Chapter 308: I Was Deceived By Him
Mentioning Du Wanqing, Wei Xia’s expression turned sinister and distorted again, her eyes full of hatred, and even her hands were trembling slightly.
She continued, “Du Wanqing wouldn’t admit it. She also mocked me for being useless, saying my work unit kept me only because of Jiang Chusheng’s face. She said a lot of ugly things about me.”
Sister Qiao immediately asked, “When you went to find Du Wanqing back then, was Jiang Chusheng there?”
Appropriately divert her attention; don’t let all the anger focus on one person.
Wei Xia’s tears immediately flowed down, and she stopped speaking, crying heartbrokenly.
Clearly, Jiang Chusheng hadn’t said anything nice to her either.
Then she came back like this.
What could be done at this point?
Aunt Han looked at the two street cadres and said, “I don’t know the specifics, but that bastard Jiang Chusheng wouldn’t give a single cent. He said the neighborhood committee had ruled it that way back then—he gave the house to Wei Xia, and he wouldn’t handle anything else.”
Sister Qiao reached out and patted Wei Xia’s back, softly consoling her, “Don’t cry. What’s the use of crying like this? Even if you cried yourself to death, it wouldn’t affect them.”
Wei Xia gradually stopped crying.
Her face was pale, her expression gloomy, and she murmured in a low voice, “Yeah, that’s exactly his thinking. He said not to put on an act in front of him, not to seek death. Even if I died, even right in front of him, he wouldn’t blink or shed a tear.
Jiang Chusheng also said that since I’m alive now, according to the divorce agreement, the children are mine to manage—he doesn’t even have the qualification. But if I died, he’d take the four children.”
Lu Qiaoge’s glance darkened, and she said straightforwardly, “If you believe his nonsense, even if you died, Jiang Chusheng wouldn’t take care of the children. Sister Qiao and Aunt Han are right—he’d make some good dishes with Du Wanqing, buy a bottle of good liquor, and happily toast to celebrate that eyesore like you has finally completely disappeared from this world.”
Wei Xia’s heart skipped a beat. She lifted her head and stared blankly at Lu Qiaoge.
Hearing this, she felt her scalp go numb.
Even Aunt Han was stunned for a moment. They all say that the little Comrade Lu the mediator from the neighborhood committee speaks bluntly and acts decisively—it seems it’s true.
Aunt Han liked people like this. Involuntarily, her eyes showed fondness as she nodded and said, “Comrade Lu is right. Torturing yourself is useless. Otherwise, why not fake your death and see if Jiang Chusheng and Du Wanqing will properly take care of the four children?”
Lu Qiaoge nodded along. “Aunt Han is right. You surely know what they mean by ‘loved ones grieve, enemies rejoice.’ Of course, that’s not the main issue now. The main issue is that you’re alive now, and you have four children. But speaking of which, I want to ask—what happened to the injuries on the children’s hands?”
Wei Xia’s tears dripped down, her voice full of regret. “I… I hit them. It’s all my fault.”
Someone like Wei Xia had a very complex personality.
If she met a man who treated her well, she might live happily for life.
But if she met someone like Jiang Chusheng, her life would be ruined.
And a cowardly personality was the best foundation for transferring anger.
Lu Qiaoge held back her anger and asked Wei Xia, “You and Jiang Chusheng divorced at Xiangyang Neighborhood Committee, with many of our cadres present. He even signed the divorce agreement, agreeing to pay child support for the four children until they could live independently. If he won’t admit it, you can go to the neighborhood committee.”
Wei Xia’s lips trembled, her eyes full of regret. “I… I was tricked by him back then. When we got home, he said it was a fake divorce too—what was the point of keeping that agreement? He said it was unlucky, so he burned both copies of the agreement. I… I have nothing in hand.”
Sister Qiao was exasperated. “Are you stupid? Did you forget we at the neighborhood committee kept a copy? Why didn’t you come to us at the neighborhood committee?”
Wei Xia was stunned for a moment, then said after a while, “Jiang Chusheng said he’s now a resident of Qianjin Neighborhood Committee, and Xiangyang Neighborhood Committee has no jurisdiction over him.”
“So you believed him? Why did you believe that bastard so much?” Aunt Han was furious.
Lu Qiaoge opened her shoulder bag, holding the divorce agreement in her hand, and confidently told Wei Xia, “Look, I brought the agreement. He won’t dare not pay child support. Even if he’s from Qianjin Neighborhood Committee, even if he runs off to Beidu to be a minister, we can still go demand the money. What, does Qianjin Neighborhood Committee not fall under Dragon Country’s jurisdiction anymore? Should we go ask Director Han too?”
Wei Xia looked somewhat bewildered.
Then she said, “He said I’m no longer a military factory family member, and not to stir up trouble, or else losing the house would have nothing to do with him…”
Sister Qiao frowned. “Don’t believe whatever he says. You should know our Xiangyang Neighborhood Committee’s work style.”
Wei Xia said guiltily, “I didn’t dare go, also because of that. Now I know—thank you for coming.”
Since her emotions had stabilized, the three took turns criticizing her for hitting the children.
But they stopped at that; the main issue now was finding Jiang Chusheng, making him pay child support and the children’s medical expenses—he had to cover half—then there was Du Wanqing and that so-called relative.
All of this needed to be investigated clearly.
Wei Xia was a formal worker; she couldn’t just be dismissed.
Was this because she no longer had military factory workers backing her?
Since she was a resident in Xiangyang Neighborhood Committee’s jurisdiction, their street cadres had the right to handle it thoroughly.
At this time, Cadre Liu also returned, bringing a horse-drawn cart loaded with a pile of firewood and coal.
Cadre Liu held a paper packet with five buns inside. He handed them to the three children and told them to eat quickly.
The little girl timidly took the buns, swallowed some saliva, and the back of her hand holding the buns bore marks from being hit with a wooden stick.
It wasn’t very serious, but this was just a seven-year-old child.
One could only pity her misfortune and be angry at her lack of fight.
If there weren’t these four children, who would care if Wei Xia lived or died? If she wanted to die, go ahead— one less mouth wasting grain.
That was exactly what Cadre Liu thought.
Remembering something, Cadre Liu asked the little girl in a gentle voice, “Don’t you have an elder sister? Why isn’t she home?”
“Elder Sister… Elder Sister went to school.”
Cadre Liu breathed a sigh of relief.
The children could go to school, so Wei Xia wasn’t beyond saving.
Whether it was Lu Qiaoge’s energy at work or the three women’s mix of consolation and criticism, Wei Xia’s complexion improved a lot.
Her tears still wouldn’t stop, but her voice was full of guilt, as if she had finally come to her senses. “I was wrong… I’m not a good mother. Please rest assured, street cadres—I won’t do this again.”
Sister Qiao said, “Saying it with your mouth is no use; we need to see your actual actions.”
Wei Xia nodded hurriedly. “I know. I’ll remember. Really.”
Children of this era were basically free-range and very tough; many got beaten. In the current situation, as long as it wasn’t like Liu Yu getting beaten, it was normal.
