Second Li had brute strength but was blindly filial—stupidly so—and it dragged his wife and children down with him.
Alas!
The village head summoned a few people to help the injured up.
Those who had fainted were carried back into the house. Several stools were brought out, and they sat down in the courtyard.
“Talk,” the village head said. “What are you all making such a fuss about now?”
“How did it even come to blows? You’re ruining the village’s reputation like this.”
Old Man Li shouted hoarsely, “Village Head! It’s not that we wanted to make trouble—it’s that Second Son’s wife isn’t acting like a human being!”
“This morning, the old woman told her to get up and cook. That big bowl of rice—enough for the whole family—and she ate it all herself!”
“She’s trying to starve us to death!”
“The old woman only scolded her a little, and she actually dared to hit someone. Look—look at my injuries! And look at Eldest Son and Third Son!”
“All of this was done by that wretched woman!”
“Injustice!”
Xia Wanyue stood there weakly, swaying as if she might fall. Aunt Zhang quickly reached out to steady her.
“Village Head, my husband just died. I gave the Li family a son. But on the very first day after giving birth, my mother-in-law refused to give me food.
“I fainted on the bed. I woke up starving in the middle of the night.
“In the morning, I was so hungry my vision went black—I almost saw my great-grandmother. I was dizzy and weak; I didn’t even hear my mother-in-law calling me.
“Later, when I went to cook, I found my two children locked in the woodshed.
“They’d also gone hungry all night—and they’d been beaten until they were covered in injuries!
“Village Head! They’re only six years old! Li Ke just died—are they trying to force the four of us, mother and children, to die as well?!”
“I only want to live…”
“I only want my children to live…”
Her sobs pierced the air, moving everyone present.
Yes—she only wanted to live.
How could the Li family be so cruel?
The village head’s wife wiped her tears and stepped forward, gently patting Xia Wanyue’s back.
“Yue-niang… you’ve suffered so much…”
If this were her own daughter being bullied like this in her husband’s home, her heart would shatter. What family didn’t raise their daughters mouthful by mouthful? How could they be treated like this once married?
The Lis were taking advantage of the fact that Yue-niang had lost her memory—no natal family, no backing—so they bullied her without restraint.
The village head sighed and looked at Old Man Li.
“Old Li, this is going too far. Li Ke’s wife married into your family and bore you three children—two sons. Even if she hasn’t earned merit, she’s endured hardship. How could you neglect her right after childbirth?”
“That’s not how people behave.”
Old Man Li shot Xia Wanyue a cold glance, then immediately put on a pitiful expression when he turned back to the village head.
“Village Head, it’s not that we wanted this. There really isn’t any grain left at home!
“My second son died because this woman was greedy for food. If it weren’t for her, he wouldn’t have died in the mountains, and we wouldn’t have lost a laborer.
“His mother was just too angry, that’s why she ignored her. Didn’t she tell her to get up and cook? Once the food was ready, everyone could eat together.
“It was just one missed meal last night—is that really so serious? In times like these, who hasn’t gone hungry?
“As for the children—kids don’t listen, so they were disciplined a little. What child hasn’t been beaten? Why are her kids so precious that a couple of hits means life or death?
“Now they’ve eaten all the grain, and the rest of us are starving. Village Head, what do you say we should do?”
The village head was left speechless.
What should he do? Their lack of grain wasn’t his problem. He couldn’t exactly give them his own food.
But he couldn’t say that outright.
“I don’t believe you truly have no grain at all. The crops will be ready for harvest in two or three months—will you still be afraid of hunger then?”
“As for this matter—both sides have their reasons. It’s a family affair; it should’ve been handled behind closed doors.
“Now that it’s blown up like this, tell me—what do you plan to do?”
Old Man Li opened his mouth to speak, but Xia Wanyue cut in first.
“…Split the family.”
“Village Head, things have gone this far. Continuing to live together isn’t appropriate anymore.
“I don’t want to die here with my children and have no one even notice.
“If Li Ke knew his wife and children were being treated like this, he wouldn’t be able to rest in peace even in death.”
At the mention of Li Ke, the village head shuddered.
In the scorching heat, why did it suddenly feel so cold?
Thinking of how a young man had just died violently in this very courtyard yesterday, unease crept into his heart.
“Split the family? In your dreams! If you want to get lost, then get lost on your own—”
Li Shi roared, raising his uninjured hand to point at Xia Wanyue.
She merely glanced at him lightly, and he quickly withdrew his hand, pretending nothing had happened.
“Village Head, that’s just how Second Sister-in-law talks. Don’t take it to heart.
“As long as the parents are alive, families don’t split—that’s tradition.
“But look at her—her husband just died and she’s already talking about splitting the family. Who knows, maybe she’s got another man outside.
“If we let her split off, won’t she take our Li family’s property and give it to her lover?”
“That’s absolutely impossible—”
“Fine. Then don’t split.”
If they didn’t want to split, then so be it.
Let’s see how I play you all to death.
Xia Wanyue’s gaze swept across everyone. Her icy eyes made the Li family shiver.
It felt like being stared down by a starving wolf.
“Y-you can leave if you want. You can even take that sickly one with you. But A-Ning and Third Girl are members of the Li family—they must stay.”
Miao Shi said shakily.
If that cursed woman left, so be it. But if those two little brats left too, all the housework would fall on her alone. She wasn’t that stupid.
“Then what am I supposed to do? All my children are here—I can’t leave alone.
“Fine. Let’s keep living together.
“Village Head, you can go now. This is our family matter—we’ll handle it ourselves.”
Xia Wanyue looked completely indifferent.
She was weak, had no money, and leaving right now wouldn’t end well anyway. If they wouldn’t let her go, then she’d turn this household upside down.
“No! You get out right now! The Li family doesn’t want a daughter-in-law like you—we can’t afford you!
“Village Head, let’s settle it like this.
“I’ll have Third Son write a divorce letter on behalf of his second brother and expel this unfilial disgrace immediately.”