RYEY – Chapter 63 Try Raising Your Hand Again

Chen Dazhu gave an almost imperceptible nod. Xu Laidi let out a breath of relief, sneering in her heart: Chen Dazhu, as long as you help me this time, from now on, every single day, I’ll make sure you live happily.

After being rushed to the county hospital, Chai Jianmin was carefully examined and treated. His life was saved, but his right leg had suffered a comminuted fracture. Though he would still be able to walk in the future, limping was unavoidable.

Xu Laidi, on the other hand, was personally escorted to the Public Security Bureau by the village head. He took out a thick hemp rope and bound her hands tightly. The pain made Xu Laidi beg again and again, pleading for him to loosen it, promising she wouldn’t run.

The village head ignored her completely. The honorable title of “Advanced Village” for Xiangyang was now gone. If Xu Laidi were convicted of intentional murder, then for the next few years their Xiangyang Village would have no chance of being named an advanced collective.

Chen Dazhu followed closely behind the chief. As the nearest witness, it was his duty to give a statement. On the way, he repeatedly rehearsed the testimony he had long prepared, patching up any possible loopholes.

The comrades at the Public Security Bureau were very responsible. Upholding the principle of “wrong no good person, spare no bad person,” they went to the site of the incident to investigate.

But once they arrived, everyone had a headache. The crime scene had long been trampled into a mess by the villagers, footprints crisscrossing everywhere, leaving the whole place in complete disarray.

The public security officers could only sigh helplessly. The villagers’ love for watching a commotion hadn’t changed for hundreds of years—it was impossible to expect them to suppress their curiosity.

“This is where the rock was?”

“Yes,” Xu Laidi answered honestly. “At first, I didn’t see the rock. I only noticed a bump of dirt and wanted to smooth it out. But after a few shovels, I hit the rock. Before I could react, it rolled down.”

She desperately wanted to say the rock had been tampered with, but this was a critical moment to clear her name. She dared not stir up further complications.

The public security comrades glanced around. Many people exchanged looks—after all, it was perfectly normal for a rock to loosen and fall, especially since the soil there was clearly soft.

Chen Dazhu also firmly testified that he had personally seen Xu Laidi digging the dirt, completely unaware there was a rock underneath.

At last, Xu Laidi’s suspicion was cleared. Although the officers still harbored doubts, without concrete evidence, they couldn’t convict her of attempted murder.

Chen Weidang partly trusted Chen Dazhu—after all, this was the most honest and taciturn man in the whole village, one who could never tell a lie. On the other hand, for the sake of the village’s honor, he also spoke in Xu Laidi’s favor.

“Village Head, thank you and Chen Dazhu for helping me regain my innocence. I want to learn from Comrade Educated Youth Cheng Qiao. A life-saving grace should be repaid with marriage. Once the waterway construction ends, I’ll marry Chen Dazhu.”

The chief frowned at Chen Dazhu. In his heart, he didn’t want Dazhu to marry such a woman—bad reputation, unattractive, sly and lazy, almost without a single merit.

But Chen Dazhu was bewitched. His heart and eyes were filled only with Xu Laidi. For her, he even saved food from his own ration—utterly foolish.

“Suit yourself.”

The village head had too many matters to deal with. Seeing Xu Laidi’s case settled, his mood lightened a bit. If they couldn’t win the “advanced” title this year, they’d strive again next year.

After more than twenty days of hard labor, the river project was finally completed. Everyone packed their things to head home. But on the way back, there was no longer any laughter—each person was still haunted by the image of that falling boulder.

Especially those who had been standing not far from Chai Jianmin. Their minds were still blank with shock. So close! Just a little closer and their lives would have been gone.

The village head walked home without looking back. He no longer wanted to talk to Chen Dazhu. Forcing a cow to drink when it refuses was useless. He had already given his advice; whether life would be good or bad in the future, it wasn’t his concern anymore.

That evening, smoke rose from every household chimney, and the entire village was filled with the aroma of pork. The breadwinners had returned, and naturally, families prepared good wine and dishes to celebrate.

But Chen Dazhu’s house was lifeless. Ever since he had asked to split from the family, their food rations had been clearly insufficient. This year, during the distribution, Chen Dazhu had taken away a third of the family’s collective rations and work points.

Chen Shuigeng, of course, was unwilling. He demanded Dazhu hand over money for his old-age support. But Dazhu pointed to the small grove in the distance. He hadn’t taken a single cent from the family when splitting off, so why should he provide for them?

Another third belonged to his eldest brother, Chen Tiezhu, and his wife. Seeing the situation, Tiezhu also demanded to split off, insisting on taking his share of work points.

Chen Shuigeng was furious. If Tiezhu also left, how could the remaining third of the rations feed everyone? Forget his two sons and three daughters—even just feeding himself and his wife would barely be enough.

So no matter what Tiezhu said, Shuigeng refused. But he underestimated Tiezhu’s resolve. As long as they didn’t split, Tiezhu wouldn’t work. Every day he just ate and slept, not even gathering firewood.

Not only that, he forbade his wife and children from working. They could go out and gossip instead—talking about how, after their real mother died, their stepmother abused them, and how their father had become a rotten one.

Shuigeng was infuriated. In his rage, he slapped Tiezhu hard across the face.

But Tiezhu only turned his head and, with a vicious glare, delivered a ruthless kick to his father’s favorite youngest son, Chen Xiaoming.

That kick was meant to cripple. Seeing Xiaoming in such agony that he couldn’t even cry, Shuigeng realized that he had lost the highest authority in this family.

“Dad, Dazhu and I are already grown. If you dare raise your hand again, I’ll make you regret it.”

The stepmother, about to scold when she saw her own son being beaten, caught a glimpse of the cold glint in Tiezhu’s eyes. Cleverly, she turned away and left, not sparing a glance at the son lying on the ground unable to get up.

Left with no choice, Shuigeng finally nodded his consent. Without another word, Tiezhu took his rations and money, shut his doors, and started living on his own.

Over the next twenty days, Tiezhu took his son up the mountain, gathering plenty of wild goods, even catching two rabbits. They ate well every day, living comfortably.

The pitiable ones were his two younger sisters, Big Niu and Little Niu—eighteen and sixteen, already of marriageable age.

But the villagers all despised their stepmother’s greed for high bride prices. Even if someone liked them, they didn’t dare propose, afraid of being extorted. As a result, the two girls were left in an awkward position.