Chapter 569: We Have Already Had Enough Bad Luck; Please Grant Us a Way to Survive

On the other side, Ding Surong, having waited in vain for a reply from her family, took leave from the village and returned to the city.

As soon as she entered the family compound, she felt everyone's gaze on her was strange; moreover, whenever she tried to speak, they all turned away, leaving her utterly bewildered and filling her heart with a bad premonition.

When she reached the main gate and saw it was unlocked, she did not push it open but called out, "Mom, open the door, I'm back."

Hearing someone open the door and step out, the moment the door swung open, Ding Surong was startled: "Mom, what's wrong with you?"

The woman inside the gate pulled her daughter in by force, tears following as they fell: "Surong, something has happened to the family."

"Mom, what exactly is going on?"

"Surong, your father he..."

She didn't know how to tell her daughter; it was simply too shameful, yet since her daughter had returned, even if she herself didn't speak, the girl would eventually learn from others: "Your father has someone on the outside, and he was caught in the act by people on the spot."

Ding Surong wore an expression of disbelief: "What did you say? How is that possible?"

Hearing these words, the woman cried out even louder: "I thought it was impossible too, but your father admitted it; everyone in the family compound knows now. The verdict arrived this morning: exile to a northwest farm for labor reform."

Hearing this, Ding Surong nearly lost her footing: "How could this happen? What about us? What shall we do?"

The woman choked out, "If not for your cousin uncle mediating in the matter, he probably wouldn't have kept his life."

Hatred filled Ding Surong's eyes: "Who is that woman?"

Upon mentioning this, the woman found it even harder to bring herself to speak.

Seeing her mother remain silent for so long, she said, "You should speak up."

The woman opened her mouth, but in the end, still did not say it.

Just then, someone passed by the Ding family door: "Yo, Gu Yuqing, your Surong is back?"

Though the words were asked as a question, the tone and expression carried schadenfreude.

Ding Surong looked over and was about to say something when Gu Yuqing quickly pulled her daughter behind her: "Sister Qiu..."

Before she could finish her sentence, the woman called Sister Qiu cut in: "Surong, did you also know the family had a mishap, so you took leave and rushed back?"

Ding Surong shot a sharp glare at her: "Aunt Qiu, it's better to keep some virtue on your lips."

Sister Qiu was now displeased: "How dare you speak like that? Don't say I haven't said anything; even if I did, what could you do to me? If you have the ability, tell your father not to do such shameless things."

Gu Yuqing knew Sister Qiu was deliberately provoking them, but given the family's current situation, she could no longer act as before: "Sister Qiu, we are neighbors; do not take things to the extreme. Ding Youwen did something indecent, but we are also victims. We are both women; why must you make things so difficult for us?"

Remembering something, she added, "We have already suffered enough; please grant us a way to survive."

Upon hearing these words, Sister Qiu truly found it hard to continue harping on it: "As if I were some great sinner. Gu Yuqing, you truly have excellent skills."

She snorted, lifted her leg, and left the Ding family's main gate.

Seeing the person leave, Gu Yuqing quickly shut the main gate, blocking the outsider's peeping, secured the latch, and led the furious Ding Surong back inside: "You returned at just the right time. With such a thing happening, we probably cannot live in this family compound house anymore. Pack up the things you left at home; we will likely have to move out in these few days."

Ding Surong found it hard to accept at once: "How could this be? If we don't live here, where shall we live?"

Remembering something, she asked, "Does my older brother know about what happened in the family?"