Chapter 7 I'd Rather Die Than Marry
Her own fate was too tragic, and her daughters suffered too much because of it.
She looked down at her daughter, Lu Xiuwei, who stood beside her with a blank expression.
Although she had grown up, she was still very thin, her face was listless, and her eyes were dull.
From now on, no one can bully her children anymore.
No matter who it is, they shouldn't even think about stepping on them again.
She grabbed Lu Xiuwei's hand tightly and pulled her away from where she was.
The mother and daughter didn't say another word, and walked into the house without looking back.
Old Mrs. Zhao was left outside, still groaning and struggling.
Outside, on the ground, Old Lady Zhao was still slumped over, vomiting repeatedly, her face so pale it was almost bloodless.
She was panting heavily, holding onto a tilted bamboo chair beside her with one hand, while struggling to dry heave.
Fine beads of sweat had formed on her forehead, and her throat felt tight.
Although she was still furious, Shen Cuifen hadn't intentionally thrown the filth into her nose and mouth when she threw the excrement.
Therefore, she did not pose a fatal danger; at most, she was just extremely disgusted by the stench.
Nevertheless, at this moment, Old Lady Zhao still felt that the whole world was spinning.
My stomach was churning so badly that I couldn't stand up at all.
Back inside, Lu Xiuwei gently closed the door, looked at her mother cautiously, and asked again in a low voice, "Mom, are you really alright?"
However, Shen Cuifen did not answer her immediately.
Instead, he silently walked to the large cabinet in the corner of the room, squatted down, opened the cabinet door, and began rummaging through it.
She frowned, moved a few old clothes aside, and her fingers kept groping around.
Soon, she found a bottle of aged homemade medicinal wine at the bottom of the cabinet.
This is a traditional recipe that was prepared many years ago.
It is made from her own herbal ingredients soaked in rice wine, and has the effects of removing blood stasis, promoting blood circulation, relieving pain and dispelling cold.
This medicinal wine was originally made into two bottles, one large and one small.
But now the large bottle is long gone, and only this one bottle is left.
Only the mother and her two children in the family use it.
When I bump into things, fall, or sprain my ankle, I rely on it to relieve the pain and promote blood circulation.
Where did you fall?
She held the bottle of medicinal wine in one hand, and immediately pulled her daughter over with the other to examine it closely, asking with concern.
Seeing Lu Xiuwei pursing her lips and looking aggrieved, Shen Cuifen knew that the situation was not to be taken lightly.
This bottle of medicinal wine is probably going to be partially used up again.
She and her youngest daughter, Xiuye, estimated that they would have to go into the mountains the next day to collect a new batch of herbs.
"It feels like I bumped my waist."
Lu Xiuwei answered sullenly, speaking in a low voice.
Hearing her say that, Shen Cuifen unscrewed the bottle cap and slowly poured some medicinal wine into her palm.
Then, I rubbed my hands together until they were warm enough before gently applying the ointment to my daughter's waist.
Sure enough, a noticeable bruise appeared on his back, which was originally hidden under his clothes.
Its purplish-red color, tinged with dark brown, is heartbreaking to look at.
Shen Cuifen said through gritted teeth, "It seems I didn't beat that old bastard hard enough today! She actually made you suffer such serious injuries."
My mother and her children used to be severely bullied and oppressed by this family.
At that time, she could only suppress her anger and dared not say a word or stand up for her children.
But she is very different now.
She will never allow herself and her children to be trampled underfoot again.
No matter what difficulties she faced, she always stepped forward to protect the children.
So she continued to carefully apply the medicated oil to Lu Xiuwei.
But after her daughter hissed in shock, she immediately slowed down her movements.
Although her palms were rough and cracked, covered with thick calluses from years of farm work.
But her every move was full of gentleness.
Lu Xiuwei suddenly felt a lump in her throat and her eyes welled up with tears.
After a moment, she finally said in a low, choked voice, "Mom, please stop arguing with Dad and Grandma. When Dad comes back later, tell him you're willing to let me marry into the Wang family."
As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes.
Her eyes gradually reddened, and her lips trembled slightly.
Just now, Shen Cuifen was pushed to the ground by Lu Weidong.
He crashed heavily to the ground, the back of his head slamming against the cold floor.
For a moment, she didn't even realize what was happening; all she felt was darkness before her eyes, and her consciousness gradually faded.
He fell into a brief coma and lay quietly on the ground for several minutes.
No matter how much she cried and screamed, she received no response.
The silence at that time drove her almost to madness, and her heart was filled with despair.
At that moment, she truly believed she had lost her mother.
That fear still lingers in her heart, making it hard to breathe.
She almost thought she would never hear her mother's voice again.
The idea of exchanging dowry for a bride price has always been what my father wanted.
Although she was still young, she already understood this point and was very clear about her father's thoughts, leaving no room for fantasy.
Those days when I was beaten and scolded by my father are still vivid in my mind.
Every time, he would hit and curse at the same time, constantly saying, "You little brat, I've raised you for nothing. If you can't bring back some dowry money for the family, I should have thrown you into the chamber pot and drowned you long ago!"
At that moment, as she was applying medicine to her mother, her hand suddenly stopped moving.
"What good is it if you agree? You're my child, and without my consent, no one is letting you marry!"
Lu Xiuwei's eyes reddened, and tears streamed down her face.
She looked up and saw a mixture of heartache and helplessness in her mother's eyes.
"Mom, I really don't want to see you get beaten."
Her voice was choked with sobs, and her tone was full of grievance.
“I know this incident has angered Dad and Grandma, so… I’m willing to marry into their family.”
Her voice trembled slightly as she said this.
But in her view, this is the only solution at present.
Only by getting married can I appease my father and grandmother's anger and stop them from arguing because of me.
"You don't have to suffer anymore. I'll take care of everything myself."
She said in a low voice.
"Please, just live your lives peacefully, I beg you..."
As she finished speaking, tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
The mother, however, refused to admit defeat and shouted angrily, "Lu Xiuwei! Are you deaf? Didn't I say I didn't agree?"
"I'm your mother, and if I say you won't marry, then you absolutely are not allowed to marry!"
She held Xiuwei's hand tightly.
"How can my daughter marry an old man? I must find you a man who can truly love you!"
Lu Xiuwei's eyes became even redder and more swollen, her facial expression became more complicated, and her tears flowed more and more heavily.
She knew her mother loved her deeply.
But it was this profound maternal love that made her heart even more tormented.
"Don't worry, no one will dare to bully us anymore."
She gently offered words of comfort.
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