Ji Shuyu didn’t involve herself further in He Jiang’s affairs. After retrieving the items she had left at the He house, she prepared to leave.
As she was heading out, Wang Shufen approached her with a bag of sea duck eggs.
“Shuyu, take good care of your health. Don’t neglect yourself.”
Wang Shufen also felt somewhat unsettled.
Originally, having Ji Shuyu visit and the whole family getting along harmoniously should have been such a happy time.
Who would have thought that Li Cuihua, that troublemaker, just couldn’t let things be?
A perfectly good life had been ruined by her actions.
“Thank you, Mom.”
Ji Shuyu didn’t refuse, knowing that Wang Shufen was giving her these things out of a sense of guilt.
She turned and left, unaware that not far away, Li Cuihua was grinding her teeth in hatred.
Ji Shuyu, why should I be kicked out by the He family while you win their affection and live so prosperously?
Everything that’s happened to me is because of you!
If I’m going to suffer, don’t think you’ll get off easy!
He Jiang was true to his word. Early the next morning, he tucked the divorce application he had written and headed straight for the island’s administrative office.
Here, this office functioned like the civil affairs bureau, handling matters such as divorce.
In the office, the clerk looked over the application and couldn’t help but click his tongue. “He Jiang, marriage isn’t something you just end on a whim. Besides, didn’t Cuihua give you a child?”
As was customary, the priority was to encourage reconciliation rather than separation.
On this island, finding a wife wasn’t easy, so of course, he had to try to persuade He Jiang first.
“Even having a child doesn’t justify such behavior.”
He Jiang summarized the key points: Li Cuihua’s scheming, her instigation of the child to administer drugs, and finally added,
“She even stole and sold my family heirloom. Pretty much the whole island has heard about it by now.”
“We can’t be husband and wife anymore. If this continues, I, He Jiang, might as well forget about having any dignity left.”
He had been honest and unassuming his entire life, but this was the first time he had mustered the courage to take such a step.
After Ji Shuyu left that day, he had stayed up late into the night talking with his brothers in the yard.
Seeing how each of his younger brothers was making something of themselves, He Jiang couldn’t help but feel discontent.
But upon reflection, he realized it had been a long time since he had felt so at ease.
Since marrying Li Cuihua, his life had been muddled and chaotic.
Li Cuihua was domineering; she had to control every matter, big or small, in the household.
If he so much as interjected a word, she would wail and complain for ages.
Over time, He Jiang had grown tired of arguing with her.
But his concessions hadn’t led to Li Cuihua becoming more understanding—instead, her attitude had only grown more rigid.
All these accumulated grievances finally found an outlet in this explosive moment.
He had to get a divorce, to shatter Li Cuihua’s illusion—the illusion that as long as she cried and made a scene, he would eventually give in.
The clerk paused his pen on the paper before saying slowly, “Alright, I’ll submit the application first. But according to the rules, we need to attempt mediation three times.”
He Jiang nodded. Just as he stepped out of the office, he ran into Li Cuihua’s brother, Li Tiezhu.
The man stood blocking the path with a wooden club, glaring and shouting, “He Jiang, you heartless bastard! My sister worked like a slave for you, and you just toss her aside like that?”
“If she really worked like a slave, would I be seeking a divorce?”
He Jiang had no patience to argue with the Li family. He turned to leave, saying, “Step aside. Don’t block the way.”
“I won’t!”
Li Tiezhu slammed his club on the ground, stiffening his neck and glaring at him provocatively.
“Unless you compensate my sister, this isn’t over. Nothing less than three hundred yuan will do.”
He Jiang sneered, “She stole and sold my family’s silver bracelet for thirty-five yuan. If you can get that money back, I might consider giving her ten yuan for travel expenses.”
Besides, he was now applying for a compulsory divorce. If mediation failed three times, he and Li Cuihua would have no choice but to divorce.
How could Li Tiezhu have the nerve to ask him for money?
Li Tiezhu’s face flushed dark red with anger, and he gripped the club so tightly it creaked.
“You’re talking nonsense! My sister would never do such a sneaky thing! You must be framing her because you want a divorce!”
He Jiang had no interest in wasting words. He tried to sidestep and slip through the gap beside them.
But Li Tiezhu seemed to have anticipated this. He swung his club sideways, firmly blocking He Jiang’s path.
“He Jiang, if you don’t make yourself clear today, don’t even think about leaving!”
A small crowd had already gathered to watch the commotion. He Jiang frowned and turned back, his gaze sweeping over Li Tiezhu. “I’ll say this one last time: step aside.”
“No!”
“My sister has been married to you for thirteen years and even gave you a healthy son! Even a stone would have warmed up by now! How can you just divorce her and not pay a single cent? Where in the world is there such a good deal?”
Li Tiezhu’s words made it clear that what he really wanted was money.
If he got the money, he wouldn’t say another word.
“It’s true she gave birth, but it’s also true that she nearly harmed someone in our family and raised the child to be like that.”
He Jiang’s words were clearly heard by everyone around them.
“She sold the bracelet for money, and now you’re asking me for three hundred yuan in compensation? Why don’t you ask her first where that thirty-five yuan went.”
A low wave of laughter immediately rippled through the crowd.
Someone shouted, “Li Tiezhu, is what He Jiang said true? I saw your sister buying walnut cakes at the supply and marketing cooperative the other day. Was she spending stolen money?”
Li Tiezhu’s face turned red, then pale. He swung his club and smashed it on the ground. “None of your damn business! Shut up, all of you!”
The commotion was too loud. The clerk from the office heard the noise and came out, frowning at the scene. “Li Tiezhu, what are you doing? Causing trouble at the office entrance?”
Seeing the clerk, Li Tiezhu’s bluster immediately deflated, but he still stiffened his neck and muttered, “Clerk Wang, you be the judge! He Jiang wants to divorce my sister and won’t give a single cent in compensation. Isn’t that bullying?”
Clerk Wang glanced at He Jiang, then looked back at Li Tiezhu. “Why does He Jiang want a divorce? Don’t you know? If we really get into it, He Jiang is being generous by not making her compensate for the silver bracelet. How can you still have the nerve to ask for compensation?”
He paused, his tone growing stern. “Put that club away now. If you keep causing trouble here, I’ll have to charge you with disrupting public affairs!”
Li Tiezhu was left speechless. Seeing the stern expression on Clerk Wang’s face, he finally reluctantly shouldered his club but still threw out a final threat: “He Jiang, just you wait! This isn’t over!”
He Jiang ignored him and walked straight through the crowd toward home.
This was only the beginning. The Li family would surely come back to make more trouble.
Their family wasn’t the type to give up easily.
After returning home, He Jiang told his family what the office had said.
No matter how many times they attempted mediation, he would no longer indulge Li Cuihua.
When Su Wenjuan came to pick up He Ming that afternoon, she overheard this.
That evening, while discussing it with He Hai at the dinner table, Su Wenjuan glanced at Ji Shuyu.
“Elder brother is really determined this time. It seems Li Cuihua has truly broken his heart.”
“By the way, Shuyu, how did you know Li Cuihua stole and sold the family’s bracelet?”
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