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“Could someone be trying to frame our Niece, using Zhu Jianshe to tarnish the reputation of the couple? If that’s the case, this person’s intentions are truly malicious.”
Wang Qian pondered while nestled in the arms of Grandpa Zuo. If someone had such malicious intentions, she wouldn’t consider them as a second option. The prime suspect was the old lady from her family, but she couldn’t understand what benefit she would gain from such actions. However, suspicions were just suspicions, and they lacked evidence.
“Old Zuo, let’s have our Niece inquire about whether Zhu Jianshe has been seen in the village these past few days. If not, then someone deliberately informed him, taking advantage of his weakness for women to achieve their goal.”
In reality, the two old gentlemen also harbored suspicions about Zhu Qiyu. Given her tendency to be involved in every situation, the old lady was the prime suspect. However, they were still outsiders, and it was necessary to clarify certain matters with their Niece. When Zhenhe returned, they would have a serious conversation with him. It would be difficult to continue their relationship under these circumstances.
“Grandpa, I wish I could take a knife and kill such family members. I’d rather sacrifice my life to secure a peaceful future for our family,” Wang Qian expressed, although her words were fueled by anger, it reflected her current state of mind. Facing such scheming family members, how could they continue living their lives?
Grandpa Zuo gently patted her short hair and said, “Silly child, it’s not worth risking your life for those people. You’re still young. In a few decades, the ashes of that old lady from your family will be forgotten. Your life is more valuable than theirs. In Grandpa’s eyes, you are a treasure. Those people are trash. Remember, don’t act impulsively. Grandpa knows you understand.”
Grandpa Zuo didn’t see the little girl in his arms as just a child. He believed that her thoughts were no worse than those of adults. Perhaps the numerous upheavals in the family had caused the child to mature overnight. However, he couldn’t help but feel heartbroken for her.
Old Wu also chimed in, “Qianqian, if you think about it, it took us eight years to fight off the invaders. Not to mention your family’s old witch. You really need to torment that old hag properly. It would be too easy to just finish her off with one blow. The best way to defeat an enemy is to destroy them mentally and torture them physically. But you don’t have to do anything. Time is the best weapon. Let’s see how long she can hold on. Your mother hasn’t spoken up yet. If she encounters a formidable opponent, she’ll have a hard time. We’ll just watch the show from the sidelines. Besides, this is something your grandmother did. She won’t admit it, but you all know the truth.”
At noon, the old gentlemen solemnly called the mother and daughter together to discuss the situation. They felt that it wasn’t right to keep this matter from Zhang Lan. It was important for the couple to be prepared in case of any threats, especially since Wang Zhenhe wasn’t at home. They had no choice but to explain the situation to their niece.
“Uncle, is what you’re saying true?” Zhang Lan couldn’t believe that such a thing could happen to her. It seemed too bizarre, even for a dramatic story.
Seeing Zhang Lan’s stunned expression, the old gentleman couldn’t bear it. “Niece, try to be more open-minded. Take some time to find out whether your mother-in-law’s family was involved in this matter. It will help Wang Zhenhe come to terms with it. If his mother is like this, it’s better to distance yourself from her. In the future, you should also be cautious and not let them take advantage of you.”
The old gentleman was concerned that this kind-hearted girl would continue to be burdened by family ties. Zhang Lan composed herself and said, “Uncle, I understand. I’ll inquire about it this afternoon. If it’s true, then my mother-in-law is truly out of her mind.”
Zhang Lan decided to keep the information from the children for the time being. She didn’t want her children to live with hatred, as it would be exhausting. One of her children was already mature beyond their years, and she didn’t want the others to be affected in the same way.
In the afternoon, Zhang Lan asked her sisters-in-law about the recent developments at the old house. Wang Juan smiled and said, “Sister-in-law, why are you suddenly so concerned about the old lady’s affairs? That’s not like you at all.”
Zhang Lan smiled and said, “Sister-in-law, I’m just curious. The old lady hasn’t caused any trouble lately. I hope she’s not brewing any bad ideas. I’m genuinely concerned.”
Wang Juan, who knew a thing or two about the matter, cautiously leaned in and whispered to Zhang Lan, “That old cunning woman, how could she be honest? She’s been busy with her son’s affairs lately. I even saw Zhu Jianshe come over yesterday. I’m sure he’s up to no good.”
Zhang Lan was genuinely surprised to hear this. Even if Zhu Jianshe’s visit in the evening wasn’t her mother-in-law’s idea, it was still concerning.
Wang Juan, being quite gossipy, then brought up Wang Zhenguo’s marriage. “Sister-in-law, you don’t know. Our old lady is quite scheming. Despite knowing that the girl’s parents don’t agree to the marriage, she secretly encouraged her son to get closer to the girl. I wonder what she’s up to. She’s fixated on the girl because of her good qualities.”
Zhang Lan didn’t have the leisure to worry about other matters concerning the Wang family. After learning about the situation, she couldn’t help but think…
It’s not true that she didn’t care, but without evidence, she could only bury her concerns for the time being and discuss the matter when her husband returned.
Upon returning home from work at noon, she shared the information she had gathered with the two old gentlemen. Zuo Zanshan didn’t say much, but he did express his concerns.
Time flew by, and it had been over half a month since Wang Zhenhe left home. The team of people who had gone out planned to take turns allowing them to return home to visit. This would ease the worries of the older gentlemen who were concerned about their families and allow the couples to reunite for a while. After all, being apart for so long was not ideal.
Early in the morning, Wang Zhenhe and a few other men from the village went to the city to buy some things, intending to bring back some food for the children at home. After being away for so long, he couldn’t return empty-handed.
As Wang Zhenhe and Lao Teng, along with three others, were walking towards the store, they noticed a large crowd ahead, passionately chanting slogans.
“Wenzhe, what’s going on up there? Is it another struggle session? These people have nothing better to do,” Teng Yongfa, feeling uneasy about the situation, spoke his mind. Wang Zhenhe pulled at his sleeve and said, “Keep your voice down. We don’t want the wrong people to overhear us.”
Lao Teng, with a defiant look on his face, said, “Damn it, my ancestors were all upright and honorable. I’m not afraid of them. If we check their family tree, they might not even have a single honorable person. I’m not scared of them at all.”
The group had no intention of approaching, but a shout from inside made Wang Zhenhe and the others stop in their tracks. “Hao Lianchun, if you don’t expose Zuo Zanshan’s crimes, you’re siding with the anti-** forces. We must resolutely fight against you.”
The people on the platform waved their arms and began chanting slogans again. Below, the uninformed crowd and the young Red Guards joined in the fervent chanting.
Wang Zhenhe and Lao Teng squeezed into the crowd and saw the old lady on the platform wearing a heavy wooden sign around her neck, labeled “Family Member of Anti-**.” The nearby Red Guards began pushing and shoving Hao Lianchun, trying to force her to confess. However, even with the large wooden sign, Hao Lianchun refused to lower her head. The old lady’s actions clearly angered the nearby Red Guards.
“You, a family member of the anti-**, dare to defy the masses and show no sign of repentance. Comrades, teach this die-hard a lesson.”
The group swarmed in, punching and kicking Hao Lianchun, forcing her to confess. The old lady, however, continued to express her resistance through silence.
Hao Lianchun, Lao Teng, and the others had met before and knew she was a relative of the old man from the production team. At this moment, Wang Zhenhe paid no heed and quickly pushed through the crowd to reach the platform.
The group of young Red Guards were unaware of what was happening when Wang Zhenhe pushed through.
“Do you have any humanity left? She’s of such an old age. What mistake did she make to deserve this treatment? Don’t you have parents or ancestors at home?” Wang Zhenhe exclaimed.
A person who seemed to be in charge approached and scrutinized Wang Zhenhe. “Comrade, I advise you to mind your own business. This person is a family member of the anti-** forces. What’s your relationship with them?”
The newcomer looked at Wang Zhenhe suspiciously. Wang Zhenhe glared at him and said sternly, “I’m telling you, stop talking nonsense. My ancestors were more loyal than you. You call her a family member of the anti-**, but it’s people like her who fed my daughter when she was hungry. Who among you has done that?”
Looking at the crowd below, the individuals who had been fervently waving their little red books moments ago fell silent. “Comrades, this elderly lady on the platform fought against the invaders and the Nationalist Party. Should someone like her be subjected to this beating? We all have elderly at home. We shouldn’t treat an elderly person who has contributed to the ** work in this manner.”
Teng Yongfa joined Wang Zhenhe on the platform, fearing that Wang Zhenhe might be at a disadvantage. The other three also nervously watched the platform, ready to lend a hand if needed.
Wang Zhenhe turned to the leader of the Red Guards. “Comrade, I won’t say much more. Let’s talk about your loyalty. How can you criticize others when you don’t even wear Chairman Mao’s badge? According to your logic, I doubt your loyalty to Chairman Mao.”
As Wang Zhenhe’s words resonated, all eyes turned towards the leader, who suddenly realized that he had lost his badge at some point. He was taken aback, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
“Hey, everyone, take a look. This person claims to be loyal to Chairman Mao and the Party, yet he doesn’t even wear the badge. This person’s intentions seem rather dubious. Moreover, the comrade on the platform appears to be a hardworking farmer from generations of toil. He mentioned that the elderly lady is his family’s benefactor. It’s only right to repay kindness. The elderly lady is of such an advanced age; there’s no need for physical confrontation.”
The crowd below began to murmur, but the sheer number of people made it difficult to control. The murmurs from below reached the platform, leaving the leader unsure of how to respond.