Those who are loved feel emboldened. Zhang Jiahua had always assumed that no matter how much Deng Yuyuan suffered, she would stay with him. He believed that true love needed no material comforts; even if they lacked food and clothing, he had already given her and their child plenty of love.
But how could he say these excuses out loud?
He couldn't understand. In just one day, did Deng Yuyuan really lose all her feelings for him?
Deng Yuyuan urged him, "If there's nothing else, just leave. Don't disturb our lunch. Next time, don't come empty-handed. Those who know will think you're just anxious, but those who don't might think you're trying to get something for nothing."
Zhang Jiahua didn't want to leave, hesitating in place. Zhang Ci Hao stepped forward, threw an arm around his shoulder, and said, "Jiahua, let's go back first."
"Still trying to instigate my son to steal grain? Bah, how shameless! If you're going to jump into the well, hurry up and do it!" Granny Zhang's shrill voice rang out. "What are you still doing here? Come home with me." She tugged at Zhang Jiahua's sleeve.
A sense of powerlessness surged in Zhang Jiahua's heart. Facing the mother he had always respected, a hint of anger flared within him as he growled softly, "Mom, Yu Yuan isn't that kind of person!"
"Not what kind of person? She's putting on airs with me now. If she's so capable, she should never step foot into the Zhang Family's home again." Granny Zhang spoke to her son, but her eyes were fixed on Deng Yuyuan.
Deng Yuyuan held back Zhao Erdong, who had stepped up to defend her, and stopped the others with a warning glance.
"Is this what you meant by 'having discussed it with your mom'?" Deng Yuyuan raised an eyebrow.
Zhang Jiahua wiped his face hard, sweat dripping through his calloused fingers. Blocking Granny Zhang, he said, "Mom, Yu Yuan... wants to divorce me. She isn't just throwing a tantrum."
"She has the guts to ask for a divorce? How rebellious! Fine, she can divorce you, but first, she needs to spit out everything she ate and drank from our family!" Granny Zhang shoved Zhang Jiahua aside and planted herself at the doorway, hands on her hips.
Deng Yuyuan glanced over. A considerable crowd had already gathered at the door, all there to watch the drama and gossip.
"If you have the guts, then jump!" Granny Zhang held her head high in provocation. "You carried a worthless girl and only knew how to hide in your room and slack off every day. I don't think this kid is any good either. She can't even talk yet, but she already knows how to command her mother to make a scene. Girls are just bad luck—"
"AH!" Granny Zhang shrieked.
Faster than Zhang Jiahua and Zhang Zhuang's attempts to intervene was the bucket of cold water Deng Yuyuan swiftly splashed over the old woman. Holding the baby, Zhao Erdong looked with heartache at Deng Yuyuan's hands, which had turned red from lifting the heavy bucket.
"Your body is already weak, yet you still don't take good care of yourself," Zhao Erdong chided softly.
Granny Zhang raised a hand to wipe the water from her face. Being soaked to the bone made her lose all reason. She plopped her behind on the ground and wailed, "Everyone, come look! This is how this female educated youth treats her mother-in-law! My son married such a heartless, ungrateful woman!"
Zhang Jiahua tried to pull his mother up from the ground. He had a gut feeling that if he disappointed Deng Yuyuan again, there would truly be no chance left for their marriage.
"WAAAH!" Tuantuan, in Zhao Erdong's arms, also started crying. The noise was too loud and had frightened the infant.
Deng Yuyuan turned her head. "Take the child back inside first. I'll handle my own mess."
She bent down and grabbed the hatchet resting in the yard. She pulled hard, but it wouldn't come out. She realized this body was still too weak. Even though she was gritting her teeth with exertion on the inside, she maintained a calm and breezy expression on the outside as she slowly wrenched the hatchet free, bracing her feet to counter the recoil.
Grasping the hatchet, she closed in step by step. "Come on, keep talking. Let's see if my blade is faster, or your mouth.
"Don't worry. After I kill you, I'll jump right into the well. Even if I don't want to live anymore, I'm taking someone down with me."
It happened in a flash. Had Zhang Jiahua not been quick enough to grab Deng Yuyuan's slender wrist, that blade would have struck Granny Zhang.
Granny Zhang scrambled backward a bit, her lips trembling so much she even forgot to scream. Looking at Deng Yuyuan's ruthless gaze, she realized this crazy woman meant it. She really wanted to commit murder!
For the first time, Zhang Jiahua realized his wife had such a reckless side. He coaxed in a low voice, "Yu Yuan, calm down. Screaming about killing and fighting won't solve the problem."
Deng Yuyuan laughed, a hint of madness in her voice. She suddenly realized the single benefit of having a cowardly husband. While he wouldn't defend his wife against a difficult mother-in-law, similarly, when his wife was about to slaughter said mother-in-law, he would only offer unhurried words of persuasion. She concluded that aside from this one benefit, it was all downsides.
Zhang Zhuang also hurried over to help wrest the hatchet from Deng Yuyuan's hand. "Murder is illegal!"
Granny Zhang was just about to open her mouth when Deng Yuyuan shot her a fleeting glance. "I might not have a blade in my hand right now, but that doesn't mean I won't next time. So, unless you plan on never leaving the house...
"You can also call the police about what happened today. It'll be a perfect opportunity to let everyone see the ugly faces of the Zhang Family, smearing and spreading rumors about me. Anyone with eyes can see what I looked like when I first arrived at the Zhang Family and what I look like now, and they can tell whether you've treated me well. When Tuantuan was born, I couldn't even get a mouthful of thin broth and had to drink hot water to stave off hunger. Fine, if you don't care about this daughter, I'll raise her by myself!"
Muffled whispers drifted in from outside the door. "This is what happens when you push someone too far."
"I advised the Zhang Family to treat the educated youths better before. Xiao Yuan is such a good girl. If her parents were in the village, they'd absolutely tear the Zhang Family's house down."
"Sigh, but if they really get divorced, she'll become damaged goods. I think Jiahua is pitiful too. It's not like he wanted to end up with a mother like that. If she just endures it for a few more years, things will look up."
"What damaged goods? Why are your words so awful? And calling him a 'child'—Jiahua is already a father, yet you're still calling him a child. The real child is in Zhao Zhiqing's arms."
"Alas, widows in our village have a hard time, and I imagine a divorced woman wouldn't have it easy either."
"What police? Our village has never called the police before. The Zhang Family can't make the whole village lose face over their petty domestic disputes."
Deng Yuyuan raised her eyebrows. She hadn't expected her reputation in the village to still be quite decent even after pulling a stunt like this.
Granny Zhang couldn't utter a single word. This crazy woman—she meant every word! She really wanted to drag her to the grave with her! It didn't matter if Deng Yuyuan lost her worthless life, but Granny Zhang still wanted to live for many, many years. Deng Yuyuan didn't have a good life, but Granny Zhang was living comfortably every single day.
Her husband was dead. She had two filial sons to rely on, a sweet-talking second daughter-in-law to coax her, and previously, an eldest daughter-in-law to serve as her punching bag. She ate and drank her fill every day and didn't have to do much work. She intended to continue enjoying her blessings!
And barely anyone in the crowd was even speaking up on her behalf. Bah! They better watch out, lest their own daughters-in-law climb all over them in the future!
She was just about to puff out her chest and regain her prestige, but faced with Deng Yuyuan's vicious, knife-like glare, her momentum weakened again. She nudged Zhang Jiahua with her elbow.
She wondered why this son of hers didn't know to protect her a little!