Chapter 27: Meet the Scumbag Again

The battle was about to erupt. Pan Shiying still cared about her mother, so she struck again. But Zhao Xiue was very hardworking at the textile factory and strong. Even together, Wei Dani and her daughter couldn’t beat Zhao Xiue. Amid the half-hearted shouts from onlookers to “stop fighting,” Wei Dani’s face was scratched up badly, looking like shredded potatoes. Of course, Zhao Xiue didn’t come away unscathed either. She angrily said, “After I send my son off, I’ll be back.” Although she didn’t get any money, at least she had her revenge and left in a huff.

Wei Dani and Pan Shiying hugged and cried bitterly. After crying, they wanted to borrow money from neighbors. “Have mercy, I’ll find a way to pay you back,” Wei Dani said sincerely enough. Her plan was to borrow money so her daughter could go down to the countryside, then write to her son to send money back. However, the neighbors were no fools; they just threw out, “Who would believe that?” and then all left.

Wei Dani was so angry she stomped her feet, “Bunch of scoundrels, looking down on others. Wait until I call my son back to blind your dog eyes!” Pan Shiying started crying again, “Mom, I don’t want to go down to the countryside.” The two of them started crying again.

But the tickets were already bought, and not going was impossible. The place they were sent was in the far northwest — a very remote area. It was said they would have to transfer trains several times, and after getting off, take ox carts or horse carts to get there. No one knew when they’d be able to return.

The mother and daughter trudged sadly to the train station, where most of the people going down to the countryside were leaving that day. The station was packed. Because of the tense atmosphere, the two cried again.

As they walked in, Pan Shiying suddenly said, “Mom, look over there.” Wei Dani looked and saw the Song family of four. She bit her teeth in hatred, “Pfft, they should be sent to the most remote, desolate place.”

Just mentioning Song Nanting made Pan Shiying want to cry. She said softly, “Mine is already far and remote enough. Damn Song Nanting, she’s really ruthless.” Indeed, Wei Dani couldn’t help but curse Song Nanting.

The two cursed as they headed straight for the train. They ran into the Song family again, but since the Song family was large, and they were only two, they didn’t dare approach.

Zhao Xiue had no such scruples. Seeing the bags the mother and daughter carried, she rushed over, shouting, “Give me back my daughter! Give me back my daughter!”

Song Aiqiang stood not far off, watching coldly. He glanced at his two sons and said, “Why aren’t you two going to stop this?” The two brothers finally snapped out of it and ran over to pull their mother away, but in reality, they were just helping her.

Wei Dani’s bag dropped to the ground, and the two brothers deliberately stomped on it a few times. Pan Shiying screamed; that was food her mother had painstakingly prepared.

Zhao Xiue fiercely stomped the things into a mess. “What are you doing? Stop fighting!” The police at the train station blew their whistle and came over.

Zhao Xiue spat and cursed, “This isn’t over.” Wei Dani broke down crying, sitting on the ground wailing loudly. The police asked around and found it was a personal feud, so there was nothing to do. Since they stopped fighting, after giving both sides a lecture, the police urged them to leave quickly.

The train to the countryside didn’t wait. The train stopped, and Zhao Xiue tearfully sent off her two sons. Song Nanfu and Song Nanshan begged, “Mom, Dad, you have to find a way to bring us back soon.” The brothers competed to look pitiful, glancing back with every step as they boarded the train.

Wei Dani was shocked, “Why are they on the same train?” Pan Shiying was panicking, thinking, Could it be the same place? She trembled, “It won’t be the same, maybe they get off halfway.”

That was the only way they could comfort themselves.

Wei Dani was more pragmatic and advised Pan Shiying, “If you really end up in the same place, don’t be afraid. Once you get there, find someone capable, say some good words, make yourself a support.” She went on and on, “Remember, don’t get pregnant or have a baby. Wait for me to find your brother to get you back.”

Pan Shiying, distraught, boarded the train, crying again to the roar of the engine.

Meanwhile, Song Nanting and Song Grandma were happily shopping at a department store in the capital. Since it was just after the New Year, the capital’s welfare policies were still in place — no need for purchase tickets when buying things, which saved a lot of money.

This time, Song Nanting couldn’t keep stuffing things into her space, so she bought some daily necessities with Grandma Song, some fabric, a few sets of underwear, and even some toilet paper, a consumable item, which she sneakily stuffed a bit into her space.

In the evening, after finishing their shopping, they decided to go to a state-run restaurant for a nice meal to taste the capital’s food.

They had just ordered when a familiar voice called out, “One serving of braised pork, one scrambled eggs with chives, and one steamed fish.”

Song Nanting was startled. She turned around and burst out laughing, “Pan Shifeng!”

If they hadn’t run into him, that would have been fine — she could just write a complaint letter to report that jerk. But since they met, Song Nanting felt she owed it to herself not to let him off easy.

Pan Shifeng was stunned. “Nanting, you… you… why are you here?”

Next to him, Cui Xiujuan was startled too. Her eyes swept over Song Nanting’s pretty face and instantly became wary. “Shifeng, who is she?”

While speaking, Cui Xiujuan deliberately linked her arm through Pan Shifeng’s, a clear claim of ownership.

Pan Shifeng was sweating cold on his forehead, not knowing how to explain.

“Xiujuan, listen to me…”

“Shifeng, who is she?”

Song Nanting, the drama queen, instantly had tears in her eyes, pointing a trembling finger at Cui Xiujuan.

It was worth the effort she put in last life practicing acting by watching dramas. Seems she really had talent.

Cui Xiujuan — of course Song Nanting knew her. In her past life, when the mess with Cui Shifeng happened, both of their children were already over twenty. Cui Xiujuan had a powerful father, so she was strong-willed and domineering by nature. Although she was angry about Pan Shifeng, she didn’t say she wanted to do anything drastic; instead, she tried to turn the tables and go after Song Nanting. Song Nanting remembered all this clearly.

But now, she wasn’t afraid of Cui Xiujuan at all. Since they had run into each other, how could she not cause them some trouble? Song Nanting tearfully looked pitiful enough to evoke sympathy. The diners inside the state-run restaurant saw the scene and immediately knew some drama was unfolding. Song Grandma was even more shocked, her mouth wide open.

Tears streaming down her face, Song Nanting looked at Pan Shifeng like he was a heartless villain. “Shifeng, aren’t you going to tell her? I’m your wife. I’m the one you and your mother paid money to my family to marry. How can you hide this from me… don’t you feel guilty toward me?”

Song Nanting’s voice was soft, but because everyone in the restaurant was trying to hear the drama, they all listened carefully and clearly. For a moment, the looks from the people around Pan Shifeng were as cold and accusing as if he were a Chen Shimei (a notorious heartless villain from Chinese folklore).

Pan Shifeng panicked. Cui Xiujuan, furious, slapped Pan Shifeng hard across the face. “Pan Shifeng, explain yourself clearly!”

Pan Shifeng’s face went numb from the slap. He was full of resentment but held back his anger and whispered to Cui Xiujuan, “Xiujuan, think about it. If I were really married, how could I have registered marriage with you? I’m not married. Heaven and earth can bear witness to my feelings for you. You can’t misunderstand our relationship.”

Hearing this, Song Nanting felt utterly disgusted and shocked. “You registered? Then what about me? You left for five years. I worked like a beast for your difficult mother and your harsh, willful sister at your home. I traveled thousands of miles to the capital to find you, and yet you registered marriage with someone else?”

As she spoke, she covered her mouth and broke down crying. “Oh heavens, I don’t want to live anymore. I might as well die.”

With a face full of despair and collapse, Song Nanting slammed herself against the restaurant wall.