Free Web NovelChapter 649: Chapter 649: A Well-Fought Comeback
Despite the fact that the wedding procession was just a few dozen meters, Mr. Su still prepared an eight-carriage sedan chair and rode a tall horse to pick up the bride.
Wearing festive attire and a red flower, Mr. Su sat on the tall horse, followed by a group of students who spontaneously came to join the wedding, creating a lively atmosphere in Qinghe Bay.
Leading the group was Mr. Su’s proud protégé, the newly advanced scholar Jingzhe, followed by Scholar Meng Yanping. Former students from the town’s private school joined, and children from the village showed up. About thirty students, large and small, swarmed around Mr. Su.
Man Er, Xiao Long, and Yaozu naturally mingled among the disciples.
Xiao Long, participating in a folk wedding for the first time, found everything fascinating.
Tong Huaqiong spotted Fan Tong and Scholar Fan among the students.
The usually serious and gentle Mr. Su couldn’t hide his cheerful grin on the horse, exuding a graceful aura in his bridegroom attire.
A village woman remarked, "I must say, Mr. Su looks five years younger dressed like this."
Another woman, munching on melon seeds, said, "Mr. Su isn’t that old; it’s just that everyone calls him teacher every day, making him appear older."
Typically, wedding attendees would give the groom a hard time, and only after passing their tests could he escort the bride onto the sedan chair.
But Mr. Su, after all, is a teacher. People naturally respect teachers in this era, and no one dared to make it difficult for him.
Moreover, he was backed by a group of students, clearly supporting Mr. Su, and these students looked more intimidating than the onlookers.
Even teasing Mr. Su was rare.
Hence, Mr. Su’s marriage proceeded smoothly, without any obstacles.
Mr. Su dismounted to welcome the bride, holding Tong Pandi’s hand and helping her onto the sedan chair.
Tong Pandi, led by a pair of warm hands, heard Mr. Su whispering, "I won’t say much sweet talk now; just watch how I treat you and the two daughters in the future," filling her heart with certainty.
When Tong Pandi was escorted onto the sedan chair by Mr. Su, Mrs. Hong’s eyes brimmed with tears.
The women watching, both young and old, also had their eyes reddened.
Tong Pandi, as the first woman to remarry that everyone saw with their own eyes, unable to return to her maiden home, not welcomed by her ex-husband’s family, endured insults, faced misunderstandings, experienced hardships, and yet managed to turn the tables with two children.
How could one say this counterattack wasn’t truly remarkable?
She took care of her children on her own, managed Tong Huaqiong’s pig farm well, lived well herself, and even remarried into a better position.
At this moment, Tong Pandi made the women of Qinghe Bay feel a powerful strength.
Even those who secretly spoke sourly about Tong Pandi usually felt happy for her at this moment.
Tong Huaqiong, looking around at the teary-eyed women, felt a mix of emotions and could empathize with them at this moment.
In this era, women are trapped in agriculture; whether abandoned or divorced, it almost equates to a ruined life. They can’t imagine living independently, nor imagine how to survive with two daughters. The idea of spiritual and personal independence feels too distant, but what they can genuinely feel is Tong Pandi’s increasingly better life.
And marrying Mr. Su, marrying someone better than her ex, is a success they can directly feel.
Tong Pandi’s rebirth is the rebirth of all women in Qinghe Bay.
Firecrackers sounded, and the sedan chair was lifted.
The journey was short; getting on and off the sedan chair happened almost in an instant.
Tong Pandi, however, felt a surge of mixed emotions in that moment.
Outside, the sound of horns accompanied the sound of firecrackers. When she married Wu Musheng, the horns sounded harsh to her; this time, she found them particularly melodious and joyful.
Mr. Su led her with a red silk ribbon into the main house.
Tong Huaqiong, as Tong Pandi’s elder, sat waiting for their bowing ceremony.
Mr. Su had no elders on his side; according to him, his parents and relatives were no longer alive.
The couple bowed to heaven and earth, then to the elders, and finally to each other.
After the ceremony, the two were officially married.
Tong Pandi’s wedding made Tong Huaqiong concerned about the Wu Family causing trouble; Liu Qingsong kept the pig farm people watching the village entrance.
Not until the banquet ended did no one show up to disrupt the wedding.
Only then did Tong Huaqiong feel relieved.
It showed that after Wu Ren was dismissed as village chief, the Wu Family had neither the mood nor the time to interfere in Tong Pandi’s wedding.
Tong Zhaodi secretly cursed Wu Musheng as a scoundrel. When Tong Pandi was around, he tried all sorts of ways to torment her, and once she left, he started scheming about her.
Upon learning about Tong Pandi’s marriage, he nearly went crazy. If it weren’t for his father’s situation, Wu Musheng would probably have rushed to Qinghe Bay upon hearing the news to confront Tong Pandi.
Tong Zhaodi naturally wouldn’t allow Wu Musheng to do that.
Tong Pandi, divorced and remarried, married a respected teacher; from a young age, Tong Zhaodi loved to compare herself to Tong Pandi and felt envious about this.
But looking at herself, she barely became the village chief’s daughter-in-law for four months before he was dismissed.
Despite her jealousy, Tong Zhaodi could never tolerate Wu Musheng going to Tong Pandi for an explanation; otherwise, if news spread that Wu Musheng still yearned for Tong Pandi, it would be a slap in her face.
Even as Wu Musheng was preoccupied with Wu Ren’s affairs, Tong Zhaodi kept a tight watch on him.
On Tong Pandi’s wedding day, Tong Zhaodi stood guard like an enemy, staying close to Wu Musheng at all times.
The one who now most hoped for Tong Pandi and Mr. Su to remain tied together was Tong Zhaodi.
Wu Ren was dismissed as village chief, and the Wu Family pressured Tong Zhaodi to ask Tong Huaqiong to help plead with County Magistrate Liu.
Tong Zhaodi went unwillingly, and Tong Huaqiong didn’t even let her inside.
Mrs. Qiao complained that Tong Zhaodi failed to win over Tong Huaqiong, wondering why Tong Huaqiong would support Tong Pandi, but not Tong Zhaodi.
Tong Zhaodi replied that she wanted to know too!
She prided herself on being sweet-tongued and winning her aunt’s favor since childhood, yet she couldn’t understand when her aunt started to disfavor her.
Wu Musheng grew resentful of Tong Zhaodi.
He resented Tong Zhaodi’s inability to persuade Tong Huaqiong to intervene, disliked Tong Zhaodi for not helping the Wu Family when they faced difficulties, and hated Tong Zhijie for constantly mooching off them.
The two had a huge argument.
Wu Musheng completely regretted divorcing Tong Pandi.
If Tong Pandi were still with the Wu Family, Tong Huaqiong would surely help them in times of trouble.
Even if Tong Huaqiong couldn’t change the village chief’s dismissal, she would still assist the Wu Family in other ways for Tong Pandi’s sake.
With Tong Pandi’s capability, she could support the Wu Family’s standing.
When Tong Zhaodi secretly pawned her mother-in-law Mrs. Qiao’s golden bracelet to help her own family, Wu Musheng erupted, attempting to hit her despite her pregnancy.
Tong Zhaodi didn’t give in to Wu Musheng; she retaliated, pushing him down.
Sitting atop Wu Musheng, she slapped him.
More fearsome than the later changes in Tong Pandi’s disposition.
Having lived a pampered life, Wu Musheng struggled against the more robust Tong Zhaodi, who worked in the fields, remaining on the ground for a long time.
When Mrs. Qiao came to help her son, Tong Zhaodi nearly beat her mother-in-law too.
"Do you still think you’re the village chief’s household? Look at where you are now! All you do is eat, can’t even work properly, and rely on a pregnant woman to do the chores. At least if you hired a maid, you’d pay her a salary; don’t I deserve that bracelet? My parents raised me, so helping them is my duty!"
Tong Zhaodi berated the Wu Family fiercely, hands on her hips.
Previously, when her father-in-law was village chief, she was willing to put up with it.
Now, with the village chief dismissed, the servants gone, Mrs. Qiao unable to handle chores, and the burden falling on Tong Zhaodi.
Tong Zhaodi began to show her true colors.
