Meanwhile, at the Chen family’s home in the factory housing compound, two groups stood facing off as harsh curses filled the air.
“You little bastard! How dare you shove my daughter-in-law! If you don’t pay her medical expenses today, I’ll camp out in your house and never leave!”
The speaker’s face was lined with wrinkles, and her already shrewd eyes blazed with fury as she glared at the plump woman across from her.
Since it was spring, Zhao Jinlan wore only a light blue work jacket. She was neatly dressed, her hair combed back without a single strand out of place.
Standing behind her was Lu Yezhong, the youngest son of the Lu family, whom she’d brought along for support.
Her finger nearly jabbed the other woman’s face.
Zhao Jinlan’s side had all the momentum.
Hu Xing, on the other hand, had only her husband standing behind her. He was hunched over, looking timid and spineless.
His wife was being cursed right at their front door, yet he didn’t even dare utter a single word.
Caught off guard as Zhao Jinlan’s spit landed all over her face, Hu Xing stepped back in disgust before glaring fiercely.
“What, Zhao, you think just because you have more sons you can bully people?”
As soon as she finished speaking, she plopped down onto the ground, slapped her thighs, and wailed dramatically.
“Everyone, come judge for yourselves! Zhao Jinlan’s daughter-in-law shamelessly tried to seduce my Zhuzi! She fell and cracked her own head—that’s what she deserved! Now the entire Lu family is using their numbers to bully me! There’s no justice left in this world!”
“And now they even want to extort me into paying that little slut Lin Xiyun’s medical bills! Oh, I can’t live anymore!”
She screamed loud enough to shake the neighborhood.
Despite crying that she didn’t want to live, she made absolutely no move to actually do anything.
All thunder, no rain.
With both front doors wide open and it being lunchtime, neighbors throughout the family compound couldn’t resist coming outside to watch the commotion.
There were no secrets in a housing compound this small.
Everyone had already heard that morning about Chen Zhu’s wife pushing Lu Yanbei’s wife to the ground, even causing her head to split open.
At that moment, one of the neighborhood aunties, bowl of rice still in hand, leaned forward and shouted,
“Chen Zhu’s wife, just look at your Zhuzi. Who in their right mind would ignore handsome Lu Yanbei just to chase after him?”
“Hahaha! Aunt Wang’s absolutely right!”
The crowd burst into laughter.
It wasn’t that they meant to be cruel.
Chen Zhu simply wasn’t much to look at.
Meanwhile, Lu Yanbei was famous throughout the neighborhood for being outstanding in every way.
The comparison wasn’t even close.
Besides…
Hu Xing had spent years glaring suspiciously at every woman, convinced they were after her cowardly husband.
She’d offended plenty of people because of it.
Humiliated, Hu Xing shot to her feet and spat in Aunt Wang’s direction.
“Bah! You loudmouth old hag! Lu Yanbei hasn’t been home in three years! Lin Xiyun…”
Zhao Jinlan narrowed her eyes.
She knew perfectly well no decent words would ever come out of this woman’s mouth.
Without another word—
Smack!
She delivered a loud slap across Hu Xing’s face.
“You dare slander my son and daughter-in-law right in front of me? I can only imagine the filth you spread behind our backs. Today I’ll do your mother a favor and teach you some manners, you shameless woman!”
Beside her, Lu Yezhong couldn’t help twitching.
His mother was incredible.
Still as fierce as ever.
The slap echoed loudly.
Half of Hu Xing’s face swelled almost instantly.
“Ahhh! Zhao Jinlan! I’ll kill you!”
The slap sent Hu Xing stumbling backward.
Her hair came loose, and her eyes turned bloodshot with rage as she lunged forward.
“What are all of you doing here?!”
A sharp shout rang out.
The crowd hurriedly stepped aside, revealing the women tangled together in a hair-pulling fight.
Several women wearing red armbands approached.
They were members of the factory’s Security Department.
The leading woman hurried over, and the noisy scene instantly quieted down.
At that moment, Hu Xing still had a fistful of Zhao Jinlan’s hair.
Hu Xing’s face was covered in scratches and bruises.
Chen Zhu stood nearby looking anxious but never once stepped in.
Lu Yezhong, however, wasn’t about to let anyone beat his mother in front of him.
The moment Zhao Jinlan heard the approaching voices, her eyes darted mischievously.
She immediately let go.
So when Liu Chunhua from the Security Department arrived…
The scene she witnessed was:
Hu Xing clutching Zhao Jinlan’s hair.
Zhao Jinlan with tears welling up in her eyes as though she were the helpless victim.
Granted…
Describing an elderly woman like that felt a little strange.
But that was exactly how she looked.
Liu Chunhua frowned and pointed at Hu Xing.
“What are you doing? You’re still hitting someone right in front of me?”
Reluctantly, Hu Xing let go.
Zhao Jinlan immediately wiped away her tears and seized the initiative.
“Chunhua, you have to stand up for our Lu family.”
“My fourth daughter-in-law is gentle and physically weak. That shove made her lose so much blood. Paying her medical expenses is only right.”
“But Comrade Hu not only refuses to compensate us…”
“…she’s also been spreading filthy rumors about my daughter-in-law.”
“Isn’t that ruining her reputation?”
Out of the corner of her eye, Zhao Jinlan watched Liu Chunhua’s expression.
Sure enough…
Liu Chunhua looked displeased.
Good.
No matter how anyone looked at it…
The Lu family had the moral high ground.
Hu Xing immediately became furious.
She silently cursed the old fox.
Eyes wide, she began talking nonsense again.
“Comrade Liu, you can’t just believe her side of the story! Just because she says something doesn’t make it true! Lin Xiyun was clearly trying to sedu—”
“…behaving improperly!”
“Where’s your evidence?” Zhao Jinlan demanded, holding out her hand.
“You’ve slandered someone with nothing but your mouth. Show us your proof!”
Before Hu Xing could continue making excuses, Liu Chunhua raised a hand to stop her.
She began mediating the dispute.
First, she looked at Hu Xing’s swollen face with difficulty.
Maintaining a serious expression, she asked,
“Comrade Hu, you accused Comrade Lin of improper conduct. Do you have any evidence?”
“If not…”
“…then you’ve committed slander and assaulted the wife of a soldier.”
“That’s against the law.”
Hu Xing had been relying entirely on her own imagination.
She had no evidence whatsoever.
After desperately searching for something to say, she finally blurted out,
“Lin Xiyun dresses herself up every single day! Isn’t that improper conduct? She… she has the lifestyle of a capitalist!”
The crowd’s expressions changed instantly.
Those words carried enormous consequences in this era.
An accusation like that could get an entire family sent away to labor on a state farm.
Zhao Jinlan’s eyes turned cold.
This woman was trying to drag their whole family to ruin.
She wanted nothing more than to tear Hu Xing’s mouth apart.
Liu Chunhua wasn’t an idiot.
It was true that Lin Xiyun dressed a little better than most women.
Everyone knew she was young and pretty.
But that hardly qualified as “capitalist behavior.”
“Our Lu family has been poor peasants for three generations,” Zhao Jinlan declared.
“My fourth daughter-in-law’s family has been poor peasants for generations too. They’re revolutionary people.”
“Hu Xing.”
“Come with me.”
“We’re going to the Public Security Bureau and settle this properly.”
“Our Lu family will not accept such slander.”
She grabbed Hu Xing’s wrist directly.
Her determination was unmistakable.
“Come on.”
“You’re coming with me.”
Hu Xing had only been making wild accusations.
How could she possibly dare go to the police station?
She knew better than anyone that she was in the wrong.
Shrinking back as she struggled to break free, she cried,
“I’m not going! Comrade Liu, help me!”
“Alright, alright, Jinlan. Let’s calm down and talk this through.”
Liu Chunhua hurriedly stepped between them, already developing a headache.
The two biggest arguers and troublemakers in the entire neighborhood had ended up facing each other.
If she didn’t have a headache now, when would she?
But Zhao Jinlan remained absolutely resolute.
Her voice rang out loud and clear.
“My fourth son hasn’t been home for three years.”
“He’s been risking his life on the battlefield, shedding blood to defend our country.”
“He returned to his unit the very day after his wedding.”
“And while he’s away…”
“His wife is bullied.”
“His family is slandered.”
“I refuse to believe there’s nowhere left in this country where justice can still be found!”