The Adopted Cannon Fodder Made a Comeback

With Zheng Daniu having agreed to the divorce, Uncle Qi and the others let out a sigh of relief. Once this was settled, their job would be done. As long as Li Zhi’s party and the Zheng Family could agree on the terms, there would be no more trouble.

Although Li Zhi had struck someone right under their noses, they knew his group had restraint. Otherwise, Zheng Daniu wouldn’t be standing here talking right now. Besides, as members of the bride’s family, they were simply letting off steam on Lin Shuying’s behalf; it was a domestic affair. As long as no one was seriously injured and Zheng Daniu didn’t press charges, they would turn a blind eye.

"Aren’t you just trying to tear this family apart and leave them for dead? Is there any justice left in the world for bullying people like this? How are we supposed to live? This is impossible!"

Seeing that things weren’t going his way, Zheng Fuzi muttered resentfully.

Once he started, a few other old men chimed in, and soon, many more people began to shout. They couldn’t get physical, but their mouths weren’t sealed. They could at least get some satisfaction from running their mouths.

Gu’er looked coldly at Zheng Fuzi and asked, "Tear a family apart and leave them for dead? Who’s dead? Is Zheng Daniu dead? If he were, rest assured, we’d have Brother Zhongshan and Xinghua come back, dressed in mourning, to give him a proper send-off."

Zheng Daniu wasn’t having it. Wasn’t she cursing him to die? But Zheng Fuzi was the one who started with all that talk, so he couldn’t really argue with Gu’er. He silently cursed Zheng Fuzi for his big mouth.

"You’re talking to *us* about justice? Saying *we* won’t let you live? Let me ask you, are you the one on the side of reason here? My aunt married into this village with no family of her own to back her up. If Zheng Daniu had a shred of decency, he would have treated her better. But what did he do? He either beat her or cursed her. And what about how he treated the children? Are you all blind? Did you not see it? Yet none of you ever stepped in or said a single word. You’re not just blind—your hearts are blind, too."

Gu’er paused to catch her breath, then continued, "Forget the past, let’s just talk about what just happened. Zheng Daniu tried to move a widow into this house. What was that about? My aunt isn’t dead yet! He trampled all over my aunt like that, and did a single one of you say anything? And you call yourselves reasonable? So Zheng Daniu wants two wives? He wants my aunt to serve him like a maid? Does he think he’s worthy of that? Zheng Daniu did something no human being would do, and you have the nerve to talk to me about justice? If there were any real justice in this world, lightning would strike him dead! It would strike all of you dead—you people who tell blatant lies, who twist right and wrong, who are utterly unreasonable! Justice? You think you’re fit to even say the word ’justice’? And you have the gall to stand here and cry that life is impossible! All the trouble in this world is caused by trash like you who think you’re so high and mighty when you’re actually the most worthless scum. You even said my aunt should be burned to death and go to hell! People like *you* are the ones who should have their tongues ripped out in hell! Who the hell do you think you are?!"

’Gu’er cursed Zheng Fuzi directly. What business was it of his, anyway? He was acting as if they were the villains here. If Zheng Daniu hadn’t done something so awful, did he think they wanted to act like this?’

’Zheng Daniu was the one in the wrong, but just because he was one of their own, the whole village sided with him. They all ganged up to bully a single woman, my aunt. And they even said a woman like her should be burned to death and sent to hell. People like that were the absolute worst.’

Gu’er’s tirade wasn’t just aimed at Zheng Fuzi; she had cursed all the old cronies with him. One by one, their faces turned red with anger, but they were left speechless. When it came down to it, they knew they were in the wrong. They sided with Zheng Daniu because he was one of their own, while Lin Shuying was an outsider. Of course they wouldn’t side with her.

"So vicious, and so young. For doing something like this, you’ll definitely get what’s coming to you. Watch out, or your husband might just abandon you." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Unable to win the argument against Gu’er, Zheng Fuzi could only resort to cursing her.

"I’m her husband; I’ll take responsibility for my wife’s future. It’s none of your business. And just like my wife said, people like you are worthless scum. If even you can live just fine, what do we have to worry about? If retribution is coming for anyone, it will come for you first. We have a clear conscience about what we’ve done. Even if there is some price to pay down the line, I’ll be the one to pay it. It will have nothing to do with my wife."

Sun Jiaming stood beside Gu’er, his words just as forceful.

"That’s right! If a bunch of inhuman trash like you aren’t afraid of retribution, why should we be? And if you want to talk about vicious, we’re no match for you. An entire village ganging up to bully one woman, our aunt—now *that’s* vicious. We’re nowhere near your level."

Li Zhi chimed in.

’Uncle Qi and Squad Leader Shang watched Gu’er’s group, inwardly amused. Each one of them was sharper-tongued and more formidable than the last. Sure, the villagers were a difficult bunch, but they were ignorant. They knew how to wail and curse, but when it came to a real argument based on reason, these villagers were no match for them.’

"Alright, that’s enough. Stop wasting your breath on them. Let’s just get the certificate from the village. We need to get this settled today. I’m sick of looking at them."

’Gu’er really didn’t want to interact with these people any longer. Surely, not everyone in this village was a bad person. There had to be plenty of honest, sympathetic people. But sometimes, village customs forced them to act this way.’

"We’re not issuing any certificate. Go find someone else."

Zheng Fuzi’s face was grim.

"Oh? I didn’t realize you were a village official. Are you the village head? Or the party secretary?"

’So Zheng Fuzi was a village official? No wonder he’s so arrogant and such a busybody.’

"He’s not the village head. Changsheng is the village head."

Lin Shuying shook her head at Gu’er.

Zheng Fuzi’s face fell. His words carried some weight in this village, but he was neither the head nor the secretary. He had lost the election for village head.

"I’m the village head. It’s just that ’village head’ is a minor position here. Three of our villages share one brigade secretary."

At this moment, a middle-aged man stood up.

Gu’er sized him up. He was of average height with a dark complexion, and his features were decent enough. She recalled that he had been watching the entire time without making any trouble.

"So, you’re the village head? I was just wondering, was that Zheng Fuzi fellow speaking on your behalf earlier?"

Gu’er asked him.

"He does not speak for me. However, I can’t issue this certificate myself. Only the brigade can do that. The official stamps and everything are at the brigade office. I’ll have to trouble you all to make a trip there with me. We also need to report this to the secretary to get the certificate issued. If you’re willing, I can take you there now."

The village head was being frank; he wasn’t trying to make things difficult for Gu’er and her companions.

"Alright. Thank you for your trouble, then."

Seeing that he wasn’t like Zheng Fuzi, Gu’er’s attitude softened.

"Da Niu, since you’ve agreed to this, let’s all head to the brigade office."

The village head, Zheng Changsheng, looked at Zheng Daniu.

"Hmph. You’ve been waiting for this, haven’t you? Just waiting for Lin Shuying and me to get divorced so you can have my sloppy seconds. Let me tell you, Lin Shuying’s family has officials among them. Just look at this vicious bunch. Don’t even think about it. There’s no way they’d look twice at you. You’d better give up that idea right now."

Zheng Daniu said with a resentful huff.