Song Wei and her group were working in the fields, while Old lady Niu’s family wasn’t far away planting corn.
Then Liu Guifen’s family arrived.
Without a word, Liu Guifen stormed over and slapped Wang Shu hard across the face.
The crisp sound rang out loud and clear.
Wang Shu covered his face, stunned and unable to react.
But old lady Niu screamed and rushed over, slapping Liu Guifen back.
“Liu Guifen, have you gone mad? How dare you hit my son!”
Liu Guifen’s mother jumped in, grabbing old lady Niu’s hair and landing two blows on her face.
“I think you’re the crazy one.”
Liu Guifen’s brother and father also joined the fray, and soon the field devolved into chaos.
Song Wei dropped her work and sprinted over with her legs moving like the wind.
Drama was happening!
The scene was filled with shouting and screams, and even the team leader’s attempts to stop them fell on deaf ears.
In the end, it took the brigade leader showing up to separate the red-eyed combatants.
“What do you think you’re doing? Liu Guifen, why did you bring your parents to our brigade?!”
Liu Guifen, her eyes red with anger, yelled, “Wang Shu is no man! He even hired an old bachelor from our brigade to harass me! I can’t believe it. I’ve borne children for the Wang family, and he’s stooped to such a despicable act just for some vixen!”
Upon hearing this, everyone turned wide-eyed to stare at Wang Shu in disbelief.
Wang Shu’s eyes flickered with guilt, but he vehemently denied it.
“What nonsense are you spouting? I’d never do such a thing!”
Enraged, Liu Guifen slapped him again.
“That old bachelor admitted it himself!”
“It’s a good thing someone passed by and beat that old bachelor up to save me. That’s when I found out it was you who sent him to harm me. My whole family heard him confess!”
Old lady Niu, hands on her hips and voice sharp, retorted, “You’re talking nonsense! My son would never do something like that. What, you think he’d willingly humiliate himself like that? I bet you had an affair with that man, got caught, and then pinned it all on my son! No wonder you left so suddenly and didn’t come back for so long. You must’ve been cozying up with your lover!”
Old lady Niu’s words, as spiteful as they were, carried a certain logic. Without evidence, no one could easily clear up the accusations.
Both sides continued arguing, each claiming to be in the right.
Liu Guifen pointed at Wang Shu. “What about Widow Hu? Are you sure the child in her belly is even yours? That woman’s been with who knows how many men! Wang Shu, you’re such a man, huh? Raising someone else’s kid!”
Wang Shu slapped her hard across the face.
“Shut up!”
Screaming, Liu Guifen launched herself at Wang Shu, pinning him to the ground and furiously slapping his face.
“I’m going to kill you!”
Her weight wasn’t light, and Wang Shu hit the ground with a heavy thud. Straddling him, she landed blow after blow on his face.
The fight erupted again, and this time not even the brigade leader could pull the furious Liu Guifen off him.
Frustrated, the brigade leader looked around, his eyes landing on Song Wei and Lin Zhen, who were leisurely watching the drama unfold while snacking on sunflower seeds.
His eyes lit up.
“Song Zhiqing, Lin Zhen, come help!”
Song Wei groaned inwardly: What bad luck!
Still, the two of them went over and forcibly separated the tangled mess that was Liu Guifen and Wang Shu.
The brigade leader, face dark with anger, snapped, “This is a field, not a place for fighting! Look at the damage you’ve done to those seedlings!”
Not only had they delayed work, but they had also trampled many newly planted corn seedlings.
“If you have issues to resolve, take it to the open ground!”
The quarrel then moved noisily to another location.
The brigade leader shouted at the onlookers, “Get back to work! Do you all not want your work points anymore?!”
Yet no one could resist watching the commotion. Their mouths were busier gossiping than their hands were working.
Song Wei trailed after the group, grinning cheekily.
“Brigade Leader, I’ll follow them. I might be helpful if things get out of hand. Besides, Lin Zhen and I can finish planting later.”
The brigade leader gave her a weary look.
Song Wei met his gaze with a look of utmost sincerity.
The brigade leader sighed and nodded, exasperated.
Song Zhiqing was always eager to join the excitement, often in bizarre ways.
At Wang Shu’s house, the argument continued. Liu Guifen, having had enough, declared she was ready to divorce Wang Shu.
However, she demanded compensation.
When the Wang family heard she wanted 300 yuan, old lady Niu erupted like a firecracker.
“Does she think she’s some kind of queen? 300 yuan? Why not just rob a bank! Is she worth that much?!”
But Liu Guifen’s family stood firm.
“My daughter bore children for your family and worked hard, earning work points and grain. Frankly, 300 yuan is already too little! If you won’t agree, there’s no discussion!”
Liu Guifen sobbed in the background, lamenting her misfortune.
Even though she had no hope for Wang Shu, her parents assured her they’d help her remarry. Still, the betrayal stung.
Liu Guifen’s mother upped the ante, threatening, “If we don’t get 300 yuan, I’ll report Wang Shu for adultery!”
Old lady Niu, hands on her hips, glared fiercely. “You wouldn’t dare!”
“Try me,” Liu Guifen’s mother retorted.
“And your daughter? Didn’t she mess around with that old bachelor from your brigade? If you report us, I’ll report her!”
“Go ahead. That old bachelor confessed Wang Shu sent him. Let’s see if he dares lie to the Public Security Bureau.”
After much back-and-forth, they finally settled on 280 yuan. Only then did Liu Guifen’s family agree to proceed with the divorce.
When Song Wei brought the news back, everyone was abuzz.
“So, Wang Shu and Liu Guifen will be the first couple in Ping’an Brigade to get divorced?”
“Shameful. None of the other brigades around here have had a divorce yet.”
Song Wei glanced at the old woman who made the comment.
“I don’t agree with that. If they can’t live together anymore, why not divorce? The fact that the state allows it means there’s a reason for it.”
The topic sparked mixed opinions.
But because Liu Guifen and Wang Shu were the first to divorce, everyone was curious.
Unfortunately, the divorce proceedings had to be handled in the city, so no one could tag along to watch.
After some delays, Liu Guifen’s family finally received the money, and the two families went to the city to finalize the divorce.
The news spread quickly, and for days, both Ping’an Brigade and Liu Guifen’s home brigade buzzed with gossip.
But what shocked everyone was that Wang Shu wasted no time trying to marry Widow Hu.
However, there was still one person in the Wang family who opposed her entry -old lady Niu.
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