In the end, this matter became big.
No, it should be said that He Nian’s goal was to make this matter big.
She couldn’t let Jiang Xiaxia pay with her life, nor did she have the right to make her pay any price.
Because when her father died, Jiang Xiaxia was only ten years old. It was impossible for her to intentionally drown Jiang’s father, and she didn’t have the ability to do so.
The only possibility was as she said, her father sacrificed himself to save her and lost his life in the river.
Everything was voluntary, everything was just an accident.
But she couldn’t accept it.
She had never hated the Jiang family as much as she did at this moment.
She didn’t hate her father’s death because of Jiang Xiaxia.
She hated the fact that for so many years, the Jiang family had kept the cause of her father’s death a secret, adopting her and He Yi in the name of taking care of the neighbor’s children, and comfortably enjoying the praise of the villagers and the support fee from the Huo family.
Her father died because he saved someone.
But for so many years, they had always claimed it was an accidental drowning.
Every time she went to the riverside to wash clothes, she could hear the village grannies warning their own children, “Don’t play in deep water, be careful not to drown like your Uncle He.”
She cried, she missed, and in the end, she even hated.
She couldn’t understand why her father would jump into the water for no reason at that time, leaving them siblings to rely on the kindness of others and live cautiously.
And in her moments of sorrow, the instigator was praised as a kind-hearted person, enjoying the village’s commendation.
Why?
“Today, I trouble all the uncles and elders. I’m sorry, but I can’t let my father’s death remain a mystery, and I can’t continue to turn a blind eye to the thief acting as a father. I hope uncles and elders can agree to transfer my and Xiao Yi’s household registration.”
…
The hall where meetings were usually held in Shaping Village was now filled with people, all the elders of the village and the village chief and secretary.
They were all listening with serious expressions to He Nian’s words. The village chief turned to Eldest Uncle Jiang and his voice grew cold.
“Jiang Dazhuang, do you admit what He Nian said?”
Eldest Uncle Jiang remained silent, bowing his head and not speaking for a long time.
He wanted to deny it, but at the time, besides He Nian, Jiang’s aunt was also there to hear Jiang Xiaxia’s words.
She was still outside the door listening now, unable to fake anything.
In the current situation, the Jiang family was in a difficult position.
After hearing Jiang Xiaxia’s words, He Nian took her back to the hall and questioned them about her father’s cause of death.
Except for Grandma Jiang, the rest of the Jiang family members were not quick-witted people. Seeing this sudden turn of events, they were all dumbfounded. Eldest Uncle Jiang subconsciously said,
“Nian Nian, calm down. Let’s talk things out properly. Xiaxia didn’t have any ill intentions back then.”
…
With just this sentence, Grandma Jiang’s face turned pale, and all the justifications she had thought of on the way here couldn’t be spoken.
He Nian’s eyes were red with anger.
“Wasn’t it intentional? Jiang Xiaxia didn’t have ill intentions back then? What about the years of hiding and deceiving about my father’s cause of death? Was that also because there was no other choice?”
“I have my and Xiao Yi’s household registration hanging in your house, and I feel filthy! Fine, since you can’t give me an explanation and treat my father’s death as something insignificant, then I won’t say anything to you anymore. I will go find the Village Chief and the others to resolve this!”
…
“He Nian! Please don’t act rashly! He Nian!”
“He Nian, Grandma fainted. He Nian, have some pity for her, she’s already so old!”
“He Nian! Stop! Let me explain to you, just stop…”
But no matter what they shouted behind her, He Nian didn’t turn back.
Her expression was cold, tears streaming down her face, but her steps were determined.
…
And so, the scene we have now came to be.
After listening to He Nian’s words, the village chief blew out a smoke ring, sighed, and then called the village elders together.
In the meeting hall where they usually gathered, they discussed whether or not to agree to He Nian’s request to transfer her and He Yi’s household registration.
And outside the meeting hall, a crowd of people had gathered.
They were the wise and virtuous wives who had come to watch the show.
He Yi was still playing in the mountains, and Huo Xingchao casually called a child to go find him.
But seeing He Nian’s determined attitude and the absence of Grandma Jiang, it seemed that by the time he came down from the mountain, everything would have been resolved.
…
Aunt Jiang looked at the surprised and disdainful faces of the villagers and the murmurs of conversation, her face turning pale with anger.
“He Nian, even if Xiaxia didn’t tell us the truth back then, it was our mistake to misunderstand your father’s cause of death. But all these years, we adopted you and He Yi, treated you as our own children, was all that not real? Are you really going to repay us like this?!”
Repaying their adoption of her and He Yi with resentment?
She hadn’t said this before, but once she did, He Nian’s expression became even more mocking.
“Aunt Jiang, there was nothing wrong with you adopting me and He Yi. But when did you make any sacrifices? The Huo family provides you with food and support based on two adult men, and you happily accepted it, but did you ever say a word to me and He Yi? Later, when I went to school in the town, the money and food I brought back every month were enough to hire someone to take care of He Yi in the city. Did you raise us? What conscience do you have to say these words?”
“Am I repaying your kindness? Aunt Jiang, look deep into your heart and ask yourself, who is really repaying kindness?!”
…
The discussion at the entrance of the hall grew louder.
“Yeah, the Jiang family is just too heartless. They caused someone’s parents to die and still occupied their house and land under the guise of adoption, pretending to be good people. Really…”
“But they just bullied two young children. They used to complain about how burdensome it was to have so many children in the family, and I found it strange. With such a burden, why did they keep bringing back so many things every month from the city? It turns out it was all given to He Yi and them by the Huo family. Tsk tsk…”
“This is really… Oh, I’m getting goosebumps. Uncle He is such a good person, risking his own life to save their daughter, and they can still do these things without a guilty conscience…”
The villagers exchanged words of disdain and contempt, shaking their heads, looking at the Jiang family inside the hall with eyes full of scorn.
Like knives, they cut through the Jiang family members one by one.
What did the Jiang family value the most?
–Face.
What were they most afraid of?
–A tarnished reputation.
Therefore, now that He Nian had exposed the cover they had put over their shameful deeds for over a decade, tearing away the false “goodness” and revealing the hidden selfishness and hypocrisy inside, they had to endure the contempt and blame from the entire village for their character.
For the Jiang family, it was even more painful than being cut by a knife.
The village chief shook his head, ignoring the panicked Jiang family members, and made a resolution with the village elders.
“Since everything He Nian said is true, it is understandable that she and He Yi want to transfer their household registration. In addition, the few acres of land belonging to the He family cannot be divided among you anymore, and the He family’s house must be vacated within two days and returned to He Yi. Also, you must go to the grave of He’s eldest to apologize sincerely.”
“This is my resolution. Does anyone have any objections?”
The villagers at the entrance all expressed their agreement.
“That’s how it should be. Why should they do all the bad things and still take all the good things?”
“I’m telling you, this is too light. But evil will eventually meet its retribution. Doing so many heartless things, they will suffer the consequences one day!”
“Yes, yes, I remember. Back then, He’s son was such a kind-hearted person, strong and good. As a result, he saved the wrong person, and after he died, not even a clear cause of death was given. His wife is also pitiful…”
…
The village chief announced the resolution, and the elderly elders patted He Nian’s shoulder with sympathy before leaving with their canes, sighing.
But before they left, they walked past the dumbfounded Jiang family members and ruthlessly struck the ground with their canes as a warning.
The crowd gradually dispersed.
Huo Xingchao stood at the entrance, sincerely thanking the elders and the enthusiastic villagers.
Inside the hall, Jiang Xiaxia, who had been forbidden from entering, finally slipped in. Her eyes, once full of vitality, were now devoid of life.
Instead, they were filled with hatred and grievances.
“He Nian, don’t you feel guilty for what you’ve done? Don’t you have nightmares when you sleep at night?!”
“I don’t.”
He Nian turned back, staring at her with red eyes, tears falling uncontrollably since the village chief announced the resolution.
She didn’t wipe them away, just curled her lips and revealed a mocking and icy smile.
“For so many years, none of you had nightmares. Why should I?”
“Let me tell you, my father doesn’t need you to apologize at his grave. Kneeling there will only defile his resting place.”
“He Nian!”
Jiang Xiaxia couldn’t help but scream.
But the woman gave her a cold glance, saying nothing.
She pulled He Yi, who had arrived anxiously, and walked out. Her voice was calm.
“Jiang Xiaxia, if I were my father, when you were struggling in the water back then, I shouldn’t have bothered with you. I should have let you drown, so that I wouldn’t save a snake that would later bite the farmer and still complain that his blood wasn’t sweet enough.”
…
…
The day before leaving Shaping Village, Huo Xingchao woke up early and found that He Nian was missing.
He thought for a moment, woke up Huo Yiluo, who had come back with him, and after getting ready, he dressed her in her best clothes and took her to the graves of He’s parents.
Sure enough, He Nian was there.
The little girl had been well-behaved these past few days.
She must have sensed that her mother wasn’t feeling well, so she didn’t need anyone to coax her to eat or sleep. She would pat her mother and kiss her, trying her best to comfort her in her own way.
Thanks to her husband’s concern and her daughter’s warm comfort, He Nian’s mood had finally calmed down considerably.
She was different from He Yi.
From the moment He Yi was born, his parents had already passed away. When he heard the truth, apart from feeling somewhat angry, the pain in his heart wasn’t as great as his elder sister’s.
But He Nian knew how good her parents were.
Before the age of ten, it was the most carefree time of her life. Compared to other parents in the village, He’s parents were incredibly gentle, making all the children in the village envious.
At the moment she found out about her father’s cause of death, at the moment she discovered the years of deceit by the Jiang family, a boundless anger and sorrow surged in He Nian’s heart.
This emotion compelled her to do something; otherwise, she couldn’t accept it.
So, before the Jiang family could react, she went straight to Uncle Village Chief and urgently wanted to move her household registration out of this disgusting family.
…
Huo Xingchao carried Huo Yiluo over, and as his pants brushed against the grass, they made a soft sound.
He Nian turned around and saw the two of them. She quickly wiped away her tears and smiled.
“Why are you here?”
“I brought Yiluo to visit her grandparents.”
Huo Xingchao put down the little girl.
“Yiluo, say hello to your grandparents.”
Last year, Huo Yiluo had been here before, and at that time, her father had explained why her grandparents lived underground.
The little girl still remembered.
So she obediently nodded and spoke softly,
“Hello, grandparents. I’m Yiluo.”
“I’m four years old this year.”
“I like drawing, singing, and eating chocolate. By the way, have you tried chocolate, grandparents? It’s that kind that feels hard when you touch it, but it melts when you put it in your mouth…”
The little girl was a chatterbox.
When her dad asked her to say hello, she squatted on the ground and began speaking one sentence after another.
He Nian watched her small figure and couldn’t help but smile.
“If Mom and Dad were still here, seeing Yiluo and Yihao, they would be very happy.”
“He Nian…”
“You don’t need to worry.”
She interrupted him, curved her lips, and said, “I’m fine.”
“I’ve thought about it for a long time, and in the end, I had to admit that even if Dad knew the Jiang family was like this, he would probably still choose to save Jiang Xixi. That’s just his personality. Mom said that the reason Grandpa arranged my marriage back then was because he felt Dad was too soft-hearted, too kind-hearted, and he was worried about entrusting his grandchildren to him.”
“But I still think he was the best father in the world.”
“Brother Xingchao, don’t worry, I won’t be haunted by hatred anymore, and I won’t do anything anymore. I will live my life well, just as Mom hoped before she left. Then I’ll watch them suffer day by day because of the consequences they brought upon themselves.”
“This is the best revenge against them and the best consolation for Mom and Dad.”
The woman raised her head, her gaze falling between his gentle eyebrows. Listening to her daughter’s childish words in her ears, the curvature of her lips finally became relieved.
She held his hand, and her eyes were dyed with the golden light of the early morning.
“Brother Xingchao, thank you.”
…
The man slightly curved his lips, a shallow smile in his eyes. “Hmm.”
“No need to thank me.”
…
In that moment.
The light dots on their wrists merged with the sunlight.
Almost invisible.
“Starlight Value, 100%.”
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