Pastoral Splendor

The hour of Chen (7-9 AM) has passed, and the sun is high in the sky, a bright red orb hanging there, shining warmly on people, making them feel like they're about to sweat.

Wang Wangcai stared at Xiao Laoda, his eyes seemingly blazing with fire. Seeing the other man's fierce appearance, Xiao Laoda couldn't help but shrink back, his mouth seemingly sewn shut, unable to open it no matter what.

"Uncle Wang, are you not allowing us to come in?" Yan Ying stepped forward and said to Wang Wangcai with a smile, "Guests are guests, it's not very nice of you to block us at the door like this."

Wang Wangcai glanced at Yan Ying and saw that there was no fear in her bright eyes. She held her head high with a half-smile. Then he looked at the group of onlookers behind Boss Xiao and the others and felt embarrassed. He couldn't very well stop them from going in at the door.

"In-laws, come in quickly, I was just about to come to your house." Wang Wangcai stepped aside to let Xiao Laoda and the others in, and called out to them, "Honey, in-laws are here, quickly check if there are any broad beans left from the New Year."

“Uncle, forget about the broad beans. We’ve come here today because it’s important.” Yan Ying helped Da Hua sit down, her eyes fixed on Wang Fugui standing in the corner of the room: “Brother-in-law, my eldest sister wants to ask you a question.”

Madam Wang patted the insole on the chair: "In-laws, your family is really outrageous. Who gave the daughter the right to speak? And you, the father, didn't say a word?"

Wang Fugui puffed out his chest: "That's right!" Last time he went to Xiaojia Village to deliver Ye'er, he was almost beaten by the third girl of the Xiao family. He was still a little scared. But seeing Yan Ying and Er Hua looking so pretty when they were angry, he couldn't help but steal a glance. His mouth was practically watering.

After listening to Wang Zhangshi speak, Xiao Laoda finally said in a loud voice, "In our family, Sanhua is the one who calls the shots."

Yan Ying raised an eyebrow at Wang Zhangshi: "Aunt Wang, did you hear me clearly?"

"Hmph, your Xiao family is really strange, it's laughable that you, a little girl, are in charge of the family affairs!" Wang Zhangshi grinned, spittle flying out, a piece of vegetable leaf still stuck to her teeth: "Just ask whatever you want, don't scare my Fugui."

It seems Wang Fugui has been spoiled. Yan Ying looked at Wang Zhangshi's unreasonable attitude and understood that the divorce today would be difficult. She gently nudged Da Hua: "Big sister, just ask whatever you want to ask."

“Fugui, let me ask you something,” Dahua said, her eyes red. “They all say you and Lihua are together, but is that true?”

Wang Fugui stared at Da Hua with his mouth agape, feeling conflicted. Da Hua's appearance was so endearing that he suddenly felt reluctant to part with her. Pear Blossom was nowhere near as beautiful as Da Hua. He had only been momentarily bewitched by her, and when she threw herself into his arms, he had slept with her.

“Dahua…” Wang Fugui stammered, “I…”

Seeing her son unable to answer Da Hua's questions, Wang Zhangshi felt angry. How could her son be questioned like this by his wife? She glared at Da Hua and said, "Da Hua, how can you ask Fugui such questions? Even if a man has something to say, you don't need to ask him like this!"

Erhua couldn't hold back any longer. She stepped forward, grabbed Wang Fugui's hand, and dragged him toward Dahua, saying, "Wang Fugui, if you're still a man, just say it! Don't keep talking like this!"

When Wang Zhangshi saw Erhua make a move, she cried out "Oh dear!" and jumped up to hit Erhua, but Yan Ying grabbed her hand and said, "Aunt Wang, this is a matter between Dahua and Wang Fugui. As the mother-in-law, you shouldn't interfere! Haven't you heard people say, 'If you're not deaf and dumb, you can't be an aunt or grandfather'?"

"Go to hell!" Wang Zhangshi was used to throwing tantrums in Wangjia Village and had never been treated like this before. She grabbed a shoe insole and slapped it across Yan Ying's face: "Brother Xiao, aren't you going to do anything about your girl?"

Boss Xiao looked at the chaotic scene in front of him with a worried expression and said hesitantly, "Erhua and Sanhua, let's talk this out. Don't fight. Otherwise, we'll be in the wrong."

"Who laid a hand on him?" Yan Ying was furious at Xiao Laoda's dejected appearance. This cheapskate father of hers clearly had the upper hand, yet he couldn't even stand up straight. How could he talk to others like that? She snatched the insole from Wang Zhangshi's hand and slammed it against the back of the chair, making a louder sound than Wang Zhangshi's slap: "My eldest sister was just asking your son a question. Why are you so nervous? Can't you even ask your son a question?"

"Wealth and honor!" A woman's voice came from outside the door, as if she were deliberately putting on an act, using a high-pitched, coquettish tone.

Yan Ying turned her head and saw that the girl who had been standing under the big tree at the east end of the village had already shown half of her face at the door. She couldn't help but exclaim "Good!" She was just wondering how to make a bigger scene, and the girl had delivered herself to her doorstep.

"Pear Blossom!" Wang Fugui waved his hand nervously, "What are you doing here? Hurry up and go home!"

"Hey, now that you're here, how can you leave?" Yan Ying ran to the door, grabbed Li Hua's hand, and made her scream, "What are you going to do?"

"I'm not doing anything, I just want you to explain clearly whether you want to marry Wang Fugui or not." Yan Ying smiled gently. Li Hua stared at the dimples on her cheeks and was stunned. What was this girl from the Xiao family planning to do? Why wasn't she angry, but instead looked so smiling?

“We are all women, so why should women make things difficult for each other? We can talk things out.” Yan Ying pointed to Wang Fugui standing there: “I heard that you two are already together. My eldest sister naturally wants to find out the truth about this. Don’t worry, she won’t do anything to you. As long as you two are in love, she is willing to give you her blessing.”

"Really?" Pear Blossom exclaimed in surprise, taking a step closer to Wang Fugui: "Fugui, tell her quickly, tell her now!"

Wang Fugui stood there, looking at Lihua, then at Dahua. His mouth moved, but he didn't have the courage to speak. Lihua's face changed when she saw this. She grabbed Wang Fugui's hand and shouted, "What did you tell me back then? You said she wasn't as sensible as me, that she couldn't compare to me in any way. Now you're mute? Fine, fine, you just stay silent. I'll find someone to write a complaint saying you raped me. I'm going to file a complaint and send you to jail!"

As Lihua spoke, she made a move to rush out of the house, but Wang Zhangshi quickly grabbed her: "Lihua, why are you running so fast? You have Fugui's baby in your belly, sit down right now!"

Madam Wang saw it clearly: Pear Blossom was just putting on an act. She wasn't a virgin anymore, and she was carrying the Wang family's child. How could she find a suitable husband? She would inevitably have to come back to Wang Fugui. So she wasn't worried about Pear Blossom running away. Even if she did, there was still Big Flower in the house.

"You...have a rich baby?" Da Hua was taken aback. She rubbed her eyes and looked at Li Hua's belly. The area was still flat and there was no sign of pregnancy.

“I’m only two months pregnant, of course I can’t compare to you.” Pear Blossom reached out and touched her belly, smiling smugly: “But let me tell you, Fugui said he doesn’t like you anymore. You’re just like your mother, only good for giving birth to money-losing babies. He wants me to give him a boy!”

Da Hua's face turned deathly pale. She stood up unsteadily and took a step toward Wang Fugui: "Fugui, say something!"

"I..." Wang Fugui's eyes darted around, remembering what Wang Wangcai and Wang Zhangshi had been discussing. Suddenly, he felt confident: "Dahua, isn't it normal for me to look down on you? Look at your mother, she gave birth to seven of you sisters, but not a single boy. Your first child was a girl, and this one in your belly will most likely be a girl too." He took a breath before continuing: "Dahua, don't worry, if you give birth to a boy, I will take him back to the Wang family. I won't let your Xiao family raise my son."

Tears streamed down Da Hua's face. Wang Fugui's words had given her a definite answer: he had changed his mind and was determined to marry Li Hua. Er Hua reached out and grabbed Da Hua's hand: "Big sister, you should go out and rest. Don't stay here and get angry at those two sluts."

Xu Yixuan had his guards return to the villa and bring a carriage. The Xiao family had come in that carriage, but to avoid attracting the attention of the Wang family villagers, they parked the carriage outside the village and did not come in.

"Second sister, help eldest sister out. Father and I are here." Yan Ying waved her hand. "This room stinks. Eldest sister will be uncomfortable sitting here."

"You wretched girl from the Xiao family, how dare you say our house stinks!" Wang Zhangshi glared fiercely at Yan Ying with wide eyes: "Our house is none of your business to run wild!"

Yan Ying rushed forward with her hands on her hips, nose to nose with Wang Zhangshi: "I'm in charge of the Xiao family now, and I'm here today to deal with my eldest sister's matter!" She glanced at Wang Fugui and Lihua, and smiled coldly: "Now that the adulterer and his lover are both here, I think you should know very well what to do!"

"What to do? Write a letter of divorce! Your eldest sister is lazy and good-for-nothing in our Wang family, and she can't even have a son. What use is a daughter-in-law like that to us?" Wang Zhangshi was not to be outdone, spitting as she spoke: "Our family has already discussed it today. We originally planned to go to Xiaojia Village to send a letter of divorce to your eldest sister, but since she's come here herself, it's perfect. We'll take the letter of divorce back with us!"

"No need!" Yan Ying untied her purse, took out the divorce papers she had written, and slapped Wang Fugui across the face. "Our Xiao family is here to deliver the divorce papers to your family first! Does a son like yours, worse than a pig or a dog, deserve my sister? This is the divorce paper my eldest sister wrote to Wang Fugui. You go your way, I'll go mine. From now on, we're completely separated. We'll each go our own way and have nothing to do with each other!"

Chapter Fifty-Nine: Divorce

A piece of paper was stuck to Wang Fugui's face. Black ink blots showed through the snow-white background. He blinked, and the paper floated off his face and landed on the ground.

Madam Wang rushed over, looking at Wang Fugui's face with heartache. Yan Ying had just slapped the divorce papers across his face with a loud thud, causing Madam Wang considerable pain. She herself had never hit Wang Fugui like that; how could she let this little girl from the Xiao family do it?

"Fugui, does it hurt?" Just as Wang Zhangshi was about to speak, Lihua reached out and touched Wang Fugui's face, looking distressed. Wang Zhangshi shoved Lihua's hand away and glared at her fiercely: "Get out of my way right now. Fugui is my son. It's not your place to speak first!"

Ignoring the two women arguing, Wang Wangcai bent down and picked up the piece of paper from the ground. He examined it from left to right, but couldn't understand what was written on it. He looked at Yan Ying and asked, "What's written on your divorce papers?"

"Can't you read it yourself?" Yan Ying smiled happily. "I wrote it very clearly on it. If you still don't understand, then there's nothing I can do."

Wang Zhangshi squeezed through the crowd, snatched the divorce papers, crumpled them into a ball, and threw them at Yan Ying's face: "You little slut, coming to our house to cause trouble! What kind of family is your Xiao family? You've been relying on our Wang family's charity for years, and you still have the nerve to mention divorce? Even if they want to separate, it should be our Wang family that writes the divorce papers first, how dare your family throw them away?"

"Give alms? How much does your family bring to our Xiao family every year?" Yan Ying sneered. Although she didn't know exactly what Da Hua brought back to her parents' home each time, she had carefully observed the family's food, clothing, and daily necessities since she arrived in Xiao Family Village. Looking at Wang Zhangshi's sharp and mean-spirited appearance, she was certain that not much would be left out for the Xiao family.

"What do you mean there isn't any?" Wang Zhangshi shouted, pointing at Xiao Lao. "Every year during the New Year, how much pork does Da Hua bring back? Ten catties at a time! When she goes back to her parents' home, she secretly gives her newly made clothes to her younger sister. Do you think I'm blind?"