Chapter 107: Adultery with the Sister-in-law
Aunt Chunhua smacked Zhang Weimin on the forehead. “When you’re away from home, in an unfamiliar place, can’t you use your head a little more?”
Zhang Weimin held his head, on the verge of tears. I’m not a kid anymore, can’t you leave me a little dignity?
The group sat in the courtyard, waiting for quite a while, but neither Du Xiujun nor Su Qianqian came out.
Mu Lantu rubbed his stomach. He was hungry too.
Xu Huazhang pulled three sesame cakes out of his bag—one for Aunt Chunhua, one for Xu Jincheng. The last one he split with Mu Lantu.
Aunt Chunhua shared half with Zhang Weimin, and Xu Jincheng split his with Lu Manman.
After another five minutes, instead of Su Qianqian or Du Xiujun, a middle-aged man strode into the yard.
He had a square, sun-darkened face with a mild smile, his eyes calm as they swept over the group.
He hung his straw hat on a wooden peg by the wall and said with a smile:
“Where are our honored guests from? Sorry to have kept you waiting. I’m the master of this household—Li Shengli.”
Xu Jincheng explained who they were and why they’d come.
Li Shengli understood. “Ah, so you’re friends of my second son’s wife. No wonder I called you honored guests. Shuangfeng County is no short journey from here!”
At that moment, a young woman entered carrying the two little girls they’d seen earlier. She was in her early twenties, over 1.7 meters tall, sturdy in frame but not fat. Though not good-looking, her expression was gentle, and she gave the visitors a friendly smile.
Li Shengli introduced her: “This is my eldest son’s wife, Hu Ying.”
“Father, you stay with the guests, I’ll cook,” Hu Ying said, setting the children down and heading to the kitchen.
Just then, the curtain lifted, and Du Xiujun walked out supporting someone.
The woman had a wan face, dark circles under her eyes, and a slightly bulging belly. It was none other than Su Qianqian, long unseen.
At the sight of Xu Jincheng and the others, tears streamed down her cheeks. Her lips trembled, as if she had a thousand words bottled up.
Du Xiujun coughed lightly. “Child, you’re pregnant now. You must take care of yourself. Even if you’re happy to see your friends, don’t get too excited. Stop crying, alright?”
“Qianqian, you’re expecting? Why didn’t you call us? We could’ve brought you things for the baby.” Lu Manman hurried over to support her. But she felt Su Qianqian’s hand clutch tightly at the back of her clothes, and her heart sank.
Aunt Chunhua pushed past Du Xiujun, helped Qianqian into a chair.
“Yes, if we hadn’t just happened to have free time to visit, we wouldn’t have known you were pregnant. Isn’t Changsheng working at the food factory? Surely they have a phone there. It wouldn’t have been trouble to call our brigade.”
“—Ugh!” Su Qianqian clamped her hand over her mouth, running to the gate to retch sour liquid.
Du Xiujun followed. “See? You can’t sit too long like this. Better you rest inside.”
“I’m fine,” Su Qianqian evaded her hand, rinsed her mouth with water. “My friends came all this way. I should greet them myself, otherwise it’s too rude. Aunt Chunhua, Sister Manman, help me.”
Du Xiujun’s face twitched. She glanced at Li Shengli, then sat down, lifting her teacup.
“Here, have some tea.”
Everyone smiled politely.
“No need, Auntie, we’re not thirsty.”
Su Qianqian bit her lip. “Father, Mother, may I speak with my friends alone?”
“Of course,” Du Xiujun said, patting her back. “I understand your feelings. It’s normal to find things difficult when first married. But you must learn to adapt, so your friends won’t worry. Friends are valuable, but the ones who’ll stay with you all your life are your husband and children. Don’t blame me for being blunt—I treat you like my own daughter, I say this for your sake.”
Li Shengli smoothed things over. “Enough, don’t nag. The second son’s wife is sensible; she knows what she’s doing.”
Du Xiujun added, “Stay in the courtyard then. Qianqian’s pregnant, the ground outside is uneven and unsafe.”
Aunt Chunhua chuckled, “Don’t worry, we’re all here. Nothing will happen to the big sister-in-law’s grandchild.”
Li Shengli stayed silent.
Reluctantly, Du Xiujun watched them leave the yard and head toward the village road by the pond.
Casting a glance toward the kitchen, she whispered, “What do we do?”
Li Shengli smiled, heading inside. Du Xiujun quickly followed.
They shut the door, latched the windows, drew the curtains.
At the kitchen entrance, Hu Ying stared at the sealed doors and windows, brows knitted, her heart pounding strangely fast. She rushed to scoop up her daughters, holding them tightly until her heartbeat steadied a little…
“Husband, what now?” Du Xiujun paced in panic. “Why did Qianqian’s friends come so suddenly? Are they really that close—to travel so far just to see her? We give her food and clothes, can’t she just stay put obediently?”
“Are you sure she hasn’t had a chance to phone or write home?” Li Shengli asked coldly.
“Impossible!” Du Xiujun said firmly. “The day after she married in, I had Changsheng search all her things. Money, tickets, envelopes, stamps, pen—all taken away! She’s had no chance to call or write.”
Li Shengli sighed. “They came too suddenly. We weren’t prepared. If she wants to leave, we might have to let her go.”
Du Xiujun’s eyes widened. “What are you saying? If she leaves, how do we explain to Changsheng? Your son really likes her!”
“And what do you suggest?” Li Shengli snapped. “If we keep her and she exposes the family’s real secret, we’re all finished!”
Du Xiujun paled. “But… Changsheng…”
Li Shengli snorted. “Our son works on state rations. He can get any pretty woman he wants.”
Du Xiujun protested, “But she’s carrying our grandchild—maybe even twins!”
Li Shengli grew impatient. “With women, grandchildren aren’t a problem. And besides, the eldest son’s wife can still bear children.”
Du Xiujun fell silent. True as that might be, the next woman might not be as easy to manipulate as Su Qianqian.
Li Shengli looked out the window, murmured, “I wonder how their talk is going…”
Du Xiujun said coldly, “Didn’t think they’d be so cautious. If only they’d drunk the tea—once unconscious, I could’ve hidden Qianqian in the cellar. As long as they never met, things could stay the same as before!”
Li Shengli now felt his decision was right. “They have sharp ones among them. Seems we can’t stop Qianqian from leaving.”
“It’s all Changsheng’s fault, careless fool…” Du Xiujun sighed.
Li Shengli was quiet. “Luckily he’s not home, or this would blow up badly. As for Hu Ying—we must keep her steady.”
At the mention of Hu Ying, even Du Xiujun grew uneasy. “Should we send her back to her mother’s for a few days?”
Li Shengli nodded. “Not yet. If we tell her now, it may alarm her. Wait until tonight.”
[Host, that’s all.]
Mu Lantu, listening to 005’s report, frowned in thought. What exactly is the Li family’s true secret?
[Anything else?]
005: [Nothing for now. They’re just sitting in silence.]
Unable to glean more, Mu Lantu told 005 to end the surveillance.
Meanwhile, the group had gathered under a willow tree by the village road.
The fields were empty, smoke curled from distant chimneys, and the sounds of chickens and dogs drifted faintly.
Lu Manman asked anxiously: “Qianqian, what on earth happened? We’re still completely in the dark!”
Tears streamed down Su Qianqian’s face. “Take me with you, please! Li Changsheng—he’s a beast! He, he…”
Aunt Chunhua slapped her thigh in agitation. “Spit it out already! What did he do?”
“Ugh—” Qianqian retched again. “He… when his elder brother wasn’t home, he had… an affair… with his sister-in-law!”
Xu Jincheng and Lu Manman were stunned.
“What!”
Only then did they realize Qianqian’s vomiting wasn’t from pregnancy—but from sheer disgust.
Yet Mu Lantu felt this still wasn’t the Li family’s real secret.
Aunt Chunhua and Zhang Weimin, however, looked indifferent.
Xu Jincheng and Lu Manman stared at them in surprise.
Aunt Chunhua gave an awkward laugh. “This sort of thing… isn’t rare.” After all, it had happened before in the Dongfanghong Brigade.
Zhang Weimin shrugged, staring at the willow branches. Small villages held many secrets, but none were truly hidden. Only the educated youths, who came later, didn’t know.
Qianqian sobbed uncontrollably. “It’s disgusting, utterly disgusting! I even suspect… those two little girls might actually be his! That night, I—I woke up by accident and saw with my own eyes—him entering his sister-in-law’s room. I’m all alone here, no one to help me. I didn’t dare say anything outright. But I think he noticed… because since then, I can’t stand him touching me…”
The men awkwardly moved a bit farther away.
Lu Manman asked carefully, “Could you have mistaken it? Aren’t he and his brother twins? They look identical.”
Qianqian shook her head. “They may look alike, but their personalities, habits, gestures, postures are different. I’m sure—it was Li Changsheng! Ugh—if I exposed it, they’d beat me, maybe even kill me…”
Aunt Chunhua hugged her in pity.
