Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Execution or Life Imprisonment

Northeast of Nanli Village, at the edge of the mixed woods, lies a group of graves quietly. Among them, one stands alone, away from the others, not surrounded by miscellaneous trees, but by a few pear trees.

Within the lunar month of March, the pear blossoms are in full swing, clusters of white flowers densely packed like clouds or snow, with a faint fragrance that is sweet and distant.

Wang Lianfa used a handkerchief to wipe the tears off his mother’s face, softly comforting her, “Mother, stop crying. Seeing you like this, wouldn’t Xiao Pear feel hurt too?”

Qu Cui nodded, responding, “I won’t cry, I won’t cry anymore…”

But looking at the small grave, the lush grass, the swaying tree shadows, cold and lonely in these woods, how could Qu Cui not feel sad and heartbroken?

Her daughter, her good, sensible little Lianhua, only twelve years old, drowned in the river due to her neglect as a mother.

It was during the wedding of Wang Lianhua from the second house; she went to escort the bride, and hadn’t even eaten at the banquet when she heard the news of her younger daughter’s unfortunate death.

Her little Lianhua, not to mention wearing a wedding dress, didn’t even have the chance to grow up!

Wang Lianqi brought his eldest son Hongjun, quietly weeding the grass around the grave. As Hongjun shoveled dirt onto the grave, the originally small mound gradually became more substantial.

Zhao Erni and Zheng Xiaotian squatted in front of the grave, silently burning the paper money they brought. The children, Hongling, Hong Zhi, Hongbing, Hong Ming, and Hong Liang knelt at the grave, their expressions somber with a hint of confusion. Aunt went too early. Even the oldest, Hongjun, barely remembers what little aunt looked like, let alone the younger ones who never saw her.

After burning a large bundle of paper money and paper clothes, Wang Lianqi also brought Hongjun to the front of the grave.

Hongjun knelt before his siblings, leading the younger ones as they respectfully bowed their heads, “Little Aunt, with me here, you won’t lack offerings. Be well, don’t let grandpa, grandma, my father, or uncle worry.”

Qu Cui nearly swooned from crying but was firmly held by her two sons.

Elders can’t kneel to the younger ones; otherwise, it would diminish the fortunes of the deceased.

The family returned from the cemetery, and the children were the most energetic, not showing much sadness, walking briskly in front. Wang Lianqi simply carried his mother on his back, while Wang Lianfa supported her, walking in the middle of the group. Zhao Erni and Zheng Xiaotian fell to the back.

Zheng Xiaotian whispered, “It’s not right for little aunt to be so lonely. While we’re alive, we can offer incense and burn paper every year, but what about in the future?”

“You better not say too much.” Zhao Erni glared at her, also whispering, “This is a thorn in our mother’s heart. She went to escort the bride, saying Xiao Pear would eat at her aunt’s place. Who would’ve thought…”

Zheng Xiaotian changed the topic, saying, “Sigh, not even grown up before passing away, still such a tragic death. Can’t openly visit the grave, have to come at dusk… Many people might be okay, but a few might really not dare to come.”

The two sisters-in-law muttered to each other while walking home. Upon entering the village, they heard a message that the second house of the Wang Family had a fight between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and someone was killed!

Upon hearing this, Wang Lianqi got anxious, handing his mother over to his brother to carry home, then hurriedly ran towards the educated youth point. The unrestrained kids followed in a rush, while Qu Cui shook off her drowsiness and instructed her two somewhat hesitant daughters-in-law, “You go too. You go too!”

Zhao Erni and Zheng Xiaotian exchanged glances, agreed, and hurried to the educated youth point.

Qu Cui seemed to have been drained of her spirit again, leaning on her son’s back, her eyes without tears, only filled with thick resentment and hatred, “What a sin!”

At the educated youth point, the shovel had been put down, picked up by the community security director and placed against the wall. Zhou Xiuying tightly clutched Wang Lianxiang, wanting to leave, but none of the onlookers made way for the mother and daughter.

Wang Futang glared at them with rage, speaking coldly, “Just wait; the second will be here soon.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Guizhang squeezed in through the crowd with his oldest and third sons, “Big brother, why did you call me here?”

Slap!

A heavy slap landed on Wang Guizhang’s face, making him stagger back, almost falling, barely supported by his two sons.

“Big brother, why are you hitting people?” Wang Guizhang covered his face, staring at his big brother in disbelief.

“Why? Look closely, you thought Liansheng would never get out of prison, forced the second house to separate, leaving a young wife with two little ones, and you heartlessly ignored them. But why can’t you stop, running to their house to rob and cause trouble? The second, hold your chest with your hand, ask yourself honestly, has your conscience really been eaten by a dog?! Open your eyes and look, those two children inside, they are your own granddaughters and grandsons, Wang Guizhang!”

Facing the sister-in-law he couldn’t vent on, when confronting his brother, Wang Futang’s long-suppressed anger fully burst out, his finger pointing at Wang Guizhang’s forehead, a fierce scolding!

“Big brother, you’re taking it too far…” Wang Guizhang absolutely didn’t think he was wrong, furious after being slapped and scolded, he didn’t even call him big brother anymore.

“You…” Wang Futang grew even angrier, his face turning purple, almost speechless.

Ling Chengyan stepped forward, and steadied Wang Futang, gingerly pulled a low stool over, and supported the elder brother to sit down.

“Uncle, have a seat.” Ling Chengyan consoled Wang Futang, then turned to face Wang Guizhang who was holding his face and the mother and daughter of Zhou Xiuying who started crying again, and said coldly, “Since it’s like this, we’ll report to the commune and have someone sent to handle it.”

The community security director sighed, muttering, “Home invasion robbery and assault, surely it needs to be dealt with legally.” He seemed to be talking to himself, yet it seemed to be directed at Wang Guizhang’s family.

Someone nearby curiously asked, “Uncle Guo, how many years would that be?”

The community security director Guo Zhanrong puffed on his dry pipe, sighed, and said, “Robbery and murder, robbery comes before murder, and home invasion robbery… I’m afraid… sigh!”

The crowd was shocked, shouting in surprise, “A life for a life, wouldn’t they also be executed?!”

“Breaking into someone’s house to steal and attack is despicable, but at least no life was taken, can’t be executed, right? At most, it’s life imprisonment…”

“What does ’life’ mean?”

“Life imprisonment, it means once you’re in, you never come out, you die in prison!”

Upon hearing these words, the chaotic crowd suddenly quieted down, deeply shocked. Dying in prison… seemed scarier than the death sentence!

“Wah… Mother, I don’t want to go to jail, don’t want to die in prison…” Wang Lianxiang couldn’t withstand the overwhelming fear rising in her heart, clutching Zhou Xiuying’s arm, wailing.

“Second one’s wife, they… these are your mother-in-law, your sister!” Zhou Xiuying shouted.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep