Chapter 13

In fact, nearly everyone in the village was aware of the Zhang family’s issues.

The village, set at the base of Arashiyama Mountain, had once been just a barren place. Long ago, refugees without homes had settled there, and it gradually turned into a small village. Because of its proximity to the mountain, it was named Arashiyama Village.

Most of the villagers’ ancestors had supported each other, and even if they didn’t share the same surname, many of them were close in kinship.

The Zhang family was known to be good, honest people, and when others spoke about them, they often did so with sympathy, especially given the troubles of this generation. The eldest son was barely surviving, the second son had married a lazy wife, forcing Li Mizhen to keep working despite her age, and the youngest son had a reputation for idleness and lack of ambition.

Now, the third son had also taken in a daughter who wasn’t his own. Just looking at the well-fed little girl, people could tell she wasn’t easy to care for. Could the Zhang family ever catch a break?

As expected, it wasn’t long before word of this reached the captain’s house.

“What a tragedy!” one older woman remarked with a sigh. “Good thing my sons married hard-working wives. Otherwise, we might be facing the same fate.”

Another nodded, “Yes, we’ll have to be careful when picking our daughters-in-law in the future.”

Despite their words, they still went to watch the drama unfold.

In Arashiyama Village, a crowd gathered in front of the captain’s house. The center of the group held the captain, Ding Yushu, and several members of the Zhang family.

Even Zhang Zhi, who worked out of town, had been summoned back.

Surrounded by onlookers, Tian Jiao stood guarded by Zhang Rui, watching the scene from behind him.

Ding Yushu began to complain to the captain. Dropping all pretense, she cried, “Captain, you have no idea! My mother-in-law is good to everyone in the family except me. I don’t even get an egg at home, while this little girl has one every morning. I usually eat alone in my room, and I rarely eat at the family table…”

Some villagers who didn’t know the situation started to sympathize with her accusations.

Zhai Aiguo’s wife muttered, “This is just heartless. They’re treating their daughter-in-law like she’s nothing.”

But Zhai Aiguo pulled his wife aside, whispering, “You don’t understand the whole story. Notice that none of the Zhang family members are saying anything?”

His wife rolled her eyes and grumbled under her breath, “What else is there to it? It’s just bullying. It’s so hard for a woman married into another family…”

Nearby, another villager overheard and chuckled, “Not exactly. Ding Yushu is known in her hometown for being lazy. She was still unmarried well into her twenties. If she weren’t good-looking, and if the Zhang family weren’t doing well back then, no one would have married her.”

Zhai Aiguo’s wife gasped, “Really?”

“Of course,” the woman nodded. “I heard about it before. She never lifted a finger to help around the house, even stealing food from her sisters. Another one of her sisters got married last year—to a man in his thirties—because she was lazy and no one wanted her.”

“Oh my goodness…” someone nearby whispered.

Curious, another asked, “So, is her family really poor?”

The woman nodded, “Yes, but they do have some hard workers. Old Ding’s parents are good, honest folks. Even now, they work hard, earning ten work points a day. They may not have much money, but they’re kind. They just couldn’t control their kids.”

Murmurs of shock passed through the crowd, and people began looking at Ding Yushu differently.

Ding Yushu, still crying, wiped her face and adjusted her posture, noticing the crowd’s reactions. She misread their expressions, thinking they were judging the Zhang family instead of her. Feeling pleased with herself, she continued in a miserable tone, “I want a family split, Captain. Please, be compassionate and help me escape this suffering!”

Meanwhile, Zhang Zhi, who had been urgently called back, tried to calm her. But the scratches on his face and neck showed the results of her anger.

The whispers around them grew louder.

The stares from the crowd seemed to grow more intense and directed at Ding Yushu. She mistakenly thought they were sympathizing with her.

Unable to bear the tension any longer, Ding Yushu thought, “The Zhang family is only okay because of Zhang Zhi. Most of the family’s money goes to that old hag, and they barely give me anything! I don’t even get enough for snacks each month. It’s just a little! Especially now, after having Dabao, there’s barely enough to eat.

Now that the old hag wants Dabao, as long as I get my share of the family property, I can live comfortably!”

Nobody knew her thoughts, but her emotions were apparent. Tian Jiao, watching with alert eyes, sensed her true feelings.

Despite her cries, Ding Yushu wasn’t sad. She was thrilled—almost exhilarated.

And she was lying.

Zhang Rui held Ding Yushu to keep her safe, though the Zhang family had always treated her well. They gave her plenty to eat, and when she sneaked his treats, he pretended not to notice and never scolded her.

Tian Jiao didn’t want her family to suffer unjustly. She wasn’t an ordinary child, and she understood things clearly. So, after Ding Yushu finished speaking, Tian Jiao shouted, “Liar, it’s not true! You’re a big liar!”

Her young voice echoed, surprising the crowd, who started murmuring. Zhang Zhi looked at her, unsure of what to say. He wasn’t good with words, which is partly why he stayed a driver without promotion. But hearing his wife speak so harshly about his mother made him feel cold and hurt.

Looking at Li Mizhen’s face, Zhang Zhi felt a pang in his heart. He had never seen her look so distant, not even towards him. He regretted insisting on marrying Ding Yushu and ignoring the issues between them, hoping things would be fine if he endured it for the family’s sake. But now, he quietly told Ding Yushu, “Stop this; I want to separate from the family.”

Ding Yushu, with red, determined eyes, pushed him away. “No, I need justice. She hit me, and she has to pay.”

While they argued, Zhang Rui was also caught off guard. He hadn’t expected Tian Jiao to speak out. Concerned, he held her close and said, “Don’t worry; Grandma will handle it. Jiaojiao, don’t say anything more.” Zhang Rui didn’t want anyone to gossip about his little girl, especially since this was mainly his second brother’s issue. Besides, with Ding Yushu appearing alone and weak, too many people on their side might look like bullying.

Zhang Dagen, supporting Li Mizhen in case she fainted, softened at Tian Jiao’s words. “She’s a good child.” Li Mizhen, who once struggled to show warmth to Tian Jiao, felt a warmth inside her. She still held back special treatment, but now she felt a bit more warmth toward the child.

Zhang Zhi then spoke softly, “We should separate. If this keeps going, it’ll be hard to get along.” Li Mizhen agreed but knew they had to be clear about certain things. She didn’t want any more pain or losses.

Before she could say more, Tian Jiao, still watching Ding Yushu closely, expressed her confusion and sadness, saying loudly, “But she lied! Sister Huahua told me good kids don’t lie! Jiaojiao won’t let Grandma be bullied!”

Zhang Rui smiled proudly at Tian Jiao, not stopping her this time.

As the captain, Zhai Xingwang needed to be fair. Earlier, Ding Yushu’s words made him hold back some truths, but since the child spoke up, he said gently, “Don’t worry, Zhang family. Children usually don’t lie.” Zhang Rui nodded, allowing Tian Jiao to continue.

With a pleased smile, Tian Jiao began talking in a clear voice. “Captain, she’s lying. Only Grandpa, Second Uncle, and Dad got eggs, and Dad shared his with me. Second Uncle’s eggs were eaten by her, and he bought her candy. She didn’t like eating with us, so she had Second Uncle bring food to her room. He even washed her clothes while Grandma did all the cooking…”

People started to murmur, all amazed at how kind the family seemed to be. “Such a good in-law family, and she wants to split up? She’s ungrateful!” someone whispered.

Seeing things turn against her, Ding Yushu quickly rolled up her sleeves, showing bruises. “But she hit me! Look at the bruises!” she shouted, pointing to the purple marks on her delicate skin.

In their poor village, fights between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law were common, so the captain hesitated before saying, “It was wrong of Comrade Li to hit you. Maybe an apology?”

Ding Yushu, feeling victorious, raised her voice, “An apology isn’t enough! Look at these bruises!”

Finally, Zhang Zhi lost his patience and yelled, “Ding Yushu, shut up!”