Rebirth: Splendid Marriage in the 80s Chapter 3 - 3 3 Distorting Facts

“How is it possible for Little Little to have ripped Da Ni’s clothing? Those garments were quite durable; there is no way Little Little could have done such a thing.”

Chiang Xiao’s eyes welled up with tears once more upon hearing that familiar voice.

“Grandpa…”

In the entire world, the person who cherished her most and treated her with the greatest kindness was her grandfather.

However, she had once been foolish enough to believe the lies of that scoundrel, Uncle Deng Qingjiang. He had convinced her that it was Grandpa who drove her father away and forced her mother to vanish from Siyang Village, leaving her a pathetic, abandoned soul. Under the manipulation of Deng Qingjiang and his lot, she had nearly cut all ties with her grandfather entirely.

It wasn't until shortly before her death that she discovered the truth: while Grandpa was on his deathbed, he had never stopped calling out her name. Yet, on that tragic day, she had hung up the hospital's phone call before they could finish speaking, allowing Grandpa to pass away in sorrow and regret.

Overwhelmed by these memories, Chiang Xiao couldn't resist striking herself across the face.

She used that slap as a wake-up call.

In this current life, she vowed to protect her grandparents and ensure they lived long, healthy lives.

“Uncle Songhai, what a ridiculous thing for you to claim. You clearly don't realize how vicious that wretched girl Chiang Xiao can actually be. She only acts obediently when you're around, doesn't she? It's likely because she lacks parents to guide her and probably doesn't have a single thought in her head, not even knowing where her next meal is coming from...”

The sound of a sharp slap echoed from outside.

The loud-mouthed woman was momentarily silenced, but she soon raised her voice even higher, shouting, “Uncle Songhai, you think slamming the table scares me? Am I lying? That miserable girl Chiang Xiao tumbled into the creek, and Da Ni was kind enough to try and pull her out, only for that girl to tear Da Ni’s clothes! This is the height of ingratitude! I don't care what you say; you are going to pay for those clothes whether you want to or not!”

The woman’s booming voice completely drowned out her grandmother’s response, making it impossible for Chiang Xiao to hear the rest of the conversation.

But the memories were already flooding back.

This aggressive woman was named Guiying, a neighbor and the wife of Ding Daqiang. The Chiang family lived less than thirty meters away from the Ding residence.

The Da Ni she spoke of was their eldest daughter, a girl the same age as Chiang Xiao and her lifelong classmate.

Chiang Xiao finally realized exactly when this was and what was happening.

Truly, this specific event had served as the spark for the tragedy of her previous life. It was through this incident that she first witnessed the malice of the villagers, sparking a deep-seated hatred for the village that fueled her desperate desire to escape to the big city later on.

That year, Ding Dani had shoved her into the creek where the water was both deep and freezing. After being pulled out, Chiang Xiao had suffered from a persistent, high fever.

While she had been delirious with fever, Ding Dani had returned home and lied to her parents. She claimed she saw Chiang Xiao slip into the water and rushed to save her, only to have her clothes ruined in the struggle.

During those years, durable Poplin fabric had become a nationwide trend. Owning a sturdy poplin shirt was a status symbol; while many in the city wore them, only a handful of people in this impoverished mountain village could afford such a luxury.

Ding Dani had a cousin in town who had gifted her some of the fabric, which she used to make a shirt. That very day was the first time she had worn it, specifically to brag in front of Chiang Xiao.

As for how the garment was ruined—Chiang Xiao had indeed torn it!

Ding Dani was truly a master at twisting the facts. In reality, she had violently shoved Chiang Xiao, and at the precise second she began to fall into the creek, Chiang Xiao had instinctively grabbed the girl's clothing, resulting in the audible rip of the fabric.