I was married off to a disabled hero in lieu of marriage; my in-laws doted on me and I aspired to gr

The next day, Zheng Fenglin went to work early. Weeding the cornfield was all the women's work.

There was a large cornfield, and each person was in charge of one plot. Zheng Fenglin took a place between Aunt Mao and Aunt Xiulan. The two of them were the village's gossipy women, who loved to spread gossip.

Sure enough, as soon as she got out of bed, Aunt Mao started asking, "Fenglin, is Yang Zheng's grandma alright?"

"It's alright, he was just a breath away, but the captain kept pressing on him and brought him back to life," Zheng Fenglin said calmly.

"You know, Zhao Jintao is quite capable; he even managed to save someone from a heart attack. He's definitely an educated man," Aunt Mao exclaimed.

Aunt Xiulan interjected, "That young man is so promising, why isn't he dating anyone yet?"

"Jin Tao is a good kid, but his mother has a mouth that can curse for miles around, who wouldn't be afraid of her?"

Aunt Mao glanced at Zheng Fenglin and said, "She's not a formidable mother. I think Fenglin and Jintao are quite compatible."

"Auntie, don't try to matchmake me with someone else. I'm not good enough for him." Zheng Fenglin had no interest in Zhao Jintao at all.

"Then who else do you want to marry? Don't tell me you want to marry into the city like Qiaoqiao?" Aunt Mao joked.

"Aunt Mao, you mustn't gossip about Qiaoqiao. Grandma Qiaoqiao almost died because of this."

"Oh, so Wu Xia just said a few words, and you got into a fight with her?" Aunt Xiulan drawled out.

"Who wouldn't be angry? She even has the nerve to mock others. Who does she think she is? She has no self-awareness at all." Zheng Fenglin started to bring up the topic.

"Who is Wu Xia? Isn't she just an educated youth sent to the countryside?" Aunt Mao asked curiously.

"She angered Grandma Qiaoqiao so much that she had a heart attack, and she didn't even apologize. If it were your Aunt Mao, she would have been dragged out for criticism and denunciation. Qiaoqiao's husband is a hero," Zheng Fenglin said angrily.

"That's right. Qiaoqiao's in-laws are no ordinary people. They brought three jeeps for the wedding, and those fancy candies are something I've never seen in my decades of life," Aunt Mao agreed.

"Why didn't the commune deal with Wu Xia for insulting the hero's family? Could it be that she has powerful connections?" Aunt Xiulan asked.

Zheng Fenglin hesitated, then said, "You can't say anything carelessly. Just keep it to yourselves."

"What do you understand? She really has powerful connections?" Xiulan lowered her voice.

"Who is it? I've never heard of it." Aunt Mao was also very curious.

"I can't say, I'm afraid something bad will happen. We finally managed to save Grandma Qiaoqiao, if something serious happens again, who can bear the responsibility?" Zheng Fenglin shut his mouth and resolutely refused to say anything.

"Hey, look at you, girl! You only say half of what you mean, you're driving your auntie crazy with worry!"

Aunt Mao and Aunt Xiulan were extremely anxious. Listening to only half of the gossip was going to be the death of them!

"Auntie, it's not that I don't want to tell, it's that I can't. If the brigade secretary finds out, he'll criticize me," Zheng Fenglin said, looking troubled.

"You? You mean, Wu Xia and the brigade secretary are having an affair?"

"Auntie, don't talk nonsense. I didn't say that. They're high-ranking and powerful; even if they bully military families, no one dares to hold them accountable. Even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake. Let's get to work."

Zheng Fenglin pretended to be panicked, but was secretly overjoyed.

With Aunt Mao and Aunt Xiulan spreading the word, Wu Xia's scandalous affair with the Party Secretary would reach the Party Secretary's wife's ears in just two or three days.

Wu Xia is insidious and vicious, so let's fight back with insidious and vicious tactics.

"Oh dear, this is terrible! The Party Secretary's wife is Chrysanthemum's second aunt from our village. It turns out her house was broken into, and her second aunt was completely unaware!"

Aunt Mao seemed to have heard something of great importance; her dark face turned red with excitement.

"Aunt Mao, I didn't say anything, so don't spread rumors. Wu Xia moved from Grandpa Yang's house to the brigade headquarters and doesn't work in our village anymore, so let's just let it go. It's just that poor Grandma Yang has to pay two hundred yuan for medical expenses."

Zheng Fenglin vaguely revealed the key points.

"Oh my, this is hilarious! Putting it at the brigade headquarters would be like a rabbit eating the grass near its burrow!" Aunt Xiulan laughed ambiguously.

"Okay, okay, I didn't say anything. Let's get back to work, we've all fallen far behind."

"Why rush it? It won't give you more work points. In the past, the Yang family had a bad class background, so it didn't matter if people said a few words. Now the Yang family is frequently in contact with Secretary Zhang of the commune, and the brigade secretary even dares to protect an educated youth. It's really outrageous."

"What can we do? Grandpa Yang's family are all honest people, and they don't dare to go to Secretary Zhang. They can only suffer in silence." Zheng Fenglin sighed with heartache.

"In the end, it all came down to the brigade secretary's wife getting involved. What kind of situation is this? They're more than ten years apart in age, how did they even get together?"

"Those educated youth would do anything for a quota to move to the city."

"Even the brigade secretary doesn't have that much power; he needs the commune secretary's signature. The atmosphere in our Liushan Commune has been corrupted by these educated youth from the city," Aunt Xiulan said angrily.

Zheng Fenglin achieved his goal and said no more, focusing on weeding.

The next day was calm and peaceful.

The third day was calm and peaceful.

On the fourth day, Da Shui Village was in an uproar.

As soon as Zheng Fenglin started work, Aunt Xiulan pulled him aside.

"Something really happened in the brigade last night, you know?"

"What is it?"

"The brigade secretary's wife led a group to catch them in the act of adultery. Guo Baohua and Wu Xia were completely naked. Oh my god, I was so embarrassed..."

He said he was so embarrassed, but he was clearly so excited that he was spitting everywhere.

"Aunt Xiulan, who spread the word?" Zheng Fenglin feigned panic.

Xiulan blinked and said, "These things can't stay secret forever. Anyway, it didn't spread from our village. Wu Xia and Guo Baohua were taken away by the commune militia. I guess they're going to have a denunciation meeting."

"Stop talking, it's not like it's anything good. I'm going to the field." Zheng Fenglin hurriedly avoided Aunt Xiulan and went to weed the field.

Aunt Xiulan, still not satisfied, pulled another woman aside and went off to whisper to her.

Zheng Fenglin became increasingly pleased with his work, finally venting his anger.

Grandma Qiaoqiao was discharged from the hospital on the fourth day. Zhao Jintao and two young men went to town to pick her up.

They were stopped by Li Feng, the commune's clerk, halfway there.

"Zhao Jintao, I went to the village to look for you. I told you you've come to the town. Come with me to the commune."

"What's wrong?"

"It's all because your brigade secretary is having an affair, and it's going to lead to a murder." Li Feng said, panting heavily.

"What 'old shoe'?"

"The educated youth Wu Xia and Guo Baohua, alas, were caught by his wife. She was crying and making a scene in the commune, insisting that Wu Xia be paraded through the streets. Secretary Zhang said, 'It's your brigade's business, so I'm asking you to go and talk to her.'"

"Wu Xia?" Zhao Jintao's heart skipped a beat. Who spread this rumor?

Upon hearing this, Qiaoqiao's mother quickly said, "Jintao, you have to go first. We can take him back."

"Auntie, then you should take your time. Go see Grandma tonight."

Zhao Jintao gave the cart rope to a young man in the village and rode away on Li Feng's bicycle.

"Qiaoqiao's mother, isn't Wu Xia that sharp-tongued woman?" Qiaoqiao's grandmother asked, lying on the cart.

"Yes, Mother."

"That's it, Guo Baohua's position as brigade secretary is in jeopardy," the young man pulling the cart said with a laugh.