CHAPTER 34: CHAPTER 34: BEATING THE DRUM TO APPEAL FOR JUSTICE

The ominous news brought by Father Wen cast a shadow over the Song family.

Dinner was already on the table, but no one picked up their chopsticks.

Granny Song cried until her voice was hoarse, and Song Fang tried to comfort her mother while secretly wiping her own tears.

Father Wen didn’t even bother to clean the yellow mud off his body and sat squatting against the outer wall, looking distressed.

Wen Wan looked at Song Wei, noticing his deeply furrowed brows and a terrible expression.

She felt uneasy in her heart, for she could foresee events but hadn’t foreseen anything happening to her father-in-law.

Could it be that she couldn’t foresee anything wrong happening to those close to her, apart from herself and Song Wei?

After a while, Song Wei looked at Father Wen, "When you escaped, had the government officials at the mining site withdrawn?"

Father Wen quickly replied, "Not yet. I guess they were scared out of their wits. Someone must have gone back to report. Now we have to see how the government will explain to the families of so many buried workers."

Song Wei couldn’t sit idly by and stood up, "I’m going to Da Huan Mountain."

He couldn’t accept the fact of his father’s death without seeing his father’s body.

"Third Son," Father Wen advised, "It’s still raining heavily outside. The landslide at the mine is severe and dangerous. It’s already late. We won’t be at ease if you go like this."

Song Wei turned to glance at his mother.

Granny Song appeared to have aged decades in just half an hour. Her eyes were red and swollen, her face wan and sallow. She sat on the bench like a wooden statue, only lifting her eyelids to glance at Song Wei after hearing his conversation with his father-in-law, saying nothing, as if her spirit had left her.

Song Fang looked at Song Wei through tear-filled eyes, "Third Brother, if you really must go, let Second Brother accompany you, for our peace of mind."

——

In the neighboring yard.

Second Lang’s wife was so shocked upon hearing that her father-in-law was gone that she sat down heavily on the ground.

Earlier, when her father-in-law went to earn money at the coal mine without taking Erlang along, she had complained about her mother-in-law, grumbling every time she went in or out about her mother-in-law’s black-heartedness, always forgetting their branch when there were benefits.

Who could have guessed, in just two short months, something would happen!

Just as Second Lang’s wife didn’t know whether to be glad Erlang didn’t go or to mourn the loss of her father-in-law, Song Erlang strode in to tell her he was going to Da Huan Mountain with Song Wei.

Second Lang’s wife immediately snapped back to reality and grabbed Song Erlang’s hand to stop him from leaving.

"What are you doing? Let go!" Song Erlang cast her an annoyed glance.

"You can’t go!" Second Lang’s wife said firmly, "Erlang, listen to me, Third Brother is a harbinger of doom, and the mute wife he just married is even worse, a bringer of misfortune. It was because of them that father was bewitched to death. If you walk out that door today, who knows if I’ll be widowed tomorrow."

In other matters, Song Erlang could tolerate his wife’s babbling, but now, with his father gone, this woman was still making sarcastic remarks and cursing him. Song Erlang’s anger flared up, and he slapped her hard, "Tian Sufen, if you dare utter one more word of nonsense, do you believe I won’t hit you again?"

Initially stunned by the slap, Second Lang’s wife quickly recovered, her anger even surpassing Song Erlang’s. She pushed him away, stormed out, slammed the door shut, locked it from outside, and wedged a few thick wooden sticks against the window, resolute in not letting Song Erlang go out.

Song Erlang pushed the door; it wouldn’t budge. He pulled at the window; it wouldn’t budge either. All he could do was anxiously curse inside the house.

——

Knowing Song Erlang couldn’t make it, Song Wei was not surprised, understanding it was Second Sister-in-law’s doing.

Father Wen, uneasy about Song Wei going alone, asked Wen Wan to prepare another oil lamp, intending to accompany him.

With the current thunder, heavy rain, and pitch darkness outside, Wen Wan was even more worried for her father-in-law and husband, insisting on going along too.

Song Wei was the first to disagree, "Wanwan, stay home and take care of Mother. I’ll go with Father-in-law."

Wen Wan’s face was full of anxiety.

Her own husband was accident-prone, the kind who could nearly choke to death just from drinking cold water. If she didn’t go along, who knew what might happen in this terrible weather?

However, in Song Wei’s eyes, she was just a delicate little girl who needed careful protection. If she went along, he’d have to take care of her too, making the road even harder to travel.

Disregarding everything else, Wen Wan pulled Song Wei to the study, quickly ground ink, picked up a brush, and wrote on a piece of scrap paper: Take me along. If you’re in danger, I can foresee it.

Song Wei’s gaze fell on the paper. Although the characters were not neat, at least they were clear enough to recognize.

But put together, they were baffling.

As if worried she had made a mistake, Song Wei asked, "If I’m in danger, you can foresee it?"

Indeed!

Wen Wan nodded solemnly, her beautiful eyes filled with a plea for him to believe her.

Just as Wen Wan couldn’t resist Song Wei’s mature masculine charm.

Song Wei, whenever faced with his petite wife, always saw his original rock-hard resistance diminish slightly.

So, in the end, he nodded.

Wearing rain gear, Father Wen led the way, with Song Wei holding a lamp behind, and the two men sandwiched Wen Wan in the middle for protection.

Night paths in the rain were quite challenging, and by the time they reached Da Huan Mountain, it was already deep into the night. The places illuminated by the oil lamp were entirely stones and soil washed down by the heavy rain, the traces of mining completely buried, and no sign of life was visible.

Seeing this, Father Wen couldn’t help but curse, "Those damn officials, retreating first thing, not even thinking about digging people out. Once the night passes, the bodies will only be buried deeper; it will be way harder to find anyone."

Song Wei saw the ruinous scene before him, his eyes cold and grim. Scanning the area, he confirmed it was impossible, with their mere three-person strength, to clear the collapsed area and dig out his father’s body.

His hand holding the lamp clenched tight, and the flickering light cast a ghastly shadow over the bulging veins on the back of his hand.

Song Wei said in a deep voice, "Tomorrow morning, I’ll go to the county government to beat the drum and file a complaint."

Right now, it seemed to be the only option.

The three returned without success.

When they arrived home, the main hall was still lit, with Granny Song and Song Fang’s mother remaining awake.

Upon hearing the door open, Granny Song rushed out and immediately asked, "Third Son, how was it? Did you find your father?"

Song Wei pressed his lips together tightly before shaking his head.

Granny Song’s body trembled, tears brimming in her eyes, her weeping halted by a scratchy throat.

Song Wei looked at Song Fang, "Take Mother back to rest."

Song Fang looked helpless; had it been possible, she would have already done so.

With such a major incident, neither her mother nor she herself could sleep.

Song Wei rubbed his temples and turned to Wen Wan, "Wanwan, go back to sleep!"

Wen Wan refused, resolutely wanting to stay with Song Wei.

Unable to persuade her otherwise, they simply sat there.

Not willing to burden his father-in-law, Song Wei, noticing the rain had stopped at rooster’s first crow, urged Father Wen to return, but Father Wen sat unmoving, insisting on accompanying him to the county government.

Song Wei said, "Father-in-law, you came straight to our home from the mine yesterday. Mother-in-law and brother-in-law must be very worried, you should return and reassure them."

Father Wen sighed, advised him to take good care of himself, then got up and left.

Not in the mood for breakfast, Wen Wan washed her face with a basin of cold water before following Song Wei to the county government to file a complaint.