Chapter 478: That’s His Ex-Wife, and She’s Back

Chapter 478: Chapter 478: That’s His Ex-Wife, and She’s Back

The first birthday party for Dong Sanhua and Uncle Deng’s young son was a lively affair, with all the villagers of Xiangyun Village in attendance.

The little fellow was sturdy and adorable, with round eyes that looked more like Dong Sanhua’s.

He had just been named Deng Long’er.

The moment he saw Shen Ningning, the sweet little thing couldn’t stop grinning. When it was time for him to pick an object to foretell his future, he even reached out and grabbed Shen Ningning’s hand.

Everyone couldn’t help but chuckle.

The old village chief smiled and said, "Ningning, it looks like our Dragon Baby really likes you."

The crowd couldn’t help but murmur, "Didn’t Sister-in-law Liu from the Liu Family mention this before? She had a dream that our Ningning is the Rain God from the heavens, and she was riding an Azure Dragon!"

Upon hearing this, Village Chief Deng laughed even more heartily.

In the eyes of the villagers, any connection to Shen Ningning, no matter how small, was an incredibly auspicious sign.

The young lady poked the little one’s cheek with her fingertip. "Little Dragon, could it be you who carries me around to make the clouds and bring the rain?"

The little fellow didn’t understand a thing; he just knew to look up at her and smile.

The room erupted in laughter, and everyone started calling out for the meal to begin.

Grandma Qin was the most senior elder in the village, so Village Chief Deng invited her to take the seat of honor.

Amid the festivities, the Black Wolf King suddenly sat up straight. It glanced toward the entrance and let out a low, displeased growl.

Someone shouted, "Hey, that person looks familiar... Is that... Wang Qiao’er?"

At the mention of that name, the villagers exchanged awkward glances.

Wang Qiao’er... wasn’t she Uncle Deng’s ex-wife?

During the famine years ago, Shen Ningning had put her in her place. She was supposed to have left with the wealthy Mr. Ba Sr., so why was she back?

Dong Sanhua, holding her child, looked at Uncle Deng. "You should go take a look."

Uncle Deng frowned and shook his head, refusing to go. He stayed protectively with his wife and child.

In the end, it was Uncle Liu who went outside to look. He turned back and announced to everyone inside, "It really is Wang Qiao’er."

The crowd was in an uproar. Village Chief Deng’s brow furrowed, the lines as deep and twisted as tree roots.

He shot to his feet. "That wretched woman only ever causes harm! What is she doing back here? Is she trying to stir up trouble again?"

Village Chief Deng strode outside. The villagers, fearing a conflict, followed close behind. Wang Qiao’er was not a kind soul, and it would be terrible if she hurt the old chief.

Shen Ningning and the Black Wolf King went outside. In the courtyard stood a woman in drab, dusty clothes.

She was ravenous, frantically grabbing food from a table with her bare hands and stuffing it into her mouth.

The food in the courtyard—peanuts, melon seeds, and the like—had been set out by the Deng Family for their guests.

Shen Ningning watched in disbelief as the woman shoved an unshelled walnut into her mouth, chewed desperately, and then swallowed it whole.

If not for the fact that her face was unmistakably Wang Qiao’er’s, no one would have recognized her.

They would have mistaken her for some madwoman who had wandered in off the street.

"Wang Qiao’er, is that really you? What happened to you?" Sister-in-law Liu took a step forward, her eyes wide with shock as she looked the woman up and down.

Hearing her name, Wang Qiao’er stopped swallowing and slowly, dazedly, raised her head.

Two streams of tears instantly traced paths down her careworn face.

She rushed toward Village Chief Deng like a madwoman. Fearing she would fly into a rage and attack him, the villagers quickly moved to shield the old man.

"Elder, I deserve to die! How could I have been so blinded by greed back then? How could I have run off with that dog Ba Deshun?" she wailed, pouring out her grievances.

Even the Black Wolf King found her racket annoying and let out a pair of low growls.

Through Wang Qiao’er’s tearful story, everyone finally learned what she had been through over the past few years.

After she left with Ba Deshun, he grew to despise both her and her son.

Ba Deshun blamed them for all his own frustrations, frequently beating and cursing Wang Qiao’er.

One day, when a drunken Ba Deshun was beating Wang Qiao’er yet again, her son, Deng Fugui, finally snapped. He grabbed a kitchen cleaver and struck Ba Deshun five or six times.

Wang Qiao’er was frozen with terror. By the time she came to her senses, all that was left was Ba Deshun lying in a pool of his own blood.

And the blood-stained cleaver.

Her son, Deng Fugui, had run away, vanishing without a trace.

With Ba Deshun dead, his legal wife seized all his wealth and property, refusing to give Wang Qiao’er a single coin.

She even arranged to have Wang Qiao’er thrown in jail for six months before she was finally released.

For years, Wang Qiao’er had lived a life worse than death. With nowhere else to turn, she thought of the Deng Family and begged her way back to the village.

Village Chief Deng sighed heavily and pointed a trembling finger at her. "You... you... I knew this day would come! You’ve ruined not only Fugui but yourself as well. It serves you right!"

The authorities had a warrant out for Deng Fugui for a while, but they eventually gave up the search when he couldn’t be found.

Wang Qiao’er wiped away her tears. "I’m not hoping for anything anymore. I just want to find my Fugui."

Uncle Deng’s face was livid. "You have the nerve to look for him! If you hadn’t made one mistake after another, would our son have been forced to wander all over the country with you, suffering everywhere he went? You’re despicable for letting it come to this!"

His voice was so loud that it startled his young son, Long’er, making the baby cry in Dong Sanhua’s arms.

Uncle Deng immediately tried to soothe him, while Dong Sanhua gently patted the baby’s back. "There, there, don’t be scared."

Wang Qiao’er raised her head and stared blankly at the family of three.

’The Deng Family had found Deng Xiangji a new wife, and they even had a son of their own. So, no one cared about her Fugui anymore.’

She let out a grief-stricken wail. When her mouth opened, it revealed that half of her teeth were rotten.

The sight made Shen Ningning nauseous. Not wanting to stay any longer, she turned to leave with the Black Wolf King.

On her way out, she said to Grandma Qin, "Grandma, I’m heading to the palace."

’I need to see if my brother is still angry.’

But then, out of the corner of her eye, Wang Qiao’er spotted Shen Ningning. ’That beautifully dressed young lady... isn’t that Princess Funing!’

She scrambled over and knelt before Shen Ningning, kowtowing and pleading.

"Ningning, you’re the kindest person I know. Please, help this old auntie find Fugui, won’t you? My only hope for the rest of my life is to be reunited with my son. It’s all my fault, I’m the one who ruined him... WAHH..."

The Black Wolf King suddenly leaped forward, blocking Wang Qiao’er from Shen Ningning. Startled, the woman flinched back, her wailing momentarily ceasing.

Shen Ningning’s expression was placid, showing no trace of emotion.

"I have no reason to help you. Besides, what would be the point of finding him? He killed a man and is now a fugitive. If you want to capture him and turn him over to the government, then you should be talking to them."

With that, the young princess turned and walked away, the Black Wolf King at her side.

The sounds of Wang Qiao’er pounding the ground and wailing bitterly echoed behind her, but Shen Ningning didn’t give her a second thought.

’When dealing with shameless people like her, the best method was simply to ignore them.’

’Besides, the people of Xiangyun Village would surely drive her away.’

Shen Ningning had just left the village when she saw Wu Fang riding toward her at a gallop, an urgent look on his face.

"Princess, thank goodness I’ve found you! Please, come with me at once!"

"Did something happen to my brother again?" Shen Ningning’s heart tightened, and worry clouded her bright eyes.

To her surprise, Wu Fang said, "His Highness was accompanying Young General Chen to Miss Su’s birthday banquet when he was struck by a splitting headache. He flew into a rage on the spot and nearly killed someone."

’It was just as I’d guessed.’

’I knew it. Su Zhirou thought she’d cleverly arranged a wonderful opportunity for herself, but she has no idea that if Mo Lingwei gets displeased, he’s liable to turn her birthday into the anniversary of her death.’

"I’ll go with you right now. Wolf Father, you go back and stay with Grandma. I’m worried Grandma is too kind-hearted and will be manipulated by Wang Qiao’er. Whatever you do, don’t let that woman set foot in our house!"

The Black Wolf King let out a grunt of assent and turned to run back the way they came.