Cannon Fodder in an Era Drama — I Survive with Acting-Chapter 40: Just Deserts

"That young couple is just too pitiful, getting screwed over by their own relatives like this. If you ask me, they should just cut ties and never speak to them again!"

"The other day, we were all saying how suspicious it was that the wall collapsed. Now that I think about it, it couldn’t have been you and your husband who did it on purpose, could it?"

Another villager chimed in.

Zhou Huaihua was so scared she started trembling.

"No, no, no... It really wasn’t me! It was that girl, Wen Xiuxiu, making trouble!"

she explained frantically.

But the crowd’s fury was already kindled and would not be easily quelled.

A hot-tempered older woman rushed forward, grabbed her by the hair, and slapped her hard across the face.

The slap left Zhou Huaihua dizzy and seeing stars. Before she could even regain her footing, someone spat on her.

"Ptooey! You have the nerve to bring up Wen Xiuxiu? Don’t think we don’t all know that Wen Xiuxiu is the one you wanted for Xiao Fei’s wife, right?"

the older woman demanded, her face contorted with rage.

"The young couple was perfectly happy, and you, his aunt, actually tried to get your claws into your own nephew!"

Another person joined in the accusations.

"That’s breaking up a marriage, isn’t it?"

"Exactly! Call the police! Get Director Yuan to deal with this!"

The villagers all chimed in, growing even more agitated.

The men outside the courtyard heard Zhou Huaihua’s miserable screams and guessed what was likely happening.

Someone nudged Fei Zhenwu.

"Is that your wife shouting in there? Shouldn’t you go check on her?"

the man asked.

"I’m not going!"

Fei Zhenwu’s face flushed red, then paled.

Zhou Huaihua had utterly humiliated him today. He didn’t even want to acknowledge her as his wife anymore.

He was afraid people would think he was involved in her schemes.

Fei Zhenwu quickly tried to distance himself.

"I really don’t know anything about what she’s been up to. I’ve been working out of town, so how would I know what she’s done? And you guys... you finally come back for a visit and don’t even tell me she’s been running her mouth. If I’d known, I would have taught her a lesson for sure!"

Fei Zhenwu claimed to know nothing about the matter.

But who would really believe his story?

After all, the conditions at the mine were good. Even ordinary workers had opportunities to call their families and let them know they were okay.

And what’s more, Zhou Huaihua had bragged on more than one occasion that her husband, Fei Zhenwu, chatted with her every single week.

「In the small courtyard.」

Zhou Huaihua was surrounded by a mob of furious women.

Some brandished sticks, others waved their fists, and they rained blows down on her head and face.

"Ajin, Qingya! I was wrong... I really know I was wrong! Please, be merciful and let me off this one time... I’m begging you, please stop them from hitting me..."

After a moment’s hesitation, Song Qingya slowly spoke.

"Ajin, maybe you should go over and persuade everyone to stop?"

"There’s no need."

Fei Jin just gave a slight shake of his head.

Not only did he not step in to intervene, but he also didn’t ask Song Qingya to offer any help.

In his eyes, his wife had been terribly wronged today.

There was nothing wrong with letting these indignant villagers help her vent some of that anger.

Although the older women present were all striking with fierce strength, in reality, every one of them knew where to draw the line.

And so, even if someone later tried to step in and mediate the dispute,

the women doing the hitting could justify their actions with righteous and plausible excuses—

"What’s the big deal? I just pulled her hair a few times. Look! Zhou Huaihua tore out a whole handful of mine!"

"Exactly! Last week, Zhou Huaihua stole one of my chickens and disappeared. I still haven’t settled that score with her. So what if I spit on her a few times now?"

"I just ’accidentally’ tripped her with my foot. It’s not like I was trying to really hurt her."

"Besides, is it a crime not to help her up?"

...

Zhou Huaihua was a notorious show-off and had offended many people over the years.

Her behavior constantly rubbed people the wrong way.

Whether at village gatherings big or small, or just in daily interactions with neighbors, she always lorded her nephew being the village chief over everyone and looked down on them.

In truth, most people had been harboring a deep-seated dislike for her for a long time.

They only maintained a veneer of friendliness to keep the peace.

They would still greet her politely with "Aunt Zhou" or "Sister-in-law Zhou" whenever they saw her, but in their hearts, they felt nothing but contempt.

Now, all those who had been holding their tongues for so long finally had the perfect opportunity to let loose.

The villagers began discussing the matter, their words filled with indignation.

"To say a new bride isn’t ’pure’... that’s like stabbing someone right in the heart."

The villagers were deeply outraged.

"How can that be a small matter? A person like that is just immoral!"

"People like her are the absolute worst. A few years ago, she’d have had her tongue cut out and been divorced for sure!"

Zhou Huaihua had always been known for her shrewish and aggressive nature.

She believed no one in the village dared to confront her directly.

But faced with this overwhelming tide of public fury, she felt a pressure she had never experienced before.

Even the old grandmothers, who tottered along with canes, were waving them at her and shouting rebukes.

And in this situation, there was nothing Zhou Huaihua could do to them.

After all, these elders were not young and had large families with plenty of children and grandchildren.

If anything were to happen to one of them, the situation would become even more difficult to resolve.

Besieged on all sides, Zhou Huaihua yelped in pain and scurried away from the crowd in disgrace.

She ran to Fei Zhenwu’s side.

"Zhenwu, help me! They’re trying to beat me up!"

Fei Zhenwu’s emotions were a tangled mess.

"Haven’t you caused enough embarrassment? Get the hell home, now!"

Fei Zhenwu’s voice was filled with rage.

Under the scornful eyes of the crowd, he dragged her back to their house and slammed the door shut, locking it firmly behind them.

He decided that the very next day, he would send this disgraceful woman away to the county seat to stay with their son.

’In any case, she can’t stay in Liuchang Town any longer. She’ll have to lay low for a while,’ Fei Zhenwu thought.

’I have to handle this as quickly as possible, no matter what.

If this goes on any longer, my reputation will be completely ruined.’

But when he thought of the quarter of Fei Jin’s stipend they received every month, Fei Zhenwu started to worry.

’That money isn’t going to disappear now, is it?’

The thought made Fei Zhenwu even angrier.

The more he thought about it, the more furious he became.

’It was clearly my wife who started all this trouble, but in the end, I’m the one who has to suffer the consequences.’

A CLATTERING sound came from inside the house.

Fei Zhenwu’s brow furrowed deeply.

...

The troublemakers had finally left.

But the meal had to go on.

Song Qingya graciously addressed the neighbors and the men outside the courtyard.

"I’m so sorry that our family matters interrupted everyone’s meal. Please, sit down and continue eating. There’s still more food in the kitchen, I’ll bring some out for you all."

Her words made the crowd a little sheepish.

An older woman remarked with a sigh, "Fei Jin’s new wife is so gracious. If it were anyone else, wouldn’t they be hiding in their room crying for days? But look at her, she handles everything with such poise."