TSWPF – Chapter 26 Divorce

As soon as the words fell, Madam Lin’s eyes widened. She turned to look at Li Qingling, whose expression remained calm.

“On what grounds are you asking Li Laifu to divorce me?”

Li Qingling lowered her eyes and looked at Madam Lin, her face unchanged. “On the grounds that you caused my mother’s death.” Asking Li Laifu to divorce her was actually the lenient option; at first, she had wanted to take Madam Lin’s life in return. But she knew that was impossible—the village chief would never approve. If she wanted her younger siblings to continue living there, she had to compromise.

Thinking of the late Madam Zhao, Madam Lin’s lips trembled. If she had known that such a slight push from her would have destroyed Madam Zhao, she wouldn’t have dared to do it for all the money in the world!

After all, it was still her mother-in-law’s fault. If her mother-in-law hadn’t brought her to the Li family to stir up trouble, none of this would have happened.

She wouldn’t have to face the prospect of being divorced.

“Village Chief, isn’t my request reasonable?” Li Qingling looked at the chief. “I’ve thought about this for a long time before coming up with this plan. It’s also for the sake of our village. If other villages learn about this incident and we don’t take action, our village’s reputation will be ruined. This could even affect marriages in our village.”

She elevated the matter to a village-level issue. For the sake of the village’s reputation, the chief would naturally agree to her proposal.

Sure enough, when the village chief heard Li Qingling’s words, his expression grew serious. This matter needed proper handling; if it was mishandled, it could damage the village’s reputation and affect local marriages.

Seeing the chief’s expression, Madam Lin’s heart skipped a beat. She crawled forward on her knees, moving to the village chief’s feet, kowtowing several times and begging him not to let Li Laifu divorce her.

If she were divorced, how would she survive afterward? Her natal family would never accept a daughter sent back after a divorce.

For the sake of the village’s reputation, the chief steeled his heart and told Li Laifu to draft the divorce papers.

It wasn’t his fault—Madam Lin had a cruel heart and had caused the death of her sister-in-law.

“Laifu, don’t divorce me! If you do, what about Qingfu? Do you want him to grow up motherless?” Madam Lin clutched Li Qingfu’s small legs, refusing to let go. “I’ve thought of you at every moment since coming to your house. You can’t be so heartless as to abandon me.”

Li Laifu’s face was full of distress. He didn’t want to divorce Madam Lin either. No matter what, they had lived together for over ten years, and she had borne him children. Even if it wasn’t merit, it was still effort.

“Village Chief, can you forgive my wife just this once? I’ll educate her properly and make sure she behaves from now on.” He swallowed hard, his face solemn as he pleaded with the chief. When the chief shook his head, he turned to Li Qingling. “Xiaoling, could you forgive your aunt this once? She really made a mistake this time and won’t go to your house again. If anything happens at your home, we’ll help unconditionally.”

Looking at the plump, fair Li Laifu, Li Qingling shook her head firmly. A dog cannot change its habit of eating feces—she had no faith in the moral character of that Li family.

Seeing Li Qingling shake her head, Li Laifu’s expression fell. After being so humble and pleading, she still refused? Did she really think she could act as she pleased now that she had grown a little courage?

Li Qingling silently twitched her lips, already knowing Li Laifu wasn’t an easygoing man.

“If you don’t want to divorce Madam Lin, that’s not impossible either,” she said coolly. Seeing the hopeful looks in Madam Lin and Li Laifu’s eyes, she poured a bucket of cold water over them: “Then it’s prison! Divorce papers or prison—you choose one!”

Hearing this, Madam Lin and Li Laifu’s faces changed. “I don’t want to go to prison, nor do I want a divorce! Laifu, save me!” If she went to prison, would she even survive? That place was like a den of devourers.

Li Laifu looked troubled. Li Qingling’s attitude was so firm, and even the village chief was on her side. What could he do?

He gritted his teeth and asked Li Qingling what compensation she wanted. Whatever she asked, if he could do it, he would agree.

Unexpectedly, Li Laifu was quite considerate toward Madam Lin. Even Madam Lin was moved by his words.

But Li Qingling remained unmoved, sticking to her original stance. “No need for long explanations. One sentence: prison or divorce—choose one.”

Did they think she was young and easy to sway? Not a chance. She wouldn’t let Madam Lin off so easily.

Since she had spared Madam Liu, she had no choice but to go after Madam Lin this time.

“You…how can you be so cruel? You only feel happy when I suffer, right?” Madam Lin’s fat body trembled with anger. She stood up abruptly and pointed at Li Qingling. “So young and yet so cruel—who would dare marry you in the future?”

Her hand was slapped away with a smack. Liu Zhimou stepped in front of Li Qingling, eyes cold, and said to Madam Lin, “I will marry my fiancée. Of course, it will be me.”

Looking at Liu Zhimou’s lean back, Li Qingling felt a warmth in her heart. Having such a fiancé seemed pretty good.

She stepped out from behind him and sneered at Madam Lin, “You don’t need to worry about me. You should worry about Li Qingfu and Li Baozhu instead. With a mother like you, who would dare become your in-law?”

After this incident, the reputation of the Li family was ruined. Li Baozhu would probably have an even harder time marrying well.

“You…” Madam Lin was momentarily silenced by Li Qingling’s words, unable to argue, her face flushed red.

Li Laifu was stunned for a moment. Li Qingling’s reminder made him realize the issue with their children. Their daughter had already been scrutinized by others, and if anyone learned she had such a mother, she might never marry well. His son would also have difficulty finding a good wife.

This thought clearly shook his heart.

Having been married to Li Laifu for so many years, Madam Lin understood him. Seeing his expression, she panicked, grabbed his arm, and begged him.

Li Qingling did not rush them, standing aside with cold eyes to watch their decision.

After a long moment, Li Laifu finally took a deep breath and loudly ordered someone to bring paper and ink. He would write the divorce papers.

Hearing this, Madam Lin froze, staring blankly at Li Laifu, unable to believe it. He…he was really going to divorce her?

This was a man she had shared a bed with for over ten years. How could he suddenly become so heartless? Divorce her just like that?

Li Laifu suppressed his inner discomfort, quickly wrote the divorce papers, signed his name, and handed it to her.

Madam Lin knew only a few characters, but she recognized the word “divorce.”

She trembled as she held it and tore the papers into pieces in a few motions, shouting that she didn’t want to be divorced.

“Seems like you want to go to prison instead? Fine. While it’s still daylight, let’s go now!” Li Qingling’s clear, cold voice echoed through the quiet ancestral hall.

Madam Lin spun around and glared at her, eyes full of fury. “It’s all your fault, you vile woman! I’ll fight you to the end!” Then she charged forward.

Even with her fat body, she wasn’t slow. Li Qingling smirked, pulling Liu Zhimou and Li Qingfeng behind the village chief.

She didn’t believe Madam Lin would dare attack even the village chief.

The village chief twitched at the corner of his mouth, thinking Li Qingling was far too clever to use him as a human shield.

“Madam Lin, if you continue causing trouble, it won’t just be a simple divorce,” he shouted, his voice firm. “Laifu, come pull her back and write another divorce paper immediately.” He truly despised the Li family.

All the blame fell on the old Li head and his wife. If they hadn’t favored Li Laifu’s branch, none of this would have happened.

Madam Lin, bold as she was, dared not confront the chief and could only glare at Li Qingling, wishing she could tear her apart with her eyes.

“Here, try causing trouble again?” Li Laifu handed another divorce paper and forcibly pulled Madam Lin over, shoving the paper into her hands. In a voice loud enough for all to hear, he said into her ear, “Go back to your natal home for a while. When this matter is settled, I’ll come to bring you back.”

“Really?” Madam Lin looked at Li Laifu with eyes full of delight. He would really come for her?

Li Laifu nodded. “Really. So don’t cause trouble anymore. If you continue, even I won’t be able to save you.”

Knowing he would come for her, Madam Lin’s mood shifted from dark to light. She lifted her chin and sneered at Li Qingling.

Brushing off the dust from her body, she pushed through the crowd. “Move aside! Don’t block my way.” Her sudden action left everyone stunned.

What was going on? She had been crying just moments ago, and now she was acting like nothing had happened. What did Li Laifu say to her to cheer her up so quickly?

“Village Chief, we’re leaving now,” Li Laifu told the chief without looking at Li Qingling, stepping out after Madam Lin.

People regained their senses and started whispering about Li Laifu and Madam Lin.

Li Qingling pulled Li Qingfeng forward and bowed to the chief. “Village Chief, thank you so much. If you hadn’t been on my side, I wouldn’t have been able to handle Madam Lin.”

The chief looked at Li Qingling and Li Qingfeng with pity. “If anything happens in the future, come to me. I’ll help as much as I can.” All he could do was this much. Poor children.

“Thank you, Village Chief,” Li Qingling bowed again with Li Qingfeng, then also bowed to the surrounding villagers. “Thank you for your help, everyone!”

The chief helped them up and gave them heartfelt advice. Seeing them obediently acknowledge it, he let them go home.

Upon returning to the Liu household, the sound of her sister crying immediately tugged at Li Qingling’s heart. Her sister must have been starving.