Transmigration: Flirted with My Childhood Sweetheart
Chapter 467 - 466: Dividing the Family at Twenty-Nine

Chapter 467: Chapter 466: Dividing the Family at Twenty-Nine

Wang Shumei was supposed to return home two days earlier, since her home was closer to Hei Province, and it took less time to travel. But precisely because it was closer, many Educated Youth were assigned to the countryside nearby, which not only made train tickets hard to come by, but also meant you had to fight your way onto the train.

Wang Shumei’s first train ticket was voided because she couldn’t squeeze onto the train.

In the end, it was Sun Guanghui who asked a friend for help to buy her another ticket. This time, having learned his lesson, he took two younger brothers with him to see her off at the train station. They finally managed to push Wang Shumei onto the train, and after it departed, Sun Guanghui made a call to Qian Guozhu’s workplace to inform him of the train’s schedule and the time to meet at the station.

Wang Shumei never expected her father would come to pick her up, nor did she anticipate that in her absence, her stepmother would be so audacious as to bully Wang Damin and Wang Xiaoxiao.

"Sis!"

Upon seeing Wang Shumei, her brother and sister, who just now were stubbornly refusing to admit any wrongdoing, instantly teared up and rushed into her arms one after the other.

"Sis, it was Damin who got glue on the quilt, not me."

"Sis, it was because she insisted that I wash the dishes before going to the Vegetable Station... I was too late, and really, there were no good vegetables left..."

It’s not that children can’t feel aggrieved; it’s that they know voicing grievances is only useful when speaking to those who are willing to believe them. Telling others would only invite more disgusting insults and beatings.

"No more crying, no more crying." Wang Shumei clenched her teeth to hold back her tears, wiped the tears from her siblings’ faces, and protected them behind her.

Here, she was the eldest sister and had to stand strong.

She slowly raised her head to meet the gaze of her stepmother, who stood with one hand on her hip and the other holding a rolling pin upside-down.

The stepmother’s eyes were filled with mocking, her upturned eyes darting around, making it unclear what nasty thoughts she was entertaining.

As Wang Shumei locked eyes with her, many images flashed through her mind.

If it were Wen Lan, she’d have clenched her fists and charged by now. She wouldn’t care who the person was or whether they had a weapon. As long as they got beaten... if once wasn’t enough, then do it again.

But she couldn’t do that, as she didn’t have Wen Lan’s ability. She wasn’t afraid of pain for herself, but getting hurt would only worry her siblings.

If it were Lin Nianhe... Wang Shumei always felt that Lin Nianhe wasn’t incapable of fighting. If really provoked, Lin Nianhe’s attacks could be even fiercer than Wen Lan’s, and she seemed truly capable of killing. However, she probably wouldn’t take action either; she preferred to solve problems with her brain. Perhaps she’d go straight to the stepmother’s workplace and cause her to lose her job.

But she couldn’t do that either, because she wasn’t sure she could pull it off without backfiring.

She was neither Wen Lan nor Lin Nianhe; she could only do what she was best at.

Wang Shumei grabbed Qian Guozhu, who was about to rush forward and hit someone. Her eyes were dry and uncomfortable from the north wind, which made it easy for her to shed tears.

"Damin, which room’s wall did you smear with paste?" Wang Shumei was furious yet calmer than ever in her voice.

Wang Damin peeked out and pointed to the east room, which was the very room Mr. Wang was holed up in.

A glint of coldness flashed in Wang Shumei’s eyes. She pulled Wang Damin back behind her and called out: "Dad! You saw clearly who got that paste on the quilt. Ever since mom died, I had no expectation that you’d stand up for us, but you can’t just pin Damin’s mistake on Xiaoxiao and let him take the beating!"

Mr. Wang was a steel factory worker but didn’t get allocated a house, so he was still living in the old house left by his ancestors. These single-story houses were very close to each other, and speaking loudly meant neighbors could hear every word. Today was the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, nearly everyone was home, and at the sound of this commotion, several heads popped up over the neighboring walls. Soon after, heads from other houses appeared as well.

Wang Shumei knew how to handle things and had always enjoyed a good reputation among the neighbors. As soon as they saw her shouting, an auntie next door immediately said, "Shumei is back, you’ve got to take charge. Chen Daya keeps nitpicking on Damin and Xiaoxiao for no reason, saying now that there’s a stepmother there’ll be a stepfather..."

Chen Daya was a shrew. As soon as she heard this, she glared with widened eyes and pointed the rolling pin at the speaker, spitting out slander: "Is it your place to gossip about our family? Mind your own damn husband, and don’t go crawling into some widow’s bed again!"

"You shameless little hussy, you really think people can’t live without a man like you? Don’t project your filthy deeds onto others, as if we can’t remember who your son’s real father is!"

"You..."

"What ’you’? I think Old Wang must have been kicked in the head by a donkey. He doesn’t care about his own son but raises someone else’s. What sin has the Old Wang family committed to be burdened with such a confused bastard like you!"

The aunties next door chimed in one after another, barraging Chen Daya to the point where she couldn’t get a word in.

Her face turned pale green with anger, while a smug smile flashed in the depths of Wang Shumei’s eyes.

This was her expertise: handling these worldly affairs. The neighborly relationships she had cultivated over the years were finally bearing fruit. The things they were saying were not just empty words. The deeds of Chen Daya were the ones she had "inadvertently" mentioned time and time again. Time might make people forget some things, but it would never bury the truth.

But it still wasn’t enough.

Wang Shumei caught a glimpse of the door to the east room opening, and her so-called good father finally came out.

"Shumei, how can you speak to your mom like that? You..."

As expected, his first words upon stepping out were to criticize her.

There wasn’t even a hint of sadness in Wang Shumei’s heart; one could say she was already used to it.

But she became teary-eyed, her voice choked with grievance as she swayed unsteadily, "Dad, what did I do? She hits Damin and Xiaoxiao without reason, and you don’t care, but now you can’t sit still when the aunties speak a few truths? Yes, we three sisters are an eyesore, so we’ll just leave, all right? But let’s be clear—"

"Over these years, it’s my brother and sister-in-law who’ve been paying for our schooling. To support us three, my sister-in-law didn’t even dare to have a child! I’m out in the countryside teaching, sending back my monthly stipend, and my brother also delivers grain to the household monthly. My younger brother and sister have never eaten your family’s food!"

As Wang Shumei spoke, she clenched Qian Guozhu’s wrist tightly.

Qian Guozhu immediately said, "Damin, let’s go pack your and Xiaoxiao’s things. From now on, you’ll live at your brother’s house. Even if we have to eat chaff and swallow veggies, we won’t stay here to be beaten and humiliated!"

"You ungrateful little bastards! If you want to leave, go ahead, but if you dare to take anything from this house, I’ll report you to Public Security for theft!" Chen Daya was waving the rolling pin, still oblivious to the seriousness of the matter at hand.

Heaven knows, if she hadn’t said that, Wang Shumei would have been truly disappointed.

Upon seeing her so arrogant, the aunties from the neighborhood couldn’t stand it anymore. They jumped off the wall tops and charged into the Wang Family house.

"Now it seems like you want to turn the world upside down! What, you only dare to bully these children without mothers, is that it?"

"I’ll just stand right here. Touch me and see what happens!"

"That wardrobe is the dowry from Shumei’s mother, we would rather chop it for firewood than leave it for this wretched bitch to use. Come on, you two guys, let’s move it!"

The Wang Family’s house instantly descended into chaos. Clothes were pulled from the wardrobe and scattered on the floor, stomped on countless times. Someone knocked over a washbasin, water spilled onto the bedding, which wouldn’t dry for days in this weather. The despised vegetable leaves were trampled into shreds on the ground, mixed in with the dirt.

Wang Shumei stood to the side, holding Wang Xiaoxiao, watching the chaos unfold. A smile couldn’t help but curl up at the corner of her mouth.