Grandpa Xu, having been gently chided by Grandma Xu, quickly nodded in agreement. “You’re right, the Wu family deserves to be sentenced to death. But granddaughter, from what you’re saying, it sounds as if the entire Wu family has been condemned? Wasn’t it just the Wu family’s son who did this?”
“The Wu family,” Xu Ying explained, her voice hardening, “committed truly outrageous acts. They didn’t just harm my cousin; they were also involved in embezzlement, seducing girls, rape, and even murder. They did so many terrible things.”
Grandpa Xu’s face contorted with anger. Throughout his life, he had harbored a deep loathing for men who ruined the lives of innocent girls. Such men, he believed, deserved to be torn limb from limb. Grandma Xu, too, looked furious. “This Wu family is truly unscrupulous!”
When Xu’s father and Xu’s mother finally returned, their faces beamed with unconcealed pride. Though they had merely followed along blindly and offered no real assistance, the sheer exhilaration of witnessing that electrifying moment filled them with boundless excitement. “When one party is in trouble, all parties support it”—that perfectly expalin the scene they had just witnessed.
Xu’s father and mother had never imagined that their daughter would not only unearth evidence for Shengshun but also expose his enemies, even managing to enlist the aid of Director Sun and Director Hong. What immense influence did their daughter wield to command such assistance from their commune director and the county factory director? This was a tale Xu’s mother would surely boast about for a long, long time.
“This is such a relief! The moment I saw the Wu family being arrested, I felt such immense relief!” Xu’s mother chirped, unable to suppress her joyous grin.
Second Uncle Xu looked at Xu’s father and mother, then bowed deeply. “Thank you, elder brother, sister-in-law, and thank you, Yingying. If it weren’t for you, My Shengshun would have suffered unjustly for the rest of his life.” He had never anticipated that his son’s plight would unveil such a web of Schemes. More importantly, his niece, facing a family as powerful as the Wu’s, had helped them secure justice. Second Uncle Xu was profoundly moved.
Xu’s father’s eyes softened with a touch of sadness. Seeing his once vibrant brother now haggard and appearing older than himself, a pang of discomfort resonated within him. “Second brother, there’s a long road ahead. Our motherland is progressing, and medicine is advancing too. I believe Shengshun’s illness will be cured soon. You and second sister-in-law will be well. And then, you’ll see Shengshun healthy again, giving you a grandson.”
Uncle Xu nodded, the melancholy in his brows and eyes significantly lessened. Though his son remained unwell, the retribution meted out to his enemies brought a profound sense of relief. His elder brother was right. Their motherland was growing, and medicine was indeed making progress. Sooner or later, his son’s condition would surely be cured.
As soon as Xu’s mother caught sight of her daughter, she rushed over, her excitement almost trembling. Recalling her daughter’s majestic presence during the confrontation, Xu’s mother couldn’t help but shudder with pride. “My daughter, you said it’s not easy to rest for a week? You’ve been so busy outside. Go inside and take a nap to regain your energy. I’ll stew an old hen for you later to replenish your strength.”
Xu Ying accepted her mother’s offer without a hint of hesitation. The past few days had indeed left her utterly exhausted. “Then I’ll go back and sleep for a while.”
“Go on,” Xu’s mother waved her hand dismissively.
Second Aunt Xu thoughtfully added, “Sister-in-law, I’ll go back and butcher an old hen to make soup for Yingying. You should also go and rest. It must be quite uncomfortable after a long day of riding in the car.”
Xu’s mother, however, felt no fatigue; watching the spectacle had invigorated her. Remembering that Second Aunt Xu’s family had received a substantial compensation, and that Xu Shengshun’s job had been restored—even if he wasn’t yet fit to work, the position could still be sold for a significant sum—she realized that Aunt Xu’s family was now far from poor, perhaps even wealthier than their own. Xu’s mother accepted the offer without ceremony, a smile gracing her lips. “Second sister-in-law, I’ll trouble you then.”
Second Aunt Xu quickly waved her hands. “What trouble? I should be thanking you, sister-in-law, for raising such a fine daughter! Otherwise, how could my Shengshun’s matter ever have been brought to light?” After speaking, Aunt Xu hurried back.
As soon as Xu’s mother saw her leave, she quietly slipped out and made her way to the usual gathering spot for gossip. Zhang Dacao, a notorious lover of village rumors, had already heard whispers that a member of Xu’s mother’s family had gone to Xiang County on a commune tractor. Her heart pounded with anticipation.
“Captain sister-in-law, didn’t you go to Xiang County?” Zhang Dacao asked, barely able to contain her curiosity.
Xu’s mother lifted her head, her face radiating with pride. “I did, with Director Sun! YingYing This child went to the human resources department of the food factory, specifically to handle Shengshun’s matter. Because something happened on his wedding day, we were delayed. Later, my second brother went to the food factory to inquire. The people there claimed that because he hadn’t been there for a long time, his job was gone. But that wasn’t the case at all! Do you still remember what happened when the Wu family next door was arrested?” Xu’s mother asked, relishing the dramatic pause.
Of course, everyone remembered. At that time, Wu Yimu, who was entangled in a scandalous affair, was involved with Zhou Huiru, the daughter-in-law of Vice Captain Xu. Now, everyone in the village suspected that Zhou Huiru’s child was actually Wu Yimu’s. After all, Zhou Huiru had been unable to conceive after marrying Vice Captain Xu for so many years, yet she became pregnant when she was with Wu Yimu. Poor Vice Captain Xu, still oblivious to the truth!
“Sister-in-law, of course we remember! Does this have anything to do with Shengshun’s matter?” Zhang Dacao pressed, desperate for the details.
Xu’s mother calmly explained, “Of course it’s related. Wu Yimu and his wife’s brother stole our Shengshun’s job. He was the one who impersonated our Shengshun in the first place.”
“Then why was Wu Yimu arrested?” Zhang Dacao asked, still confused.
Wang Lanhua glared at her with disgust. “Why are you so stupid? Wu Yimu was arrested, of course, because he was involved in embezzlement! You didn’t see how many valuable things the police comrades took from his house that day? These were all stolen by her man while he was at work.”
Zhang Dacao remained puzzled. “Then what does this have to do with Xu Shengshun’s matter?”
“My family’s Shengshun earned his job through his own merit. If Liu Haiyun’s brother wanted to pretend to be him, he would definitely have to pay a steep price. People demanded money, a total of eight hundred yuan. He was a young boy who had just graduated and had no job. Where would he get so much money? It must have been given to him by his brother-in-law, Wu Yimu. Wu Yimu has only been working for a few years, and his wife spends money freely every day, so how could they save money? After all, the Wu Yimu family had no money at all. But he still gave eight hundred yuan to his brother. That must be corruption. The police comrades will definitely investigate. Do you think the two are related?”
Zhang Dacao nodded slowly, a dawning comprehension on her face, finally understanding the intricate web of connections.
“Then what exactly did you do in Xiang County?” Zhang Dacao asked, her head swaying with anticipation.
“What were we doing? We were going to deal with a local snake in Xiang County,” Xu’s mother said coyly.
Zhang Dacao was utterly perplexed. What kind of “local snake” was this? She bet they went all that way just to hunt snakes. There were so many snakes on their mountain, why go all the way to Xiang County to kill them? Was Director Sun truly just messing around?
Wang Lanhua, however, understood the true meaning behind Xu’s mother’s words, and her face was filled with curiosity. “Sister-in-law, please stop showing off and tell us what you were doing!”
The other women also looked eager for more details.
Xu’s mother then slowly revealed, “Do you know the deputy director of the Xiang County Meat Factory?” After a brief pause for dramatic effect, she continued with a look of disgust, “It’s okay if you don’t know, I’ll continue. The deputy director of the meat factory was very powerful, so he used his influence to bribe people because he had some power.”