CH 242

“Remorse?” Han Qinghua raised his chin, “What is there to regret? Where did I go wrong? Why aren’t you talking about how your wife stole my money and forced me to write an IOU? Who in the village doesn’t know about her having 1,500 Yuan? Why was it decided that I was the one who spilled the news? And even if it was me, what is there to you? Brothers are like siblings, women are like clothes— did you forget(1)? We are a family and that woman is just an outsider. You should just leave her, otherwise, mother is going to get mad…”

(T/N: A phrase referring to how the blood bond between siblings should always be stronger than relationships. He’s also saying that women are interchangeable and as common as clothes)

With a punch and a loud ‘bang’, Han Qinghua fell to the ground and looked at Han Qingsong in disbelief, “Y-you hit me? You are no longer my third brother!”

Han Qingsong released his clenched fist and turned his wrist lightly, “This is called a warning. Either way, you better go to the farm to reflect on your actions.”

He only used 10% of his strength; how could this be called a beating?

Han Qingsong turned around and left.

Han Qinghua was so scared that his face turned pale, she didn’t care to stand up and crawled towards Han Qingsong, “Third brother, third brother, don’t leave me alone! Third brother, I was wrong, I was wrong! Please let me go home, I don’t want to work in the labor farm!”

Han Qingsong ignored him and strode away.

When passing by the yard, Zhao Jianshe came up and said with a smile, “Director Han, this young one was merely a bastard. I was blind and I couldn’t recognise your prowess. Director Han, please calm down.”

As he said that, he raised his hand and gave himself a slap on the face on each side.

Han Qingsong didn’t look at him and continued to stride out.

Zhao Jianshe followed him anxiously, “Director Han, please don’t pick on this idiot who didn’t know better. I’m still young and I’m not a grown-up yet, but my uncle-“

Han Qingsong said coldly, “I don’t care if your uncle or your grandfather is going to plead for you— if you commit a crime, you are to be subjected to labor farming.”

He left without looking back.

Zhao Jianshe saw him leaving ruthlessly and there was Han Qinghua’s heart-wrenching cries coming from the back room, so he sneered loudly, “Han Qingsong, don’t regret turning against me like this when I gave you a chance!”

He was also spoiled by his family since he was a child and he often caused trouble outside. If others came to complain and say that Jianshe had physically hit someone, his family would say, “Our Jianshe is a good child who is sensible and never hits others”. After going back and forth like this, Zhao Jianshe became more and more perverse. In addition, he had an uncle in the Factory Revolutionary Committee and everyone sucked up to him. Besides, his uncle had no sons and loved him the most, spoiling him to a point of no return.

In the County, even if the children of the leaders of the Revolutionary Committee were not as arrogant as he was, they all thought he was the son of the Director of the Revolutionary Committee with how he behaved outside.

Which was why he never thought that Han Qingsong wouldn’t even bat an eyelash about his uncle’s rank. He wasn’t afraid of offending anyone and was not one to talk about prioritizing connections, making it rather annoying for some.

…

In the Office of the Public Security Bureau of the County Revolutionary Committee, Deputy Director Li was about to go out. Zhao Jianshe’s second uncle held two bottles of wine, “Deputy Director, are you heading out?”

When Zhao Jianshe fooled Han Qinghua, he naturally didn’t reveal too much of his personal connections. Basically, he said that his uncle knew people in the Armed Forces and the Military Service Department. In fact, his second uncle had a very close relationship with the County Revolutionary Committee— at the very least, they were close enough to have conversations.