Chapter 92: The Child in the Womb Matters Most Now

Han Guoqiang and the fool were both burly men. The two of them exchanged blows furiously, one punch after another. Fortunately, someone had gone to call the brigade leader, who came and pulled them apart; otherwise, they would have beaten each other bloody. In this biting winter cold, falling into the river could be fatal.

Chu Ling and Sister-in-law Liu were still unconscious. The brigade leader hurriedly arranged for them to be sent to the township clinic. Lin Xiaodou went along as well—she couldn't miss the drama yet to unfold.

At the clinic, under the doctor's care, Chu Ling soon regained consciousness. Sister-in-law Liu, however, having been pregnant for over three months, was still not out of danger.

In the ward, only Lin Xiaodou, Chen Guang, Liu Yan’er, the brigade leader, and Han Guoqiang remained; the others had left.

The first thing Chu Ling did upon waking was to accuse Lin Xiaodou. “It was Lin Xiaodou! She kicked me and Sister Liu into the river!” she cried.

Liu Yan’er immediately leapt to Lin Xiaodou’s defense. “That’s nonsense! You and Sister Liu were the ones trying to frame us, and what happened to you was just karma! Serves you right!”

Back at the riverside, those old women had nothing good to say, their scolding had been vicious. If she and Sister Xiaodou had really been caught, those filthy words alone would have made her want to die. Now she finally understood what Sister Xiaodou meant when she said, “Sometimes you just have to be ruthless.”

Chu Ling gritted her teeth. “Of course you’d defend her—you and Lin Xiaodou are in cahoots!”

Liu Yan’er put her hands on her hips and stomped her foot. “You’re just a bad person! A troublemaker! And you won’t let anyone speak the truth!”

“Enough, Yan’er, stop making a scene!” the brigade leader scolded, giving her a stern look before turning to Lin Xiaodou. “Xiaodou, you tell us what happened.”

Lin Xiaodou spoke slowly, recounting the general outline of events, omitting much of the detail. She simply said she had inadvertently learned of Chu Ling’s plan, and so decided to go along with it by heading to town for some fun. She knew a minor landslide would occur, so she prepared a rope in advance and avoided the danger.

“Maybe I didn’t control my strength well at the time. When I landed on the opposite bank with Yan’er in my arms, I accidentally bumped into Comrade Chu and Sister Liu, sending them into the river. I didn’t do it on purpose.”

At the time, Chen Guang was still in the water. The two strong men and the fool had arrived later. The only witness at the scene was Liu Yan’er, who was on her side, so there was nothing to worry about.

As expected, as soon as she finished, Liu Yan’er chimed in, “Yes, exactly! Sister Xiaodou didn’t mean it. And you still have the nerve to complain after trying to hurt us!”

“I did nothing of the sort! Sister Liu and I were just passing by!” Chu Ling refused to admit to anything. She was fuming—she’d nearly been stripped in the river and had been bullied by the fool on shore. Everyone had seen it; her reputation was in tatters, and the village gossip would crush her. Her husband Han Guoqiang probably despised her now. Otherwise, why hadn’t he spoken a single word to her since she woke up? It was all Lin Xiaodou’s fault! That wretched woman!

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, her pretty face twisting with rage. “Lin Xiaodou, you vile woman! Denying what you’ve done—may you meet a miserable end!”

“How dare you insult Sister Xiaodou! I’ll make you pay!” Liu Yan’er shouted and lunged at her, scratching at Chu Ling’s face with ferocity.

Chu Ling’s face burned with pain. She tried to fight back, but Lin Xiaodou held her arms tightly, leaving her helpless. In the end, all she could do was plead with Han Guoqiang. “Guoqiang, help me! I’m being bullied and you’re just going to stand there?”

Han Guoqiang pressed his thin lips together and looked at the brigade leader. “Please, can you say something?”

The brigade leader, who had turned away in embarrassment while his daughter was fighting, now had no choice but to intervene. “Yan’er, that’s enough.”

“Yes, father,” Liu Yan’er replied obediently, letting go at once. Still, Lin Xiaodou kept Chu Ling’s arms locked behind her back.

“Lin Xiaodou, let go,” the brigade leader said.

Lin Xiaodou released her, but not before giving Chu Ling three resounding slaps.

Smack! Smack! Smack! Each slap was crisp and forceful, and Chu Ling’s face swelled instantly.

“Guoqiang, are you just going to let them bully me like this?” Chu Ling now dared not shout at Lin Xiaodou, so she could only complain to Han Guoqiang.

A trace of pain flickered in Han Guoqiang’s eyes. “Let’s go home. We’ll discuss this further there.”

The brigade leader was clearly taking his daughter’s and Lin Xiaodou’s side; staying here would only make things worse. Han Guoqiang knew about his wife’s scheme and hadn’t stopped her. He just hadn’t expected her to fail so miserably. That was why he had said nothing until now; he was angry—not only that he had arrived too late to prevent her suffering, but also, in part, with his wife. If her plan had been more thorough, perhaps none of this would have happened.

Han Guoqiang prepared to take Chu Ling home, and no one objected. Chen Guang, who had been cowering in the corner, quickly slipped out after them.

“Sister Xiaodou, you’re just going to let them leave?” Liu Yan’er protested, still indignant.

Lin Xiaodou patted her hand, signaling her to be at ease. She had no intention of letting the leading couple off so easily. She had already decided to take her revenge tonight. For now, she let them go only because there were still matters to settle with the brigade leader’s family.

Coincidentally, as soon as the couple left, Sister-in-law Liu woke up. As soon as she opened her eyes, she instinctively reached for her belly. “My child… Is my baby alright?”

The doctor checked her over and relaxed. “Don’t worry, your baby is fine. Just stay in the hospital and rest for a few days. Once your condition is stable, you can go home.”

Hearing that the child was safe, the brigade leader’s tense expression finally eased. The truth was, after hearing Lin Xiaodou’s account, he had been shocked. He had never imagined his eldest daughter-in-law could be so malicious. Still, no matter how vile she was, the child she carried was innocent. He sincerely hoped nothing would happen to his future grandchild.

Not long after, the brigade leader’s wife—Madam Liu—and his eldest son arrived. Upon entering and seeing her daughter-in-law pale and weak, Madam Liu’s heart ached. “What happened? How did you end up in the water?”

“Mother, don’t be fooled by her!” Liu Yan’er rushed forward to complain. After hearing her out, Madam Liu and her son’s faces darkened.

Madam Liu glared fiercely at her daughter-in-law and said through gritted teeth, “Huang Cuifen, you just can’t give up your wicked ways! Now you’ve even set your sights on my daughter! You nearly brought disaster upon Lin Xiaodou as well—are you trying to get thrown out of this family?”

Her eldest son said anxiously, “Mother, my wife was wrong. I’ll talk to her later, but right now the baby is what matters most…”