Compared to the anger of the Liu family, Lu Meiyu remained remarkably calm.
Her calmness was, in fact, somewhat uncanny.
“Audacious! These are my Liu family’s children, and you actually dare to say you’ll remarry with them?”
Old Liu once again pointed at her, shouting.
“Then I’ll remarry myself, alright? These two Liu children, you take them back and raise them properly. After all, you hold their father’s military pay—you can’t mistreat them. As for me, after divorcing me, I don’t want any of the little things I got from your Liu family. And don’t ever start counting—one chicken, ten jin of rice, a hoe, and so on. I’m not interested in quarreling over these trivialities.”
Lu Meiyu’s long speech had the onlookers bursting into laughter.
It was indeed strange: the woman being divorced was calm and decisive, while the Liu family, who wanted to divorce her, was furious to the point of nearly spitting blood.
Mrs. Wang jumped out: “These two kids aren’t even yours? You expect our Liu family to raise them?”
“Fine, I’ll raise them. I’ll change their surname to Lu, so they have nothing to do with your Liu family in the future. Li Zheng, write it down like that.”
Lu Meiyu’s voice rose, overpowering Mrs. Wang.
Mrs. Wang was dumbfounded. If, in this village, the two Liu children were officially given Lu’s surname, the whole Liu family would be unable to lift their heads.
Old Liu quickly signaled Li Zheng to stop: “Li Zheng, let’s discuss calmly. No rush.”
“How can I not be in a hurry? I’m not rushing to remarry, but this Liu Qingsheng—he’s completely useless. He went off to serve the entire Liu family as a soldier, dedicating himself to my father-in-law and two younger brothers-in-law. And for what? His military pay is still held by the elders, and his parents, brothers, and sisters-in-law are scheming against his wife and daughters. Meanwhile, his wife and daughters, not protected by anyone, were pushed out of the home.
Out they go, and they still get bullied, robbed, and harassed. Who would want to live like that? I won’t. A useless man like him—what use is he to me? I don’t want him. Whether you divorce me or not, I am cutting ties with him.”
Lu Meiyu spoke with conviction, and the onlookers couldn’t help but nod.
Even Li Zheng and the Liu family members felt a bit of reason in her words.
Indeed, the eldest son goes off to serve, and his wife and daughters are driven out, bullied, and exploited.
It was only now, after enduring so much, that Lu Meiyu started to resist.
Before, the three of them were nearly starving.
The murmur of the crowd made the Liu family restless. Nothing was going as they had planned.
When they heard Lu Meiyu say she wanted to sever ties completely, Zhang exclaimed: “We don’t agree to sever ties!”
“If I choose to sever ties, can you stop me?”
Zhang, hands on her hips, said: “Your son isn’t home—how can you sever ties? With whom?”
“Then divorce me. You want to divorce me only because you don’t want the two children eating your Liu family’s grain, right? Fine, I’ll raise them. They are my flesh and blood, so I will protect them. I will take the two children, and from now on, have nothing to do with the Liu family.”
The topic had circled back.
Old Liu and Zhang’s faces turned pale.
If the two children took Lu’s surname, not only would the Liu family lose face in the village, but when their son returned, what would happen?
They couldn’t even imagine…
Even worse, if Lu Meiyu turned around and remarried with the two children, it would be disastrous.
The Liu family head noticed that Old Liu and Zhang were being cornered, and cleared his throat: “Let me speak fairly. My younger brother never intended to divorce you, hoping to give you a chance. As long as you truly reform, are filial to your in-laws, and treat your brothers and sisters-in-law kindly, you would not be divorced—for now.”
The Liu family members’ expressions brightened, regaining their pride.
“No. I’d rather be divorced. Who wants to be a stifled, humiliated daughter-in-law? I don’t. There’s no need to discuss my situation anymore. I must leave the Liu family. I was blind before, marrying into this ruined household. Now I am clear-eyed! The discussion now is the future of my two children.”
Xiaoxuan and Xiaowei clung tightly to Lu Meiyu, pleading silently.
Lu Meiyu patted their heads to soothe them.
“Fine, we’ll discuss it when my son returns. For the children’s sake, we won’t press the issue this time…”
Zhang realized that Lu Meiyu was unyielding and reluctantly gave herself an out.
“So what’s the real issue here? You want to divorce me, yes, but you’re also worried my two children will eat your Liu family’s grain! You took their father’s pay but won’t feed them. I remember that. Don’t come leeching off my house again. Whether I eat pork or beef, don’t show up again. Otherwise…”
Lu Meiyu’s hand suddenly revealed the black stick again!
The Liu family members all looked terrified.
Lu Meiyu laughed: “See? I said it. This treasure only appears when I am wronged. Otherwise, it stays hidden. Like now! If I hadn’t taught you a lesson in front of so many people, you’d better watch out for yourselves.”
Old Liu suddenly realized: they were still Lu Meiyu’s elders, her in-laws.
No matter what, she couldn’t strike them without reason.
If they divorced her, could she cause chaos in the Liu family at will afterward?
Zhang and the others realized this too, exchanging glances and understanding each other.
They hurriedly stood up, saying nothing about divorce or filial piety, and walked out—looking genuinely afraid.
Li Zheng sighed: “I wonder if your Liu family thinks I’m idle and came just to entertain myself?”
The Liu family head hurriedly tried to appease him: “Li Zheng, we dare not. It’s just that this daughter-in-law has gone too far… but divorce is not necessary. We’ll wait until my nephew returns to settle this.”
The crowd dispersed. Aunt Li and Grandma Zhao deliberately walked last.
Seeing no one paying attention, Aunt Li quietly chided: “Meiyu, don’t be willful. You had me on edge earlier. I was afraid you’d really be divorced.”
“Exactly. I didn’t expect, but this shows your cleverness. You must have anticipated it and used a retreat to advance strategy,” Grandma Zhao added worriedly.
Lu Meiyu smiled: “You two worried for nothing. I wasn’t bluffing or using a feint. I genuinely want to leave. Being divorced is fine, severing ties even better. The only thing I insist on is that the children stay with me.”
Xiaoxuan and Xiaowei finally relaxed, shouting together: “Mom, we must stay with you!”