CHAPTER 58: CHAPTER 58: TAKING ACTION DIRECTLY

Zhang Fu sighed. Although he was a rough man, he understood that feelings cannot be forced.

Previously, he held on to a bit of hope, thinking that as long as he consistently treated Meng Meizi well, one day, he would eventually touch her heart.

But now, Meng Meizi had said it herself that she couldn’t let go of Zhao Ting. He couldn’t force her, could he?

"Meng Meizi, I’ll take my leave now," Zhang Fu said.

"Brother Zhang, thank you for your intentions. I hope you find someone to spend the rest of your life with," Meng Yao sincerely blessed him.

Zhang Fu was a reasonable person and did not pester endlessly.

In terms of character, he was truly a good person.

Zhang Fu bitterly smiled, "Let’s talk about the future when it comes."

After Zhang Fu left, the Zhao family’s children all rushed to Meng Yao.

"What do you all intend to do?" Meng Yao was taken aback.

Zhao Dahe hesitated. If his father were dead, he would very much support his mother seeking a second spring in life. After all, his mother wasn’t too old yet, was she?

But now, there was a possibility that his father was alive.

If his mother sought someone else, what would that be?

Seeing Zhao Dahe’s hesitant demeanor, how could Meng Yao not know what he was thinking?

Meng Yao sighed helplessly, "Alright, alright, there’s no need to say anything. It’s just that your grandmother is stirring up trouble again. I’ve cleared up the matter, and the misunderstanding has been resolved."

Song Xiu’er and Zhao Dajiang naturally believed whatever Meng Yao said.

Without needing Meng Yao to instruct them, both of them went to organize the things Qian Shi had given.

Zhao Xiaohua didn’t understand what was going on and followed her elder brother and sister-in-law, dragging Zhao Xiaoshu along to help.

Zhao Dahe didn’t move.

"What? Do you have something to tell me?" Meng Yao rolled her eyes.

Wasn’t this kid just afraid that Zhao Ting might still be alive and she’d put a green hat on Zhao Ting?

"Mom, give me some time. Let me confirm things first, then you, you can think about your personal matters," Zhao Dahe said with a face full of struggle.

"Hmm?"

"Look, if I pass the exams, our family’s status will elevate. Then it would be a better time for you to remarry or take in a son-in-law, right?" Zhao Dahe earnestly said, "Even if, even if Dad is still alive, as long as you don’t want to be with him, your son will definitely stand by your side! Whether you divorce him or whatever, it’s up to you!"

Meng Yao thought, this kid seems to be making a lot of sense.

However, on the surface, Meng Yao didn’t show it, "Stop worrying about things that aren’t relevant. Focus on your studies; that’s what’s important. You’re carrying the hopes of Teacher Wang and Qin Zheng!"

Zhao Dahe stubbornly looked at Meng Yao.

"Believe it or not, I haven’t planned anything for these years. Whatever happens, it’ll wait until you, Xiaohua, and Xiaoshu are all settled in your marriages before I think about it," Meng Yao said.

Zhao Dahe was relieved, "Then Mom, I’ll go back to my room to study."

"Go on, go on," Meng Yao waved her hand.

Meanwhile, Zhang Fu, after leaving the Zhao family, didn’t return home but went straight to the Meng family.

Entering the Meng family, without saying a word, Zhang Fu grabbed Meng Cheng by the collar and dragged him into the courtyard.

The Meng family had sold their large house to the Han Family and now lived in their original old house, which had no courtyard walls, only a half-human tall bamboo fence.

This meant that as long as you were taller than the bamboo fence, you could see everything in the courtyard from outside.

Zhang Fu, unwilling to debate, swung his fist as big as a bowl and began to beat Meng Cheng.

Although it was Lin Shi who misled him, he couldn’t hit a woman as a man.

This fault of the wife naturally had to be borne by Meng Cheng.

Zhang Fu was burly and had followed his father in butchering pigs since childhood.

No matter how troublesome a pig was, it became docile as a rabbit in his hands. Not for any other reason than his great strength and hard fists that subdued the pigs.

Though Meng Cheng was a country man, ever since that year, he had been living a pampered life, growing white and chubby. At a glance, people who didn’t know better might mistake him for a wealthy family’s master.

This kind of Meng Cheng couldn’t withstand Zhang Fu’s fists.

Meng Cheng’s screams, combined with Sun Shi and Lin Shi’s cries, quickly drew a large crowd to watch the commotion.

Having vented his anger, Zhang Fu tossed Meng Cheng aside like a ragged sack, "I’ll lay it straight here, if you dare to target Meng Meizi again, I won’t spare you. I just don’t understand, how can there be parents like you!"

Lin Shi threw herself on Meng Cheng, crying bitterly.

Sun Shi and Meng Qinglin, emboldened, questioned Zhang Fu, "How dare you hit someone! We’ll summon the village chief now to seek justice for us!"

"You can summon the village chief or even the County Magistrate, I won’t be afraid," Zhang Fu’s eyes widened like copper bells, "Go on, summon them. If you don’t, I will! I want to ask the village chief how to deal with swindlers like you!"

"Don’t speak nonsense. We didn’t do such a thing!" Sun Shi denied it.

Some onlookers had already gone to fetch the village chief.

Zhang Fu got straight to the point, saying that the Meng family had taken twenty taels of silver from him, deceiving him into believing that Meng Yao agreed to marry him.

As a result, Meng Yao was unaware of this and did not acknowledge the marriage arrangement.

Zhang Fu asked the village chief, "If this isn’t a swindle, then what is it?"

The village chief frowned. If the Meng family hadn’t married her off before, Sun Shi and Meng Qinglin, as parents, had the authority to decide her marriage although others might gossip. After all, in marriage, parental orders were crucial.

But now, Meng Shi was already the mother of four children.

Though it was said it was a union by contract, none of the children carried the Meng surname. So, it wasn’t wrong to say she married into the Zhao family.

With her husband deceased, Meng Shi’s marriage wasn’t for the Meng family to decide.

"Nonsense! This is utter nonsense!" The village chief was so angry his beard quivered, "It’s almost the new year, can’t you keep quiet for a while? Qinglin, you’re aging and becoming more muddled. How can you let your wife cause such trouble?"

The village chief was also giving the Meng family a way out.

If Sun Shi acted irrationally and Meng Qinglin reprimanded her, returning the silver to Zhang Fu, the matter would be smoothed over.

But before Meng Qinglin could respond, Sun Shi spoke up, "How is it nonsense? How? I was afraid she’d struggle with the children, so I agreed to this marriage. It was out of a mother’s love for her!"

"If Meng Yao were unmarried, as her mother, you could decide her marriage. Or if Meng Yao returned after being divorced or separated, parents could naturally decide her marriage. Tell me, on which ground does Meng Yao in your family fit?" the village chief heatedly said.

Of course, neither of the reasons applied.

Even if Zhao Ting died, Meng Yao, insisting on keeping a period of mourning, would even earn a reward from the Government after several more years.

Though there weren’t rigid stipulations in Zhou Country.

"She’s my daughter; how can I not have authority?" Sun Shi sat on the ground, crying bitterly.