Chapter 22: Chaos

Yao Bingcheng, without asking questions, quickly got the needle.

Tang Xiaorou sterilized the needle with fire and carefully inserted it into Grandma Yao’s head.  It wasn’t as easy as using a proper acupuncture needle, but Grandma Yao soon woke up.

Relieved, Tang Xiaorou removed the needle.

Yao Bingcheng, seeing his grandmother awake, said with red eyes, “Grandma, you’re awake! I thought I’d never see you again.” He couldn’t help but cry.

Grandma Yao smiled. “Bingcheng, I’m fine.”

She noticed Tang Xiaorou. “You’re Tang Xiaorou? I heard you left with your mother after your parents’ divorce. Why are you here?”

Before Tang Xiaorou could speak, Yao Bingcheng recounted how she had saved them. “Thank you, Sister Xiaorou. I wouldn’t know what to do without you.”

Grandma Yao looked at Tang Xiaorou, noticing her composure and clear eyes. She smiled. “Bingcheng, boil some water. Give Sister Xiaorou a cup. It’s rude not to offer a guest water.”

“Oh, okay.”

Yao Bingcheng, seeing his grandmother was alright, went to boil water.

Grandma Yao spoke directly. “You’re here to expose your grandfather and Widow Xia’s affair, aren’t you?”  She knew about the rumors and Widow Xia’s report. Tang Xiaorou was behind it.

Tang Xiaorou was startled.

“You know?” She was surprised by Grandma Yao’s perceptiveness.  Just by seeing her in Qingshan Village, she guessed her purpose.

“Old Man Tang has been doing this for years. How could I not know? But their child was innocent; it died at birth.” Grandma Yao showed her disgust for Grandpa Tang.  “I can testify to your grandfather and Widow Xia’s affair.”

Tang Xiaorou was surprised but refused.

“No need, Grandma. You and Bingcheng are already struggling. Testifying will make things harder.”

Even if Grandpa Tang and Widow Xia’s affair was exposed, they wouldn’t be in mortal danger.  Grandma Yao didn’t know their son hadn’t died and even had a grandson.  People would retaliate against Grandma Yao, and their lives would be miserable.

Grandma Yao was surprised by Tang Xiaorou’s refusal.  She looked at the girl with even more admiration.

“You already have a plan?”

“Yes, I’ll handle this quickly and leave with my mother.”

Seeing the girl’s confidence, Grandma Yao said no more.

Tang Xiaorou left a bag of dried food, a prescription, and twenty yuan.

She then went to the Tang family to watch Grandpa Tang. This time, she finally caught him.

“Cough… what’s that smell?”

Grandma Tang woke up because of a foul smell.  She had been sleeping soundly but suddenly smelled a terrible odor, making her feel like she couldn’t breathe.  When she woke up, she was alone; Grandpa Tang was gone.

“Hiss… what is this?”

Grandma Tang reached down in the dark and touched a bamboo slip.  After lighting the kerosene lamp, she looked at it and her face changed drastically.

Although she couldn’t read many characters, she understood the message it instructed someone to go to the end of the village.

What was at the end of the village?

Widow Xia lived there.  Remembering the recent rumors, Grandma Tang’s face turned dark.  Were the rumors true? Had Widow Xia been pregnant? Was the child hers? And the father was likely her husband.

Grandma Tang couldn’t sit still. She grabbed a stick and hurried to the end of the village.

She saw candlelight coming from Widow Xia’s house.  The wind cooled her anger. She needed to confirm things before acting.  Taking a deep breath, she approached Widow Xia’s house and crouched by the wall.

Inside, Grandpa Tang didn’t know Grandma Tang was there. He frowned at Widow Xia. “Why have you been sending me messages? If someone finds these bamboo slips and discovers our affair, we’re finished.”

Widow Xia knew this, but she was the one who had been reported, and she was terrified.

“Think of a solution! If I’m constantly watched, something will happen.”

Grandpa Tang said coldly, “What can I do?  Those people won’t listen to me.”

“You… aren’t you afraid of our affair being discovered?”

Grandpa Tang was afraid, but he was helpless. “So stop sending messages. Be careful. Don’t let anyone find out. Once this blows over, people will forget.”

“What if they don’t forget?”

Grandpa Tang became impatient at Widow Xia’s lack of understanding.

“It’ll pass.  As long as we’re careful, nothing will happen. I’m leaving before anyone sees me.” He stood up to leave.

Seeing Grandpa Tang’s calm demeanor, Widow Xia’s face turned red with anger.

“Tang Song, you weren’t like this when you seduced me! If it weren’t for you, would I be in this mess?”

Widow Xia became angrier.

“My son is fine! The child in that small mound wasn’t mine!  Now this is all blamed on me, and you don’t care!  Is this how you are?”

Grandpa Tang roared, “I’m doing this for our future! Why don’t you understand?”

Widow Xia snorted coldly. “You’re just afraid. Now that things have escalated, you want to abandon me.  No way! Our son is still alive. You can’t get rid of me.”

Grandma Tang, crouching by the wall, heard everything.  Trembling, she stood up and rushed inside.

“You two! You dared to do this behind my back! I’ll kill you!”