Chapter 84: Breaking off Relationship with the Lin Family

Lin Yuexi was waiting for Li Sanru to say those words. This way she could justifiably ask to sever ties with the Lin family, ending the matter and preventing further trouble. “Li Sanru, how dare you say you raised me? You brought Lin Dashan to marry my father when I was already four years old.

 As soon as I reached the height of the stove, you made me cook, wash dishes, cut grass, and when I got older, you made me go to the fields to earn work points. In the dead of winter, you made me wash the clothes of the whole family by the river. The cold water made my hands develop frostbite as thick as lard. If it wasn’t for my grandparents who came to see me and helped me, I would have starved to death.

And Lin Fugui, who claims to be my biological father, turned a deaf ear and ignored it all. In the end, he even demanded 200 yuan in dowry to marry me off! I don’t know if the Lin family raised me or if I raised the Lin family.” As Lin Yuexi spoke, tears streamed down her face, as if everything the original owner had experienced was something she had gone through herself.

“You unfilial daughter, what’s wrong with making you do some chores at your parents’ house? What daughter doesn’t do these things?” Lin Fugui said, trying to hit Lin Yuexi again. Chen, the village chief of Taohua Village, held him back. “Lin Fugui, are you going to stop? Do you want this daughter or not?”

Lin Yuexi coldly smiled, “Village Chief Chen, don’t hold him back. I want to see him hit me in front of Secretary Zhao. And I also want everyone to see if he considers me his biological daughter. If he doesn’t, I’ll just sever ties with him in front of Secretary Zhao today…”

Lin Yuexi’s tearful accusations against the Lin family moved everyone present. The villagers all supported Lin Yuexi’s decision. But Lin Fugui wouldn’t give up, “You rebellious daughter, would you even exist without me? Without me, would you have grown up?”

“Lin Fugui, you’re not even human. Your daughter is right to sever ties with you…” Secretary Zhao saw this and asked Lin Fugui, “Is what your daughter said true?” Lin Fugui remained silent, but Li Sanru shouted, “Secretary Zhao, Lin Yuexi is lying. I never treated her like that. She did all those things willingly…”

The villagers burst into laughter. “Li Sanru, do you think everyone is stupid? You wouldn’t make a child of a few years old do all those things. Would she do them willingly?”

“Secretary Zhao, I can testify that what the Lin family girl said is true. My younger sister married next door to her. The Lin family girl grew up under her eyes. She has told me more than once about Li Sanru abusing the Lin family girl…” An aunt testified for Lin Yuexi.

Secretary Zhao heard this, so it was true that Lin Yuexi was abused by her stepmother and ignored by her father. Since this was the case, it was good for them to sever ties, to avoid burdening Lu Cheng who was away. A man like Lu Cheng, who had repeatedly made contributions to the country, was the only one in our county, let alone our commune. We must not let these people drag him down. Secretary Zhao had an idea and said solemnly, “Lin Fugui, Li Sanru, the facts are clear. Your actions are truly against human nature and family affection. Lin Yuexi has suffered hardships in the Lin family for all these years, and the villagers have seen it all. There’s no need for you to argue.”

Li Sanru, seeing that the situation was hopeless, shouted, “We can sever ties, but give us 200 yuan, and we’ll sign the severance document…”

Liu Cuifang, upon hearing this, disagreed, “You black-hearted woman, you want to extort money from my third son again. You’re dreaming…” Liu Cuifang’s words sparked laughter from the surrounding villagers. Everyone scoffed at Li Sanru’s greedy behavior.

Lin Yuexi was filled with anger. She gritted her teeth and said, “Li Sanru, I’ve worked hard for the Lin family all these years, been exploited by you, and now you still want me to give you money? How dare you say such a thing!”

Secretary Zhao also frowned and sternly reprimanded, “Li Sanru, you’re being unreasonable! Lin Yuexi has suffered so much in your family, and instead of reflecting on your mistakes, you’re still trying to get money from her. That’s absolutely impossible.”

Li Sanru, being criticized by everyone, turned red and white, but she still refused to back down. “She married out of our family. What’s wrong with asking for some compensation? No money, no severance!”

Lin Yuexi took a deep breath to calm herself down. She looked at Secretary Zhao and said, “Secretary Zhao, I will not give them a single cent. I’ve been a slave for them in the Lin family all these years. They owe me, and I haven’t settled the score with them yet. If they insist on money before severing ties, then I’ll say it again, I’ll go to the county, go to Beijing to find the higher authorities to judge. I don’t believe there’s no justice in this world!”

Secretary Zhao nodded, approving of Lin Yuexi’s attitude. “Don’t worry, Comrade Lin Yuexi, the commune will uphold justice for you. Lin Fugui, Li Sanru, if you don’t cooperate and resolve this severance matter today, you won’t be able to enjoy the commune’s welfare policies in the future.”

“Also, if you don’t agree, we’ll assign you to do all the manure carrying and digging in Taohua Village…” Village Chief Chen Dapeng echoed.

Hearing what Secretary Zhao and Village Chief Chen said, Lin Fugui panicked. He glared at Li Sanru and blamed her, “It’s all your fault. You had to make a fuss. Now you’ve offended the commune.”

Li Sanru also realized that her excessive demands might lead to more serious consequences. Although she was reluctant, she dared not be tough anymore. At this time, the older villagers in the village stood up and spoke, “Lin Fugui, Li Sanru, stop making trouble. It’s good for everyone if this relationship is severed. You should also take responsibility for what you’ve done.”

Under the persuasion of everyone and the pressure from Secretary Zhao, Li Sanru and Lin Fugui backed down and no longer insisted on money for severance. Secretary Zhao, according to the procedure, asked someone to draft a severance document, detailing the willingness of both parties to sever ties and the clauses of non-interference in the future. Lin Fugui, trembling, signed his name and pressed his thumbprint. Lin Yuexi, however, signed quickly.

After signing, Lin Yuexi straightened her back, looked at Lin Fugui and Li Sanru, took the severance document, bowed to Secretary Zhao and the villagers, and said, “Thank you everyone, thank you Secretary Zhao, thank you Village Chief Li, Village Chief Chen, and all the villagers for upholding justice for me. I’ve finally left this family of bloodsuckers…”

At this point, everything was basically settled. Secretary Zhao and Village Chief Li persuaded everyone to leave. Village Chief Chen took the reluctant Lin Fugui back to Taohua Village. Li Sanru, Lin Dashan, and Lin Wan followed behind, dejected. Afterward, Secretary Zhao also asked the Lu family to go back, but he still warned them not to fight again. Then, he went back to the commune himself.