Reborn in the 90s, I traded my ex-husband for eight apartments.

Dawancun.

After parking the tractor at the intersection, Old Man Bai led his entire family in a grand procession to the Pei family's residence.

People I knew greeted me warmly on the street.

"Aren't these Pearl's parents from her maternal home? They must be here to see their son-in-law. Xiangyang is back! Oh, Xiangyang has made a lot of money. Your Pearl is going to enjoy life to the fullest."

Old Man Bai and Li Xiufen ignored them with sullen faces, their demeanor as if they were about to bite someone.

Xu Yin spat and immediately started cursing:

"Anyone who tries to enjoy the good fortune that beast Pei Xiangyang has will die a horrible death!"

Since we're going to break ties with the Pei family anyway, there's no need to save face.

After saying that, Xu Yin pulled her son aside and gave instructions to the three boys:

"You two are responsible for watching over Shuo Shuo later. He's your aunt's lifeline, so you must hold on tight and not let the Pei family take him away, understand?"

The eldest, Bai Wenbin, was already a young man, and he patted his chest to assure him:

"Don't worry, Second Aunt, the three of us will definitely keep a close eye on our little brother. If anyone tries to take him away, we'll bite them to death."

The other two younger ones also puffed out their chests.

When passersby saw the Bai family's posture, they realized that something must have happened to the Pei family, so they quickly threw down their hoes and followed to see what was going on.

When they arrived at the Pei family's residence, a long line of Bai family members had already followed behind to watch the spectacle.

The Pei couple were busy in the yard. Cao Danu was weeding in the field by the yard, while Old Man Pei was weaving a bamboo basket for draining rice.

Upon seeing the large and imposing Bai family members, Old Man Pei and Cao Daniu felt a chill in their hearts.

Why are these people here? And they all look so fierce. Cao Daniu wondered to herself, could it be that Bai Zhenzhu ran back to her parents' home and told them about the divorce?

Weren't we telling her not to talk about it?

This idiot.

Cao Daniu cursed inwardly, holding a handful of grass as she approached:

"Our in-laws are here! Come in and sit down!"

Old Pei put down the half-finished winnowing basket he was weaving and took out a pack of Tianxiaxiu cigarettes from his shirt pocket.

Pei Xiangyang bought him these cigarettes; they cost five yuan a pack.

The cigarette had just been handed over when, before he could even speak, Old Man Bai raised his hand to block it.

Bai Chenglei and Bai Chengxiang, who were behind Old Man Bai, led the tractor driver and rushed directly into Bai Zhenzhu's room.

Cao Danu was startled:

"What are you doing?"

Li Xiufen pointed at Cao Daniu's nose and shouted:

"What are you doing? My daughter has already divorced your son. We're here to collect the dowry."

Cao Danu's heart skipped a beat. The Bai family really did know, and they didn't come with good intentions.

But didn't that damned Bai Zhenzhu promise to divorce but not leave the house? What's going on here?

Before the Pei family elders could react, Xu Yin stood in the courtyard with her hands on her hips and her pregnant belly sticking out, and started yelling at the onlookers who had come to watch the spectacle:

“Everyone, come and judge for yourselves. How has our Pearl been doing these past few years since she married into your Dawan Village? I think anyone in this village with eyes and a conscience would not say a single bad thing about her.”

“Our Pearl, she married into the family like a flower, but she gave birth to a son and worked like a slave for the Pei family. In just a few years, she became a haggard old woman.”

"Good heavens, that beast Pei Xiangyang has money now and looks down on our Pearl. He's keeping women outside and even bringing them home. Tell me, elders, is this something a human being would do?"

These words immediately sparked discussion among the crowd:

"That woman really is having an affair with Pei Xiangyang."

"Sigh, Xiangyang, that's going too far. Pearl is such a good woman."

"What's the big deal? Men need to maintain their image when they're out in the world. As long as you send money home on time, that's fine."

"That's right, a man as capable as Yang is bound to have many women who like him."

Some people even turned around and advised the Bai family:

“Your Pearl is just a country woman, while the one Xiangyang found outside is obviously a city girl. It’s good enough that Xiangyang doesn’t look down on you, yet you’re still making a fuss. Now that Xiangyang has made a lot of money, be careful he doesn’t give you a single penny of benefits.”

Hearing the gossip, Cao Daniu quickly pulled Liu Xiufen into the house. In this day and age, divorce is a shameful thing, and they had their own agenda, so naturally they didn't want to fall out with the Bai family.

Look at these men from the Bai family; they're all expert farmers. Without their help with the farming every year, she and Old Man Pei would be exhausted.

"Mother-in-law, please don't be angry. Let's go inside and talk. It's all a misunderstanding."

Li Xiufen was furious at the sight of that shifty-eyed woman. This old hag had disliked her for a long time, always saying one thing to her face and another behind her back, and had her silly daughter completely under her thumb.

She claims to treat Bai Zhenzhu like her own daughter, but what is the reality? Her own daughter is fourteen or fifteen years old and can't even light a fire. She treats Bai Zhenzhu like livestock every day.

If she weren't worried about affecting her daughter and son-in-law's relationship, she would have torn this old woman to shreds long ago.

Now that her daughter is already divorced, what is she waiting for?

Li Xiufen raised her hand and slapped Cao Daniu hard across the face:

"I'll beat you to death, you vicious old hag!"

"There's no misunderstanding! My daughter doesn't want your son anymore, and our two families aren't related by marriage. We're here to take back what belongs to my daughter, so get out of my way!"

Cao Daniu is fifty years old. Apart from being slapped by her husband when she was young, she hasn't been slapped in all these years.

The slap made her head buzz.

"You dare hit me? Do you know how successful my son is now? How dare you hit me?"

As he spoke, he jumped up to fight back, but Liu Fang grabbed his hair from the side.

Li Xiufen ignored Cao Daniu and went straight into the house to help her daughter pack her things.

Xu Yin wasn't idle outside either.

When she went out, she stuffed a small pillow that her son used when he was little into her belly, and then stuck out her belly so that she looked like she was seven or eight months pregnant. Because of this, no one dared to touch her.

With hands on hips, she directly confronted the woman who had just tried to mediate:

"Bullshit! Your family is so greedy that they sell their daughters, but our family is not like that."

"Pei Xiangyang makes big money? Bah! That good-for-nothing Pei Xiangyang has no ability to make big money. He just sleeps with women and makes money off them!"

"Do you know what men like Pei Xiangyang, who make money by sleeping with women, are called in the South? They're called male prostitutes. He's a piece of trash."

“Let me tell you, it’s our Pearl who dislikes him because he’s dirty and rotten. It’s our Pearl who wants a divorce. We don’t want this kind of useless trash.”

Xu Yin took what Bai Zhenzhu had taught her, modified it in her own way, and then hurled it out. Zhenzhu said that this was called striking first.

We need to solidify Pei Xiangyang's reputation as a heartless and treacherous man to prevent the Pei family from smearing him later.

Hearing Xu Yin insult her precious son like that, Cao Daniu was furious and wished she could tear Xu Yin's mouth apart.

"Bullshit, it's my son who doesn't want it..."

Before she could even utter a curse, Liu Fang immediately started tearing at her face.

Despite Liu Fang's silence, her hands moved swiftly, giving Cao Daniu no chance to speak.