People who eat melon are in 70 - Chapter 30

Oh no, just as one scandal was unfolding, another one began. Jiang Yutao’s sunflower seeds fell to the ground as she grabbed Gu Nianwei’s arm, nearly shaking it off.

Gu Nianwei wasn’t someone who usually got caught up in gossip. In her previous life, she just skimmed over celebrity scandals online. After crossing over, she had heard plenty of village gossip but had never been this excited.

Seeing Jiang Yutao’s sparkling eyes and flushed face, she couldn’t help but get excited too.

Xu Dazui was already next to them, slapping her thighs with enthusiasm.

“Wow, this is so explosive, it’s incredible.” Xu Dazui now has enough material for the whole year. Before, they only knew Zhao Chunhua was restless, but who knew she was this restless? Incredible, among the three leaders in Liushu Village—the team leader, the village secretary, and the accountant—two of them are under her control.”

Even the big dramas during the New Year in the commune couldn’t compare to this.

The surrounding onlookers were also varying degrees of excited. Some people, thinking more deeply, couldn’t help but cast furtive glances at the accountant.

Xu Kuaiji, who had come with the team leader and village secretary, had a series of involuntary twitches on his face. He regretted his intense curiosity; he should have just gone home instead of following along. Now, he was being suspected, and it was pitiful that, at nearly seventy years old, he was still being questioned about his personal relationships.

The covert scrutinizing glances made Xu Kuaiji extremely uncomfortable.

Fortunately, after a while, everyone’s attention shifted back to Zhu Yuemei and the others. The sleepiness that had set in after the meal had long since vanished without a trace.

Zhu Yuemei’s expression was frozen on her face.

Zhao Chunhua licked the corner of her mouth with her tongue, and the taste of blood spread in her mouth.

Looking at Zhu Yuemei, Zhao Chunhua smiled, “Didn’t expect this, did you? If only you hadn’t had a miscarriage back then. How could your health be so poor? The Su family never had a cruel mother-in-law torturing you. How could your health be so bad that you couldn’t even keep one child? What kind of mother are you?”

Zhao Chunhua’s early life was not easy. She was the eldest daughter in her family, ate the least, but her figure developed more and more attractively. By the time she was sixteen, her figure had become so well-developed that even the loosest clothes couldn’t cover it.

In the village, men’s gazes would always linger on her chest, hips, and waist, making Zhao Chunhua feel afraid at that time.

When she married Lin Laozhuang, she was particularly happy because she finally had a man, and she thought that those men who had been interested in her would finally back off. She believed that Lin Laozhuang would protect her.

However, she was disappointed. Except for the initial passionate period, Lin Laozhuang did not protect her. On the contrary, when his mother scolded and hit her, the side he took was never hers.

Su Changshan was Lin Laozhuang’s cousin; he was older than Lin Laozhuang by eight years, and ten years older than Zhao Chunhua.

The first time Su Changshan and Zhao Chunhua truly interacted was after she had been beaten again by Lin Laozhuang and his mother. She had retreated to the back mountain to cry and ran into Su Changshan, who was going up the mountain to chop wood. Su Changshan handed her a handkerchief, gave her two wild fruits to eat, and then sat with her for a long time.

They didn’t talk, but sometimes that kind of silent companionship is the most touching and reassuring.

Since then, her interactions with Su Changshan increased. One day, after being scolded by Lin Laozhuang’s mother, who called her an eggless hen only fit to seduce men, she was so upset that she went to the mountain where they had first met. Su Changshan was there, too.

After their first encounter, they often went to that mountain. That day, after spending the night there, Zhao Chunhua took the initiative.

It was then that Zhao Chunhua realized what a real man was. Compared to Su Changshan, Lin Laozhuang was like a limp worm, just a mere thumb compared to a pinky!

Back then, Zhao Chunhua and Su Changshan pledged their lives to each other and even sat together to plan their future. They were so happy at that time.

“Why did you have a miscarriage? How could you have a miscarriage?” Zhao Chunhua repeated these words over and over, as if obsessed.

Over thirty years ago, during the 1940s when population control was not so strict, if they had left, they could have gone to an unknown place and done whatever to make a living. They would have had one or two children, and she would have loved and raised them well.

In the years since, whenever life didn’t go well, Zhao Chunhua would think that if only Zhu Yuemei hadn’t had a miscarriage back then, perhaps her life would have been different.

The more she thought about it and heard the villagers talk about how Su Changshan was so tolerant of Zhu Yuemei, the more she hated it.

Her involvement with the team leader was partly out of momentary anger and also because, at that time, the team leader was genuinely good to her.

Building the reservoir was exhausting—eyes open, she had to be in the reservoir from dawn until dark, with poor food and clothing, many male workers and few female ones. Countless people eyed her, and some even touched her inappropriately.

At that time, the team leader was a militiary member and took special care of her because they were from the same village. Once, after finishing a late task, she was accosted and touched inappropriately by someone from another village on her way back. The team leader happened to pass by and saved her.

Being rescued by a hero was thrilling. The team leader was tall, strong, and full of youthful energy. He would always wait for her to return together after work, and if her tasks were not finished, he would quietly help her.

However, nothing happened between them on the worksite. When their relationship became known in the village, Lin Laozhuang, fearing he would be cuckolded, took her back. That night, when Lin Laozhuang went to the reservoir, Su Changshan came to find her and said he wanted to end things.

The pain and dissatisfaction she felt at that time were still deeply etched in her memory. To retaliate against Su Changshan, she ended up with the team leader. Unexpectedly, despite his talent, their encounters were limited, but she still became pregnant.

Now, she couldn’t even break off with the team leader if she wanted to. Over these past thirty years, she had been exhausted from maneuvering between Su Changshan, the team leader, and Lin Laozhuang.

Zhu Yuemei wanted to speak her mind, and so did Zhao Chunhua.

Zhu Yuemei looked at Su Changshan in shock. After more than forty years of marriage, she truly had no idea that Su Changshan had ever contemplated eloping with Zhao Chunhua.

At this moment, all of Zhu Yuemei’s hatred turned toward Su Changshan.

She pointed at Zhao Chunhua and then at Su Changshan: “Su Changshan, you’re really something. I’ve been your bedmate for over forty years, and I really don’t know you at all. Why didn’t you take her away back then? It would have been better if you had. You would have been freed, and so would I.”

The dissatisfaction and resentment from these thirty-plus years had gnawed at her heart day and night. Zhu Yuemei thought that if Su Changshan had eloped with Zhao Chunhua back then, it might have been better. She was young then; finding someone else to marry wouldn’t have been difficult. Even if she didn’t remarry, being a widow with three children wasn’t impossible.

Su Changshan remained silent.

Jiang Yutao had already handed out a fourth batch of sunflower seeds. This time, Zhao Yonglan and the others also got some, and Fourth Aunt Jiang and Aunt Zhang Er had also arrived at some point.

They were squatting in a row and stood out prominently among the crowd. Some onlookers looked at them enviously, and those living nearby even went back to get something to eat.

Some had pumpkin seeds, while others nibbled on dried salted radishes.

Jiang Yutao clucked her tongue and said, “So now the question is, who is Lin Jianzhong’s real father? Is he really the team leader’s son?”

Xu Dazui and the others weren’t sure either: “It’s a bit mysterious. Su Changshan has a cousin who married into the Lao family, and that cousin happens to be the team leader’s grandmother.”

This tangled the relationships up even more, and Jiang Yutao’s mind was so confused that it took her a while to sort out the connections: “So, that means the team leader should call Su Changshan ‘uncle.’”

“That’s right.”

Jiang Yutao became excited again, clapping her hands: “An uncle and nephew fighting over the same woman! This is thrilling. Do you think the team leader knows about Su Changshan and Zhao Chunhua’s affair?”

Fourth Aunt Jiang nodded toward the team leader: “Look at his face; it’s as black as the bottom of my pot. How could he know? Clearly, this is the first time he’s heard about it.”

Fourth Aunt Jiang felt sorry for the team leader, who thought he was Zhao Chunhua’s true love, only to realize he was just one of her three partners.

Aunt Zhang Er shook her head: “So pitiful. He sacrificed his own son’s future for Lin Jianzhong. He thought Lin Jianzhong was his own, but now it turns out Lin Jianzhong might not be his at all. What’s the point? Zhao Xiaotao was such a good woman, and yet he let her be ruined like this.”

“These men, why can’t they control their lower instincts? If they could manage themselves, we wouldn’t have these problems,” Fourth Aunt Jiang said, filled with resentment. “How many once-happy families have been destroyed because of this?”

“That’s not entirely fair. If Zhao Chunhua wasn’t so promiscuous, they wouldn’t have loosened their belts either. Both sides are to blame here; you can’t just blame the men. Both should be at fault. Zhu Yuemei isn’t right either; just slapping Zhao Chunhua twice? If it were me, I’d scratch Zhao Chunhua’s face until it was unrecognizable,” Aunt Zhang Er said, frustrated.

Xu Dazui clearly wasn’t focused on this: “Do you think Zhao Xiaotao will come too? Today is a great opportunity to stomp Zhao Chunhua into the mud. If we miss today, who knows if there will be another chance.”

As soon as Xu Dazui mentioned Zhao Xiaotao, Zhao Xiaotao arrived. It was clear she had already found out everything. She laughed out loud in the crowd, her laughter betraying her unreserved satisfaction.

The team leader’s already dark face turned even darker, almost as if it could drip ink, and his gaze at Zhao Xiaotao was filled with anger.

Zhao Xiaotao didn’t pay any attention to the team leader and walked straight into the crowd toward Zhu Yuemei: “Aunt, take that shameless woman Zhao Chunhua to the commune, and put a sign on her saying ‘broken shoe.’ Let her walk through the entire commune, village by village.”

By the end of her words, Zhao Xiaotao’s teeth were gritted with rage.

Zhao Xiaotao’s suggestion made Zhu Yuemei’s eyes light up immediately, and Zhao Chunhua’s previously smug expression changed drastically, turning pale with a hint of green, and green with a hint of pale.

The murmurs among the onlookers grew louder.

Since the liberation, Liushu Village had never seen such a spectacle. Not only in their village but in the surrounding villages for miles around, this was an unprecedented situation.

In every village, such things happen, but unless there is a deep grudge, no one would report such matters.

But Zhao Xiaotao and Zhu Yuemei are different. Zhao Chunhua’s son took away the chance for Zhao Xiaotao’s son to stand out. Because Zhao Chunhua had an affair with Su Changshan, Zhu Yuemei’s son, who was over three months old, was lost.

How can this not be considered a great grudge? The chance to bring Zhao Chunhua down into the mud is something they are eager for.

Especially for Zhao Xiaotao. She had already found out that if Zhao Chunhua, as a mother, got into trouble, her son Lin Jianzhong’s position as the commune supply and marketing cooperative director would be unstable and might even lead to his dismissal.

Lin Jianzhong’s dismissal wouldn’t benefit Zhao Xiaotao directly, as her own son wouldn’t be promoted either, but Zhao Xiaotao was still pleased. She had had enough of the team leader’s open and secret favoritism towards Lin Jianzhong and was thoroughly disgusted with the team leader’s lingering ties with Zhao Chunhua.

Who would believe it? Even now, the team leader still sees Zhao Chunhua once or twice a month. As for Zhao Xiaotao, the team leader wouldn’t touch her even once in six months.

For a woman, this is an immense humiliation! If her children weren’t grown and her grandchildren weren’t on the way, her need for men would be less, and she would have long sought out another man.

The team leader had feelings for Zhao Chunhua. Hearing Zhao Xiaotao’s words made him anxious, and he turned to yell at Zhao Xiaotao: “What are you causing a scene here for? Hurry up and go home. I’ll deal with you properly when you get back.”

Zhao Xiaotao wasn’t afraid of the team leader. His compliance with her over the years was only because of his guilt and unease.

She had cried countless times, asking the team leader to sever ties with Zhao Chunhua. But the team leader never agreed. Whenever she cried and made a fuss, he either remained silent or avoided her, only returning after an hour or so to help with some work and change the subject with irrelevant talk.

Once she engaged in conversation, the matter would pass. After more than thirty years of marriage, Zhao Xiaotao had never heard an apology from the team leader’s mouth. Yet, she had heard the team leader groveling to Zhao Chunhua, apologizing and pleading repeatedly.

Who would believe it? The team leader, who was so authoritative in the village, was as submissive as a dog in front of Zhao Chunhua, calling her “sister” repeatedly, and sometimes she wouldn’t even acknowledge him.

How could Zhao Xiaotao not resent this? While others discarded her like a worn-out shoe, she could never have what she desired her entire life: “Luo Xuewen, don’t whine to me. I’ve been praying in my dreams for you and that slut Zhao Chunhua to get what’s coming to you. Today, retribution has finally arrived. Don’t be impatient. Zhao Chunhua is a whore, and you, a scoundrel, won’t escape either.”

“You say you love her? I’m giving you a legitimate chance to be together. Shouldn’t you thank me? Then you can go around with a sign identifying you as a couple, and everyone will know you’re together. Isn’t that better? Now you meet secretly every month like thieves. Isn’t that awful?”

Originally, Zhao Xiaotao didn’t want to be so extreme, but Luo Xuewen had already pushed things to the limit: “Luo Xuewen, you’ve given all the money from the family to Lin Jianzhong, right? I just don’t understand what charm Zhao Chunhua has that makes you go this far for her. But it doesn’t matter anymore. If you won’t give my child a chance, I won’t give you one either.”

Zhao Xiaotao had been married to Luo Xuewen for over twenty years and had never had any control over the family’s finances. She had no say in the major affairs of the household.

She only learned that Lin Jianzhong had gone into the military after he had left. She thought that once Lin Jianzhong joined the army, Luo Xuewen would no longer protect him. But who would have thought that as soon as he returned, he would squander all the family savings?

She had originally planned to use those savings to build a house for her eldest son and to help with the second son’s upcoming marriage. Each of these matters required money. Instead, Lin Jianzhong came back and caused trouble, and Luo Xuewen even risked their entire fortune to keep him in his position at the supply and marketing cooperative.

Why?! Luo Xuewen only earned a small salary from the team every year. He had never used that money for the family but had spent it all on Zhao Chunhua, that shameless woman. Now, Luo Xuewen was taking away what she had earned with hard work in the fields and what she had begged for from the educated youths.

“If you value that bastard so much, then I’ll ruin him,” Zhao Xiaotao said, showing madness on her face.

Luo Xuewen was stunned: “Zhao Xiaotao, are you out of your mind?”

Luo Xuewen’s reaction pleased Zhao Xiaotao. She laughed heartily at Luo Xuewen, tears streaming down her face: “Yes, I’m mad. I was mad when you were scheming for that bastard child, and I was mad when you were tossing and turning for Zhao Chunhua.”

“Do you think you’re so successful, Luo Xuewen? One outside, one at home. The one outside is accomplished and glamorous, while these at home are also famous for being capable in the village. Are you proud? Do you often think that even if you die, you’ll still see your ancestors?”

“You say you’re sorry to Lin Jianzhong, but what does that have to do with me? Did I force you to father him with Zhao Chunhua? If you feel sorry for him, then don’t get married! Why did you marry me? Aren’t you just committing marriage fraud? I, a pure young woman, only found out six months after marrying you that you had an illegitimate child outside.”

“Do you think you’re so great?”

Jiang Youtao had dropped her melon seeds, and Xu Dazui’s thighs were bruised from clapping: “That’s how it should be done, Zhao Xiaotao, you’re doing great.”

Zhang Er also agreed: “Yes, that’s right. It’s best to take away all those men in our village who are messing around, and that little tramp Liu Widow too.”

Fourth Aunt Jiang rarely stayed silent, given her own past involvement in affairs. However, the man she was involved with was not married at the time, and her husband was deeply involved with Liu Widow. Why should men be able to have affairs while women are expected to stay faithful to men who are unfaithful?

Zhu Yuemei clapped her hands: “Well, Zhao Xiaotao, I underestimated you before.”

Zhao Xiaotao smiled at Zhu Yuemei: “And you? What do you think? Should I send your husband in?”

Zhu Yuemei glanced at her son, who avoided her gaze. Sun Xiaoyuan met her eyes for two seconds, while her younger son and eldest grandson were not home, and she didn’t care about the opinion of a girl like Su Guixiang.

She then looked at Su Changshan, who had lost his earlier stubbornness and now looked at her with pleading eyes. The previous stance of wanting to divorce her had completely disappeared.

Zhu Yuemei found it extremely disheartening. Since Zhao Chunhua mentioned that Su Changshan once wanted to take her away, Zhu Yuemei’s feelings for him had turned cold.

What’s the point of this person? His heart was never with her. If Zhao Chunhua had borne his child, his actions might not have been any different from the brigade leader’s.

However, it was hard to say whose child Lin Jianzhong really was.

“Send him away. Since he loves Zhao Chunhua so much, let them face their fate together.”

“I’ve already sent my son to report to the commune. They should be sending people over soon,” Zhao Xiaotao said. She wasn’t particularly wise, but her intuition told her this was a great opportunity to bring down Lin Jianzhong and Luo Xuemin.

She immediately sent her eldest son to the commune.

Her son also resented Luo Xuemin’s favoritism towards Lin Jianzhong, especially after learning that Luo Xuemin had been spending money on him. When Zhao Xiaotao asked him to go, he went without anyone in their family stopping him.

After Zhao Xiaotao spoke, the scene fell silent again.

Zhao Chunhua looked alarmed, her gaze shifting from Su Changshan to Luo Xuemin. They were her strongest supports, and over the years, with their overt and covert assistance, she had lived more comfortably than many others in the village. Zhao Chunhua’s posture was always upright wherever she went.

She wasn’t afraid to confront Lin Laozhuang. But today, her two pillars of support had crumbled.

Zhao Chunhua didn’t beg for mercy. She had lived a superior life in front of Zhu Yuemei and Zhao Xiaotao, and even if she were to die, she wouldn’t let them see her humiliation.