Su Manxiu stumbled and gave birth to a son prematurely.
Grandma Su was startled. This child was only eight months old, how could this happen?
"Eldest daughter-in-law, you take your two sisters-in-law and prepare things for me. I need to go see Manxiu. This child, thirty years old, how can she be so careless?"
Grandma Su was so anxious she almost jumped up, pacing back and forth in agitation.
Her poor daughter, why was life so difficult for her?
She had finally escaped that family, and just as life was getting better, the child was born prematurely.
"You say your elder sister, what happened to her, how could she just fall?" Grandma Su muttered to herself.
Su Xiaotian stepped forward and took Grandma Su's hand, saying, "Grandma, it's okay, my eldest aunt will surely be fine, and the little brother will also be fine."
This statement greatly comforted Grandma Su. For some reason, as long as Su Xiaotian said it, Grandma Su was sure it was correct.
"Alright, if my darling said your eldest aunt is fine, then she must be fine!" Grandma Su finally smiled.
Su Xiaotian pouted and said, "Hmph, I don't know if I'll be Grandma's darling in the future. I used to be the youngest child, but now that my eldest aunt has a younger one, I'm not anymore!"
This remark made everyone else in the family laugh.
"Oh dear, my darling is jealous of the little baby. It's okay, even if your eldest aunt has more children, you are still Grandma and Grandpa's darling." Grandma Su said to Su Xiaotian with a happy smile.
"Really?"
"Really, when has Grandma ever lied to you?" Grandma Su reached out and hugged Su Xiaotian, comforting the little girl.
Su Xiaotian then smiled.
Just then, they heard the sound of a car outside.
"Who's here? It sounds like brother-in-law's car," said Third Master Su.
"You can even tell whose car it is?" Liang Xiu glared at him playfully.
"Why not? I didn't know before, but now I know that cars are like people; everyone's voice is different, and every car makes a different sound."
"Really?" Eldest Master Su said incredulously, "They all sound the same to me!"
Third Master Su chuckled and said, "That's why I can drive a tractor!"
His tone was both annoying and proud.
Eldest Master Su...
Alright, let's pretend he didn't ask. Who else in the surrounding villages could drive a tractor besides Third Master Su?
"Grandma Su, Grandpa Su, are you home?" The voice of Xiao Zhu, Chen Zi'an's driver, came from outside.
"Xiao Zhu, why are you here?" Grandpa Su asked.
"The Minister asked me to pick Grandma Su up to go to the city."
"Why are you rushing to pick me up to go to the city?" Grandma Su asked urgently.
In a short time, she had already thought that something might have happened to Su Manxiu.
Otherwise, why would they specifically arrange a car to pick her up?
"It's because sister-in-law gave birth, and the Minister is going on a business trip, so he can't take care of sister-in-law. The Minister sent me to pick up Grandma Su," Xiao Zhu said with a simple smile.
However, everyone listening felt that the generation gap was quite confusing.
"Is Manxiu alright? Why was she born prematurely?" Grandma Su couldn't help but ask.
Xiao Zhu hesitated for a moment.
"Grandma Su, someone from Xiangyang Village came to cause trouble and pushed sister-in-law, which caused the premature birth. Fortunately, although the baby was born prematurely, it is healthy and strong."
Xiao Zhu, fearing that the Su family would worry, added a few more words.
"What? Are the Wang family causing trouble again? Just you wait, I'll beat them to death!" Grandma Su said, rolling up her sleeves, ready to go find trouble with the Wang family.
"Oh, Grandma Su, you should go to the city to take care of things first. The Minister is leaving tonight. The family can't be left with just sister-in-law and the baby."
Grandma Su heard this and immediately calmed down.
"Alright, I'll go to the city first. Those shameless things from that family are too lucky. Eldest daughter-in-law, you take your sisters-in-law later and tear that old woman apart, see if she dares to cause trouble again." Although Grandma Su couldn't go herself, she still remembered to instruct her three daughters-in-law.
Liang Xiu, Wang Xianghua, and the others all smiled.
"Mom, we'll go prepare things now. Fortunately, we have a car, so we'll get there soon," Liang Xiu said with a smile. "The Wang family has done too much evil; they will eventually get their retribution."
"That's true, heaven spares no one. I'll just wait and see their fate."
"What fate are we waiting for? That Wang Gouzi became a father for nothing, not even knowing whose child it was. It's so satisfying."
Wang Xianghua said this with great satisfaction.
Grandma Su felt relieved upon hearing this.
Soon, the three daughters-in-law of the Su family packed a lot of good things, including the stored millet and red dates, as well as some white flour, eggs, and the clean, sun-dried old clothes for children.
"Why bring so many things?" Xiao Zhu was dumbfounded. He had come in a hurry and brought nothing. If he brought so much, would the Minister break his legs?
"These are all for Xiuer to recuperate. This child is older, and it was a premature birth, so it's not easy to take care of her."
Grandma Su said with emotion.
These things were packed by the daughters-in-law, proving that they were sincerely willing to give them to Su Manxiu.
Indeed, ever since Manxiu moved to the city, she had always helped her maternal family with everything, so it was only right for her maternal family to think of her.
"Xiaotian, would you like to go to the city with Grandma and stay for a while?" Grandma Su looked at Su Xiaotian and couldn't help but ask.
Even though there would be a younger baby there, Grandma Su still felt that her darling should be kept by her side.
Su Xiaotian also really wanted to go to the county town, and immediately looked up at Liang Xiu and Third Master Su.
"Xiaotian, do you want to go?" Liang Xiu asked with a smile.
"Yes, I want to see my little brother!" Su Xiaotian's soft and sweet voice was very pleasant to hear.
Liang Xiu looked at her two sisters-in-law and said, "What should we do? I also want to see the little baby. Speaking of which, it's been seven or eight years since our family had a new baby."
Wang Xianghua and Qi Liangying teased Liang Xiu with smiles.
Liang Xiu packed a couple of changes of clothes for her daughter and sent Grandma Su and Su Xiaotian off in the car.
They also met some villagers from the brigade who asked what they were going to do.
Grandma Su's answer was filled with pride: "Isn't it that my Manxiu gave birth to a baby? She's also a woman with a difficult fate, without a mother-in-law to serve her. I'm going to take care of her confinement."
The villagers who asked looked at Grandma Su with great envy.
The Su family, I don't know what good luck they've had. In the past year or so, their lives have gotten better and better, and even Su Manxiu, who was known to be infertile, oh, meaning unable to have children, has had a baby.
"Congratulations, congratulations. Please give them my regards when you go. After all, I watched Manxiu grow up." The villager's face bloomed with a smile.
Grandma Su agreed: "I know. When I come back after taking care of the confinement, I'll bring you a red egg."
Manxiu's child was not considered part of the Su family. It was not very appropriate for the Su family to give red eggs to others, but Grandma Su was proud now.
After all, her daughter married a leader in the county!
Naturally, whatever she said went.
Grandma Su took the eggs, millet, and a large bag of children's clothes and other items to the county town.
When the villagers heard that Grandma Su was going to take care of the confinement, they were all startled.
Su Manxiu really had a baby?
How could it be so sudden?
No, it seemed they had heard that Su Manxiu was pregnant before, and they thought they had misheard. Now it seemed fine.
"Didn't they say Manxiu couldn't have children, so Wang Gouzi found the young widow?" A female villager from the brigade asked in surprise.
"What are you talking about? That young widow wasn't carrying Wang Gouzi's child. I think Wang Gouzi can't have children." Someone immediately replied.
"It must be that Wang Gouzi can't have children. As for Manxiu, she's lucky." Someone said enviously.
Who would have thought that a woman rejected by her in-laws could remarry into such a good family?
Now she had a good man, who was an official, and a child, and it was a boy. It was simply immense good fortune.
"How many months has it been since Manxiu got married?" Someone suddenly raised a question.
Did the child come before the marriage? If so, it would be considered promiscuity.
"I heard that she gave birth prematurely. It's said that the Wang family came to cause trouble and pushed Manxiu, which led to the premature birth," someone quickly explained.
But those who heard this still had some doubts.
"My God, how dare the Wang family come to cause trouble? Don't they know what they did?"
"Old Mrs. Wang doesn't dare to cause trouble anymore, but I heard that Wang Gouzi from the Wang family has been released."
"Perhaps it was Wang Gouzi who caused trouble. His good wife became someone else's. Anyone would be unhappy." Some people felt that Wang Gouzi was quite pitiful.
"What's there to be unhappy about? Wasn't he willing at the time?"
"Actually, men are all like that. Not many divorce for this reason. When living together, you endure it and get by. Divorcing at the slightest thing, they have too much temper."
"Don't we have one in our brigade? When do you think Accountant Li will be released? When he's released, will he reconcile with Taohua?"
"Who knows? I think Taohua wouldn't reconcile. You know Taohua's personality?"
"If you ask me, they don't need to be together. Someone like Li Changming really thinks he's something. Our Taohua is such a good girl, capable both at home and outside. Her father is also capable and has accumulated so much wealth, yet Li Changming dares to be so brazen and mess around outside!" An elderly woman said with hatred.
This was Su Taohua's paternal aunt, who had watched Su Taohua grow up since she was young. She had a strong and unyielding personality since she was young and greatly admired her niece Su Taohua.
"Auntie, don't you feel ashamed?" Someone tentatively asked.
"What's there to be ashamed of? Is it not shameful to be stuck with an incompetent man? Is it not shameful for a man to be flirtatious all the time?"
The old lady clearly had a decisive personality and spoke with full confidence.
Her judgment of people was not wrong; that Li Changming was not a good person!
"Auntie is right. How can that Li Changming be worthy of Sister Taohua?"
No one saw that from afar, Su Taohua was taking in the scene before her.
Her eyes were moist.
Although she had divorced in a fit of anger, she was actually very tormented.
For the past six months, she had felt that the eyes of the people in the brigade were not quite right, and they must have been discussing her as a discarded woman no one wanted.
But today, hearing these words, she instantly felt as if the dark clouds overhead had dispersed.
It turned out that she had been overthinking everything. No one looked down on her, and no one thought that she should be despised just because she was a discarded woman.
Little Gang, who was beside her, saw his mother suddenly burst into tears and quickly stepped forward to hold Su Taohua's hand.
"Mom, why are you crying again?"
The little fellow had always felt that it was because of him that his mother shed so many tears.
"Mom is fine, Mom is happy." Su Taohua reached out and wiped the tears from her face.
"Mom, are you still thinking about Dad?" Little Gang asked tentatively. "Mom, it's my fault. If you're unhappy, scold me, okay? Don't cry."
"Little Gang, it's not your fault, it's that your father is not worthy. Little Gang, when you grow up and get married, you must be good to your wife!" Su Taohua held her son's hand and said slowly, "The suffering I've endured, I don't want anyone else to go through it."
Little Gang nodded blankly. Although he didn't understand what his mother was saying, it was always right to be obedient.
"Let's go home, Mom will cook something delicious for you."
Su Taohua took her son home.
For a long time, this was the first time her steps were so light, and even the grass nearby seemed to carry a fragrance.
After so many years, she could walk with big strides again, just like in the past.
Meanwhile, after the Su family returned home, they still felt uneasy. The Wang family dared to come and cause trouble. If they didn't address this, they would be laughed to death.
"Big Brother, why don't we go and reason with the Wang family?" Second Master Su said indignantly. "This is like urinating and defecating on the heads of our Su family."
"I agree with that. We need to have a good talk with that shameless Wang Gouzi," Eldest Master Su also agreed. "Let's bring all the boys in our family. The boys are growing up, and it's time for them to contribute to family matters."
The three brothers put their heads together, each found some tools like clubs and sticks, and set out with the nine boys in their families.
Qi Liangying quickly ran over and said, "Bring us too. If their women come out, you men might not be able to handle it."
As she spoke, Qi Liangying gave a look to the other two sisters-in-law.
Liang Xiu looked at Qi Liangying in surprise.
This was not something Second Sister-in-law should do.
If Eldest Sister-in-law said and did this, she wouldn't be surprised.
But Second Sister-in-law was meticulous and always thought things through before speaking and acting. How could she agree?
"Second Sister-in-law, why aren't you trying to persuade them? You're going along with them?" Liang Xiu asked.
"Third Sister-in-law, going together, Xiuer's child was born a bit early!" Qi Liangying could only say this.
As soon as Qi Liangying said this, Liang Xiu felt as if she had been enlightened.
How could she forget about this?
Last year, in September, Xiuer had just divorced the Wang family, and in December, she married Chen Zi'an.
Now, it was barely the beginning of August, and she had given birth to a child. She didn't know what people outside would say.
Xiuer was a remarried woman. If any unpleasant gossip spread, she would probably have no way to live.
Going to the Wang family to seek justice was not only necessary but also needed to be done in a grand manner, preferably making it known to everyone.
A moment later, a large group from the Su family left Hongxin Brigade.