CHAPTER 74: CHAPTER 74 RETURNING TO THE VILLAGE

Bai Fanglan was filled with depression and couldn’t dispel it. After saying a few words to Wang Hu, she found him absent-minded and not responding to her at all. She decided not to say anything more. Wang Hu took Bai Fanglan to the hospital entrance and was about to leave.

Before getting into the car, he suddenly said, "Let’s get married by the end of the year. It’s just when we’re not too busy, and my father will be back from the grassroots. We can just get it done, otherwise, we’d have to take leave then."

"So soon, there’s less than two months left."

"It’s not soon. My mom will prepare the things needed for the wedding, you just need to file the report and take leave for that time."

Bai Fanglan suddenly felt a wave of irritability. Am I really handing over my entire life just like this?

But recalling her grandfather’s words, he very much hoped for them to get married soon. Seeing the New Year approaching when she would turn twenty-six, finding someone with such good conditions wasn’t easy, so she could only nod and smile.

"Then I’m leaving." Wang Hu got in the car and drove off.

It happened to be shift change time, and many colleagues saw her alighting from a military vehicle, with that person’s rank higher than Gu Junming before, all envying her greatly, eyes shining brightly.

Bai Fanglan returned to the unit, naturally being pulled aside by people to chat, with faces full of envy.

"Your boyfriend’s conditions are really good! And he’s handsome too!"

"Isn’t that so? Instructor Wang is quite the handsome man, many women must be dying of envy!"

Bai Fanglan smiled, not saying much. She also felt quite proud; marrying into such a family is something many people can only dream of. Plus, his position has more room for development than Deputy Battalion Commander Gu Junming. Who knows when he might get promoted!

A wave of pride surged in Bai Fanglan’s heart, and the depression in her heart diminished significantly. Someday, I’ll put you all beneath my feet!

On Gu Junming’s side, he had brought Sun Chan and found someone with a tricycle hauling bricks, gave him a yuan asking to help send the two back to the village. Gu Junming jumped on first, held Sun Chan’s hand, and the two sat on the tall stack of bricks, bumping along toward the village.

Throughout the journey, Sun Chan was very nervous. Gu Junming comforted her, "Don’t worry, no matter what, I’m by your side."

Sun Chan nodded. Looking at the familiar fields, large paddies, and the people working within them, she felt an indescribable emotion, neither pure joy nor sadness. She only hoped to leave here smoothly this time, and completely sever ties with Zhao Xiuxia’s family, not needing to worry about being sold by them.

But why would Zhao Xiuxia willingly give up on this money-making opportunity?

She asked Gu Junming how to deal with it: "Zhao Xiuxia hasn’t sold me; she must be gnashing her teeth in hatred, won’t easily return my household registration."

Gu Junming laughed and said, "Leave the rest to me. Later, just make it clear you want to leave the home."

Sun Chan had a stomach full of questions, but seeing Gu Junming’s calm demeanor, she felt at ease. In her two lifetimes, she’s relied on herself, very tired. But in this life, she finally has someone to rely on; now she feels very secure.

The journey was very bumpy. Gu Junming had her lean closely against him. Though neither spoke, the atmosphere was very warm.

At this time, Zhao Xiuxia was sitting at home wailing uncontrollably. These past two days have been anything but peaceful.

Not long after returning to the village, the homes of several of her brothers were smashed to ruins by a few men. Besides Zhao Biao who escaped, all the other men were beaten so badly they couldn’t get up from the kang. Naturally, the ones who acted were the two brothers from Xiong’er Ridge.

The two brothers were taken to the station, given a talking-to, then released, only to return to Xiong’er Ridge and face disdain from everyone.

All the wives of the villagers, except for some old and ugly ones or those reluctant to leave their kids, practically all left. The villagers blamed everything on them, and the two were immediately enraged.

Fine, you got the money and gave us an old hag to fool us, but that’s nothing compared to taking people and snatching away the village women, leaving us to face scorn! In a fit of anger, they brought people to the village and looted the homes of Zhao Xiuxia’s brothers. The money they’d just received was all snatched back.

These brothers were incapacitated, and their wives angrily ran to Zhao Xiuxia and scolded her, "We helped with good intentions! But what did you do? Our men were beaten that badly, you need to compensate us!"

"Yes, I will, I will, but Sun Chan isn’t here now..." She’s still dreaming of selling off Sun Chan.

Those women got impatient: "You want to sell? Ask around the nearby villages if anyone dares buy now? It’s your own mess, we’re considering our familial ties not asking for much, a hundred each family, you’re married, have no kids, and in the future, don’t call us for anything, our men won’t have time!"

"That’s right, you a widow, visiting us for weddings and funerals isn’t auspicious! Avoid it if you can from now on!"

Zhao Xiuxia felt stifled inside; she’d often support her maiden family! Never lacked gifts for any family matter, most of the money from selling Sun Chan had been divided among them, and now just over this incident, they all turn against her, where were their words when they profited?

But she didn’t dare voice her dissatisfaction, else her maiden family wouldn’t help in the future. Life for her and her daughter in the village wouldn’t be good.

After making Zhao Xiuxia write an IOU, the women angrily walked off, taking an old sow along, claiming to help their men recuperate. After being beaten so badly, of course, they needed to recover.

Zhao Xiuxia didn’t dare stop them, smiled and sent them out, then cried upon re-entering.

"What sin have I committed? It was a good deal, why did it end up like this?"

In the kang lay Sun Lijuan, slowly sitting up, looking pale, her hair disheveled, eyes surrounded by dark circles.

Since being bullied by Zhou Jinzhu, upon returning home, she fell gravely ill, continually bleeding, too scared to go to the hospital or report it, only daring to ask the village doctor for some pain relief medicine.

She took leave from school, not daring to go outside.

Only just getting slightly better, people from her uncle’s family came, scolded them, took plenty before leaving, Sun Lijuan couldn’t get up, couldn’t stop them, so she simply pretended to faint.

Seeing her mother constantly crying, she felt terribly upset.

Other kids have everything arranged by their parents, like this vocational school she’s in, most students from the city, already have post-graduation plans, only she’s left hanging, with such issues developed, how could she not be upset.