Jiang Nan shuffled closer, sneaking a glance at her aunt’s expression, feeling inexplicably guilty. “Auntie, Xiao Xu, how long have you been waiting? Have you eaten yet? Why don’t we go to the canteen first?”
Better to stall if she could.
Li Xu winked at her mischievously, grinning as if enjoying the spectacle.
“Sis, no need—we already ate at home before coming.”
Hearing that, Jiang Nan had no choice but to steel herself, unlock the dormitory door, and invite them in. She was just about to pour water when her aunt, who had been silent until now, spoke sharply: “Don’t fuss over us. Hurry and eat! Do you even realize what condition your body is in?”
Li Xu quickly took the kettle from her hands and poured water himself.
Truth be told, Jiang Nan had no appetite. “Auntie, why did you come?” she asked, hoping to get it over with quickly.
But her aunt was not so easily swayed. “Eat first. We’ll talk after.”
Resigned, Jiang Nan forced down mouthfuls of rice, all the while watching her aunt and cousin unpack their bundles. Li Xu carried in a bulging sack, while her aunt had a basket strapped to her back—both filled to the brim.
One by one, they laid out the items: a clay stove, earthen jar, aluminum pot, half a bag of charcoal. From the basket came eggs, millet, red dates, and brown sugar. Jiang Nan’s eyes fell on the packet of sugar—it was the very half‑jin she had asked Li Xu to take home. Seeing her aunt had brought it back again, she swallowed her rice hurriedly and protested:
“Auntie, why bring me so many things? And that sugar—that was for you!”
Her aunt shot her a glare. “What would I drink brown sugar water for? Wasteful!”
Li Xu explained gently, “Mom heard me say you didn’t even have a kettle here, so she told me to bring the stove and pot. Don’t worry, these are all spares from home.”
Her aunt added, “Always eating at the canteen isn’t nourishing. When you have time, cook yourself some millet porridge with red dates, or a sugar‑water egg. You need to build your strength. We don’t have much at home, but eggs and millet—we’ve plenty.”
Jiang Nan’s eyes burned. She felt unworthy of such care. After a long pause, she whispered, “Thank you, Auntie.”
Her aunt shifted uncomfortably. “What’s there to thank? We’re family.”
Jiang Nan quickly finished her meal, washed the lunchbox, and returned to sit with them. Her aunt told Li Xu to shut the dorm door, then the two of them each pulled up a stool, sitting opposite her with the air of a stern tribunal.
Jiang Nan sighed, gathered her thoughts, and began to recount everything. From how the original Jiang Nan had supported her husband’s family for over two years, to being struck by Cheng Hao and losing the child, to her mother‑in‑law wanting her to work during confinement, her own counterattack demanding money, and finally—divorce.
Li Xu had barely heard the beginning before he lost control. Even with his mother’s stern presence, he paced restlessly around the cramped dorm room, cursing the Cheng family without pause.
When Aunt Jiang finished listening, her face was dark, her eyes full of pain. She thumped Jiang Nan’s shoulder—not hard, but enough to sting.
“You foolish child! You’ve been bullied like this for years and never breathed a word to your family. What’s that mouth of yours for?”
Jiang Nan tried to explain on behalf of the original self: “At first, ‘I’ thought she wouldn’t be staying long…”
But her aunt grew angrier the more she heard. After a moment to steady herself, she snapped, “And now you think it’s all over?!”
Jiang Nan was bewildered. She had already reclaimed the money, divorced, and apart from Cheng Hao, she wanted no further entanglement with the Chengs.
Her aunt glared at her, frustrated beyond measure. “Is getting the money back enough? What about all the suffering you endured, all the years of hardship? Since the Chengs dared to act so shamelessly, why didn’t you tear the mask off their faces for everyone to see?”
Jiang Nan thought it over—and suddenly it struck her. She was right! Back then, she had kept quiet to avoid gossip from nosy relatives, rushing through the divorce and moving out before anyone could interfere. She hadn’t had the chance. But now that she was settled, she ought to expose the Chengs, let the world see their vile hypocrisy. That kind of humiliation would be far more satisfying.
So she told her aunt, “It’s fine, there’s still time. At the end of the month, when I go to see Cheng Hao, I’ll casually mention a few things to people…”
Her aunt slammed the table, cutting her off. “Why must everything fall on you alone? What do you think we came here for?”
Then she scolded her further: “You’ve always been strong‑willed and independent, bottling everything up, solving it all yourself. But what—your brothers, your cousins, your uncle—are they dead? You should have told us long ago. We would have stormed over to the Chengs and shown them you have family behind you. Would they have dared to bully you then? Would you have had to suffer these two or three years, even divorce?”
Her aunt’s words left Jiang Nan stunned, trembling inside.
The original host had avoided contacting her aunt’s family because she didn’t want to trouble them. But Jiang Nan herself, in handling everything afterward, had simply never thought to ask for help. She was much the same as the original—born into a family that valued sons over daughters. The difference was, Jiang Nan had benefited from the new era and its policies. Thanks to compulsory nine‑year education, even when her parents tried to stop her schooling, the village committee refused, and she managed to finish junior high.
After graduation, her parents refused to pay for high school, expecting her to work and support her younger brother. But she didn’t give up. That was the first time Jiang Nan ever sought help—she went to her junior high homeroom teacher and borrowed three years’ worth of tuition and living expenses for high school.
Her homeroom teacher had been a good person. Though Jiang Nan had no ability to repay at the time, the teacher did not refuse—after a few seconds of silent thought, she agreed.
In high school, Jiang Nan studied with all her strength. Her college entrance exam scores ranked among the top ten in the province. Scholarships and grants from local enterprises poured in. She repaid her teacher in one go, then took the remaining money and her ID card, leaving her hometown alone.
From then on, she walked her path alone for more than ten years.
She grew used to having no backing, no retreat—solving problems on her own. Whether divorce or debt collection, she always tried to handle matters with calmness, as transactions, minimizing harm to herself. She had never thought of relying on others.
But now, hearing her aunt’s words—yes, how simple it could have been. If she had only told her aunt’s family, they would have stormed into the Cheng household, easily reclaimed the money, and taken her away.
The thought was so comforting that Jiang Nan couldn’t hold back a tear.
Seeing her cry, Aunt Jiang wondered if she had spoken too harshly. Her voice softened: “Now you know how to cry. Why didn’t you cry when you were suffering?”
Her words were sharp, but she still pulled Jiang Nan into her arms, stroking her back.
Li Xu, meanwhile, could no longer contain himself. “Sis, just wait—I’ll go throw a sack over that Cheng scoundrel right now!”
“Don’t you dare!” Jiang Nan sniffled, stopping him.
Cheng Denglin was a public servant. If Li Xu attacked him and got caught, he’d be sent to a labor farm for reform. The Cheng family wasn’t worth such a price.
Her aunt studied her niece’s expression, as if something had clicked. Suddenly she asked, “Xiao Nan, tell me honestly—does Cheng have another woman outside?”
Li Xu was shocked and furious. “What? That bastard dares to fool around? He must have a death wish!” He rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight.
Jiang Nan looked at her aunt in surprise—she had never told them this.
“If he hadn’t strayed, why would you divorce?” Aunt Jiang pressed, certain of her conclusion.
Living expenses could be reclaimed, quarrels with mother‑in‑law or sister‑in‑law could be solved by moving out. In Aunt Jiang’s eyes, Xiao Nan and Cheng Denglin had feelings for each other. With concessions from the Cheng family, her niece’s temperament would never have led to divorce. But she had divorced. That could only mean she no longer wanted to live with Cheng Denglin. He must have been the problem.
Jiang Nan exhaled. Though her aunt’s reasoning was off, the conclusion was correct. She didn’t want the original host’s grievances to remain unknown, so she said, “It was with one of his college classmates. He probably thought she was cultured and refined. They carried on ambiguously for a few years.”
At this, Aunt Jiang and Li Xu’s fury shot through the roof. “Scoundrel!” they both roared.
After venting their anger, Aunt Jiang turned to Jiang Nan. “From here on, you don’t need to worry. We’ll go demand justice for you!” With that, she swept out with Li Xu in tow, fiery and determined.
By the time Jiang Nan realized and tried to chase after them, they were already gone—she couldn’t catch up. Aunt Jiang refused to waste time waiting for a bus and urged Li Xu to ride his bicycle instead.
Startled, Li Xu asked, “Mom, do we really need to rush like this? It’s a long way!”
Aunt Jiang replied, “If we’re late, that little sister‑in‑law will have gone off to university. Once she’s away, what good will words do? A few years at college, she’ll come back and everyone will have forgotten. What’s the point then? We have to shame her now, while she’s still at home!”
Back at the residential compound, everything was quiet and peaceful. Jiang Nan had only moved out the day before, leaving no hint of what had happened.
Until— Bang! Bang! Bang!
Aunt Jiang stormed up with Li Xu, pounding on the Chengs’ door with such force that the whole courtyard gathered to watch.
Someone in the yard recognized her and called out, “Ah, Xiao Jiang’s aunt—you’ve come to see her?”
Aunt Jiang turned coldly. “My Xiao Nan divorced and went home long ago. How could I be here to see her? I’m here to demand an explanation from the Cheng family!”
Divorced? The courtyard erupted in shock, eyes wide: Xiao Jiang and Xiao Cheng divorced?
Neighbors exchanged bewildered looks. None of them had known. They had seen Jiang Nan moving things back and forth these past two days, but assumed she was hauling unwanted household goods home to help her rural family. How could it suddenly be divorce?
The crowd clustered together, whispering furiously.
Inside the Cheng house, Mother Cheng bristled at the heavy pounding on the door. *Who dares knock like that—so rude!* She marched to the entryway, but upon hearing Aunt Jiang’s words, she quickly pulled the door open and greeted her with forced cheer: “Ah, dear in‑law aunt, you’ve come! Please, come in and sit!”
“Go inside if you want to talk—stop shouting nonsense out here.”
But Aunt Jiang was naturally fierce, her voice full of power. In recent years, with Li Xu and Zhao Rui bringing home plenty of money, the household had grown prosperous. Aunt Jiang herself had put on weight, and her voice carried even louder. Her words rang through the entire compound: “No need to sit, and don’t pretend we’re relatives. We’re no longer in‑laws!”
She craned her neck past Mother Cheng, demanding, “Where’s that precious daughter of yours? Call her out—I want to see just how thick her skin is, living off her sister‑in‑law like a hired hand!”
When no one appeared, she turned to the gathered neighbors: “You all probably don’t know yet. My niece’s little sister‑in‑law stayed at her mother’s home for two or three years without paying a single cent of living expenses. Everything was covered by her brother and sister‑in‑law. Tell me, former in‑laws, how could you stoop to something so shameless?”
Sure enough, murmurs rippled through the courtyard.
Aunt Guo, hidden in the crowd, suddenly understood. *No wonder Xiao Jiang wanted a divorce.*
Mother Cheng was so furious she could hardly breathe. *How could they say such things in public? How was her daughter supposed to live after this!*
“Speak with a conscience! All of Yixin’s living expenses were handed to Xiao Nan!” Mother Cheng gritted her teeth, raising her voice. Her daughter *had* paid living expenses!
Aunt Jiang sneered. “If Xiao Nan hadn’t demanded it during the divorce, would you have given it?!”
“And I heard Xiao Nan and Xiao Cheng had to hand over fifty or sixty yuan a month. Cheng family, do you think my niece doesn’t cook or buy food? What are you eating—gold and silver—that it costs fifty or sixty a month?”
The onlookers gasped. Fifty or sixty yuan!
One “sharp‑eyed” neighbor chimed in: “Don’t you see the Chengs buying piles of pastries every month, ordering milk and buying formula, eating meat seven or eight times a month? Look at those kids, rosy‑cheeked. How could it not cost fifty or sixty?”
Mother Cheng, hearing the crowd’s whispers, abandoned her usual mild demeanor. Her voice turned shrill: “Xiao Nan and Denglin are already divorced. We haven’t shorted her a single cent. We even let her take away so many things. The accounts are settled. What’s the point of you making a scene now? Do you want more money? I’ll tell you—never!”
“Bah! Who came here to ask for money?” Aunt Jiang spat. “And everything Xiao Nan took was bought with her own money—she never took advantage of you! But you—blind as bats—my niece has wasted away to skin and bones. Even at seventeen or eighteen, working farm labor, she never got this thin! Today I came to see just how thick the Cheng family’s face is, and to let everyone witness what kind of household makes their daughter‑in‑law toil like a beast of burden to support her sister‑in‑law!”
Someone in the crowd sighed, “Xiao Jiang really has grown terribly thin these past two years…”
And suddenly, everyone understood why.
The neighbors shook their heads in agreement.
Mother Cheng, however, grew aggrieved to the point of tears. “Which household doesn’t have the daughter‑in‑law doing laundry, cooking, cleaning, and minding the children? Which of these have I ever made her do?”
Aunt Jiang laughed scornfully. “Don’t play the victim. Did you ever wash Xiao Nan’s clothes? Did you ever clean her room? No, you didn’t! My niece would never live like some pampered lady with food and clothes handed to her. And as for cooking—fine, if you and your husband want to rest at home and let the children cook, that’s understandable. You’ve worked hard all your lives; you deserve comfort. But did your precious daughter or your fine son cook? No! So why was it only my Xiao Nan? Do you still live in the old society, grinding down your daughter‑in‑law?”
Then Aunt Jiang raised her voice, returning to the point. “Your daughter is at home, isn’t she? Why hasn’t she come out? Can’t she hear me shouting? Why doesn’t she come out to defend herself? I want to ask her face‑to‑face: soldiers don’t take a needle or thread from the people, so why is her awareness as a military dependent so low? She lived off her brother and sister‑in‑law for two or three years without giving anything back! And Cheng Denglin—I thought he was decent. But no, while Xiao Nan was at home nursing his child and serving his parents, he was flirting with female classmates at school. Your whole family—no wonder you’re together. Shiny on the outside, filthy within! The stench fills the house!”
Aunt Jiang’s words, fired like a machine gun, left the crowd stunned.
What? Xiao Cheng has another woman outside?
“You’re spouting nonsense…” Mother Cheng tried to retort.
Thud—She couldn’t catch her breath and fainted on the spot.
The courtyard spectators no longer dared to treat it as entertainment. They rushed forward to help. Aunt Guo pressed Mother Cheng’s philtrum while shouting into the house, “Anyone home? Yixin, are you there? Your mother’s fainted!”
At last, Father Cheng and Yixin stumbled out in panic, carrying her off to the hospital.
With the family gone, the drama could go no further.
But Aunt Jiang had achieved her purpose. She beckoned her son to leave.
The neighbors, still shaken by her ferocity, didn’t dare stop her. “Aunt Jiang, you’re leaving?”
Aunt Jiang nodded politely. “Sorry to have disturbed you all today.”
The neighbors were left speechless.
After Aunt Jiang stormed off, gossip spread through the compound like wildfire.
Someone confronted Aunt Guo: “Well, well, Old Guo—wasn’t it you who helped Xiao Jiang switch jobs? You must have known she and Xiao Cheng divorced, yet you didn’t breathe a word. Can we even sit around chatting and cracking seeds with you anymore?”
Aunt Guo protested her innocence. “I truly didn’t know it was like this inside!”
Others sighed in disbelief. “Yixin really fooled us. Outside she acts so gentle and gracious, but at home she lived off her brother and sister‑in‑law without the slightest shame.”
Another scoffed, spitting out a melon seed shell. “Look at her clothes—skirts, coats, leather shoes. How much do those cost? Her monthly salary isn’t enough for that, let alone contributing to the household.”
Someone else added, “And the Cheng couple too—always so mild‑mannered, but when it came to squeezing their daughter‑in‑law, they showed no mercy!”
“And Xiao Cheng—looked respectable enough, but bah, men are all the same!”
The whole family was exposed—appearances deceived. The Chengs were now infamous throughout the compound.
Cheng Denglin, however, knew nothing. That evening, as he rode home, he noticed people whispering and pointing at him. He guessed they had learned of his divorce.
But at the gate, a street loafer sneered, “Denglin, how’s the taste of a female college student?”
Fury surged. He flung down his bicycle, ready to beat the man, but the fellow bolted, grinning back at him with a mocking smile. Swallowing his rage, he returned home. Inside the courtyard, several families peeked at him from behind doors. Entering the house, he found his father grim‑faced, his mother and sister’s eyes swollen like walnuts from crying.
His mother wept and cursed him: “All your fault, marrying that country girl! She brought in such vulgar, shameless relatives!”
When he heard his son say that his aunt had come, quarreled with his grandmother, and left, combined with the gossip outside, he understood. He said nothing, simply washed his hands and prepared to rest.
His mother, seeing his indifference, grew hysterical. “Are you siding with Jiang Nan? Do you blame your sister?” With that, she tore apart the fragile illusion of peace that had hung over the household.
“Shouldn’t I blame her?” Cheng Denglin asked calmly. For two or three years, he had seized every chance to earn money—overtime, business trips—for the meager subsidies. His wife too, working shifts so grueling she barely had time to sleep. Sometimes they came home too exhausted even to speak. They ate and slept in silence, had no patience for the children, drove Cheng Hao toward the grandparents, and grew increasingly disrespectful toward his wife. Could his parents and sister really not see all this? Were their marriage nothing but a joke? That was what Cheng Denglin wanted to ask. But really—was this even worth fearing ridicule?
Gossip spread quickly in the family compound; soon the factory and even Cheng Denglin’s unit had heard the news.
Cheng Yixin no longer dared to step outside. She felt as though everyone was staring, whispering, mocking her! She kept urging her father to hurry and send her off to university. In her mind, leaving was the only escape—once she was at college, no one would know about this, no one would look at her with those strange eyes.
For years, Cheng Denglin’s career had been smooth, but envy and rivals were never lacking. When they caught wind of the scandal, they filed a real-name report with his unit.
Summoned by his superiors, Cheng Denglin stood firm: “I guarantee there is no misconduct. I am willing to accept any organizational review.”
Seeing his confidence, the leaders believed him, trusted their own judgment, and told him to take two days off while awaiting the investigation results. Yet another leader, having heard the rumors, remarked when they met: “Xiao Cheng’s work ability and conduct are excellent, but the instability at home—it can easily affect his performance…”
If things continued this way, it would be hard to entrust him with greater responsibility. Thus, the once-smooth path of Cheng Denglin’s career met its first real setback.