RYEY – Chapter 20 An Earthshaking Quarrel

“You good-for-nothing, always up to no good! Do you even know what’s going on? Over at Zhaodi’s place, it’s a complete mess—if this keeps up, they’ll be divorced any day now.” Cuihua snatched the meat away, her face finally showing a more normal expression.

“An earthshaking quarrel? What happened exactly?”

Seeing Li Huan feign ignorance, Cuihua’s temper flared. She hurriedly hid the pork belly inside the house, then grabbed a broom and lashed at Li Huan.

But Li Huan stood still without resisting. Aunt Cuihua was a sharp woman. Though not educated, she was fair and reasonable, with a clear sense of right and wrong.

Sure enough, after striking twice, Cuihua stopped. Her blows weren’t heavy anyway. She tossed aside the broom and looked at Li Huan seriously.

“Good-for-nothing, I’m warning you—if you marry Comrade Cheng, you’d better treat her well. She’s just a young girl, leaving her parents behind to live in a remote village like this. It’s already pitiful enough. Don’t you dare wrong her.”

Li Huan quickly nodded. Cheng Qiao was the girl who had captured his heart at first sight. Now that he finally had the chance to marry her, how could he possibly treat her badly?

“Auntie, I want to apply for that plot of land behind my house. When I have money, I’ll build a house there for Cheng Qiao.”

“When you have money? You mean when Chen Weimin’s family gives you money. You’ve got a black heart, asking three hundred yuan like that. You’re trying to bleed them dry.”

“Auntie, if I’d known how vicious Chen Chunhua was, I wouldn’t have asked for just three hundred yuan—I’d have asked for a thousand. Otherwise, she’d better prepare to face prison or a bullet.”

“You good-for-nothing, tell me clearly—what really happened? My man’s too busy, and he didn’t explain properly when he came home. Just said his brother gave you a hundred yuan and went back.” Cuihua was startled by Li Huan’s words.

“Auntie, Chunhua likes me. But when she realized I liked Cheng Qiao, she deliberately pushed her off the ox cart. If I’d come a step later, Cheng Qiao would have died under that ox’s hooves.”

“Chunhua likes you? You… are you dreaming? Hah… hahaha…”

“Auntie, are you done laughing? If so, you can go and ask Chunhua yourself. These aren’t my words—an insider told me.”

After laughing, Cuihua looked again at Li Huan’s sharp, handsome features. She couldn’t help but believe him a little. People said young girls always liked good-looking boys, and Chunhua was of marrying age. Falling for a handsome man was natural.

If it weren’t for his rascal demeanor, Li Huan would indeed count as a fine-looking man. Everyone had simply been misled by his hooligan ways.

“You said someone told you. Who was it?”

“Qian Longkun, from the educated youth spot. He told me in the hospital today, and even warned me to watch out for Chen Chunhua, to avoid falling into her trap.”

Cuihua fell silent. Her husband had mentioned before that Qian Longkun’s family wasn’t ordinary—best not to cross him. If he said it, then he must have seen something.

But if Chunhua really tried to kill Cheng Qiao over this, then that girl was far too malicious. Especially since Cheng Qiao really had been disfigured by the incident.

“What do you plan to do?”

“I’ve already told the village head and Accountant Chen everything. I gave him a day to gather the money. If we don’t see it by tomorrow night, I’ll take Cheng Qiao to the Public Security Bureau and file a report.”

“All right. I’ll pay a visit to the Chen family. Since I accepted your meat, I’ll help you a little. As for that land you want, I’ll talk it over with my husband tonight. But you’ll need to pay—there’s no such thing as free land anymore.”

“Thank you, Auntie. I’ll go with you. Don’t worry, I’ll wait outside and won’t go in.”

Cuihua nodded, then led Li Huan to Chen Weimin’s house. Just as they reached the door, the sound of dishes shattering came from inside. Li Huan hunched his shoulders—wow, the accountant’s family must be rich, smashing bowls like that.

“Chen Weimin, I’m telling you, I won’t take out my coffin money for that good-for-nothing. Just a little cut, and he dares ask for such an outrageous price? Pah!”

“Zhaodi, how many times have I told you—it wasn’t a little cut, it needed four stitches. Her face is ruined! And more than that, your daughter committed attempted murder. Do you even understand what ‘murder’ means? That’s punishable by bullet!”

“You can’t scare me. If they shoot, I’ll take my daughter’s place. Just one life—what’s there to be afraid of?”

“You take her place? Ha! Are you stupid or just naive? Since when can crimes be substituted? Do you think the authorities are dead?”

“I don’t care. I won’t hand over the money. If we die, we’ll die together.”

“You don’t need to die—just get back to your mother’s house. I’m done with you and your nonsense. Look at the way you’ve spoiled your daughter—she dares to kill now!”

“Chen Weimin, you want to throw me out for an outsider? Tell me the truth—do you have another woman out there, and this three hundred yuan is your excuse?”

“You crazy hag, are you trying to get me arrested? Do you even think before you speak? Get out! Get out! Just seeing you makes me furious.”

“You… fine, you ungrateful man, if it weren’t for—”

“Zhaodi, open the door.”

Cuihua couldn’t stand it anymore. If this went on, the Chen family really would fall apart. She simply knocked at the door.

After a while, the door finally opened. Cuihua pulled Zhaodi into the room. At once, she saw Chunhua sitting on the heated brick bed, her face blank, as if nothing outside had anything to do with her.

“Chunhua, go outside. I need to speak with your mother. Don’t you dare eavesdrop, or I’ll tie you up and lock you in the woodshed until the Public Security comes to take you away.”

At this, not only did Chunhua look at Cuihua in shock—even Zhaodi stared at her in disbelief. This sister-in-law of hers was usually difficult to deal with, but she was reasonable. What had gotten into her today?

Chunhua was still somewhat afraid of Cuihua. She climbed off the bed but didn’t dare go through the front, fearing Chen Weimin’s wrath. She slipped out the back door instead and wandered by the fields.

“Zhaodi, I have something to tell you. Don’t be afraid. Here’s what happened today…”

When Cuihua explained everything, Zhaodi could hardly believe her ears. Her daughter not only liked that good-for-nothing, but had even tried to kill Cheng Qiao because of him. The thought was terrifying.

“Cuihua, don’t try to scare me. I don’t believe it.”

“It’s not about whether you believe it or not. The question now is how to resolve it—and fast. You know what kind of man that rascal is. Shameless as he is, there’s nothing he wouldn’t dare do.”

Zhaodi slumped, lowering her head. No wonder Chunhua had wanted Cheng Qiao dead—it wasn’t just petty jealousy over looks. It was a fight over a man.