She froze for a long while, then looked toward Father Zhao. Seeing that he had not spoken for some time and that his expression was rather grim, her heart tightened.
“Xiao Yun, who did you hear this from?” Father Zhao fixed his gaze on Zhao Meiyun, wanting to know how she had learned of this matter.
If Lin Siya truly could not bear children because of the medicine, the Lin family would definitely keep this secret. They would never tell outsiders. Then where had Xiao Yun heard it from?
And did his son know about this?
Zhao Meiyun’s eyes flickered. She did not want to expose Wang Tingting, so she remained silent.
“Old man, if this is true, what should we do? I do not want a daughter in law who cannot give me a grandson,” Mother Zhao said anxiously. She had no desire for a wife who could not bear children.
“Whether it is true or not, we will know once we go to the Lin family. Let’s go,” Father Zhao decided. If Lin Siya truly could not have children, then the Zhao family would have no choice but to wrong her.
As for the life-saving debt of gratitude from back then, they could only repay it in some other way.
“I am not going,” Zhao Meiyun said. She did not want to go and apologize to Lin Siya.
“You must go. If you do not, then get out of the Zhao family,” Father Zhao snapped. He was already irritated over the issue of Lin Siya’s ability to bear children, and hearing his daughter refuse made his temper flare.
“Xiao Yun, we will go. We must go. Be good, let’s go,” Mother Zhao quickly coaxed her daughter.
Zhao Meiyun thought that if they went to question Lin Siya directly, and if it turned out she truly could not bear children, then she should stop occupying a place she could not fulfill.
“All right,” she agreed.
The three from the Zhao family headed together toward Linjia Village, stirring up gossip once again.
At the educated youth compound.
“I just saw the Zhao family going to Linjia Village,” a tall man in a cotton jacket said as he patted another man dressed similarly. Seeing no response, he continued, “What’s wrong with you?”
“Junzi, actually, it was because of me that… that Lin girl was seen and those rumors spread,” the man replied.
His name was Zhang Jianghua, from Beijing. That day, he had run into Lin Siya by chance. Knowing her father was a doctor, he thought she might also understand medicine and wanted to get some from her. He had not expected it to cause such trouble. These past few days, it had tormented him so much that he could not rest well.
The first man was called Ding Jun. Hearing this, his mouth fell open. After a long while, he finally said, “Huazi, no way. Then why did you not go explain it? I heard Lin Siya almost lost her life. Her husband has come back, but she is still staying at her parents’ home.”
Zhang Jianghua looked miserable. “How could I explain? If I explain, people might misunderstand her even more. I can only wait until she returns to the Zhao family, then explain. I just do not know whether she will end up divorcing because of me.”
Ding Jun could tell what kind of person Huazi was.
“It probably will not lead to divorce. But honestly, that Lin girl really is beautiful. She does not look like a village girl at all, more like someone from the city. I heard she graduated from high school. Huazi, if she really does divorce, what will you do?”
Zhang Jianghua did not know. He felt conflicted and guilty. He had been in Zhaojia Village for almost five years. They had been sent down to the countryside right after graduating high school, and no one knew when they could return to the city.
Most educated youths did not want to settle down in the countryside.
“I do not know,” Zhang Jianghua said quietly. If Lin Siya divorced because of him and he married her right away, would that not invite gossip? But after all, the matter had started because of him.
“Huazi, I will help you keep an eye on things,” Ding Jun said. They had known each other for years. He had long heard of Lin Siya’s good reputation in the neighboring Linjia Village. But because she was a rural woman and already betrothed, many people had given up their thoughts.
“Junzi, forget it,” Zhang Jianghua said, slumping against the bed, listless.
“Huazi, do you dislike that Lin Siya has been married?” Ding Jun asked cautiously. Since they had known each other for years and got along well, he dared to ask.
Zhang Jianghua shook his head. “It is not that I dislike it. I just do not know when we will be able to return to the city.”
“Huazi, do you think we can really go back to the city? Will the country reopen the college entrance examination?” Ding Jun asked. As the second son in his family, with parents who valued the eldest and doted on the youngest, he had never been particularly cherished. If he wanted to return to the city, he could only rely on himself. After spending years in Zhaojia Village and seeing some educated youths return, his heart had grown uneasy.
“We will definitely return. It is just a matter of which year,” Zhang Jianghua sighed.
At the Lin household.
Lin Siya, Lin Jianshe, and Zhao Tianlei had just returned home and had not even had time to sit down and drink water when the Zhao family trio arrived.
“Father, Mother,” Zhao Tianlei greeted, thinking they had come to apologize.
Zhao Meiyun stared at Lin Siya. After only a few days, Lin Siya seemed even more beautiful. Her dislike deepened.
Lin Siya was now at the peak of the Qi Refining stage and far more sensitive than ordinary people, especially to hostile gazes. She felt the unkind look immediately.
She did not greet them and pretended to be mute.
Zhao Tianlei glanced at her but said nothing.
“We came today to apologize. Xiao Ya, please forgive your mother in law and your sister in law,” Father Zhao said after greeting Father Lin and Mother Lin, stating their purpose.
“Father, you have not even asked whether the medicine Lin Siya took affected her ability to bear children,” Zhao Meiyun said impatiently, directly voicing the suspicion their family had been harboring.
The Lin family members all turned to look at Zhao Tianlei at once, assuming he must have said something.
“Who said that?” Father Lin asked calmly. At his age, he was still sharp eyed. It was clear they had come to confirm something, likely guessed by someone with ulterior motives.
“Isn’t it true?”
“Of course not,” Mother Lin denied without hesitation. This girl actually dared to come.
“Dear in laws, are you here to apologize or to ask about this matter? Do not forget, it was you, the mother in law and sister in law, who slandered my daughter and forced her to prove her innocence with death. Now you come asking about this. Are you here to verify whether it is true, and if it is, to make them divorce?”
With one statement, Mother Lin exposed the Zhao family’s real intentions.
Father Zhao’s face stiffened awkwardly.
Mother Zhao looked displeased at Lin Siya. “Our family has only one son. I am waiting to hold a grandson. If a daughter in law cannot bear children, of course there must be a divorce.”
Zhao Meiyun echoed her, “Our Zhao family does not want a woman who cannot have children.”
Lin Siya still stood there coldly, as if she belonged to a different world altogether.
Zhao Tianlei said nothing. He stared at Zhao Meiyun. Someone must have said something to her. His parents had never considered this before.
Who was that person?
What was their purpose?
Could it be that from beginning to end, it was all because of Xiao Ya?