The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Chapter 916: Chapter 894: Being a Top Student in the 1980s 22 (For 150 Monthly Votes)

Secretary An knows that Xiangling’s brother, Xiao Yuan, attends the county’s No.1 Middle School.

On Saturday morning, she went to the school specifically to find Xiao Yuan.

Xiao Yuan knew who Secretary An was, and he smiled when he saw her outside the school: ”Hello, Aunt An.”

”You recognize me?”

Secretary An was quite curious.

Xiao Yuan shook his head: ”I’ve never met you, but I know about you. If someone is looking for me at this time, it couldn’t be anyone else but you.”

Secretary An laughed too: ”How’s your studies at the First Middle School? If you encounter any difficulties in the future, come to me or your Uncle Zhang.”

”Thank you, Aunt.”

Xiao Yuan politely expressed his gratitude.

Secretary An gave him the lunchbox she was carrying: ”This is food that your sister made. She knew I was coming, so she asked me to bring this to you.”

Xiao Yuan took it and held it close to his chest. Only then did Secretary An discuss the main matter with him: ”You’re going home tomorrow, right? When you return, tell your parents and your brother and sister-in-law to come to the county as soon as possible. I have something to discuss with them.”

Xiao Yuan made a note of it: ”Okay, I’ll inform my dad.”

Secretary An waved her hand: ”There isn’t much else. I just wanted to see you. When your dad comes on Monday, have him bring you to my home to familiarize yourself with the place. Feel free to visit anytime.”

”Sure.”

Xiao Yuan agreed and then went back to school with the lunchbox.

In the afternoon after school, Xiao Yuan mailed out a short story he had rushed to complete over the past two days, and then he took the bus back to the town.

When Xiao Yuan reached the town, Xiao Heizi was waiting for him with a borrowed horse cart.

Xiao Yuan got on the horse cart and talked to Xiao Heizi as they moved: ”Dad, Aunt An came to the school to find me. She said you and my brother should go to the county on Monday, as there’s something going on.”

Xiao Heizi paused his hand, which was steering the cart: ”Is she your sister’s biological mother?”

Xiao Yuan responded affirmatively.

Xiao Heizi then asked, ”Did she say anything else?”

”Not much else, just that I should visit her house when I have time and remember to tell her if I have any difficulties.”

Xiao Yuan truthfully relayed this to Xiao Heizi: ”I think Aunt An seems nice, and my sister’s younger sister also goes to the First Middle School. I saw her, and she’s quite decent too.”

This reassured Xiao Heizi.

He was indeed concerned. Xiangling is already over thirty, with a fixed personality. If she doesn’t get along well with her biological parents, what would happen? And if the child is timid and afraid to speak up when wronged, what would happen?

He had been constantly worrying these days, but after hearing Xiao Yuan’s words, much of his anxiety subsided.

Xiao Yuan returned home, where Sister Xu had already prepared the meal. Once he got off the horse cart, Sister Xu invited him inside to warm up first.

Before long, Xiao Baohu and Wang Gui Fen arrived, with their family in tow. They didn’t come empty-handed; they brought a big pot of stewed chicken chunks.

While eating, Xiao Yuan asked, ”Brother, did Zhang Erzhu come to our house causing trouble?”

Xiao Baohu paused for a moment: ”Who told you that?”

”There are people from our village at my school; I heard about everything.”

Xiao Yuan placed his chopsticks on the bowl: ”Brother, don’t get angry about this. I’ll find out more and see what’s really going on. This issue isn’t over. Moreover, if my sister doesn’t stay with Zhang Erzhu, what about the dowry our family sent her off with back then? Dad, you should find people to get the dowry back.”

Honestly, both Xiao Heizi and Xiao Baohu were too confused by anger to focus; they hadn’t even considered the dowry issue.

Mostly because so many years have passed, who still thinks about these things?

Xiao Yuan said indignantly: ”Even if we bring back those things just to use as kindling, we definitely can’t leave them with the Zhang Family.”

The logic is indeed correct.

”What if they refuse to give it back?”

Xiao Heizi knew very well that after all these years, the dowry might have long been disposed of by the Zhang Family. Besides, the Zhang Family is numerous and influential in Tuliang Village. Even though the Xiao Family consists of three branches, the relationship with the other two branches is really bad. Counting on them is pointless. Now, with just the father and two sons asking for the dowry, it’s likely they won’t get it.

Xiao Yuan chuckled coldly: ”Then let’s report them. My sister and Zhang Erzhu aren’t legally married, so we’ll threaten the Zhang Family, saying that if they don’t return the dowry, we’ll claim that Zhang Erzhu forcibly seized a minor back then and accuse them of illegal detention of my sister. Anyway, there are many offenses to pick from. Now that my sister has found her biological parents, her biological dad is well-connected in the county and knows many people. We’ll use his connections to report them. Regardless of whether they arrest Zhang Family or not, we’ll frequently send people to Tuliang Village to investigate, ensuring they’re scared enough to return everything.”

Xiao Heizi and Xiao Baohu were genuinely frightened by Xiao Yuan’s words.

With just the two of them, they couldn’t have thought of such an idea.

Xiao Baohu wondered how his brother’s brain works, whether educated people think more thoroughly about things compared to those of them who haven’t studied.

This idea was indeed harsh, and it could very well work.

After all, Zhang Erzhu’s mother had just been sentenced to death not long ago. Those in the Zhang Family probably feel scared just seeing people in uniform.

Of course, Xiao Baohu’s thinking was rather one-dimensional.

Xiao Yuan’s strategy wasn’t limited to just the point he mentioned.

With two families of criminals surfacing in Tuliang Village in such a short time, the village head and secretary are surely overwhelmed. If the Zhang Family causes any more trouble, regardless of their situation, those two will certainly pressure them to return the dowry quickly, bringing resolution to the matter.

As the end of the year approaches, villages make annual work summaries. If more incidents happen, the village head and secretary in Tuliang Village won’t have peace.

What’s more, another scandal would make the Zhang Family’s reputation even worse.

If Zhang Erzhu can’t marry after leaving Xiangling, he might as well forget about it for life.

Even if there’s an ignorant woman willing to marry Zhang Erzhu, Xiao Yuan has ways to ruin it for him.

With Xiao Yuan making the decisions, the family followed his lead, without any objections.

On Sunday, Xiao Heizi took his two sons to Tuliang Village.

Once there, they went straight to Zhang Erzhu’s house.

The Zhang Family is prominent in the village, with many brothers, even sharing a clan with the Zhang Fugui household where Anning lived.

In Zhang Erzhu’s place, there hadn’t been any separation of the family, and several brothers lived together. Although the family courtyard was quite large, it was still cramped and uncomfortable.

Upon arrival, Xiao Yuan saw several wives from the Zhang Family preparing breakfast.

Xiao Baohu knocked on the door, and soon someone came to open it.

Xiao Yuan walked into the courtyard and went directly to Zhang Erzhu’s room.

By that time, Zhang Erzhu was already awake; he was just staying inside.

As soon as he saw Xiao Yuan come in, he excitedly stood up: ”Is A Yuan here, is there news from your sister?”

Xiao Yuan maintained a cold face: ”There’s no news from my sister. Today, my dad and I are here to take my sister’s dowry.”

What?

Zhang Erzhu was stunned on the spot.

Just as the words came out, Zhang Erzhu’s father, Zhang Gouxiong, happened to come by and heard it. He immediately sprang up: ”Taking dowry? What dowry? Your girl has been with my family all these years and hasn’t even laid an egg. She’s been eating our food, wearing our clothes, and we haven’t even asked you for compensation, yet you dare to ask for dowry... ”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Heizi and Xiao Baohu were immediately infuriated.

Xiao Baohu wanted to have a confrontation with Zhang Gouxiong.

Xiao Yuan held him back.

Xiao Yuan wasn’t angry. Not only was he not angry, he even laughed: ”We must clear this matter up; otherwise, outsiders might mistakenly think your family suffered a great loss. Is it true my sister hasn’t given birth? You must think clearly; if she hasn’t given birth, how did Erzhu’s mother end up in prison? We can’t make false statements, and further, back then, did your family marry a bride or adopt a son-in-law? If you claim that Zhang Erzhu was adopted by the Xiao Family, then I assure you, my dad doesn’t even have to say it, I’ve got you covered; we’ll pay you back for everything they ate and drank.”

Seeing Zhang Gouxiong tempted to agree to seize a small advantage, Xiao Yuan smiled: ”You should think it through. If adopted as a son-in-law, Zhang Erzhu must immediately come back with us, as he’d be considered our Xiao Family member. Crossing our threshold, he’d follow our rules, work for us, and accept our discipline. Moreover, we’d make it clear to everyone within a ten-mile radius, so the villagers know the Zhang Family is open to adopting sons-in-law, liberally giving away their sons to freeload at other families.”

This remark scared Zhang Gouxiong enough to shrink and abandon the thought of seizing small advantages.

If he dared to admit that Zhang Erzhu was adopted, he would be giving his son away for free, subjecting him to hardship and punishment that the Zhang Family couldn’t control.

Moreover, if he agreed today, Xiao Yuan could make the whole village know by tomorrow, tarnishing the Zhang Family’s reputation, making it hard for any willing families to marry their daughters to them.