Read Novel Full Chapter 103
Chapter 103 : Letter from Haicheng
Two heavy accusations were about to fall on Jiang Tianci, but he lashed out, kicking wildly. “What does that old hag’s short life have to do with me? It’s because she refused to give me the things! All the money in the house is mine, why wouldn’t she hand it over?”
Wang Juhua’s trembling hand reached out to touch Jiang Tianci’s face. “My son!”
But he bit down hard on her hand, refusing to let go.
The police intervened, forcing him to talk. Under the harsh light, his bloodshot eyes gleamed, and a piece of flesh dangled from his teeth.
“I really regret being born into the Jiang family with useless parents like you. You’ve ruined my life!”
Wang Juhua’s heart shattered. She never imagined the child she had poured her love into for half her life would harbor such resentment.
“You… you dare say that? Tianci, why would you hurt your mother like this? We’ve given you everything you ever wanted since you were a child! How can you hate your parents?”
She collapsed to the ground, crying bitterly, while the police restrained Jiang Tianci, whose violent resistance had made things worse for him.
Meanwhile, two officers searched the house and discovered a small rosewood box in Old Mrs. Zhou’s room and several yellowed letters in Jiang Changyi’s room.
“Wait, comrades, that’s my mother’s keepsake!”
Memories of childhood flooded Jiang Li’s mind, images of her mother, Xu Shuzhen, her gentle voice, and the music box she used to comfort her.
“This box isn’t Jiang Changyi’s, it’s my mother’s music box. My mother left it for me.”
She turned the box over, revealing a broken corner with her mother’s name, Xu Shuzhen, engraved on the bottom.
“I remember this box too!” Li Chunlan stepped forward. “There are others who can testify this belonged to Jiang Li’s mother.”
“Comrades from the Public Security Bureau, I want to report Jiang Changyi for abusing the child of a martyr.”
Jiang Changyi was stunned. “Don’t listen to her, comrades! She’s lying!”
Jiang Li remained firm. “Whether I’m lying or not, everyone in the village knows the truth. Our village leader can testify. Comrades, they withheld my mother’s pension and food rations. They stopped me from going to school and left me hungry. They even stole my mother’s posthumous belongings, a jade bracelet and more than fifty yuan.”
Jiang Baoshan, the village leader, sighed deeply and stepped forward to confirm the situation. The Li family also testified on Jiang Li’s behalf. The police immediately restrained Jiang Changyi, marking him for investigation.
Before leaving, one officer hesitated before returning the music box to Jiang Li. “It doesn’t look valuable, so there’s no need to confiscate it,” he explained.
“Comrade Public Security, may I see those letters?”
Jiang Li opened them and found they were indeed sent from Haicheng. Among the letters was a remittance slip for 200 yuan.
“Comrades, I never received this money. The entire amount was spent by Jiang Changyi’s family. If you investigate at the commune, you’ll find out who cashed it.”
The evidence was irrefutable: Jiang Changyi had embezzled his niece’s money.
The villagers were outraged. “The Jiang family is truly wicked! They stole her money and food and even abused her.”
“That’s more than 200 yuan! And wasn’t Jiang Li supposed to get a subsidy every month? Where did all the money go?”
“You know, my son said Jiang Tianci lived like a king at school, spending on white flour, fatty meat, and eating out regularly. He must’ve blown it all.”
“And Wang Juhua and Jiang Hongmei! They’ve been making new clothes every few months. I always wondered where their money came from, I didn’t expect they were draining Jiang Li dry!”
Jiang Baoshan felt deeply ashamed. This had happened under his leadership, and he should have noticed sooner. But he never imagined the Jiang family could be so cruel, squeezing Jiang Li to the point of breaking.
“Jiang Li, here’s the breakdown: in the past two years, Old Mrs. Zhou received your pension, a total of 135 yuan. Add the 200 yuan from the remittance slip and the more than 50 yuan your mother left behind that’s 385 yuan in total.”
“All valuables in the Jiang family’s possession will be seized to repay the debt. Additionally, the Jiang family’s house and homestead will now be transferred to your name.”
Jiang Baoshan frowned. Even after all the calculations, it still wouldn’t be enough. “If there’s a shortfall, I’ll use Wang Juhua’s and Jiang Changyi’s work points to make up for it.”
Of course, Wang Juhua refused. How could she survive without her house, land, or food?
But her objections were drowned out by the collective voice of the village, as everyone stood firmly on Jiang Li’s side.
Jiang Li glanced at the disheveled yard where Old Mrs. Zhou’s spirit tablet was placed, finding it inauspicious.
She turned to the family next door and asked, “Uncle, are you interested in buying the Jiang family’s house?”
The family was overjoyed. Their daughter-in-law was expecting another child, and they needed more space. Tentatively, they asked, “How much?”
The Jiang family’s property now consisted of half a yard, two side rooms, and three main rooms. Jiang Li thought for a moment before replying, “Two hundred yuan, and everything inside the house will be yours.”
This was a bargain. Although the house was made of adobe, it was relatively new, and the furniture inside was worth a significant amount. Before the man could respond, his mother-in-law quickly agreed, “We’ll take it!”
Zhao Jingui, another neighbor, was equally pleased. Compared to the trouble-prone Jiang family, it would be much easier living next to this new family, who were known for being reasonable.
Jiang Baoshan handed Jiang Li the last fifty yuan from the Jiang family. The new buyers paid the agreed amount on the spot, and the work points were converted into cash, totaling 36 yuan.
In the end, Jiang Li received 286 yuan. Although she incurred some losses, she avoided the hassle of dealing with Wang Juhua and the bad luck associated with Old Mrs. Zhou’s funeral.
Wang Juhua could only watch as her home was sold off, her husband and son were taken away, and everything fell apart. She wept bitterly, cursing Jiang Li incessantly.
After several days of lamenting and cursing in Dashuping, news arrived from the commune. Jiang Tianci was to be executed, and Jiang Changyi was sentenced to three years of hard labor on a farm and three years in prison.
Wang Juhua was utterly devastated. She had lost her husband, son, house, and even her work points. Staying in Dashuping had no meaning anymore. That night, she returned to her parents’ home.
Meanwhile, Jiang Li opened the letters from Haicheng. The earlier ones appeared to be written by her grandmother, all assuring safety and urging Xu Shuzhen to stay in the commune, avoid drawing attention, and keep a low profile.
The letters explained that the family had been forced to scatter some joining communes, others undergoing reform and advised Xu Shuzhen to avoid suspicion and minimize contact with them. The family was told to look after themselves and wait for the day they could reunite.
The tone of the final letter, however, carried a hint of anger. It seemed to express dissatisfaction with how suddenly Xu Shuzhen had gotten married, without informing the family.