That night, Mr. Hou said that everyone had been working hard lately and invited them to a late-night food stall for barbecue and beer. Later, he drank too much and became dizzy, and was helped home by someone.
When I woke up the next day, I was sleeping with Hou Tingting.
After a while, Hou Tingting said she was pregnant and urged him to go back to his hometown to divorce his wife.
At that time, he was still immersed in the excitement of becoming a son-in-law of a wealthy family, and he never thought that after he started dating Hou Tingting, they only slept together once...
Therefore, Jiang Erming was actually not quite sure whether the child in Hou Tingting's belly was his.
However, it's no use saying anything now.
The Jiang family has no money or power. Even if they went to the police and got those people detained to vent their anger, what awaits them is only even more terrible retaliation...
They are now so terrified that they dare not set foot in the provincial capital again.
only--
"Erming, look, your parents are injured too, and you can't work right now. Why don't we go and bring Yingzi and her two daughters back?"
Aunt Lang's eyes lit up, and she immediately thought of her hardworking former daughter-in-law.
Thinking of Lang Ying, who was always covered in dirt and only knew how to ask him for money when she came home, Jiang Erming felt a surge of irritation.
After being treated gently by a rich heiress like Hou Tingting, how could he possibly look favorably upon a rural woman like Lang Ying?
But now he's lost a kidney, and the doctor told him to avoid heavy physical labor as much as possible. His parents are getting old, and the land at home definitely can't be left uncultivated. They also need someone to take care of them...
Thinking of this, Jiang Erming could only reluctantly get up, wash his face with cold water, change into clean clothes, and limp towards the old house.
Unexpectedly, after not returning to the village for several months, his old house had changed completely!
A row of three brick houses, with walls painted snow-white!
There were two piles of red bricks in the open space in front of the gate, probably for building a wall. Neither of the two daughters were there. Only a slender woman was half-squatting on the ground, holding a beehive. Next to her was a handsome young man, who was chatting and laughing as they took the honeycomb out of the beehive.
Jiang Erming hadn't looked at his ex-wife properly in a long time. But when he finally did, a surge of anger welled up inside him, and he roared, "Lang Ying! You unfaithful woman! How dare you cuckold me?"
Having said that, he angrily rushed towards Lang Ying, habitually raising his arm as if to slap her.
Before the slap could land, Qing Shan, who was helping Lang Ying harvest honey, grabbed Jiang Erming's arm with one hand and shoved him away.
Jiang Erming had already lost a kidney and hadn't fully recovered when he was beaten up by Hou Tingting's "ex-boyfriend" and his gang. How could he possibly be a match for a strong young man like Qingshan?
Qing Shan swore he really only gave Jiang Erming a light push!
Who knows if this person is trying to scam someone? They actually backed away several steps in one go and then fell on their backside!
This is way too exaggerated! Even idol drama actors these days don't have such over-the-top acting skills, okay?
Lang Ying finally stood up. As she turned around, Jiang Erming looked up and was immediately stunned.
Is this really his wife who smells like pig manure?
The Lang Ying in front of me has cut off her messy, dry hair that used to be piled up at the back of her head. She now has a clean and neat short haircut that reaches her ears. Because she has been living a comfortable and happy life recently, her facial features, which used to be tightly furrowed and slightly bitter, have relaxed. She looks like a teenage girl!
Moreover, she had recently made some money with Jiang Xiaoman and Jiang Yu, and now that she had more money, she knew she should buy herself a couple of new outfits. However, she didn't buy anything too expensive. Seeing that the other women in the village were buying discounted clothes on Pinduoduo, she followed suit and bought two sets of sportswear for a few dozen yuan each.
Unexpectedly, after wearing it and pairing it with her short, ear-length hair, when she went to work at Jiang Xiaoman's place, she was mistaken for a high school student!
Only then did the villagers realize that Lang Ying was actually so beautiful!
However, Lang Ying used to be busy serving Jiang Erming's family all day long, taking care of her two daughters, farming, and feeding pigs. She was often so busy that she didn't even have time to wash her hair. The heavy labor, coupled with the pressure of life, made her look like a forty-year-old woman.
In contrast, although she is divorced and has to raise her two daughters on her own, she can earn two or three thousand yuan a month by doing odd jobs with Jiang Xiaoman and Jiang Yu. In the countryside, there are few expenses, and this money is enough for her and her two daughters to live a good life.
Without the pressures of life and with no one tormenting her mentally, Lang Ying seemed to have undergone a complete transformation after breaking free from the shackles of marriage. She blossomed into someone even more beautiful and vibrant than when she was a girl in her parents' home!
No wonder Qingshan, who is eight years younger than her, was also captivated by her, and would often find excuses to come and help her, whether it was carrying pig manure or repairing beehives.
This morning, he even brought his honey-harvesting tools early in the morning, saying that her beehives didn't have much new honey and that he could handle it all by himself. He insisted on helping her harvest the new honey so that he could make more money while the price was high.
Unfortunately, while the king was willing, the goddess was not. Having experienced a failed marriage, Lang Ying now avoided the word "marriage" like the plague.
She's so much older than Qingshan, how could she not see what this kid was trying to achieve by running around so eagerly to please her?
However, since Qingshan didn't expose her, she pretended not to know. In her opinion, if Qingshan's parents weren't out of their minds, they would definitely not agree to him marrying a divorced woman with two daughters.
...
Seeing her ex-husband Jiang Erming slumped on the ground, his face as pale as a ghost, Lang Ying sneered and crossed her arms—
"Jiang Erming, are you out of your mind? Go to the hospital and get an appointment with a doctor to take a look at you!"
"I'll remind you one last time: we're divorced a long time ago, and you've already paid the child support for the two girls in one lump sum. We've gone our separate ways long ago. Even if I were to find a matchmaker right now and marry myself off, it's none of your business, Jiang Erming!"
As he spoke, he grabbed a newly made bamboo broom from the side and angrily swung it at the broom.
Jiang Erming was so frightened that he retreated repeatedly, forgetting all about being amazed by his ex-wife's current beauty. Lang Ying swept him out of the house like a gust of wind, hacking and sweeping at him.
Seeing him flee in such a disheveled state, Lang Ying felt a surge of satisfaction. Holding a broom in one hand and her other hand on her hip, she spat fiercely at Jiang Erming's retreating figure and shouted—
"You heartless, short-lived wretch who abandoned your wife and children!"
"If you dare come to my doorstep again and spew filth at me, believe me, I'll throw pig manure in your face! Pah! Get lost!"
After cursing Jiang Erming, that scumbag, Lang Ying felt refreshed. She turned around and saw Qingshan's younger brother standing dumbfounded in the yard, his innocent and naive face filled with disbelief.
Lang Ying paused for a moment, then couldn't help but burst out laughing.
It's better to see her true colors sooner rather than later.
Anyway, she had already figured it out on the day of the divorce: a woman should never compromise herself for the sake of saving face!
A gentle and virtuous woman cannot win her husband's respect and love.
Hard work and competence cannot guarantee a happy marriage.
To hell with being docile, virtuous, and having a good image!
I'm going to be a free-spirited, single shrew!
Chapter 165
After being beaten by Lang Ying with a big broom, Jiang Erming fled home in a panic.
Qingshan, with unsteady steps, returned to his home in Shanyan.
"Oh? You little rascal, running off to Yingzi's side again? Tell me! Did your Yingzi win you over today?"
When Ah Hu saw his good brother return from his fawning visit, he quickly came over and teased him.
"No, she didn't hit me. She beat up her ex-husband." Qing Shan looked dazed, and it was hard to tell what the kid was imagining. Suddenly, he grabbed Ah Hu's arm with one hand and covered his chest with the other. "Ah Hu, I feel like something's wrong with me."
"I... I originally thought I liked Sister Yingzi, who speaks softly and is very gentle."
"But just now, the way she... the way she picked up a broom and hit someone was really beautiful!"
Do you know that feeling of your heart fluttering like they say on TV?
"I...I must win over Sister Yingzi! I want to marry her!"
Just as Qing Shan finished reading his declaration of pursuing his wife, his master slapped him on the head.
"Don't cause trouble for Lang Ying! Divorced women are prone to attracting trouble. If you really want to treat her well, then you'd better behave yourself!" Shan Yan glared at his apprentice.
Qingshan was most afraid of his master, and upon hearing this, he couldn't help but shrink back.
The boy's love was intense and impulsive. Qing Shan may have only had a vague fondness for Lang Ying before, but the true nature that Lang Ying suddenly revealed when facing her ex-husband made this young man, who was just beginning to experience love, suddenly understand what love at first sight meant.
Thinking of this, Qingshan couldn't help but act impulsively. He dared to defy his stern master and retorted in a gruff voice, "I'm already twenty years old! I know what responsibility means! If I marry Sister Yingzi, I will definitely work hard to earn money to support the family and treat her well!"
Shan Yan's expression darkened, and he silently rolled up his sleeves.
Several apprentices rushed over and grabbed their master's arms and legs, urging Qingshan not to contradict his master and to quickly admit his mistake to avoid getting a beating.
"Alright, alright, I told you long ago that your parenting style is wrong, but you didn't believe me! Qingshan, come here, let Brother Xiaoyu have a good talk with you. I have a lot of experience in this area." Jiang Yu waved to Qingshan.
Qingshan chuckled and dashed off to find his "teacher's wife" to save his life.
...
The Shan Yan family's house was bustling with activity, while Jiang Erming's house, not far away, was desolate and cold.
At the time, the whole family thought that their son's girlfriend was pregnant with their son's child, so how could she run away? They were single-mindedly focused on going to the city with their son to live in a big house and enjoy a life of leisure. They sold all the pigs, chickens, and ducks in the house, and even the leftover grain. They hadn't come back for half a year, and the house was empty and cold. They couldn't even find a single scallion.
Jiang Hongyi and Lang Liugu sat at home for half a day, starving. They thought that as long as they could endure it until their son called Lang Ying back, someone would cook for them.
Unexpectedly, after waiting and waiting, all that appeared was a disheveled Jiang Erming!
Aunt Lang stared intently behind her son for a while with her shrewd, triangular eyes, but still couldn't see her daughter-in-law. She couldn't help but complain, "What's wrong with Lang Ying? Why is she dragging her feet? Did she go to the vegetable garden to cut vegetables?"
Jiang Erming sighed, "Mom, stop looking. Lang Ying refuses to come back with me."
"What?!" Aunt Lang and Jiang Hongyi jumped up together.
Jiang Erming was too embarrassed to tell his parents that he had been beaten up by Lang Ying, a woman, so he told them that Lang Ying was with a man and that they might have slept together. He said that it was that "adulterer" who had beaten him up.
"So that's why you didn't come back with me. You've found another man outside." Aunt Lang sneered, ignoring her hunger and her anger. She opened the door and began to berate her former daughter-in-law indirectly.
She knew that her son and Lang Ying had divorced long ago, and she couldn't bring herself to say the "adulterer" thing now. So she just kept implying that Lang Ying was still unruly after the divorce, seducing men everywhere and ruining the village's reputation.
She had barely finished cursing for a few minutes when she heard her neighbor across the hall open their front door.
Aunt Lang got so worked up that she started yelling even louder.
"What's with all the wailing in the middle of the night? If someone in your family dies, just take them away and bury them! Can't a person get some sleep?"
As she spoke, a large basin of foot-washing water was splashed from the opposite side, splattering mud all over Aunt Lang Liu's body.
Behind the door, Jiang Junwei looked at his wife with a helpless expression: "Your temper is getting worse and worse. No one even scolded you, but you still have to go out and make trouble for yourself!"
Shan Ying glared at her husband, threw the foot bath basin behind the door with a bang, and sneered, "If you think the family across the street is nice, then go with them!"
"Anyway, all I know is that Yingzi is my best friend. If I don't help my own sister, am I supposed to help an outsider?"
"They only got a basin of foot-washing water this time, which is too lenient! If that old hag dares to curse Yingzi again, I'll throw manure on her!"
Shan Ying and Lang Ying have similar names, and they were both called Yingzi (Yingzi) when they were at their maternal homes. They had a good relationship in the village before. Lang Ying was also loyal. After she was promoted to group leader, Jiang Xiaoman asked her to find a few hardworking and clean people in the village to help pack express packages. Lang Ying's first thought was her good friend Shan Ying.
Shan Ying also remembered her kindness and was always very diligent in doing things for Jiang Xiaoman. Now that she heard Aunt Lang making veiled accusations against Lang Ying, how could she tolerate it?
In the past, women didn't have much say at home, and if the men didn't speak up, they really wouldn't dare to stand up for their best friends.
But things are different now!