"Zian, my life is so hard, you can't just watch me die!"
"If your life were merely difficult, and considering we are somewhat like fellow villagers, I might have helped you. But you are trying to ruin my life, to ruin me." Chen Zi'an's face was like frost.
What Su Xiaotian had done was all to protect him and Su Manxiu. If he didn't show some response, he wouldn't even be as good as a child.
He had to protect this hard-won family and not let anyone destroy it.
Yan Chunni hadn't expected Chen Zi'an to speak to her in such a cold tone, and tears immediately welled up again.
But this time, even the onlookers didn't show her any sympathy.
"Leave on your own, or I'll throw you out!"
Chen Zi'an stood in the yard, his voice colder than the wind blowing past.
Letting this woman stay here would be like burying his family's courtyard.
Seeing that Chen Zi'an had no intention of softening, Yan Chunni became scared.
If she left the Chen family now, the three of them—her and her children—would starve to death.
She didn't have a single grain ration ticket, nor a cent on her.
No.
She couldn't leave.
"Zian, please forgive me. I know I was wrong. I will live properly with you from now on. I know you've married someone else, and I don't ask you to divorce her. I'm willing to be a concubine if you'll just take me in." Yan Chunni suddenly knelt before Chen Zi'an and said.
Chen Zi'an was stunned, but his years of military experience made him immediately dodge.
If someone saw a woman kneeling before him, he might be branded with a bad reputation.
This woman was too terrifying.
Su Xiaotian hadn't thought that far, only feeling that this woman was a master of causing trouble.
Did she even know what she was saying?
To be a concubine, she actually had the nerve to say that.
But while she had the nerve to say it, others didn't have the nerve to listen!
Didn't she see that the surrounding people were completely bewildered?
"Get out. Do you think it's still decades ago?"
Chen Zi'an said coldly, "I'll count to three, then leave my house!"
The onlookers outside also started to stir.
"Minister Chen, why count? Just throw her out. We'll be your witnesses."
"Exactly, why are you being polite to such a woman?"
"Manxiu is such a good woman. This woman isn't even as good as Manxiu's little finger."
...
Yan Chunni heard the cacophony of voices clearly and her face turned red with shame.
The two children behind her just kept hiding, not daring to step forward.
"Please, for our past sake, give me some food. It's okay if I'm an adult, but these two children are starving to death!" Yan Chunni suddenly shouted.
Su Xiaotian clearly saw calculation in her eyes. She looked at Chen Zi'an with great concern, afraid that Chen Zi'an would soften for a moment and agree to let this woman stay.
Su Xiaotian had a premonition that if this woman stayed, she would never leave.
Fortunately, Chen Zi'an did not disappoint Su Xiaotian. He directly took out ten yuan and a few grain ration tickets from his pocket.
He threw the grain tickets and money at the woman and said, "Here's the money and tickets for you. Take your children and leave. I don't want to see you again!"
Giving money and tickets?
The surrounding people gave Chen Zi'an a thumbs-up.
To be so righteous towards a woman who had betrayed him was truly the height of benevolence!
Yan Chunni knew there was no hope of staying today, so she could only pick up the money and tickets from the ground and leave with her two children, looking back repeatedly.
Chen Zi'an in her memory was not like this; he wasn't so cold.
After Yan Chunni had walked far away, the onlookers, seeing that there was no more excitement, dispersed with the last rays of the setting sun to go home and cook.
Su Xiaotian smiled at Chen Zi'an, clearly quite satisfied with his performance.
Chen Zi'an vigorously ruffled Su Xiaotian's hair and said, "Little girl, you did well. Uncle thanks you!"
Su Xiaotian tilted her head up and said proudly in an adultlike manner, "No need to thank me, I'm doing it for my aunt!"
However, her soft and cute appearance had no imposing aura at all, only making Chen Zi'an laugh heartily.
Su Xiaotian snorted and said, "Uncle, you're still in the mood to laugh? Aunt is crying so hard she's almost passed out!"
Hearing Su Xiaotian's words, Chen Zi'an finally remembered that Su Manxiu had run out crying. He didn't care about anything else and hurried back towards the old Su family's house.
Su Xiaotian shouted, "Uncle, Uncle, the door isn't locked."
But Chen Zi'an couldn't be bothered.
Helplessly, Su Xiaotian had to find the lock herself, lock the main door, and then leisurely stroll towards her own home with brisk steps.
As soon as she arrived home, she heard cheerful laughter from inside. It was Su Xiao Jiu imitating Su Xiaotian's voice.
"I used to hear people say that in ancient times there was a woman named Qin Xianglian. Her husband went to the battlefield, and when she heard he died, she remarried and had two children. Later, her husband, oh no, her ex-husband, didn't die on the battlefield and returned. This Qin Xianglian found him. Uncles and aunts, I'm young and don't know if the story I heard is correct?"
Not to mention, Su Xiao Jiu imitated it quite well, but Su Xiaotian didn't like it.
What did this mean?
So, Ninth Brother had been hiding in the crowd watching?
How hateful, he actually peeked from the side and didn't come out to help her.
Was it only Ninth Brother who was secretly watching, or were the other brothers there too?
Thinking that she had been watched the entire time, Su Xiaotian felt her mood completely sour.
"You're all bullying me!" Su Xiaotian said, deliberately putting on a show of crying.
Hearing Su Xiaotian's voice, the people at the old Su family's house hurried to gather around.
Xiao Jiu was so nervous he didn't know what to do. He regretted it, wishing he hadn't imitated her.
"Xiaotian, I didn't. We really didn't." Xiao Jiu quickly apologized.
But Su Xiaotian still covered her eyes with her fair hands, sobbing, her shoulders shaking.
To be honest, Su Xiaotian looked quite convincing like this.
Even Grandma Su thought her little granddaughter was shy and crying.
She quickly patted Su Xiao Jiu and said, "Good boy, don't cry. Grandma will hit your Ninth Brother for you. When your second mother comes back, tell her to spank your Ninth Brother!"
"Xiao Jiu, look at you, you made Xiaotian cry. You comfort her yourself!" Xiao Qi said, looking at Xiao Jiu with a condemning gaze.
"It's just that Second Brother isn't here. Otherwise, look, you'd be in trouble!" Su Xiao Si also said.
Hearing this, Su Xiaotian continued to sob, "I can't be comforted!"
Su Xiao Jiu became even more anxious and hurried to Su Xiaotian, trying to appease her in every way possible.
He even signed a series of unequal treaties, such as helping Su Xiaotian carry her schoolbag from tomorrow onwards.
Su Xiao Wu and Su Xiao Ba, watching their sister's antics, could only secretly laugh.
This little girl was getting more and more cunning.
Look how foolishly this little girl had tricked Xiao Jiu!
After a while, Su Xiaotian was finally coaxed.
When she looked up, everyone realized that the little girl's eyes were bright and clear, with no trace of tears.
Su Xiao Jiu felt wronged. He had been tricked like this?
But who told her she was his sister? She was his only sister. It was fine to be tricked, it didn't matter!
Grandma Su, knowing her granddaughter was fine, went to cook dumplings.
Su Manxiu silently helped Grandma Su with the chores, ignoring Chen Zi'an.
Chen Zi'an felt wronged. Today was an undeserved disaster. He hadn't done anything, yet the blame fell on him!
Chen Zi'an had no idea of Su Manxiu's thoughts.
She wasn't just not speaking because Yan Chunni had shown up today; she was also blaming him.
Su Manxiu was not someone who couldn't recognize her own mistakes.
She actually felt guilty for not believing her husband.
They had lived together for several years, and their children were grown, yet she didn't believe him, she suspected him.
Su Manxiu conducted a deep self-reflection, but with the whole family present, she couldn't say much.
Never mind, she would talk about it when they got home tonight.
Grandma Su clearly saw that the atmosphere between her daughter and son-in-law was a bit delicate.
However, she, an old woman, couldn't manage the affairs of young people.
Forget it, after eating, she would urge them to go home quickly to resolve their conflict.
The steaming, plump dumplings came out of the pot, and the whole family sat around the table, eating dumplings and talking, creating a lively scene.
After eating the dumplings, Grandma Su insisted that Su Manxiu not help with the washing up and urged her to go home.
For a couple, some things needed to be said clearly. If there was a knot in their hearts, they would probably never get along.
Su Manxiu walked ahead silently, while Chen Zi'an, holding their son, walked behind her uneasily.
Su Manxiu didn't speak, but he couldn't remain silent.
"Xiu'er, it's my fault. I shouldn't have..."
He shouldn't have done what?
He didn't seem to have done anything wrong.
Minister Chen, who always considered himself omnipotent, couldn't find a suitable word to describe his mistake.
Su Manxiu listened for a long time in front without hearing anything further. She turned around and saw Chen Zi'an and Chen Xiuyuan looking at each other.
Chen Zi'an's expression was as if he was asking Chen Xiuyuan what to do.
Unconsciously, Su Manxiu smiled.
"I was also wrong today. I should have believed you," Su Manxiu said with a smile.
At this moment, Chen Zi'an felt that his wife was different from before. That timidity seemed to have left her.
A confident and beautiful woman!
The next morning, as Su Xiaotian and the others went to school, they passed by Chen Zi'an's house. Chen Zi'an was just leaving for work.
Su Manxiu saw him off, and the two of them were as sweet as honey.
Su Xiaotian was relieved. It seemed that this incident had not driven them apart, and their relationship was as good as ever.
This way, she was reassured.
But what Su Xiaotian didn't expect was that something she thought was over had not ended.
When she returned home at noon that day, she heard that Yan Chunni, that woman, had actually gone to the county committee compound and was kneeling there, begging the great lords to uphold justice.
It was causing a huge stir, and even people who disliked Chen Zi'an took the opportunity to try and find fault with him, thinking of dealing with him.
Su Xiaotian anxiously asked, "What happened later?"
Let alone in this era, even in later generations, relationships between men and women, infidelity, were major taboos for government officials.
If her uncle was branded as abandoning his wife and children, his life might truly be ruined.
This was the lightest punishment. He might even go to jail. As for promotion, it was even more impossible.
Although her memories from her previous life told her that Chen Zi'an had a promising future,
many things had changed in this life. Su Xiaotian herself wasn't sure if this matter had changed.
Grandma Su said, "Your aunt received the news and rushed directly to the county committee compound."
Big Aunt went to the county committee compound?
What for?
Grandma Su quickly answered Su Xiaotian's questions.
"After your aunt arrived, she didn't hold back at all. She questioned that woman fiercely, making her unable to say another word, nor did she mention being your uncle's concubine."
Grandma Su said this with great pride!
Su Xiaotian suddenly felt that her grandmother's pride was because her aunt had inherited her demeanor.
However, would Big Aunt really be as fierce as Grandma?
It seemed impossible no matter how she thought about it!
Su Xiaotian looked at Grandma Su in disbelief.
How could this be possible?
Big Aunt didn't have this kind of personality; she was always gentle and weak.
However, no matter how weak a person is, if pushed too far, they will bite!
Oh, she misspoke, even a rabbit will bite when cornered.
But she really wanted to see what Big Aunt looked like when she was cornered and fighting.
Su Xiaotian felt that she had missed a grand show!
She saw Su Manxiu in the evening. Su Manxiu was radiant and full of a confidence she had never had before.
Su Xiaotian suddenly felt that her Big Aunt had finally completed her transformation.
That's right, in Su Xiaotian's mind, this was Su Manxiu completing her transformation.
That's great!
She had missed the big drama at Chen Zi'an's house, but Su Xiaotian had not missed the big drama at school.
If you were to say which school in the province was the most glorious now, it would naturally be their previously unknown school.
The first college entrance examination after the resumption of the Gaokao, County No. 1 High School achieved unprecedentedly good results, and commendations and rewards from leaders at all levels poured in.
Principal Guo was so happy he could barely close his mouth.
However, the problems that followed also appeared.
Many parents believed that County No. 1 High School had good teaching quality, so they all wanted their children to study there.
Many students from the city, and even from the provincial capital, transferred to County No. 1 High School through various connections.
County No. 1 High School thus rose in status.
But among these were many students who were genuinely studying. Their parents, holding onto a glimmer of hope, hoped that this blessed school could change their children and forcefully enrolled them.
They didn't know that gold would always shine, and a stubborn stone would ultimately only be piled in a corner.
Among these were students from good families who studied poorly, who could fight and cause trouble.
These students had wasted many years. Even though the pace at County No. 1 High School wasn't fast, these students couldn't keep up with the school's teaching.
Since they couldn't understand the lessons, the only thing they could do was deliberately cause trouble.
Some students even threatened to trample all students who liked to study under their feet.
Not only that, but they also spread many ideas about the uselessness of studying.
Naturally, the children from the old Su family became the primary targets at school.
Those students heard that the students who were admitted to good universities last year were either their brothers or sisters, which showed that this family would all be "stinky old nines" in the future, all people who should be sent to the cowsheds.
Su Xiaotian was studying peacefully in the classroom, unaware of this.
At this time, the overall school atmosphere was much better than before.
But these children came from good families, and the teachers didn't dare to provoke them, for fear of getting into trouble.
In order to gain fame, these individuals decided to vent their anger on the Su family's children.
However, they didn't immediately target Su Xiao Si or Su Xiao Wu, who were older, but directly set their sights on the youngest brothers in the Su family, Su Xiao Ba and Su Xiao Jiu.
Su Xiaotian and her two brothers were in the same class.
When the bad students came looking for them, Su Xiaotian was also present.
Su Xiaotian's loyal follower, Wen Yufei, was also there.
Seeing the troublemakers arrive, Wen Yufei suddenly felt as if he was seeing his past foolish self causing trouble.
He even had a premonition that Su Xiaotian alone could handle these brats.
Su Xiao Ba and Su Xiao Jiu were studying diligently when they were suddenly blocked at their seats.
"What do you want?" Su Xiao Ba stood up. The young boy, not yet fully grown, was much smaller than the person blocking him.
Su Xiao Ba asked calmly.
"What do I want? What do you think I want?" The leading teenager picked up the books from Su Xiao Ba's desk, threw them on the ground, and stomped on them several times.
"What do you want?" Su Xiao Ba was angry.
The children of the Su family loved to read and cherished books very much.
Seeing the books he treated as treasures being thrown on the ground like this, it was no wonder Su Xiao Ba was angry.
"Kid, be sensible and throw away all these books, or don't blame me for being rough with my fists!"
The leader said fiercely to Su Xiao Ba.
Studying, what nonsense is studying? These years have been wasted, and it's fine to waste more time, but they insist on studying!
Su Xiao Ba said calmly and collectedly, "I refuse!"
"Refuse?" The man sneered, "I'm informing you, not asking for your agreement!"
Su Xiao Ba didn't speak, but gave Su Xiao Jiu a look.
Others might not understand the meaning, but the Su brothers understood.
This was asking if they wanted to arrange a fight to resolve the issue.
Su Xiao Jiu returned a look, the meaning of which was very clear.
"How about we have a fight?" Su Xiao Ba asked with a smile.
This sentence made the few teenagers burst into laughter.
The meaning was clear: they were mocking Su Xiao Ba for being foolish.
Just look at your own size, and then look at the opponent's size. If nothing else, one against two would be a sure thing!
"Kid, you've got guts!" the teenager said, "No one has dared to say that to me, Duan Xingguo, before."
Su Xiaotian pouted. This name was truly ironic. Relying on such a person to revitalize the country was hopeless.
"You don't have the guts to fight me?" Su Xiao Ba asked with a smile, blinking his clear, bright eyes.
This attitude instantly enraged Duan Xingguo and his group.
[Author's Note]
Just finished work and got home. Fortunately, I wrote a bit yesterday afternoon, otherwise, I would have had to skip an update today. A friend asked me about my job. It sounds high-end, but doing it... it's better not to say. Anyway, it's all about outward glamour and inner hardship. If I said it out loud, people would still think I was complaining without cause.