Huang Xiaoqiang silently looked down at the tangled clothes, glancing at Old Lady Wu again and again until he saw her return to the house before looking away.
Only Huang Mancang and he remained in the room.
Huang Mancang looked around. The room wasn't big, and it had already been divided into three partitioned rooms. Where was there any room left for his bed?
Grandma Wu kept her door tightly shut, showing no intention whatsoever of inviting him into the room to sleep.
After looking around, Huang Mancang finally decided to set up a bed in the corner of the living room, and grabbed Huang Xiaoqiang, who was about to leave.
"Give me a hand, or you won't have anywhere to sleep tonight."
Huang Xiaoqiang was stunned. "Me?"
"Yes, you can't bear to let your old and frail father sleep in the living room. Besides, with people coming and going, it wouldn't be good if your two sisters-in-law came out at night and saw me sleeping here."
Huang Xiaoqiang pointed to his nose in disbelief. "It's not good that my brother-in-law is sleeping here and my two sisters-in-law see me."
Just as he was about to refuse, Huang Mancang pinched his mouth shut. "Alright, stop talking. If you disturb your mother, I won't be responsible."
Huang Mancang told him to go out and move bricks, and then bent over and gestured how to build them.
Huang Xiaoqiang was furious. He rushed to the door, quietly opened it, and stomped his foot angrily as he walked into the yard.
Under Huang Mancang's command, a single bed was quickly set up. As soon as Huang Xiaoqiang straightened up, his bedding was thrown onto the wooden bed with a 'plop'.
Huang Mancang turned his head to look at the sky and said happily, "Go to sleep early, you have to go to school tomorrow morning."
Then, with a 'thud,' the door slammed shut, leaving Huang Xiaoqiang standing there in a daze.
Was he just kicked out like that?
The pale, round moon slowly climbed into the night sky, and the Huang family's dim tungsten filament lights were extinguished one by one.
The lights outside the compound were still on.
Huang Xiaofu turned his face away, went out the gate, and headed straight for the Miao family.
Before she had walked more than a few steps, Miao Fengying’s slender figure stood in the moonlight, her face half-turned, the faint moonlight making her face glow.
Huang Xiaofu's chest throbbed uncontrollably, and his ears seemed to vibrate.
"Feng...Fengying".
Miao Fengying had long noticed Huang Xiaofu's arrival and had been posing for a while, waiting for him to speak. But the idiot just stared at her for a long time without saying a word.
Finally, just as Miao Fengying could no longer contain herself, Huang Xiaofu spoke.
"It's not exactly warm at night, and you're wearing so little and standing outside the door. Aren't you afraid of getting cold?"
Miao Fengying's smile froze, and after a moment, she said with a wronged expression, "You know my mother doesn't treat me well, I barely have any clothes."
Huang Xiaofu nodded. Indeed, Fengying said that her mother always forced her to work, and if she didn't work, she wouldn't be given food and would be beaten.
Miao Fengying glanced at Huang Xiaofu out of the corner of her eye and said casually, "Xiaofu, do you think my life is very hard?"
Huang Xiaofu clutched the money in his pocket, then smiled broadly. "It won't happen again. You have me, don't you? I'll take good care of you."
As she spoke, her face flushed red, and her face felt hot and burning at different times; she couldn't tell if it was pain or something else.
Miao Fengying had been speaking to him with her body slightly turned to the side. When she heard his confession, she turned her head and noticed that his left cheek was swollen like a steamed bun. She was stunned.
"You...what's wrong with you?"
Huang Xiaofu was taken aback, and quickly turned to the side, "N-nothing."
"Don't worry about me, I'm fine, and I'm not in pain!"
"Really, it doesn't hurt at all."
Miao Fengying secretly rolled her eyes. Who cares if his face hurts? She cares about the money in his hand.
Now that things have come to this point, why don't you hurry up and give her the money for the clothes! All I can do is keep rubbing my arms.
Huang Xiaofu realized what was happening and reached out to pull her, but stopped in mid-air, saying apologetically, "Fengying, let's go, I'll go shopping with you."
Miao Fengying suppressed her annoyance and said softly, "Xiaofu, the supply and marketing cooperative is closed now, where would anyone be?"
Huang Xiaofu looked up and saw that the bright moon was indeed in the sky; he had arrived late.
Seeing his foolish appearance, Miao Fengying had no intention of dealing with him. She pondered for a long time and talked for a while, implying that Huang Xiaofu should give her the money first.
She'll buy it herself tomorrow.
Unfortunately, Huang Xiaofu wasn't quick-witted and failed to grasp the meaning behind Miao Fengying's words, constantly worrying about whether she could manage on her own.
Finally, he suggested that Miao Fengying wait for him to go with her after get off work the next evening.
Miao Fengying froze, lowered her eyes, and said softly, "It's okay. You can't be by my side all the time. Besides, it's just buying a piece of clothing. I can manage by myself."
After listening, Huang Xiaofu handed her the five yuan in his pocket, saying, "Be careful not to let your mother find out, otherwise... it's a small matter if the money is taken away, but I'm afraid she'll beat you."
Miao Fengying looked at the money in her hand and felt a sense of disdain. So little? A Dacron shirt costs eight yuan, and these two are hardly enough.
Seeing her staring at the money, Huang Xiaofu assumed she was embarrassed to accept it, so he scratched the back of his head and carefully gave her a big smile.
"Don't be embarrassed, it's okay, I did this willingly."
Miao Fengying lowered her head, nodded slightly, and said a few perfunctory words, "Your face is swollen beyond recognition. Hurry home and put some medicine on it, or how will you face anyone tomorrow?"
Hearing Miao Fengying's caring words, Huang Xiaofu felt as if his heart was floating in a honey pot, so sweet that he couldn't help but nod and smile foolishly.
"I'll listen to you. I'll go home as soon as I hear you."
Miao Fengying clutched the money in her hand tightly, her head hanging low, her toes barely touching the ground. When Huang Xiaofu couldn't see her, she couldn't help but roll her eyes. Why isn't she leaving yet? She's so annoying!
Just then, a voice called her from behind the door. Miao Fengying breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly looked up. "You should leave now. My mom is calling me. If she finds out I saw you late at night, I'll get a beating when I get back."
Huang Xiaofu's eyes widened. "Okay, okay, you should go back quickly, or you'll be discovered."
After saying that, Miao Fengying turned and ran away, disappearing in a flash.
Huang Xiaofu was worried and wanted to sneak up to take a look, but as soon as he moved, Miao Fengying's timid voice came from inside the courtyard wall, "Mom, I'm coming out to get the chamber pot."
Another impatient voice immediately rang out, "What are you dawdling for? How long has it been? If you keep dawdling tomorrow, don't even bother coming inside. You can sleep in the yard!"
Huang Xiaofu pricked up his ears and listened for a long time, but heard no more noise. He slowly relaxed, turned around and left.
As soon as he left, a head popped out from behind the door, a disdainful smirk playing on his lips, and he muttered under his breath, "Idiot!"
"Idiot? Why would someone willingly give you money if they weren't an idiot?"
Miao Fengying rolled her eyes and opened her palm. "Where's the money?"
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