CHAPTER 166: 165: DIFFICULTIES (CHAPTER 4)

Ye Ling wanted to go to the train station, but Zhao Guodong told her to stay at home and watch over the other pot, while he went out with Zhang Linong and Wang Ping. Ye Ling was in a bad mood and told the three to stay on the platform and not freeze outside, only then did she watch them leave. She timed it and then took the dumplings out of the pot and kept them warm before returning to the room.

Alone in the room, the faint sound of crying became clearer. Listening to it troubled Ye Ling, making her regret not going to the small platform with them. The room was cold, so she simply took off her shoes, climbed onto the kang, and snuggled into the quilt. Once warm, her mind also gradually calmed down.

She was angry at Zhang Juanzi’s heartless parents but forgot to think that they too were parents, who would certainly wish the best for their daughter. She also resented Wang Changjiang for absolving himself. Now thinking about it, with Zhang Juanzi in trouble, the marriage between the Zhang and Wang families would not happen, which must be exactly what Wang Changjiang wanted, so why would he care?

As for the people in the village, they were all people who looked at power and influence, unwilling to cause trouble for themselves, so naturally, they would just watch coldly.

While Ye Ling was still fuming here, Xu Lanxiang came over with a worried look on her face, "Child, you went to Zhang De’s house, right? Now rumors are spreading that you intensified the evil spirit. I think they’re stirring up trouble for you. What will you do about it?"

Ye Ling froze for a moment, motioning her to sit on the kang, while she also sat down, "Auntie, don’t worry, I’m not afraid if they come. It was Mr. Li who said this, right?"

Xu Lanxiang nodded with a serious expression, "I came to tell you as soon as I heard. But you don’t need to worry too much, just make sure not to go out alone. Your father is in the army, so I don’t think they’ll dare to do anything to you lightly. Still, you can’t be too careful, if Zhang Juanzi really dies, who knows what the Zhang family might do out of grief."

"Auntie, thank you for telling me. Otherwise, I really wouldn’t know that my good intentions caused harm." Ye Ling smiled wryly, "I’ve seen symptoms like Sister Juanzi’s in the city, it’s tuberculosis, not possession by evil spirits."

Without Zhang Linong and the others around, Ye Ling wasn’t afraid of being caught lying, so she recounted the symptoms of tuberculosis she knew, "...Auntie, if Sister Juanzi is taken home and properly cared for, she might still live for a year or so. If her health is nursed back well, maybe she can survive, but doing this, I’m really worried."

Xu Lanxiang was taken aback, "Don’t say it, I also know Zhang Juanzi really had those symptoms: night sweats, fatigue, chest pain, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, and I’ve heard her menstruation isn’t normal, back when the village also spread rumors..."

Thinking that Ye Ling was a young girl, Xu Lanxiang didn’t continue.

Back then, the villagers knew about Zhang Juanzi and Wang Hai being together, and with Juanzi’s missed periods, her family made a fuss, thinking she was pregnant, but now it seems that wasn’t the case.

Ye Ling also found it strange, she distinctly remembered that in her past life, Zhang Juanzi had a child at sixteen, so why in this life did she not have a child and instead fell ill?

Xu Lanxiang sat silently for a while before getting off the kang, "I still have work at home, so I’ll head back. You need to watch out for this yourself. It’s a pity for such a good girl like Zhang Juanzi to encounter such things."

Wanting to mention her encountering such parents, but facing Ye Ling, Xu Lanxiang wouldn’t say it aloud.

Ye Ling understood in her heart, got off the kang to see her off, stood in the yard looking east for a while before returning to the house. She dozed off not knowing how long until she heard commotion and opened her eyes to see Zhao Guodong and the others had returned.

Zhao Guodong was brimming with excitement, "They’re sold! All sold! It only took a few minutes. I ran onto the train to sell them, then so many people gathered around. On a cold winter day, eating warm mixed flour dumplings, everyone praised them. If we take these there, they’d all sell."

Zhao Guodong was excitedly talking to Zhang Linong and turned to see Ye Ling awake, then went over to recount the story again. Even though she already heard him earlier, Ye Ling didn’t stop him. When Zhao Guodong finished, he called Wang Ping to pack more dumplings and told Zhang Linong to join them on their way out, reminding Ye Ling to not forget to make dinner.

Even after being muddle-headed for a while, Ye Ling felt more alert. The room was slightly cold, so she went to heat the pot. At night, it was still hot soup noodles made with white flour, with cabbage soup. Before Zhao Guodong and the others returned, Ye Ling prepared the dough needed for the next day and left it on the kang. Only then did she calculate that this dough could last for a few days, so it seemed timely to have someone go to town to buy some things and send a telegram to her father in the city.

Outside, the sky was already dark. Ye Ling’s noodles were ready, and she folded the quilt on the kang inward to use as a table, making it so that they didn’t have to arrange the bedding again at night.

However, when Zhao Guodong and the others returned, a piercing cry was heard from outside. Ye Ling’s heart sank, knowing that Zhang Juanzi was gone. Zhao Guodong’s face, which had been joyful from earning money, also turned solemn. The four of them sat on the kang, staring blankly at a pot of hot soup noodles.

"Eat, it’ll get lumpy soon," Ye Ling broke the silence.

Zhao Guodong abruptly stood up, "Just let it go like this?"

He glared at the few people in the room, both sad and furious, knowing clearly in his heart that nothing could be done, especially since the person was already gone.

"Let’s eat." Zhang Linong called out, picking up his chopsticks to lift the noodles.

Zhao Guodong glanced around and, without saying anything further, sat back on the kang. However, as if to vent his anger on the noodles, Ye Ling added half a bowl of chili oil, turning every bowl he touched red. The spiciness made him sweat profusely, constantly wiping his face with his sleeve. Ye Ling saw him wipe his eyes and pretended not to notice, as she also scooped a chopstick of chili oil into her own bowl, unable to hold back her tears from the heat.

After finishing four noodles’ worth with two bowls, Zhao Guodong lay back on the kang and didn’t move. The wailing outside was still faintly audible. Ye Ling thought about the events of the day and repeated Xu Lanxiang’s words, "I think it’s best if the few of us don’t separate for now. After a shock, people can do anything."

"Do they think I’m afraid of them?" Zhao Guodong leapt up from the kang, "To be so cruel to their own daughter, ignorant and stupid, and now blame us. I want to see how they dare to blame."

After holding it in for so long, Zhao Guodong had built up a lot of anger. Since childhood, he had never experienced such a thing, an entire group of people watching someone being tortured to death. It was quite a blow for Zhao Guodong, finally realizing that some things couldn’t be resolved with fists alone. (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for it on Qidian (qidian.com), your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)