Chapter 228: Rebirth in the Nineties: The Tyrant Flower, Chapter 229: Someone Died

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Protagonist:

Chai Mi

"Not good, not good, Sister... open the door, open the door... someone died."

The sky hadn't brightened much the next day, not yet five o'clock, the light dim and hazy.

Chai Mi's front door was nearly smashed to pieces by Chai Xiu...

Chai Mi got up with bleary eyes, and upon hearing Chai Xiu's commotion, rolled her eyes at once: "Mom, look at the good daughter you raised, gone from home for three or four days, and already causing trouble at the crack of dawn."

Chai Mi was actually quite surprised, after all Chai Xiu was usually especially well-behaved and obedient, but today was very abnormal...

"Hurry and open the door, maybe she's homesick..."

Chai Mi laughed: "Sigh... homesick... hehehe... Mom, you really are something."

Chai Xiu had indeed been staying at her maternal aunt's home for several days already. In the past Chai Mi also occasionally went to her maternal aunt's home to stay for two days. After all it was relatively close, and she could play with two female cousins who were only a few years older than her.

But Chai Xiu was different; by now the children at her maternal aunt's home had all long since married and had children. There were no children at home yet, and Chai Xiu was staying over there...

Hmm...

Chai Mi was not too reassured.

There had once been a misunderstanding in her previous life.

Although Chai Mi's family and her maternal aunt's family had a very good relationship, once Chai Xiu went there, and as a result Liu San and his wife held Chai Xiu and took several photos; when outsiders asked, Liu San said she was his child, to ease the embarrassment of not having children.

But this matter caused Su Wan and Chai Youqing to be estranged from her maternal aunt's family for a long time.

Matters of the previous life had passed long ago. Chai Mi now saw things clearly: the false cannot become true, and the true cannot become false.

These things were not particularly important.

What mattered was that Chai Xiu was fine.

As for Liu San and his wife's actions, it was probably just an excuse born of having no other choice...

Chai Mi sighed: these two really need to see a doctor, just don't end up estranged like in the previous life, that's all.

Chai Mi got up, put on her clothes, and slowly went to open the door: "Shouting what... Xiu'er, is your skin itching? Running back home at the crack of dawn to do what? Your maternal aunt not feeding you?!"

"Eldest Sister, you don't know?!" Chai Xiu looked at Chai Mi with a face full of sincerity, as if saying I don't believe you: "You... Eldest Sister, something big happened last night, you don't know anything at all?"

"What matter? Dad and Mom are doing fine, Third Brother is also doing fine. You look like nothing's wrong, what big thing could happen?" Chai Mi asked with a frown.

"Chai Chunfang died..."

"Ah..."

Chai Mi was stunned: "Chai Chunfang died?"

Chai Mi immediately panicked.

What Chai Xiu said was indeed a big deal!!!

Although Chai Mi and Chai Chunfang were extremely incompatible, her death still surprised Chai Mi greatly.

You have to know, in her previous life Chai Chunfang did not die at such a young age!!!

Afterwards Chai Mi hugged Chai Xiu, scurrying into the room.

Afterwards, boiling water...

Brewing tea...

Even taking out the melon seeds...

On Chai Xiu's tender face was an expression of disbelief: look at my Eldest Sister's psychological quality, truly strong!

Outside was already an uproar, the whole village was in a state of confusion, but my Eldest Sister actually wants to drink tea and watch the show...

"What's wrong, Xiu'er?"

After Chai Xiu caused such a commotion, Su Wan and Chai Youqing also got up.

Chai Xiu then recounted the news she had heard in detail, from beginning to end.

Cause of the matter: outside rumors said Chai Chunfang was beaten beyond recognition at the old house last night, and so, disheartened, chose to take her own life.

Course of the matter: according to an unknown eyewitness, Chai Chunfang approximately perhaps maybe around half past one last night, holding a rope, hanged herself on the main gate of the Chai family old house. People discovered Chai Chunfang was dead at approximately between three-thirty and four in the evening... Che Lianyun couldn't sleep, feeling the weather was too dry this year, decided to water the fields; upon opening the gate, he discovered Chai Chunfang hanged on his own family's big gate hole.

Result: Chai Chunfang is now cold... Chai Chunfang's husband Sun Yuguang, and two daughters Sun Shengyue, Sun Shengli have already come to mourn.

Incidental result: the Police Station, Village, Judicial Office, Public Security Bureau and other relevant departments have also come...

"I didn't hear anything..." Su Wan looked at the time, it was already past five... she truly hadn't heard anything at all.

Chai Youqing's expression was somewhat complex: "No... how could she just give up and hang herself... I have to go take a look... why exactly did this Chunfang do it... sigh..."

Chai Youqing was actually still very sad inside; after all she was his own younger sister, and she just hanged herself like that in a confused manner. Although these past two days the two families had actually been very unhappy, Chai Youqing had now let go of those things; for the first time he did not look at Chai Mi with an expression of wanting to eat melon and watch the show, but instead staggered somewhat and went out the door.

Chai Mi did not follow him out, nor say anything, but took a sip of tea, then began cooking.

"Chai Mi, do you want to go take a look too? After all she is your Old Aunt, someone died... I have to watch the child, can't leave... or... Chai Mi you go take a glance, so outsiders won't gossip." Su Wan had quite an air of speaking for Chai Mi's own good.

According to local customs, generally speaking: debts are cancelled upon death.

Generally following local customs and habits, no matter how incompatible two people were in life, then from the perspective after death, Chai Mi "should" be more magnanimous, and "fulfill filial piety" for this aunt of hers. Such as: crying a few times, reminiscing a bit...

Chai Mi smiled: "Mom, why are you anxious. Can I still avoid it? With something this big, I naturally will go. Go... look at the excitement."

Chai Mi was not as indecisive as her mother. When her mother died in the previous life, which of the three aunts of the Chai family ever came? Which ever came to mourn or visit the grave?

So, Chai Mi going would at most be to watch the excitement.

Su Wan still wanted to say something, but Chai Mi directly said: "Eat first, we'll talk after eating."

Afterwards Chai Mi called to Chai Xiu: "Xiu'er, wash your hands. Next time you encounter something unrelated to our family, don't be so anxious and flustered. Not to mention Chai Chunfang dying at the old house, even if she hanged herself at our family's doorway, you don't need to panic. People like her, long ago damn well should have died."

"Chai Mi! What are you saying..." Su Wan said somewhat discontentedly: "Saying it at home is fine, but don't say it outside. Don't let outsiders laugh at us."

"Eat, eat." Chai Mi couldn't be bothered to argue with her mother over this.

Chai Mi understood her mother, after all, her mother hadn't lived a second life and didn't know what happened later; she was now just the mother of three children, happy and content.

Let her be simply happy then; as for those wind and rain, it was better to handle them alone.

After eating breakfast, Chai Mi asked Chai Xiu, "Oh, that's not right. Xiu'er, why are you back? I was still wondering if you'd stay at your maternal aunt's home until the end of time..."

Chai Xiu didn't talk back, just saying her maternal aunt wouldn't let her go home and told her to stay a few more days.

"Heh, I think you're afraid someone will manage you when you go home." Chai Mi pointed at the child in her mother's arms, then said, "This month, your main job is to help our mother coax the child."

Chai Xiu looked so innocent she was almost crying: I'm still a child myself...

Chai Mi didn't care how old Chai Xiu was; in the countryside, children of six or seven coaxing younger ones was actually quite common.

Even if they couldn't coax well, they could at least free the adults' hands to do other things.

Just then, someone outside the door called Chai Mi.

Chai Mi went out to look; the visitors were Liu Zhanggui and two people from the Police Station.

Su Wan saw them and immediately panicked, quickly telling Chai Xiu to coax the child, and she herself put on shoes and went out.

Chai Xiu:???

What, just now you told me to coax the child, and the next moment it started? Did my Eldest Sister and my mother collude?

"Oh, Village Chief... these two comrades are..." Su Wan reached the door two steps ahead of Chai Mi.

"We are from the County Public Security Bureau; we want to learn about the situation regarding Chai Chunfang's cause of death."

"Then come inside to talk."

"No need, we'll learn the situation and leave shortly."

Chai Mi also came out, saying, "I am Chai Mi; whatever needs to be learned, whatever cooperation is needed, I will definitely cooperate."

"May I ask, did Chai Chunfang have some conflict with you a few days ago? Did you once drive a car to scare Chai Chunfang, saying you'd crush her to death? Also, about seven or eight days ago, did you have a dispute with Chai Chunfang, and did the two of you fight?"

Facing these questions, Chai Mi had nothing to hide: "I did have some small conflict with Chai Chunfang. The cause was that my grandfather owed me money and wouldn't pay it back; my Old Aunt came to try to mediate. I didn't agree with Chai Chunfang's view and firmly demanded my grandfather pay me back; afterward, there were indeed some harsh words. Later Chai Chunfang got angry and wanted to hit me; I dodged, and she knocked herself over, hitting the bicycle. However, there was no serious injury."

"A few days ago, my family had a happy event; she deliberately came to find fault. There was indeed the matter of being crushed by a car, but it was like this: at the time, the Village Chief was also present; Chai Chunfang lay on the ground rolling around, trying to cheat me... then she lay in front of someone's car; the car owner finished eating and wanted to go home. I said at the time, Old Aunt, if you want to die, don't die here... then the car owner drove the car, and she didn't dodge. If I hadn't pulled her out, she would have been crushed to death by the car then. But no matter how you say it, she didn't have any injury."

Su Wan listened at the side with a bad complexion; she thought to herself: Chai Mi, why do you tell the whole truth? If this isn't handled well, Chai Chunfang's death will be pinned on Chai Mi; what should be done?

"By the way, I said at the time: Old Aunt, if you don't dodge and get crushed to death by the car, I won't care." Chai Mi added a sentence.

"After Chai Chunfang went home from your house, until she went crazy and bullied children, until today, did you have any other conflicts?"

"From the day she left my house, I never saw her again. Whether she specifically went crazy or not, I think you should ask the parents of the few children she harmed. Regarding Chai Chunfang's matter, there are especially many eyewitnesses. I can only answer what I know. I won't answer the statements you subjectively speculate based on conjecture." Chai Mi said without humility or arrogance.

The two were stunned for a moment and said, "Sorry, sorry. Then it's nothing, sorry for the disturbance."

Afterward, Liu Zhanggui led the two people away.

Su Wan breathed a sigh of relief and quickly scolded Chai Mi: "Chai Mi, why do you tell the whole truth? If they pin it on you, what will you do?"

"Chai Chunfang committed suicide; what does it have to do with others? Besides, she hanged herself at the old house." Chai Mi glanced at her mother: "Mom, don't be kind-hearted. If Chai Chunfang hadn't hanged herself at our door, you'd be secretly happy. This person indeed has mental problems. She also suffered losses for not understanding the law; she thought doing this could make things difficult for others—how sick is that... even in death, she wants to drag others to back her up; people like that, what is there to pity?"

Su Wan was stunned for a moment, sighed: "She indeed didn't do this well. Not to mention anything else, this time, she made your grandfather and grandmother and your Third Uncle and Third Aunt famous..."

What Su Wan said was correct.

Chai Zhongxiao and his wife and Chai Youde and his wife were indeed famous at this very moment.

Her own daughter, hanged in her own home's Big Gate Hole...

(Big Gate Hole: a special architectural structure common locally in the 1990s. The middle is the big gate, with walls on both sides, forming a curved reverse elliptical shape. The top is arched, intended to protect the iron gate from wind, sun, and rain, with no great practical significance. First, it's beautiful, very beautiful; second, iron gates were very expensive then, costing seven or eight hundred yuan, while building this gate... There will be an illustration later in this chapter; otherwise, I really can't explain this special gate structure not found outside the region.)

The Chai family old house was now surrounded so tightly that not even water could leak through; the Police Station people had set up a cordon, twenty meters in all directions, not allowing anyone to approach.

The vast majority of people in the whole village had turned out.

People stood around watching.

Actually, they didn't know what they were watching.

Anyway, this kind of situation was especially common in the Northern Region; the bigger the matter, the more people.

If you asked them: What are you looking at...

You could probably only get one answer: the melon-eating mentality of wanting to get firsthand news...

Usually, when a rural couple fought, it could gather a hundred or eighty people to watch the excitement; today, such a big matter truly alarmed everyone in the village.

Men, women, old, and young all joined in, surrounded three layers inside and three layers outside; some even ran to the treetops to watch the excitement.

"It's over, I said it, this Old Chai family isn't good! Now it's good, one person courted death..."

"The dead person is wrong; in my opinion, Wang Huirong should be the one to hang herself; with her character, if she died, the village would have one less scourge..."

"In my opinion, Chai Zhongxiao always acts like an elder brother-in-law, always saying other people's families are unfilial, this family or that family didn't handle things properly, this family or that family's child is not good... his own child is good, so good they ran to his door to hang themselves and commit suicide..."

"In my opinion, there must be something; if there were nothing, who would be so idle as to not want to live, want to die... and not die in the right place, die at someone else's door; from now on, going out, wouldn't one feel uneasy in their heart..."

Villagers discussed heatedly, saying all sorts of things.

Some villagers who wanted to know more inside news saw that Village Chief Liu Zhanggui had nothing to do now, so they came up and asked: "Village Chief, what do you think about Chai Chunfang hanging herself?"

Liu Zhanggui was already furious; no matter what was said, he was the Village Chief.

Under his term, such a thing happened; he couldn't shirk responsibility; at least he was responsible for negligence. As for Liu Zhanggui's future promotion, the road was basically blocked.

"What do I think?" Liu Zhanggui was furious: "Damn it, I stand and watch, what do I think... damn it, what do I think..."