NOVPUB
Chapter 321: Chapter 311 The Big Event that Happened in Gaijiatun
Upon arriving at the market, Shen Yunfang was both shopping and searching the crowd when, after buying some sweets and biscuits, she actually spotted Shen Yougen at the livestock market.
So Shen Yunfang successfully hitched a ride back to Gaijiatun.
Of course, Shen Yunfang was not the only one on the carriage; there were at least fourteen or fifteen women seated there.
Seeing Shen Yunfang holding a child in the carriage, everyone started asking her questions, chipping in from here and there.
"Yunfang, why did you come back alone? Why didn’t your man come back with you?"
"Yunfang, are you going back this time or not? Couldn’t you settle down over there? I’ve always said that golden and silver nests are not as good as one’s own dog kennel, nowhere is better than home."
"Are you going back to your own home? Aren’t you staying at your mother-in-law’s?"
"Does Captain Shen know you’re back?"
"Oh my, you didn’t come back because of your cousin’s issue, did you?"
...
Shen Yunfang answered each question with a smile, explaining that this time she came back with her child by herself. Li Hongjun had duties with the troops, so she took the opportunity to come back for a few days to check on the house. She had adapted quite well to moving there, and the people were nice enough to get along with, but she missed home and the people in the village. And here was the chance to come back and visit.
Listening to her say this, no one knew what they truly thought, but everyone verbally praised her for not forgetting her roots and knowing what was good for her.
Shen Yunfang also handed out a small handful of candies to every auntie and granny on the carriage — four or five pieces each — making everyone quite happy.
Of course, these gifts were not without purpose. Along the way, Shen Yunfang also gleaned the latest happenings and minor situations in the village from their conversations.
The first major event was certainly the Shen Family’s situation.
Shen Yunxiu followed Fang Chengjian back to the city not long after Shen Yunfang had left with the army, and she left quite ostentatiously. However, within a few months, it was heard that she was not living well in the city, although the specifics were unknown. Everyone had pieced together bits and pieces from the talks, particularly from female members of the Shen Family other than Shen Yunxiu’s mother, making their own guesswork.
Lately, it was truly heard that the old couple planned to visit Capital City to see their daughter, confirming that Shen Yunxiu must be having a hard time at her in-laws’. But for some reason, the old couple had been preparing to leave for two months now and had not yet gone. This led to secret gossip behind their backs suggesting that having an in-law in the city is no good after all; look, they don’t even dare to go and support their daughter even though they know she’s being bullied — what’s good about that?
The second major event was the arrest of Accountant Li. At the beginning of the month, he was sentenced to six years and six months, and it was said that he was sent to a very harsh prison in the northwest. Accountant Li’s wife was now constantly going to the Shen Family to cry and plead for some money from the cooperative. She wanted to take the children to the northwest to see her husband.
Haven’t you noticed that Gaijiatun has changed the person selling the lamb? Shen Xingguo, accompanying Uncle Yougen, is the newly appointed accountant for Gaijiatun.
The third major event concerned Shen Yingxue. Since her father-in-law’s imprisonment, she had been driven out of her in-laws’ house, and they didn’t even want the baby in her belly. Shen Yingxue stayed at her parents’ house for two months, just waiting for the child to be born. If it was a boy, her in-laws might reconsider and accept her and the child for the sake of the grandson. She had it all planned out, but in March, Shen Yingxue gave birth to a baby girl. After resting at home for three days, Shen Yingxue took the child to the city, but the very next morning she returned to her maiden home with her baby. Clearly, the in-laws did not care for a granddaughter. But her own family wasn’t keen on an external granddaughter either. n𝚘𝚟𝚙u𝚋.co𝚖
Shen Yingxue’s mother, because she still hoped her daughter could move to the city, managed to hold back her anger before the child was born. However, once Shen Yunfang gave birth and her husband’s family clearly didn’t care for the girl, Shen Yingxue’s mother also lost her temper. Day in, day out, their neighbors could hear Liu Zhaodi’s loud cursing, Shen Yingxue’s sobs, and the child’s hysterical cries.
One day, when the child was just a month old, Shen Yingxue went out to buy a packet of salt and never returned, abandoning her young daughter at her parents’ home.
Liu Zhaodi was not one to be taken advantage of. How could she possibly raise a granddaughter for the old Zhao Family? So as soon as she confirmed that her daughter had indeed run away, she immediately packed the child off to the old Zhao Family.
The old Zhao Family had no shortage of granddaughters either and sent the child back a few days later. After several exchanges between Liu Zhaodi and the old Zhao Family, the child mysteriously disappeared.
Everyone speculated that seeing the old Zhao Family truly had no intention of keeping her, Liu Zhaodi had thrown the child up in the mountains.
Shen Yunfang listened quietly. As for the fate of these people, she felt in her heart that it was nothing but "deserved." The only pity was the child, who hadn’t been born into a better family.
Arriving at Gaijiatun with a wobble, Shen Yunfang greeted Uncle Yougen and, holding her child and carrying a sack, headed for her own home.
When passing by Elder Shen’s house, she thought for a moment and decided to go in, intending to greet the elder couple. Having returned home, she should inform Elder Shen right away.
Elder Shen’s house was very quiet. Both of the Shen sons had built new houses and moved out earlier this year, leaving just Elder Shen and his wife in the old house.
"Elder Shen, ma’am, are you home? I’m back," Shen Yunfang called from the courtyard gate.
Elder Shen’s wife, who had been lying on the heated brick bed, sat up with a start when she heard the noise, wondering if her ears were deceiving her. Was that really the voice of Yunfang, the girl?
"Elder Shen, ma’am, are you home?"
"Yes, yes, is that you, Yunfang?" Elder Shen’s wife clearly heard this time and hurriedly shuffled in her shoes to open the door, "Oh, Yunfang, you’ve come back. Where is Li Hongjun? Is he following behind?" Elder Shen’s wife thought Li Hongjun was behind and craned her neck to look.
Shen Yunfang, with a smile, said, "Ma’am, Hongjun didn’t come back this time. His military unit is busy, and he’s tied up with work. I came back with the child alone. My elder isn’t at home, huh? Then I will first tidy up at home, and I’ll come see you this evening."
Seeing that Elder Shen hadn’t come out, Shen Yunfang figured he was not at home, so she wanted to rest at her own place and clean up a bit. It had been half a year since she’d been back, and the bedding needed airing before it was fit to live in.
It was only several steps after Shen Yunfang had turned and walked away that Elder Shen’s wife truly processed the fact that Li Hongjun hadn’t come back. "Hey, Yunfang, don’t go. Why didn’t Hongjun come back? Didn’t you guys receive the letter your elder sent?"
"Ma’am, we did receive the letter. Hongjun wanted to come back too, but he really couldn’t get away from his unit. He said he might have time around the new year, and he’ll come back to see my elder then." Shen Yunfang stopped and turned her head back to say, "Ma’am, I won’t keep you any longer. The child didn’t rest well on the way here, so I’m going to clean up at home first. I’ll come over this evening."
After saying this, Shen Yunfang left.
"He’ll return during the new year, my girl will have to suffer for several more months, what should we do?" Elder Shen’s wife murmured as she watched Shen Yunfang’s retreating figure.
