Reborn 73 years later, he takes his mother-in-law hunting in the mountains.

Chapter 558 I'll Talk Even If It Kills Me

Lu Yao wondered why these two girls wanted to dig a well for Youxiang.

Youxiang is so pitiful.

Hurry up and stop them.

Ding Mei said angrily, "Tuwazi, you're back just in time! That Zheng Wenli is so wicked; he actually tried to sow discord between me and Sister Shumei."

Yuan Shumei was also indignant: "He wasn't beaten enough! I never expected a cultured person like him to say such vulgar things!"

Lu Yao was puzzled: "You mean... Zheng Wenli is in this room?"

Upon further inquiry, it was discovered that Zheng Wenli had just arrived.

Zheng Wenli has been unable to eat or sleep properly these past few days.

Hearing that Ding Mei was going to marry Lu Yao, I felt like I had a fishbone stuck in my throat, like I was sitting on pins and needles, like I had thorns in my back. I was uncomfortable whether I was sitting, lying down, or standing.

He loved Ding Mei to the core, but his love was unrequited.

He could accept not being able to have the love he desired, believing that time would reveal true character and that Ding Mei would eventually be moved.

However, Ding Mei's hopes were completely dashed once she got married.

Even if Ding Mei later discovers she married the wrong person and comes back to him, she will no longer be a virgin.

He wanted to talk to Ding Mei again to clarify things, but he was afraid of being beaten up by Lu Yao.

Whenever Yang Shouye mentioned it, Lu Yao would say that he was a beast and should not be messed with.

But after weighing the pros and cons, he still felt that he had to come.

Even if Lu Yao were a beast, or even a demon, I would still come.

We cannot stand by and watch Ding Mei remain obstinate, letting her jump into a fire pit without doing anything about it.

And so, today has come.

Jing Youxiang and Yuan Shumei are helping Ding Mei pack her dowry.

Ding Dahu went to the production team office, and Xie Chunfang went to visit Shanxing's family.

When Zheng Wenli arrived, he ran into Xie Chunfang, who was walking out, at the door.

In the past, Xie Chunfang would definitely have brought him back, serving him water and cigarettes.

There's no need for that now. Zheng Wenli has no connection to my family anymore, so there's no need to treat him like a guest.

Ask me one question as soon as we meet:

"Xiao Zheng, what brings you here?"

"I'm looking for Xiao Meizi."

"Oh, you can look for her, but our Xiao Meizi is getting married soon, so you should be mindful of your image. Your Uncle Da Hu isn't here, and Tuwazi has gone hunting in the mountains again. He won't be happy if he sees you like this."

"I know."

Upon hearing that Ding Dahu and Lu Yao were both absent, and that Xie Chunfang left after saying just one more sentence, Zheng Wenli was pleased.

That would give me the opportunity to speak with Ding Mei alone.

So he quickly went inside.

Ding Mei happened to come out of the outer room to drink some cold water.

Before he could put down the gourd ladle in his hand, Zheng Wenli stepped in.

"Xiao Meizi, you can't marry Lu Yao."

Ding Mei frowned: "Zheng Wenli, are you ever going to stop? Why are you even coming to our house to cause trouble? Aren't you afraid that country bumpkin will beat you up?"

Zheng Wenli has made up his mind:

"Little Meizi, I'm speaking from the bottom of my heart. Can you let me finish?"

Ding Mei was so angry she wanted to hit him with a gourd ladle, but she held back.

"Tell me, if you don't give me a straight answer today, don't blame me for being impolite."

Zheng Wenli leaned closer mysteriously:

"Xiao Meizi, last time when you and Lu Yao went to register your marriage, who was that girl next to you?"

"My friend, what's wrong?"

"She's indecent! She's that country bumpkin's lover..."

"Zheng Wenli, you've gone too far! Slandering others behind their backs—if people find out, they won't let you off the hook!"

Zheng Wenli raised his hand and swore an oath:

"Every word I, Zheng Wenli, speak is the truth. If I have uttered even one lie, may I be childless and without descendants..."

I was stunned when I said that.

Yuan Shumei and Jing Youxiang came out of the house.

They were talking in the outer room, and the conversation could be heard clearly inside.

Zheng Wenli assumed that Ding Mei was home alone and made no attempt to conceal his loud voice.

They even felt that they were speaking righteously and that they needed to be more passionate to make their points believable.

Little did they know that the original owner, Yuan Shumei, was listening inside the room.

Even if you're doing something righteous, you'll feel guilty talking about it behind someone's back.

"Oh? You're here too?"

Yuan Shumei glared at him angrily. This was because she really was having an affair with Lu Yao. If Zheng Wenli was spreading rumors, she would have scratched him long ago.

Jing Youxiang also had her brows furrowed:

"Zheng Wenli, you're becoming more and more spineless. How can you, a grown man, talk badly about people behind their backs? What are you up to?"

Zheng Wenli - Latin Rose:

"Come on, Xiao Meizi, come out here, I want to talk to you!"

Ding Mei splashed a ladle of water on the back of his hand:

"Speak your mind directly, don't be sneaky."

Zheng Wenli glanced at Yuan Shumei, who was fuming, swallowed hard, and then looked at Ding Mei:

"Then I'll really tell you."

Yuan Shumei said angrily, "If you're going to talk, you have to tell the truth and have evidence. If you dare to talk nonsense and insult people, I... won't be polite."

He reached out and picked up the iron stove hook.

Zheng Wenli swallowed again:

"Fine, I'll say it. I've thought it all through. I'll speak out today, even if it kills me. I can't be a coward anymore. I can't submit to Lu Yao's tyranny!"

Ding Mei grew angrier the more she listened:

"Stop talking nonsense, just say it."

So Zheng Wenli began to speak:

"On the seventh day of the first lunar month, I went to the commune to take care of some business. As soon as I entered, Xiao Liu and Liu Hui grabbed me and dragged me to the backyard to catch the bad guys..."

When Yuan Shumei heard that he remembered the date so clearly and was about to talk about that day, she felt a chill run down her spine.

However, knowing that if she stopped Zheng Wenli now, Zheng Wenli would eventually have to talk to Ding Mei about it, which made Ding Mei feel guilty.

I listened while thinking of a solution.

Zheng Wenli continued:

"We arrived at the militia company's dormitory in the backyard, opened the door, and rushed in. Lu Yao had just put on his pants! On the kang (a heated brick bed), a girl was lying with her hair showing... and a pair of leather shoes on the floor..."

As he spoke, he looked down at Yuan Shumei's feet.

Yuan Shumei changed her leather shoes as soon as she got home.

He was wearing a pair of cotton cloth shoes at the time.

Zheng Wenli pointed to her feet:

"No, I remember her shoes. The left shoe had scratches. You might find those kinds of leather shoes in the city, but they're definitely rare in Shuiling Commune."

Yuan Shumei sneered, "Go on, who is that woman? Is it me?"

"I couldn't see the face clearly, but those shoes are yours."

Ding Mei, her face stern, asked, "And then?"

"Then that bastard Lu Yao handcuffed me. He took me to the yard and had Xiao Liu and Liu Hui watch over me. I screamed, and he stuffed a bunch of papers into my mouth. I could smell it; the smell of those papers was... the smell of the papers they used to wipe themselves..."

Yuan Shumei's face was already red, whether from embarrassment or anger, it was hard to tell.

Ding Mei suppressed her anger:

"and then?"

"Then Xiao Liu and the others took me to the commune office, and they didn't release me until Lu Yao left with that woman!"

"and then?"

"And then... that's it. I came to your house to tell you, but Lu Yao was there too. He accused me of reading 'Jin Ping Mei.' I didn't read it; it's a banned book, and I had nowhere to get it!"

Ding Mei looked at Yuan Shumei:

"Shumei, he's falsely accusing you, should we beat him up?"

Zheng Wenli became anxious upon hearing this:

"Little Mei, why don't you believe me?"

Jing Youxiang spoke up: "Give me a break, Zheng Wenli, you can't even lie properly, so don't slander an innocent person!"

"I didn't lie!"

Jing Youxiang asked, "Then tell me, are Xiao Liuzi and Liu Hui mentally ill?"

No, that's not it.

"Were they just bored and looking for trouble? Leading you to catch their company commander having an affair? And then helping Lu Yao control you after you got inside? For someone as educated as you, your ability to fabricate lies is so poor. How can you be a teacher?"