I Became a Vicious Supporting Role in the '70s-Chapter 260: I Didn’t Mean to

Wang Lianhua followed Shen Meng into the main house, feeling extremely nervous. Ever since the Head Flower Factory was established, she had looked for Guo Xiuxin. When Lu Yonggang, drunk, went to the workshop and beat people up, it was indeed ugly, but Shen Meng being ousted wasn’t caused by them as a couple. She still wanted to work at the Head Flower Factory to earn money. Even as a temporary worker, she could make over ten yuan a month. If she could split from the family, the money she earned alone could very well sustain her entire family, and then Lu Yonggang wouldn’t beat her anymore.

But Guo Xiuxin actually wouldn’t let her go. She clearly knew what kind of life she was leading, and how Lu Yonggang treated her and the children. Guo had been willing to help before; why was she unwilling now? Even those who had offended Shen Meng and cursed her had been able to return to work in the factory. Why couldn’t she?

Because of this, Lu Yonggang had beaten her again, and the money she had earned from making head flowers before was almost spent. She truly felt hatred in her heart!

It was only when Daqing suddenly mentioned Mingyang that she remembered, the Head Flower Factory was thriving and even generating foreign exchange all because Shen Meng was there. Yes, because she had been kind to Mingyang’s children in the past and taken special care of her entire family, as long as Shen Meng spoke up, no one could stop her from joining the Head Flower Factory, not even Guo Xiuxin.

She stared at Shen Meng’s back, feeling nervous and also a bit of faint anticipation.

Wang Lianhua’s throat twitched slightly, wanting to suppress her voice to show weakness to Shen Meng, but unexpectedly, Shen Meng suddenly turned around and fiercely slapped her across the face.

"Slap!"

"Ah~!"

Wang Lianhua covered her face, staring at Shen Meng in disbelief, the slight smile at the corner of her mouth not yet faded, completely frozen in place. In the western room, Xifeng, holding Yaoyao, trembled and hurriedly placed Yaoyao on a stool.

"Yaoyao, be good, sit here for a while. Aunt will go to the main house and pour some hot water for you, I’ll be back soon, okay? Ming Kai, keep an eye on your sister!"

"Auntie, I’m scared, wu!"

"Don’t be scared, sister. Brother doesn’t bite. Eat some cake here. If you’re tired, you can go to sleep on the kang. Look, your brother Erqing is here. Auntie, go ahead, but remember to come back quickly, or I’ll be scared too."

Xifeng: "....Alas!"

She steadied herself as she walked to the main house. With such clever parents, the child wasn’t bad either, cunning like a monkey.

Wang Lianhua, covering her face, eyes red, stared at Shen Meng.

"You, what are you doing? Even if Erqing has a fever, it wasn’t my doing. Why did you hit me?"

"Why do I hit you? Don’t you know why in your heart, Wang Lianhua? I always thought you were weak and incompetent; pulling in Jinghao, Shirley, and Xiangxiang to help you, but it seems everyone was wrong about you. Where are you weak? Looking at it now, no one is more heartless than you. Those bruises and purple marks on Erqing’s body, don’t tell me you don’t know who caused them?"

Wang Lianhua’s lips trembled for a moment, and she did not speak for a long time. Xifeng just entered the hall when she heard her say this sentence.

"What, Sister-in-law Meng, what did you say?"

"Hmph, never mind what I said, ask her what good deeds she has done, Lu Yonggang hits people, but would such a big man start choking a child? Those scars are either on the waist, the buttocks, or the chest. Who else could do all this except her, Wang Lianhua?"

Shen Meng knew that some women who suffer domestic violence develop psychological issues, and they project their misfortune onto their children. This is just about Erqing, not to mention the possibility of Daqing and Yaoyao having scars too. Thinking of how Daqing came over this morning to plead on behalf of Wang Lianhua, her heart felt suffocated with anger, wishing she could strike Wang Lianhua a few more times.

"Sister-in-law, is it true what Sister-in-law Meng said? Did you really treat Erqing like that?"

Wang Lianhua stiffened her neck, wanting to retort, but looking at the expressions on Xifeng and Shen Meng, the anger in her heart suddenly dissipated, and she collapsed to the ground, utterly drained.

"I, I didn’t mean it, I was just terrified of being beaten. Daqing, Erqing, and Yaoyao were always crying in front of me, constantly crying. I’ve been so tormented for so many years. If not for the children, I would have run away long ago. I do so much for them, yet they can’t help me at all. They just cry in front of me all the time. I still have to wash their clothes, cook for them, and coax them to sleep. Wuu wuu wuu, I really didn’t mean it, they are my children, I regret hitting them, really, I am filled with regret, my heart is in pain, truly in pain. I don’t know when this kind of life will end, wuu wuu wuu, sometimes I really just want to smash my head and die, wuu wuu wuu..."

"What were you thinking, what were you thinking! They are your children, your children. How could you be so harsh on them? When you get beaten, fight back, hit back whoever hits you, why don’t you resist? Hold a knife to Lu Yonggang’s neck, scare him a couple of times. If that doesn’t work, break his legs; see if he dares to bully you again. No wonder Sister-in-law Meng will help Mrs. Daya and not willing to help you. When someone extends a hand to you, you don’t even know to pull back. Now that I know about this, if you dare to bully the children again, just wait, I, I, I will go to the public security and let the whole village know your cruelty, hmph!" ƒгeewebnovёl.com

Shen Meng: "....."

Though the words were a bit harsh, it’s indeed a viable solution!!!

"Sister-in-law Meng, rest assured, from now on I will check every morning and evening for any injuries on the three children. If I find out again, I will make a big deal out of it, this is no way to be a mother."

"Indeed, with you around I feel relieved. The Head Flower Factory has been established, and you don’t need to go to Shenji anymore. Once Xiangxiang gets married and moves there, she will help me keep an eye on things. Whenever you have time, learn to read more with Daqing and Erqing; I am thinking of having you manage things at the Head Flower Factory, and you can’t do that if you can’t read."

Xifeng is a very smart, kind, and righteous person; it would be a pity if such a person is not put to good use. Shen Meng would herself feel it a loss.

"Ah, as long as Sister-in-law thinks I am useful, I will definitely learn well."

Xifeng smiled at Shen Meng, gave Wang Lianhua, who was sprawled on the ground, not a single glance, and directly turned and walked out of the hall.

Wang Lianhua continued to cry, her heart a complicated mess. She resented Shen Meng but dared not hate her, for with just a flick of her finger she could crush her. If she offended Shen Meng, she would lose any good opportunity to earn money in the future.

"Shirley had also suffered frequent beatings from Lai Zi over the years, and people in the village despised seeing her, as if looking at her for a moment more would dirty their eyes. Yet even in such a bitter lot, she never laid a finger on Daya and Xiao Ya. Every time the two children were bullied, she desperately protected them. Witnessing her hardship yet still thinking of her children, such motherly love, why wouldn’t I help her? Wang Lianhua, do you think you can compare to her?"