Aunt He left Chishui Village humiliated, her reputation utterly ruined. After rinsing herself off at the He household, she promptly returned to her own village.
Meanwhile, scoundrel He Donglai was busy currying favor with his father-in-law. No one had informed him of his sister’s debacle, so when he returned, the stench of manure hit him like a wall. Stunned, he stood in the filthy courtyard, then erupted in anger. “He Fan, are you dead? Was it that beast He Zifeng who did this?”
He thought someone had dumped manure in their yard.
He Fan, covering his nose and mouth with a cloth, had just finished laying their mother in bed when he was met with his father’s furious scolding.
“It wasn’t Second Brother—it was Aunt!” he retorted, unloading his grievances about how she had caused chaos and even made his mother faint.
He Donglai blinked, his face heating with shame. He had brought her in as reinforcements, yet she had created such a spectacle. Ultimately, the blame landed squarely on him.
Looking around at the mess in the courtyard, he felt disgusted but had no idea where to start cleaning. “Go fetch your eldest brother and his wife!” he barked at He Fan before retreating indoors.
When He Fan relayed the situation, the couple refused to return.
Wan Hai, frowning, said, “Why does Father keep stirring up trouble?” He handed He Fan a tael of silver. “Take this and hire Dongzi’s and Chengzi’s fathers to clean the yard. Pay each of them a hundred coins.” This dirty job needed decent pay to attract workers, and the mess had to be cleaned quickly before the summer heat made it worse.
Wan Hai added, “Use the rest to get a doctor for our mother. Whatever’s left over, you can keep.”
Feeling slightly better with money in hand, He Fan left to make the arrangements.
Dongzi’s and Chengzi’s fathers were reliable workers. Though the job was filthy, they were practical men—no one could avoid cleaning a latrine in their own home. After some thought, they agreed to help.
Seeing that Wan Hai, despite not returning home, had handled things well, He Donglai let the matter drop.
He left the house, unable to bear the stench.
However, as he reached the gate, he saw a crowd of villagers gathered, including some of his elders.
One elder scolded him harshly, “You’ve lived all these years for nothing! What kind of life are you trying to burn to the ground?”
“Peace in the family brings prosperity. If you didn’t agree with the mayor’s decision, why didn’t you speak up then? You didn’t even dare squeak when the mayor was here, yet now you’re picking on the weak.”
“Don’t bother reasoning with him,” another elder said. “Some people just aren’t the same. Look at He Zifeng—such a filial son, and you pushed him to this point. Have you seen how poorly he’s dressed? He looks like a beggar, while Wan Hai dresses like someone from the city!”
Even the older villagers, despite their biases, couldn’t stomach He Donglai’s behavior. No matter what, He Zifeng was his own flesh and blood.
Feeling embarrassed and defensive, He Donglai retorted, “It’s my money, and I’ll give it to whoever I want! Someone like He Zifeng, who’s always looking for an excuse to file complaints, won’t see another coin from me!”
Just then, someone in the crowd called out, “He Zifeng, why are you here?”
He Zifeng replied calmly, “I have a few things left unsaid. I’m here to settle them today.” His tone was composed, but everyone present knew he was here to confront his father.
He Donglai glared. “You dare show your face here?”
He Zifeng had split from the family, intending to live a quiet life with Qiu Yu. However, He Donglai seemed incapable of letting things go, always seeking to provoke him.
This time, He Zifeng wouldn’t hold back.
Before he could say much, He Donglai’s face darkened, his temper rising.
He Zifeng began, “I recently found a middleman, the one who brokered your match with her.” He gestured towards the house. “He told me the dates—before you and my mother had even divorced. You started an affair and came home to torment her, even resorting to violence. I helped her once or twice, and for that, you hate me? Scum like you doesn’t deserve descendants.”
The crowd fell silent, stunned by the revelation.
“Shut up! You don’t know anything! How dare you!” He Donglai roared, lunging to strike him.
But He Zifeng, having lived another life, had long uncovered his father’s dirty secrets.
The villagers were equally shocked. They had come to witness the drama but were now hearing sordid details about He Donglai’s past.
“What a disgrace—an adulterer and a homewrecker!”
“I remember Zifeng’s mother, Fang, was a renowned beauty in these parts. He chased her relentlessly back then,” one villager remarked.
Though their divorce was rare for the countryside, the truth of his infidelity left everyone disgusted.
“With a stepmother comes a stepfather, they say. How true it is.”
“Even animals wouldn’t behave this way.”
“He Zifeng’s been holding onto this for years, staying quiet out of respect. But push an honest man too far…”
Humiliated, He Donglai attempted to fight, but He Zifeng swiftly overpowered him. He targeted areas that wouldn’t leave visible marks but would cause excruciating pain.
“You little beast, are you trying to kill your father?” He Donglai spat, but his words were cut short when He Zifeng slapped him hard across the face, causing him to bite his tongue. Blood spurted from his mouth, and he cried out in agony, tears streaming down his face.
“This slap is for my mother,” He Zifeng said coldly. “If you dare insult her again, I’ll knock out your teeth. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He then kicked him hard. “Look at yourself—a pathetic excuse for a man.”
Writhing in pain, He Donglai trembled with rage but could barely speak, his tongue too swollen.
He Zifeng added, “I know you’re petty and can’t stand losing. But if anything happens to Qiu Yu or my family, I’ll come straight for you.” He punctuated his words by stepping on He Donglai’s fingers as he walked away.
The villagers, watching the entire scene, didn’t intervene. Instead, they muttered curses at He Donglai, agreeing he had it coming.
“Serves him right!”
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