Villagers who had just arrived for the feast heard the scream and quickened their pace to gather around.
When they saw Wu Gudi sitting on the ground and wailing, they instantly understood that she was there to cause trouble.
"Zhang Liushui, you scumbag, you coward! I must have been blind to marry you without accepting your betrothal gifts and then bear you children. You heartless thing, it serves you right to be a bachelor your whole life."
Wu Gudi's words immediately provoked many who knew the truth.
What did she mean by not accepting Zhang Liushui's betrothal gifts? She had clearly made an exorbitant demand! How could Wu Gudi, without batting an eyelid, distort the truth in public?
"That's the funniest thing I've ever heard. To marry you, Liushui gave three hundred yuan, not a penny more or less. It was all taken by your mother. After the wedding, your family only gave you a broken washbasin as dowry and nothing else.
How dare you say you weren't married with money?"
"Wu Gudi, you surely don't know how much three hundred yuan was a few years ago. That was all the savings Liushui's family had. They emptied their coffers just to marry you, and in return, you say they gave you nothing? Don't be so shameless."
"I've never seen such a thick-skinned woman. What do you mean no betrothal gifts were given? You, Wu Gudi, were the most expensive betrothal gift in our village. When Liunian's wife married in, she truly didn't ask for a single thing."
"Exactly. You spent so much money from Liushui's family, and yet you can't live a good life. You're always stirring up trouble everywhere like Tu Meili. If it were me, I wouldn't want a troublesome wife like you either."
Wu Gudi's expression turned furious upon hearing everyone's condemnations. She retorted righteously, "If the money didn't come into my hands, it was a wasted marriage. Zhang Liushui owes me. I am his wife, and he shouldn't go against me for his brother because I am the mother of his children."
"Wake up, Wu Gudi. You are no longer our Zhang family's daughter-in-law. Liunian doesn't want you anymore?"
"Liushui's wife? I heard your mother has already introduced you to a suitor. What face do you have to come back? Do you think that suitor isn't as good as Liushui, and you want to get back together?"
Zhangjia Village and Wujia Village are not far apart, so it's not difficult to get news.
"Really? They moved so fast. How much betrothal gift did her mother demand this time?"
"This time it's five hundred, two hundred more than when you married Liushui."
"Tsk tsk tsk, the Wu family is truly capable. Their daughter can get five hundred yuan for remarriage, that's really something."
"I heard the other party is an old man, and in terms of both external appearance and inner qualities, he can't compare to Liushui, let alone Liunian."
"Then she must have come back to secure Liushui."
"It must be..."
Wu Gudi's face turned ashen upon hearing the villagers' scorn. "What nonsense are you talking about? I'm not remarrying. I am Liushui's wife and the mother of his three sons."
"No one said you are not Minghua's mother."
"Exactly. We're saying you couldn't stand the loneliness and found a man to consider after just a few days back home."
"..."
Wu Gudi, unable to argue with them, got up from the ground only to find that her leg seemed to be sprained. Walking caused her excruciating pain.
"Hiss! Zhang Liunian, how dare you treat me like this?" Wu Gudi leaned crookedly against a small tree, her face contorted as she glared at Zhang Liunian.
Zhang Liunian sneered, "You dare to poach my territory, and I can't push you away?"
Who gave her the audacity?
Upon hearing this, everyone also laughed. Wu Gudi, for her brother, openly tried to poach her brother-in-law's wife. Now that Zhang Liunian caught her, she shamelessly accused Zhang Liunian of being wrong. She was truly a joke.
"Wu Gudi, you should leave quickly! Don't embarrass yourself here."
"If I were you, I wouldn't have the face to come here. You must bear the consequences of your actions."
"Since your family has made arrangements, you should marry with peace of mind and stop coming to Zhangjia Village."
"Yes, yes, don't come back."
"..."
Wu Gudi, seeing everyone starting to drive her away, was furious. But her fists were no match for four hands, and moreover, everyone in Zhangjia Village sided with Zhang Liunian. It was useless for her to say anything. So, she looked at Zhang Liushui and asked through gritted teeth, "Liushui, are you really going to be so heartless?"
"We have no relationship anymore, and I will never get back together with you." Zhang Liushui shattered all her fantasies, indicating that there was no possibility of them reconciling.
Wu Gudi was furious after hearing this, but she couldn't argue with them. After her mind raced, she decided to at least get some compensation.
"Since that's the case, give me five hundred yuan, and I will never bother you again. Otherwise, I will come every day and make sure you have no peace." Since there was no room for maneuver, Wu Gudi naturally wanted to secure some benefits for herself.
If Zhang Liushui gave her five hundred yuan, perhaps she wouldn't have to marry the old man she saw today.
But Zhang Liushui would never agree. Not to mention that he was beaten up by Wu Gudi's family last time, Wu Gudi had also sent money and food to her maternal family frequently over the years.
That was all earned by him. Wu Gudi had been at home taking care of the children these past few years; she hadn't done much work.
"You're dreaming. I will never give you a cent. If you don't leave, I'll personally send you home, and I'll escort you away every time you come. Let's see who has no face." Zhang Liushui stuck to his decision, then stepped forward to grab Wu Gudi and leave.
Wu Gudi was in pain from Zhang Liushui dragging her, but she still didn't want to leave. "Zhang Liushui, you bastard! I bore you three sons, and you want to dismiss me like this? No way."
After saying that, Wu Gudi clawed and scratched Zhang Liushui's arm.
Zhang Liushui's arm began to show bloody scratches from her actions. Zhang Liunian saw this and stepped forward, stomping on Wu Gudi's calf. "If you dare to hurt my elder brother again, I'll make sure you can't get out of bed for half a year. Try me?"
Wu Gudi, who was in a frenzy, trembled all over upon hearing this. She knew her younger uncle-in-law would do as he said and dared to do it.
"You wait and see, I won't let you go." Wu Gudi struggled fiercely from Zhang Liushui's grasp, then, enduring her sprained leg, she left in a sorry state.
However, on the way back, Wu Gudi kept cursing, stopping occasionally to rest because her sprained leg was hurting terribly.
Just as Wu Gudi stopped not far from the entrance of Zhangjia Village, she suddenly heard someone talking behind the trees.
"Jiang Qingqing is so fortunate. Her husband is handsome, makes money, and dotes on her. Why don't we ever meet a good man like Zhang Liunian!" Wu Gudi found this voice somewhat unfamiliar, as if she didn't recognize the speaker, but she recognized the next voice.
"She's not perfect either. She's the least valued daughter in her family. She originally took the fall for her elder brother to go to the countryside. Later, when she could return to the city, her parents urged her to do so, saying they wanted to introduce her to a workshop director and told her not to marry a villager, but she insisted on marrying one."
"Is that so? Is her family well-off?"
"Her parents are workers at the Jiangcheng Textile Factory. Their conditions are quite good."
"Then her family's conditions must be much better than ours. It's really unfair."
"There's no such thing as fair or unfair. She just has better luck than us."
"Jiang Qingqing's luck hasn't been very good until last month."
"..."