WBSGVS Chapter 125

Ten years!

This wasn’t like modern times, where good behavior might get your sentence reduced. When they said ten years, they meant ten years—no more, no less.

It was another sweltering summer, perfect for ice cream and popsicles. Tang Ersong stepped off the train and returned to his hometown with a dazed expression.

The labor camp where he served his sentence wasn’t on this fertile land. Criminals weren’t sent to such desirable places. Instead, he had been sent to a barren, harsh region. But now, he was finally back!

The train pulled away behind him, but Tang Ersong couldn’t tear his greedy eyes away from the drastically changed train station in front of him. He walked with unsteady steps, pausing every few feet to look around, hoping not to miss the person he’d asked to meet him.

His daughter, Sanya, wasn’t allowed to come because her mother had forbidden it. He resented Li Lanhua for disregarding their years of marriage. However, besides Sanya, his younger sister still remembered him and occasionally wrote letters.

Before his release, he had written home, asking them to come pick him up.

Since his younger sister cared so much about him, she would show up.

But as he walked, he didn’t see anyone and didn’t dare wander too far. He found a spot to sit and waited.

Suddenly, a tractor drove by. Tang Ersong curiously watched it, surprised to see a young girl behind the wheel. He was astonished—women could drive tractors now?

Women had become so capable in just ten years!

His sister had mentioned in her letters that Sanya was doing well. Although he didn’t have a son yet, he had a plan: once home, he would ask his eldest or youngest brother to let him adopt one of their sons. With Sanya’s salary, which was already several dozen yuan a month, raising a child would be no problem. He could even earn work points to save for a house for his adopted son.

That was the dream he clung to as he left the labor camp. Seeing this girl on the tractor reminded him of Sanya and reignited his hopes for a bright future.

Despite spending ten years in the camp, he believed his days of hardship were over, and he could finally enjoy life.

But there was something familiar about the girl. Tang Ersong couldn’t help but stare at her.

The girl on the tractor seemed to sense his gaze and turned to look at him. Their eyes met. Ten years had passed, and so much had changed, yet at that moment, Tang Ersong felt a deep certainty. Clutching his meager luggage, he ran toward her.

The closer he got, the more convinced he became. Her cold expression didn’t deter him; he simply assumed she didn’t recognize him yet. Overjoyed, he called out, “Sanya!”

Qingli glanced at him but didn’t respond.

If she had known she’d run into him today, she would’ve prayed at the temple before leaving the house!

Tang Ersong was confused. Could it be that he was wrong? He moved closer, his eyes scanning her face, and then noticed a scar on her arm. Excitedly, he exclaimed, “Sanya! You are Sanya!”

Qingli remained silent, her gaze drifting toward the village chief’s office. She muttered to herself, What’s taking the chief so long?

“I’m your father, Sanya! Didn’t you hear me?” Tang Ersong grew anxious. Unable to resist, he reached out to tap her on the head—a gesture he’d always done in the past. He saw no reason to change after ten years; they were still father and daughter, just like him and his parents, whom he had never dared disobey, even when they tried to sell his daughter.

“I’m Tang Ersong, your real father!” he declared.

His hand was halfway to her head when a young man suddenly rushed over and kicked him.

“How dare you harass her? Do you want me to send you straight back to prison?” the young man shouted angrily.

“Pfft!” Qingli couldn’t help but laugh, her irritation vanishing.

Tang Ersong, however, was completely bewildered. His ten years in the labor camp had left him with a deep psychological fear of prison. He immediately grew flustered, his anger mixed with panic and a trace of grievance. “I’m her father!” he yelled.

To avoid the young man being further confused, Qingli quickly thanked him and explained the situation.

Tao Zeming, the young man, looked at Qingli, then at the disheveled Tang Ersong, and took two cautious steps back, unsure whether to get involved further.

Tang Ersong, still fuming, turned his attention back to Qingli. She sat on the tractor, calm and composed, and looked at him with a faint smile. “You mean the father who sold me?”

“Sold?” Tao Zeming was stunned, his expression turning to disgust as he stared at Tang Ersong.

Tang Ersong’s face flushed with shame and anger, but he quickly tried to justify himself. “Even if I did, I’m still your father. You can’t just deny me!”

Seeing her unshaken expression, his frustration grew. “You wouldn’t dare refuse to acknowledge me, would you?”

“Of course I dare. We’ve already published the announcement severing ties,” Qingli replied calmly.

Tang Ersong’s face twitched. He glared at her, raising his hand as if to strike. But when he noticed the young man watching him closely, ready to intervene, he hesitated and lowered his hand in defeat. “Even if you’ve severed ties, I’m still your father by blood. You can’t change that. Denying me is unfilial!”

Qingli’s gaze shifted to the bustling train station entrance. Her expression darkened. Finally, she opened her mouth and spat out one word: “Leave.”

If it weren’t for the social consequences of a daughter physically fighting her father, she would have already dealt with him herself.

Tang Ersong trembled with anger, pointing at her and yelling, “Look, everyone! My own daughter is refusing to acknowledge me!”

His shout immediately drew a crowd of onlookers, their judgmental eyes falling on Qingli.

Just then, the village chief arrived in a rush. He shoved Tang Ersong aside and scolded, “Tang Ersong, what’s your deal? You sold your daughter, and now you want her back? Where’s your shame?”

Tang Ersong stood there, dazed. He didn’t recognize the man in front of him, but seeing his stature and presence, he immediately assumed he was Li Lanhua’s new husband. The man was tall and powerful, dressed far better than he was. Tang Ersong’s face turned red with embarrassment as he yelled, “What’s your problem? Even if I hit her, cursed her, and sold her, she’s still my daughter! Without me, could she survive? Could she deny me? Would she acknowledge you? If it weren’t for her ability to make money, would you care about her?”

The village chief sneered. “I don’t care if she makes money or not. I’m the village chief, and she’s one of the children in my village. It’s my duty to take care of her.”

The village chief?

An official?

Tang Ersong snapped back to reality. He knew he couldn’t mess with his parents or anyone in power. His face turned pale, his momentum faltering. He stammered, “V-village chief…”

“Go, go, go! Since you’re back, go home!” The village chief, seeing that Tang Ersong wasn’t making a scene anymore, waved his hand and shooed him away.

Tang Ersong was reluctant, but when he looked at Qingli, who ignored him, he realized it was best not to cause more trouble.

He didn’t dare to make a scene. He just stood there, helpless.

Qingli didn’t even glance at him, coldly urging, “Village chief, let everyone get on the bus. We’ll leave first.”

“Got it,” the village chief nodded, signaling for the new workers to get on the bus.

The vehicle rumbled away, leaving behind a cloud of exhaust.

The driver didn’t even glance back at the man left standing at the spacious train station exit.

Tang Ersong was filled with anger and frustration. Tears welled in his eyes as he clutched his meager belongings tightly. A gust of wind blew, and even in the summer heat, he shivered, feeling as if everything had turned out completely differently from what he had imagined or what his younger sister had described in her letters.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Tang Tiantian was facing a storm of her own.

Tang Tiantian emerged from her room, her cheek stinging from a slap. Behind her, the room door remained open, revealing her mother and son lying on the bed, barely clothed. The room reeked of alcohol, making everything feel dizzying. Yet, Tang Tiantian’s face bore a triumphant smile.

It had been two years.

She had endured two years with this mother and son!

Tang Tiantian wasn’t stupid. Though she had been spoiled and lacked experience, she was shrewd when it came to her benefit. For example, when she lived with her eldest brother’s family, she could get them to take care of her without daring to speak out, letting her do as she pleased.

Now, she was done tolerating them. It was time for this mother and son to meet their end.

If it weren’t for needing someone to support her over these two years, she would have been long gone. To avoid pregnancy, she secretly traveled far to find a barefoot doctor to get contraceptive pills. To avoid being beaten, she made a scene repeatedly, and after more than a year, she had finally managed to live peacefully.

Having survived the hardest part, she was now about to step into a better life.

Just days ago, she had received a letter from her second brother. He was about to be released from labor reform. Unlike her eldest brother and the others, who refused to take care of her, her second brother was different.

Though her parents were still serving their sentences, they were alive. Her second brother was the one who listened to their words the most and would certainly take good care of her. With Sanya being such a money-earner, her second brother wouldn’t have to suffer.

With this, she didn’t need any man.

Tang Tiantian wiped her face, and the smug smile turned to fear and anger as she rushed out, shouting, “Help—there’s been an accident!”

The quiet village was immediately thrown into a commotion, with curious villagers rushing out to see what was going on.

A woman hurried over, offering comfort. “Did you get hit again? Come to my house and rest for a bit.”

“What’s going on? Didn’t things calm down for a while?”

“No…” Tang Tiantian shook her head, tears welling in her eyes as her face turned a mix of sadness and anger. She pointed toward the room as though she couldn’t bring herself to speak.

The crowd’s eyes shifted, and they cautiously asked, “What happened? Should we go check?”

“Don’t!” Tang Tiantian quickly shook her head, trying to stop them, but her sobbing weakened her, and she couldn’t stop them in time.

Her attempts to prevent them only made the curious villagers more eager. One by one, they entered the house.

The first woman to arrive gasped, “Oh my god!!”

“What’s going on?” another woman asked, rushing to catch up. When she saw the scene, she screamed, “Oh my god—”

“Heavens, they really…!!”

Tang Tiantian collapsed to the floor, crying out, “What kind of karma is this, marrying into such a family…”

The first woman to see the situation ran out with a look of disbelief. “I didn’t expect them to be like this, mother and son…”

She stepped back, and the others took her place, peering through the doorway at the oblivious pair inside. They stared at the scene, disgusted, before retreating to comfort Tang Tiantian.

After she had cried and caused a scene, enough people had gathered to watch, and Tang Tiantian wiped her tears. With the villagers offering their sympathy, she declared she was going back to her family’s house.

No one stopped her. It was time to go; this was too embarrassing.

But unexpectedly, Tang Tiantian didn’t head to her family’s house. Instead, she went to the police station. “I want to report my husband and his mother for an affair!”