Chapter 69
Xia Qingtang had never seen Xie Xiaoshuang like this in his life, but it was obvious that her pain came from the fact that she was about to get married, so Xia Qingtang whispered, "You don't want to get married, but your family forces you to get married?"
Although such a thing had never happened to Xie Xiaoshuang in her previous life, it was very common in any era for a beautiful young girl to be forced by her family to marry a well-off man, so Xia Qingtang made such a guess.
Xie Xiaoshuang's eyes dodged for a moment, then continued, "What's the point of being so pushy? It doesn't matter who you marry, sooner or later, it's all the same, do we have any choice?"
Hu Yanni held her hand tightly, looking very sad: "Of course we have a choice. Women have the freedom to marry and divorce. If your family forces you to marry someone you don't like, you can go to the street office or the Women's Federation and ask them to help you!"
Xie Xiaoshuang lowered her head and said, "It's easy for you to say that. Is your family the same as mine? There are only two children in your family. Your parents never favor boys over girls. Your brother also loves you. Of course you have a choice. Our family gave birth to six children, and four survived. My sister and I are the least valuable. If we die, they will be happier. Living is a waste of money and food. I had a serious illness when I was a child. I might as well have died at that time."
These words were very serious. Xia Qingtang realized that Xie Xiaoshuang must be mentally unhealthy and might have some psychological illness.
She didn’t understand this before, but she heard from her neighbor’s teacher that people’s hearts can also get sick, and that it’s harder to treat than physical illnesses. The teacher also said to Xia Qingtang: “Old Xia, I think you should also treat your psychological illness.”
Xia Qingtang didn't understand at the time, but now thinking back, she realized that she was mentally unhealthy in her previous life. Fortunately, she was given a chance to heal herself. She didn't dare to say that she was completely healthy now, but she was definitely much better than in her previous life.
Hu Yanni held Xie Xiaoshuang's hand, her eyes began to turn red: "Xiaoshuang, how...how can you say such things? When you came back to the city to visit your relatives a year ago, you were not like this. What happened to you in the past year or so?"
Xie Xiaoshuang stared at the table, not knowing whether he took these words to heart.
After a moment of silence, Xie Xiaoshuang said, "Why don't we talk about you? I've read all the letters you wrote to me before. Qingtang, you're married. Congratulations."
After Xia Qingtang moved to Xie's house, he wrote a letter to Xie Xiaoshuang, informing her of his marriage. However, Xie Xiaoshuang only wrote back saying that she was too tired from the busy farming season. After that, she never replied to his next letter. So, this was the first time Xie Xiaoshuang mentioned Xia Qingtang's marriage.
For no reason, Xia Qingtang felt that Xie Xiaoshuang was not happy about her marriage.
"Thank you." Xia Qingtang said softly.
"So how are you doing after marriage? You said in your letter that your lover is a young man who has just returned from the army and his family is well off. Do you suffer any bullying in their home?"
"I don't get angry. He treats me very well, and his family treats me very well too."
"After all, you found your partner yourself, so you are living happily." Xie Xiaoshuang looked at Hu Yanni again, "How is Yanni now? You wrote a letter saying that someone wanted to introduce you to a partner. Are you dating someone?"
Hu Yanni said: "I don't want to find a partner for now, and I refuse to be introduced. I'm not too old, so it won't be too late to wait for two years. Besides, I still want to try to get into college, what if I get in?"
"Your family is so nice. They don't force you to find a partner, and you can even refuse the introducer. You see, you and I are completely different. No matter what I say, you won't be able to understand. The same goes for Qingtang. You chose your marriage partner yourself. The letter said he is a good young man, and now your whole family treats you well... You can all make decisions about your own marriage, so how can I be the same as you? What can I do? Can I not listen to my family?" Xie Xiaoshuang spoke quickly and in a low voice. Because her tone was so soft, Xia Qingtang, who was sitting opposite her, almost missed some of it.
But Hu Yanni, who was sitting next to him, heard it clearly. She was obviously stunned for a moment, and then whispered, "Xiao Shuang, is this how you see us?"
Xie Xiaoshuang said: "Am I seeing it wrong? Am I saying it wrong?"
"You are talking about me, there is no problem. My family is really good to me. My parents agree with me on almost everything and are willing to listen to my opinions. But is Qingtang the same as me? Have you forgotten how her family treated her since she was a child? She found her lover by herself, but do you know how she found her lover? Her family wanted her to marry a cadre's son who was uneducated and unskilled. That man was so bad that in order to force Qingtang to get married, he asked the director of the cotton mill to send Qingtang to the warehouse as a porter. Qingtang was injured by heavy objects in the warehouse and did not compromise even after being hospitalized for so long. But later her mother kept forcing her to agree to the marriage, and she had no choice but to move out of her home and stay at my house. She kept it a secret. The family found a partner for themselves in order to escape from that home. She even kept the marriage registration a secret from everyone. It was not until the bad guy took his mother to the Xia family to propose marriage that Qingtang brought her lover to tell them that she was married. Yes, it’s easy for me. If I don’t want to find a partner for the time being, I can just not find one. But it’s not easy for Qingtang? After she registered for marriage, her mother even thought about killing her lover and making her a widow, so that she could marry an old widower with status and give benefits to her brother! I don’t care what you say about me, but what will Qingtang think when you say that! "Hu Yanni's eyes became red at the end.
This was the first time Xie Xiaoshuang heard about these things, because Xia Qingtang did not mention anything about Kong Liangchao and her family forcing her to get married in the letter. She simply said that she had found a partner and got married. The specific details were originally planned to be discussed face to face when Xie Xiaoshuang returned to the city.
Xie Xiaoshuang's expression had obviously changed. Her dull eyes first showed surprise, and then disbelief.
"How is this possible? Are you kidding? Hu Yanni, tell me, you are kidding, right?" Xie Xiaoshuang said anxiously.
Just then, the waiter came out with three bowls of dumplings on a large tray: "Three bowls of pork dumplings!"
Xia Qingtang waved over there: "It's ours!"
Three bowls of pork dumplings were served on the table. Hu Yanni stiffened her neck and said nothing. Xie Xiaoshuang pulled her sleeve and said, "Say something! You must be joking!"
"Let's eat first. Food doesn't taste good when it's cold. These are pork dumplings, which are very expensive." Xia Qingtang took out three pairs of chopsticks from the chopstick holder and handed one pair to each of them. "Let's talk after we finish eating."
Hu Yanni glared at her: "Do you still have an appetite?"
"Of course you don't have any. You should eat well at any time." Xia Qingtang said, "The more unhappy and uncomfortable you are, the more you should eat. As long as you can eat well, everything will be fine."
After saying that, she placed the two pairs of chopsticks on their respective bowls, then picked up her own bowl, blew on the soup gently, and took a sip: "Yeah, it's very fragrant. I can taste the lard in it."
After saying that, she picked up her chopsticks and started eating the dumplings. When she bit open them, she saw that they were filled with celery and pork. The pork was a combination of meat and vegetables. It was oily and really delicious.
She ate the dumplings with gusto. The other two stared at her as she finished four or five dumplings. Finally, they couldn't resist their greed and started eating as well.
So the three of them stopped talking and just focused on eating.
The dumplings in the state-owned restaurant were very filling. Although they were not cheap, eating a big bowl of them with the soup was very satisfying. Xia Qingtang ate so much that he felt relaxed all over.
When she had finished, she took out her handkerchief and wiped her mouth, then sat there watching the two of them continue eating.
Xie Xiaoshuang ate faster and finished before Hu Yanni. After eating, she continued to stare at Xia Qingtang. Xia Qingtang had a calm expression and smiled at her from time to time.
When Hu Yanni finished eating, Xia Qingtang said, "Now that we're done, shall we go out and talk? There are too many people here, and it's noisy."
"Then let's go out." Hu Yanni stood up and led the way out.
Xia Qingtang pulled Xie Xiaoshuang, walked outside, unlocked the bike, pushed the bike and led the way forward.
When she reached a deserted place, she stopped, put her bicycle away, and sat down on a nearby stone pier: "There is no one here, and the place is secluded, come sit down and talk."
Hu Yanni glanced at Xie Xiaoshuang, walked over and sat down first, then she said: "There is no one here. If you still don't want to tell us what happened to you, you don't have to tell us, and I won't force you. You have changed so much, and you are full of resentment when you speak. I think you must have suffered a lot of injustice. If you don't tell us, we must be unable to help, so just don't say it."
She originally felt sorry for Xie Xiaoshuang, but after hearing those words, Hu Yanni became a little angry.
Xie Xiaoshuang walked over and sat down on a stone block a little distance away from the two of them, burying her head, thinking about something.
She didn't say anything, and neither did Hu Yanni. Xia Qingtang broke the silence and said, "From what you said, it seems that your family forced you to marry someone you didn't like, and you couldn't say no, so you felt very sad and even cut your hair and lost weight. I don't know what happened in your family, but if your job has been filed, then even if you cancel the engagement now, the other party's family can't fire you. At most, they will put you in the worst position in the company, but as long as you can hold on for a year or two, and wait until the storm is over, the position issue will be easier to resolve, and maybe we can help."
It is like this in all units nowadays. No matter where you work, as long as your file is registered with the unit and as long as you have not committed any crime, you will never be fired.
It would be easy if you were not fired. Even if you were assigned to the worst job, your salary and food coupons would not be reduced by a penny. You could support yourself with the income. As long as you could endure these few years, even if you could not change jobs later, according to Xie Xiaoshuang's personality, you could also take a leave of absence from work and go to the coastal cities to work hard.
Therefore, being forced to get married by your family is definitely not a dead end. It depends on whether you want to get out of it.
"It's easy for you to say." Xie Xiaoshuang replied in a low voice.
Xia Qingtang said, "It's easy to say, but it's not that hard to do. What Yanni said before was all true. I did it once myself and realized it's not that hard. It's just a resistance. As long as you can muster up the courage to resist the first time, the rest will be easy. You said that in this world, as long as you have a job and a salary and you don't starve to death, you can survive."
Xie Xiaoshuang raised her head, eyes full of suspicion, she said: "How could that be true? This is you, Xia Qingtang, how could you possibly rebel against your family? Your family has treated you like that since you were a child, and you dare not even fart. How could you not listen to your family? It is even more impossible for you to move out of your home and find someone to register for marriage without telling your family. This is impossible for you to do! I don't believe it! Don't even think about lying to me!"
Hu Yanni said loudly: "But these are all true. I watched Qingtang do it the whole time! If you don't believe it, you can go to the cotton mill and ask. Everyone knows that Qingtang broke off relations with her mother. If you grab anyone from the cotton mill, they will tell you what happened before. Xiaoshuang, I know that it must be difficult to resist the decision of your family. I am lucky and I have not experienced it, but I have watched Qingtang go through this. I think what she said is very right. It is not impossible! You have become like this. Even if you really don't get married, what can you do? Will your family really kill you? You are in so much pain. If they really kill you, you might as well fight them with a knife and die together. Who is afraid of who? Besides, you still have us. We can help you!"
Xie Xiaoshuang didn't say anything. She opened her tired eyes wide and stared at Xia Qingtang with an indescribable complex emotion.
Xia Qingtang looked at her seriously for a long time, and Xie Xiaoshuang suddenly asked: "If I don't get married, where can I live?"
Xia Qingtang immediately said, "Where do you work now? Apply for a dormitory with your company immediately. If there is no dormitory, we can also help you find a solution. If you don't mind, my husband's company can allocate him a bungalow, and you can live in that bungalow."
The bungalow that Xie Jinxuan applied for has actually been vacated, but no one lives there now, so it is just left vacant.
"Then my family will come after you and make you all miserable. You know my parents, they are similar to Qingtang's mother, both are shrews."
Xia Qingtang said, "It's okay. I live in the provincial party committee's staff quarters. There are guards at the main gate and the side gate, and the management is very strict. As long as we say a word, people who shouldn't be let in will never be let in. Besides, your parents don't dare to come and quarrel with us."
"Yes, Qingtang's lover's family is not ordinary, your parents dare not offend them." Hu Yanni said: "Really! Xiaoshuang, you believe us, if you don't want to get married, we will help you!"
Xie Xiaoshuang pondered for a while and then said, "If I want to go back to the countryside now, will you help me?"
Xia Qingtang and Hu Yanni were both stunned. They looked at each other and Xia Qingtang said, "What do you mean by that? Didn't you always say that you wanted to go back to the city? Why do you want to go back to the countryside now? Is there someone in the countryside that you can't leave?"
Hu Yanni covered her mouth and said, "Xiao Shuang, are you dating someone in the countryside? You already have a partner, but your family still wants you to marry someone in the city? This is too much!"
Xie Xiaoshuang lowered her head even lower, and whispered, "I also hated the countryside. When I came back last time, I kept thinking about returning to the city as soon as possible. But man proposes, God disposes. I met someone who was like-minded with me there... He was a teacher at the commune primary school. He was very gentle and educated. We were truly in love... After we confirmed our relationship, I wrote a letter to my parents, saying that I was planning to marry him in the commune. But my parents disagreed. They... They lied to me that I was sick and asked me to ask for leave from the commune to come back to visit him. I asked for leave at the end of last year to come back to visit him. When I came back, I found out that my father was not sick at all. They just wanted to trick me to come back. They also asked me to meet Comrade Jia, saying that his family could help me find a job and give us a dowry of 200 yuan and a complete set of three turns and one ring. When my brother returns to the city, we will have money to marry a wife. I didn’t want to go back to the city at all, so I packed my bag and went back to the commune. But my mother cried and made a fuss, and she even pretended to faint, asking me to stay one more night. I had no choice but to stay. This is the night I regret the most. If I hadn’t stayed at that time, it wouldn’t be like this now...”
As she spoke, tears suddenly began to fall, and her eyes were filled with despair.
Hu Yanni asked anxiously: "What happened that night? Don't cry!"
Xia Qingtang was an experienced person. Looking at Xie Xiaoshuang's reaction, she probably guessed what her parents had done to her and immediately felt very sad.
Even Zhao Meizhen didn't do this. Xie Xiaoshuang's family really broke the bottom line of human beings.
Xia Qingtang said softly: "Xiao Shuang, don't say anything you don't want to say. It's okay. You don't have to say everything."
After Xie Xiaoshuang finished crying, she wiped her eyes and said, "No, I want to speak out. It's already like this. It doesn't matter whether I speak out or not. Seeing your reaction, Qingtang, I guessed what happened, right?"
Xia Qingtang looked at her sadly, not knowing what to say.
Hu Yanni was a little confused. Xie Xiaoshuang stared at her for a while and whispered, "Yanni, you have to stay like this, okay?"
"Ah?" Hu Yanni was even more confused.
Xie Xiaoshuang went on to say, “My mother pretended to faint and tricked me into staying one more night, so I stayed, but I was still thinking that I would go back to the commune the next day. When I got back, I would marry Teacher Chen and stay there for the rest of my life. The countryside is not good, but I have Teacher Chen there. But that night, my mother put medicine in my water, and when I fell asleep, she put Comrade Jia into my bedroom…”
Hu Yanni widened her eyes and almost screamed out, but fortunately she managed to hold it back.
Xia Qingtang clenched her fists. She was right. Xie Xiaoshuang was indeed harmed by her family...
But in her previous life, none of these things happened to Xie Xiaoshuang, and she did not have a boyfriend in the countryside. She returned to the city two years later and started dating a co-worker from the same unit. The two had a stable relationship and lived a peaceful and happy life.
It seems that many things are really different in this life. Xia Qingtang sighed in his heart, not knowing whether this is good or bad.
"When I woke up, Comrade Jia was lying next to me. We were both naked and my body was in pain. I went crazy at the time. I grabbed him and wanted to fight him, but my mother rushed in and slapped me. She also said that I was already Comrade Jia's woman and a slut. No one would want me. That country teacher Chen would definitely not want me. I had no other way out except to marry Comrade Jia. I... I really didn't know what to do. I felt that what my mother said was true. I was already a slut. What else could I do? I lay at home for a few days, not eating or drinking. Later, my mother called my younger sister in. She said that if I continued to refuse to eat and drink, she would introduce a partner to my younger sister and let her consummate the marriage with someone else right away. I was scared. It was bad, I was really scared, that thing was really painful, my body was really in pain, and I bled a lot, I was in my twenties and it was still so painful, my younger sister was only sixteen, I couldn’t even think about it… So I obeyed, I had no choice but to marry Comrade Jia. I was good-looking, Comrade Jia liked me very much, his family arranged a job for me, everything was ready, I went back to the commune to handle the formalities. That was the last time I met Teacher Chen, I didn’t have anything to give him, so I cut off my long braids there and gave them to him. After that, I came back, the formalities were completed, and I went to work on the sixteenth day of the first lunar month. The food factory was pretty good, and I smelled delicious every day. But I couldn’t sleep every night, and when I closed my eyes, I would think of that morning when I was lying naked next to Comrade Jia…”
"Don't say anymore, don't say anymore..." Hu Yanni hugged Xie Xiaoshuang while crying, "Xiaoshuang, I'm sorry, I didn't know about these things, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
Xie Xiaoshuang looked at her with red eyes, her eyes full of fear and struggle. She said, "I'm already like this, do you still think I can rebel against my family like Qingtang did? Can I still go back to the countryside and be with Teacher Chen?"
Hu Yanni sobbed and couldn't utter a word.
Xia Qingtang thought for a while and said in a deep voice: "I don't know whether I can be with Teacher Chen, because it depends on Teacher Chen's attitude. But if you just don't want to marry that Jia guy, it can be done."
Xie Xiaoshuang's eyes became more struggling: "But...but I'm already a slut..."
"You are not a slut. Don't say that about yourself. What your mother and that Jia did was rape. You are the victim. You did nothing wrong." Xia Qingtang walked over, held her hand tightly, and said even more forcefully: "If Teacher Chen is a good comrade who truly loves you, he won't mind these things."
"Really?" Xie Xiaoshuang widened her eyes.
"Really, but the premise is that Teacher Chen is upright and truly loves you." Xia Qingtang said, "It may be cruel to say this, but this is the reality and the truth. Moreover, the first thing you have to do now is not Teacher Chen, but whether you want to cancel the engagement."
"I want it, I want it, how can I marry that kind of person? He's a rapist! How can I marry that kind of person..." Xie Xiaoshuang covered her face and continued to cry, "I don't know what to do, I don't know... and my sister, if my mother also brings a man home and treats my sister like that, I will go crazy."
"Were your brother and sister at home that night? Did they know that the man entered your house?" Xia Qingtang said, "Think about it carefully."
Because her voice was so calm, Xie Xiaoshuang was flustered for a while, but she slowly calmed down. She said, "That night, my brother and sister were both at home. My sister must have known about this, and my brother knew about it too, because later when I didn't dare to go on a hunger strike and walked out of the room, my brother looked at me in a very uncomfortable way... He looked down on me, and he knew what happened to me."
Xia Qingtang held her hand tightly again: "It would be a relief to strangle that kind of brother to death. Not only does he not protect his sister, but he also dares to look down on you? Next time you see him, just slap him and see if he dares to do it again."
Xie Xiaoshuang said: "I don't care what he thinks of me, I just want to know how I can break off the engagement and protect my sister. I don't want this to become a big deal, I don't want other people to know about it... I..."
"First, tell me who the Jia guy is and what his family situation is like?" Xia Qingtang said, "Different methods must be used for different people."
"He should be thirty this year, but I don't remember his exact age. His previous lover died during childbirth, and the child didn't survive. In the past few years, his family has introduced him to several potential partners, but he didn't like any of them. However, the one he was looking for disliked his lack of quality."
"The conditions are not that good? Isn't he from a cadre family?"
"It's not a cadre family. His father works in a government agency, not a leader, and his mother is a worker. The job his family introduced to me was the position his grandfather gave me after retirement. The 200 yuan and three transfers and one ring given to my family were all their savings over the years. My mother also agreed with them that I would have to give her 10 yuan of my monthly salary after I started working, and I would not have to pay her until I got married for five years. If they were really a well-off cadre family, would my mother dare to ask them for such a request?"
"Ten yuan a month for five years? How much does that cost?" Hu Yanni said, "Can't you just give her your own salary? Why does she treat you like this?"
"My sister is still at home and she knows I would be scared."
Hu Yanni could only sigh heavily and hug Xie Xiaoshuang again.
Xia Qingtang said: "Since it's not a cadre family, it's easy. When is your wedding date? How long is it?"
"It's May 15th."
"It should be in time." Xia Qingtang said, "But there is one thing you'd better be mentally prepared for. If you can't marry Teacher Chen in the future, are you still willing to break off the engagement with the Jia family?"
Xie Xiaoshuang was stunned. She opened her mouth for a long time before she whispered, "Even if I can't marry Teacher Chen, I can't marry a rapist. I'll go crazy if I do that. I'd rather live alone for the rest of my life than marry someone with the last name Jia!"
"Okay, since you are determined, this can be accomplished." Xia Qingtang said.
"Qingtang, what are you going to do?" Xie Xiaoshuang held her hand tightly, "I can't let anyone else know..."
"Don't worry, no one will know what Jia did to you. I have to go back and think of a solution. Sometimes you have to use extraordinary methods to deal with such people." Xia Qingtang patted the back of her hand. "But you still have to be determined. Once your marriage with the man over there breaks down, can you live with your sister alone?"
"What? I'm going to live with my sister?"
"Your mother can only use your sister to threaten you because you care about her. So as long as you take your sister away and don't live with them, can your mother still threaten you? I know about the food factory. It's not easy to apply for a dormitory, but you can live in the room where my wife works. Although it's an empty warehouse, you and your sister can live there. When she graduates from high school and can go out to work, you two will be able to get through this." Xia Qingtang said, "If you want to get rid of this matter completely, you must think about everything that will happen next."
Hu Yanni also nodded: "Indeed, if your sister stays at home, even if you break up with the Jia guy, your mother will find you someone with the surname Zhen, Wang, or Li. Maybe she will do the same to your sister and do the same to her... You and your sister can only be safe if you escape."
Xie Xiaoshuang took a deep breath and said, "As long as my sister is willing to come with me, I will raise her until she graduates from high school even if I starve to death!"
"Okay, then tell me the detailed information about that person and his family. Tell me everything you know. We have to find a way to make Mr. Jia regret his engagement and stop talking about that matter." Xia Qingtang took out a pen and paper from her bag and looked at Xie Xiaoshuang seriously.
Xie Xiaoshuang was stunned for a moment, then while thinking, he told all the information he knew.
Xia Qingtang recorded everything clearly and said, "I may have to ask my wife to investigate this person and this family, but I will never tell anyone about that. Is this acceptable to you?"
Xie Xiaoshuang nodded: "Okay, I believe you, I know you won't tell anyone."
After she finished speaking, she added: "Qingtang, you have changed... a lot... You were not like this before."
Hu Yanni also nodded: "Qingtang has changed a lot, my mother said so too. My mother said that Qingtang has become more reliable all of a sudden, and his eyes are firm."
Xie Xiaoshuang said: "Can I change too? Can someone like me change?"
"A person like you? What kind of person are you?" Xia Qingtang asked deliberately.
Xie Xiaoshuang was stunned for a moment without saying anything. Xia Qingtang said, "I know that you must feel that you have been forced and your life is hopeless. But it's just a sleep, just a bite from a dog. Are you no longer yourself? You are still the same you! Let's not talk about other things. Many of our high school classmates had relationships, and then they went to different places to work in the production team. Didn't they separate? Then they didn't look for a partner or get married in the future. Aren't they no longer normal people? As long as you think it's not a big deal, it's really not a big deal. If you are still worried, in the future, when you go to other places, far away from here, you go to a place where no one knows you to work and live, everything can be turned over!"
Xie Xiaoshuang looked at her with a look of both emotion and confusion. She said, "How can I live in another place? How will I make a living if I leave?"
"It's not possible now, but it will change in the future. You see, people were required to go to the countryside to join the production team before, but now they are told that they don't need to do that anymore. The world ten years ago was different from what it is now. As long as you hold on to hope, you will definitely be able to go somewhere else and start a new life in the future. Go to a place where no one knows you, and you can be whatever kind of person you want to be." Xia Qingtang said forcefully.
Xie Xiaoshuang nodded blankly: "I...I believe you."
"There's no time to lose. I'm going to go back to my wife and investigate that Jia guy." Xia Qingtang stood up. "Yanni, take Xiaoshuang for a walk outside. Don't go to crowded places. You two can sit by the river, talk, and relax. After that, you can take her to your house to stay for one night, okay?"
"Of course you can. You can stay at my house for as many days as you want. My mother will welcome Xiaoshuang very much." Hu Yanni took Xie Xiaoshuang's arm, "Qingtang, can we really help Xiaoshuang break off the engagement?"
It is actually very simple to cancel the engagement. If Xie Xiaoshuang is willing to take the risk and go to the Women's Federation and the police station to sue them, the engagement can be cancelled immediately. However, what happened that night will definitely get out. It is indeed not an easy task to keep the secret and help her cancel the engagement.
"Of course you can. If I say yes, then it means yes." Xia Qingtang said forcefully. Her eyes were firm and full of strength, which immediately filled Xie Xiaoshuang and Hu Yanni with confidence.
"Well...then be careful on the road. Tell me immediately if anything happens. Although I may not be able to help you, I can do whatever you say." Hu Yanni said.
"Okay, I'll tell you as soon as I have news." After saying that, Xia Qingtang hurriedly rode his bike home.
Xie Jinxuan was studying in the study. The college entrance examination was getting closer and closer. He had actually been almost prepared, but he still wanted to read more.
After going to the toilet, Xia Qingtang rushed into the study, took out a notebook and reported the names, addresses, and workplaces of Jia Guangrong's family. Then he said, "Can you find a way to check if this family has done anything bad? It would be best if it was illegal, something that we could use to threaten them."
Xie Jinxuan said: "Of course."
After that, he copied what Xia Qingtang said, and then asked, "When do you want it?"
"The sooner the better."
"I understand. Leave it to me." Xie Jinxuan smiled, folded the paper and put it in her pocket.
He didn't ask Xia Qingtang why she wanted to investigate these people. Anyway, as long as she wanted to know, he would do it.
Xia Qingtang breathed a sigh of relief, sat on his legs, then hugged his neck and whispered, "Xie Jinxuan, thank you."
"Is something wrong?" Xie Jinxuan sensed that she was in a bad mood, so she gently patted her back, like comforting a child.
"Something did happen, but I can't tell you now."
"Then let's not talk about it." Xie Jinxuan said softly: "Do you want to eat something? Or should we go out for a walk? Or do something else?"
"I don't want to do anything, I don't want to eat anything, just let me hold you for a while, okay?"
"Okay, that's it." Xie Jinxuan hugged her tightly and continued to pat her back gently.
Xia Qingtang slowly fell asleep in his arms, but she didn't sleep for too long. After all, the posture was not very comfortable, so she woke up after only a dozen minutes.
"I'm fine." Xia Qingtang took a deep breath, stood up from his legs, and then said, "What time will the model opera start in the evening?"
Xie Jinxuan said: "Six o'clock in the evening."
"Then you can prepare dinner now. I'll go make dinner and you go find someone to investigate the person on the paper. How about that?" Xia Qingtang grabbed his hand and shook it.
"Okay, you go cook, I'll be back in a while." Xie Jinxuan went to the kitchen with her, then kissed her before going out alone.
Xia Qingtang cooked dinner while listening to the radio. Although there were only two people eating, he made three dishes and a soup, which looked very sumptuous.
Before five o'clock, Xie Jinxuan came back. After dinner, the two of them rode their bicycles to the Grand Theater.
Every time the provincial art troupe puts on a new show it is very popular. Tickets for tonight are very hard to buy. Many people who can't buy tickets will stand outside the theater, hoping to wait until the show starts and find a chance to sneak in and take a peek.
Xie Jinxuan locked the bicycle and pulled Xia Qingtang towards the theater gate.
There were so many people entering that there was a long queue at the ticket check point and the staff were checking carefully to prevent anyone from sneaking in.
Xia Qingtang was still thinking about Xie Xiaoshuang when a sharp voice suddenly came from the front: "Shameless thing! How dare you steal my man!"
Xia Qingtang was slightly stunned - isn't this Kong Liangjing's voice?
Kong Liangjing has a partner? And someone else snatched her away?
She leaned over to look at the direction where the sound came from, and saw that the people in the queue were watching the fun just like her.
The crying of a young girl rang out from there, and then, a familiar voice rang out: "Kong Liangjing, are you crazy? Who is your man? I have nothing to do with you! Comrade Fang and I are the ones who are together. We were introduced by the leader of my unit, and both of our parents know about it! If you say another word of nonsense, I will call the police and arrest you immediately!"
"Catch him! Catch him! Yu Jiankang, you bastard, I have liked you for so many years, why are you still looking for a partner? Your leader is also a bastard, he knows that I like you, but he still introduces someone to you! I tell you, Yu Jiankang, you can only be with me! If you don't want me, I will go to your unit every day to pester you! I will not let this woman go either, I will go to your unit to find you in the morning, and go to her unit in the afternoon to scold her! I don't want you to have a moment of peace!" Kong Liangjing shouted like crazy.
There were mocking voices from the crowd. Someone blew a loud whistle and shouted, "This girl is so shameless!"
Xia Qingtang tiptoed to look over there, but could see nothing.
Yu Jiankang sneered and said, "You can give it a try. You are unemployed now. If you go to our unit every day and disturb our normal work, you can prepare to spend the New Year in the police station!"
Xia Qingtang quickly looked at Xie Jinxuan: "Was Kong Liangjing also fired from the company?"
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