Standing in the yard, he seemed trapped in a hidden cave, silent, briefly falling into a stillness.
Hu Chengjun stood silently until after a while, he lifted his head and looked outside.
Outside, the sun had set.
The last rays of dusk faded behind the mountains, a thick glow clinging to the clouds.
The color made Hu Chengjun suddenly remember the first time he saw Stone Meilan.
It was in the neighboring village.
Once, after being injured on a hunt, he rested outside that village.
Stone Meilan passed by and gave him a bowl of water.
The water was pure and sweet, and she was bright and free-spirited.
But he looked rough, covered in dust and blood, filthy from the mud.
She probably didn’t remember anymore—those events happened so long ago.
Only those who were moved would remember, but she put down the bowl and went on to her own story.
He wanted to follow her, but looking down at his muddy feet, patched pants, and thinking of his little niece at home and the debts his brother owed, he couldn’t.
Those burdens weighed him down, pushing him into the earth.
He could only watch that red figure fade farther and farther away.
Later, a girl from the neighboring village married in, dressed in a red wedding dress.
The wind lifted her veil, revealing a face more radiant than the morning glow.
Standing beside her was the village chief’s son—educated, poetical, refined, wearing a sharp suit.
At that time, he was still a mess.
A poor man with weak bones, unable to lift his head.
He left quickly, stomach heavy and aching despite the noise around him.
Even long afterward, he refused to remember that bustle.
They had no connection until later, when he saved Li Jianye in the forest.
One meal of wine earned him a good marriage.
When Li Jianye proposed this, Hu Chengjun’s mind went blank.
Deep inside, those unspoken thoughts surfaced, pushing him to agree.
He could never be her husband, but having shared blood was good enough.
But who would’ve guessed that Li Jianye would—
The last rays of the sun disappeared.
The cleaver unconsciously struck the spine, not the right spot, causing a numbness in Hu Chengjun’s hand.
He snapped back to reality.
When he woke, those past memories fell away like the sunset behind the mountains—gone, unreachable.
He realized he had been daydreaming for a long time but still couldn’t control his thoughts.
He thought: Li Jianye cheated… Given Stone Meilan’s temper, she wouldn’t let it go easily.
But… but what use was Hu Honghua?
He glanced sideways and saw the west room still lit.
By the candlelight, someone was pacing back and forth—the flickering shadow symbolized a restless heart.
Hu Honghua was timid and weak, unable to endure stress.
Even small things could keep her awake at night, let alone something as big as “catching someone cheating.” She probably wouldn’t sleep at all tonight.
Hu Chengjun lowered his eyelids but ultimately didn’t stop her.
Fine, let them go.
As long as Hu Honghua followed Stone Meilan, she wouldn’t get into trouble.
With Stone Meilan’s nature, if she wasn’t causing trouble, that was already lucky.
Hu Chengjun packed the meat, loaded it onto his tricycle, and headed toward town.
Summer was hot, and meat couldn’t be stored long.
He had to deliver it to town overnight and sell it quickly.
Hu Chengjun had a special three-wheeled cart and could reach town in half a night.
As he left the village, passing the smoke rising from each home, he glanced at the Li family’s houses but didn’t stop.
The Li family was divided into the Big Li family and the Small Li family.
The Big Li family was Li Eldest’s, Li Jianjun’s home.
They lived with their two children and the Old Li couple.
The Small Li family was Li Jianye and Stone Meilan’s house, with their two sons, Li Tianci and Li Tianfu.
When the Li family split, the Old Li couple stayed with Li Eldest, hoping Li Eldest would care for them in old age.
That was why the Old Li family had a bigger home and land. But unfortunately—
When Hu Chengjun looked over, there was no one at Li Second Uncle’s house.
No smoke rose from the chimney; the windows and doors were dark.
He had no idea what was going on inside.
In front of the Big Li house, two people sat eating sunflower seeds and whispering.
It was Li Second Sister-in-law Zhao Erjie and Li Family Old Lady.
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were watching the Second Uncle’s door like hawks.
Hu Chengjun glanced briefly, then continued on, pedaling away from the Li families.
Night fell early in the village.
The moon hid behind clouds, shining clearly on the ground.
Most people were eating or resting.
The wheels on the road made a rustling sound.
Just as Hu Chengjun left the village, he saw Li Jianye returning with Li Tianci.
Li Jianye and Li Tianci shared the same sharp phoenix eyes, both wearing white shirts, looking refined and proper.
From afar, it was clear they belonged to Li Second Uncle’s family.
Outsiders often said—who wears white shirts in a farming village? You’d think they were city youths!
——
They had just finished school.
Li Jianye had gone to the school that evening and withdrew all the money from the school’s funds.
Then he attended a night class.
After everything was done, he returned home with Li Tianci.
The Li family’s two sons—Li Tianci, born like Li Jianye, loved reading and was smart.
The other, Li Tianfu, only liked playing around but was strong and good at farm work, with a sharp temper like Stone Meilan.
Li Tianfu didn’t like studying and started working early, so the family only supported Li Tianci.
Li Jianye hoped his son could go to university. University! The first high school student in Li Family Village—what glory that would be!
On the way home, Li Jianye talked about his days in Beijing.
The night was clear, the moon bright.
Li Tianci held his books, stepping on hard soil, listening with a faint expression.
He had heard the story thousands of times—like chewed sugarcane, tasting bland and dry—but Li Jianye insisted on telling it, so he listened.
At that moment, Hu Chengjun’s tricycle came slowly along.
Seeing Hu Chengjun, Li Tianci’s face darkened—he remembered his marriage was pushed by Hu Chengjun over a drunken night.
His parents said, “Get married first, then establish your career.” Before going to school, he had to be married, and better yet, have a child before leaving.
That way, he would have bloodline and someone to look after his parents—so he could settle down.
Though talented and feeling destined for greatness, unwilling to marry someone he didn’t like, he still depended on the family’s support for food and clothes.
He couldn’t oppose what was decided.
His family was well-off, he was a good student, and many wanted to marry him, but it ended up with Hu Honghua—the slow and foolish girl.
Naturally, he was annoyed and ignored Hu Chengjun, refusing to greet him.
But Li Jianye nodded at Hu Chengjun.
As they passed each other, Hu Chengjun glanced at Li Jianye.
Li Jianye carried a military green knapsack filled with books.
He guarded the bag with his hand all the way. No one knew exactly what was inside.
Just one glance, and Hu Chengjun rode off. Li Jianye took Li Tianci back to the Li family home.
——
When they returned, the house was dark, no smoke from the chimney. It looked like no fire had been lit.
That wasn’t right.
Usually at this time, the Li family would be lively with cooking. Why was it so dark?
Where was Stone Meilan?
Li Jianye remembered climbing the wall to the neighboring house earlier that day and felt uneasy.
He quickened his pace with Li Tianci.
Passing the Big Li family’s yard, just then, his sharp-tongued sister-in-law Zhao Erjie stood at the door with his mother, arms on hips, blocking him, demanding, “Li Jianye! Did you borrow money from me this afternoon? Say it clearly in front of our mother!”
Li Tianci looked at his father suspiciously—Dad borrowing money from big aunt?
Li Jianye’s eyes darkened.
That mouthy old woman—she always said everything!
“Son, is this true?”
Li Family Old Lady, thin and stooped, stood at the door, her wrinkled eyes sharp and cunning like a sly weasel.
She walked over, nagging Li Jianye, “Did Shi Meilan force you to give money to her family again? Did she spend all the money and make you borrow?”
“Ah!” Li Jianye shrugged off his mother’s hand, saying, “That’s not true. I borrowed tuition money for Tianci. He’ll need a lot for school. It has nothing to do with Shi Meilan. Enough. Don’t mention it again or say anything to Shi Meilan!”
With that, Li Jianye pulled Li Tianci back into the yard.
Behind them, his sister-in-law and mother-in-law whispered sarcastic remarks: “See? Got married and forgot your mother, won’t even talk to you.”
Li Jianye pretended not to hear and sighed, quietly telling Li Tianci, “Don’t tell your mother. She’s already annoyed.”
He was clever to have gotten out of this mess.
Li Tianci nodded.
At that moment, just as they entered the yard, Li Tianfu came out of the main room, holding a cucumber and chewing it.
“Brother, Dad.” Seeing Li Tianci and Li Jianye, Li Tianfu looked pitiful and said, “Mom is sick. She hurt her waist at noon and can’t get up. She’s sleeping in the east room. No one’s cooking, and I’m hungry. Dad, can you make something?”
No wonder there was no fire—Stone Meilan was sick.
Li Jianye didn’t know how to cook. He had eaten his mother’s and later Stone Meilan’s cooking, but had never made meals himself. So he said, “A gentleman stays away from the kitchen. Just snack on a few cucumbers.”
Li Tianci was a bit hungry but wouldn’t cook either—women cooked meals. So he said, “I’m not hungry. I’m going back to read.”
“Oh, brother!” Li Tianfu added, “That girl came by today and brought two books for you. I put them in your room.”
That girl—Hu Honghua. Li Tianci looked down on her, but she came every day trying to stick close to him.
Li Tianci understood why—because Hu Honghua liked him. He was outstanding, so it was natural she liked him.
But he didn’t like her and ignored her, quickly returning to the east back room.
Li Jianye was supposed to sleep in the east room but, seeing Stone Meilan actually resting, changed his mind and said, “Your mother is sick. Let her rest. I’ll sleep in the west room.”
So Li Jianye went to the west room, Li Tianci to the east back room, and Li Tianfu unwillingly munched cucumbers in the west back room.
The four family members each slept separately.
Whether the others slept or not was unknown, but Li Jianye was so excited he couldn’t sleep half the night. Once it was dark, he sneakily carried his knapsack and climbed the wall to the neighboring house.
He was eager to report his success to Yulian.
Yulian definitely didn’t expect he’d get the money so fast!
——
At the same time, Hu Honghua stepped outside.