Chapter 79: Caught in the Act (2)

“E-eldest… third son…”

Yin Hong’s voice trembled slightly. Her entire face was pale, drained of blood. Her teeth chattered as she squinted her eyes, on the verge of fainting.

Xiang Qianjin didn’t heed his mother at all. Without even glancing at her, he strode straight toward Fan Xiaojuan.

“Xiang Qianjin, what are you doing? If you come closer, I’ll call for help!”

Fan Xiaojuan hadn’t expected Xiang Qianjin to appear here. Inwardly, she cursed Yin Hong for being so careless, never noticing that her own son had followed her.

These past days had been extremely harsh for Fan Xiaojuan.

When she had just been caught in the act, she and Wang Shanshui were confined in a tiny wooden shack at the Revolutionary Committee. With only one tattered blanket, she couldn’t fight off a now-restored Wang Shanshui and had to rely on a thick coat, shivering in the cold. After several days, her calves were covered in frostbite.

Moreover, public humiliation had become a daily routine.

Paraded through the streets, having her hair shaved, her clothes disheveled, subjected to scorn, curses, and relentless beatings the saliva of onlookers stuck to her clothes and face every time.

Rotten vegetables and spoiled eggs were rare these days; even if they wanted, they didn’t need to throw them. Spitting was free, and if thirsty, anyone could drink water. Every time she was paraded out, she never had a clean spot on her body.

For someone with even a hint of fastidiousness like Fan Xiaojuan, every day felt like living in hell. And yet, she couldn’t understand how it had all come to this.

The public humiliation continued for a full week. Only after the frenzy subsided were she and Wang Shanshui escorted back to Xiaoqiu Village. Before leaving, those people told the village chief that Fan Xiaojuan and Wang Shanshui were bad elements destined for the hardest, dirtiest labor. From then on, they cleaned the village’s chicken, duck, and pig manure, composted fertilizer, and did the most grueling work hardly ever a moment of ease.

To make matters worse, the commotion with the Yu family destroyed the Fan household. Their possessions were looted, leaving just enough grain to last until mid-year rationing. Once close to the family, now she was hated.

Lu Hui understood: her little sister-in-law had lost all utility and brought trouble to the family. Now she barely performed any courtesy, driving Fan Xiaojuan out, jeering, and sometimes even striking her.

Fan Xiaojuan’s elder brother followed his wife’s instructions. Though their parents worried about their daughter, they cared more about their son and family reputation, completely ignoring her. With nowhere to go, freezing and hungry, the only person who would shelter her was Wang Shanshui.

This man, like her, had become a pariah. No woman would live with him, so they paired up, cementing the village’s rumor that they were already secretly involved.

Fan Xiaojuan had subtly asked Wang Shanshui about that day, but he insisted she had seduced him first, claiming she called him over. Any mention of it brought beatings. Over time, she stopped asking and came to blame him entirely, her hatred growing bitter.

If not for him, she would still be a glamorous city girl in the village’s eyes. Now, despite her hatred, she could only lie low, waiting for the right moment to make him pay.

“What are you doing!”

Fan Xiaojuan cried out, collapsing to the ground. The note she had been holding was suddenly snatched by Yin Hong, crumpled, and shoved into her mouth.

Yin Hong rolled her eyes, struggling to swallow the coarse paper, but felt a wave of relief.

Unseen by her, Fan Xiaojuan’s fallen expression also flickered with relief when the note disappeared into Yin Hong’s mouth but it vanished in an instant.

Fan Xiaojuan had noticed the note tucked in her coat was missing. She assumed the chaos of the day had caused it to fall, either taken as trash or picked up by someone.

During the days of her humiliation, she had kept an eye on the outside world. The note seemed to vanish into thin air. No one had brought it to the Revolutionary Committee or threatened her with it. She reasoned it might still be hidden in some corner, or possibly lost forever.

The Xiang family had money. Xiang Qianjin, a filial and hardworking son, sent most of his salary home after becoming a worker. Everyone in the village knew this. Fan Xiaojuan figured the Xiangs had saved at least a thousand yuan over the years, with scattered expenses and house construction. Five hundred yuan was easily attainable.

Fan Xiaojuan thought: since Yin Hong didn’t know the note was gone, she could still use it as leverage, demanding money or grain. She didn’t believe Yin Hong had the courage to let this slip publicly. Yin Hong, obsessed with her own image, prized her reputation above all.

“What’s on that note?”

Xiang Qianjin asked, his voice steady. This had to involve him; otherwise, his mother wouldn’t be so tense, and Fan Xiaojuan wouldn’t have said what she did.

But he had no contact with Fan Xiaojuan. What agreement could she have with his mother? Was it about him? He couldn’t figure it out.

“There’s nothing, third son. You’d rather trust that slut than believe your mother. It’s all her nonsense. Don’t believe her.”

Yin Hong felt relief after swallowing the note. With the evidence gone, Fan Xiaojuan could say whatever she wanted, but as long as Yin Hong denied it, no one could touch her.

One was an adulterous woman caught cheating after remarrying, the other a kind, gentle mother. Who would believe otherwise?

“Third son, let’s go. If anyone sees you with this woman, your reputation will be ruined.” Yin Hong grabbed Xiang Qianjin’s hand, trying to leave, but he shook her off.

“What’s really going on?”

His tone sharpened. His eyes glinted with suspicion and pressure. Yin Hong repeated her protestations of innocence but avoided his gaze.

“Yin Hong, you don’t think the note you just swallowed is the actual agreement, do you? Do you think I’m stupid enough to leave the real agreement for you to snatch? You’re too foolish,” Fan Xiaojuan sneered from the ground, making Yin Hong’s face blanch.

The note she held earlier had been fake. The real one was still in her possession. Her words had just enraged Yin Hong.

Yin Hong’s legs trembled. She shook her head, thinking it impossible that woman must be bluffing. But Fan Xiaojuan’s confident gaze unnerved her. She clawed at her throat, wanting to retrieve the swallowed note.

But once swallowed, the note couldn’t be retrieved. She vomited the midday porridge and stomach acid in frustration, yet the note was nowhere to be seen.

“Five hundred. That’s all I want. If you can’t pay, I’ll give the note to your son,” Fan Xiaojuan said coldly, standing and brushing off her skirt as she walked out.

“What agreement?”

Xiang Qianjin glared at Fan Xiaojuan, stepping forward to stop her, but Yin Hong clung tightly to his waist, restraining him.

Startled by Xiang Qianjin’s furious expression, Fan Xiaojuan fled quickly.

“There’s nothing. Nothing at all,” Yin Hong whispered, clutching her son, denying everything. She couldn’t let him find out if he did, she was finished.

Xiang Qianjin clenched his fists, veins bulging, breathing heavily, suppressing the urge to strike.

“What’s going on?”

Old Xiang sat in the main room, watching his wife and son return one after the other. His son’s face was dark with anger; his wife followed meekly, her eyes red, as if she had just cried.

The son greeted him briefly before returning to his room. Yin Hong stood by the door a while, wiping tears, then sat on the nearby chair.

“What happened?” Old Xiang asked again. He had never seen his third son so openly defy him; he seemed genuinely angry, and it had to be his wife’s fault. Otherwise, she would have been nagging about his son’s disobedience long ago.

“BANG"

“CRASH"

Two loud crashes came from Xiang Qianjin’s room. Xiang Guangming, having finished eating and resting, rubbed his eyes, frowning: “Third brother, what are you doing? Tearing down the room?”

“What is this? Tell me, what is this?”

Xiang Qianjin’s eyes were red, breath heavy, as he stepped out holding a white piece of paper covered in writing, with two bright red fingerprints standing out.

His fists were clenched. If not for Yin Hong being his mother, he would have struck immediately. Looking at the strange woman before him, he wondered if she was his mother or his enemy.

“How did you get this? Give it to me. Give it to me!”

Seeing the familiar note, Yin Hong went insane, frantically trying to snatch it. Her sharp nails scratched Xiang Qianjin’s raised sleeve, pulling at the padding of his coat.

Old Xiang and Xiang Guangming were stunned, frozen for a moment before moving to separate them.

“Enough! It’s New Year what are you doing?”

Old Xiang shouted. Yin Hong fell silent, covering her face and sinking to the floor.

He glanced at her expression, suspicion growing, and took the note from his grieving son. Reading it from start to finish, his face darkened further. When he reached the signature, his eyes widened, and he toppled backward.

The familiar signature, with the “Gong” on the red ink side written as “Wang” and the “Yin” stroke as “Ti,” could only belong to Yin Hong. Without checking fingerprints, Old Xiang knew it was his wife. She had practiced writing names countless times, often making mistakes almost her trademark.

“Dad"

“Old man"

Xiang Qianjin and Xiang Guangming caught Old Xiang. Seeing her husband’s state, Yin Hong nervously stood and approached.

“Don’t come closer!”

Old Xiang bellowed, stopping her. He never imagined that, despite a lifetime of kindness, his wife could harbor such malice.

“Old fifth, go to the village entrance. When your other brothers and sisters-in-law return, let them come home. This house isn’t fully divided yet. Tonight, we settle this once and for all.”

Old Xiang struggled to speak. His indulgence of the other sons’ greed had made their desires a chain binding his third son. His efforts over the years were enough. He would rather forfeit being recognized as a father than let his third son remain trapped.

Xiang Qianjin vaguely understood his father’s intentions. He felt a twinge of reluctance, but seeing Yin Hong, his heart turned cold. Without a word, he ran out.

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Chapter 79: Caught in the Act (2)

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