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Uncle Yu’s sons watched their mother being beaten and tried to intervene, but several soldiers immediately blocked their path.
The sons, a reckless bunch, fought back against the soldiers.
However, they were no match for the soldiers’ strength. A few blows left them bleeding from their mouths and noses, sprawled on the ground like dead dogs.
Uncle Yu, pinned to the ground, his eyes blazing with fury, yelled, “This is outrageous! Officials bullying the common people!”
Several women from the Women’s Federation stepped forward.
“You’ve illegally occupied a martyr’s house and assaulted his family! And you dare to shout?”
“This is our Old Yu family’s property. My brother died, and since he had no son, it naturally belongs to his nephew!” Uncle Yu struggled, convinced of his own righteousness.
“Martyr Yu Jianmin had a wife and daughter. How dare you claim their property?” The Women’s Federation was exasperated by this attempt to seize property based on gender.
“He had no son, so the house should go to his son, to the Old Yu family!” Uncle Yu insisted, believing his argument to be irrefutable.
“Even if he had no children, the property belongs to his wife, not you! If you value your sons so much, work hard to build your own wealth and pass it on to them. Don’t covet others’ belongings!”
“This is Yu family property. How can it be given to this good-for-nothing!” Uncle Yu pointed at Yu Manman.
Li Mancang’s face darkened. Ignoring the fact that Uncle Yu was being held down by the militia, he kicked Uncle Yu in the face several times.
The militia nearby pretended not to see, looking away.
“You’re the good-for-nothing, your whole family is good-for-nothing!” Li Mancang valued his sons, but he didn’t look down on his daughters. Fenglan had graduated from high school, and Fengchun was still studying. He couldn’t tolerate someone calling his granddaughter a good-for-nothing to his face.
“This house was bought by my brother-in-law and sister after they got married. It has nothing to do with your Old Yu family! Didn’t all the Old Yu family property go to you? My sister and her husband didn’t get a single brick!” When the Old Yu family divided their property, they gave nothing to his sister.
The second son stated this in front of relatives and neighbors to prevent future disputes over the property.
“Yu Jianmin was from the Old Yu family, so his house is Old Yu family property!” Uncle Yu, having lost two teeth from Li Mancang’s kicks, spat out blood while stubbornly arguing.
“There are many people in the Old Yu family. Why don’t you dare to demand property from other families? You’d probably be beaten to death before you even got inside! You’re bullying my widowed sister and her orphaned child! Her husband is gone, but my sister still has her family and brothers. Dare to bully them again, and I’ll kill your whole family! I’ll make sure the Old Yu family dies out!” The second son’s face was grim.
“Government! Will you do something? He’s threatening me!” Uncle Yu shouted.
Uncle Yu’s wife wailed and cried.
“Shut up, or you’ll be shot!” The Armed Forces leader shouted sternly. Yu Jianmin was such a good comrade; how could he have such family members?
“Comrades! Comrade Yu Jianmin sacrificed himself while on duty. His wife and child were bullied like this at home, driven out in the middle of the night! Comrades, imagine if we tolerate such people, how can our soldiers protect our country with peace of mind? They shed blood and sacrifice themselves on the battlefield, fighting the enemy, but their wives and children are bullied at home. Comrades! Will this break the soldiers’ hearts? Can we allow this to happen?”
“No! No! No one should bully the families of soldiers!”
“Anyone who dares to bully the families of soldiers, we will not tolerate it!”
The neighbors watching were ashamed by the Armed Forces leader’s words. The soldiers fought hard to protect them on the front lines, and they were watching the drama unfold for their families. Were they even human?
“Uncle Yu bullied the families of soldiers and deserves to be shot!”
“Yes! He pretended to be a good person. As soon as Jianmin died, they came to occupy his house. That’s not something a human being would do!”
“And you, his relatives, are all helping Uncle Yu do evil!”
The neighbors condemned Uncle Yu’s family and his relatives in the courtyard.
“We came to offer condolences to Jianmin, not to help Uncle Yu!” Some relatives complained. They had come early in the morning to help after hearing about Jianmin’s death, not to assist Uncle Yu.
“Then why didn’t you say a word of comfort to Fenglan and her daughter?”
“Exactly, they’re all no good!”
The relatives felt bitter. What had Uncle Yu done? He had caused them to be scolded.
The Armed Forces leader ordered the militia to arrest Uncle Yu’s family. Arrangements needed to be made for Yu Jianmin’s funeral and his family’s resettlement.
After Uncle Yu’s family was taken away, Fenglan invited the leaders inside.
Yu Jianmin’s ashes had been placed in a corner of the courtyard by Uncle Yu, ready to be buried unceremoniously. Fenglan and Manman wept loudly at the sight of the ashes discarded in the corner.
Wu Zhiqiu wiped away his tears and quickly gave the second son money to buy white cloth and paper to create a simple altar. With so many people present, they needed to eat.
He had a little over two hundred yuan left, money he was supposed to return to Fenglan, but he had to use it now.
He and Li Mancang went out to buy groceries. Many neighbors and relatives in the courtyard helped build a makeshift funeral shed, while the women prepared offerings. Fortunately, supplies weren’t scarce anymore.
Soon, everything was bought. With everyone’s help, the funeral was hastily arranged.
Many leaders from the street and district came.
Fenglan fainted several times from grief.
At the funeral, Jianmin’s comrades publicly declared that the army would always support Fenglan and Manman. Regardless of future problems, the army would unconditionally provide assistance. If anyone dared to bully the widow and her orphan, they would face a military court.
The army also promised that Manman could enlist when she turned eighteen.
A female soldier! There wasn’t a single one in the surrounding villages. Manman’s future work was secured.
The local government also arranged a job for Fenglan as a warehouse keeper—easy work, close to home, and wouldn’t interfere with childcare.
Wu Zhiqiu breathed a sigh of relief. Life would be different now. Fenglan and Manman wouldn’t be homeless and helpless as before.
After the funeral, Wu Zhiqiu and Li Mancang stayed with Fenglan and her daughter for a few days.
Fenglan wanted to entrust her three thousand yuan to Wu Zhiqiu for safekeeping.
Wu Zhiqiu refused immediately.
“Fenglan, this money is what Jianmin earned with his life. Don’t lend it to anyone, no matter who asks, understand?” Wu Zhiqiu feared that her unscrupulous eldest son would shamelessly ask for the money.
Fenglan nodded. “I won’t lend it to anyone except our family.”
Wu Zhiqiu was exasperated. Her own family were the wolves! Others could seek justice, but with her family, whoever didn’t mind losing out would be the one who suffered.
“No one can borrow it, including our family! No matter what they say!”
Li Fenglan hesitated. She could refuse outsiders, but how could she refuse her own family?
Wu Zhiqiu sighed looking at her daughter. “Look at the trouble you’ve been through. Besides the second son, who helped you? You need to be more discerning! Your siblings will have their own families. You are only relatives, and maintaining appearances is enough!”