Chapter 1: The Man is Dead

A little boy of four, wearing a dusty gray old jacket and carrying a broken basket bigger than himself, trudged down the mountain on his short legs.

Behind him, Zhuo Le wore a white dress and crystal sandals, her long black hair loosely braided and hanging behind her head.

She was slender, with a waist that could be held in one hand, and her skin was fair with a flushed face, hot from the weather.

She held a stick in her hand, using it for support as she walked with difficulty.

“Son, slow down, Mommy can’t keep up.”

Her soft, delicate voice made people want to protect her.

The little boy turned his head, looking worried, “Mommy, don’t rush, walk slowly, I’ll wait for you.”

Zhuo Le smiled, brighter than the summer sun, “My son is so good, so thoughtful, Mommy is so touched she could cry.”

Her watery eyes misted over.

The little boy was shy and anxious, “Mommy can’t cry, it’ll hurt your eyes.”

Zhuo Le laughed, “Okay, I’ll listen to my son.”

…

“Tch, shameless.”

The old woman in the nearby field gritted her teeth, cursing Zhuo Le’s ancestors in her heart.

This woman, so flirtatious and lazy, even enslaves her son, simply heartless.

Only Wei Tianxia and Wei Xiaojia, this father and son, are stupid enough to protect this woman, not allowing anyone to say a bad word about her.

Stupid, so stupid.

The mother and son had already walked away and entered the village, finding that everyone was looking at them strangely.

Although it was usually strange, today it was especially strange.

Zhuo Le tilted her head and thought, today she didn’t make her mother-in-law faint, nor did she make her son fetch water in the hot sun, nor did she spend her man’s money to buy herself snacks, good, she didn’t do anything, it must not be her problem.

“What a sin, what a sin, I said you couldn’t marry her, couldn’t marry her, she’s a jinx, a broom star, a scourge.

She killed her own mother as soon as she was born, and killed her own father in less than a year, the old Zhuo family was made restless by her.

How could anyone marry such a person, Wei Tianxia, that worthless thing, just wouldn’t listen, now look what’s happened?

She injured her little uncle on the day she entered the door, and the Wei family has been in turmoil for five years since she married into the Wei family.

Lazy and gluttonous, disrespectful to her mother-in-law, unfriendly to her brothers and sisters-in-law, and abusive to her child.

Now it’s even more outrageous, she’s killed her man too.

What a sin, my son, how are your parents supposed to live…”

Old Woman Wei sat in the yard, sobbing and wiping away tears.

Zhuo Le’s small yard was surrounded by layers of people.

Zhuo Le???

“Tianxia’s wife is back.”

The crowd turned their heads in unison.

Zhuo Le…

It wasn’t the first time she was the center of attention, but today everyone’s eyes were particularly targeted.

Some with pity, some with schadenfreude, some with indifference, just watching the show.

What’s wrong? One or two of you, don’t just look, say something.

“You jinx, you dare to come back, give me back my son’s life.” Old Woman Wei looked ferocious, nimbly got up from the ground, her dark claws heading straight for Zhuo Le’s small face.

Zhuo Le’s skirt fluttered as she dodged, looking at Old Woman Wei indifferently, “Old lady, just talk, why are you getting physical?”

Wei Xiaojia dropped his basket, stood in front of Zhuo Le, and said with a serious face, “Grandma, don’t hit my mommy. If you have something to say, tell me. I’m in charge at home.”

Old Woman Wei said, exasperated, “You little brat, you haven’t even grown all your hair and you’re in charge? You’re as brainless as your father, only knowing how to protect this slut. Protect her, protect her, one day you’ll end up like your father, killed by this woman.”

Her dark claws poked Wei Xiaojia’s forehead again and again, leaving deep red fingernail marks.

Zhuo Le narrowed her eyes slightly, pulled the little bean sprout into her arms, and rubbed the little guy’s head, “These hands are as dirty as the back mother’s, and you’re so silly, why don’t you know how to dodge?”

Wei Xiaojia grinned, showing his small rice teeth, “Mommy, don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt.”

Old Woman Wei was so angry that she gasped for breath, “Laugh, you heartless little beast, you can still laugh? Your dad is dead and you’re still laughing.”

Zhuo Le and Wei Xiaojia looked over with the same doggy eyes. This old woman often cursed Wei Tianxia to die, and after hearing it so many times, they didn’t feel anything.

Wei Xiaojia’s milky voice was particularly strong, “More than half a month ago, my dad called me and my mom, his voice was loud and full of energy.” It was impossible for him to die.

Don’t look at him being small, he speaks clearly, his brain is smart, turns quickly, and his little mouth doesn’t hold him back.

Old Woman Wei mocked, “You also said it was more than half a month ago. When someone is going to die, it’s a matter of minutes.

I’m telling you, your dad is dead, dead, completely dead, you’ve become a fatherless little bastard.”

Listen to that, is that what a real grandma would say?

Although Wei Xiaojia was smart and clever, he was only a four-year-old child.

Old Woman Wei said it so definitively that he was a little unsure and a little scared.

He looked at Zhuo Le expectantly.

Zhuo Le patted his little head, her heart sinking slightly, “Which kind person can tell me what’s going on?”

“I know, I know,” a fourteen or fifteen-year-old dark and thin boy jumped out and said, “The commune leaders came to deliver the news, and I led the way.

The leaders said that Tianxia Ge’s unit sent an urgent message, saying that Tianxia Ge had sacrificed himself, and asked Sister-in-law to collect Tianxia Ge’s belongings and pension.

The train tickets were also sent, and they’re in Wei Da Niang’s hands.

Wei Da Niang wanted to go secretly, but the leaders said that no one else could collect it except you, so Wei Da Niang came to make trouble for you.”

Old Woman Wei…

Others…

You talk too much.

Zhuo Le pursed her red lips and met Wei Xiaojia’s teary doggy eyes.

“Mommy, is Daddy really dead?

Was he cursed to death by Grandma? Grandma curses Daddy to die every day, and now he’s really been cursed to death, wa…”

The little guy cried with snot and tears, so miserable.

Compared to Old Woman Wei saying that Wei Tianxia was killed by Zhuo Le, Wei Xiaojia’s innocent words were more convincing, and everyone’s eyes on Old Woman Wei changed.

“Wei Pozi is really something, her own flesh and blood, she curses them like wildlings, as vicious as she can be. I think, maybe he really was cursed to death by her.”

“That’s right, Wei Tianxia was tall and strong, as strong as an ox, how could he just die? It must have been this old woman who harmed him.”

“What a sin, I don’t know how the orphan and widow will live in the future.”

“Zhuo Le, this woman can’t lift anything with her hands, can’t carry anything on her shoulders, and pants after walking two steps, but she has a fairy face. In the past, Wei Tianxia protected her, and no one dared to provoke her. In the future, tsk tsk…”

“Wei Xiaojia, this little崽子, will not have a good life in the future, who knows how he will be abused, it is hard to say whether he can grow up.”

Everyone was talking at once.

Zhuo Le patted Wei Xiaojia’s back one after another, looking coldly at Old Woman Wei, “Old lady, since the leader asked me to go, then please bring the train ticket.”

Old Woman Wei jumped up and down, “Bah, shameless thing, you killed my son, and you still want to swallow my son’s life-saving money, dream on.”

Zhuo Le dodged Old Woman Wei’s saliva attack, “If you don’t give it, then don’t give it. I’ll go to the commune to find the leader tomorrow and ask him to help me buy a new one.

It’s getting late, everyone go back, I need to pack my things and prepare to bring my man back.”