"You... you're talking nonsense! How can you be so vicious, saying something like that? You're trying to drive me to death!"
Zhang Yanhong absolutely could not admit it. Her good reputation could not be destroyed like this.
A widow pregnant? How was that possible? The news shocked all the commune members. Most people began cursing Xiao Mandong, accusing her of slandering a widow and being wicked. Accountant Sun's daughter-in-law was well known throughout the village as filial.
"Zhang Yanhong's husband is gone. She won't consider suitors, won't remarry. She devotes herself entirely to serving her in-laws and raising her children. There isn't a single fault to find in her, inside the home or out. When her own family tried to arrange a match, she chased the matchmaker out several times. Such a good daughter-in-law is recognized by the entire village."
"This educated youth has only been here two days, and she's already slinging mud at someone, pinning this charge of immorality on her. It's inhuman! That slap was too light. She should have been beaten to death!"
"That's right! Someone should tear her mouth apart, so she can't run it off spouting nonsense. She's a woman herself—doesn't she know how important a reputation is for a woman? Especially for a woman who's lost her husband. Talking like this could truly drive someone to kill herself."
The commune members grew angrier as they spoke. Someone took the lead in throwing things. Fortunately, there were no rotten eggs these days, and with the Village Secretary present, no one dared go too far.
Still, some people did believe Xiao Mandong's words. No one would make up such a serious accusation without good reason.
Mother Sun was shaking with rage. She never imagined that merely slapping this educated youth would lead to such a slanderous accusation against her daughter-in-law.
Everyone in the village knew what kind of woman her daughter-in-law was. Even the work points earned and the money distributed by the brigade all went into her hands. She never kept a single thing for herself. She went to work with Accountant Sun and came home with him. There was no chance for her to meet another man at all.
After giving birth to her son, Mother Sun had damaged her health and could not have more children. Besides her daughter-in-law, she had no other children by her side. She truly treated this daughter-in-law as her own daughter. Under no circumstances could she allow her daughter-in-law to suffer such injustice.
"You little slut! My daughter-in-law is pure and clean! How dare you make up such lies about her! I'll tear that foul mouth right off your worthless, good-for-nothing face!"
Zhang Yanhong watched Xiao Mandong staring at her belly, as if her eyes could pierce straight through her. A sudden unease gripped her heart. A voice inside told her to get her mother-in-law away quickly, before things spiraled out of control. She grabbed her mother-in-law, who was about to lunge at Xiao Mandong again.
"Mom, let's go home. A square person casts a square shadow. We'll settle this score slowly."
But Mother Sun was not about to let things go so easily. She had to give Xiao Mandong a proper reckoning and restore her daughter-in-law's good name. Otherwise, once the rumor spread, even her grandson's future would be affected.
She pushed Zhang Yanhong aside and raised her hand to claw at Xiao Mandong's face, but the Village Secretary caught her wrist.
"Enough of this! Have a doctor take her pulse, and we'll know. Talk is cheap—let's see some proof. I've already sent for the barefoot doctor."
Just then, Accountant Sun returned. He had gone to ask the previous Old Party Secretary to mediate in order to protect his daughter-in-law's job. He hadn't even managed to persuade the Old Party Secretary when Zhang Yanhong's mother found him and told him something had happened. Accountant Sun rushed forward and—"smack!"—slapped Mother Sun across the face.
"What's all this ruckus? Don't you know we need to unite with the educated youth?"
"Unite my ass! She opened her mouth and slandered our daughter-in-law, and I can't demand justice? Is there no law anymore?"
"Do you know what that wretch said? She said our Yanhong is pregnant! Our Yanhong goes to work and comes home to work—she doesn't even have a chance to see a man. How could she be pregnant?! Today I'm going to get justice for Yanhong!"
At that moment, Hu Guizhen popped up again: "Take her pulse! If she's not pregnant, then we send Xiao Mandong to the police. We can't let such an evil person stay at the educated youth point."
In Hu Guizhen's mind, Zhang Yanhong couldn't possibly be pregnant. It was just that Mother Sun's slap had sent Xiao Mandong into reckless talk. Why else wouldn't she have said it sooner, but only after being slapped? Once they sent Xiao Mandong to the police, only Xiao Manxue would remain alone, and she could then deliver Xiao Manxue straight to Lame Li's bed.
Last time, Lame Li had offered her ten yuan to lure Xiao Manxue out. She had actually hesitated then out of mercy—what a fool she had been.
At that moment, the person sent to fetch the barefoot doctor came back: "Brigade Leader, the barefoot doctor isn't home again."
Voices chimed in all around: "When the Zhou family had their incident yesterday, this Xiao Mandong was right there. She knew the barefoot doctor wouldn't be home today, which is exactly why she dared to say such a thing."
"That's right! This woman is truly cunning. If we can't take the pulse today, and by the time the barefoot doctor comes back in a few days there's no sign of pregnancy, she'll just claim the woman had a miscarriage."
"Send her to the commune! Send her to the police! Throw her out of Red Flag Brigade!"
Xiao Mandong was speechless at these twisted arguments: "Oh? Is your Red Flag Brigade the only place with a barefoot doctor? Don't other villages have one? We can go to another village to fetch one right now—I'll pay for it myself."
Zhang Yanhong had barely felt relief when she heard the barefoot doctor wasn't home. But Xiao Mandong insisted on fetching one from another village. What exactly did she want? Why wouldn't this ever end? Her job was already gone—what more did Xiao Mandong want?
Her mother-in-law had merely lashed out in anger with one slap. Why was Xiao Mandong clinging to it so stubbornly? Since she already knew about the pregnancy, why couldn't she show a bit of mercy? Was she only satisfied if Zhang Yanhong admitted her pregnancy in front of all the commune members? How could this woman be so cruel? What good would destroying her do?
Accountant Sun blocked the villagers who were about to go fetch a doctor from another village:
"My daughter-in-law has given birth before. She would know whether she's pregnant. It's almost time to start afternoon work in the fields. Is it worth keeping at this over a baseless rumor without end?"
Xiao Mandong gave a cold laugh: "Accountant Sun, you say I slandered your daughter-in-law. Well, I too want to clear my own name. Have the doctor take her pulse. If she's not pregnant, I'll accept whatever punishment the village decides. But if she is pregnant... hmph, we'll see."
Just then, a cold, clear male voice cut through the crowd:
"The barefoot doctor from Li Family Village is here."
Accountant Sun nearly choked on his own blood. Why were these people so relentless today?
They saw Zhou Qichuan leading an old man into the crowd. He had just returned to the village when he heard what was happening at the threshing ground. Earlier today, at the hospital, he had run into the son of the barefoot doctor and learned the man had broken his leg and was hospitalized. In order to help Xiao Mandong, he borrowed Shunzi's bicycle and rode to Li Family Village. He paid the barefoot doctor a yuan and brought him straight back.
Zhou Qichuan gave the old doctor a gentle push into the crowd: "Uncle, if you'd please, take her pulse."
Zhang Yanhong's face went white. She staggered backward in panic. Just when everything was about to be over, why did Zhou Qichuan have to stick his nose in? And wasn't Zhou Qichuan Accountant Sun's very own nephew? Couldn't he see that she didn't want her pulse taken?
