Chapter 248: Taking Action

“Auntie, what if we have Grandpa sever ties with your eldest brother? They go their separate ways, and no one interferes with the other?” suggested Wang Qian.

 Zhang Hua, scratching her head in a dilemma said “Qianqian, some things are not as simple as you think. Your eldest uncle is the first son of the patriarch, the eldest son, a significant status in our rural customs. For all these years, your grandparents have not raised any objections. They probably consider his position as the firstborn and hold onto some father-son bond. It might be challenging to suddenly sever their father-son relationship.”

Wang Qian pondered, “Auntie, if they can’t sever their ties, we’ll find another way. I want to leave them penniless.”

She uttered these words through gritted teeth. Wang Qian had no expectations of Zhou Ping and her husband being filial to the elderly, but she hoped they wouldn’t cause harm. However, with the ongoing illness and the newly arising health issues, even if her spatial abilities could heal, success depended on opportunity and was quite costly.

At that moment, Mingcheng returned disappointed. “Younger sister, when they heard he’s Grandpa’s son, they refused to intervene, citing it as a family dispute under the jurisdiction of civil affairs.”

“What? Lives are at risk, and it’s considered a family dispute for civil affairs to handle? Those freeloaders! I’m going to find them,” Wang Qian exclaimed.

Seeing her niece roll up her sleeves to confront civil affairs, Zhang Hua quickly restrained her. “Qianqian, family disputes fall under civil affairs jurisdiction for mediation. However, the village has exhausted all options. Zhou Ping may present well in public, but once away, she reverts to her true self. Even the village officials can’t control her. What more can civil affairs do?”

Upon reflection, Wang Qian realized the current legal regulations were not detailed enough. The police primarily dealt with criminal and public security cases. Despite this, Wang Qian still wished to give it a try.

The earnest persuasion seemed futile with people like Zhou Ping, “Auntie, go have a meal with my sister first. I’ll stay here for a while. When you finish eating, I’ll figure things out.”

Zhang Hua shook her head, “No need, my husband will bring me food later. You all go and eat.”

Wang Qian couldn’t leave Zhang Hua alone and quickly pushed her out, “Auntie, my brother has money with him. Just eat nearby; we have many people here. The kids are hungry. Please get some tasty snacks for them. I’ll have the food your husband brings. It won’t go to waste.”

Realizing the children were tired and hungry after the long journey, Mingcheng planned to take them out for a meal. However, Wang Qian insisted on taking care of her grandpa and pushed him out, “Brother, take care of everyone. Grandpa has me here. I want to discuss with Grandpa. I’ll talk to you all when you return.”

Seeing his sister resolute, Mingcheng, along with Zhang Hua, left the room. Finding no one else inside, Wang Qian took out a bottle of honey from her space, poured a cup of honey water into a bowl on the table, and fed it to her grandpa bit by bit.

“Grandpa, if you can hear me, I have a plan. Grandma said this house is for Little Uncle. Let’s arrange a fake sale. I’ll have someone buy the house, but the deed will be returned to you. The house will still be yours. If you agree, just nod. I also want the village to allocate another piece of land for us to build a big house. We’ll keep that house. As for your daughter-in-law, she needs to be taught a lesson. You and Grandma shouldn’t suffer in vain,” Wang Qian whispered, sharing her strategy with her grandpa.

As Wang Qian spoke, she noticed tears streaming down her grandpa’s face. Opening his eyes, she saw they were bloodshot, likely irritated by the ammonium sulfate.

Pointing to his throat and shaking his hand, Grandpa then nodded at her. “Grandpa, are you saying your throat is sore, and you can’t speak, but you agree with what I’m saying?” Wang Qian inquired.

Zhang Wanyou nodded vigorously. He had endured enough of such days and wanted to endure further, but his daughter-in-law’s behavior only worsened.

Feeling he had no way out with his brothers and now his son, he worried about becoming a laughingstock in the village. Yet, for the sake of dignity, he and his wife had endured suffering. For the sake of their well-being, he decided to heed his granddaughter’s advice.

When Qu Cungen arrived, Grandpa had finished his IV drip. Wang Qian found the meal brought by her uncle to be decent—stir-fried leeks with eggs and millet porridge.

“Uncle, please have a seat. I’ll feed Grandpa, and when Auntie returns, I have something to discuss with you both,” Wang Qian directed.

Turning to feed Grandpa with the spoon brought by Qu Cungen, his throat felt better after the honey water, “Qianqian, you should eat too,” he rasped.

Hearing her grandpa’s hoarse voice, Wang Qian felt a pang in her heart, “Sure, I’ll eat with Grandpa.”

The grandfather and granddaughter finished all the food brought by Qu Cungen, taking turns to eat. “Grandpa, let’s have some more water. It might help,” Wang Qian suggested.

Obediently, Zhang Wanyou opened his mouth as his granddaughter fed him water bit by bit. Eventually, he sat up and took the bowl, drinking up the remaining water in large gulps.

“Qianqian, discuss with your aunt and uncle. If Grandpa needs to sign, I’ll place my fingerprint. These days are unbearable. Don’t tell Grandma about this; her illness can’t handle any more stress,” Grandpa communicated, concerned for his wife’s well-being.

After finishing their meal, Mingcheng and the children returned. They gathered around the bed, looking at the elderly man lying there.

“Grandpa Zhang, are you feeling uncomfortable? Would you like me to massage your back?” Cong Yu, obediently lying by the bedside, offered to help, recalling how she used to comfort her own grandpa at home.

Seeing the children arrive, Grandpa, having eaten, learned they were guests invited by his daughter’s family for a visit. Today was supposed to be a day of fun at their house, but this unexpected event disrupted their plans.

He gently touched the little girl’s smooth face, “Good girl, Grandpa feels better now. When Grandpa is well, I’ll take you all out to play.”

“Brother, Auntie, Uncle, here’s what I propose…” Wang Qian explained her plan to everyone. “Cong Tao, you’ll have to handle the purchase. Let’s keep Yang Nuo out of this to protect his recently cleared name. I’ll go to the police station with my sister. The rest of you, along with Auntie, can make arrangements. We’ll proceed with the formalities in the afternoon and discuss the next steps in the evening.”

Understanding that their sister wouldn’t rest until this matter was resolved, Mingcheng and the others followed her lead.

Wang Qian and Wang Xuan arrived at the local police station and immediately spotted He Shuman working inside.

“Big Brother He, do you still remember me?” Wang Qian greeted.

He Shuman vividly recalled Wang Qian’s memorable performance in the past, especially the incident where her actions led to consequences, earning her father’s reprimand. He couldn’t forget that moment, even admiring her ability to turn the situation around.

His father had instructed him to assist the Wang family whenever possible, not only due to his father’s good relationship with Wang Zhenhe but also because he believed the Wang children had promising futures. He was advised to keep a connection for potential benefits in the future.

“Oh, little girl, you’ve grown up. If you hadn’t spoken, I might not have recognized you. You’ve blossomed into a beautiful young lady. So, what brings you here this time?” He Shuman inquired.

Wang Xuan reiterated the morning events her brother spoke about to He Shuman, who felt a bit uneasy, “Girls, it’s not that I don’t want to help, but this matter doesn’t fall under our jurisdiction at the police station. How about I take you to the civil affairs office to try?”

Wang Qian, with her appealing eyes fixed on He Shuman, responded, ” Big Brother He, if it involves persecution of a military family member, isn’t that under your jurisdiction, especially if it’s an officer’s family? This doesn’t seem like a civil affairs matter; it should be handled by the police, right?”

Pleased with the direction of the conversation, He Shuman replied, “Who in your maternal family is an officer? Why haven’t I heard about this?”

With a playful smile, Wang Qian remarked, “Big Brother He, my little uncle was among the first batch of outstanding students from military academies after the resumption of the college entrance examination. He attended the same school as my brother. Isn’t he considered an officer? I believe his rank is higher than yours. So, shouldn’t this matter fall under your jurisdiction?”

He Shuman’s eyes narrowed, “Why shouldn’t this be our responsibility? Get your gear; we are going on a mission. Let’s see how this woman dared to persecute our military leader.”

When Wang Qian arrived with He Shuman and his colleagues, Mingyuan and Zhang Hua had already gathered the elders and the village leader from the village.

As they entered the yard, the overwhelming smell of ammonium sulfate made it unbearable. Inside the house, the strong and acrid scent intensified, particularly in the summer heat, making it difficult for anyone to endure, especially with Grandpa resting there.

“Is this even humane? This is downright outrageous. She dares to do this to a military family. If she can do this, what else is she capable of? If we don’t educate such people properly, they are a disgrace to our country’s development,” remarked one of the individuals present.

He Shuman, too, was incensed by the cruelty he witnessed, noting that it was akin to a subtle form of murder.

“Where does this malicious woman live? Let’s apprehend her immediately. If the military investigates, she might end up in prison,” another person declared.

Pointing towards the neighboring house, Zhang Hua warned the police officers, “She’s pretending to be ill at home. Don’t let her deceive you. She saw my father getting hospitalized. Isn’t she afraid we’ll hold her accountable? She’s hiding at home, refusing to come out.”

Determined to seek justice for her parents, Zhang Hua had secretly inspected Zhou Ping’s home upon her return, discovering her in hiding.

With a swift gesture, He Shuman signaled for a member of his team to enter the closed courtyard of Zhou Ping’s house. Startled by the unexpected visit from the police, Zhou Ping and others emerged to witness the commotion. The villagers were relieved, some even applauding, while the police officers felt they had made the right decision. Zhou Ping, despised by many, stood alone, realizing the consequences of her actions.