"Ming Mei, what are you doing here?"
One of the casually dressed men was visibly surprised and immediately waved his hand, saying, "Come down quickly, stop acting like a monkey."
Ming Mei: "..."
Couldn't he have phrased that better?
She leaped down gracefully, equally surprised, and asked, "He Chen, why are you back?"
Without waiting for his reply, she turned to help Zhao Guihua, saying, "Mom, be careful."
Zhao Guihua: "I'm fine, no worries."
Having been reborn for so long, this was the first time she felt so disheveled. She couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed. After all, those who time-traveled or were reborn usually didn't end up as helpless as her. She sighed wistfully, "Who would've thought we'd run into a wild boar out of nowhere?"
It was truly fortunate that they had encountered the soldiers; otherwise, who knows what might have happened. Although Ming Mei seemed quite capable, she didn't even have a proper weapon on hand. Zhao Guihua had been terrified, her heart nearly giving out. She clung to Ming Mei's arm, partly to steady herself so she wouldn't collapse.
She tried to calm herself down, thinking that she absolutely couldn't appear too weak in front of her daughter-in-law's friend. That would only embarrass Ming Mei.
She coughed lightly, trying to compose herself, and soon managed a smile. "This is your friend, right? Hello, young man."
He Chen smiled back, "Hello, I'm Ming Mei's childhood friend. You can call me Xiao He."
Just then, a trembling voice chimed in, "Help... help me down..."
Liang Meifen couldn't get down... Her legs were like jelly.
Zhao Guihua scolded, "Useless! How can you be so scared of just a wild boar? It's nothing!"
Despite her words, she still walked over, leaning on Ming Mei's arm for support.
Ming Mei could tell that her mother-in-law was also too shaken to stand properly, but she didn't call her out on it.
A few soldiers stepped forward and said, "Let us help you down."
With their assistance, Liang Meifen, Aunt Wang, and the others slowly climbed down from the tree. However, their legs were still trembling uncontrollably. Clearly, they had been frightened out of their wits. The leader of the soldiers, a sturdy man, frowned and asked, "Why did you come up the mountain?"
Ming Mei, puzzled, replied, "Are we not allowed to?"
Her straightforward question caught the man off guard. He paused for a moment before answering, "No, you're not. There are signs at the foot of the mountain warning people not to come up because of recent wild boar attacks."
Ming Mei: "..."
She thought for a moment and then said earnestly, "We didn't see any signs. We came up from the south side."
She rubbed her nose and sighed, "No wonder we didn't see many people around..."
They had thought it was because of the hot weather, but it turned out that wasn't the case at all.
The sturdy man glanced at his companions, and one of them spoke up, "We did put up signs on the south side too. Maybe they missed them. I'll go check and make sure they're more visible."
"Alright."
Ming Mei, having genuinely not seen any signs, didn't feel guilty. She looked at the others, who were all pale but otherwise okay. She said seriously, "We really didn't see any signs, or we wouldn't have come up. What bad luck. Look how scared everyone is."
He Chen asked, "Are you all okay? Do you need any help?"
Ming Mei shook her head, "I'm fine."
She then asked, "How about the rest of you?"
Zhao Guihua declared firmly, "What could possibly be wrong with me? At my age, I've seen it all. A wild boar? Pfft, I could take one down with a single punch, no problem."
She was clearly boasting.
He Chen almost burst out laughing but quickly covered it up with a cough. "Right, let me introduce you. This is our comrade, Zou Ning."
He was referring to the sturdy leader. Ming Mei greeted him warmly, "Hello, I'm Ming Mei. This is my mother-in-law, and this is my sister-in-law. And these are our neighbors." She smiled and added, "We came up to see if we could catch some fish, but instead, we ran into a wild boar. It was terrifying. Are you here to hunt the boars?"
"Yes," Zou Ning explained. "There have been three attacks by wild boars recently, so the village at the foot asked for our help."
He Chen chimed in with a grin, "I'm on leave visiting family, and I thought I'd drop by to see some friends. I ended up joining them on this trip. I didn't expect to run into you here."
Ming Mei smiled back, "You came back and didn't even visit me? How rude."
He Chen laughed, "I was planning to! But you know, Zou Ning here took priority. I was going to visit you tomorrow. I heard you had a baby? Man, my mom won't let me hear the end of it. She's already set up seven blind dates for me because I'm still single at our age. Can you believe it?"
Ming Mei gave him a sympathetic look, "Good luck with that."
Zou Ning, observing their familiarity, said, "He Chen, why don't you take them down the mountain? I'll lead the team to scout the area. There's more than one wild boar here. We'll make sure to clear them out properly."
He Chen nodded, "Got it."
He turned to the group, "Can you all walk?"
"Yes."
He Chen was quite familiar with Ming Mei, but the others' attention was firmly fixed on the wild boar. At that moment, nothing was more captivating than the boar. It was meat, after all. Everyone's eyes were glued to it, though they knew it belonged to the soldiers and not them. They could only look.
Ming Mei teased, "Stop staring, wipe your drool."
Everyone, except Zhao Guihua, instinctively reached to wipe their mouths.
Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes, "You're not drooling. Ming Mei's just messing with you. Honestly..."
She shot Ming Mei a look, as if to say, "Don't joke around in front of outsiders."
Ming Mei, unfazed, smiled and said, "Let's go, time to head down."
Today had been a bust, but what could they do?
She added, "We're just in the way here. Let's not trouble the soldiers any further. Let's go."
Zou Ning glanced up at Ming Mei.
Ming Mei smiled back at him, then looked at the wild boar again, feeling a pang of regret.
If only she had been quicker, maybe she could have taken it down herself. Oh, the missed opportunity! Ming Mei sighed wistfully, "Me and wild boars just aren't meant to be."
He Chen couldn't help but laugh, "What kind of 'meant to be' are you hoping for? You almost got hurt, you know? You're so bold. And look at that little kitchen knife you're carrying—what good is that against a wild boar? Their skin is thick and tough. Ordinary knives can't even scratch them."
Zhao Guihua had heard about this too. Wild boars might be pigs, but they were nothing like domesticated ones. They were fierce and had thick hides. Only experienced hunters could handle them; ordinary people stood no chance.
They had been lucky this time, running into the soldiers. Otherwise, who knows what might have happened.
She said, "We were lucky to meet the soldiers today. I never want to see another wild boar again."
Ming Mei noticed that everyone still looked shaken and felt a pang of sympathy.
She waved her hand, "Let's go, let's head down."
She added, "Help each other out, alright?"
Ming Mei took Zhao Guihua's arm, asking, "Mom, are you okay?"
Zhao Guihua, determined not to embarrass Ming Mei, replied, "I'm perfectly fine. It's your sister-in-law who's scared. I'm not afraid at all."
He Chen stifled a laugh, thinking Ming Mei's mother-in-law was quite a character.
Just as they were about to leave, someone called out.
"He Chen."
He Chen turned, "What is it?"
Zou Ning looked at He Chen and then shifted his gaze to the others, saying, "You all must have been frightened too. Let's give you a wild boar leg to share among the five of you. Take it back and divide it yourselves. It’ll help calm your nerves."
"Huh?"
This statement left everyone stunned. Zhao Guihua quickly waved her hands, "No, no, this is your catch. We’ve already been rescued, how can we take your things? We can’t accept it."
"That’s right! We can’t take this," Aunt Wang also nodded vigorously.
The others chimed in as well, all refusing firmly.
Although they were craving meat, this was something the soldiers had hunted. Besides, they had already helped them. How could they possibly take their things? Everyone was resolute: "We can’t accept it."
Zou Ning pursed his lips. He Chen glanced around and said, "Forget it, Zou Ning. I don’t think Ming Mei and the others will take the boar. Let’s carry it back to the camp."
Ming Mei nodded beside him. Taking something from the soldiers? That wouldn’t be right.
She said, "We can’t take it. What kind of people do you think we are?"
After a pause, she added, "I know you mean well, but really, it’s unnecessary."
She then said, "Let’s go, let’s head down the mountain."
"Alright."
No one objected to this. Although everyone’s eyes were glued to the wild boar, they weren’t the type to covet it. They simply admired it, purely and genuinely. But they also held a natural reverence for the soldiers and would never take advantage of them.
He Chen escorted Ming Mei and the others down the mountain. After walking a few steps, Ming Mei suddenly thought of something and turned back to ask, "Comrade Zou Ning, I wanted to ask—can we come back up the mountain in a few days to forage for vegetables and such?"
Zou Ning replied, "Wait a bit longer. We’ll be clearing out the wild boars in the area soon. But the forest is vast, and there’s no guarantee we’ll catch every one. We’ll patrol the area a few more times to make sure it’s safe. If you want to be cautious, wait a bit longer—no more than a month."
Ming Mei nodded, "Got it. Thank you."
Zou Ning gave a slight nod, then turned and left with his team.
He Chen, on the other hand, led Ming Mei and the others down the mountain. He was quite chatty along the way, saying, "Hey! I heard you had twins? Are they cute?"
Ming Mei beamed with pride, "How could my children not be cute? Did you even think before asking that? I was the cutest when I was little, so of course my kids are the cutest now. Both my husband and I are good-looking, and our kids take after us."
He Chen’s mouth twitched, "You sure know how to boast."
He turned to Zhao Guihua with a laugh, "Auntie, does Ming Mei always brag like this at home? Don’t you ever call her out on it?"
Zhao Guihua, of course, had to back up her daughter-in-law. She said, "Ming Mei actually doesn’t boast at all."
She smiled and added, "If you come to our house, you’ll see for yourself. My grandson and granddaughter are truly adorable. Little Tuan Tuan and Little Yuan Yuan are chubby, fair, and always smiling."
He Chen chuckled.
Zhao Guihua had some impression of He Chen, but not much.
In her previous life, because the family hadn’t split internally, their relationship with Ming Mei and her husband had been distant. Ming Mei and her husband rarely shared much about their lives, so Zhao Guihua didn’t know much about their friends.
But she did have a vague memory of He Chen. It seemed his father and Ming Mei’s father worked in the same unit, and the two families got along well. He Chen himself was stationed in a military base out of town and didn’t return to Beijing often, but he had kept in touch with Ming Mei and her husband.
Of course, regardless of how things were in the past, Zhao Guihua now treated him with a calm demeanor. She sized him up and asked, "How old are you?"
He Chen replied, "I’m the same age as Ming Mei."
He smiled and said, "Auntie, you… Oh! Damn it!"
He was mid-sentence when he spotted a rabbit. Ming Mei was quicker than him and immediately gave chase.
He Chen shouted, "Be careful!"
Ming Mei called back, "Got it!"
Ming Mei quickly caught up. While rabbits are known for their speed, they’re no match for a skilled hunter. In no time, Ming Mei had caught the rabbit.
She was overjoyed.
"Success!"
At least their trip up the mountain hadn’t been for nothing.
She happily swung the rabbit by its ears, "I caught it!"
"Impressive!"
From a distance, everyone gave her a thumbs-up.
Ming Mei’s smile was radiant, tinged with a hint of pride. "I told you I’m good at this. I… huh?"
She glanced toward a dense patch of greenery and, without hesitation, walked over. Zhao Guihua quickly asked, "What is it?"
Ming Mei followed her gaze and soon exclaimed in delight, "Mom, come over here. There’s a patch of wild celery."
Even though they were supposed to be heading down, who could pass up such a find? Certainly not them! Hearing this, everyone’s fatigue and fear vanished instantly. They quickly gathered around.
Zhao Guihua said, "It really is wild celery. There’s a whole patch of it."
"What are we waiting for? Let’s get to work," Aunt Wang said cheerfully.
With this discovery, their trip wasn’t wasted.
Everyone shared the same sentiment and began happily plucking the wild celery. He Chen quickly stepped in to help, saying, "I’ll lend a hand."
He marveled, "This mountain really has a lot to offer."
"Of course! We came here last year too, but this year we’ve been busy with the kids and haven’t had the time," Zhao Guihua added, though her hands never stopped moving. The women were all skilled workers, and despite the sizeable patch of wild celery, they finished the task quickly.
"This celery will taste great stir-fried," someone commented.
"My family loves celery buns."
"But that would require white flour, wouldn’t it?"
"That’s true. Ah."
Ming Mei, meanwhile, looked around and said, "We don’t come to this area often."
Although they frequently visited the mountain, they usually stayed near the pond at the summit. Today, if she hadn’t chased the rabbit, she wouldn’t have ventured here. The western mountain was lush and alive with the sounds of birds and cicadas. She sighed, "If only there weren’t wild boars, I’d love to explore more."
He Chen advised, "Let’s head back. Safety first."
This was sound advice, and everyone agreed, "Let’s go."
The wild boar was truly terrifying. While it might be delicious, it was also incredibly frightening.
"Ah…"
Ming Mei spoke up again, "Do you see that patch over there? Is that honeysuckle?"
"Honeysuckle? What’s that?"
Ming Mei explained, "The recycling station buys it. It’s valuable."
Without hesitation, she walked over.
Everyone quickly followed, including He Chen, who was escorting them down the mountain. He asked curiously, "What is it?"
Ming Mei confirmed, "It really is."
She hadn’t recognized it before, but Zhuang Zhixi had worked in the clinic, and they had some books at home. She’d skimmed through them out of boredom, picking up a bit of knowledge along the way. Now, it had come in handy.
Ming Mei said happily, "It really is honeysuckle."
"What is it?"
"Honeysuckle. We can pick some, dry it at home, and sell it to the recycling station."
"This stuff can make money?"
"Of course."
"That’s great."
Although they hadn’t gotten the wild boar, their trip wasn’t in vain. After gathering a good amount of honeysuckle, they finally made their way down the mountain. By then, it was midday, and the sun was high. Zhao Guihua and the others had come by bicycle but hadn’t ridden up the mountain. They had hidden their bikes near the base, even going so far as to lock them to a tree.
They retrieved their bicycles, and He Chen saw them off, saying, "Alright, I won’t go any further. Be careful on your way back."
After a pause, he added, "Hey, Ming Mei."
Ming Mei replied, "Hmm?"
He Chen said, "I’ll come visit your kids next year."
Ming Mei responded, "I’ll be at work. Come after you’re off duty."
"No problem."
With that settled, the five women rode their bikes home. Aunt Wang, a seasoned matchmaker, remarked, "That young man isn’t married yet, is he?"
Ming Mei: “No. Didn’t you hear him just now? He said he has seven arranged blind dates set up by his family this time.”
Aunt Wang said unnaturally, “I was too nervous just now. My heart was about to jump out of my chest; how could I hear what others were saying?”
“It’s really scary. I don’t want to go through that again,” Aunt Sui said, having been frightened.
Zhao Guihua, however, said, “Fortunately, Wang Zizhen didn’t come. Otherwise, can you imagine how bad it would be? Just thinking about it gives me the chills.”
“Didn’t you just say you weren’t afraid?”
“Can’t I just brag?”
Everyone snorted in disapproval.
Aunt Wang: “Ming Mei, which matchmaker did this young man named He Chen find? Actually, I could introduce him too. I also have suitable people in mind.”
Matchmakers are like that—they can’t wait to be constantly matchmaking.
Ming Mei begged off: “I really don’t know that. If you’re interested, you can ask him yourself tomorrow. I don’t want to get involved.”
She realized it wouldn’t be appropriate to meddle, but there was no need to say that out loud.
Since their gathering ended early, when Zhao Guihua and the others returned home, Zhuang Zhiyuan and Zhuang Laonian hadn’t come back yet. Zhao Guihua wheeled her bicycle into the courtyard, which was relatively quiet at this time, just past noon, with many people taking afternoon naps at home.
It was a rare weekend day off, so everyone wanted to rest a bit at noon.
No one made a big deal out of it; each person quietly wheeled their bike back home.
Ming Mei entered the house and saw Zhuang Zhixi holding their child, taking an afternoon nap. She tiptoed with a basin and soap in hand, heading outside to wash her face and hair in the courtyard. Liang Meifen, also sweaty, came out to wash up. She said, “I don’t know where Zhiyuan ran off to.”
Zhao Guihua knew this.
She said, “The fishing rod is missing, so they’ve probably gone fishing. They didn’t come back at lunchtime.”
Ever since Zhuang Laonian had a successful fishing trip last year, he had become quite fond of fishing, going almost every few days. Fortunately, he always had some catch, which significantly improved their family’s meals.
Ming Mei, being a modest young wife, didn’t dare to shower in the courtyard, only washing her face and hair before carrying the water inside to clean her body. Zhao Guihua, an elderly lady, didn’t care much. She directly poured water over herself. Liang Meifen said, “Mom, be careful not to catch a cold.”
Zhao Guihua replied, “It’s okay. It’s so hot; it won’t happen. I’m taking advantage of the midday when everyone is napping. If I dawdle any longer and someone wakes up, I won’t be able to have a quick rinse.”
She also made sure no one was around to watch before taking her quick shower, then went straight back inside to change clothes.
Zhao Guihua said, “After washing your hair, make sure to dry it well before going to sleep, or you’ll easily get migraines.”
“Got it.”
Ming Mei returned to her room, changed into clean clothes, and cleaned her body, feeling refreshed. She then found a loose shirt and baggy shorts to change into. As she was changing, she felt a gaze on her.
She looked up and saw Zhuang Zhixi already awake, propping his head on his arm and smiling at her.
Ming Mei pouted, “What are you looking at?”
Zhuang Zhixi patted the spot next to him, saying, “Come and lie down for a bit.”
Ming Mei didn’t refuse at all; she was a bit tired too. She climbed onto the kang (a heated brick bed) and lay down, peeking at the two kids. The little ones were sprawled out, sleeping soundly. Luckily, they had hastily converted their bed to a kang last year; otherwise, there wouldn’t have been enough space for these two little ones to spread out.
They were little rascals who could roll and tumble in their sleep.
Ming Mei asked, “What did they eat for lunch?”
Zhuang Zhixi replied, “I steamed some eggs for them. I made extra, so each kid got one, and they each drank half a bottle of milk. They’ve got a good appetite.”
Hearing the babies were full, Ming Mei felt relieved. She said, “I haven’t eaten anything yet.”
Zhuang Zhixi raised his eyebrows in surprise, then said, “Then I’ll get you some sesame biscuits to eat a bit.”
Ming Mei nodded.
She lay on the kang, not wanting to move, while Zhuang Zhixi was efficient, getting up to fetch the biscuits and pour some water for her.
“Why did you guys come back so early today?” he asked.
Ming Mei replied, “We encountered a wild boar and almost got attacked. Luckily…”
She didn’t hold back and recounted the whole incident, which sent a chill down Zhuang Zhixi’s spine. He raised his hand and patted her on the bottom, scolding, “Look at you, being so impulsive. Luckily, there were others around. If something really happened, what would I and the kids do? Why did you have to be so reckless?”
Ming Mei retorted, “Do you think I wanted to be reckless? The wild boar wouldn’t leave, and it kept ramming the tree I was hiding behind. What else could I do?”
Ming Mei pouted, adding, “Besides, I’m safe and sound, aren’t I?”
“You’re still being stubborn,” Zhuang Zhixi pinched her cheek.
Ming Mei huffed, kicking him lightly, but then she met Zhuang Zhixi’s worried eyes. Though his tone wasn’t great, his concern was clear. She immediately softened, leaning over to hug his neck and said, “I won’t do that again in the future. Actually, I was really scared at the time too.”
Her soft, sweet voice melted Zhuang Zhixi’s heart. He hugged her tightly, saying, “Don’t be afraid. We won’t go there anymore.”
He gently stroked Ming Mei’s hair, murmuring, “A little pat, and the fear will go away.”
Ming Mei chuckled.
She playfully said, “I promise I won’t be reckless next time. Alright, don’t look so stern. You might scare the kids, Yuan Yuan and Tuan Tuan. Oh, by the way, He Chen is coming tomorrow.”
Zhuang Zhixi’s eyes flickered. “When is he coming?”
Ming Mei replied, “He’ll probably wait until I get off work.”
She added, “It’s fine if he comes early. I think he gets along well with the in-laws.”
Zhuang Zhixi: “…”
Ming Mei continued, “He Chen is quite outgoing and easy to get along with.”
Zhuang Zhixi asked, “Is this the same He Chen you mentioned before? The one whose parents tried to set you up?”
Ming Mei confirmed, “Yes, it’s him.”
She tilted her head, teasing with a smirk, “What, are you jealous?”
Zhuang Zhixi pursed his lips, saying, “Do I look jealous? I’m so charming; you definitely wouldn’t like him. If you had taken a liking to him, there wouldn’t have been a place for me. So naturally, I don’t have to worry.”
Even so, his jaw was still tense.
Ming Mei softly chuckled, saying, “You know that, so why are you still upset? There’s nothing between us; it’s just a bit of camaraderie from getting into trouble together. But his parents don’t know what they’re thinking. They thought we were childhood friends, knew each other well, and would definitely get along. So they went ahead and tried to set us up. His mom is a bit cunning and well-connected, always afraid she might pressure my parents, so they rushed the blind date.”
She cupped Zhuang Zhixi’s face, saying, “Actually, neither of us had any interest in each other. He rushed to enlist in the army to get away, and I quickly looked for someone to date. I had to find someone I truly liked; I couldn’t let them meddle in this. Luckily, I met you on my first blind date. When I saw you walk in, I thought you were so handsome.”
Zhuang Zhixi’s tone was melancholic: “So you only liked my looks.”
Ming Mei retorted with confidence, “Of course! If I didn’t find your looks appealing, I wouldn’t have wanted to take it further.”
Zhuang Zhixi: “You’re such a shallow person.”
Ming Mei shot him a playful look, “And aren’t you the same? If I weren’t good-looking, would you have agreed right away?”
Zhuang Zhixi thought for a moment and honestly said, “Probably not. The first time I saw you, I thought you were so beautiful, and I wanted to protect you.”
Ming Mei: “…”
She twitched her mouth slightly.
Zhuang Zhixi calmly continued, “Later, I realized that the one who needed protecting wasn’t you but me.”
Ming Mei burst out laughing.
Both of them laughed together. In truth, Zhuang Zhixi wasn’t really jealous. He knew that if there had been anything between He Chen and Ming Mei, she wouldn’t have gone on blind dates. So he wasn’t too worried.
The two of them playfully teased each other for a while. Ming Mei said, “You stay and sleep with me for a while.”
Zhuang Zhixi replied, “Sure.”
It was a hot day, but the young couple didn’t mind the heat as they cuddled together for an afternoon nap.
In the quiet courtyard, at this moment, Bai Fendou was strutting down a countryside path wearing a large floral dress and a scarf wrapped around his head, grunting and puffing. As a man, he certainly didn't own such a dress, which belonged to Aunt Wang.
In their courtyard, the only clothes he could wear were Aunt Wang’s.
Since Aunt Wang wasn't home, Li Fang had decided to lend the dress to him.
Borrowing clothes among neighbors was quite normal during that time.
Some people even borrowed clothes for their weddings.
Bai Fendou, being a man, found Aunt Wang’s dress a bit tight, despite her being quite robust. But it worked, just barely. With his short hair, he couldn't find a wig, so he had to wrap a scarf around his head.
Well, it wasn’t uncommon for older women working in the fields to wear scarves.
Bai Fendou’s makeup was painted by Zhuang Zhixi, and he suspected that Zhuang was getting his revenge because the makeup made him look absolutely hideous. Bai Fendou vowed that he had never seen such an ugly “woman.”
He was also wearing perfume, which smelled so strong that he almost gagged at the scent.
As he walked through the countryside, he soon reached the village entrance. A few houses were there, and an older woman, referred to as a "dama" (elderly woman), came out to pour water. When she saw him, she let out an "Oh ho!" and took a step back in shock.
This was even uglier than Wang Erya from their village.
"Who are you? I’ve never seen you around here before," she asked.
Bai Fendou quickly stepped forward, speaking in a falsetto voice, and said, "Big Mom (Pan), can I have a drink of water? I’m looking for Fan Jianguo’s home."
"You’re looking for Fan Jianguo? Oh, you mean that young man from the Fan family!" the aunt replied. She sized up Bai Fendou and said, "Wait here, I’ll go get you some water."
Rural folks were quite hospitable. Seeing the "woman" sweating profusely, she quickly went back to get some water. Bai Fendou gulped it down and said, "Thank you, big aunt."
The aunt looked at him again and asked, "Sister, why are you looking for the Fan household? What relationship do you have with them? Why haven’t I seen you before?"
At this point, Bai Fendou quickly adopted a shy demeanor, but he quickly said, "I’m his girlfriend."
This was Zhuang Zhixi’s first strategy: if anyone asked, pretend to be Fan Jianguo’s girlfriend.
"What?!" the aunt exclaimed, her eyes widened in disbelief. "You’re lying!"
Bai Fendou recalled Zhuang Zhixi’s instructions and said, "Granny, how can you say such things? How am I lying? I’m Jianguo’s girlfriend. What's so strange about that?"
He pretended to be angry: "Come, let’s go to the Fan household and discuss this. I thought you were a good person, but how can you say such things?"
The aunt quickly grabbed Bai Fendou and asked, "Are you telling the truth?"
Old Lady Fan was known to be a vicious shrew, and she didn't want to get involved. She looked at Bai Fendou again, still finding it hard to believe. Did Fan Jianguo have such poor taste? Was he blind, or just insane?
"Ma'am, I don’t mean any harm. It’s just... I’ve never heard that Fan Jianguo had a girlfriend like you."
Bai Fendou: "That can’t be!"
He pretended to be serious: "We’ve known each other for six or seven years."
He continued: "If he hadn’t joined the army, we would have gotten married already."
Upon hearing this, the aunt's eyes lit up. She immediately said, "Then tell me more."
Bai Fendou took a deep breath and assumed a shy expression: "Auntie, there’s not much to say. But you, how can you not know about me? Hasn’t his family mentioned me?"
This was Zhuang Zhixi’s second strategy: avoid talking about himself and instead ask more about Fan Jianguo.
He said: "We’ve been together for so long; his family hasn’t mentioned me in the village?"
The aunt shook her head: "No, not at all."
This revelation made her excited.
Could it be that she had stumbled upon a big secret?
She quickly said, "His family really never mentioned anything."
"Mom, who’s that? Oh my~"
A woman, likely the old woman's daughter-in-law, came out and, upon seeing Bai Fendou, took a step back in shock.
Bai Fendou tried to stay calm.
Zhuang Zhixi had applied powder from Ming Mei’s powder box without her knowing. His face was much paler than usual, and his lips were painted bright red, the lipstick Zhuang Zhixi had bought for his wife, He Ye, who dared not use it.
The makeup was obvious, but it just made him look incredibly ugly.
He said: "Sister, I’m Fan Jianguo’s girlfriend."
"Wait, Fan Jianguo’s girlfriend isn’t... " She stopped herself, rushed inside, and soon returned with three other women—young and old, totaling five women—all staring at Bai Fendou.
Seeing this, Bai Fendou’s heart raced, but he remembered Zhuang Zhixi’s third strategy: if things got too crowded and he couldn’t escape, smear Fan Jianguo’s reputation.
Before he could speak, the aunt began, "These are my daughters-in-law and daughter. Sister, are you really Fan Jianguo’s girlfriend?"
Bai Fendou: "Why would that be a lie?"
He started smearing Fan Jianguo’s reputation:
"We’ve been together for years. I’m a widow, and he’s a young man, so we haven’t been very public about our relationship. I even supported his life."
"What?!"
Everyone’s eyes widened in shock.
Bai Fendou, seeing everyone’s stunned expressions, no longer felt nervous. Instead, he took on a bit of a theatrical flair. He said:
"He said his family was too poor to marry me, that he didn’t want me to come from the city to live a hard life in the countryside. Plus, we weren’t legally old enough to get married, so we never officially wed. He said he wanted to make a name for himself before marrying me. But then he joined the army, and we saw less and less of each other. It’s been a long time since I last saw him, so I came to his family to see what’s going on."
Hearing this, the aunt showed a look of realization, then looked at Bai Fendou with sympathy, saying, "Sister, you’ve been deceived. This young man told you that rural life is too hard, so he didn’t marry you?"
Bai Fendou nodded.
"But he’s already married!"
Bai Fendou pretended to be shocked: "Married? How could he be married? He was going to marry me!"
The aunt said: "He really is married. He got married years ago to the daughter of a capitalist."
"What?!" Bai Fendou acted even more heartbroken.
"What are you all yammering about? It’s the middle of the day—can’t you take a break... Oh my, that’s ugly!"
A neighbor peeked out from next door, complaining, but upon seeing Bai Fendou, she was taken aback.
Bai Fendou pretended to be annoyed, saying, "How dare you say that? My looks aren’t that bad. Jianguo once praised me, saying I have a delicate, bird-like charm."
"Eww~" Some of the younger women almost couldn’t handle it.
Old Lady Zhang from next door: "What’s going on?"
Old Lady Zhang: "You better come over. Something big is happening. Our village has a bad apple. You’ll find out once you come over."
"Oh, I’ll go get Aunt Chen."
Aunt Chen came over: "I’ll go get Aunt Li too."
...
Within a short time, the courtyard was filled with seven or eight elderly women and ten or so young wives and unmarried girls. Bai Fendou’s heart was racing—Zhuang Zhixi hadn’t prepared him for this! How could he escape with so many people around?
His face was a mix of emotions, but Old Lady Zhang thought he was overwhelmed by the news of Fan Jianguo’s marriage. She said, "Sister, don’t be too upset. I’m telling you the truth. Fan Jianguo really is married. He got married years ago. He’s preparing for his second marriage now. His first wife was the daughter of a capitalist, and his second wife is from the cultural troupe. She’s not as good-looking as the first one, but she’s from a good family background. She’s the leader’s daughter, and they’ve already set a date for next Sunday. Recently, he’s been going to the city to buy things for the wedding."
While Old Lady Zhang spoke, she also introduced Bai Fendou to everyone present.
Bai Fendou: I’m panicking, but I can’t back down. I have to improvise.
He immediately looked heartbroken, and a few old ladies inside cried out: "Ma, with that expression, you're even uglier. No wonder Fan Jianguo doesn't want to be with you anymore! You're too ugly!" Having lived for so long, they had never seen someone so ugly.
Bai Fendou: "He... was he deceiving me?"
"It seems so. Why don't you tell us about your situation?"
Bai Fendou: "..."
How to make something up, how to make something up?
He suddenly remembered a touching love story Jiang Lu once told him. He quickly said, "He saved me, like a hero saving a beauty."
More than a dozen people around him showed even more incomprehensible expressions. Ugh, saving a beauty? Are you sure?
But no one dared to say it aloud, not wanting to further provoke this poor woman.
Bai Fendou: "I'm from the city, with a steady job. My husband died shortly after we got married. One day, after work, I was robbed by a few young thugs. It was Fan Jianguo who helped me and even escorted me home. After that, whenever he came to the city, he would visit me. It was about once every one or two weeks."
Everyone thought carefully and remembered that Fan Jianguo did frequently come to the city when he was sixteen or seventeen, almost every few days. His words seemed credible.
Bai Fendou: "Sniff, sniff. That part is true because Fan Jianguo was brownnosing He Lan's father at the time. He came to the city to visit the He family. But outsiders didn't know that. He continued to fabricate: "Then he said he loved me, didn't care about my identity, or that I was older than him. We fell in love, but his family was poor and from the countryside, and my family had interference too, so we didn't go public at first. Later, when my in-laws stopped interfering, he said his family was too poor, that he wasn't good enough for someone as wonderful as me, and that he needed to make a name for himself before we could be together. That's why he went to join the army. It was for our love. I gave him all the 250.8 yuan I had saved up."
"Ah!!!" Everyone looked at each other. So much money! That's quite a sum! He really had the guts to take it!
"But this past year, he hasn't contacted me much. I didn't know what was going on, so I followed the village he mentioned and came to look for him. Turns out he gave me the wrong village name. I had to ask around in the neighboring village to finally find this place."
He said, "Can you tell me what's going on?"
The few aunties looked at each other, all feeling that this ugly woman had been scammed by Fan Jianguo.
It just goes to show how innocent people were back then. They never thought Bai Fendou was making things up. They all believed him.
"Sister, you've been scammed by this Fan Jianguo. He got married before joining the army, and they even had a banquet, though they didn't officially register. Now, he's kicked his first wife out and plans to remarry, claiming it's his first marriage since they never registered before. He's not a good person. His first wife prepared tables, cabinets, and even a bicycle and radio, all of which were kept by his family. They even got rich by marrying off their sons."
"Ah, he's taken nearly a thousand yuan from me over time," Bai Fendou exaggerated.
"My heavens! That's way too much."
"This... is he just swindling women for money?"
Bai Fendou put on an angry expression: "Aunties, tell me more. I want to see what else he's deceived me about! He said he had it the hardest at home. Is that true? That's why I kept giving him money when he said things were tough."
"No, not at all. His parents were decent to him. They had several sons, and they favored the oldest, being the eldest. But they were also good to him since he was their most successful son. His mother, though, was indeed mean and had a bad reputation. She used to steal chickens and other things from the village, and even after their family improved their situation, she couldn't change.
Bai Fendou looked surprised: "Ah, so no one stopped her?"
"There were people trying, like the team leader, but they couldn't do much. After all, she had a son in the army, and he was even a squad leader by then. The team leader was afraid of offending them. Plus, she was really good at causing trouble, and no one could outdo her, so they just let it go."
"His brothers and sisters-in-law also bullied people in the village. His previous wife was driven away by abuse."
"Sister, even though you're... well, not the most beautiful, find a decent man. This family is no good; they're like wolves and tigers. They'll devour you." Some kind-hearted folks spoke directly.
Bai Fendou: "Ah! That's so scary!"
His frightened expression made everyone turn their heads away.
Even uglier!
"That kind of family really isn't good... But didn't you say he's getting married again? Can he still find someone better? He clearly said he loved me the most!"
"His family pretends well. Before marriage, they act all sweet, but once you're married, it's a different story."
"Exactly, look how badly they treated the previous Xiao Lan. They're really good at causing trouble. The Fan family lets the women cause trouble while the men act like good guys, not sure if they really don't know or are just pretending."
"Do you think the Fan family members are decent? Fan Jianguo's older brother is also seeing Li, the widow from the next village."
"Yes, yes. It's true. The Old Lady Fan even brags about how capable her son is."
Bai Fendou felt that by playing the victim and listening to these villagers' gossip, he could learn a lot.
He said, "What about Fan Jianguo? Is there anything else I don't know? I heard him say that in your village, Yang is the major family name, and the Fan family is small, often bullied by the Yangs. He said they had it tough."
"Pfft, he's full of it. Their family is the one always showing off and being mean and wicked. They even have the nerve to blame others? It's true that the Yangs are the major family, but look, I'm not even Yang, and we're getting by just fine. Everyone is busy farming and earning work points; who has time to think about nonsense? This guy, back when he wasn't doing well, already slacked off when working. Even after getting some success, he's still that lazy bum."
"Right, he even badmouths us Yangs. We Yangs are the major family, but we never bully people. It's their family that caused trouble. More than ten years ago, they fought with Old Chen, the bachelor from our village, over land rights. They attacked him as a family, and the next day, Old Chen passed away. In the end, they somehow negotiated with Old Chen's adopted son, and the matter was forgotten. No one pursued it."
Bai Fendou didn't expect to uncover so many secrets. It seems there's no big secret that can be kept in a village.
He was surprised: "How can his family be like this?"
"What did you think? That's just how they are. Fan Jianguo isn't good either. A notorious playboy, he was closely involved with Jiaoxing from the village. He even gave her his wife's gold ring to please her, but she didn't even want it."
"Jiaoxing isn't a good person either, but she still took it? That's a gold ring; she had the guts to accept something so valuable."
"What else? Fan Jianguo was also quite close to Chen, the female educated youth from the village. I saw Chen going to harass Fan Jianguo's ex-wife..."
"You don't know, Fan Jianguo's sister, Fan Lian, isn't..."
"Ah, I know..."
Turns out, not asking around doesn't reveal just how much is going on in the Fan family.
Bai Fendou inquired about even more things. Secretly noting them down, he knew he couldn't stay here too long. If he stayed too long and got found out, it would be over. He wasn't sure which of these pieces of information would be useful and which wouldn't.
He didn't know, but he had someone capable around him.
He felt that if Zhuang Zhixi knew about these things, he could definitely help him come up with a good plan.
After listening to a bunch of gossip, he said, "So, he's really like that?"
He looked utterly heartbroken and said, "I always thought he was a good person, that his family had a hard time, but how could they be like this..."
He stood up in a daze, saying, "I need to go back, I need to go back..."
"Girl, don't be too sad."
"Yes, sister, this scumbag, it's actually good that you dodged that bullet."
"Good? Didn't you hear him say? He's spent over a thousand yuan. That much money, oh my, I've never had..."
Bai Fendou covered his face and suddenly burst into tears: "Some of that money was borrowed! What should I do, what should I do..."
“Don’t cry over this. You can’t handle this by yourself. Go back and find your family, ask your dad or your brothers to come and help you out.”
Bai Fendou: “Right, right…”
He said, “I’ll get them to help me out…”
He rushed off hastily, his footsteps quick.
However, if one looked closely, they would notice he wasn’t running out of the village but rather deeper into it.
“That girl ran so fast, didn’t she?”
“Heartbroken, I guess.”
“Do you think she’ll bring someone to cause trouble for the Fan family?”
“Of course, you think a thousand yuan is a small sum?”
“Exactly, how could she have spent so much money?”
“She must have been deceived. She’s not good-looking. Someone just being nice to her would be enough to make her believe…”
Bai Fendou had left not long ago, but these women were still very much engrossed, chattering away nonstop. Even parts that weren’t fabricated, they somehow found ways to embellish.
Although they didn’t seem to know the ugly widow’s name or where she lived, the fact that “they had been together for six or seven years” and the mention of “a thousand yuan” were quite the explosive pieces of gossip.
Once something like this got into the hands of the village’s old biddies, it was like putting a megaphone to gossip. In no time, many in the village had heard about it. Of course, such things were always kept from the people involved.
The Fan family did have a few friendly neighbors, but those who got along with them were generally not well-liked by most of the village. So, this piece of gossip didn’t reach those households, and thus, no one brought it to the Fan family’s ears.
The Fan family knew nothing, but the gossip about them had already spread like wildfire throughout the village.
It’s not just women who love gossip; men aren’t any different. In a day-to-day life with little entertainment, gossip becomes the greatest source of amusement. Women gossip excitedly, and so do men.
Many of the village’s men were subtly discussing it while working in the afternoons. What was it about Fan Jianguo that made him so special? He kept finding one woman after another, and people just couldn’t understand. He wasn’t particularly handsome, so how did he manage to convince women to spend money on him?
Everyone had seen how much his first wife, He Lan, had been taken for.
Now his second wife, who was clearly of good circumstances, was also with him.
It was already enough to make people envious, but then suddenly there was this tall, strong, ugly widow, spending so much money on him… They were all in disbelief. What was so special about him?
While the villagers were busy speculating, the Fan family remained oblivious. Recently, their household had been in high spirits. Their youngest son had returned, but this time, it wasn’t because of He Lan. This time, it was for a wedding.
Old Lady Fan thought of her soon-to-be daughter-in-law, the daughter of a leader, and felt her heart swell with satisfaction. From now on, even the leader’s daughter would have to bow before her. How could she not be overjoyed?
Whether you were the daughter of a wealthy capitalist or a leader’s daughter, you’d still have to humble yourself in front of her.
After all, she was the mother-in-law!
As the mother-in-law, she could control her daughter-in-law and give her a hard time.
No matter what your background, you’d have to endure it!
Old Lady Fan was in high spirits.
However, her mood changed a bit when she saw her daughter return from outside, her face sullen. She snapped angrily, “Why didn’t you go to work?”
A girl dares to slack off?
Who does she think she is!
Fan Lian: “It’s so annoying. I don’t know what’s going on in the village. They were whispering about something, but as soon as I approached, they stopped talking. Mom, do you know what’s going on recently?”
Old Lady Fan: “The biggest news recently is your brother’s wedding. Is anything else more important?”
She said, “Don’t try to find excuses to slack off. Go and do your work.”
“Mom…”
“Go!”
Fan Lian bit her lip, unhappy, and went outside.
There used to be He Lan, and she could slack off, but now she couldn’t get away with it at all. All the household chores fell on her, and she complained bitterly, “It would’ve been better to keep that bitch…”
Old Lady Fan snorted and got up to go to the toilet. As soon as she squatted down, there was a loud bang, and splashes of excrement flew everywhere. Old Lady Fan crashed down into the pit—“Ah!”
Bai Fendou: They should try the suffering he went through!
That’s just great!
Run!
