C7 It Was Not as Good as a Pig

Gu Yingchu suddenly realized another issue: when they were kicked out, she didn't get a written promise from the old lady. Now, it might be a messy situation to sort out.

Gu Chengwang grabbed Dung Qiu's arm and said, "You think you can just leave without my say-so?"

Gu Yingchu pulled Dung Qiu back. "The old lady made it clear yesterday. If you want to back out, talk to the village chief. If you want to take us back, that's not impossible."

Determined to meet the village chief, Gu Yingchu insisted, and Gu Chengwang, wanting to show her the consequences, agreed.

Meanwhile, Lin Manru had her eyes on the fish. If they left, she could easily take them.

Gu Yingchu had already figured out Lin Manru's intentions. As they left, she locked the door. Even though it was a rundown house, locking it would still keep Lin Manru out.

Seeing the rusty lock, Lin Manru silently cursed Gu Yingchu.

Biting her lip, Lin Manru reluctantly said to Dung Qiu, "Sister-in-law, they say you shouldn't air your dirty laundry in public. Are you sure you want to discuss this in front of the village chief?"

In the rural 1980s, a woman's reputation was everything, and Dung Qiu hesitated.

Lin Manru continued, "Yingchu's reputation isn't great right now. If you go through with this, it'll only get worse, and she'll have a hard time finding a good husband in the future."

Dung Qiu just couldn't find a good family to marry into, which led to a lifetime of hardship. Hearing this made her heart tighten with worry.

Gu Yingchu scoffed and said, "You're not even part of the Gu family, so why are you always butting in?"

Gu Yingchu showed Lin Manru no respect.

Lin Manru was furious, but Gu Yingchu didn't even glance her way, so her anger was pointless.

The group headed toward the village committee.

Gu Yingchu's rundown house was in a remote part of the village, so they had to walk along a worn-out gravel road. Gu Yingchu noticed that people from this era used old tombstones to pave roads. It was probably something they did while trying to break away from superstitions.

When they reached the village committee, they happened to see the old village chief, Gu Hann, coming out of the meeting room.

"Uncle," Gu Chengwang greeted him.

Hearing this, Gu Yingchu remembered that Gu Hann was somewhat related to Gu Chengwang's family—not a direct uncle, but still a relative within the extended family.

In Gu family Village, the Gu family members were the ones in charge.

Seeing the group, Gu Hann asked, "What are you here for? Your dad's out on business."

"I'm not here to see my dad," Gu Chengwang replied.

Gu Yingchu stepped forward and said, "Chief, we're here to resolve my mom's issue. We were kicked out of the old Gu family house yesterday, and the old lady told us not to come back. Today, they've changed their minds. So, I’d like you to witness this and ensure they don't bother us again."

Yingchu didn't wait for Chengwang to speak; she immediately recounted everything that had happened. From the moment she opened her eyes and saw the small house, realizing no one cared whether she lived or died, to Dung Qiu secretly giving her sweet potato peels meant for the pigs, only to be scolded by the family. Finally, she described how the old woman constantly berated her, telling her to leave.

At that time, no matter how much Dung Qiu pleaded, it was useless. In the old woman's eyes, she was worth less than a pig that could be sold for money. The old woman used every insult she could think of, each more hurtful than the last. Then there was Manru, who exaggerated everything to force her and her mother out, only offering them a few wild greens meant for the pigs.

As soon as Manru heard this, her face suddenly changed.