Seeing him so serious, Lin Lan's first thought was: Should I throw a tantrum or act aloof and ignore him?
What should be the attitude when a fuqi meets? What kind of scene should it be?
She had absolutely no experience, alright?
It was too awkward.
Lin Lan decisively led Xiaowang into the room, leaving the wailing, complaining Han-laotaitai and Han Qingsong outside.
Enduring the pain in her arms and shoulders, she placed Xiaowang on the kang and wanted to find something to disperse the blood stasis on his forehead, lest it turn into a large bruise later.
Outside, Han-laotaitai was trembling with anger. "You come back here and hand over the money!"
Lin Lan's cold voice came from the room. "Niang, I said it before, the money was all spent on treating Xiaowang's eyes. 260 wasn't enough, I still owe several hundred."
Han-laotaitai leaned on her son and said indignantly, "Laosan, you, you see, you see it now! When you're not home, she is truly lawless, making a fuss like this every day, turning the world upside down and not letting us live in peace. Just now I heard she hit your ersao with a shovel, smashing a bloody hole in her head, and now she pushed me over. Laosan ah, if it weren't for the heavens having eyes and you coming back in time, this laopozi would have smashed her head and died!"
Han Qingsong's gaze swept over the east wing and then looked at the children. The children all looked at him curiously, but no one dared to meet his eyes, shrinking away in fear.
Some of the more timid children even hid behind the older ones.
Han Qingsong nodded to Han-dasao, called out "Dasao," and withdrew his gaze. "Niang, is your waist alright?"
He supported the old lady and told her to go inside and rest.
The old lady, however, refused, tightly gripping his large hand. "Laosan, hurry up and send her back to Linjiatun, our old Han family cannot afford to keep her. She's lawless. In the past, she made a fuss and threatened suicide, making the old Han family lose all face. I didn't take her seriously for your sake, but she pushed her luck. Do you know what a huge mess she's made? She..."
The old lady remembered the 260 yuan, which was 40 more than before, and felt her heart, which had shattered into eight pieces, ache eight times more.
She didn't believe it was all spent, but in front of laosan, she couldn't just have someone tie Lin Lan up and search her directly. She still had to let her son handle it.
The old lady said, still unsatisfied, "I won't say anymore, hurry up and drive her back! She drank pesticide a couple of days ago, it was truly a waste to save her!"
Han Qingsong's brows tightened. "Niang?"
Seeing her son not agreeing with her, Han-laotaitai immediately started crying again. "Laosan ya, our family can't go on living, we can't even open the pot, we're going to starve to death. Your youngest brother and sister are so pitiful. When they were born, there was nothing to eat at home, they were like little chicks. We finally managed to raise them this big, and they have the promise to go to the county middle school, but now there's no money and no grain, how pitiful!"
Han-dasao quickly came to advise her. "Niang, sanshu is back, stop crying, let's go inside and talk slowly."
At this time, Old Man Han and Han-dage returned from work.
They were very happy to see Han Qingsong back and inevitably exchanged a few pleasantries. Old Man Han told him to quickly go inside and rest, and asked dasao if the food was ready.
The sun had already set. Although it was still light out, it would be dark soon, and they would need to light a lamp to see while eating.
Han-dasao quickly said it was ready, it was ready, and took the girls to the main room to prepare.
It wasn't actually ready, only half done, so she hurried to continue tending the fire.
Han-dage said, "Laosan is back, quickly stir-fry two dishes and boil a few salted eggs. Let die and laosan have a couple of drinks later."
Old Man Han added, "And call your daye and dada over, let's all chat together."
Seeing this, Han-laotaitai waved her hands angrily. "What are you doing, what are you doing, handle the main business first. There's a thief in the house, we must hold a meeting to struggle against her!"
Old Man Han and Han-dage still didn't know what was going on. Han-dasao glanced at Han Qingsong and tactfully explained how Lin Lan had stolen the marriage certificate to withdraw the money.
Old Man Han was stunned, his mouth hanging open. The third xifu had this kind of capability? She even dared to steal the marriage certificate to withdraw money?
In his impression, the third xifu only knew how to make a fuss. For example, when distributing money during the New Year, dasao got five yuan, ersao got five yuan, and she got three yuan. Unhappy, she would start making a scene, making veiled insults, saying everyone bullied her and treated her as if she were dead, that her man died outside and she had no man. Then she would start beating and scolding the children, and if it got worse, she would threaten suicide.
Take drinking pesticide a couple of days ago, for instance. Old Man Han didn't even know why, until his laopozi explained, "Probably because she wanted a few yuan to go back to her niangjia a few days ago, and I didn't agree, so she started acting up." Old Man Han was even a bit puzzled. If she couldn't get it once, she could ask for less, or ask a couple more times; there was no need to cry and threaten to drink pesticide.
Someone who only knew how to make a fuss and threaten suicide when encountering problems, and didn't even dare to directly curse her popo to her face, now dared to steal money?
Although Han-laotaitai complained all day that the third branch's wife angered her to death, was unfilial, and that she was no match for her in an argument, Old Man Han also saw that even when arguing, the third branch's wife only relied on having a loud voice and acting shamelessly, and never dared to directly curse her popo.
So Old Man Han only thought it was a matter between the women and had nothing to do with him.
But secretly withdrawing 260 yuan was no ordinary matter.
Old Man Han puffed on his pipe, his eyelids drooping as he blew clouds of smoke, remaining silent.
Han-dage tried to smooth things over, telling dasao to just go and ask for the money back.
Han-dasao said awkwardly, "The third branch's wife said... said the money is all spent."
Old Man Han was startled. "Spent? What did she buy? She doesn't even have coupons, what could she buy?"
This wasn't just five or ten yuan!
The old lady said angrily, "Who knows who she gave it to!"
She definitely secretly sent it back to her niangjia. If she had her way, she would make laosan return that bad element and get the money back!
Han Qingsong wasn't very clear about the family affairs. He listened and understood that this time Lin Lan had withdrawn the money but didn't give it to the old lady, so the old lady was relentless.
He was just a bit puzzled. In the past, the children's niang always made a fuss about the money being taken by the old lady while she didn't get a single cent. After fussing for several years, even when he added her name to the remittance slip, she never dared to withdraw a single cent. Why was she so bold this time?
Han-laotaitai cursed for a while. Unable to get the money immediately and keeping an eye on the backpack, she directed the children of the first and second branches to carry the backpack over. Because it was too heavy, the children struggled even together.
Sanwang went up to stop them, saying it was his die's bag and asking on what grounds they were taking it, but he was pushed away.
In a fit of pique, Sanwang shouted, "That's not my die, no wonder everyone else has a die and only I don't!"
After shouting, he ran out.
Erwang was originally standing in the main room eavesdropping. At this moment, he happened to meet Han Qingsong's gaze and was so frightened he quickly ran toward the east wing.
Maisui stood at the door of the east wing, looking at the main house, feeling very conflicted. Finally, she also went back to the east wing in a huff.
Lin Lan was wringing out a cold towel to apply to Xiaowang's forehead. Seeing them looking puffed up with anger, she smiled. "What's wrong, are you going to turn into angry toads?"
Erwang leaned on the windowsill. "Niang, aren't you angry? My die came back and ignored us, only listening to my mama and the others complain. Look, he brought back so many things, and they were all taken by my mama."
Han-laotaitai was currently rummaging through the backpack. There were clothes, quilts, shoes, and some books, as well as some food, such as canned goods, malted milk extract, pastries, candies, and so on.
She poured everything out. She would definitely keep the food for herself. As for the clothes, thinking her youngest son liked military uniforms the most, she would take a set for him to wear. Seeing that the quilt was thick and light, it should be a new cotton batting, best sent to her youngest daughter at school...
Han Qingsong saw this and walked over. "Niang, rest, I'll do it."
His old mother was advanced in age, how could he let her toil over packing luggage?
Han-laotaitai wanted to take those things, so naturally she was happy to pack them. As a result, Han Qingsong, afraid she would be tired, swept his large hand and basically swept all those things back in.
Finally, he placed the malted milk extract and a bag of candy on the table. The malted milk extract was for the old lady, and the candy was for the children to take. "Niang, I'll put the luggage in the room."
Han-laotaitai was dumbfounded, almost choking on her own breath, watching helplessly as Han Qingsong took all those things away.
Since Han Qingsong had spoken, the children all rushed over to get candy.
Han-laotaitai said angrily, "All of you, roll away!"
She quickly put away the malted milk extract and candy, giving one piece to the older children and one piece for two younger children to share, keeping the rest for herself.
"Old man, you hold firm for me. We must send that bad element back, keeping her in the house is a disaster."
When sending her back, they had to get the money back, not a single cent less than 260 yuan!
Old Man Han puffed on his pipe. "Laosan is a military officer, his marriage is not decided by his die and niang."
Han-laotaitai, however, didn't care.
...
In the east wing, Lin Lan was about to ask Erwang to go find Dawang and Sanwang, but saw the two children dart back as if their tails had been stepped on, standing beside her like left and right guardians.
Immediately after, the light at the door dimmed, and someone entered from outside.
Han Qingsong was too tall and the lintel was low, so he had to lower his shoulders and bow his head to walk in.
Carrying the massive backpack and being so tall and large, his presence in the dimly lit room made the entire space feel even more cramped.
Lin Lan instantly felt the pressure. That person standing there gave her a strong sense of oppression, making the places where she had been whipped ache even more.
She said to the children, "Your die is back, why aren't you greeting him?"
Erwang called out "Die."
Xiaowang not only didn't call out but was terribly nervous, while Maisui pouted in a huff.
Seeing his somewhat stiff posture, Lin Lan instantly gained some confidence and feigned a relaxed tone. "Yeye and mama asked you to divorce me? This is the new China, there's no such old feudalism. Divorcing me like the old days won't work, at most it's a modern divorce. Since we're getting a divorce, we have to make things clear. Who the children want to follow, let them choose for themselves..."
"Niang!" The three children all cried out.
Xiaowang scrambled up and hugged Lin Lan's arm. "I want niang." Although he didn't understand what divorce was, following his niang would not change.
Maisui and Erwang also hesitated slightly before saying they wanted to follow their niang. Their mama treated them badly. If their niang left and their die found a stepmother, would they have any good days ahead?
Many of their playmates in the village had stepmothers, and they knew exactly what kind of lives they led.
When it came to themselves, they didn't even dare to think about it.
Lin Lan patted them, signaling them to stay calm, and also motioned for Xiaowang to lie down properly, placing the cold towel back on his forehead.
She looked at Han Qingsong. He stood at the door, backlit so his expression couldn't be seen clearly, which made his gaze seem even sharper and full of oppressive force.
Feeling slightly uncomfortable, she shifted her body, changing her angle so she was no longer looking directly into his eyes, but at his chin instead.
His facial lines were hard, making his jawline look exceptionally resolute.
"If we divorce, you have to pay alimony, not only for the children but also for me."
Han Qingsong, standing in the shadows, didn't speak. After a moment, he stepped inside.
He wouldn't hit people, would he?
Although Lin Lan was certain his temperament was as described in the book and he wouldn't hit women, as he approached, she felt an invisible chill rush in with him, forcing her to shift away again.
Han Qingsong walked up close and raised his hand to place the backpack on the kang.
Erwang and Maisui immediately stared at the backpack; there was delicious food inside!
The room wasn't big, and the kang was even more limited.
Xiaowang was lying in the middle, and she was standing in front of the kang taking care of him. Now that he had walked over, the originally narrow room made it almost hard to breathe.
Just as Lin Lan was about to make an excuse to go out for some fresh air, he suddenly leaned over, scaring her into hurriedly stepping back.
The masculine, heroic male hormones thrusting toward her were still too impactful for Lin Lan.
Although they were fuqi, to her, he was a strange man.
Han Qingsong removed the towel and looked at Xiaowang's forehead, his voice slightly deep. "How did he bump it?"
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