Chapter 36: Escape

Li Meifeng couldn't explain how she got home.

I just felt like my feet were floating along the way.

In fact, Xia Tang didn't say anything.

But her simple words were like the final needle that popped the balloon.

After the truth was revealed, she suddenly realized that all those things she had been thinking about were actually nothing.

"Would you like to be your mother, or Liu Mei?"

When Xia Tang looked at her, his eyes seemed to be questioning, but also seemed to be compassionate.

It may sound sharp, but Li Meifeng knew in her heart that Xia Tang, who now had nothing to do with the Xia family, was definitely not mocking her when he said that.

She even thought silently in her heart:

Is she willing?

But isn't that what marriage is all about?

If she doesn't become her mother or Liu Mei, who else can she become?

She actually didn't know much about Liu Mei.

I just remember that she was a very domineering woman.

Although he was arrogant, he also listened to Xia Dashan.

The last time she went to Xia Dong's house, Xia Dashan was lying on the bed yelling for water. She complained but still stood up immediately.

Xia Dashan seemed to be annoyed that she came too late. His angry voice could be heard through the wall. She grumbled several times in dissatisfaction, but still fed him water with a spoon and came out to get him a laxative enema.

Her voice was still as clear as ever, but her back was hunched, as if she was being weighed down by countless burdens and couldn't straighten herself up.

Feed water, massage the back, change the mattress, empty the urine bucket...

The whole life seems to be soaked in shit, piss and fart, with no end in sight.

And her mother...

Li Meifeng could only remember her endless complaints.

There were three children in the family. Her younger sister was too young and Li Chenglong was a boy, so all the complaints were placed on her.

Her father was a good-for-nothing. He loved drinking, spending money recklessly, never coming home, and beating her.

For so many years, she had been listening to her complaints but had never seen any changes in her life.

After she was beaten, he just sat beside her and sighed:

"Dafengzi, your father has had a hard time too..."

Yes, it’s not easy to be a father, so it’s natural for him to forget about eating and drinking and commit domestic violence after drinking.

Even if she, as a mother, was beaten and scolded, it was because her husband was under too much pressure outside.

It's all as it should be.

Li Meifeng was used to her mother's life.

But is she willing to live like this?

Is she willing to be her mother or her mother-in-law as Xia Tang said?

Xia Dong...will it make her become like that?

Li Meifeng had no answer in her heart, but there was already a faint voice in her heart.

But she didn't dare to listen, let alone answer.

She returned to the office and sat down in a daze.

The teacher who had classes in the afternoon had already left early.

She had no classes. Her shadow was reflected on the large glass window. She looked dull and dazed, like a soulless puppet, with all her strings held in someone else's hands.

"Xiao Li."

The old teacher next door came over with a teacup in hand.

"Didn't you submit a form to go to Yingcheng for teaching exchange a few days ago? Are you still going given your current situation?"

"If you don't go, I'll help you remove your name."

She asked politely, but in fact she knew in her heart that Li Meifeng was getting married now and her personal affairs were more important, so she would definitely not go.

There were several female teachers who were hired temporarily before, but they quit their jobs once they got married and disappeared.

People like Li Meifeng may also follow in their footsteps.

Well, actually Li Meifeng is an honest, hard-working kid, and a good teacher.

It would be a shame if I quit my job.

When she saw that Li Meifeng didn't respond, she stood up with the cup in her hand.

Prepare to tell the teacher in charge about the form.

Just as I was about to leave, my wrist was grabbed.

Li Meifeng raised her head, her eyes looking at a life-saving straw, her voice trembling:

"No, don't retreat."

*

The same sun,

Shining on Xia Tang, it is a rare warmth in autumn;

Shining on Li Meifeng's face, it reflects her confusion about the future;

When it shone on the glass of Xia's house, it made the conflicts in Xia's family even clearer and more distinct.

"Mom, didn't we agree on this before? The 400 yuan is for my wedding, why should I give it to her?"

Xia Dong clenched his fists and his eyes were as big as a cow's.

"Mom, you have to think about it. If you give this money to Xia Dong, he will use it to honor the Li family! But if you give it to me, I can pay you back and give you interest in the future!"

Xia Lulu was not to be outdone. She hid behind Liu Mei and put on her eye drops vigorously.

Facing this pair of children, Liu Mei was at a loss as to what to do.

I'm stuck in the middle, feeling torn.

According to common sense, she would definitely favor her son.

After all, that was the root of the Xia family, and she couldn't just watch him not get married.

But these days, the sweet talk Xia Lulu gave her was really pleasant to the ears.

Xia Lulu told her that she was going to marry Xie Minghui and was going to Guangzhou to buy clothes. She would buy cheap clothes and then mark them up and sell them. With just one trip, she could make ten times the money.

Ten times! Liu Mei has never seen so much money in her life!

Liu Mei was in a state of confusion and didn't know how to respond to anyone's words.

She even thought that, otherwise, Xia Dong's marriage should be put on hold.

After two months, when Xia Lulu earns the money back, won't she be able to give Xia Dong a more splendid wedding?

Once this thought came into my mind, I could no longer hide it.

Liu Mei even tried to mention it to Xia Dong, but was rejected by Xia Dong even more ruthlessly:

"Mom, don't you know what kind of person the third child is?"

"She was fired from her job at a medicinal materials factory. Do you still expect her to make a lot of money? I think you are just dreaming!"

Xia Dong’s refusal made Liu Mei dare not bring up this idea again.

However, she couldn't refuse Xia Lulu.

The two siblings quarreled like this until Xia Dashan received his 400 yuan retirement allowance and returned home, and they were still arguing.

Just like today, at the end of the argument, Xia Dong even wanted to roll up his sleeves and beat Xia Lulu.

If she hadn't held on so tightly, this matter today would definitely not have ended!

Now, seeing that he couldn't catch Xia Lulu, Xia Dong got angry and rode away on the big 28-inch bicycle at home.

I guess he went to Li's house again.

Thinking of this, Liu Mei’s head started to hurt.

She looked back at Xia Dashan lying on the bed, and even began to blame him in her heart.

If the old man is fine, he will definitely find a way to solve it.

Hey, how could such a good person become like this...

She couldn't help wiping away her tears.

Turning back to see Xia Lulu lying on a chair eating melon seeds, he became even more furious:

"You little girl, you just stay at home and don't know how to do anything!"

The voice was not as righteous and powerful as before when he was scolding people.

Xia Lulu was not afraid of her at all and spat the melon seed shells on the ground:

"Mom, my brother doesn't work either, why don't you tell him?"

"Besides, what's the point of not working? I'm going to make a lot of money in the future. Don't let me work now. When I make a lot of money, I'll hire a nanny to take care of you!"

"What's this about a nanny protecting the husband... What nonsense."

Liu Mei couldn't do anything about Xia Lulu, so she had to pick up the broom and resigned herself to sweeping the floor.

Xia Lulu spat out another mouthful of melon seed shells and continued:

"If you like, you can give it to a public servant! Bao is a public servant!"

The mother and daughter were chatting casually when the door of the outer room was suddenly pushed open.

A gust of cool wind blew in.

Liu Mei held the broom handle and watched Xia Dong hurried in:

"Mom! Something bad has happened!"

"Li Meifeng ran away!"

The sudden news stunned everyone.

A moment later, Xia Lulu's sharp laughter suddenly broke out in the empty and quiet room:

"Hahahaha! The four hundred dollars is mine!"

*

Li Meifeng's departure caught Xia Dong off guard.

However, Xia Dong is not a pushover either.

He first went to find Li Laoer.

However, Li Laoer hated him even more than he did.

After all, Li Meifeng ran away, and Li Chenglong's wedding money was gone!

How can he hold a wedding for his son?

Facing the furious Xia Dong, Li Laoer even shamelessly asked Xia Dong to pay the betrothal money to him first.

Li Meifeng's teaching mission is only temporary. When she comes back in the future, she will still be a member of the Xia family!

Xia Dong's reaction was that he wanted to spit on the old man's face.

Pay in advance! Damn! He is really being taken advantage of!

After failing to find the person from Li Laoer, Xia Dong went to look for Li Meifeng's unit.

After learning that the exchange teaching was a volunteer job, Li Meifeng wanted to smash the desks in the administrative office:

"Don't you all know that she's getting married? Why do you want to arrange for her to teach?"

"What bullshit voluntary! I don't believe that she can still go if you guys are holding her back."

Xia Dong's words made the two teachers in charge of administration look at each other in bewilderment:

Oh my goodness.

I haven't even registered my marriage yet, so why can't I go?

If they control her like this before she even gets married, will Li Meifeng be able to leave the house after she gets married?

Xia Dong, however, refused to give up and kept pestering the two teachers to tell him where Li Meifeng had gone.

However, they could only name the place, and the volunteer teachers would be assigned to the local place!

Who knows which village or stockade it is?

Xia Dong couldn't find any news about Li Meifeng, so he left the house in a huff.

He was determined to find Li Meifeng. If he couldn't find her, he would settle accounts with those who gave the idea to let Li Meifeng run away!

And this time, he really found it.

"What? Xia Tang?"

Xia Dong's back teeth clenched tightly.

"What does Li Meifeng want to do with her?"

Since Xia Tang moved away, everyone in the Xia family thought she was dead. Why did Li Meifeng think of her?

However, when he heard Xia Tang's name, he seemed to understand why Li Meifeng ran away.

I suddenly felt angry:

"Okay! It's Xia Tang! It's Xia Tang who did the bad things!"

"This Xia Tang! She is so bad!"

If I don't get along well with Xie Minghui, I can't bear to see him living a good life!

If it weren't for her, how could Li Meifeng, such an honest person, ever think of running away!

It must have been Xia Tang who did it!

The fire in Xia Dong's heart was burning fiercely.

While I was angry, I also felt some hope:

Since it was Xia Tang who made Li Meifeng run away, then if we find Xia Tang, wouldn’t we know exactly where Li Meifeng ran off to?