Chapter 118: Matters Escalate

A nearby woman added, “You’re right. Now Sun Mei has lost her life, and her son has become someone else’s burden, branded as a freeloader by others. And now her own sister-in-law hurt the child like that. Oh, what a tragedy!”

Another woman whispered, “You didn’t see it. Yesterday afternoon, my cousin from my mother’s side broke his arm. I happened to be at the health center. Shitou’s back was covered in blisters from burns. It was heartbreaking to see. The doctor said there were blisters on his buttocks and thighs too.

That child gritted his teeth and didn’t cry out. Even the doctor treating him teared up with pity. Kong Yuru is not a good person.”

“Is it that serious?”

“I’m not lying to you. The doctor also said that if the body can’t absorb those blisters today, they might need to do some drainage, piercing them from the side to let the fluid out before applying medication again. Just thinking about it is heartbreaking.”

“Oh, poor Shitou. Ning Ziping’s parents aren’t good people either. Even if they didn’t want a daughter-in-law from the countryside, their grandson is still their own flesh and blood. I never expected they would reject their own grandson. That’s really heartless.”

“Exactly. Ning Ziping probably didn’t allow Sun Mei to claim her place in the city. Sun Mei also had a tough fate, marrying Chen Shimei.”

After Luo Qiao finished breakfast and locked her door, preparing to go to work by the riverside, the Sun family’s house was still in turmoil.

The village officials haven’t resolved this matter. Both the eldest and third wife share the same opinion. If they want to take care of this child again, they must do it properly. They won’t cover the expenses for the clinic or the city’s needs.

But Sun Baoqing from the second family isn’t in the village now. He found a temporary job in the county before the New Year, and he can come back three or four times a month. Now, Kong Yuru from the second family is in charge.

She also said that there’s no money at home, anyway it’s just that twenty yuan, once it’s used up, that’s it. Whatever happens, happens; she can’t manage much more. This matter is getting bigger and bigger.

The village officials were also furious, saying the Sun family must give an explanation, or they will directly report the case to the police station and let the police handle it.

It was time to start work. The captain didn’t want to waste any more time with the Sun family, so he arranged for work to begin. However, the Sun family was in bad luck; regardless of age or gender, they all had to do the hardest tasks.

Several daughters-in-law of the Sun family wanted to resist, but the captain said if they didn’t want to work, they could go home; they wouldn’t earn any work points anyway.

Today, Luo Qiao was with Aunt Qiao and some women from the village in the large storage room, grinding fertilizer. The fertilizer brought back to the brigade a few days ago was all in large pieces and needed to be crushed before being sent to the fields.

In the fields, one person dug pits, another applied fertilizer, and a third covered the soil, working in teams of three. Because Luo Qiao sprained her foot, she was assigned this task today. Handling fertilizer was particularly tough on her hands, and Qiao Lanlan told her she would bring a pair of gloves in the afternoon.

As Luo Qiao worked, she pondered. Several times, she nearly smashed her hand, which scared her into staying focused, afraid that if her foot didn’t heal properly and she injured her hand again, she would really be laughed at by Lu Yichen.

Seeing Luo Qiao troubled all morning, Qiao Lanlan asked, “Luo Qiao, is there something on your mind?”

Luo Qiao didn’t hide it: “I’m thinking about a good kid like Shitou, who is also the Sun family’s grandnephew. With their only sister gone, shouldn’t his uncles take good care of their only grandnephew? How can they justify taking compensation and call him a freeloader and an illegitimate child?

It’s one thing if others say hurtful things, but for their closest relatives to act this way shows such poor character.”