Chapter 26
Make them pay the price?
If she could, she definitely would.
However, she had nothing. She was just barely sc.r.a.ping by with the little money she could earn, and was afraid it would run out soon.
She had already packed up her winter clothes and cotton pants. If she couldn’t earn money, then she and her daughters would be exposed to the cold and hunger.
And I can’t blame her for being so cautious. The future was just too unpredictable.
She sniffled. “As long as the Sun family agrees to let me and Sun Yiming divorce and leave with the three children, then let me take the dowry with me, I won’t pursue the matter.”
“Sigh.”
Those who were watching could only sigh.
They were moved by Han Qiao’s kindness.
They were moved by her generosity, too.
They were also moved by the fact that she was going through a lot. It wasn’t easy to endure all that.
But no one advised her not to divorce her husband just for the sake of her kids.
Sun Yiming regularly hit his wife and children. That was something that the entire town knew. Now that they knew Madam Sun, Sun Yixi and Jiang the Pimp had conspired to sell them into prost.i.tution, the town more or less saw them as animals.
Animals who wouldn’t even let their daughter-in-law and grandchildren leave town.
If they continued to stay in this kind of family, they really would die.
“Worry not…I will help you divorce him. You’d better leave this kind of family as soon as possible. If you stay here any longer, I’m afraid you will lose your lives.”
“You are correct, young master.”
When the town deputy rushed over, he saw the young master. Nervously, he went forward and was about to kneel down to salute, “My lord…”
“You came at the right time, deputy. I am allowing this young lady to divorce her husband. After I leave, you have to settle the matter.”
The town deputy immediately answered, “Yes.”
The young master gestured to the servant girl.
A servant girl immediately took out her purse and handed it to Han Qiao.
“Young lady, take this token of my appreciation. Take it and lead a good life with the children.”
Han Qiao directly refused.
“Thank you for your kind intentions, young master. The divorce is already under way, if Heaven be willing. I have nothing more to ask for. Thank you for speaking up for me today. I won’t be needing this money, thank you for your kind intentions.”
This was Han Qiao’s bottom line.
She knew that if she took the money, it would be much easier and her starting point would be much higher.
But she was still unwilling to do so.
Whether it was her dignity or her personality. Her conduct in the world or her morals.
She would not accept any amount of silver.
If she wanted the things in this family, no matter how shabby or rotten they were, many of them would be Han Qiao’s dowry. It was what she and her three children had worked hard to earn. It was what she and her three children deserved. She had the right to take it.
She did not have the right to take what others had given her.
“…”
“…”
Some people felt that Han Qiao was silly.
“If you don’t want it, that’s fine. Everyone has their own aspirations, so let it be.”
She smiled and moved closer to Han Qiao. “My surname is Li.”
“Mine is Han.”
The two of them looked at each other and smiled.
At this moment, their statuses were vastly different. Han Qiao did not even have the right to ask where her family lived.
Not to mention anything else.
Miss Li.
For the time being, she would be called Miss Li.
After Miss Li left, the town deputy immediately followed behind her carefully and humbly.
“All of you should leave. The show’s over.”
“Leave, leave. Go home and cook lunch.”
No matter how good the show was, it was not as important as filling one’s stomach.
The people who had been watching gradually dispersed.
Even Jiang the Pimp took the opportunity to slip away.
Sun Yixi supported Madam Sun. Both of their eyes were filled with hatred and anger. “Han Qiao, since you have made the matter public and embarra.s.sed us, and since you keep saying that you want to divorce Yiming, our Sun family can no longer keep you.”
“Do you think I care about your Sun family’s mess?” Han Qiao snorted coldly.
She was not afraid at all.
“You don’t have to be so nasty. I’ll be out of here before dark.”
She turned around and returned to the courtyard, slamming the door.
Madam Sun wanted to say that she wouldn’t let her move out, but Sun Yixi said to her, “Mother, don’t worry. How many things can they take? Even if they all move out, how much would it be worth?”
“It’s good if she takes everything with her. When Yiming comes back and sees the empty house, his heart will be even colder. Only then will he be able to divorce her and not hesitate and drag his feet.”
“…”
Madam Sun took a deep breath.
“I hate her from the bottom of my heart.”
She had planned this all very well, but who knew that one wrong step would ruin everything.
She shouldn’t have come here today.
Sun Yixi supported Madam Sun as they walked home. When they reached home, he smashed a wine gla.s.s and said hatefully, “Han Qiao, that s.l.u.t, I will kill her sooner or later.”
“Sell her to the brothel to be a prost.i.tute,” Madam Sun added angrily.
At the moment, Han Qiao had already packed up everything with her children.
There were two beds, a wardrobe, a box, a desk, a chair, a bench, a shelf, a hoe, a bucket and pots and pans.
She made three bundles to carry the blankets, clothes, and anything else that could be packed. The mortise-and-tenon beds that could be dismantled had already been dismantled.
Han Qiao actually did not really want a bed, but she knew that the remaining four taels of silver she had would not get her far, especially for buying large things. She didn’t want to leave anything behind that the Sun family might find use for.
She could only bear it and take it away.
If they only had one cart, then everyone would have to carry things.
Even Sun Ke had a small backpack. Inside was her two pairs of cloth shoes and her only ragdoll toy.
Bang, Bang, Bang.
There was a knock at the door.
Han Qiao went to open the door. Sun Yi and Han Dacheng stood at the door with sweat all over their heads. Behind them was a horse carriage and two ox-drawn carts.
“That’s great.” Sun Xiu was overjoyed.
“Hurry up and load up the things.”
They had to set off early so that it would not be dark by the time they reached Xishan village.
Han Dacheng decided to bring his two brothers to pick some things. Anything that could be loaded onto the cart, they loaded.
Sun Xiu and Sun Yi wanted everything, including the brooms. If the cesspit in the backyard were not too smelly and difficult to carry, they would take it, too.
The two oxen-drawn carts were piled full, and the carriage was also stuffed with a lot of things.
Han Dacheng and the other two brothers then picked up the bundles, mainly pots, bowls, ladles, and bowls, as well as the stewed pork, steamed buns, and mantou.
The small courtyard was completely emptied.
They didn’t have very much to begin with, and with little money to buy more, it was not hard to completely clean out the place.
When the door was closed, none of the four women were reluctant to leave. They couldn’t wait to start their new life without Sun Yiming and his family.
Han Qiao calmly locked the door.
“Let’s go.”
She had to send the key to the grocery store.
The neighbors were a little surprised to see Han Qiao empty out the house.
But they felt that it was only right.
They knew the four of them would probably never return to that house, so it seemed reasonable to take everything that could be used, so as to avoid unnecessary expenses in the future.
It was hard to make money these days.
When they reached the grocery store, Han Qiao delivered the key to the door alone.
Sun Yixi saw Han Qiao. He was furious when their eyes met..
“Here’s the key. I’ve kept my promise to move out. If Sun Yiming comes back, tell him to bring a letter to Xishan Village. I will come to the town to divorce him and sever ties with the Sun family.”
“Han, you’re just a little woman. Don’t be arrogant,” Sun Yixi warned coldly.
Han Qiao looked at his ferocious face and sneered. “So, you’ve shown me your true colors. I wonder if Sun Yiming knows that his own brother conspired to destroy his household.”
Han Qiao didn’t want to waste time with sc.u.m like Sun Yixi. She threw the keys down and turned to leave the grocery store.
Sun Yishi stood in the grocery store, his eyes cold and piercing.
Hatred, anger and evil all tied up into one.
He watched as Han Qiao got into the carriage. Behind the carriage were two ox-carts filled with stuff, along with three youths carrying things.
His hands slowly clenched into fists.
One day, he would destroy every last trace of the Han family. They wouldn’t even have a gravestone.