On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Xinghua Village was abuzz with talk about Li Shan and Lin Ruixue.
According to village custom, neighbors visited each other for New Year greetings on the first day. Li Shan couldn't keep his door shut, nor could he avoid taking Bai Xuelian out to pay visits.
Lin Ruixue had been married into Xinghua Village for over eight years. She had a straightforward personality and got along well with the villagers. Seeing Li Shan with a different woman this time, everyone felt indignant on Lin Ruixue's behalf.
Later, Doctor Mo, whether by accident or on purpose, let slip that Lin Ruixue was pregnant. Of course, he also mentioned the subsequent miscarriage. In the span of just a few days, Li Shan had brought that woman home, and they began living together as husband and wife without any formal arrangement.
Normally, gossip and idle talk among people were harmless. Villagers were inherently simple-minded, and no one approved of Li Shan's actions.
The women all sternly warned their husbands not to associate with Li Shan, lest they be led astray.
Wherever Bai Xuelian went with Li Shan, she was met with disdain. Not having cultivated enough resilience, she couldn't bear the strange looks and hid indoors, afraid to go out.
Li Shan also sensed the villagers' displeasure, so he simply stayed home with Bai Xuelian and didn't go anywhere.
"Brother Shanzi, they all say I caused Sister Ruixue to lose her child. Do you... do you blame me?" Bai Xuelian asked, nestled in Li Shan's arms, her eyes red.
"What does this have to do with you? It's possible she did it on purpose and is framing you. A perfectly good child, gone just like that. If you tell me there's no trickery involved, I won't believe it."
"Then do you think that Qi Zhenzhen played a trick? I find her quite young, but her mind seems rather frightening," Bai Xuelian added.
Li Shan was stunned. He mulled over Bai Xuelian's words, and the more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Qi Zhenzhen, unable to suppress her anger, might have orchestrated this to spite him. Regardless, the child in Lin Ruixue's womb was his, and he had some expectations. Her actions to cause the miscarriage would only lead to more misunderstandings between him and Lian'er.
"Alas, Sister Ruixue is truly pitiful. If she were still here, I would surely take good care of her. Brother Shanzi, why don't you go and bring her back? You two have been married for so many years; can't you still have feelings for each other? I truly don't want you to betray her for me."
Li Shan looked at her with gratitude. "Lian'er, you are so good. If Ruixue were as magnanimous as you, she wouldn't have ended up like this. That Qi Zhenzhen was never a good person to begin with. This time, she caused the loss of my child, and I won't let her get away with it."
"Brother Shanzi, what are you going to do?"
"I naturally have to seek justice for my unborn child," Li Shan said, his face filled with righteous indignation.
"Yes, and bring Sister Ruixue back too. Who knows how she's faring at the Qi family's place," Bai Xuelian chimed in.
On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Li Shan led Bai Xuelian to the Qi family's residence.
The Qi family lived at the foot of the mountain, with no immediate neighbors. If they caused a scene, no one would come to watch. Li Shan deliberately made a detour through the village, gathering quite a crowd of onlookers.
"Qi Zhenzhen, come out here! I never thought you, at such a young age, would have such a wicked heart, instigating Ruixue to turn against me. And now you've caused the death of my unborn son. How can you be so black-hearted!" Li Shan shouted at the top of his lungs outside the Qi family's home.
Everyone knew that Lin Ruixue had miscarried, but they didn't know the exact circumstances. Li Shan's words were so convincing that they couldn't help but be curious. Could it really be that Qi Zhenzhen had harmed Lin Ruixue's child?
"Everyone, please judge for yourselves. Lian'er was someone I rescued at the time. I merely took pity on the poor girl and had no other intentions. Ruixue, being pregnant, had her moods and argued with me. That girl from the Qi family actually badgered Lian'er into selling herself into servitude. After she became a servant, Ruixue started to torment Lian'er. I couldn't stand by and watch, so naturally, I protected her. In the process of protecting her, there were naturally some intimate gestures...
Then that Qi family girl incited my son to speak ill of me to Ruixue. Ruixue, being strong-willed, insisted on divorcing me and taking the child. In my anger, I naturally refused. They used Lian'er's deed of sale to pressure me, saying that if Ruixue wasn't allowed to take the child, Lian'er would be sold into a life of prostitution. Tell me, after rescuing this girl, should I just watch her suffer such misfortune?"
Li Shan spoke with a pained expression. "I had no choice but to write a letter of divorce, and Ruixue left with our son. But both Huzhi and the child in her womb were the blood of my Li family. And now, after only a few days, the child is gone..."
The crowd, after hearing Li Shan's account, began to whisper amongst themselves. Listening to Li Shan, the possibility of foul play seemed real.
Qi Zhenzhen naturally heard the commotion outside. But in the cold weather, she was reluctant to go out and argue with Li Shan. She thought that if she didn't go out, the crowd would disperse soon. However, the noise outside only grew louder.
The Qi family remained behind closed doors. Naturally, the onlookers grew more convinced that Li Shan was telling the truth.
It was the Lunar New Year, and there wasn't much entertainment. The crowd became more enthusiastic, shouting for Qi Zhenzhen to come out and give an explanation. They seemed ready to break down the door if she didn't appear.
"Mother, please don't frown. Although I don't know what Li Shan's intentions are, he's just a clown who can't stir up much trouble. You stay inside and talk with Sister Ruixue. I'll go out and take a look," Qi Zhenzhen said reassuringly to the two women. "Come on, Yi Ge'er, Huzhi, let's go see."
Qi Yi and Li Hu exchanged glances, nodded, and followed Qi Zhenzhen, one on each side.
"What kind of stray dogs are barking so wildly? It's the New Year, and you can't even be quiet?" Qi Zhenzhen looked at Li Shan with disgust.
Falsely accusing someone was indeed the behavior of a stray dog. Qi Zhenzhen was never one to be polite, so her words were naturally unreserved.
Li Shan, who was speaking with great enthusiasm, was suddenly retorted to, and his expression soured.
"Qi Zhenzhen, don't just be glib with your tongue. I ask you, where is Ruixue?" Li Shan took a step forward and asked loudly.
"Li Shan, your question is interesting. You've already divorced her, and Sister Ruixue has nothing to do with you anymore. What right do you have to come to my door so brazenly?" Qi Zhenzhen rolled her eyes at Li Shan. "As a person, I advise you to be honest. Otherwise, be careful that heaven doesn't claim you."
Li Shan faltered. "Didn't you instigate it?"
"I instigated it? You really think too highly of me. As a young girl, how could I have such great ability that a few words of instigation could ruin the seven or eight years of your married life?" Qi Zhenzhen feigned surprise. "Do you have any brains at all? If you want to smear dirt on me, I won't just let you do it. Besides, Sister Ruixue isn't stupid. If she truly wanted to stay with you, could my instigation have achieved anything?"