Chapter 26: What to Burn

Chapter 26: Chapter 26: What to Burn

"Does she think the situation isn’t blown out of proportion enough?! Why doesn’t she just report it to the United Nations while she’s at it!"

The male leader was so angry his nose was practically crooked. He glanced around and noticed the middle-aged female staff member had slinked off to who-knows-where again. He thought, "What a bunch of troublemakers!"

In response to Cai Jinfang’s concern, Deng Yuyuan shook her head and said, "I’m fine. I just want to get the divorce certificate sorted out first. I can tell my body doesn’t have any major problems."

She knew well enough what was going on. It was likely that the potion she drank last night had given her a weakness debuff, and the blood she spat out was just impurities. The doctor’s words had further put her mind at ease; it looked scary, but it was actually nothing serious.

"Alright, let’s go issue the divorce certificate right now. Come, Xiao Cai, help this lady up. Let’s go." The male leader didn’t give Cai Jinfang a chance to speak her mind freely. He couldn’t wait for them to go in and get the certificate, eager to send off this hot potato as soon as possible. He didn’t even bother tracking down the staff member who had slipped away, instead signaling the security guards to disperse the crowd.

Once the involved parties left, the enthusiastic onlookers soon dispersed as well. However, they gathered around the reporters in twos and threes, asking which newspaper they were from, insisting they would definitely read the detailed report once it was published.

Under the leader’s guidance, the divorce certificate was quickly finalized. They also signed a post-divorce custody agreement: the child would be raised by Deng Yuyuan, and Zhang Jiahua could visit the child provided he obtained her consent.

At this time, the law had not yet clearly stipulated the standard for child support. Even with Zhang Jiahua’s cooperation, Deng Yuyuan could only receive a meager ten yuan per year or the equivalent value in rations. Moreover, since this year’s work points wouldn’t be distributed until the end of the year, Deng Yuyuan was currently left with nothing but an empty piece of paper.

Zhang Jiahua assured her, "I will do my best to scrape the money together and send Tuantuan’s living expenses to you as soon as possible."

"Just do what you can." Deng Yuyuan put the divorce certificate away, gazing at it as if it were a precious treasure.

As she walked out of the conference room, a small roll of something was shoved into her palm. It was the middle-aged female staff member with the cold expression, looking at her unfriendlily.

"I’m giving you this, but it doesn’t mean I admit I caused your injuries." She turned her face away. "I also don’t think you made the right decision. You’ll regret it in the future."

Deng Yuyuan didn’t care. As long as she got the money, it was fine.

"Where are you going to live after the divorce?" she suddenly asked.

"The Knowledge Youth Institute."

The staff member nodded, though she couldn’t help but offer a compliment. "Actually, both you and your daughter are very beautiful. Even if you remarry, you can find a good family in the city. Don’t let yourself be deceived by men again."

She was a dozen years older than Deng Yuyuan and had far more life experience. Having worked here for a year, she knew that examples of educated youths marrying villagers were innumerable. However, differences in family backgrounds and mindsets would only generate greater friction as they lived together. In addition, most educated youths went down to the countryside alone, without their parents or elders nearby to help them evaluate potential matches. Young people often didn’t understand that marrying someone wasn’t just about the husband’s character; it was also about the atmosphere of his entire family. If one wasn’t careful before marriage and wanted to get out of it afterward, the pain of trying to break free would be excruciating and deeply scarring.

It was a pity they were too young and had married early, before their elders could pass on this experience.

Deng Yuyuan gripped the money tightly, weighed it in her hand, and slipped it into her sleeve. She whispered a word of thanks. "I will go find the reporters and explain that I won’t pursue the matter."

"Those people won’t listen to you," the staff member scoffed. "Just head back directly. There’s no need to look for them."

Deng Yuyuan was very open to advice. She simply gathered everyone and left through the back door under the staff member’s guidance.

As soon as they stepped outside, they ran into Fang Zhongwen waiting for them. He had been entrusted by his cousin with strict instructions to give them a ride to get Tuantuan’s birth certificate and household registration sorted out. Otherwise, his cousin would feel unsettled and eternally guilty. Unable to refuse his gracious hospitality, the group had no choice but to take Fang Zhongwen’s four-wheeled vehicle to run their errands, later parting ways in front of the ox cart.

Fang Zhongwen offered to drive the female companions directly home and let the men drive the ox cart back, but Deng Yuyuan declined his kind offer.

Although the four-wheeled vehicle would shield them from the wind, it would significantly increase the baseless rumors and malicious gossip from the villagers once they returned. Returning to the Knowledge Youth Institute driven by a man in a four-wheeled vehicle right after getting a divorce? Deng Yuyuan could guarantee that the wild gossip the villagers would conjure up would be even more scandalous than any modern romance novel.

"Are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital to get checked?" Before setting off, Zhang Jiahua hesitated for a moment but still chose to ask her.

Deng Yuyuan waved Tuantuan’s birth certificate in her hand.

Zhang Jiahua let out a bitter laugh; he almost instantly remembered what he had done. It seemed he could never hold his head high in front of Deng Yuyuan. He had made too many mistakes in the past, so much so that his current concern seemed somewhat hypocritical. He was clearly worried and terrified upon seeing Deng Yuyuan vomit blood, so why had he agreed with his mother to let her give birth prematurely at home back then?

He knew he couldn’t keep backing down like this anymore.

Zhang Jiahua made up his mind. Unafraid of Deng Yuyuan’s cold expression, he told her firmly, "Yuanyuan, your health is poor right now, and you need someone to take care of you. Even though we are divorced, I still have an obligation to look after you." He was going to take care of Yuanyuan until she fully recovered.

Deng Yuyuan reached out to stop Zhao Erdong and Tian Tian from speaking. She stared at Zhang Jiahua for a long moment, tilted her head, and tapped her finger against her temple.

Although Zhang Jiahua didn’t understand the gesture, he somehow had the inexplicable feeling that Deng Yuyuan was questioning his sanity.

"I’ve already moved out of my family’s house. These days, I’ve been finishing my shifts and doing the chores all by myself. Taking care of you won’t affect my work..." Zhang Jiahua tried clumsily but earnestly to prove himself.

"Don’t overestimate yourself, and don’t underestimate me. I’m not like you, all alone. Though, of course, you aren’t really alone either; you have a bunch of major trouble trailing right behind you," Deng Yuyuan said, rubbing her forehead. "The best thing you can do right now is to hurry up and drive the ox cart back, so I can lie down in bed and rest."

Looking at Deng Yuyuan’s helpless yet calm face, Zhang Jiahua felt a sudden surge of panic. After the divorce... would he really be able to win Deng Yuyuan’s heart again? Aside from his good looks and diligent work ethic, did he have anything else that could attract her? For the first time, Zhang Jiahua realized that he and Deng Yuyuan should have been from two completely different worlds. He had plucked the bright moon from the sky, only to fail to cherish it.

It didn’t matter. At worst, he just had to work hard to become a good man worthy of Yuanyuan!

A fighting spirit ignited in Zhang Jiahua’s eyes. His goal shifted from simply living a steady, grounded life to striving and climbing upward until he could stand beside Deng Yuyuan and gain her approval.

Deng Yuyuan glanced at the man, who was zoning out instead of driving the ox cart, and chose to look away. Sometimes she really didn’t know what on earth he was getting so fired up about.

Either way, it wouldn’t bring her anything good.