Time-Travel: The Tragic Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Character Makes a Comeback
CHAPTER 119: The 1980s Villain’s Biological Mother (12)
In the end, the village chief and the Women’s Federation representatives accompanied the old Wang couple on a trip to their eldest son’s home.
They were going to ask for the money.
Wang Zhuang did odd jobs hauling carts in town. He and his wife lived in an empty house belonging to his wife’s family, not far from town.
There were only Ma Ying and her younger brother in her family. Her younger brother had married a woman from the county town, and his entire family had moved there.
This was also why Ma Ying had the confidence to take charge. Since they were living in an empty house belonging to her family, she was the one who ran the household and had the final say.
Fortunately, the Women’s Federation representatives had come by bicycle, so it only took them thirty or forty minutes to reach town.
Once they arrived, the old Wang couple explained the situation to their eldest son. Wang Zhuang stubbornly kept his mouth shut. If the village chief and the Women’s Federation representatives hadn’t been there, he would probably have already told them to get lost.
It was obvious to the Women’s Federation representatives that Wang Zhuang wasn’t happy about it. They had already been running around all day and just wanted to get the matter settled as quickly as possible, so they gave him a stern lecture.
“Your parents gave you five or six hundred yuan over the years. Now that they’re in trouble, helping them out as their son is simply paying them back. It’s not like we’re asking you to spend your own money.”
“Besides, as their son, it’s your responsibility to support your parents. They have no one else to rely on right now. If you really refuse to lend them a hand, then you’re being completely unfilial. How can someone like that be trusted with the job you have now? I’ll have to have a word with your supervisor about this.”
Wang Zhuang’s face and neck turned red from the scolding. Naturally, he couldn’t risk losing his job over this, so he could only grit his teeth and take them home.
When Ma Ying heard that her husband needed to come up with 500 yuan, she was so furious she nearly dropped dead on the spot.
Wang Zhuang looked equally troubled. He pulled her into the house and lowered his voice as he explained, “The village chief and the Women’s Federation people are putting pressure on me. If I don’t pay the money back, I won’t even be able to keep working in town. I can earn forty yuan a month there. If I lose that job, I won't be able to save up a year's salary even if I go back to farm for two years.”
Ma Ying snapped angrily, “They’re abusing their authority to bully people! Just wait, I’ll report them!”
Wang Zhuang was speechless for a moment before lowering his voice. “My parents have a habit of keeping records. They really did give us more than 600 yuan over the years, all of it taken from Junzi’s wages. Anyone who checks can find it. The village chief was already hinting at that just now.”
Ma Ying immediately deflated, gritting her teeth as she cursed, “Not only did we fail to get that 3,000-plus yuan death benefit, now we have to spit out the money we already got our hands on. How did I end up with such a useless husband?!”
Wang Zhuang was a grown man himself, and he was starting to lose his temper too. He plopped down on the bed and snapped, “Then just keep the 500 yuan. Worst case, I lose my job and go back home to farm.”
Ma Ying angrily got to her feet and punched him several times, tears streaming down her face as she dug through the cabinet for their savings. They had only managed to save 1,200 yuan in all these years. She counted out 500 yuan and threw it at him.
“Take it! And I’m telling you, this is the last time. If you come asking me for money again, don’t even think about it! Consider this 500 yuan repayment to your parents. From now on, don’t expect us to support them when they’re old!”
Wang Zhuang breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly picked up the money from the floor, said a few soothing words to placate her, and then left.
Ma Ying’s heart was bleeding. Furious, she swept the sewing basket and everything on the table onto the floor.
Those two old fools! They can forget about setting foot in this house ever again!
……
That very afternoon, Mu Shuhui received the 500 yuan.
She also got a severance declaration cutting all ties with the Wang family. Mu Shuhui had borrowed a pen and written it herself, making sure to cover everything in detail. It stated that she and her two children had no further relationship with the Wang family and no obligation to support the old Wang couple. Even if the matter ever ended up in court, she had nothing to worry about.
The old Wang couple hated them so much their teeth practically itched. They couldn’t have been happier to sever all ties with them, so they readily pressed their fingerprints onto the document in the presence of the Women’s Federation representatives and the village chief. They also awkwardly wrote their names and signed.
The village chief stamped it with the village seal, while the Women’s Federation representatives added their own stamp as witnesses.
There were three copies in total. Each side kept one, while the village chief kept the third as a record.
And with that, the matter was finally settled.
The Women’s Federation representatives and the village chief were exhausted after all the running around, so they each headed home.
Since it was already getting late, Mu Shuhui planned to move out the next day. For now, she went about her usual routine, taking the children to wash up and preparing dinner.
With the neighbors and village chief gone, the old Wang couple didn’t dare say a word with this troublemaker still around. They hid inside their room and refused to come out, afraid she might give them another beating before leaving.
Compared to Mu Shuhui’s cheerful mood, the two children seemed rather downcast.
The neighbors had been saying that raising children was a burden, that if she couldn’t afford to support them, she might end up exhausting herself, and that there were plenty of kidnappers out there waiting to prey on women traveling with children...
The two children were afraid of becoming a burden to their mother. They were also afraid that she might remarry someday and abandon them.
Wang Chaoyang pressed his lips together, holding his little sister’s hand tightly. He couldn’t help asking, “W-Will you remarry?”
Mu Shuhui was drinking water and immediately choked when she heard that. She looked at the two little turnip heads in surprise.
“So after everything I’ve said to you these past two days, none of it got through to you? What made you think I would ever abandon you?”
Wang Chaoyang pressed his lips together without saying a word. Er Ya immediately spoke up.
“Mom, the aunties next door said you’ll remarry someday and have a new baby, so you won’t have time to take care of us anymore. They said we’d become burdens you have to drag around.”
Mu Shuhui smiled. “Those are just things people say when they have too much time on their hands. They’re making things up and scaring you for no reason.
“Didn’t Mom promise you that I’d take you away from here, make sure you can go to school, and give you a better life? Do you really think the words of outsiders are more trustworthy than your mother’s?”
Er Ya immediately shook her head. “Er Ya believes Mom.”
Mu Shuhui looked at her brother. “What about you? Do you also think Mom can’t be trusted?”
Wang Chaoyang clenched his fingers and muttered gloomily, “Those people are always saying bad things about others. They can’t be trusted.”
“Then what’s still making you unhappy?” Mu Shuhui asked.
Wang Chaoyang lowered his head. After a moment, he suddenly asked, “Then... are my sister and I a burden to you?”
“Of course not. You didn’t choose to be born. Your parents were the ones who brought you into this world. Once parents choose to have children, it’s their responsibility to raise them properly and take responsibility for them. If any parent says their children are a burden, then they should look at themselves and ask why they had children without thinking it through. If they don’t want to take responsibility, then they shouldn’t have children in the first place. Once they bring a child into this world, they have to take responsibility.”
After saying that, Mu Shuhui walked over and gently rubbed his head. She said seriously, “Don’t look for something to blame yourself for. You haven’t done anything wrong. With Mom here, you can grow up freely without being afraid of anything anymore.”
Wang Chaoyang’s tears kept falling. Even though he was more mature than other children his age, he was still only six years old. He sobbed so hard he could barely catch his breath, then wrapped his little arms tightly around his mother.
Mu Shuhui sighed quietly and hugged him, soothing him. “Don’t be afraid. Mom will always be here. I’ll protect you both. From now on, I won’t let anyone bully you.”
Seeing her brother crying, Er Ya came over with tears in her eyes and hugged him too.
“Don’t cry, Brother. When Er Ya grows up, I’ll protect you too.”
Mu Shuhui pulled the little girl into her arms as well, holding both children close as a thousand emotions filled her heart.
This time, it was a brand-new beginning. The two sensible children were finally about to escape the environment that would have eventually driven them down a dark path.
Their lives were sure to unfold differently from here on, opening a whole new chapter.
……
That night, after getting the two kids to sleep, Mu Shuhui slipped into her space to count up her savings.
There was 3,278 yuan in the cloth bundle she had picked up, plus the 500 yuan from the death benefit she had received when the household was divided, and another 500 yuan in compensation from earlier.
That made a total of 4,278 yuan.
She had spent a few dozen yuan these past few days buying food, drinks, and clothes in town, but she still had more than 4,200 yuan left.
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