conspiracy
The three turned to look and saw Li Guojian. Li Guojian scrutinized the two young men with a critical eye. Judging from their appearances and clothing, Lin Shaocheng was definitely superior, while Qian Mancang was at most someone he knew well.
Li Guojian angrily punched Qian Mancang in the chest. Although he didn't use much force, it still made Qian Mancang stagger.
Qian Mancang asked angrily, "Li Guojian, why did you hit me?"
Li Guojian shouted even louder, "Who told your family to take advantage of my little sister? My little sister taught you how to dig for bamboo rats, so you should at least give her a share of the profits, right? You haven't given her a single penny back. And your mother, she's been saying everywhere that my little sister can't do her job well and is always rushing to your house to work. She's ruined my little sister's reputation. Let me tell you, my older sister is looking for a husband. If she messes up her blind date, I'll be eating and drinking at your house every day."
When Li Guorong heard that his elder sister was going on a blind date, he felt uneasy. "Which family is my sister going to marry into? Is it the son of the man who owns the textile factory and the pork factory in town? What's his name, Wang?"
Li Guojian looked at his younger sister in surprise. He thought she didn't care about the family at all, but he didn't expect her to be so concerned about family matters. He nodded.
Li Guorong's expression changed drastically. This family surnamed Wang was no good match. Their son would go crazy and beat people whenever he heard a loud noise or saw red. When they got married, he insisted that his eldest sister wear pink, saying that it was fashionable in the city.
Later, when she went back to her parents' home, her mother made a red jacket for her eldest sister. When her eldest sister put it on, she went crazy. If it weren't for her eldest and second eldest brothers, she would have been beaten to death. Later, everyone advised her to endure it and that she could just stop wearing red.
As a result, this man surnamed Wang's illness worsened, and he started to hit people whenever he heard arguing, and then he would hit people whenever he heard firecrackers.
Later, when she heard strangers talking, she would beat them up. It was only after her eldest brother, second brother, and all the men from her uncle's side went together to demand an explanation and paid several dollars in compensation that her eldest sister was able to escape.
But if I tell my second brother now, he'll definitely think I'm jealous that my eldest sister married into a wealthy working-class family.
Lin Shaocheng noticed that Li Guorong's expression was off and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"
Li Guorong whispered this to Lin Shaocheng, his brow furrowed with worry.
Seeing the two being so intimate, Qian Mancang felt like he was being cuckolded. With Lin Shaocheng and Li Guojian on the other side, he couldn't possibly defeat both of them alone. A good man doesn't fight with women! "Well, Li Guorong, you're two-timing me. You'll get what's coming to you."
Qian Mancang clenched his fists, stared at the two men with bloodshot eyes, and finally turned and left.
Lin Shaocheng and Li Guorong formed a united front and forced Qian Mancang to leave.
Li Guojian couldn't help but ask, "Brother Cheng, right? I'm Guorong's second brother, Li Guojian."
Lin Shaocheng smiled politely and said, "My name is Lin Shaocheng. My family has been practicing medicine for generations. I've come here to collect medicinal herbs."
Upon hearing this, Li Guojian thought, "What a cultured man! He's dressed so fashionably. He's here to collect herbs. His family must be wealthy." He replied, "Nice to meet you."
Lin Shaocheng changed the subject, saying, "That Wang family son might..."
Upon hearing this, Li Guojian quickly asked, "What's wrong with him?"
"Hey, I heard he's mentally ill. He hits people whenever he sees red or hears arguing."
Li Guojian's face changed drastically. What was he going to do? He had originally planned for his older sister to marry a worker so that his older brother could also get married. "Brother, are you kidding me?"
Li Guorong stepped forward and said, "We'll know if there's a problem once we try. I was just thinking of buying two pieces of fabric to make a new outfit for the family. My older sister is good at sewing, so let her make it. Make her a red dress so she can wear it on her blind date. Then you can pretend to argue with me. We're the two loudest people in the family."
Li Guojian couldn't help but praise, "Little sister, you've finally got a brain."
Li Guorong raised his eyebrows and was about to scold Li Guojian when he saw Lin Shaocheng smirking and couldn't help but glare at him.
The three of them went into the state-run store, bought a few pieces of cloth, and Li Guorong, who hadn't yet enjoyed the money he earned, also bought a few packets of snacks. Passing by the clothing section, he saw a blue dress and remembered that in his previous life, he had worked in the city for several months after 1990 before he could buy a similar dress.
She held out her hand and asked, "How much is this?"
The department store clerk replied, "You have a good eye. This is wool, 40 yuan plus a clothing coupon."
Li Guorong could afford to buy one if she gritted her teeth, but she didn't have a ticket.
A hand with distinct knuckles reached out and handed me a clothing voucher.
Li Guorong whispered, "I don't need your ticket."
Lin Shaocheng said, "Wrap it up for me." He then reached for his wallet, and Li Guorong quickly took out 40 yuan from his pocket and gave it to the waiter.
Li Guojian chuckled to himself. "That's good, generous. I like this kind of thing." He said cheekily, "I think the watch is nice."
Li Guorong pinched the soft flesh on his second brother's waist with one hand.
Li Guojian pleaded, "I know I was wrong, I know I was wrong."
Lin Shaocheng turned his head away. It was really interesting. His family members were only so affectionate with his younger brother; they always treated him like an outsider.
Li Guojian, carrying large and small bags, waited at the intersection.
A night breeze carried the fragrance of flowers and the scent of moisture. Li Guorong didn't know if his choice today was right, but now that he had been reborn, what was there to fear? "Lin Shaocheng, why are you so good to me?"
Lin Shaocheng's eyes darted away. "I don't know. I just wanted to be nice to you when I saw you."
Li Guorong interrupted, "So what were you trying to say just now?"
Lin Shaocheng blushed slightly, unable to say anything.
Li Guorong asked, "Do you want to be my girlfriend?"
Lin Shaocheng nodded quickly. Of course he wanted to be friends with Li Guorong, and even to be boyfriend and girlfriend.
"If someone in the family gets married in the future, who will manage the money?"
Looking at Li Guorong's serious expression, Lin Shaocheng said, "Of course, it's the wife who takes care of things."
"What about your family members?"
Lin Shaocheng's face darkened for a moment. "They won't care about me."
Li Guorong realized he had said the wrong thing and quickly shouted, "Then I won't care about you."
Lin Shaocheng's heart stirred; he wanted a home of his own.
Li Guojian urged from the side, "Let's go home."
"My home is in Mengshan Village. Remember to come visit me."
Li Guorong looked back frequently, reluctant to leave, while Lin Shaocheng watched him go from the intersection for a long time.
Li Guorong made an angry expression, and Lin Shaocheng waved and turned to leave.
When she got back to her aunt's house, before she even stepped inside, a basin of water was splashed at her. Aunt Qian looked at her with disdain and said, "You little brat, you still trust outsiders. You'll be sold off sooner or later."
Several middle-aged women were eating and watching the show by the roadside. A few wealthy people were sitting at the door with melon seeds, mangoes, and small stools, ready to listen to the gossip.
Li Guorong had a falling out with Qian Mancang and finally didn't have to give the old woman any face. He opened his mouth and shouted, "Who are you talking about, you old hag? You think everyone treats your son like a treasure? You didn't even give me a gift when you learned your craft from me, and you still make me do housework for you every day for free. Do you really think I'm made of clay? Let me tell you, I have three brothers, two of whom are grown up. Beating your family is as easy as farting."
Aunt Qian threw down the basin and scolded, "So young and already so shrewish, I wonder who in the village would dare to marry you? You read books all day long, you spendthrift woman, your family is dirt poor."
"You old hag, your house is so dirty that rats are nesting in it. Your whole family is too lazy to even pick up a fallen oil bottle. You still have the nerve to say my family is poor. If the rats in your house went in, they would starve to death. All you do is gossip. You'll go to the hell of having your tongue pulled out later." Li Guorong retorted.
Aunt Qian was very superstitious. Upon hearing this, her face turned ashen and she angrily cursed, "Pah! You damned, damned devil! You wretched brat who killed your father, who would dare to marry you? You shameless thing, you insist on working for my family, but my family will never accept you."
Li Guorong's face was flushed, his eyebrows were raised, and he put his hands on his hips. "I can't compare to you, you old jinx. You killed your parents and then Uncle Qian died. You should see your own child, lest you accidentally kill him too."
Qian Mancang kicked open his own door and shouted, "Li Guorong, you've gone too far! You're a snob and you still dare to curse my mother. I didn't hit that pretty boy today because I'm being lenient with you, and you still have the nerve to curse my mother."
Li Guorong felt completely bewildered; when his mother had just scolded him, Qian Mancang had pretended not to hear.
She had the upper hand for a moment, but Qian Mancang jumped out and cursed, "You son of a bitch, I taught you how to catch bamboo rats, and you asked me to do chores for your family, buy clothes and meat for your own family, and you never thought of being filial to me, you ingrate!"
Qian Mancang blushed and retorted, "I learned from the mountain people, not from you."
Li Guojian jumped out and mocked, "Which hunter did you learn from? Tell me, where do you live and what's your name?"
Aunt Qian couldn't stand others targeting her son. She knew her family was in the wrong, so she yelled, "Oh my god, they're all bullying my widowed son and me because we don't have a man."
When the neighbors heard that Qian Mancang had learned bamboo rat skills from Li Guorong, Aunt Qian even begged Li Guorong to do housework for her every day.
One minute they're saying Qian Mancang has no conscience, the next they're saying Li Guorong is cheap. This street is quite a scene.
Li Lanfang came downstairs and scolded, "What's all the noise about? Go home and sleep at night."
Li Lanfang was a teacher, and most of the children had attended her classes. Her words carried considerable weight, so Aunt Qian didn't dare to cause trouble, since all three of her children had been taught by Li Lanfang.
□□ and Li Guorong followed Li Lanfang upstairs, looking dejected. Li Guorong placed the snacks for his aunt on the table, lowered his head, and dared not look directly at his aunt. He whispered, "Aunt, I don't want to study anymore. I'm just not cut out for it."
Upon hearing this, Li Lanfang's anger surged, and she slammed her hand on the table with a loud bang. She was always coming up with one idea after another.
Li Guorong trembled and hurriedly said, "Auntie, I can still read and write, but I don't want to study physics and chemistry and then take the vocational school entrance exam. I want to find my own way."
Hearing this, Li Lanfang felt a little comforted. At least these past two weeks had made Li Guorong realize the value of reading. "I can't control you, but the most important thing in doing things is to persevere and be patient. You have to think about how you want to go in the future. No one can walk that path for you."
Tonight's moon is not a full moon; half of its clear light shines on this mountain forest, illuminating the mountain path and the people inside the house, while in the darkness of the other half, hunters lurk, waiting for their prey, and tiny insects rustle and whisper.
At the Qian family home, Aunt Qian was sitting on the table, trying to catch her breath, while Qian Mancang was trying to comfort her. Just then, Qian Duoduo came down from upstairs and said, "How come the Li family gets all the good things? I heard someone introduced Li Guolan to a marriage proposal. It's for the only son of a worker, whose parents are both workers. If her in-laws don't agree to it later, won't Li Guolan become a worker herself? She's not even as pretty or as young as me."
Upon hearing this, Aunt Qian was even more furious, wishing she could immediately snatch the marriage away from Qian Duoduo and give up a spot for her own son.
Upon hearing this, Qian Mancang asked, "Is it the one with the surname Wang that owns the textile factory and the pork factory?"
Qian Duoduo asked in surprise, "Brother, you know this place, why didn't you introduce it to me?"
Qian Mancang replied, "The son of this family is mentally ill. He goes crazy whenever he sees red or hears arguing. Don't you remember? The eldest sister told us about it."
After saying that, she stood up and said, "No, I have to tell Li Guorong."
At this point, Aunt Qian started crying, making a scene, and threatening suicide. "Oh, my unfilial son! You're siding with outsiders! Maybe the Li family is deliberately trying to get more money so they can use it to arrange marriages for their two adult sons. Why did you expose them?"
Qian Mancang didn't want to deal with his mother, so he went upstairs to sleep.
Qian Duoduo's eyes lit up. She remembered that Li Guorong seemed to have brought back a red cloth today. Could it be that he heard the message and wanted to see if he was mentally ill? "Mom, I saw Li Guorong bring back a red cloth today."
Aunt Qian narrowed her slanted eyes; she wouldn't let Li Guorong's family get away with it. The two huddled together, "First...then..."
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