Deep down, I was already pretty much convinced, but I still gritted my teeth and stuck to my own opinion.
Although she tried her best to convince herself not to believe Xie Yan's words, she still took Xie Yan's letter to her room and carefully hid it, as if she were hiding a huge secret.
That night, Xie Ting did not return.
Xie Yuanyuan felt a tightness in her chest, a sense of unease gripping her heart.
The next day, she got up early, stood at the door, and stared intently downstairs.
Not long after, Xie Ting was seen turning in from the alley outside.
She waited at the door, and as soon as Xie Ting entered, she smelled a strong odor of alcohol and cigarettes emanating from him.
Xie Yuanyuan's heart skipped a beat, as if she had been hit hard by something.
When Xie Ting saw her, he was also startled, his eyes filled with panic, but he quickly calmed down.
When Xie Yuanyuan asked him where he had been, he lied without batting an eye, saying, "I brought breakfast to my girlfriend. You know, Meiting can't live without me."
Xie Yuanyuan forced a smile, her tongue touching the roof of her mouth and tasting a bitter flavor. She knew it was a lie, but she still chose to believe it.
She secretly hoped that Xie Yan was just saying this out of jealousy, that he couldn't stand to see his own family doing well.
That's exactly right!
After lunch, she saw Xie Ting about to leave again. For some inexplicable reason, she didn't say anything, but quietly followed from a distance, following Xie Yan's instructions.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on her, but her heart was filled with gloom.
Even after seeing Xie Ting turn into that alley, she still tried to comfort herself, thinking that Xie Ting was just going to visit a friend, and maybe his friend lived there.
The wind at the entrance of the alley carried a damp scent, making her heart feel heavy.
Until she saw several people come out from inside. Judging from their appearance, they were obviously not good people. They walked out of the house in a crooked and unsteady manner.
They reeked of alcohol and tobacco, laughing and talking loudly, completely disregarding the feelings of those around them.
Seeing them approach, Xie Yuanyuan quickly hid, pressing herself tightly against the mottled brick wall. When she heard them say the word "casino," her knees suddenly gave way.
At that moment, her heart felt as if it had been violently clenched, the pain almost suffocating her.
She leaned against the wall and slowly slid down to the ground.
The cold wall pressed against her back, but she felt no chill, only shock and despair.
She sat on the cold floor for a long time until dusk fell, then walked home listlessly.
Pedestrians came and went on both sides of the street, but she seemed to be in a silent world, and everything around her was irrelevant to her.
Thankfully, the public security is well managed in this era; otherwise, a girl like her in this state would definitely attract the attention of perverts.
She lowered her head, her hair covering her face, tears welling up in her eyes but never falling.
After Xie Yuanyuan returned home, she wrapped herself in the blanket, not knowing what to do about the situation!
The room was quiet, save for her rapid breathing and the occasional sobs.
At this moment, she suddenly thought of Xie Yan and wanted to write to him to tell him about her panic, but remembering her previous attitude towards Xie Yan, she said nothing.
She hugged the blanket tightly, as if it were her only support.
After thinking about it alone all night, he decided to tell Xie Daguo and Chen Guihua about it the next day.
Upon hearing this, Xie Daguo's facial muscles twitched violently. He then slapped Xie Yuanyuan across the face and angrily shouted, "Who told you to write a letter to Xie Yan!" His voice echoed in the room, as if carrying an invisible force that sent chills down everyone's spine.
An enraged man is truly terrifying. Xie Daguo's eyes were wide open, and his fists were clenched as big as sandbags.
Xie Yuanyuan was beaten and fell to the ground, not daring to make a sound.
"You think you've grown up, huh? You all think you're all grown up now, and I can't control you anymore." He glared at Xie Yuanyuan, his eyes filled with anger and disappointment.
"In that case, you're going to the countryside tomorrow!" His voice grew louder and louder, as if he wanted to vent all his anger on Xie Yuanyuan.
Xie Yuanyuan covered her face, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth onto her faded blue dress, like a winter plum blossom suddenly blooming. In the instant she looked up, it dripped onto the floor.
She couldn't believe this was the same father who had always doted on her.
Her tears fell like beads from a broken string, rolling down her cheeks and dripping onto the floor, mixing with the blood she had just shed. She gritted her teeth, making no sound.
When Chen Guihua saw her daughter's condition, she was heartbroken. As she came over, she bumped into the pickling jar, and the room was immediately filled with a sour and rotten smell.
She angrily yelled at Xie Daguo, "Xie Daguo, are you sick in the head?! Why can't we talk things out instead of resorting to violence?!"
She rushed to Xie Yuanyuan's side and hugged her tightly, as if to offer her some comfort.
Xie Daguo ignored what Chen Guihua was saying and slammed his fist on the table, shouting, "It's all your fault for spoiling her! This is the kind of good daughter and son you've raised!"
His voice carried a hint of resentment, as if it were all Chen Guihua's fault.
"They're all trying to turn the world upside down! I'm not dead yet! How come they all want to be my boss?" His words were like a knife, piercing Chen Guihua's heart, causing her to burst into tears.
Xie Ting, who was sleeping inside, was awakened by the noise outside. Hearing that his gambling had been exposed, he was terrified and his face turned pale.
His heart sank, realizing he had made a grave mistake.
But soon, he had an idea. He walked out with a long face and said, "Second sister, I'm sorry. I promise I'll pay you back your dowry money later. Please don't argue with our parents anymore, okay?" His voice was trembling with tears, as if he was really sad.
“It was my fault in this matter. You can hit me or scold me, but how could you go to my older brother?” He looked at Xie Yuanyuan, his eyes full of resentment.
"Don't you know he's an ingrate? You know how angry he made Mom and Dad last time. How could you tell him about this!"
His words were like a knife, piercing Xie Yuanyuan's heart and causing her excruciating pain.
"He's probably laughing at us in the countryside right now!" Xie Ting's words made Xie Daguo even angrier. Xie Yan had already made him very unhappy because he hadn't gone to the countryside to give Xie Yan some money as a token of gratitude, as he had expected.
Later, he even wrote a letter threatening to sever ties with his family, which was tantamount to trampling on his dignity.
For someone who values his reputation above all else, this was an utter disgrace!
His face flushed red, and his eyes were filled with rage.
It's obvious that Xie Yan is probably laughing at him in the countryside right now.
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