Ma Lanying felt a great block in her chest. "Old man, if we admit in front of the whole village that the child is Jianguo's, how can our grandson hold his head up in the village in the future? People will surely point fingers at his back, and he'll carry this stigma for a lifetime."
Lu Bingshan was so annoyed that he directly threw the teacup on the table at Ma Lanying. "What the hell good does it do to say those things? This is the condition the other side has set. If you don't agree, just wait for our son to be shot. Besides, we don't even know if it's a boy or a girl in her belly. You keep saying 'grandson' all day long. I think you're the one acting like a fool. The most important thing now is to save Jianguo's life. Do you understand?"
Stupid woman! As long as the son is alive, there's no need to worry about having a grandson. If the son is gone, and if the child in the belly is a girl, he'll be left with no male heir.
The water in the teacup splashed all over Ma Lanying. She slumped to the ground and beat her chest while wailing. "Why am I so unlucky? That damned Xiao Mandong should have choked to death when she drank water."
Wang Xiumei knew clearly that her in - laws would definitely agree to Xiao Mandong's conditions to save Lu Jianguo. She didn't want to marry Lu Jianguo, a convict. She gently stroked her belly, feeling completely lost and not knowing what to do.
Lu Bingshan seemed to sense Wang Xiumei's thoughts. He stared at her with a sinister look in his eyes. "Wang Xiumei, our family is in this mess because of you. If you dare to cause any trouble, I won't let you off. Tomorrow we'll go to the hospital to see Jianguo and get the marriage certificate by the way."
Wang Xiumei was so frightened by Lu Bingshan's look that she took several steps back. She knew that even if she escaped back to her parents' home, no one would protect her. She could only lean against the wall and cry softly.
"Dad, what's going on?" Lu Hong heard her mother's cries from afar. As soon as she entered the door and saw the scene, she quickly closed the door to keep out the onlookers.
Lu Hong had been extremely busy these days, secretly looking for a husband for herself. She had to get married before her elder brother was sentenced. Otherwise, after her brother was sentenced, she would surely find it impossible to marry well.
At this time, Lu Bingshan also remembered Lu Hong's situation. "Lu Hong, I've found a family for you. Go to get the marriage certificate tomorrow."
As soon as Lu Bingshan said this, Ma Lanying immediately stopped wailing and rolled off the ground. "What did you say? What kind of family did you find for my daughter? Why didn't I know about it?"
Lu Hong was very happy. She thought her father still cared about her and knew to find a good family for her before her brother was sentenced.
However, the next second, Lu Bingshan's words were like a basin of ice - cold water poured over her head.
"It's the youngest son of Uncle Changgen's family, Zhu Xiaoliang."
"What did you say? Lu Bingshan, don't you know that Zhu Xiaoliang is a cripple? He's almost as old as you. What on earth were you thinking to find such a man for my daughter? I don't agree."
Ma Lanying thought Lu Bingshan must be crazy. That Cripple Zhu was so old that he could be Lu Hong's father. She absolutely couldn't agree to let her daughter marry such a man.
Lu Hong also looked at Lu Bingshan in disbelief. "Dad, how could you marry me off to that old cripple? I don't want to. I won't marry."
Lu Bingshan knew that since his son was going to prison, he only had his daughter left. He couldn't offend his daughter to death, so he softened his tone. "Girl, Dad is also reluctant to part with you. But if your brother is sentenced to death, you won't be able to find a good family either. If you marry into the Zhu family, the Old Party Secretary will find a way to make Xiao Mandong sign the letter of understanding. Then your brother can survive, and you won't have to carry the stigma of having a brother who was sentenced to death for the rest of your life. Secondly, Zhu Xiaoliang is educated, good - looking, and knows how to take care of people. His lame leg doesn't affect him doing farm work. The Old Party Secretary's family is quite well - off in the village, and Auntie Zhu is not a fussy person. Your life there will definitely not be worse than at home. If you agree, you'll get half of the family property in the future. If your brother is alive, we won't ask you to support us in our old age. Don't worry, you're my only daughter. I won't do you wrong."
"I don't want to hear it, I don't want to hear it..." Lu Hong covered her ears and jumped around on the ground, crying. Her eyes were full of despair and resistance. "You're just trying to save my brother and push me into the fire pit. I'll be laughed at for a lifetime if I marry a cripple. I'd rather stay single for the rest of my life."
Ma Lanying immediately protected Lu Hong behind her. "Old man, please go and beg Uncle Changgen. We can't sacrifice our daughter like this."
The room was filled with cries. Lu Bingshan's patience was completely worn out. He suddenly slapped the table, and his eyes were as fierce as a hawk's.
"Stop crying! At this point, you're still being so picky. Either Lu Hong goes to get the marriage certificate with Zhu Xiaoliang tomorrow and saves your brother's life, and we still have something to look forward to. Or we just wait to collect your brother's body. From then on, our whole family will carry the label of the family of a death - row prisoner. Wherever we go, people will point fingers at us. You, Lu Hong, will never be able to marry well. Even if you do, you'll be bullied, and your children will also be affected."
Lu Hong was trembling all over. Looking at her father's determined face, she knew that crying and making a scene were useless. She really didn't want to marry that old man. Suddenly, she thought of Xiao Mandong. If she could get that letter of understanding from Xiao Mandong, maybe she wouldn't have to marry Zhu Xiaoliang.
Thinking of this, she was about to go to find Xiao Mandong. Lu Bingshan thought she was trying to run away, so he grabbed her without thinking.
"Dad, let me go. I'll go and plead with Xiao Mandong. Maybe I won't have to marry that Cripple Zhu."
Lu Bingshan wouldn't believe her nonsense. Moreover, he was counting on borrowing money from the Zhu family. He locked Lu Hong in the room. "Lu Hong, I'm warning you. If you dare to run away, or if you cause any trouble tomorrow, I'll marry you off to Yu the Scoundrel."
Lu Hong was so frightened that she shivered. Yu the Scoundrel was almost bald, with red bumps all over his head. They were lumpy and covered with gray - white scabs. Sometimes he would scratch until his head was bloody. He looked so scary and disgusting.
Lu Hong closed her eyes in despair. She hated her father, hated Lu Jianguo, hated Wang Xiumei, and hated everyone.
To be on the safe side, Lu Bingshan also locked Wang Xiumei in the room. Since he didn't have enough locks, he even borrowed one from a neighbor.
Lu Bingshan squatted down under the wall, smoking his old - fashioned tobacco. When he heard that Lu Hong in the room had become quiet, he stood up and looked at Ma Lanying with a complex expression. "I'm going to the head of the production team to get a certificate and raise some money. You watch these two. If you dare to let Lu Hong go, just wait to collect your son's body. You'd better persuade her not to be so stubborn."
After saying that, Lu Bingshan put the household register in his pocket and went out.
Since Lu Jianguo was still in the hospital, the interrogation of the case was suspended. However, Lu Jianguo was currently under the supervision of the police. Afraid that the police wouldn't allow them to meet, the head of the production team came up with an idea for Lu Bingshan. They should tell the police that Lu Jianguo and Wang Xiumei had already held a wedding in the village but hadn't got the marriage certificate yet. Without a marriage certificate, they couldn't get a birth certificate, and the child in Wang Xiumei's belly couldn't be registered. They hoped the police would make an exception.
