Chen Zi'an's usually serene eyes dimmed slightly.
Why was this person speaking in such a tone?
He didn't recall provoking this person in front of him.
Could it be that they had met in the army before?
That shouldn't be the case; his memory was quite good. If they had interacted before, he wouldn't have forgotten.
But regardless, this person was being overly meddlesome.
Who he was with was none of this person's business!
A shop assistant, overstepping their bounds!
"Am I here to buy things at the supply and marketing cooperative or to stay at the guesthouse? Who dictates that buying something requires a household registration check?" Chen Zi'an asked, displeased.
Sister Liu, looking at the composed demeanor of the man before her, felt he was likely no ordinary person.
Moreover, the person in front of him exuded a sense of menace, as if his hands had seen blood. It was best not to provoke such a person.
She quickly stepped forward and said, "Our comrade here speaks without tact. Please don't take offense. You wanted five jin of meat, right? Xiao Li, quickly cut five jin of meat for this comrade."
If there was one thing Sister Liu was good at, it was currying favor with the high and looking down on the low.
Furthermore, she could discern from a person's demeanor whether they had status and influence, and whether they were someone to be provoked. Over the years, she had never been wrong.
It had to be said, this was also a means of survival.
"Sister Liu!" Kang Rende, about to continue his questioning, was interrupted by Sister Liu's sharp call.
However, his eyes were fixed intently on Su Manxiu.
Looking at the graceful Su Manxiu, and thinking of his own Su Manxiang, his heart became unsettled.
Su Manxiu did not resemble a woman worn down by hardship at all. She wore a clean, neat plaid shirt paired with blue trousers, looking very dignified. Her hair was cut short, framing her ears, and she appeared to be an exceptionally beautiful young woman.
"Xiao Kang!" Sister Liu reprimanded sternly, with a warning tone.
"Sister Liu, this man is not her husband, they are not a couple!" Kang Rende blurted out, his mind a blank, disregarding the consequences.
Sister Liu was also taken aback by his words.
But then she thought, just as this man said, this was not a guesthouse, why bother checking household registrations?
If a man and a woman were together, even if they weren't a couple, what was wrong with buying something together? It wasn't a big deal.
"You go attend to others. I'll attend to these comrades," Sister Liu said, displeased.
This Kang Rende was becoming increasingly muddled, wanting to meddle in everything. Did he think he was some kind of authority? He was too intrusive!
But Kang Rende's mind was already clouded with greed.
"Su Manxiu, you sent Comrade Wang Jiefang to the mine for hard labor, and you yourself are hooking up with a strange man. Are you even human? Think about how your husband is living now, don't you feel ashamed?"
Kang Rende shouted loudly, as if afraid others wouldn't hear.
That's right, regarding Wang Jiefang's mistreatment of Su Manxiu, which led to Su Manxiu attempting to drown herself, Kang Rende never thought Wang Jiefang was wrong.
Su Manxiu couldn't have children, so what if she was beaten? He would have beaten her too.
What was the point of getting married? Wasn't it for sleeping and having children?
With his loud shout, many people heard it.
The staff at the supply and marketing cooperative heard it, as did the people buying things.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at the group before them.
Su Manxiu's face immediately turned red. Kang Rende was trying to humiliate her.
Su Xiaotian was so angry she almost jumped up. Was this cheap uncle-in-law of hers brain-damaged?
This was purely self-defeating!
"Who is Wang Jiefang?"
"Sister Li, don't you remember? It's that man who was making such a fuss a while ago for having an affair and getting a young widow pregnant."
"That's right, I thought the name sounded familiar. Oh, weren't that pair of adulterers sent to the mine for hard labor?"
"Indeed, they deserved it. Who told them they couldn't control their lower halves."
"Is this woman Wang Jiefang's wife? Didn't they say she committed suicide by drowning? Was that fake?"
"More importantly, she doesn't look like someone who has been mistreated. She's dressed neatly and looks quite energetic."
"Perhaps it was all a setup. This woman is quite ruthless!"
...
The murmuring gossip reached Su Manxiu's ears. Many people were pointing fingers at her.
As more and more people began to question her, she felt increasingly humiliated.
However, what hurt her the most was why Kang Rende, her brother-in-law, would say such things about her.
It had to be said that in any era, people habitually attributed malice to others.
The victim is to blame, especially when the victim is alive and hasn't died, more people will attack the victim.
Just like now, Su Manxiu not dying was considered unforgivable.
If she had died, and the adulterous couple had been punished, that would have fit everyone's preconceived notions.
The wronged original wife, the final outcome was to jump into the river and commit suicide. How could she be seen buying things at the supply and marketing cooperative with an unrelated man?
"Xiaotian, you and your aunt go out first. I'll find you after I buy the meat," Chen Zi'an said to Su Xiaotian, glancing at Su Manxiu.
Su Xiaotian wanted to say something, but she knew that as a child, her words carried little weight and would be useless.
But at this moment, her dislike for her uncle-in-law, Kang Rende, was immeasurable.
Su Manxiu's lips moved slightly. She wanted to stay and face it. This was her business, and she couldn't implicate Minister Chen's reputation.
"I..."
"Uncle Chen, we'll be watching from the side!" Su Xiaotian understood Su Manxiu's intention, smiling sweetly and saying, "My aunt can't wait behind others to protect her forever. She has to face things herself."
Chen Zi'an thought about it and realized she was right. He couldn't always be by Su Manxiu's side to protect her.
"Comrade, I don't know who you are, but since you know about this matter, you should also know how much Comrade Su Manxiu was persecuted by the Wang family."
"To say such things to a persecuted woman, you, comrade, are clearly not upright."
"It is dangerous to have such a person within our ranks. I will speak to your leader later and have them strengthen your ideological education!"
At this moment, Kang Rende did not realize that the words spoken by the person in front of him, about finding his leader to strengthen his ideological education, were actually true and not just casual remarks.
He also didn't realize that the leader he was referring to was not the leader of the commune's supply and marketing cooperative, but the top leader of the county's supply and marketing cooperative!
"Comrade, I didn't mean that. I just wanted to say that Su Manxiu is a ruthless woman. She even sent her own husband to the mine. Don't be fooled by Su Manxiu!"
How could such a woman be so radiant?
"She was beaten by her husband and persecuted by her in-laws, so she should just endure it silently? This is your feudal, old-fashioned thinking, a discarded old idea. Comrade Su Manxiu is a woman of the new era. She bravely fought against old ideas and has already divorced Wang Jiefang."
Divorced?
Everyone's gaze towards Su Manxiu shifted slightly.
After a woman sent her husband to the mine, she divorced him. What was that all about?
However, what this comrade said seemed reasonable. Fighting against feudal old ideas was not wrong.
"Wang Jiefang had an affair with a young widow, and the young widow has a baby. Wang Jiefang forced his original wife to jump into the river, and the next day he married the young widow. Support Comrade Su Manxiu's divorce!"
Suddenly, a woman stood up to express her support.
With the first person supporting her, there were second and third supporters.
Especially the women, they felt a sense of empathy.
Su Manxiu's eyes welled up with tears. For so many years, she didn't know what it felt like to be protected.
Wang Jiefang only beat her; he never protected her.
"Sister-in-law, you did the right thing. It's a new society now, different from the past. You're still young, and you have a good life ahead of you," Sister Liu also said, walking up to Su Manxiu.
She had always considered herself a woman of the new era, so at this moment, she naturally had to step forward and state her position.
Su Xiaotian's gaze towards Chen Zi'an was almost sparkling. With just a few words, her aunt's image had become much more impressive.
Leaders are indeed not simple.
However, Kang Rende couldn't be let off the hook so easily.
Seeing that things were almost settled, Su Xiaotian stepped forward and stood in front of Kang Rende, calling out crisply, "Uncle-in-law!"
It was only three words, nothing else was said.
But the surrounding people looked at Kang Rende with very unfriendly expressions.
One was the elder aunt, and the other was the uncle-in-law. This shop assistant comrade was the elder aunt's brother-in-law.
It was truly unheard of for a brother-in-law to slander his elder aunt so much.
Even Sister Liu looked at Kang Rende with a hint of contempt.
She used to think this Xiao Kang was quite sensible, but now he seemed like a fool. How could he tarnish his own family's reputation?
Kang Rende didn't expect that the gazes of contempt that had previously been directed at Su Manxiu suddenly shifted to him.
Only then did he realize that he had been too impulsive and had momentarily forgotten that Su Manxiu was his family relative.
Chen Zi'an and the others didn't spare Kang Rende another glance. They bought the meat and left, carrying it.
After exiting the supply and marketing cooperative, Su Manxiu walked up to Chen Zi'an and murmured, "Thank you just now!"
Chen Zi'an's lips curved slightly, and he said in a faint tone, "It's nothing."
Su Xiaotian followed behind the two, suddenly feeling that between these two, the future seemed promising!
Upon returning home, Su Xiaotian recounted the day's events at the supply and marketing cooperative to Grandma Su.
Hearing about Kang Rende's actions, Grandma Su trembled with anger and couldn't help but scold Kang Rende for a long time, and also scolded the troublesome Su Manxiang.
In her life, she had successfully chosen three good daughters-in-law, but both sons-in-law she had chosen were failures, one worse than the other.
"Fortunately, they are now estranged. From now on, we don't need to greet each other when we meet!" Grandma Su said to Su Xiaotian indignantly.
Su Xiaotian nodded repeatedly. She also disliked the Kang family.
The other daughters-in-law of the Su family were not yet aware of what had happened. While they comforted Su Manxiu, they were busy with their tasks.
Chopping meat, washing vegetables, kneading dough – they didn't let Su Manxiu participate.
Su Manxiu, due to the events at the supply and marketing cooperative, no longer felt distressed. Instead, she felt finally liberated and able to move towards a new life.
When Grandma Su entered, she saw Su Manxiu standing idly, unable to help with any of the chores.
"Xiu, go pound the garlic," Grandma Su said with a smile, looking at Su Manxiu's anxious expression.
Su Manxiu quickly agreed and went to pick a few garlic bulbs from the garlic braid outside to peel.
The dumplings were soon wrapped and tasted delicious. The atmosphere in the old Su family was even better, filled with warmth and harmony.
After Grandma Su asked Su Ciliang to send two plates to the cowshed, the whole family gathered around two tables to eat dumplings.
After lunch, Chen Zi'an and Su Manxiu had to leave.
They had taken leave and had to return before evening.
Su Manxiu was a little reluctant, hugging Grandma Su and crying.
"Big sister, don't cry. When you have time during holidays, come home to visit. If you can't stand living in the city, come home. Your brother can support you!" Oldest Brother Su said, looking at his sister.
"Sister, these are shoes newly made by second sister-in-law. Take them with you and wear them when you get to the city." Qi Liangying came over with a pair of shoes and said to Su Manxiu.
Liang Xiu took a piece of checkered fabric and put it directly into Su Manxiu's bag: "This piece of cloth is just enough to make a dress. When you get to the city, see what's fashionable and make it yourself."
Wang Xianghua came forward happily with a large bag and said, "Sister-in-law doesn't have anything else good. These are wild goods that the children gathered from the mountains. They're all dried, and they'll last a long time. Take them with you."
Su Manxiu's initial reluctance was thus diluted by her family.
Grandma Su had intended to secretly slip some money and coupons to her daughter, but Su Manxiu refused. Just as she was feeling a bit displeased, she saw her daughters-in-law bringing things for her daughter, and her mood brightened.
Chen Zi'an looked at so many things, including quite a few vegetables, and his expression grew darker.
What was the meaning of this? Were they afraid he wouldn't feed Su Manxiu enough?
This man completely forgot that Su Manxiu had no relationship with him.
"Sister-in-law, I have a salary in the city, and I also get a meal at noon. We have enough food. You keep it to eat yourselves." Su Manxiu repeatedly refused, absolutely unwilling to accept.
She already had a salary, so how could she still accept subsidies from her family?
"It's not proper food, it's all wild goods the children gathered from the mountains. Take it to eat, it will save you from buying vegetables." Grandma Su immediately said, "I haven't lived in the city, but I've heard that in the city, you have to pay for even a single scallion."
Su Manxiu was speechless and silently looked at Chen Zi'an, who had been silent all along.
Although Chen Zi'an had a dark expression, thinking that this was from Grandma Su to her daughter, he no longer objected and silently helped carry a basket as they walked out.
The news of the Su family's eldest daughter's divorce spread through the village like wildfire.
However, before everyone could digest this news, a second piece of news quickly spread throughout the village.
The Su family's eldest daughter, after divorcing, did not stay at her maternal home to endure the watchful eyes of her sisters-in-law; she left with that county leader.
And she left in a car that was smoking from its exhaust!
These people, for half their lives, had only seen a car this year, but had never ridden in one. How could they not be envious?
Close neighbors naturally had to come and see, asking what was going on with the old Su family.
Of course, those with bad relationships also came to see, but their intentions were not pure; they wanted to see the Su family in a state of misery.
After all, having a divorced daughter in the family was not a glorious matter.