"Captain, no," the crowd cried out.
But once Gao Guoqiang had spoken, he felt relieved and believed he indeed should step down.
Zheng Xianghong’s nose tingled. "Guoqiang, you don’t need to do this. You’ve been a good captain; there’s no need for you to resign."
"I’m tired," Gao Guoqiang said as he looked at Zheng Xianghong, "Xianghong, I’ve wronged you these years. If I really divorced you because of this, I wouldn’t be human."
Zheng Xianghong’s tears could no longer be held back; they poured out as she sobbed, unable to speak.
Tears also streaked down the faces of many in the crowd. With so many sentintal people around, who wouldn’t be moved by the sight of Gao Guoqiang and Zheng Xianghong?
With this, while feeling sympathy for both Gao Guoqiang and Zheng Xianghong, everyone began to look down on Old Lady Gao, Gao Guofu, and Lin Xuebi.
So were angered by the trouble caused by Old Lady Gao, Gao Guofu, and Lin Xuebi. They felt that it was their disturbances that led to Gao Guoqiang’s despair and his desire to stop being captain.
Imdiately, condemnation arose from the crowd, directing criticism and accusations at Old Lady Gao, Gao Guofu, and Lin Xuebi, especially scolding Gao Guofu and Lin Xuebi for disrespecting their eldest brother and sister-in-law and inciting their elderly mother to create a scene.
Lin Xuebi was furious, while Old Lady Gao feared for the reputation of her son, grandson, and great-grandson, which she cherished greatly. Despite having completely fallen out with them in the county seat, she was still very concerned about the reputation of Gao Guofu, Gao Jianmin, and Yang Hua’s son.
So, Old Lady Gao snarled, "Gao Guoqiang, are you trying to destroy your brother’s reputation? Just because you’re the captain, you can win people’s hearts, and now you’re pushing your brother into a desperate situation."
No one understood Old Lady Gao’s logic, but regardless, they did not approve of her actions.
Old Lady Gao, Gao Guofu, and Lin Xuebi were overwheld by the barrage of comnts coming at them from all sides, making their heads buzz as if they were about to vomit blood.
Wang Xueyong tried to interject and smooth things over but no one paid him any mind. This was Guangming Production Team’s affair, and although he was a mber of the Red Star Production Team’s secretary and married into the Gao family, he had no relationship to Gao Guoqiang, so everyone disregarded him.
Gao Guihua just said, "You are all bullies. My parents haven’t done anything, and you are all going too far. And my grandmother is so old; how can you have the nerve to bully her? I’m warning you, if anything happens to her, I won’t let it go."
Now Gao Guihua displayed great presence, after all, she was married to Wang Xueyong; how could she not be imposing?
"Gao Guihua," soone said, "it was your grandmother and parents who ca looking for trouble. What’s more, whether Gao Jiazhi is the captain and Comrade Xianghong’s child is none of your business. And even if Comrade Xianghong is raising her own nephew, there is nothing wrong with that. What have you got to make a fuss about? It’s not as if he’s eating your food or spending your resources. How does it concern you if the captain is willing?"
"Comrade Yang Zhonghong, Jiazhi is my son," stated Zheng Xianghong once again.
Yang Zhonghong added, "Exactly, as I was saying, whether or not Gao Jiazhi is the captain and Comrade Xianghong’s son, it’s not their business. And since Gao Jiazhi is the son of the captain and Comrade Xianghong, you have no evidence to the contrary. You can’t just assu it’s not true based on soone else’s words—that’s unreasonable. I still think the captain might not be Old Lady Gao’s son. It’s like she’s a stepmother; maybe our captain was picked up and raised by soone else."
As these words were uttered, so people actually nodded in agreent, comnting, "Maybe he really was. Perhaps the captain was picked up and raised by Old Lady Gao."
Now Old Lady Gao was so angry she felt like spitting blood, but the crowd’s speculations seed to take on a life of their own.
This showed how three people declaring sothing could turn it into gold, and the saying about being drowned in spit was not an exaggeration.
Even Gao Guofu and Lin Xuebi began to doubt when they saw the disbelief on old Lady Gao’s purpling face, wondering if it might be true.
Lin Xuebi even dared to ask, "Mom, it can’t be true that third brother isn’t really born to you, can it?"
"You’re the one not born to your mother," Old Lady Gao glared angrily at Lin Xuebi.
Li Shengi’s mother chid in, "Maybe he really isn’t her own; what mother treats her own child like that?"
Li Shengi’s mother was truly a good stepmother in Guangming Production Team for she had no sons and was kind to her stepson. Furthermore, with a well-married daughter and a successful grandson, Li Shengi’s mother had so confidence to her.
Old Lady Gao retorted with sarcasm to Li Shengi’s mother, "Yes, Gao Guoqiang isn’t my own. He must have co out of your belly."
The crowd gasped. Had Gao Guoqiang and Li Shengi just beco siblings born to the sa mother?
Li Shengi’s mother’s face flushed with anger. "What are you babbling about? You really are sick, and it’s so bad that you’re delirious."
Unable to hold back, Li Shengi burst from the crowd, addressing Old Lady Gao, "Aunt, you can’t just say anything you want."
Gao Guoqiang and Zheng Xianghong’s cheeks twitched, now speechless towards Old Lady Gao.
Seeing Li Shengi’s mother’s flushed face and the astonished looks of everyone around, Old Lady Gao even scornfully said to Mr. Gao, "She’s just a woman from out of town, bringing a daughter with her; who knows if she’s clean. And yet you’ve treated her well for so many years. Maybe she’s been making a cuckold out of you without your knowledge. Just look, she’s been married to you for so many years and not given you a child; there must be a big problem there."
Old Lady Gao and Li Shengi’s mother had once had an amiable relationship. But that changed because of the failed match between Li Shengi and Gao Guoqiang. Li Shengi’s mother resented Old Lady Gao, feeling that if the latter hadn’t kept giving her daughter hopes, her daughter wouldn’t have missed out.
But now, the two openly showed their hostility, and Old Lady Gao had completely lost all sense of sha.
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