Chapter 147 Embarrassment
These thoughts kept swirling in his mind.
The more he thought about it, the more desolate he felt, and his steps became hesitant and heavy.
He suddenly realized that he had nowhere to go.
There is truly no way forward and no way back.
The sky was overcast, and sunlight filtered through the clouds, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow.
He gazed at the few houses with wisps of smoke rising from their chimneys in the distance, feeling an emptiness in his heart, as if a hole had been ripped out.
Without even a small house to call home, what dignity can we talk about?
What's the point of talking about backbone?
He was already starting to regret it.
I shouldn't have signed the severance agreement so readily this morning.
At the time, in order to prove himself and to get rid of his mother-in-law's nagging, he pressed his fingerprint almost without hesitation.
Looking back now, how rashly that severing of ties was made!
It not only severed his blood ties but also cut off his last source of support in the village.
The sun is now high in the sky, its scorching rays casting their intense light upon the muddy ground.
The aroma of stewed meat wafted from Shen Cuifen's house.
The rich aroma, a blend of star anise, cinnamon, and soy sauce, lingered in the air.
He couldn't help but swallow, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.
If it weren't for signing the agreement, even if we couldn't afford meat, at least we'd have a roof over our heads to shelter us from the wind and rain.
But now, he doesn't even have the right to step into someone else's door.
The warmth and coldness of human relationships are all contained on a single piece of paper.
Even the worst place is better than here!
Yang Juanhua roared angrily, so loudly that she choked and coughed.
She shouted it out in one breath, but the wind blew dust into her throat, causing her to cough and bend over.
Lu Shuixian quickly patted her back to help her catch her breath.
Before she could even wipe the cow dung off her hands, it was slapped all over Yang Juanhua's back.
She meant well, fearing the woman might have trouble breathing, so she quickly stepped forward to help.
But her palms were still covered in wet cow dung, and in her haste, she didn't even bother to wash them.
The dark stain was left unceremoniously on Yang Juanhua's clean blue shirt.
This scene made Shen Cuifen and her family laugh so hard they almost fell over.
Shen Cuifen sat on the threshold, holding her child, laughing as she wiped away tears with her sleeve.
The scene was absolutely hilarious.
One woman was coughing hysterically, while another, with filthy hands, was frantically patting her back, her five fingers clearly visible on her clothes—it was like a theatrical performance.
They didn't care about the hardships involved; they just treated it as a spectacle to enjoy.
Yang Juanhua abruptly shook off Lu Shuixian's hand, so forcefully that she almost stumbled.
She turned around abruptly, her eyes wide open, her chest heaving violently, and her anger erupted completely.
"You're still filming? You're still filming!"
She pointed to the stains on her back, her voice trembling so much it almost cracked.
"Are you trying to make me lose face in front of the whole village?! Huh? Are you?!"
"Cough cough cough! Are you trying to embarrass me on purpose? Cough cough cough!"
Lu Shuixian felt her face burning with embarrassment after being scolded, and she felt wronged.
She stood frozen in place, her hands suspended in mid-air, cow dung dripping from her fingertips onto the ground.
"Come on! Zhongping, what are you standing there for!"
Yang Juanhua glared at Shen Cuifen and the others, then turned and walked eastward.
She didn't say another word, nor did she look at anyone.
The wind blew the stray hairs across her forehead, revealing her stubborn and unwilling eyes.
She walked quickly, as if to leave all the humiliation and pain behind.
Lu Zhongping knew from the expressions on Shen Cuifen's and the others' faces that he couldn't go back.
He suddenly realized that from the moment he signed the letter severing ties with his family, he was no longer a member of this village.
Even though he grew up here, and once drank from the same well and tilled the same field with these people.
Now I'm nothing more than an abandoned outsider.
The look in their eyes clearly showed they were just looking for trouble.
Lu Zhongping felt a deep chill creep up his spine from the soles of his feet.
He clenched his fists so tightly that he didn't even realize his nails were digging into his palms.
He gritted his teeth, quickly shouldered his bag, and hurriedly followed Yang Juanhua.
The bundle contained only a few old clothes and half a cold steamed bun, which was all his belongings.
He kept his head down, not daring to look back or stop walking.
No matter how unwilling or aggrieved you feel, you can only grit your teeth and move forward.
Lu Shuixian glared fiercely at Shen Cuifen, almost biting her lip until it bled, before finally lowering her head and following after her.
Why?
Why did she end up in this situation in the end?
And Shen Cuifen was still able to stand there with her back straight?
She was very confused.
Why did you scheme against Shen Cuifen in that way back then?
If I hadn't been greedy for that momentary pleasure, would the situation be completely different today?
But there's no going back in life, and now she can only carry the burden of her choices and move forward step by step.
Although he and Shen Cuifen were in the same class, they only studied together for two years.
Those two years, though seemingly ordinary, were the most peaceful and brightest days in her memory.
Sunlight streamed into the classroom, illuminating the desks and making the writing on the blackboard clear and bright.
Back then, she could still be an ordinary girl, without having to worry about daily necessities.
Two years later, Yang Juanhua stopped her from continuing her studies.
The reason is simple and blunt: "No matter how much a girl studies, she will still belong to someone else's family, it's a waste of money."
That night, she hid under the covers and cried for a long time, her tears soaking her pillow.
From then on, her world gradually darkened, her life was crammed into a narrow roof, doing housework day after day and listening to her mother's nagging.
Later, when they went to town, someone tampered with their bag. It was Shen Cuifen who discovered it and chased the thief away on the spot.
It was very windy that day, and the streets were bustling with people.
She was counting the change in her pocket when she suddenly heard a sharp shout: "Stop!"
Looking up, she saw Shen Cuifen grab the collar of the man who had reached into her bag.
The man tried to argue, but Shen Cuifen was unforgiving and dragged him directly to the police station.
At that moment, she froze, and a long-lost warmth welled up in her eyes.
It turns out there are still people in this world willing to stand up for her.
Through these interactions, the two became acquainted and gradually became friends who frequently visited each other.
At first, she was somewhat wary, afraid that the other person would see through her embarrassment.
But Shen Cuifen never mocked her, nor did she look at her with pity.
They strolled through the market together, chatting about trivial matters. Sometimes, Shen Cuifen would secretly slip her some homemade snacks.
Gradually, she began to look forward to each meeting.
What shocked her the most was that Shen Cuifen once took her back to the Shen family for dinner.
That was the first time she had stepped into such a warm home.
As soon as she entered the door, her mother greeted her with a smile and told her to wash her hands and eat. The table was already full of hot food.
The children sat in a circle, chatting and laughing, and no one gave her a second glance because of her poor appearance.
Instead, Shen Cuifen's brother put a piece of meat into her bowl and said with a smile, "Eat more, don't be shy."
This was the first time she had ever seen parents who would love their daughter.
At the dinner table, Shen's father asked her how well she was doing in her studies and whether she had encountered any difficulties.
Chen's mother kept putting food on her plate, muttering, "You're too thin, you need to eat more."
Her fingers trembled slightly, and she could barely hold the chopsticks.
She never dared to imagine or even hope for such a family.
Shen Cuifen's older brother, older sister, and younger sister all treated her extremely well.
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