CHAPTER 100: CHAPTER 098 PAYING TO GET RID [360 VOTES+]

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Wang Xiuzhen was very clear about Xie Jingchen’s future ’fate’, and any bit of care she had for him vanished instantly due to her annoyance.

However, knowing this was one thing, but swallowing this grievance was something Wang Xiuzhen admitted she couldn’t do!

Adding to this, she had been feverish for three consecutive days and nights, incredibly weak in body, and Mrs. Wang, fearing any mishaps, did not let her daughter step out of the room for three days. Knowing her daughter’s stubborn disposition, she dared not relax her vigilance.

This, however, provided Xie Jingchen and Zhang Shanni with a calm honeymoon period.

Once Wang Xiuzhen recovered from her illness, and Mrs. Wang was sure her daughter was completely healed, she finally nodded her approval for her to go outside.

Contrary to Zhang Shanni who had popularity but no family backing, Wang Xiuzhen was the type of girl who had family backing but no popularity.

From a young age, as a premature child, Wang Xiuzhen was overly pampered by Mr. Wang and Mrs. Wang. Not just her, but even her brother, the only son, was also extremely doted on. As a result, the Wang siblings were indolent and unindustrious.

The only pride of the Wang family was that Mr. Wang was the village’s barefoot doctor with decent medical skills. In previous years, he unexpectedly saved the young son of the Qingshan Captain, which put him at ease in the Qingshan Team. Even outsiders knew that Wang Guicai was a capable doctor, no one dared to offend him lightly.

After all, who could guarantee they would never fall ill? Even if they themselves did not, what about their loved ones? Thus, in the Qingshan Team, Wang Guicai was highly respected. Although he privately looked down on Wang Xiuzhen, publicly, he often praised her. If not seeing the monk, one must see the Buddha~~

Wang Xiuzhen, holding herself in high regard in Qingfeng Village, whether it was the village chief or the elders, all highly valued her. On her first outing after recovering, she went straight to her best friend Wang Chunmei’s house. Their shared surname naturally brought the two girls as close as sisters.

Most importantly, Wang Chunmei was naïve, and her mother was a gossip, famously known as a blabbermouth in the village.

Wang Xiuzhen, while whispering with her, subtly influenced her to throw dirty water on Zhang Shanni.

After a few days, rumors about Zhang Shanni began to resurface in the village, but since Xie Jingchen was still residing there, everyone secretly exchanged whispers.

The most contemptible rumor was that she had attempted suicide by jumping into the lake, clearly knowing that Xie Jingchen would pass by! Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence that she jumped right before Xie Jingchen, who rarely came home, was there to save her?!

Following this, her maternal family, Zhang Zhiguo’s household, suffered the consequences! With Lin Aiguo having destroyed the family’s furniture and Lin Zhaodi, who had lost both money and people, recently cursed Zhang Shanni as a ’disobedient daughter’ in Shanglin Village!

Although it was Zhang Hongqiang who personally brought two chests of dowry to Zhang Shanni, and what was inside those chests was up for speculation, Lin Zhaodi, who was brainless and selfish...

Remembering that her own first two daughters’ weddings had only been graced with a couple of feet of red cloth by their old uncle, yet this detestable Shanni received two full dowry loads!

Thinking of this, how could Lin Zhaodi not be furious? Especially since Zhang Hongqiang was still around pressing his seniority, even Zhang Zhiming, the cousin uncle, holding a high position as the current village chief of Shanglin Village, she dared not curse openly, so she could only ’curse’ Zhang Shanni as a way to vent her inward frustration.

There it was, with Shanglin Village and Lin Zhaodi as the mother dragging down her bad reputation, with Old Lin Village and Lin Aiguo, the ’victimized’ mother and son cursing heaven and Earth, and with Qingfeng Village having Wang Xiuzhen fanning flames hoping for her ill fate...

With these three prongs in action, how could Zhang Shanni not become infamous?

Originally, Zhang Hongqiang’s two dowry loads had already made some of the Qingshan Team’s women secretly envious.

Local customs dictated that a daughter’s wedding usually just involved a bundle containing a few outfits or some pieces of fabric, with the better ones including a couple of quilts and pillowcases. The countryside couldn’t compare with towns; the dowry expected in the countryside was generally not heavy, and the wedding would not have many valuable items.

This was also why Zhang Yunni and Zhang Baonni, when they married, each taking a gold ring to their husbands’ homes, were commended as coming from a generous family by others.

In the rural areas, not everyone is like Zhang Zhiguo, with a father who had been part of the Old Red Guards and a mother who was a veteran revolutionary. It can be said that Zhang Zhiguo’s family background is very rich.

Otherwise, how would the couple manage without working much, where would the money for food and drink come from if not for the old family resources and support from previous generations...

No matter what, Zhang Hongqiang could never stand by and watch his own nephew starve to death, this was truly fearless due to backing!

What led to renewed gossip about Zhang Shanni’s reputation in the village was the substantial ’dowry’ that Li Jianfeng and his three companions brought as a solemn gesture of gratitude!

That day, as usual Wang Xiuzhen got up, had breakfast, and strolled to her good friend Wang Chunmei’s house; although both of them have the surname Wang, they are distant relatives separated by five degrees, an epitome of distant kinship.

But fortunately, Wang Chunmei’s house is relatively closer to Xie Jingchen, so Wang Xiuzhen took the opportunity to visit Wang Chunmei’s house, hoping to have a ’chance encounter’ with Xie Jingchen.

Unfortunately, heaven does not grant favor to everyone’s wishes.

And just as the two of them were chatting, they overheard people in the village whispering at the foot of Wang Chunmei’s house wall.

Upon hearing the names ’Xie Jingchen, Zhang Shanni’, Wang Xiuzhen pulled her friend to the wall to listen to the villagers’ comments.

At this listen, Wang Xiuzhen got really angry!

Especially when Wang Chunmei took her to the back door, and seeing the supplies laid out on the truck, her heart clenched tightly, fingernails digging into the flesh of her palm, while envious voices of villagers reached her ears:

"Hey, everyone said Xie Jingchen was blind, marrying such a wife, but now it seems, his insight remains unique! Recently Zhang Shanni went with Xie Jingchen to get their marriage certificate, and she even rescued a high official’s wife, ensuring the safe birth of a son. And now, they’ve come to reciprocate the favor!"

"Eh, wasn’t it said that it was Xie Jingchen’s merit?"

"No, no, the pair of noble ladies from the city clearly said, it was Zhang Shanni who carried their daughter to the hospital!"

"Ssh! Does Zhang Shanni have that much strength? To lift a pregnant woman?"

"Hey hey, don’t disbelieve, Zhang Shanni in Shanglin Village is well-known for her capability, she alone can match the strength of two sturdy laborers, otherwise, how do you think Zhang Gou’er’s family gets enough grain to feed their fat pig-like selves!" The woman covered her mouth as if realizing she had said too much, glanced around, and quietly withdrew from the gathering crowd.

"Oh~~"

Many people who had heard of Zhang Shanni’s deeds glance at one another, nodding in understanding.

Speaking of which, in their Qingshan Team, young girl Zhang Shanni is truly a skilled farmhand, not only famous in Shanglin Village, but also in Old Lin Village and Qingfeng Village.

Mainly, Zhang Shanni is already eighteen years old; people of her age are either engaged or already married. If it weren’t for having unproductive parents like Zhang Zhiguo, she would have been sought after for marriage already.

In this era of hard work, a daughter-in-law with real strength is highly valued!

Thinking this way, it’s evident that Xie Jingchen was foresighted and completely ignored the unpleasant rumors in the village, showing he doesn’t care about such gossip!

In this regard, it might be that the Old Xie Family truly ’know the roots and the bottom’.

In the end, listening to this, Wang Xiuzhen felt bitter, intending originally to smear Zhang Shanni’s reputation, how did it end up speaking highly of the connection between the two families—knowing the roots and the bottom?

Pfft, it sounds so real, doesn’t everyone know that woman is nothing but a cheap wench who throws herself at others!