Chapter 25: Learning about the Daughter-in-Law and Her Ex-Husband

Huang Yueqiang and Huang Yuehu, two brothers, ran desperately ahead, while Sun Gousheng chased relentlessly behind, shouting angrily, “You two little brats, don’t run if you dare! I’ll skin you alive today!”

The two brothers ran along the mountain path, quickly getting up every time they fell.

Although Sun Gousheng was an adult, his injured buttocks hampered his pursuit, making him limp and unable to catch up with the Huang brothers.

Huang Yuelan was digging wild vegetables on the mountain when she suddenly saw her two younger brothers running frantically down the hill.

Initially, Huang Yuelan thought a wild boar might have come down the mountain.

However, upon closer inspection, she realized it wasn’t a wild boar but her ex-husband, Sun Gousheng!

He was chasing her brothers relentlessly, wielding a hoe and cursing.

Despite her pregnancy, Huang Yuelan couldn’t stand idly by while her brothers were chased around the village by her ex-husband, who looked like he wanted to eat them alive.

Having gotten into trouble, the brothers dared not go home and hid. They ran towards the village, seeking shelter.

Huang Yuelan stopped Sun Gousheng, shouting, “Sun Gousheng, what are you doing?! Our past is over. You spread rumors that I couldn’t have children, and I didn’t bother you, so why are you bothering my brothers?”

“Heh! You’ve become even more temperamental! Look at my butt!” Sun Gousheng said, turning to take off his pants.

Huang Yuelan quickly stopped him, “Are you being a hooligan? Why are you taking off your pants in front of me?”

“I’m not being a hooligan. I just want you to see what your brothers did. They shot my butt with a bird gun, it’s bleeding profusely! It’s lucky it hit my butt, if it had hit my head, I’d be dead!” Sun Gousheng explained.

Huang Yuelan looked at Sun Gousheng’s butt; his clothes were stained with blood, and there was a small hole…

No wonder she saw her brothers sneaking out that morning; they had taken a hunting rifle to the mountain.

“Huang Yuelan, I can’t believe you’re so vicious, you wanted your brothers to murder me! As the saying goes, ‘a woman’s heart is the most venomous,’ and it’s true!” Sun Gousheng suspected Huang Yuelan had ordered the attack, as he couldn’t believe her young brothers would do it on their own.

“What are you talking about? Don’t accuse me of something I didn’t do. I didn’t know they took a hunting rifle to the mountain. How could I have them attack you? Besides, if they hit you, they’ll be punished too. That would be harming my brothers!” Huang Yuelan explained.

Sun Gousheng was dubious, “Really? You didn’t tell them to hit me?”

“The past is the past. I’m very happy now, why would I have my brothers bother you again?” Huang Yuelan said.

Sun Gousheng saw that Huang Yuelan wasn’t lying, and he knew she wasn’t the vengeful type; she was kind-hearted.

“Fine, even if you didn’t order it, your brothers beat me up like this, what are you going to do? They must take responsibility!” Sun Gousheng was still angry.

Huang Yuelan knew this couldn’t be ignored; otherwise, Sun Gousheng wouldn’t let her brothers off.

“I think my brothers didn’t intend to hit you; they probably aimed at a bird and accidentally hit you. But regardless of the reason, my brothers hurt you, and I have to take responsibility. I’ll take you to the clinic to get your wound bandaged, and I’ll pay the medical expenses,” Huang Yuelan said.

“Is that all? I tell you, there’s no such easy way out!” Sun Gousheng angrily said.

Huang Yuelan frowned, “Then what else do you want?”

Sun Gousheng: “We must report this to the village chief and the commune; your brothers must be disciplined!”

If this escalated to the commune, it would be detrimental to her brothers.

“You’re being unreasonable! I ask you, you harassed me repeatedly and spread rumors about my infertility. Did I report you to the commune? You committed defamation and hooliganism! If I report you to the commune, you’ll be in trouble too!” Huang Yuelan retorted.

Sun Gousheng immediately cowered. His brothers were young, the commune might not punish them severely, but he was different. He had been caught during the militia competition and had a bad impression on the commune officials. If he caused trouble again, he would face severe consequences, worse than Huang Yueqiang and Huang Yuehu.

“Forget it, forget it. Let bygones be bygones. I won’t bother with your brothers, but you must compensate me for medical expenses and lost wages. My butt is injured, I won’t be able to work for at least ten days, you must compensate me!” Sun Gousheng said aggressively.

Money could solve this problem, as long as she didn’t get her brothers into trouble with the commune.

“Fine, I’ll compensate you! But we have an agreement; you won’t report my brothers to the commune after I get you treated. You must write a guarantee letter.” Huang Yuelan said.

Sun Gousheng: “I can’t write.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll write the guarantee letter, you just copy it.” Huang Yuelan said.

Sun Gousheng nodded, “Okay! But you must pay me compensation first. Considering our past relationship, let’s say fifteen days, one yuan per day, fifteen yuan in total. Let’s discount it to fourteen yuan.”

“Fourteen yuan?! Are you robbing me? We were together before, I know how much you earn. A full-time laborer earns at most one yuan a day, you earn half that at best!” Huang Yuelan remembered that when she was with Sun Gousheng, he often shirked work and earned at most five cents a day.

Sun Gousheng’s face turned red as his ex-wife exposed him.

“Fine, let’s say fifty cents a day, fifteen days, seven yuan fifty.” Sun Gousheng said.

Huang Yuelan: “Fine, seven yuan fifty. I’ll take you to see a doctor first, then give you the money.”

Huang Yueqiang and Huang Yuehu hid in a tree. Seeing Sun Gousheng didn’t chase them, they were relieved, but then saw their sister approaching Sun Gousheng.

Worried that Sun Gousheng might hurt their pregnant sister, they jumped down from the tree to help.

However, seeing Sun Gousheng didn’t do anything to their sister, and she was accompanying him towards the clinic, they were relieved.

At the clinic, the doctor examined the wound and removed the pellet.

“Gently, it hurts!” Sun Gousheng was afraid of needles.

The barefoot doctor smiled, “Don’t worry, it’s not deep, no need for needles, just apply some medicine and bandage it.”

After the wound was treated, the barefoot doctor gave some medicine. Huang Yuelan paid the medical expenses, less than one yuan.

Huang Yuelan sighed inwardly: Medical treatment is so cheap now.

Not only cheap but also convenient; if you don’t have money, you can see a doctor and get medicine first and pay later.

Huang Yuelan returned home, but Huang Yueqiang and Huang Yuehu didn’t.

They knew they were in trouble and dared not go home.

After work in the evening, Wang Jianguo returned home. On his way, gossiping women told him about Huang Yuelan and Sun Gousheng going to the clinic together.

Wang Jianguo knew Huang Yuelan’s character, but he wanted to know what happened.

That day, Wang Jianguo saw flowers and picked some, making a beautiful bouquet.

He wasn’t making it for himself but to please his wife.

He was happy on his way home, but now he was worried.

“You’re back!” Huang Yuelan greeted him warmly.

Wang Jianguo nodded, “Mm.”

He didn’t seem as cheerful as usual.

“What’s wrong? Why do you look unhappy?” Huang Yuelan asked.

Wang Jianguo: “Nothing. Yuelan, promise me, if you have any problems, tell me, don’t bear it alone, I’ll always protect you.”

Huang Yuelan blushed, “Okay, I promise.”

“I heard you went to the clinic with Sun Gousheng?” Wang Jianguo asked when Huang Yuelan didn’t explain.

Huang Yuelan: “Are you suspecting an affair?”

“How could I suspect you? I just want to know what happened. If you have trouble, I want to be the one to protect you, not Sun Gousheng.” Wang Jianguo explained.

Although he said he didn’t mind, he was clearly jealous.