Chapter 210
"Fang boy, don't act recklessly," the village chief, who had arrived at some unknown time, said while panting, trying to persuade him. He took two steps closer: "I know you're anxious since Guaizai is missing, but Huihui is just a girl. Don't take your anger out on her head."
"Didn't I warn you before, telling you not to cross me again? Did you think I had no temper just because I didn't beat you up last time? Is that why you dare to provoke me again and again? Is it? Is it?" Fang Zichen roared, still not releasing his grip. The village chief suddenly lunged forward, trying to shove him aside. Fang Zichen had been on guard since the chief tried to approach. Seeing him pounce, Fang Zichen sidestepped and kicked him square in the chest.
The village chief flew backward, landing with a dull 'thud.' He rolled twice and lay on the ground, unable to get up for a long while.
"I told you, don't fucking mess with me." Fang Zichen's face was filled with fury and indifference: "I just want to know where my son is. Don't you f*cking come looking for trouble with me."
Aunt He cursed: "You damned murderer! If your son is missing, go look for him. What do you mean by storming into my house, wrecking things, and threatening my daughter?"
"Ask her!" Fang Zichen roared, his patience nearly gone.
He Huihui felt as if her neck was about to be snapped by the grip. The force was still increasing. She couldn't breathe, her chest and lungs ached terribly, her face growing even redder. She could only plead pitifully: "Young Master Fang, please, please let me go. I... I can't breathe."
Fang Zichen didn't loosen his hand, his words seeming forced through gritted teeth: "I'll ask you one last time. Tell me, where is my son?"
He Huihui's expression was pained, her limbs feebly struggling, a faint gurgling sound coming from her throat: "I... cough... really... don't know."
Fang Zichen, ruthless and resolute, suddenly squeezed his fingers tighter, saying coldly: "You don't know? Then you poisonous woman can go die!"
These words not only terrified He Huihui but also horrified everyone in the courtyard.
His tone, his expression, the sinister malice in his eyes—all made it clear—Fang Zichen was not joking. He meant what he said.
"Fang boy." The village chief's eyes widened, as if frightened: "Don't be impulsive."
Just as He Huihui was about to roll her eyes back, He Tiezhu and He Li were about to charge at Fang Zichen to fight him to the death, when He Huihui's weak and terrified voice rang out.
"He... he's at Sun Tongsheng's... at his place."
"Sun Shangcheng?" Fang Zichen asked.
He Huihui's mind was foggy from lack of air. With a final burst of effort, she managed to choke out: "Yes... it's him."
"Huihui?" The village chief seemed incredulous: "What do you mean by that?"
Fang Zichen made a 'tch' sound and flung her harshly to the ground.
He Huihui landed on her back, dizzy from the fall. As air rushed back into her chest, she covered her neck, coughing uncontrollably, looking utterly disheveled.
Everyone in the courtyard looked at her. Fang Zichen turned to leave, but a somewhat sharp voice came from behind him.
"Fang Zichen!"
He Huihui was still lying on the ground. Whether it was from coughing too hard or something else, her eyes were rimmed red.
"Have you always looked down on me?" She stared at Fang Zichen, pouring out all the words in her heart. If she didn't ask and speak today, she might never get another chance.
She had taken Guaizai and underestimated his importance in Fang Zichen's heart. After today, if they met again, they probably wouldn't even have the courtesy to exchange greetings.
"Because I was divorced and sent back to my parents' home, and my body is unclean, so you look down on me, right?"
In those times, the expectations placed upon women and ger were harsh. Most of those who were divorced and sent back to their natal families typically lived with great difficulty.
First, some parental families would not take them back in.
Second, they could not withstand the relentless gossip.
Third, the era prized chastity above all. Having lost their purity, it was nearly impossible for them to be matched with a respectable person again.
This was the reason why many girls and ger, even when treated poorly—beaten or scolded—in their in laws' homes, remained unwilling to seek a divorce.
"You look down on me, I know that. But why?" He Huihui's tears fell, her expression beginning to twist: "What's the difference between Zhao Ger and me? He's not any cleaner than I am. Why can you accept him, but not... not accept me? What point am I inferior to him?"
No one in the room interrupted, stunned and unable to process, all immersed in the shock and disbelief of the moment. It was quiet, only the sound of He Huihui's sobs echoing in the earthen-walled courtyard.
"I admit, I'm not as capable as him, but I can learn, I can do better than him. But why won't you even look at me? Why not give me a chance? Guaizai is just a bastard, born from his promiscuity. He's unclean, who knows how many men he's been with. What right does he have..."
A slap cut off all her words.
Blood trickled from the corner of He Huihui's mouth as she stared blankly at Fang Zichen.
"Keep your damn mouth clean!" Fang Zichen looked down at her from above. Remembering the bruises on Zhao Ger's hand from being trampled, he glanced at He Huihui, then suddenly raised his foot and stomped down on the back of the hand she was using to prop herself up.
Two cracking sounds. He Huihui let out a scream.
Two of her fingers were broken.
Fang Zichen had never thought that one day he would be so brutal to a woman.
But why?
He just wanted to live a peaceful life with his fulang and child. Why did people, one after another, come to upset him, causing trouble everywhere?
If not for a shred of remaining reason, he would have strangled He Huihui to death just now.
"You dare hit my daughter?" Aunt He instinctively rushed forward, wanting to hit him, but was pulled back by He Li.
Fang Zichen scanned the crowd, his gaze finally settling on Aunt He.
"Old woman, I actually admire you," his tone was sarcastic, and everyone in the room could tell: "Back when He Huihui was divorced and sent back, I heard you even went to the town to make a scene at the Wu family, right? At first, I thought, how could your skin be so thick and shameless! But later, thinking about it, I realized there must be something you still don't know!"
His words were unpleasant, sounding very harsh. He Yong, the village chief, and the others all looked displeased. Only He Huihui, as if thinking of something, turned pale.
"Do you know why your daughter was divorced? It's because..."
"Don't say it," his words were cut off by He Huihui's pleading: "I beg you, don't say it, don't say it, I beg you."
"What use is begging me?" Fang Zichen gave a cold laugh. He Huihui was pierced by the ruthlessness and indifference in his eyes, feeling a creeping chill climb up her spine.
Fang Zichen said: "If I don't speak today, everyone will just think I'm cruel and merciless! Besides, it's not like I haven't pitied you before. Initially, thinking you were a woman and life wasn't easy for you, I gave you some leeway. But what was the result? You and your mother kept spreading rumors in the village, everywhere saying Zhao Ger slept around. And now you have the audacity to take my son? That's the son of this Young Master Fang! How dare you touch him. I don't even dare to lift a finger against my own fulang, but now he was beaten so severely because of a b*tch like you. If I tolerate this any more, I'm a damn coward."
He stared at Aunt He, dropping a shocking bombshell: "What a fine daughter you've raised! You go on every day about Zhao Ger sleeping around, but do you know, your own daughter is the one who slept around."
It was as if a thunderclap struck the heads of Aunt He, He Tiezhu, and the others.
The people outside the courtyard drew in sharp breaths of cold air.
Is this true or false?
The village hadn't seen such a scandal in almost decades. Before, when people said which man was close to which family's wife, seeing them talk in the fields, those were all unsubstantiated rumors, completely different from this matter.
If it only spread within the village, only the He family would lose face. But if it spread to other villages, the entire village would be disgraced.
"This... this is impossible," He Li snapped back to reality, pointing at Fang Zichen, angrily saying: "Fang Zichen, don't you talk nonsense."
"I'm talking nonsense?" Fang Zichen laughed: "The affair between the Wu family's daughter-in-law and the soy sauce shop boss—go inquire in town and see who doesn't know about this matter?"
The Wu family was from the next village. Old Man Wu had skill in making tofu. When he was young, he set up a stall in town, earned some silver, then married a wife. The couple was honest and hardworking. Within a few years, they bought a house in town. Their business was good, the family well-off.
For He Huihui to marry into the Wu family was actually considered climbing high. At the time, this marriage made many girls in the village jealous.
"The Wu family's business hasn't been good these past two years. Your daughter was in a hurry and already found her next target," Fang Zichen smiled. When he first heard Shopkeeper Yang mention this matter, he just felt speechless. Yang Mutao's wife slept around, and this He Huihui also slept around. Why was it that one after another, they were all so fond of sleeping around, as if they had all been possessed by the spirit of Pan Jinlian.
[Pan Jinlian (潘金莲): a character from the Chinese novel "The Plum in the Golden Vase" (金瓶梅), traditionally depicted as a beautiful but cunning, adulterous, and murderous woman who has become a cultural symbol of feminine treachery and forbidden desire]
"It is natural for water to flow downhill, and people climb to high places. Everyone desires a better life; there is nothing wrong with that, and it is entirely reasonable. I would respect anyone who had the skill to rise from a lowly branch and become a phoenix. But your daughter lacked that capability. She was not even divorced yet when she began sleeping around, cuckolding the son of the Wu family."
"I particularly despise people like this," he said with a smile at the corner of his mouth, speaking slowly to everyone in the room: "Sleeping around isn't enough, now she lays hands on a three-year-old child. Truly devoid of conscience. Your He family passes this down the line, you really know how to raise daughters. I, Fang Zichen, am impressed!"
These words were like a slap, stinging hot on everyone's faces. They seemed nailed to the spot, throats constricted, unable to utter another word.
Inside and outside the courtyard, everyone felt Fang Zichen's words were right.
He Huihui was too despicable.
First spreading rumors all over the village, then targeting someone's son. Her heart was so poisonous.
In a village where people lived side by side for years, conflicts were inevitable. But no one ever went this far. At worst, they might curse a bit, mutter some complaints if they saw the other's child, or perhaps give the kid a couple of spanks on the backside. Truly malicious acts were beyond them. He Huihui had never seemed like that sort of person before. Yet now, not only had she been unfaithful, but she had also wanted to harm someone's son. Her heart was truly vicious.
He Huihui hung her head, her face unreadable.
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