She was freezing to death in the Ancestral Hall, starving, while Li Lao’er was eating meat with someone else under bright lights!
Shi Meilan’s heart ached dully. She didn’t know where the strength came from, but she pushed away Hu Honghua, who was helping her, and shoved open the main door, barging into the main room.
Inside, Shi Meilan’s husband Li Lao’er, her eldest and younger sons, and a mother-daughter pair were eating.
The meal was steaming sauerkraut and pork stew with noodles.
In the cold winter, hot white steam and the aroma, along with laughter, filled the whole room.
The moment Shi Meilan pushed the door open, she heard her husband Li Lao’er say joyfully and loudly, “Once spring comes next year, we’ll hold the wedding. You can move in from your house, leave your place for your daughter, and from then on we’ll be one family.”
Old Li was overjoyed at the thought of marrying Wang Widow.
Wang Widow had a gentle temperament, would surely be obedient and accommodating.
Shi Meilan was famous for her temper—always quarreling, always making a scene, suppressing Old Li his whole life.
Old Li had long been fed up, and now he could finally change wives.
Of course he was happy.
“We’re both at this age, holding a wedding would just make people laugh.” Wang Widow, sitting at the head, lowered her head shyly.
Wang Widow was very thin, her face white as a flower at the village entrance. When the wind blew, she bent, revealing a snowy neck that drew glances.
She was educated, wrote announcements for the village committee and Women’s Federation, and had once been an educated youth sent to the countryside.
Her previous husband was respectable too, also an educated youth.
But some time ago, her husband returned to the city, secretly abandoning her.
The villagers all pitied her, but Wang Widow was strong.
Later, she took her daughter to find work at a clothing factory in Town, earning fifteen yuan a month—not bad at all.
There weren’t many women in the countryside who could earn their own money.
Wang Widow was beautiful.
When she lowered her head, her gentleness was tinged with intelligence.
Though over thirty, she had a calm beauty polished by the years.
Seeing Wang Widow say this, Li Tianci smiled at the side, “Aunt Wang, you’re marrying in as a legitimate wife. We won’t treat you badly.”
Li Tianci resembled his father, spoke with a scholarly air, was thin and young, but no one dared look down on him.
This September, he had gotten into university.
After celebrating the New Year at home, he would go back to continue his studies.
A university student! Once Li Tianci graduated, he’d be assigned a job, maybe even become an official.
The whole village was proud of Li Tianci!
As he spoke, Li Tianci glanced at the girl beside Wang Widow.
This was Wang Widow’s daughter, Lin Xinran, dressed in a red cotton jacket, her tender face as fresh as a water chestnut growing in a summer lotus pond, pure and white.
Lin Xinran was fifteen, already of marriageable age in the village.
Sensing Li Tianci looking at her, Lin Xinran lowered her head.
That single motion brimmed with a young girl’s shyness.
Li Tianci was momentarily dazed.
The Li Family and the neighboring Lin Family had been neighbors for over ten years.
Lin Xinran had grown up with the two brothers.
If his father hadn’t suddenly arranged his marriage to a hunter’s daughter, he might have been with Lin Xinran—
“Xinran, eat more.” At this moment, a pair of chopsticks reached out to place a piece of pork in Lin Xinran’s bowl.
It was Li Tianfu beside her.
Li Tianfu was tall and sturdy, hot-tempered and full of energy.
Wherever he stood, his back was straight, his eyes bright like a fire, exuding a robust masculinity.
Unlike Li Tianci, he hadn’t gotten into college, but he was strong, and with him, you’d never suffer.
More importantly, Li Tianfu foolishly adored Lin Xinran, and did whatever she said.
Right now, Li Tianfu looked at Lin Xinran earnestly, his rough voice softened as he coaxed her, “Once you’re in our family, I’ll cook for you every day.”
Lin Xinran shyly glanced at Li Tianfu, then looked timidly at Li Tianci, and finally lowered her head—Tianfu was nice, but she liked Tianci more. But… Tianci was already married.
Lin Xinran’s eyes dimmed a bit, no longer looking at Li Tianci. Li Tianci probably remembered his newlywed wife too, and his face grew cold.
Bringing food had taken so long—never mind, it’s better if she doesn’t come back, seeing her only makes him annoyed.
He was an educated man, and wanted an educated wife: respectable, understanding, eloquent, presentable outside, capable at home, able to handle everything. But Hu Honghua’s cowardly look just irritated him.
Li Tianci looked at Lin Xinran again, hoping she’d meet his gaze.
But Lin Xinran didn’t look at him again. Childhood friends, two boys and one girl—there was always someone who’d get hurt.
At this moment, Li Lao’er also followed his second son’s example, picking up a piece of meat and placing it in Wang Widow’s bowl.
Wang Widow lowered her head again and slowly ate.
All the undercurrents of affection were hidden beneath the table, concealed in the food, filling the main room with a warm, ambiguous atmosphere.
Until the door was suddenly kicked open, and everyone froze.
A cold wind, along with a sharp question, rushed in, shredding the warmth in the room to pieces.
“Li Jianye!” Shi Meilan’s voice was hoarse and piercing, “I’m not dead yet, and you’re already preparing to marry the next one, aren’t you?”
Everyone at the table was startled. Old Li—Li Jianye—jumped to his feet, stammering, “Mei—Meilan? Aren’t you sick?”
Wang Widow hurriedly pulled her daughter to stand up, saying, “Sister-in-law Li, d-don’t get the wrong idea. The matchmaker came to me, that’s why I came.”
Wang Widow shrank back, her voice tinged with fear.
Everyone looked over and saw Shi Meilan standing at the door, emaciated beyond recognition.
Her once-beautiful round face was twisted in anger, her upturned phoenix eyes reddened with hatred, dry hair like a ghost’s fingers framing her cheeks, fluttering in the cold wind.
“Jianye!” Wang Widow was even more frightened. No one in Li Family Village didn’t know Shi Meilan’s fierceness.
Back when she stood up for her younger sister, she had dragged a cheating man to the village entrance and beaten him! She quickly grabbed Li Lao’er, “Jianye, say something!”
Li Jianye felt guilty at first, but when Wang Widow grabbed him, a surge of protectiveness rose in his chest.
He shielded Wang Widow and her daughter behind him, and said to Shi Meilan, who was coming in, “Meilan, you’re dying from illness.
What’s wrong with me being with someone else?
I can’t possibly keep watch as a widow for you, can I?”
Everyone in the village knew Shi Meilan was gravely ill.
Even the doctor from Town said she couldn’t be cured, only carried home to die.
Since she was dying, it was normal for him to find another.
A grown man couldn’t be left without a woman to cook and keep house, could he?
Li Jianye thought he wasn’t wrong!
Seeing Shi Meilan so sick and feeble, he felt even more justified.
He’d been afraid of Shi Meilan his whole life, but now she was about to die—why should he still be afraid?
“I’m not dead yet!” Shi Meilan screamed, tearing her heart out, “I’m not dead yet!”
She wasn’t dead!
After she died, Li Jianye could do whatever he wanted, but she was still alive! She still had a breath left! Did they all just wish she’d die already?
Her shrill cries pierced the roof, setting the dogs in the yard barking wildly. Lin Xinran, cowering at the back, shivered and whispered, “Tianfu-ge—Aunt Shi’s illness is contagious.”
“Mom!” Li Tianfu hurriedly shouted, “Mom, let’s go outside to talk. You’re sick, don’t infect Xinran.”
The hatred on Shi Meilan’s face froze. She stared blankly at her second son, Li Tianfu, and asked, “What did you say?”
Li Tianfu shrank his head, not daring to repeat it, and just called, “Brother.”
Of course Li Tianfu cared about his mother, and knew he should be filial, but he liked Lin Xinran even more. He didn’t want her to get sick.
“Mom, it’s not that we wronged you—it’s just that you can’t go on.” Li Tianci sighed, “I know it’s hard for you to accept, but that’s the truth. You’re sick, can’t be cured, and the living have to go on!”
Li Tianci knew his mother was important, but if she was going to die, the rest of the family couldn’t die with her. They still had to live!
Shi Meilan swayed, nearly collapsing.
At this moment, Hu Honghua, who had followed last, hurriedly supported Shi Meilan.
Hu Honghua wore an ill-fitting old cotton jacket, patched up, her face sallow and anxious as she cried, “Mother-in-law? Mother-in-law!”
“So it really was you!” Li Tianci got angry at the sight of Hu Honghua, and immediately shouted, “I told you to bring food, and you brought her back? Told her all this?
Can’t this family have a moment’s peace?
You just want us to fight so you can be happy, right?
Can’t even let my mother die in peace! You just want everyone to laugh at us, don’t you?”
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.