Chapter 7: Leaving the Small Village

“What’s this got to do with you?” Shen Erhu’s words made beads of sweat drip from Shen Jianguo’s forehead. He had been careless. For so many years, he had ruled the village like a tyrant. How had he overlooked such a formidable opponent?

“How does this not involve me? Do you think being the village party secretary gives you the power to do as you please? Let me tell you, Shen Jianguo, what you’ve done today is despicable. Do you know what this is? It’s hooliganism.”

Shen Erhu’s words reminded the villagers. Nowadays, whether in the city or the countryside, being labeled a hooligan was no trivial matter—it meant severe punishment, if not worse.

At this moment, Shen Jianguo finally realized the gravity of the situation. Thinking quickly, he said, “I have nothing to do with Li Cuihua. I was the first to arrive at their house to help extinguish the fire. My clothes got wet, so I went inside to change.” He was desperate to clear his name, completely disregarding Li Cuihua’s feelings.

“Hahaha! That excuse is a bit far-fetched. What, did you have to change even your underwear?” A voice from the crowd broke out, sending everyone into fits of laughter.

“Save those lies for the gullible. There’s no need to argue. Everything here makes it clear—you and Li Cuihua are already living together. Let’s talk about what comes next instead of embarrassing yourself further,” Yu Meijuan cut off Shen Jianguo’s attempts at defense.

The villagers understood what was going on, but since Shen Jianguo was still the village party secretary, they refrained from openly criticizing him. Everyone turned to Yu Meijuan, waiting to see how she would handle the situation.

Shen Jianguo glared at Yu Meijuan with eyes that seemed ready to devour her. He had never realized how sharp-tongued this woman could be.

“Hahaha! Shen Jianguo, I used to think you were just a beast, but it turns out you’re worse than that. Listen to his ridiculous excuses, everyone. Hahaha! Do you think I, Yu Meijuan, have lost my memory and my wits?

You don’t need to pretend anymore. I won’t let you off easily until we settle this matter properly.”

All eyes turned to Yu Meijuan. For the first time, people saw her in a different light. Her strength and determination radiated from her, making her appear incredibly charismatic. Not only was she beautiful, but her commanding presence was also captivating. She no longer resembled the meek, bullied woman from the Shen family.

The crowd fell silent, curious to see how Shen Jianguo would wriggle out of this mess.

“What are you stirring things up for? Go home!” Shen Jianguo snapped at Yu Meijuan. Sensing that her son might be in serious trouble, Old Lady Shen stepped forward, attempting to drag Yu Meijuan home by force.

But since they had come to make a scene, there was no way Yu Meijuan would let them have their way.

Before Yu Meijuan could act, Shen Zihan kicked Old Lady Shen to the ground. These people couldn’t be treated kindly, or they’d think you were easy to bully. Since her mother had already taken a stand, Shen Zihan decided to go all out—she had the strength, after all.

The Shen family had already experienced Shen Zihan’s ferocity firsthand. Now, they could only stare helplessly, not daring to step forward or argue as she dealt with them.

Moreover, given the current situation, Shen Jianguo’s misdeeds had already been exposed. The entire Shen family was known for being bullies behind closed doors, but now, they were utterly at a loss for what to do.

“You… what do you want? Can’t we just go home and talk things over properly?” Shen Jianguo realized that the woman before him was no longer the same. She might have even regained her memory. She held too many of his dirty secrets in her hands, so he began to back down.

“My request is simple. Return everything that belongs to me,” Yu Meijuan said, her gaze locked on Shen Jianguo’s, her words deliberate and firm.

“What things? The Shen family hasn’t taken anything from you, you piece of trash. Stop dreaming!”

Old Lady Shen’s heart ached as she heard Yu Meijuan’s demand. The gold and silver were already in her possession, and she had no intention of returning them. What she didn’t know, however, was that those valuables had already been stolen by Shen Zihan.

“Shut up, you! You’re the real piece of trash. How else could you raise a son who’s nothing but a scumbag? And now you’re trying to sling mud at me? I think your old brain must be fried. If I take your son’s dirty laundry and air it out in town, both he and his mistress might end up eating lead!” Yu Meijuan’s words were no empty threat.

Old Lady Shen immediately clamped her mouth shut, turning nervously to look at Shen Jianguo.

By now, Shen Jianguo’s face had turned an ashen gray. He glanced at Yu Meijuan, then at the watchful Shen Erhu. He had no choice but to make a decision.

“Fine. I agree,” he said, before addressing the gathered villagers. “This is a private family matter. We’ll handle it behind closed doors. Please, everyone, go back home and rest.” He then tried to disperse the crowd.

“Oh no, I’m just a widow with a child. Without everyone here, who knows what might happen to me? I think it’s best to resolve this in front of everyone. What do you think, Secretary Shen?”

“She’s right! We can serve as witnesses,” Shen Erhu chimed in, fanning the flames. He was curious to see what Yu Meijuan planned to do next.

“We’ll be the witnesses!” Among the villagers, there were plenty of people eager for the drama. They shouted their agreement enthusiastically.

Shen Jianguo’s head throbbed as he stared at Yu Meijuan. At this moment, he wanted nothing more than to tear her apart.

“What exactly do you want?” Shen Jianguo asked her, his voice tense.

“It’s simple—return everything that belongs to me, and then we’ll get divorced,” Yu Meijuan declared firmly, her tone leaving no room for negotiation.

Shen Jianguo chuckled coldly. Deep down, he thought, So her heart was never truly with me. In that case, what I’ve done outside doesn’t matter.

“Fine, I’ll give you everything. I’ll also prepare the divorce papers, and tomorrow morning, we’ll go to the town to finalize the divorce,” he replied decisively, surprising both Yu Meijuan and the gathered villagers.

Since he had already agreed, there wasn’t much drama left to watch. Gradually, the villagers began to disperse.

“What are you still doing here, you discarded piece of trash?” Li Cuihua sneered, standing tall now that she knew Shen Jianguo and Yu Meijuan were divorcing.

“Hand it over,” Yu Meijuan ignored Li Cuihua entirely, biding her time to deal with them properly after the divorce. For now, her focus was on recovering what Shen Jianguo had stolen from her.

“Do you have to be so ruthless?” Shen Jianguo knew what Yu Meijuan wanted. That item was his key to future success, but for now, he had no choice but to resolve the immediate crisis.

“Hmph, save your words. You know my temper,” Yu Meijuan replied sharply, unwilling to waste time arguing with someone she viewed as less than human.

Seeing her resolute expression, Shen Jianguo realized she was dead set on this. But he wasn’t worried; as long as she remained in the village, he’d find ways to deal with her. Divorce would only make it easier.

Without another word, Shen Jianguo walked into the house. Li Cuihua quickly followed him inside.

From the house, the sounds of their argument soon echoed out.

“This is mine! You promised to give it to me. I won’t let you hand it over to that wench!” Li Cuihua’s voice was shrill, as if someone were carving into her flesh.

“Since you won’t listen to reason, then be prepared to eat lead,” Shen Jianguo’s deliberately lowered voice still carried enough for Yu Meijuan and her daughter to hear. The two exchanged a knowing smile.

“Are we really letting them off this easy?” Shen Zihan asked her mother.

“Of course not. Let’s get the divorce certificate first,” Yu Meijuan replied with a calm but determined glint in her eyes.