Chapter 95: 95. Chapter 95: Mutual Divorce

95. Chapter 95: Mutual Divorce

Zhao Dasao covered her mouth, weeping uncontrollably.

She had never felt so utterly hopeless before.

Whether it was the village rumors or Zhao Wulai's beatings, she always told herself to endure—it would pass; for the children, she pretended not to see or hear… Sometimes she thought all men were unable to control their lusts, as long as they didn't bring it home, she could turn a blind eye.

But in the end, it was still her children who suffered the most…

Had she truly done everything wrong?

"Mother…" Chunmiao choked out, watching her mother weep.

But before she could speak, Zhao Dasao wiped her tears away, took Chunya's hand, and placed it in Chunmiao's—each word deliberate: "Chunmiao, take Chunya home, pull the blanket over your heads, and sleep well. Don't come out no matter who calls."

Chunmiao wanted to say more, but seeing the unyielding resolve on her mother's face, she fell silent and led her sister home.

Zhao Dasao tidied herself, smoothed her disheveled hair, and walked swiftly toward the flames.

The fire had broken out in Xu Widow's house; being a mud-brick structure with a thatched roof, it caught fire instantly.

But the fire was discovered in time—nearly half the village arrived, carrying their own buckets to extinguish it; only the thatched roof burned away, and those inside were unharmed.

When Zhao Dasao arrived, she saw villagers gathered before the ruined house, pointing and whispering at the two inside.

Upon seeing Zhao Dasao, the crowd silently parted to make way for her.

Zhao Dasao stepped forward and immediately saw the two soot-covered figures—likely caught off guard by the sudden fire, they had fled without time to dress.

Xu Widow fared slightly better, wrapped at least in a cotton quilt, but through the burned holes, it was clear she wore nothing underneath; her skin, besides soot, bore unmistakable marks of intimacy…

Some elderly bachelors in the village couldn't help staring, murmuring as their eyes drifted to Zhao Wulai, completely naked except for a rag tied loosely around his waist.

"Hey, Zhao Wulai, what's going on here? Did you two get too rowdy in bed and knock over the oil lamp?"

At this crude joke, the men burst into laughter, yet their eyes kept drifting toward Xu Widow.

Some timid women lowered their heads, but their glances at Xu Widow held mockery, disdain, and disgust.

Xu Widow clutched the quilt tightly, wishing she could bury her head inside it.

Zhao Wulai's face darkened; even though village gossip had spread wildly, as long as no one had seen it firsthand, he'd face no consequences—but now his shame was laid bare before everyone, and he'd be mocked.

His eyes fell on Zhao Dasao entering the crowd, and he found his outlet for rage: "You bitch, what are you doing here? Come to laugh at me? Get the hell back home!"

Zhao Dasao did not shrink away as she always had at his shouts; her numb face twitched slightly, then she turned to Xu Widow and said: "Zhao Wulai, how long have you been sleeping with her?"

"None of your damn business!"

Zhao Wulai exploded like a lit powder keg, glaring furiously at Zhao Dasao; others' stares embarrassed him, and he couldn't retaliate—but this bitch dared join them in laughing at him, and he was furious, wanting nothing more than to rush forward and beat her.

And he did.

But as he lunged forward and raised his hand, Zhao Dasao seized his arm with one hand.

"You—" Zhao Wulai, stunned that the woman who always took his beatings dared resist, hadn't even reacted when Zhao Dasao slapped him hard across the face!

Zhao Wulai, used to idleness and laziness, had no strength compared to Zhao Dasao, who worked the fields daily; the slap sent him reeling, stumbling to the ground, the rag around his waist loosening.

"Y-You dared hit me!!"

Enraged, Zhao Wulai rose to strike back, but the next instant he felt a chill below—men's stares turned strange, and the watching women awkwardly looked away.

Realizing what had happened, Zhao Wulai frantically covered himself with both hands, his face flushing red then paling.

His dignity was utterly destroyed before the entire village.

As he scrambled to find the rag on the ground to cover himself, Zhao Dasao stepped forward, crushing the rag beneath her foot; as Zhao Wulai's eyes bulged, about to scream, she spoke coldly: "Zhao Wulai, let's divorce. Right now, go to the village head for official certification."

"W-What did you say?!" Zhao Wulai's eyes widened in disbelief—his weak, powerless wife had just voluntarily proposed this?

But then he sneered: "Hah, fine! I've been sick of your face for ages—divorce suits me! Don't you dare regret it!"

Some eager villagers had already gone to fetch the village head.

Soon after, the village head arrived with documents.

Zhao Wulai was still completely naked, covering himself; the village head looked away in disgust, shaking his head and muttering, "A disgrace to decency."

"Uncle Liu…" Zhao Dasao began, but Zhao Wulai interrupted, frantic: "Village Head, I want to divorce this bitch! Write me the divorce letter right away!"

"Zhao Wulai, you have no right to divorce me," Zhao Dasao said coldly, her gaze sweeping over the feigning-dead Xu Widow, "I have not committed any of the Seven Outs—you have no grounds to divorce me. Uncle Liu, write the Mutual Divorce Letter."

A man cannot abandon his wife.

Once divorced, she loses all claim to custody of the children.

This time, she would no longer let Zhao Wulai control her—she would be brave, for herself and for her daughters!

"You bitch, I'll divorce you if I want to—what do I care if you broke the Seven Outs!" Zhao Wulai spat.

"Zhao Wulai!" the village head snapped, "Watch your tongue—this is Dayin Law, not some whim you can act on!"

Dayin Laws stipulate that a man may divorce his wife only under the "Seven Outs": "disobedience to in-laws," "childlessness," "adultery," "jealousy," "serious illness," "theft," etc.

That is, divorce cannot be arbitrary—it must follow these rules; if the woman has not committed any of the Seven Outs, divorce is only possible by Mutual Divorce due to incompatibility.

Zhao Wulai's face darkened further; he glared at Zhao Dasao: "Fine, Mutual Divorce! But listen—I won't give you a single piece of our house or family fields! Zhao Ergou is my blood—you won't take him!"

"I'm taking only Chunmiao and Chunya," Zhao Dasao said calmly.

Zhao Wulai sneered, his eyes full of contempt: "Those useless little brats—only you'd treat them like treasures. Take them if you want! If you ever dare step into Zhao Wulai's house again, I'll beat you to death!" (End of Chapter)