Lu Mingfang suddenly burst into tears and ran away, startling everyone present, especially Zhou Jiaojiao, who never would have expected the normally timid and shy Lu Mingfang to suddenly dare to speak to her like that.
Furthermore, she threatened to complain about Jiaxuan from their household to the commune. If she really did that, even the temporary workers who had just started might face changes. Lu Zhenping valued these children greatly; his mother-in-law also seemed to treat the children well on the surface, with some friction only occurring behind closed doors. If anything happened to Lu Mingfang because of her, then the good days that were just within reach would be completely ruined.
"Mingfang, don’t run, what on earth are you trying to do?" Zhou Jiaojiao slapped her thigh and let out a cry as she chased after her, but there were others who ran even faster.
Lu Xiangxiang threw down the hoe she had on her shoulder and ran after her. Although Lu Mingfang was young, she ran quickly with all her might, her little legs moving rapidly.
Lu Mingyang and Lu Mingliang were also terrified and hurriedly called out for their mother in the courtyard.
Shen Meng, hearing the noisy commotion outside and people calling for Mingfang, felt a sudden pang of anxiety in her heart and quickly lifted both children off the bicycle.
"You two go sit in the main room, I’ll go outside to take a look. Don’t run around, understand?"
"Understood, Mom, I’ll be good."
"Xiao Gang will be good too."
Shen Meng nodded, frantic, and ran out of the courtyard.
The more Lu Mingfang thought about her future, the more she felt there were no good days ahead; the more hopeless her life seemed. Hearing her brothers’ shouts behind her, she hesitated for a moment, then mustered her energy and continued running towards the main road.
Shen Meng was also running, filled with immense regret for mentioning divorce; after only a few days of good times, the children definitely couldn’t handle this. No matter how she would get along with Lu Zhenping when he returned, that was a matter between adults.
Thinking about what Zhu Juying had just said, she felt ten thousand regrets in her heart.
Humans are emotional creatures; no matter how cold one is, the time she had spent looking after the children wasn’t short and the feelings developed between them weren’t fake. In her heart, she had fully accepted the children and never planned to abandon them.
But she had forgotten Lu Mingyang’s previous pained and gloomy appearance; and how could the other two, who had been displaced and constantly on the move, truly be as bright and cheerful as they seemed on the surface!
"Mingfang, Mingfang come back, Mom’s here; if anyone bullies you, I’ll fight them to the end."
Zhou Jiaojiao, only a few steps away, heard the ferocious words behind her and stiffened up, quickening her pace.
Shen Meng finally caught up to Lu Mingyang and Lu Mingliang, grabbed their hands, and together they ran forward. Lu Mingyang clenched her hand tightly, while Lu Mingliang continued to sob.
This child had been slick since their first encounter; she felt a pang in her heart when she heard that he had knelt before Zhou Jiaojiao.
If he hadn’t been so used to the cold and disdainful looks, how could a child of seven think to kneel? Her son was the one with the least sense of security; seeing Lu Mingliang crying loudly, her heart ached even more.
Lu Xiangxiang, young and fast, managed to grab the collar of Lu Mingfang’s neck as she reached the little river by the village entrance.
"Let go of me, let go! I don’t want to live anymore. Fourth Aunt just wants to drive us siblings to our deaths, sob sob sob, let go! Those vile people who never have enough advantages, when I die, I’ll see how they explain it to my dad, I don’t want to live anymore, sob sob sob..."
"What are you blabbering on about, Xiong Nizi? If you’re gone, what’s your mother going to do? What about your two brothers? If your mother gets bullied again next time, do you expect your brothers to jump into the river too? Mingfang, if you cause any more trouble, your mother will get angry, and she’ll have to spank you."
Lu Mingfang’s eyes brightened, not with fear but with a hint of hope. Lu Xiangxiang thought she must have seen it wrong, but the child she was holding suddenly struggled even harder. She lost her grip, and the young girl’s feet slipped into the river.
"Ming Fang, my child, Xiangxiang, hold on tight!"
Lu Family Village has two rivers, one shallower, where the village women and young wives always carry their basins to wash clothes, and often in the summer, people bring their children there for baths.
The river at the entrance of the village is deeper, and only men familiar with swimming come here to bathe. However, it’s said that a few people had drowned in this river in the early years, and since then, people are afraid to come here to bathe, fearing the disruption of water ghosts.
If Shen Meng had been told such things before, she would have scoffed and rolled her eyes, telling the person it was feudal superstition. But now, she herself is the biggest proponent of such feudal superstition.
"Mingfang’s mother is here, don’t be afraid, I was just saying, I had no intention of divorcing your father, I won’t abandon you. Ming Fang, hold your sister Xiangxiang’s hand tightly!"
"Mom, wuuu, mom~ something is scratching my leg."
"Be good, don’t be scared, mom is here, it’s alright!"
Shen Meng let go of her two sons’ hands, ran over, followed Lu Xiangxiang’s hand and grabbed Lu Mingfang’s hand. A child weighing about thirty kilos, with half their body limp in the water, still carries some weight.
It took a lot of effort for the two people to pull Lu Mingfang out. There was a strand of water grass wrapped around the little girl’s leg. It was the splashing water that caused it to wrap around her leg, making her think it was a hand pulling her leg. Only now, after being scared, she threw herself into Shen Meng’s arms and started crying loudly.
Unfortunately, her mother was not a bit kind as before, and with a flip, she smacked her daughter’s bottom four or five times with a "pop pop pop" sound.
With a menacing look on her face, Lu Mingfang looked at her mother’s fierce demeanor, completely losing the hope she had before. Even Lu Mingyang and Lu Mingliang, who came to comfort their sister, were frightened and dared not make a peep.
"Look at you, daring enough to court death at such a young age, what are you trying to do, huh? Thinking about jumping into the river? If something happened to you, your father would tear my bones apart when he gets back. Do you want your mother to die too? What are you looking at? I’m talking to you!"
Lu Mingfang: "...."
Mom, please don’t, I’m a bit scared!!!
"Look, what are you looking at? Weren’t you causing a huge fuss just a moment ago? Now putting on this pitiful face for whom? Look how tired you’ve made your sister Xiangxiang. Do you realize your mistake? Do you?"
As Shen Meng spoke, she spanked her again a few more times. She was heartbroken as well, but sometimes children need to be disciplined. She had been trying very hard to treat them well, and the photos she brought back from the county town to show the children - their photos together - hadn’t even been shared with them yet.
"You really deserve a spanking, today you’re going to learn your lesson. The adults will handle the adult matters, what are you meddling for, you child?"
"Ah~ wuuu, I’m sorry, I’m sorry wuuu...."
It hurts too much, her mother’s spanking was too painful.
Lu Mingyang and Lu Mingliang, trembling and silent as cicadas in winter, exchanged a glance, thinking that since their sister got spanked, they wouldn’t be next.
The villagers who ran over fearing an accident, upon seeing this scene, also breathed a sigh of relief. Some women, seeing Shen Meng spank Lu Mingfang, felt their noses sting with sorrow. Every parent has their child’s best interest at heart, and Shen Meng was still a good stepmother.
Zhou Jiaojiao also breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, no harm was done.
"Ming Fang, you really caused too much trouble. Fourth Aunt was just asking; who knew you’d make such a fuss. Your sister-in-law is right to properly discipline the child; this child really won’t learn without a spanking."
Shen Meng suddenly stopped her hand and turned a fierce glare at Zhou Jiaojiao.