Ye Zhaoqiu felt a pang of guilt and avoided speaking, busying herself with tasks and refraining from any mischief during dinner.
After clearing up the remnants of the meal, Jun Jiuli announced that she would take the children out to buy some things.
Zhao Chenguang accompanied them throughout, but he kept his head down, appearing timid and avoiding eye contact, becoming flustered if their gazes accidentally met.
He carried the purchased items, his voice barely audible, as if normal conversation frightened him.
Upon returning home, Jun Jiuli happily unpacked the shopping, ensuring everyone received a gift, demonstrating her thoughtfulness.
Her sweet words delighted the entire family, and Zhao Chenguang found himself hesitant to approach her.
Using the excuse of feeling unwell, he went upstairs to rest. Before long, Jun Jiuli found a reason to visit him.
The elder Zhao couple looked at Jun Jiuli with evident satisfaction, though they offered no direct praise.
This, however, made Ye Zhaoqiu deeply uncomfortable. In this household, Jun Jiuli held a position equal to his.
She subconsciously regarded Jun Jiuli as a rival, unable to suppress the urge to outperform her.
"Chenguang, what's wrong today? Aren't you happy to go shopping with me?"
"No, no, I just haven't gotten used to it yet."
"Are you silly? This is your home, where you've lived since childhood."
"You don't need to worry about me; it should be better in a few days."
"Alright, I'll go down and chat with Mom and Dad. You get some rest."
"Mhm."
Zhao Xiaoyu and the others arrived earlier, and they were already familiar with most of the children in the neighborhood.
Zhao Zhili, being clever and resourceful, used the pretense of taking his younger siblings out to play to mingle with the children in the courtyard.
The elder couple needed their midday nap, and Zhao Wencong, not wanting to be alone with Ye Zhaoqiu, did not linger in the living room.
Therefore, when Jun Jiuli came downstairs, only Ye Zhaoqiu was seated on the sofa, her expression filled with worry.
Jun Jiuli: "These children have been playing outdoors so much; I haven't seen them this happy in a long time."
"Children are meant to be lively. Welcome, sister-in-law, please sit."
"Mhm, it's our home, no need to be so polite."
Ye Zhaoqiu's smile faltered for a moment.
Jun Jiuli sat down and, feigning melancholy, sighed, "When it comes to raising children, you, sister-in-law, are truly skilled. Xiao Yu and her siblings are so well-behaved."
Ye Zhaoqiu frowned and asked, "Sister-in-law, what do you mean?"
"Brother Zhili and his siblings have suffered so much with us. As for the children in the village... alas, it's better not to mention it.
Zhili is just pretending to be cheerful to avoid worrying us. His true feelings..."
Jun Jiuli deliberately spoke vaguely, shaking her head as she spoke, even dabbing away a tear at the end.
"Were Zhili and the others bullied by other children in the village? Sister-in-law, you must pay attention to these matters. If their inner turmoil isn't resolved, it will be detrimental to their growth."
While she spoke words of concern, her inner curiosity burned fiercely, as if she were on the verge of catching Jun Jiuli in a compromising situation.
"The people in Hegou Village were difficult to get along with and often withheld our work points. To avoid starving, my husband and I worked tirelessly.
In doing so, we somewhat neglected the two children. I regret it deeply now; I was truly in the wrong."
"Sister-in-law, please don't cry. I think the two children are perfectly normal; there shouldn't be any serious consequences.
In the future, let's pay more attention to the children and their emotions. I believe they will open up soon enough."
"Mhm, let's hope so."
Knowing she wouldn't get any more information, Ye Zhaoqiu changed the subject, afraid of annoying Jun Jiuli.
That girl Zhao Xinuan was so timid, barely daring to speak loudly; she had noticed this problem long ago.
However, Zhao Zhili seemed like a perfectly normal child, even more intelligent than his peers.
From her sister-in-law's words, it seemed this child was even more problematic. It appeared she would have to pay more attention to this nephew in the future.
Wang Ergou's leg bone was severely fractured and infected, requiring amputation. The village chief's family had borrowed from every possible relative to cover the surgical fees.
The boys who had fallen into the water all developed high fevers that night and endured great suffering. Their families glared at them, frequently reminding them of the ten yuan they had lost.
Wang Ergou awoke, his vision blurred, staring at the ceiling. It took him a while to realize he was likely in the hospital.
His mother, noticing he was awake, rushed to call the doctor. He couldn't accept the fact that his leg was gone.
"How could this happen? How could this happen? I just slept for a while, and now my leg is gone?"
He cried his heart out, while the village chief's wife tearfully offered him continuous comfort.
"Ergou, don't be afraid. Practice hard; you can still walk even without a leg."
"But how will I get married? Who would want to marry a cripple? How much work can I earn like this? Won't the villagers laugh me to death? If I die in the future, I won't even have anyone to smash the basins."
"Don't get agitated, and focus on recovering. Your father is the village chief; there are plenty of girls who want to marry into our family. Don't scare yourself."
Da Niu's wife, who had come to bring food for her mother-in-law, overheard this. She shot an annoyed glare at Wang Ergou on the bed.
"Oh, Ergou's awake. Sister-in-law didn't know, so I didn't bring your food."
"Ergou is a patient; he can't eat this. I'll buy him something from the hospital canteen later, so you don't need to worry about it. Hurry back."
Da Niu's wife's lips curled upward in annoyance as she left and went home to demand a family division.
"What a little slut, what kind of attitude is that?"
Wang Ergou's gaze was filled with malice. He let out a cold laugh, realizing that the first person to look down on him was his own sister-in-law.
"Mom, where is that brat Zhao Zhili? He's the one who harmed me. He threatened Goudan and the others to beat me. You must get justice for me."
The village chief's wife's anger flared instantly, "So Goudan and the others were telling the truth! I'm so angry, and we lost so much money to them."
"What! Why did we lose money? We're calling the police right now! Let Zhao Zhili go to jail."
"My poor child, it's too late for everything. Zhao Zhili and his family were already picked up by a car. Where are we going to catch him?"
"What, impossible, impossible."
"Alas, my child, you need to be more optimistic. We can't compete with them. Settle down and live your life properly from now on; don't cause any more trouble."
"I'm causing trouble? My leg is broken, and you're still saying I'm causing trouble! Why can other people's parents be high officials, and you can't?
What's the use of having you? Get out, get out of here, I never want to see you again."
"Ergou, how can you speak like that? You're hurting your mother's heart."
Wang Ergou was furious, his whole body agitated. Thinking of those two brats daring to beat him,
he instantly shifted all his resentment to his companions.
A bunch of useless things! Why were they fine when his leg was broken? He vowed to torment them once he got out.
Da Niu's wife was not one to be trifled with. With the family now heavily in debt, she needed to extricate herself quickly.
She returned to her maiden home and summoned her brothers and cousins. That very night, the family was divided. She took half of the possessions but none of the money or the debts.
From then on, she would contribute the same amount of grain to the elders as Wang Ergou did, ensuring she didn't suffer any loss.
The village chief and his wife would live with Wang Ergou. As they were not yet old and still capable, they would naturally provide some support to Wang Ergou.
Therefore, she would contribute only what she could to the elders' final arrangements, and no one could force her family.
Da Niu's wife's family applied relentless pressure, threatening divorce if the family wasn't divided. To protect his eldest son, the village chief reluctantly agreed, inviting several relatives and elders to witness and sign the agreement.