Chapter 83: The Girl's Fate

After Wang Tufu left, Su Ruo also left the clinic and went to the neighboring Chen Family Village. By asking the villagers, she quickly found the home of Wang Tufu's former wife, Chen Xiaomei.

But before Su Ruo could enter the gate, she heard scolding and beating coming from the courtyard, accompanied by the sounds of chickens crowing and dogs barking.

"You little slut, a money‑losing good, you actually still want to eat eggs—just wait, I won't beat you to death today! I tell you, these eggs belong to our family's treasure; if I find out you dare to think about stealing these eggs again, I won't let you off!"

The woman's sharp voice came from the courtyard, faintly mixed with a child's crying; hearing it, Su Ruo couldn't help but frown slightly.

At that moment, a sharp‑looked woman walked out of the courtyard; she first gave Su Ruo a once‑over with her narrow eyes, then asked:

"Who are you, loitering in front of our door for what purpose?"

"I am a friend of Chen Xiaomei; I came today to discuss something with you."

As soon as Su Ruo finished speaking, the woman impatiently said: "Go on, go on, that dead slut—she's already dead, what else is there to say! Coming here first thing in the morning just to bring bad luck."

From the woman's age and words, Su Ruo inferred that she was likely Chen Xiaomei's mother.

But when mentioning her deceased daughter, the mother felt not a hint of sorrow, only that it was unlucky.

Although Su Ruo had already learned from Li Zhaodi that the Chen family favored sons over daughters, she still felt sorrow for Chen Xiaomei at this moment.

She died for this family, yet in this household no one cared about her.

After saying that, the woman impatiently wanted to drive Su Ruo away.

At that moment, a somewhat younger woman walked out of the courtyard.

She glanced at Su Ruo's attire, and a smile immediately appeared on her face: "You're Xiao Mei's friend! Come in quickly!"

The woman was Chen Xiaomei's elder sister‑in‑law, Chen Guiqiao, also a resident of Chen Family Village; Chen Guiqiao felt nothing for this deceased younger sister‑in‑law.

But she is shrewd; with just a glance she knew Su Ruo's clothes were not cheap, and that Su Ruo's circumstances were good, so she invited her in.

Chen Mother was dissatisfied with the daughter‑in‑law's act of privately letting a stranger into the house; who knew what kind of person the other was, whether they would take notice of her household.

Although her family was so poor they could barely keep the pot boiling, and there was nothing worth coveting, Chen Mother did not think so, as the saying goes, even a ruined family is worth a myriad of fortunes!

But Chen Guiqiao was formidable, so even though Chen Mother was unwilling in her heart, she dared not show it at this moment; her pent‑up anger had no outlet, and she even blamed the deceased daughter.

Chen Mother resented Chen Xiaomei, saying that even dead she was not at peace, and moreover blamed her for being useless; in this era, which woman doesn't get beaten? Men have bad tempers; she just needed to placate him properly—how could she be so foolish as to be beaten to death?

Chen Mother thought, if Chen Xiaomei were still alive, she could still supplement her natal family.

In the past, whenever Chen Xiaomei got beaten and ran back to her natal home, when Wang Tufu came to fetch her, he would always bring two knives' worth of meat.

Each time this happened, she would beam with joy as she accepted the meat, then say a few perfunctory words to Wang Tufu before letting him take her back.

As for what fate awaited Chen Xiaomei after she returned, Chen Mother didn't care; in her view, that was simply a woman's destiny.

If Chen Xiaomei couldn't placate her husband, it was her own inadequacy.

Chen Mother still remembers how fragrant that meat was; she unconsciously licked her lips—since her daughter's death, the impoverished household has not had meat at all.

Su Ruo walked into the courtyard and saw a five‑ or six‑year‑old girl wiping tears from the edge of a basin while feeding the chickens.

The girl's clothes were filthy, her complexion sallow, she was extremely thin—clearly malnourished.

In stark contrast to the girl, there was a seven‑ or eight‑year‑old boy in the courtyard greedily eating eggs.

In an era when everyone struggled to get enough to eat, the boy was raised white and plump—clearly a child brought up in indulgence.

The girl also looked at Su Ruo in surprise; from childhood she had been taught by her mother and grandmother that girls are money‑losing goods.

She ought to do work for the family and give all good things to her brother.

Therefore, she had never imagined that a girl could actually wear such beautiful clothes.

In the girl's eyes, Su Ruo was practically a fairy—she was beautiful, her clothes were beautiful, and she was unlike the village girls.

The girl looked at Su Ruo's pale, slender hands and thought that this older sister must not have to work, otherwise her hands couldn't be so lovely.

So, girls could actually be like this? Su Ruo's appearance shattered the girl's long‑held belief.

Chen Mother's pent‑up anger had nowhere to go; seeing the girl dazed, she directly slapped her hard across the face:

"You dead‑beat girl, not working properly, what are you staring at? I tell you, if you don't finish your chores today, you won't get dinner tonight."

The girl staggered and fell to the ground from the blow; her left cheek immediately swelled, tears welled in her eyes from the pain, but she dared not cry out, for if she did she would be beaten even harder.

The girl wiped away her tears, silently picked up the basin and went to feed the chickens.

Chen Guiqiao glanced at the daughter, said nothing, and continued walking inside; obviously she had grown accustomed to it and did not think it wrong for the daughter to be beaten.

In this household, as long as it didn't involve her precious son, she was indifferent to everything else.

Su Ruo glanced at the girl, then withdrew her gaze; although she felt sympathy for the girl, she could do nothing.

Moreover, in this era there are far too many girls like her; she simply cannot help them, nor does she have the power to change their futures.

Perhaps with the rise of the times, one day women's status will improve and true gender equality will be achieved.

But now, for a girl to change her fate and walk out of this great mountain is extremely difficult.

After Su Ruo entered the house, Chen Guiqiao's husband Chen Dazhuang came out from the inner room.

Chen Dazhuang saw Su Ruo and was slightly surprised; he had never before seen in the village such a fair‑skinned, pretty girl.

Chen Guiqiao gave her husband a fierce stare, found a stool for Su Ruo to sit on, then got straight to the point and asked:

"You're Xiao Mei's friend? How come I've never seen you before?"

Chen Guiqiao has always been astute; if Chen Xiaomei had such a beautiful, wealthy friend, she would certainly remember her.

Su Ruo also didn't beat around the bush, getting straight to the point: "I am an educated youth sent down to Li Family Village; I know Chen Xiaomei was beaten to death by Wang Tufu. If you are willing to go to the Police Bureau to report Wang Tufu, this hundred yuan is yours."

After speaking, Su Ruo directly took out ten Great Unity notes and placed them on the table.

This action of hers shocked all three people in the room—ten Great Unity notes! The Chen family had never seen so much money before!

Chen Dazhuang and the three others, at this moment, looked at the money with eyes glowing green, practically itching to rush forward and snatch it away.

Fortunately Chen Guiqiao still had some sense; she said: "Everything requires evidence. You say Xiao Mei was beaten to death by Wang Tufu—do you have any proof?"

"If we go to file a report without any basis and make a mistake, should Wang Tufu come knocking, we couldn't afford to provoke him."

Upon hearing this, Chen Dazhuang and Chen Mother immediately sobered up; Wang Tufu is a ruthless scoundrel—if he learned they dared to report him to the police and have him arrested, he would surely come to their door and beat them to death.

But if they were to just give it up like that, they would be reluctant, after all this is a hundred yuan—enough to sustain them for several years.

Su Ruo mockingly looked at Chen Guiqiao: "Chen Xiaomei, just how did she die? You all know best in your hearts, don't you?"

As for evidence, after you report it to the police, the police will naturally come to investigate; by then, you will have whatever evidence you need.

Once Wang Tufu goes in, do you think he still has a chance to come out alive?