She won't clear her name; she'll throw away all the scum.

Widow Huang was taken aback by Old Lady Xia's question, and her anger surged. What couldn't she say? Her relationships with these men were completely innocent.

Those men are stupid; why should she bear the brunt of their wives' anger?

In her opinion, these men were all cowards. If they were truly men, how could they let a woman like her take the beating for them?

She wanted to loudly and confidently assert that she was right, but when she saw her daughter's face about to cry, she couldn't utter a sound.

In such an era, for a widow to have affairs with so many men, and to dress so well, was considered adultery. She could be arrested and paraded through the streets, and her whole family would be nailed to the pillar of shame.

She hasn't been arrested yet because these women still want the money those scumbags gave her back. If she were arrested, not only would she lose her money, but her belongings would probably be confiscated, and they wouldn't get a single penny.

Widow Huang felt a little guilty for a moment, but then she thought, why should she feel guilty? These women said their men gave her money, but who saw it?

Those who can come forward to provide evidence can easily accuse them of framing her. What evidence do they have, and on what basis do they accuse her?

Even the Red Guards needed evidence to arrest people; they couldn't just listen to someone's words without proof.

Widow Huang became defiant again, "What do I have to be afraid to say? I don't know any of the men in your family. You're all framing me."

Upon hearing this, her daughter visibly breathed a sigh of relief and said to her friends with a wronged expression, "My mother would never do anything shameless. They're just making things up because they see how well my family is doing."

Widow Huang immediately nodded, "Yes, they're framing us. Don't listen to their nonsense."

The onlookers were outraged. They had just said it was pure friendship, and now they were strangers again. This woman was shameless; she could lie without even thinking.

"That's not what you just said."

"Your words are incoherent and you're full of lies."

"You know what you're doing isn't a good thing, and you don't dare tell the children. But if you know it's not a good thing, why did you still do it?"

"If you're truly honest and upright in your conduct, why are you afraid to speak out about your own affairs?"

"As adults, we should be role models for our children. If your child follows your example, would you be happy?"

The crowd erupted in condemnation, and no one paid any attention to Chen Weijun anymore. He seized the opportunity, blended into the crowd, and came to his elder brother's side.

Old Mrs. Xia still held a grudge, but the matter of Widow Huang was more important right now.

The onlookers and the people who came to the door all made sense, but that's not the point. Isn't the point to get the money back?

Grandma Xia started stirring things up, "Huang Li, you say you didn't cheat men out of their money, but everything you wear, from your shoes to your necklaces, costs money. Your children are dressed better than the children of our four working-class families. Do you have some other way to make money that's better than ours?"

“I remember, your family makes new schoolbags for your children every year, right? Your family makes new clothes all year round, and you often eat meat, fish and eggs. Yesterday you even asked someone to go to the countryside to get you an old hen to make soup.”

"If you don't have a job, where have you gotten so many years from?"

Widow Huang stood up. She had already thought about what to say. She raised her head confidently and said, "Sister Xia, I know you are jealous of me. You are jealous that I have better food, clothing and daily necessities than you. You are jealous that I am a few years younger than you, but I look like I am a full twelve years younger than you. But you shouldn't question me like this."

“Of course I can do that. My husband died for the factory, and he is entitled to compensation. Although I don’t work, I don’t want to see my two children suffer with me, a widow. Is it wrong for me to take out the money so that the three of us can live well? I’m doing this so that his spirit can find some comfort in heaven.”

“I’m not the kind of mother who would mistreat her child. Unlike you, who is capable but doesn’t treat your daughter like a human being. I would do anything for my child. Even if she’s my daughter, I’d still make sure she has a good life.”

Although Widow Huang looked down on many people, what she hated most was those who treated children badly.

Since Xia Yue'e has money but won't give it to her daughter, then give her that portion of the money. She'll raise her precious daughter well.

Grandma Xia was taken aback by her words. Yes, she had really been too awful to Xiang Hong. Even though she had brought him back now, it was only slightly better than in the previous life.

She was busy fighting with her family and watching the drama unfold. In retrospect, did she really do anything for Xiang Hong? It seems not; she just brought her out of the countryside.

She had only found her a job opportunity, but she hadn't even gotten the job. After Xiang Hong returned, she didn't inquire about any other opportunities besides that one, and she never thought about what would happen if she didn't get the job.

She never begged anyone to help her, nor did she go to great lengths to inquire about opportunities, nor did she spend money to have someone look out for other chances for her. After Xiang Hong returned, she did more for their family than they did for her, as if those small household chores were her responsibility.

Xiang Hong never said what she wanted. She felt grateful that she could be brought back. She never thought that she could have avoided going to the countryside in the first place.

Grandma Xia also knew that if it were a few years ago, as long as they pushed her a little, she and Old Chen could have found her a temporary job, just like their second son, and she could have stayed on smoothly.

It's nothing more than spending some money and incurring some favors.

Even this, Chen Xianghong didn't bring up. She didn't want to put her family in a difficult position, just like in her previous life. With this kind of personality, she would be completely controlled by her future partner's family.

Thinking about it this way, Old Mrs. Xia felt a chill run down her spine. She knew this feeling all too well. Even though she had devoted herself wholeheartedly to her family in the past, she often felt wronged, but she had always suppressed this feeling and tried her best not to think about it.

But the grievances won't disappear just because you don't think about them; on the contrary, they will only increase.

That's how relationships are between people. If you treat someone with respect, they'll take advantage of you. The better you treat them, the more they'll expect to treat you even better in the future. But if you stop treating them well, they'll blame you. It's terrifying.

Widow Huang was right; her attitude towards her daughter was indeed not as good as hers.

Her words made her realize her own problems; even now, she still paid too little attention to Xiang Hong.