“Just in time,” Zhang Liunian said, stepping forward to close the distance. “I have something I need to confirm with you.”
Wu Gudi’s heart pounded with unease as her brother-in-law approached. She retreated, "Confirm what? I haven't done anything."
Hadn't he just incriminated himself before even speaking? Zhang Liunian sneered and stopped. "You truly haven't done anything? I recall you brought Wu Xiaoxiang to our village the day before yesterday. Afterward, my Qingqing was misunderstood by her parents. How could such a coincidence happen?"
Zhang Liunian left his words hanging, hoping to elicit more from Wu Gudi.
Wu Gudi did not disappoint him. The mention of Wu Xiaoxiang made her expression even more flustered.
This clearly indicated she had something to hide.
"I don't know what you're talking about. My Xiangxiang just sat at my place for a moment before leaving. She didn't do anything."
Had she been discovered? Impossible, impossible! How could he possibly find out? Didn't Wu Shuicao promise her she wouldn't tell anyone?
Wu Gudi panicked. She looked towards Wu Shuicao in the crowd, only to see her shaking her head with a distressed expression, signaling it wasn't her. Her heart settled slightly. But then her gaze fell upon her in-laws’ faces, and her heart leaped into her throat again. It was over. If her in-laws found out, the consequences would be unimaginable.
"Haven't done anything? Then let's go to Wu Family Village right now to confront Wu Xiaoxiang and see if he truly did nothing, and if he didn't impersonate my name to harbor ill intentions towards my Qingqing at my home." The fact that she immediately understood the implication confirmed that Wu Gudi knew Wu Xiaoxiang had sought out Qingqing, and knew what he had done.
This meant that Wu Xiaoxiang wasn't targeting him, but his wife, Qingqing.
It made sense. Qingqing was beautiful. Wu Xiaoxiang had heard she was widowed, so it wasn't surprising he'd set his sights on Qingqing.
However, Wu Gudi helping Wu Xiaoxiang like this was like a fishbone stuck in his throat.
"What nonsense are you spouting? My Xiangxiang never came to your house, nor would she have ideas about a married woman. You are slandering us." Wu Gudi's expression grew more panicked, but she dared not admit in front of so many people that her brother was plotting against their third brother's wife.
If her in-laws found out, she wouldn't have an easy time.
Jiang Qingqing, listening from inside the main hall, showed a look of surprise. She hadn't told her husband that Wu Xiaoxiang had taken an interest in her, but her husband had guessed it.
She was momentarily stunned but then thought that given her husband's intelligence, it wasn't impossible for him to figure it out.
"I don't believe anything you say. Let's go to Wu Family Village and confront Wu Xiaoxiang. Then I'll know whether you did anything or not." Zhang Liunian looked at the increasingly flustered Wu Gudi, his face grim. He reached out to grab Wu Gudi and take her to Wu Family Village.
But Wu Gudi dared not go for a confrontation. She took a couple of steps back and dodged aside, "Why should I listen to you? I'm not going." Her words were like a thief's guilty conscience; anyone could see it.
Wu Gudi couldn't afford to think too much about it. She knew clearly that if they went to Wu Family Village for a confrontation, she would be finished, because her Xiangxiang was an honest child and wouldn't lie.
If everything came out, she wouldn't be able to stay in Zhang Family Village. Therefore, going was out of the question.
Zhang Wenxue, standing beside them, looked at his eldest daughter-in-law with disbelief.
After living together for so many years, if they couldn't tell she was guilty, they would have lived in vain.
So, the man from last time was her eldest daughter-in-law's maternal younger brother?
How could he harbor such intentions towards their third son's wife? Was he that desperate for a woman?
Yes, he had heard that Wu Xiaoxiang had been single for many years without marrying, so it wasn't impossible for him to suddenly take a liking to Qingqing from their third son's household.
After all, Qingqing was the most beautiful girl in ten villages. Even though she was married, her face was still the same!
But how could the eldest daughter-in-law do this?
"Eldest daughter-in-law, is this true? If your brother harbored such improper thoughts about the third son's wife, and caused us to misunderstand Qingqing." Yu Xiaohua stepped in front of Wu Gudi and questioned her furiously.
Although she had paid little attention to her youngest son, she couldn't accept her eldest daughter-in-law helping her maternal brother try to steal her youngest son's wife.
This was not a simple conflict, but a clear indication of prioritizing her maternal family over her in-laws.
"Mom, I didn't. Don't listen to my brother-in-law's nonsense. My Xiangxiang is tall and handsome; she doesn't lack women, so why would she take a liking to Jiang Qingqing?"
"Then tell me why he came to find the third son's wife. Why did he run when he saw us? Are we monsters who eat people?"
"..." If she didn't run, wouldn't everything be exposed? Wu Gudi dared not say it.
"You ungrateful wretch, helping your brother plot against the third son's wife. You are truly a good daughter-in-law of our Zhang family! Our Zhang family was truly unlucky for eight lifetimes to have married you." Seeing that her eldest daughter-in-law couldn't speak, Yu Xiaohua was convinced of her guilt and flew into a rage, unleashing a torrent of scolding.
"Mom, don't listen to my brother-in-law's nonsense. Nothing of the sort happened. My Xiangxiang doesn't lack women."
"Then why did he run? Did you tell him to run, with the intention of making us misunderstand?" If Wu Xiaoxiang hadn't run away guiltily, Yu Xiaohua wouldn't have thought the third son's wife was having an affair with another man. If Wu Xiaoxiang hadn't run, none of this would have happened.
Wu Gudi saw her mother-in-law shifting the blame onto her and got angry. "My Xiangxiang didn't harbor ill intentions towards her. It's Jiang Qingqing who is promiscuous. Seeing that my Xiangxiang is handsome, she wanted to seduce him."
As she spoke, she seemed to have found the truth and became extremely agitated. "That's right, it's Jiang Qingqing herself who couldn't stand the loneliness, who is flirtatious and seductive. She herself wanted to seduce men; who can control her hands?"
"Bang!" Before Wu Gudi finished speaking, Zhang Liunian kicked her, sending her flying back two meters.
"Spouting garbage! My Qingqing isn't blind. Your brother with that doughy face is considered handsome? Even a dung beetle is a handsome guy!" Zhang Liunian was furious. How dare Wu Gudi speak ill of his wife in front of him? She was asking for death.
After saying this, Zhang Liunian stepped forward, intending to deal with Wu Gudi. But as he took one step, a small hand stopped him. He turned to see his wife, her eyes red, looking at him. "Liunian, Eldest Sister-in-law is slandering me. I really didn't seduce Wu Xiaoxiang. I don't even know who Wu Xiaoxiang is; why would I seduce him? Believe me, my feelings for you are genuine. Otherwise, I wouldn't have given up the chance to return to the city to marry you. Don't believe her, don't believe her."
Jiang Qingqing's tears fell uncontrollably, which pained Zhang Liunian immensely.
"I believe you, I believe you. Don't cry, it makes me uncomfortable." Zhang Liunian gently pulled his wife into his arms, ignoring the gazes of the entire village, and tenderly wiped the tears from her eyes.