The commotion lasted all night. Xu Keke sat by the door, and Qi Chang pulled a light cord out from inside the house. She sat on a small stool folding cardboard boxes. She listened as Sister Feng from the street, with her characteristic ups and downs, lectured the couple on her personal views on how couples should get along and on national policies.
Throughout the entire process, aside from Liu Jianguo's occasional "uh-huh" and "ah-ah" sounds, Chen Meng didn't utter a single word. It was as if Sister-in-law Feng had given Liu Jianguo a lecture.
It must be said that the fight between Liu Jianguo and Shen Meng brought some liveliness to the residents of the alley, adding new fun to their otherwise dull lives. It was like throwing a small stone into a calm lake.
The aftershocks from the stone also affected Xu Keke. It's unclear who diligently dug into Chen Meng's past.
"After her husband died, she started dating a guy who worked at the stationery store. Guess who that guy was?... "
It's getting hot, and it's unbearably hot indoors. People of all ages and genders love to gather in the alley. The men huddle together to play chess and cards. The children, oblivious to the heat, run and dart about aimlessly in the alley.
Only women, regardless of age, gathered together, some busy knitting, some mending clothes, chatting about the gossip that had become popular these past few days.
The curly-haired woman, engrossed in her conversation, was nudged by someone next to her. She turned around alertly and saw Xu Keke. She quickly stopped talking and greeted her with a smile, acting as if nothing had happened.
As Xu Keke walked past, she heard the woman's voice again behind her. The voice was loud, showing no concern that Xu Keke would hear, "It's her, you see? The one who just walked past. The guy Shen Meng was hooking up with is her dad. I heard her mother died because of Shen Meng. But that slut Shen Meng, she's been eyeing him for so long, and he didn't want her. In the end, she still had to marry Liu Jianguo."
"Hey, I think Liu Jianguo is a good guy. You know, he's not exactly handsome, but he seems like an honest and reliable person. It's reassuring to live with someone like that. If I were Chen Meng, I'd settle down with him. Why is she making such a fuss every day?"
"Why is she making such a fuss..."
Xu Keke didn't hear what they said after that. Only when she reached the courtyard gate did the women behind her burst into laughter. Based on Xu Keke's understanding of them, the cheerful laughter suggested that what they had just said must have contained something somewhat inappropriate for children.
Xu Keke walked into the courtyard and happened to run into Liu Jianguo walking out. Upon seeing her, Liu Jianguo was first stunned, then looked somewhat embarrassed, with a half-smile.
Xu Keke thought that it seemed he had heard the rumors circulating outside. It was one thing not knowing that his wife's ex-lover's daughter was involved, but seeing her every day was indeed quite awkward.
Xu Keke stepped aside, and as he walked past her, she frowned slightly; she smelled blood. As Liu Jianguo swung his arm back, Xu Keke also noticed a particularly dark spot on his cuff.
Xu Keke didn't go in immediately; instead, she stopped and stared at Liu Jianguo's back. His arms were swinging normally, and he was walking just fine. But the smell, and the bloodstain, were unmistakably his.
Once inside the courtyard, the door to their old hut was tightly shut. There was no one in the courtyard.
Qi Chang hadn't finished work yet. It was Aunt Gao's mother's birthday today, and the whole family had gone over. They even took Meng Jia with them when they left. Meng Jia had used this as an excuse not to go because it was the printing factory's deadline day.
Xu Keke walked to the door of the small house and heard heavy breathing inside. Based on her experience, she judged that it shouldn't be the voice of one person.
Xu Keke quietly moved to the window, peeking through a crack in the curtains. She pressed herself against the window and peered inside. Because the doors and windows were closed, she couldn't see clearly, but she could vaguely make out what appeared to be two figures on the floor.
What are you looking at?
Xu Keke turned around in fright; it was Gao Jiale. Luckily, she thought it was Liu Jianguo returning. She had been so focused on what she was seeing that she hadn't noticed the person behind her.
"What's wrong?" Gao Jiale looked at her in confusion and peered into the spot where she had just been looking.
“Meng Dong, that man looks like your dad.”
Gao Jiale thought she would be anxious, so he quickly stepped aside. Under his gaze, Xu Keke lay down again, this time looking for a longer time until her eyes adjusted to the light in the room. She saw two people tied up with rope on the floor. The man was sitting facing them; it was Meng Zikang. Although she could only see the woman's back, she was easy to recognize; it should be Chen Meng.
These two people must have something stuffed in their mouths. And they were both naked.
Xu Keke and Gao Jiale looked at each other in bewilderment.
"Will you save him?"
Gao Jiale's question surprised Xu Keke. Given the young man's usual style, he should have rushed in and expressed his bewilderment at her indifference.
Xu Keke shook her head. She didn't say anything. Judging from their breathing, they must have been injured, but not seriously. The reason she didn't want to get involved was that she didn't know what Liu Jianguo was planning.
The way these two are behaving now, it's obvious they were caught cheating by Liu Jianguo. Meng Zikang, always sitting in an office, can't compare to someone like Liu Jianguo who came from a manual labor background. He was definitely unilaterally crushed.
"Didn't you say you had a math problem you couldn't solve the other day? Let me take a look. Come on, let's go to your place."
Hearing her words, Gao Jiale understood what she meant. The two walked together towards the Gao family home.
"Why are you back?" Xu Keke asked Gao Jiale.
Gao Jiale looked up at Xu Keke's retreating figure. He had heard that she was alone in the yard today, so he came back to find her. He had some things he wanted to say to her. But after what happened, although she seemed completely unaffected, Gao Jiale sighed inwardly and scratched his head in frustration.
"I'm thinking of coming back to study. I also want to go to university."
This was something Xu Keke hadn't expected. In her previous life, Gao Jiale dropped out of high school and went to work in a factory. Later, he was sent to the countryside, and when he returned, he brought with him the wife and children he had married in the village. Later, with the development of society, he went into business and became a wealthy man.
"You also want to go to university. Have you decided which one you want to apply to?"
"No, but I'd like to hear your opinion. I'm afraid I won't be able to get into teacher's college." Gao Jiale felt a little embarrassed to admit his inadequacy in front of her. He didn't want her to look down on him, but he also wanted to tell her his thoughts completely. He really wanted to go to the same school as her, but he knew he might not be able to.
"I remember you have an uncle who's in the military, right?"
Gao Jiale didn't know why she brought this up, but nodded in agreement. "My third aunt's husband is in the navy."
“I think you could try talking to him and see if you can apply to a military academy, and ask about the current requirements. I really think it would be a great opportunity for you.”
Before the two of them even entered the house, several people rushed in from outside.
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