CHAPTER 652: CHAPTER 651: THE CUB BEARING THE HEAVY BURDEN

Yu Xiangqin’s mind had always been slower than her mouth, she said these words without much thought.

"Hurry up and get the divorce, cut all ties with them." Yu Xiangqin rolled her eyes, making the decision for Zhao Cuixia, "You stay home and recover, I’ll go pack your things, you’ll move back in today."

Zhao Zhuangshi clenched his fists in preparation: "Wife, I’ll go with you!"

"What do you need to go for? To fight?" Yu Xiangqin kicked him back, "You stay at home and cook for Huahua, Mom and I will go over."

Zhao Zhuangshi, in front of the three women of the family, was so cowardly, immediately he didn’t utter another word and dejectedly went to sulk in a corner.

Li Dahe finished his last puff of the cigarette and nodded, "Alright, Hongzi, you come with me, we’ll take a few more people, no need for any chitchat with them, today we will grab Cuixia’s stuff and come back, we can handle the divorce once she’s better."

"Let’s go!"

They didn’t just walk over, nor did they take a bull cart or ride bicycles; Li Dahe called a truck from the match factory and, with a half-truckload of people, they headed straight to Nine-miles Team.

With such an imposing force, those out of the loop might have thought they were going to demolish the Li family’s house.

...

Lin Nianhe left after class wanting to check on Zhao Cuixia’s injuries, Wang Shumei and Wen Lan also came with her.

"Huahua, how are you feeling?"

By the time Lin Nianhe arrived, Zhao Cuixia had just finished lunch and was lying on her bedstack wiping her tears. Aunt Li had already brought the child back, who was sleeping soundly, completely unaware of what had happened.

Zhao Cuixia knew that it was Lin Nianhe who had saved her that morning, and upon seeing her hurriedly wiped away her tears to say thank you: "Nianhe, thank you for saving the two of us, I..."

"Hey, don’t mention it, just lie down and rest." Lin Nianhe held her down and checked her temperature, which was still feverishly high, "Have you taken your medicine?"

"I have." Zhao Cuixia was full of gratitude, though her smile was strained.

"Where are the Aunties?" Wen Lan looked around, only seeing something like a young daughter-in-law in Zhao Zhuangshi.

"They’ve gone to get my things," sniffled Zhao Cuixia, "I can’t stay with him anymore." Her voice carried a bitter choke.

"Hey, why didn’t Yu Xiangqin call me to join them!"

Sister Lan frowned, dissatisfied with Yu Xiangqin leaving her behind to fight alone.

Wang Shumei pulled her aside and carefully tucked in the corners of Zhao Cuixia’s blanket, then said to Zhao Zhuangshi, "You go and rest for a bit, we’ll stay with Cuixia."

"Alright, sure." Zhao Zhuangshi, needing an outlet for his emotions, grabbed an axe and went to the courtyard to chop wood.

Wang Shumei saw that the child was sleeping soundly, and to distract Zhao Cuixia from any sad thoughts, she began to chat with her about raising children.

After chatting about household matters for a while, Lin Nianhe saw that Zhao Cuixia was distracted and asked her, "Huahua, is there anything else you haven’t told Aunt Zhao and the others?"

Her demeanor did not seem worried but rather as if she had done something wrong.

"Ah? This..." Zhao Cuixia’s eyes flickered, and she bit her lower lip, remaining silent.

"Huahua, it’s just us here, if there’s something you feel uncomfortable telling Aunt Zhao, you can tell us. Even if it can’t be helped, just speaking out might relieve some of your burden." Lin Nianhe was concerned she might be hiding something significant, coaxing her to speak the truth.

Zhao Cuixia hesitated for a moment, probably because keeping it inside was too painful, and finally she sighed and whispered:

"People at the gambling house took away the gold bracelet my grandmother left me... I dare not tell my brother, or he’ll definitely go and try to get it back... Please don’t tell them, we can’t afford to provoke those people, I just feel... a bit heartbroken..."

Tears fell from Zhao Cuixia’s eyes again.

Lin Nianhe, listening, sighed with relief in her heart.

She patted Zhao Cuixia’s shoulder, consoling her: "Material possessions are external to you, the important thing is that you’re okay."

Zhao Cuixia understood her kind intentions, giving a forced smile and nodding her head.

They chatted with Zhao Cuixia for a while and returned to the village school before the afternoon classes began.

As class started here, the people who went to move the luggage there also returned.

There really wasn’t much to say on their side; the Old Li Family wanted to stop them, but they had no grounds or face to do so. They couldn’t outswear or outfight them, not to mention that they weren’t even a match in making a scene, so they could only watch helplessly as all of Zhao Cuixia and her daughter’s possessions were moved out.

Before leaving, Li Dahe threw down a harsh threat and a notice:

"From today on, if anyone from the Old Li Family dares to take a step into Ten Miles Team, I’ll bring people over to smash your house."

"In one week, at nine in the morning, Li Gang, you yourself go to the commune to file for divorce."

The Li family was furious but did not dare to speak out, only daring to curse a few words after the car had driven away.

"Daughter, are you feeling better?"

Widow Zhao came into the house and went straight to Zhao Cuixia. She wanted to touch her head but was afraid that the cold from her body might chill her.

Zhao Cuixia nodded, "Mother, I’m much better... They didn’t make it difficult for you, did they?"

"They wouldn’t dare!" Widow Zhao rolled her eyes and laughed, "You didn’t see it, your sister-in-law scolded their entire family until they couldn’t lift their heads. Hahaha, this is why education is important – when you have knowledge, even the way you scold is different."

While saying this, she glanced at the child, muttering, "In the future, our Baobao must also study well, or we won’t even be able to win a swearing match."

Zhao Cuixia: "..."

Yu Xiangqin: "Right!"

Zhao Zhuangshi carried two bowls of noodles in and asked grimly as he placed them on the kang-table, "Mother, is that the end of this matter?"

"What’s the end?" Widow Zhao put the eggs from the noodles into Yu Xiangqin’s bowl, "Later you go kill two chickens, I’ll cook them and send them over to everyone tonight. We can’t let everyone toil for nothing in this freezing cold weather."

Zhao Zhuangshi: "..."

That wasn’t what he was asking about.

Yu Xiangqin put the eggs back into Widow Zhao’s bowl and warned, "Eat quickly. If your daughter is sick, you have to take care of her. Don’t expect me to do everything."

"You little rascal, how can you speak to your mother like that? Who else should I count on if not you? Are you planning on making me haul water and chop wood?"

"Are you asking me to do that work?"

"If I asked you to do it, wouldn’t you get your man to do it?"

"Why don’t you just ask your son to do it directly? Why do you have to go through me to do it?"

"You little rascal... Baobao! Study hard! Help your grandma scold your aunt in the future!"

Baobao: "...?"

It might seem unbelievable, but ever since she was a little tot, she had been entrusted with a heavy responsibility by her grandma.

Yu Xiangqin was a bit busy today, arguing with Widow Zhao while putting away Zhao Cuixia’s luggage properly.

The room in which Zhao Cuixia lived before getting married was now occupied by the duplicator, and the strong smell of ink made it unsuitable for living.

Yu Xiangqin said, "Huahua, you’ll have to make do and live with your mother for a few months. When spring comes, we’ll build you a new house next to the east room."

Widow Zhao refused, "There’s no need; the three of us living together is just fine, it’s not cramped."

Yu Xiangqin: "You snore in your sleep, you think Huahua isn’t annoyed by you?"

"Come here, you little rascal! Say it closer!"

"You think I’m missing a screw in my head? Knowing you’re gonna hit me, would I still come closer to you?"

Widow Zhao: "Ah... what a sin..."