Chapter 59

Chapter 59

Zhou Qiang claimed that the reason he had treated Sun Qin so cruelly was to seek revenge for Old Lady Zhang, who had instructed and guided him to do so.

Otherwise, he would only be after money, or at most, some sexual favors; there would be no need to kill.

After all, if a woman were defiled, she would definitely not dare to speak up, and he wouldn't worry about any consequences.

Killing her would instead make it easier for him to get caught, offering no benefits whatsoever.

Since Zhou Qiang implicated Old Lady Zhang, regardless of the truth, the Public Security Bureau had to follow procedure and bring Old Lady Zhang in for questioning.

Old Lady Zhang being taken away by the police became the top news in Rongshan Brigade, with everyone discussing the matter.

"Oh my, you didn't see it, but when Old Lady Zhang first started arguing, she was terrified when she realized the police were serious. Her legs went weak, and Miao Xiaohui had to carry her away."

"I heard she even peed herself from fear."

"She's so scared, could it be because she's guilty? Did she really instruct Zhou Qiang? Why else would she be so afraid?"

"That can't be true. She's just a nag, she doesn't have the guts for something like this."

"Who knows?" one of the young wives sneered, "Some mothers-in-law are just malicious and enjoy tormenting their daughters-in-law. She's always been dissatisfied with Sun Qin, criticizing her personality and her inability to bear children. Maybe she was thinking of replacing her daughter-in-law."

"That's true, especially before Jiang Pei'e got into trouble, she often talked about replacing her daughter-in-law."

"But this is a human life! And such a gruesome death, right in her own home. How could anyone live there without feeling uneasy?"

"Have you heard? Sun Qin had over a thousand yuan stolen!"

"Wasn't it several thousand?"

"I heard it was ten thousand!"

On the day Old Lady Zhang was taken away, various rumors spread rapidly.

The Miao family had closed their doors. They weren't avoiding arguments, but with Old Lady Zhang still in custody, they lacked the confidence to defend her.

They knew their mother's character well, especially the daughters-in-law, who harbored many grievances against Old Lady Zhang.

Life was unbearable when they hadn't yet divided the household.

Even after dividing the household, living in the same village meant constant criticism.

If their husbands helped with household chores, Old Lady Zhang would gossip behind their backs, saying they were unvirtuous.

During holidays, if they visited their natal families, she would accuse them of taking advantage and being disloyal.

While her words weren't excessively harsh, they still caused friction, and bringing it up with their husbands would only lead to accusations of pettiness.

But people aren't made of wood; such comments naturally caused anger.

Even though they had divided the household, she still interfered, which was particularly annoying.

Now that Old Lady Zhang had gotten into trouble due to her mouth, no one wanted to defend her.

As for the Miao family's eldest daughter who lived in the village, she was too preoccupied with her own troubles to care about outside matters.

When asked, she would say that her mother was only taken for investigation and wasn't accused of any crime, but no one believed her.

If there were no issues, why would they send a car from the commune to take her away?

Wang Heizi was delighted upon hearing the news: "Now I want to see if Old Lady Zhang will still speak up for Zhou Qiang!"

"Old Lady Zhang probably didn't instruct Zhou Qiang, did she?"

Although Tang Qingqing didn't like Old Lady Zhang either, she believed that Old Lady Zhang wouldn't do something so terrible.

After all, Sun Qin was her daughter-in-law. Instructing her nephew to violate her daughter-in-law is horrifying.

And it was post-mortem rape, which is extremely depraved.

Doing it in her own home, without fear of Sun Qin's spirit seeking revenge, is beyond belief.

Rural people are somewhat superstitious, especially old ladies like Old Lady Zhang. No matter how intense the anti-feudal movement was, it couldn't change their beliefs.

Wang Heizi insisted, "If she didn't instruct him, why would she go to such lengths to defend Zhou Qiang?"

Zhai Hongyi said, "Regardless, Zhou Qiang will stick to his story implicating Old Lady Zhang to try to reduce his sentence."

Of course, the Public Security Bureau isn't foolish and won't take Zhou Qiang's word for it.

However, the investigation process will be arduous, especially since Zhou Qiang is cunning. Now that he's facing death, he'll cling to his story.

Ordinary people implicated in such a case would suffer greatly.

Old Lady Zhang, an elderly rural woman, will likely be terrified.

Wang Heizi spat, "She deserves it! Let her see what Zhou Qiang is capable of."

For Zhou Qiang, Old Lady Zhang had even quarreled with her youngest son.

While it wasn't entirely because of her closeness to Zhou Qiang, more likely it was to avoid responsibility, thus trying to mitigate Zhou Qiang's guilt.

Sun Qin, the victim, wasn't a good person, so the perpetrator doesn't seem as evil.

Such cases aren't uncommon. If a good person is bullied, the public opinion will differ from when a notorious troublemaker is bullied.

Even in the same situation, both victims might be innocent, but the perception would vary.

But people often find it hard to evaluate such matters rationally, instead letting emotions from other incidents cloud their judgment.

People sympathize with the good-natured, but for the latter, they might cheer and think it's what they deserve.

Especially when Sun Qin is portrayed as a promiscuous woman, it becomes easier to whitewash the murderer.

And Zhang Lao Tai, who bears some indirect responsibility, is even less remembered for her role in this matter.

Now that Zhang Lao Tai has been implicated by Zhou Qiang, many people’s comments hint at — if you hadn't done something, why would he have targeted you?

Just like how Zhang Lao Tai previously evaluated the reasons for Sun Qin's murder, now it has come back to haunt her, making the whole situation filled with irony.

Tang Qingqing recalled the theory Zhai Hongyi had shared with her and sighed:

"So, you see, one should always be kind and deal with things on their own merits; otherwise, who knows when that sword will stab you instead."

If the environment fosters such an atmosphere, future victims will not only suffer harm but also face public scrutiny and further injury, making the social climate truly terrible.

As Zhai Hongyi had predicted, Zhang Lao Tai was tormented for a long time.

When she returned, she looked decades older and no longer enjoyed chatting idly with others.

She became much quieter, her personality changed drastically, and her health deteriorated significantly.

Miao Xiaohui returned to his military unit. Although their relationship improved after this ordeal, it could never be as close as before.

No matter how open-minded, there was still a thorn in their hearts.

Zhou Qiang could implicate her for so long not just because of what he said, but also because Zhang Lao Tai's gossiping and complaints influenced his actions to some extent.

The main reason Zhou Qiang chose Sun Qin was indeed for her money.

He had been having particularly bad luck recently, and since he had sold off his daughters, he lacked capital to turn his fortunes around, constantly thinking about where to find money.

When Zhang Lao Tai mentioned how wealthy Sun Qin was, buying things left and right, how could he not be tempted?

Although Sun Qin wasn't exceptionally beautiful, she was fair-skinned and refined, exuding an intellectual charm that greatly attracted Zhou Qiang, who harbored lustful thoughts and always had her on his mind.

After the incident with Jiang Pei'e, Zhang Lao Tai complained more, not wanting this daughter-in-law but unable to easily divorce her, which troubled her deeply.

Under multiple provocations, Zhou Qiang took action.

The reason he not only killed Sun Qin but also mutilated her body was to vent Zhang Lao Tai's anger.

While everyone understood that Zhou Qiang's cruel actions were merely excuses to shift blame, rational understanding did little to mitigate the emotional impact.

Moreover, during their arguments, Zhang Lao Tai had said hurtful things, which inevitably caused discomfort.

Other children in the Miao family also harbored resentment towards the old lady. If not for her careless words, how could they have been ridiculed too?

The accountant's position within the Rongshan Brigade was almost lost and remained under scrutiny.

Even if he continued in the role, it would be difficult to regain the same authority as before.

After all, such a significant incident had occurred in their family, making it impossible to maintain the same prestige, requiring them to keep a low profile.

Zhang Lao Tai felt wronged, wondering why everything was blamed on her?

When she made those remarks, no one stopped her or disagreed, yet now all the blame was placed on her?

Especially her husband, who usually didn't say much but shared her sentiments deep down.

Now, everyone blamed her, acting as if they were innocent.

With these grievances, peace eluded the Miao family.

Their youngest daughter visited her parents less frequently due to this incident.

Though Miao Xiaohui continued to be filial, Zhang Lao Tai sensed the growing distance between them.

These were events that happened later.

After Zhou Qiang was sentenced and executed, Zhang Lao Tai fell ill for a long time, and the Miao family no longer caused as much commotion, striving to remain low-key.

Sun Qin's house was sealed shut, and no one dared to live there without Miao Xiaohui's permission or to rebuild it.

As for Sun Qin's family, they never appeared, leaving her remains forever in the Rongshan Brigade.

Another year passed, washing away past shadows and welcoming a new beginning.

Despite the turmoil, the Rongshan Brigade experienced many positive changes last year.

There was a bountiful harvest, and the crops were not destroyed by fire, allowing everyone to enjoy a good year.

The Tang family faced some unrest, stemming from the two pigs they had adopted.

After the division of the household, the eldest aunt had more free time to care for the pigs, which grew fatter than ever before.

One pig weighed over three hundred pounds, mostly fat and little lean meat, making the cooperative society's eyes gleam upon seeing them.

If not for the village chief's intervention, both pigs would have been taken away.

When the fat pigs were slaughtered, the sight of the fatty meat made many people drool, ignoring the bloodiness of raw pork.

The eldest aunt received special praise and more meat and work points, which made Zhao Dahua envious.

These pigs had been raised for a long time before the division, leading Zhao Dahua to believe she deserved more meat and work points, causing quite a stir.

Fortunately, the terms had been clarified beforehand, or there would have been prolonged disputes.

But even so, the two families still had a rather ugly falling out.

Although Wang Simei has a soft temper and Tang Jianshe isn’t one to talk much, their hands are tight when it comes to money.

Zhao Dahua may have won verbally, but she gained no real advantage, which infuriated her enough to rant loudly whenever she could, alluding to one thing while scolding another.

Hearing those derogatory remarks every day, some of which mocked Tang Jianshe’s disability and Wang Simei’s height, made everyone feel terrible inside.

Tang Qiaoqiao's face would turn red with anger, yet she didn’t know how to retaliate, often wiping away tears in secret.

She is a kind child, though she has been ridiculed and bullied due to her parents’ circumstances, she never resents them for it.

She only sees them as the best parents, believing their love for her is no less than that of any other parents.

Therefore, she can't bear to hear anyone speak ill of her parents, finding it more painful than if they were speaking ill of her.

Tang Xingqiang couldn't take it anymore: "Mom, you’re too loud. Your constant shouting is making my ears go deaf."

"You little brat, siding with your sister! Do you want to be someone else’s son? They don’t want you!"

"Mom, are you getting old or is your mind going from all this yelling? You're talking nonsense."

Zhao Dahua, already angry, became even more furious at these words and grabbed a broom to hit him.

"Mom, my head is precious now; I’m meant to achieve great things. If you damage it, who will bring you good food and drinks?"

At the end of this semester, Tang Xingqiang scored full marks in both subjects, earning the top spot in his class.

Old Lady Wu now dotes on this grandson and quickly intervened to stop Zhao Dahua.

Seeing Old Lady Wu protect Tang Xingqiang, Zhao Dahua’s anger flared, but unable to strike him, she swung the broom at Tang Xingsheng instead.

Innocent Tang Xingsheng was stunned, not understanding why he was being hit.

"Mom, why are you hitting me?"

Zhao Dahua continued to beat him without pause.

"How dare you ask why! All you do is spend money. With such poor grades, not even matching your brother, what’s the point of your schooling?"

Zhao Dahua thought about how if Tang Xingsheng hadn’t gone to school, that big pig would have been theirs, and they’d be enjoying good food and drinks now.

The more she thought, the angrier she got, striking harder.

Though Tang Xingsheng tried to dodge, he couldn’t escape easily and was hit repeatedly.

He felt extremely wronged. He might not be as smart as his brother, but his grades weren’t bad, consistently above ninety!

And he did nothing to deserve this beating.

Fuming, Tang Xingsheng rushed out into the cold wind.

Once outside, the cold air cleared his head, but he didn’t want to return home, unsure where to go.

Especially hearing the curses from inside, he quickened his pace.

By the time Tang Xingsheng realized, he was standing in front of Old Liu’s courtyard.

He hesitated whether to enter when the door opened.

Zhai Hongyi came out and waved him over.

Tang Xingsheng ran towards him without hesitation.

Tang Qingqing noticed Tang Xingsheng’s red eyes, clearly from crying.

"What happened?"

Tang Xingsheng wanted to say something but couldn’t utter a word after opening his mouth several times.

He felt suffocated, unable to express his distress.

The hits didn’t really hurt, given the thick winter clothes.

But emotionally, he felt crushed, struggling to catch his breath.

Without asking further, Tang Qingqing offered, "Would you like some canned yellow peaches?"

At year-end, the Public Security Bureau distributed many benefits.

For providing crucial clues in Sun Qin’s murder case and significantly improving the solving rate of theft cases, especially in Rongshan Brigade and nearby areas, Tang Qingqing received high praise and better welfare than previous years, including numerous cans of fruit.

Yellow peach cans were the most popular, usually reserved for special guests or illnesses.

Hearing this, Tang Xingsheng felt his hollow heart fill up.

"Sis..."

Without waiting for a response, Tang Qingqing opened a can and used a chopstick to pick out a piece of fruit for him.

"Eat the yellow peach can, and all troubles will vanish."

Tang Xingsheng’s eyes welled up again, savoring the peach delicately, finding it exceptionally sweet.

"Tasty, right?"

Tang Xingsheng nodded, feeling embarrassed with everyone watching him.

"Why am I the only one eating?"

Wang Heizi: "Your sister feels sorry for you."

Hearing this, Tang Xingsheng became even happier but also felt a bit guilty about eating alone.

Tang Qingqing saw his dilemma and pushed the canned peaches into his arms. "Eat yours. The can is all yours."

Tang Xingsheng was stunned, looking at Tang Qingqing in disbelief.

Tang Qingqing had only brought home two cans before, and now she was giving him one. This was the first time he could have an entire can to himself.

He wasn't as favored as his older brother, nor as clever as his younger brother, so he always got the least to eat.

"You did well on your exam this time..."

Hearing this, Tang Xingsheng lowered his head. "I didn't get a double hundred."

Not only did Tang Xingqiang, but Tang Qiaoqiao and Tang Qingqing also scored a double hundred.

"Don't compare yourself with others; compare yourself with yourself. You've made great progress. What's most praiseworthy is that your handwriting has improved. Keep it up."

Tang Xingsheng actually did quite well; he was second in the class overall. It was just bad luck that he was compared to Tang Xingqiang and Tang Qiaoqiao, who had studied ahead.

Moreover, he wasn’t without other strengths. His handwriting was very neat, each stroke carefully written, unlike Tang Xingqiang’s, which looked as if it were flying, often substituting 'O' for '口'—only altering it during exams to avoid losing points.

Tang Xingsheng was very happy upon hearing this, even though it was more of a consolation prize. But he was genuinely happy, not just because the canned peaches were delicious.

After eating one piece, Tang Xingsheng put the lid back on the can, unwilling to continue eating.

Wang Heizi: "If you don't finish it now, your brothers will snatch it later. Don't cry then."

Tang Xingsheng held the can and smiled. "I still have the bottle."

Wang Heizi was puzzled. While the can itself was good, it wasn't as good as the peaches inside.

Later, Tang Qingqing found out why Tang Xingsheng suddenly ran out of the house. When Tang Xingqiang told her, she was speechless, not understanding what Zhao Dahua was thinking.

When Tang Xingsheng returned home that day, Zhao Dahua didn't apologize for her unreasonable anger but instead became even more dissatisfied with him.

She said he was disobedient and would run away at the slightest provocation.

Tang Xingqiang told Tang Qingqing that after Tang Xingsheng ran away, Zhao Dahua ranted for a long time, even saying she didn't want this son anymore.

"Sis, Mom really shouldn't say things like that. If Third Brother heard it, he'd be heartbroken."

The worst fear for children is when their parents say they don't want them anymore.

"Be nicer to your Third Brother in the future. Don't bully him just because he's honest."

Tang Xingqiang glared and said, "How is he honest! He used to snatch your things."

"That doesn't mean it's right for you to snatch his things. One person can't have all the advantages."

Although Tang Xingqiang is now more likable than before, some of his habits are still hard to change immediately.

Tang Xingqiang drooped his head. "I understand."

"If he does something wrong, I'll also discipline him."

The three brothers often fought and snatched each other's things, which many people saw as nothing unusual.

Kids, in families with many children, usually behave this way, and no one thinks it's a big deal.

When they grow up and become more sensible, they remain the closest to each other.

But these three brothers weren't just unruly when they were young; their relationship remained very poor even after they grew up.

Tang Qingqing tried to recall the book's description of Tang Xingsheng. She found that he was rarely mentioned, as if this second son didn't exist at all.

Only at the end was it mentioned that neither Tang Xingwang nor Tang Xingqiang could be relied upon, and Tang Jianjun and Zhao Dahua wanted to rely on their second son for support in old age, only to be driven away, leaving them homeless.

If Zhao Dahua continues to treat Tang Xingsheng this way, the events in the book might really come to pass.