Chapter 33: No marriage certificate, no actual sexual intercourse, what kind of couple are they?

To prevent Bai Xiuying from ambushing her, Tang Wanning deliberately stepped back a few extra paces. At first, Xiao Zhang and Xiao Liu had physically escorted her away from the “battlefield,” but soon Tang Wanning guided the two of them to retreat even further. This maneuver caused quite a stir in the minds of Xiao Zhang and Xiao Liu.

After all, Tang Wanning was just a young girl. Sure, she grew up in the countryside and might be slightly stronger than average, but slightly stronger? These two big, grown men were being led backward by a small girl—how could they not be shocked?

Once they fully registered what was happening, they exchanged a glance, both eyes wide with astonishment. Yet somehow, they didn’t feel resentful. Instead, they felt a certain admiration for Tang Wanning. After all, giving Xu Zhenhua a good beating was far too light a punishment for someone like him.

If Tang Wanning hadn’t come today, and Xu Zhenhua had deliberately kept the fact that he was alive a secret, she would have lived the rest of her life in guilt, thinking she had “cursed” him. That guilt might have led her never to remarry, choosing instead to take responsibility for caring for his parents. In her past life, Tang Wanning had indeed done exactly that.

It wasn’t just Xiao Zhang and Xiao Liu who realized this—everyone present had the same thought.

Jiang Hongmei, realizing this, looked at Bai Xiuying with disdain.

“If I heard correctly, just now that older lady called Captain Xu’s son?”

“You heard right,” confirmed Military Wife 1. “I also heard her call him Captain Xu’s son.”

“Oh my god,” Military Wife 2 gasped, covering her mouth in shock. “So Captain Xu notified his parents but deliberately hid the truth from Tang Wanning’s family? And his parents helped him cover it up? What kind of people are they?”

“Could it be that Captain Xu wanted Tang Wanning to fulfill filial duties in her hometown while he lived happily in the army with his new wife?”

“Of course, that must be it. Otherwise, why would the entire family hide the truth from Tang Wanning?”

Jiang Hongmei cast a loathing glance at Xu Zhenhua. “The Xu family is truly malicious. Such a delicate, beautiful girl, and they schemed against her. Luckily, she discovered it in time, or Tang Wanning would have spent her whole life in pain.”

“I don’t think it ends there,” said Military Wife 3, spitting out her disdain as she glanced at Bai Xiuying. “Didn’t Tang Wanning’s mother say it herself? Tang Wanning has only been married to the Xu family for a little over a year, and she’s been worn down to almost nothing. Clearly, Captain Xu’s parents aren’t good people either.”

“I originally thought Captain Xu was honest. He may not be very handsome, but he’s clean and delicate-looking. I never expected that appearances can be deceiving.”

Hearing these discussions, Bai Xiuying’s mouth twitched with anger. She was genuinely worried—after all, Xu Zhenhua was her son and had such a promising future. She couldn’t let Tang Wanning ruin it. If this incident wasn’t handled properly, her son would be punished.

Angrily, she shot a glare at Su Meijuan and her daughter. If it weren’t for them, Xu Zhenhua wouldn’t have been put in such a position, yet she had no idea how to save her son. She knew her own limitations.

Then Bai Xiuying suddenly remembered her husband. True, she wasn’t smart, but her husband was. He would surely know how to handle this. Her eyes lit up as she called toward Xu Dingbang:

“Old Xu, our son is being slandered like this! Explain for him! Things aren’t what these gossiping women are saying!”

Xu Dingbang thought… how unlucky. Why did that shameless woman have to call him? Fine, he would have gone out to add to the chaos himself, but now she dragged him into it too? Wasn’t the situation already chaotic enough?

Exposed now, Xu Dingbang had no choice but to respond. He racked his brain and slowly walked toward his wife. He stopped beside Bai Xiuying, careful not to get too close to Tang Wanning, fearing she might strike him too. At his age, he had some dignity left.

Seeing her father arrive, Xu Zhenhua looked at Xu Dingbang with hope, expecting his father to rescue him. Xu Dingbang inwardly smirked. Hmph, yesterday he wanted to kick him out, but now when trouble arises, he still has to rely on him?

Xu Dingbang looked at his son and reassured him before clearing his throat and addressing Tang Wanning with a benevolent tone:

“Wanning, I didn’t raise my son properly. If you want to scold or hit him, it’s understandable. But I remember that you and Zhenhua never officially registered your marriage, right? Legally, you two shouldn’t be considered husband and wife, correct?”

Hearing this, Xu Zhenhua’s eyes lit up. Right! He had forgotten—he and Tang Wanning never registered their marriage. Legally, they weren’t a couple.

Xu Dingbang paused, then continued:

“Although you and Zhenhua held a banquet in the village, one: you didn’t register your marriage, and two: Zhenhua was recalled for duty before he could consummate the marriage. So legally, there’s no marital relationship between you two. Am I correct?”

Hearing this, Xu Zhenhua nodded repeatedly: “My father is right. We didn’t register our marriage and didn’t consummate it, so legally, we’re not husband and wife!”

Bai Xiuying, hearing Xu Dingbang’s words, felt triumphant. She knew her husband would have a solution. Now she could see how this little “bitch” would spin out of options.

Even the surrounding people were stunned by Xu Dingbang’s analysis—it seemed so reasonable. Tang Wanning and Captain Xu, apart from the village banquet, had no other marital acts, so could they really be considered husband and wife?

“Although I still find the Xu family despicable, what Captain Xu’s father said does make sense.”

“Honestly, in all my life, I’ve never encountered such a situation,” said Military Wife 1, turning to Jiang Hongmei: “Hongmei, do you think Tang Wanning and Captain Xu should still be considered husband and wife?”

Jiang Hongmei had only basic education, so she didn’t fully understand these legalities. Though that old man was shameless, what he said wasn’t wrong. Could they really let Captain Xu escape like this? But for Tang Wanning, it seemed unbearably unfair.