too guilty to meet her eyes.
Old Madam Xu then took the officers’ hands, weeping and begging: “Comrades I beg you! This is a shameful family matter. Please leave us some dignity! Let us resolve it behind closed doors! I beg you stay out of it, will you?”
The officers, caught off guard by this turn of events, exchanged glances neither wanted to get tangled in such a mess.
“Old lady if you can handle this among yourselves, we’ll step back. Just don’t get worked up again your health is what matters.”
“I won’t never again!”
They helped her back into the room. She lay there, gasping for breath as if on her last moments. Xu Jianshu squatted on the floor, hands in his hair, silent and defeated.
One officer spoke up: “The old lady says you’ll handle this yourselves. Does anyone object?”
“No objections!” Xu Jianshu mumbled.
The officers nodded, gave a final warning to “resolve this properly,” and left.
Wang Cuilian saw the compensation slipping away forever. Glancing at the half-conscious old lady, terrified she might actually die of anger, she shifted all blame to Fang Yao.
“Satisfied now? You’ve driven your grandmother to this! Too cheap to pay up, so you called the police to arrest people how can you be so cruel?”
Before Fang Yao could retaliate, Xu Jianshu stood up and roared: “Enough! Be quiet!”
He turned to Li Bonian, his posture slumping in deference. “Father-in-law this is all our fault in the end. We’ll find a way to make up the dowry Xuemiao is owed. We accept that.”
With those words, Xu Jianshu abandoned all hope of getting the money back from Fang Yao.
Li Bonian still maintained his haughty bearing. After twenty years as village chief, he was used to ordering others around not being humiliated on his first visit to his son-in-law’s home. He was seething inside.
“I don’t care how you do it. I’m taking Xuemiao home today. When the dowry is ready, I’ll send her back.”
He turned and walked out first. Li Xuemiao hesitated, exchanging a look with Xu Manjiang but in the end, her mother Liu Feng pulled her away.
Wang Cuilian cried out “Don’t go, daughter-in-law!” and ran after them with Xu Manjiang.
What was supposed to be a friendly family meal had devolved into complete chaos.
Fang Yao stayed to care for Old Madam Xu but the old woman kept her eyes closed, refusing to acknowledge anyone. After telling Wang Hua where she was going, Fang Yao returned to their house.
Wang Hua did not come back until dusk. Wang Cuilian had made some noise in the meantime, but nothing too serious so Fang Yao had stayed put, cooking dinner and waiting for her mother-in-law.
“Mother how’s Grandmother?” Fang Yao asked the moment she walked in.
Wang Hua sighed and then burst out laughing.
“Nothing’s wrong. She was faking it. The Li family had pushed her into a corner she had no choice but to trick them into leaving.”
She sat down at the table, looking at the freshly cooked vegetables and steaming cornmeal buns. The frantic beating of her heart finally slowed to normal.
Fang Yao still worried. She had called the police without consulting anyone and the old lady had clearly looked at her with disappointment.
“Is Grandmother very angry with me for making such a scene?”
Wang Hua did not lie. “She’s angry, yes but I think you did the right thing! We can’t sacrifice your happiness just to save face. I’d rather cut ties with your second aunt than let you suffer with us! All these years, the old lady has favoured them. For once, she was fair about you and Qingzhou’s marriage but then she switched sides again. If she wants to sit on the fence, she’ll have to bear the consequences!”
With her mother-in-law’s support and approval, Fang Yao felt a sudden clarity wash over her.
She also saw a side of Wang Hua she had never witnessed before. Timidity and meekness were not her true nature instead, she was clear-sighted, wise, able to see through everything. And beneath it all lay a quiet wit and ease.
No wonder Xu Qingzhou had grown up to be so outstanding. He had learned from the best.