Chapter 2: File a divorce report as soon as possible

“You ill-mannered child! How dare you talk like that!”

An elderly woman rushed from the crowd, her eyes fixed on Gu Quanzhe with a ferocious glare.  “Lin Moran, is this the child you raised? My son barely escaped death, and your son is here cursing him! How unlucky are you two!”

Gu Quanzhe’s young face was stubbornly set, his large eyes filled with hatred as he glared back.

“Hey! This little wild child dares to glare at me? I’ll teach her a lesson! Since your mother can’t discipline you, I will!”

Zhao Sumei, asserting her seniority, raised her hand to discipline Gu Quanzhe.

“If you hit my child today, I’ll smash your house tomorrow!”

Lin Moran calmly stood in front of Gu Quanzhe, her eyes fixed on Zhao Sumei. Her delicate face was surprisingly calm, her voice quiet yet commanding. Zhao Sumei was intimidated and hesitated to strike.

Then, as if overwhelmed with grievance, she looked at her son Gu Jingyao, saying, “Jingyao, look, while you were away, this is how she treated us!”

“She wasn’t bluffing. When you were in the army, she really did smash our house!”

Zhao Sumei’s voice choked with sobs, tears streaming down her face, tears of shame and helplessness.

Gu Jingyao’s face was cold and expressionless, but his heart was filled with complex emotions.  In the years he’d been away, his home had become so dilapidated.

“Auntie, Jingyao’s return is a joyous occasion. You and Uncle have finally endured hardship and reaped the rewards. On this happy day, let’s not cry.”

Xu Jingya approached Zhao Sumei, softly comforting her.

“Yes, Jingyao just came back. If there’s anything to discuss, let’s talk about it at home. Today is a day for your family reunion, Auntie Zhao, please don’t cry.”

The neighbors joined in the persuasion.

Lin Moran once again found herself an outsider. Gu Jingyao, his family, and Xu Jingya stood together, looking like a family.

As she was about to leave, Gu Jingyao turned around from the crowd, their eyes meeting. He walked out of the crowd and approached her. “Moran, we…”

The fact that he could still see her amidst the crowd surprised Lin Moran. She raised her eyes and said, “You should reunite with your family first. We can talk about our matters tomorrow if we have time.”

Then, she quickly left with Gu Quanzhe.

Gu Jingyao. Their family reunion?

Upon returning home, Gu Jingyao quickly surveyed the house.

Newspaper covered damaged walls; the sofa against the wall was the one he had specially bought for his wedding, still bearing two large (double happiness) characters; the enamel mugs with characters on the table were chipped and rusty ought by Lin Moran for their wedding, only one remained; there were no children’s toys in the house, and no clothes belonging to Lin Moran and the child on the balcony.

“Jingyao, are you looking for Lin Moran?”

Zhao Sumei sighed and asked, then continued, “She moved out. Not long after you returned from the army, the child was born. The timing doesn’t add up! You were called back by the army in May, and the child was born at the end of the year. Whose child is born in six or seven months? Besides, everyone in the compound carefully observed, and the child doesn’t resemble anyone, least of all you!”

“Poor us honest people, we only discovered this after almost taking care of her confinement. We heard about your accident in the army. She went to the army to collect your belongings and moved out immediately after returning.”

“Jingyao, don’t you disbelieve me! She really has a lover! We saw it. You don’t know how aggrieved and heartbroken we were when we saw her with her lover! She insisted on registering the child under our household, taking advantage of the benefits given to martyrs’ children.

We disagreed and demanded proof of paternity, but she couldn’t provide it. The child was never registered. When we firmly refused, she threatened to register the child under her friend’s name, letting the child take another surname! If the child were yours, how could she say such a thing?”

Zhao Sumei said indignantly.

“There’s one more thing I must tell you! She’s dishonest. She was arrested some time ago. She was caught trafficking illegal goods, losing all her money and getting arrested! You dedicate yourself to the country, and she’s doing this kind of business, disgracing our entire Gu family’s ancestors.

My husband and I pleaded with them before they released her. But these days, we’ve been living in fear, afraid of being implicated by her! When you return, file for divorce as soon as possible. Don’t let this person and her actions ruin your future!”

Gu Jingyao’s brows furrowed deeper and deeper.

He hadn’t known Lin Moran for long, nor had they spent much time together, but she was definitely not the person his mother described.

“Jingyao, I’m talking to you, did you hear me?”

Seeing Gu Jingyao’s lack of response, Zhao Sumei’s face showed slight displeasure.

“Where do Moran and the child live now?”

Gu Jingyao asked.

“After all she’s done, you still want to find her? I’m your mother, you don’t even believe your mother, and you’re rushing to be a father?”

Zhao Sumei said excitedly.

Gu Jingyao’s eyes suddenly darkened, his voice dropping several octaves with anger, “Mother, she is still your daughter-in-law! Our Gu family and her, we rise and fall together.”

“Without sufficient evidence, please don’t slander my wife in front of me!”

Zhao Sumei’s fingers trembled with anger, her voice shaking, “You, you, you’re so good! You’ve forgotten your mother after marrying a wife! When the bad news came from the army, your father and I didn’t eat or drink, we were heartbroken, but you, the first thing you do when you come back is to anger me! If I had known this, why would I have insisted on keeping her?”

“Auntie, don’t be angry. Jingyao just came back and doesn’t know the situation yet. Let’s talk calmly.”

Seeing the tense atmosphere, Xu Jingya spoke again, first comforting Zhao Sumei, then turning to Gu Jingyao, “Jingyao, Auntie hasn’t had it easy all these years, don’t speak to her in such a harsh tone.”

Gu Jingyao’s expression remained unchanged, ignoring Xu Jingya, his gaze fixed on Zhao Sumei. “Mother, don’t be unreasonable. Calm down! I’ll go out for a while.”

Watching Gu Jingyao turn around without hesitation, Zhao Sumei became even angrier! “Jingya, look! Look! His behavior!”

“If his wife were half as sensible as you!”

“Heh, what’s the use of being sensible? I thought people from the countryside were honest and simple, but she turned out to be a woman who is unprincipled and promiscuous!”

Zhao Sumei became increasingly angry, especially that Lin Moran had left the child with them and received the martyr’s dependents’ allowance and government subsidies without giving them a cent.

Xu Jingya smiled faintly, “Auntie, it’s not a bad thing for him to see Lin Moran. Meeting her will reveal her true nature.”

Zhao Sumei suddenly understood, “Right, what am I afraid of? Let him go. If he doesn’t go to her, how will they divorce? Jingya, you’re so insightful and thoughtful. Actually, in my heart, you’re the one who deserves to be my daughter-in-law.”

Xu Jingya bowed her head and smiled faintly, I missed out on being your daughter-in-law in my last life, but I won’t miss out this time.