Jiang Moli never expected that what she feared most would come to pass.
The temple fair lasted until night, with lanterns and decorations adorning both sides of the lake. The crowds were still dense and confusing, and before they knew it, they were squeezed into a dark alley by a group of people.
Jiang Moli had a bad feeling, but before she could react, the group suddenly attacked, catching them off guard.
Her cadre was pinned to the ground and brutally kicked and beaten, causing her nose to bleed and a bloody hole to appear on her forehead from being hit by a stone.
The group ran away after they finished fighting, leaving Jiang Moli sobbing on her man's body. In the end, it was the man who endured the pain and got up from the ground to comfort her.
We ended up going to the hospital instead of visiting the temple fair.
Jiang Moli sat on the hospital bed, asking the man about his well-being. Just then, a middle-aged woman dressed very elegantly rushed into the ward.
Upon seeing her, Jiang Moli stood up somewhat flustered: "Ah, Auntie..."
Without saying a word, the woman reached out and slapped Jiang Moli across the face: "You little devil!"
Jiang Moli was stunned by the beating, but she knew she was in the wrong and had nothing to say. She could only lower her head and shed tears of grievance: "Yes, I'm sorry, Auntie, but no one could have predicted something like this would happen. I didn't want it to happen either..."
"You dared to go on another blind date without breaking off your engagement with your previous family. They even burned down your house. And you still dare to say you didn't expect this to happen?"
The woman snorted coldly: "You certainly have plenty of sweet talk."
“I…” Jiang Moli subconsciously looked at the young man on the hospital bed.
The man turned his head away, refusing to look at her.
The middle-aged woman instantly understood her son's meaning and turned to Jiang Moli, saying, "We didn't know you were this kind of person before. It's our family's fault for being blind and not recognizing people properly, so I won't say anything harsh. You can leave now. The engagement is off. My family won't marry a daughter-in-law like you."
Jiang Moli left the town hospital in a daze.
She walked along the road in a daze, unaware that she had arrived at Chengzhuang Village.
She stood at the village entrance for a while, lost in thought, and then, as if possessed, she turned into the village alley and walked all the way to Cheng Baidong and Fang Qiao's house.
Jiang Moli looked up at the red lanterns hanging under Cheng Baidong's gate, and her thoughts suddenly returned to her long-lost student days.
Ironically, she and Cheng Baidong sat at adjacent desks for two years in junior high school, yet Cheng Baidong couldn't even remember her name.
So where exactly did things go wrong? How did she manage to turn such a good life into this?
Why is it that Cheng Baidong didn't die even though she had completed everything step by step as she saw in her dream and was about to taste the fruits of victory?
If Cheng Baidong doesn't die, how will Cheng Yajun inherit his money and house?
Without Cheng Baidong's money and house, Cheng Yajun is nothing but an ordinary country bumpkin. How could she be willing to marry such a person? Especially since he's now lame in one leg!
Jiang Moli was so engrossed in her own emotions that she didn't notice a dark figure limping slowly approaching her from behind.
A long shadow, stretched by the light, suddenly appeared in front of her. Jiang Moli belatedly realized something was wrong. She stared wide-eyed in horror, but it was too late!
"ah--"
After a short scream, the night returned to calm.
*
Visiting relatives begins on the second day of the Lunar New Year. Fang Qiao's family home is too far away, so she doesn't need to visit relatives and continues to stay in her room to recover after childbirth.
Although Aunt Cheng and Aunt Cheng brought their whole family and gifts to visit the old lady, she was not close to them, so the lively atmosphere had nothing to do with her.
The Cheng family has many relatives, and after visiting them, you have to return the gifts. By the time it was all over, it was almost the Lantern Festival, and Fang Qiao had already finished her postpartum confinement.
Finally, she no longer had to stay cooped up in one room like a mushroom. As soon as her postpartum confinement period was over, Fang Qiao couldn't wait to change into her outdoor clothes, hand the baby over to Cheng Baidong, and go out to play with Wang Yun.
Spring arrived early this year; it began on the ninth day of the lunar calendar.
Fang Qiao and Wang Yun strolled hand in hand through the woods outside the village, noticing the new shoots of grass sprouting on the ground, a sea of green stretching as far as the eye could see. They figured that in a little while, they'd be able to come out and dig for wild vegetables.
The wind wasn't cold.
The spring breeze felt warm on Fang Qiao's face, and she didn't feel cold at all.
However, Fang Qiao had just finished her postpartum confinement and couldn't stay outside for too long, so after taking a short walk, she went back home.
On her way back, Fang Qiao unexpectedly ran into Cheng Hongmei.
Fang Qiao hasn't seen Cheng Hongmei for more than two months since she was punished at the brick kiln.
She looked much darker and thinner than she did two months ago. Her cheeks were sunken, making her cheekbones appear prominent, and she looked much harsher than before.
The two people disliked each other.
Fang Qiao glanced at her and then looked away, ignoring her.
On the contrary, Cheng Hongmei let out a fierce "humph" as the two brushed past each other.
Fang Qiao rolled her eyes speechlessly and snorted coldly.
What are you humming about? You think you're the only one who can hum?
Fang Qiao has a good attitude; when she's unhappy, she vents it on the spot and doesn't take it to heart. Cheng Hongmei, on the other hand, is petty; she gets angrier and angrier when she gets home, always feeling that she didn't perform well.
Fang Qiao had just returned home when she suddenly heard the ringing of a bicycle bell outside the door.
"No. 46 Chengzhuang Village, right? Fang Qiao and Cheng Baidong, there are letters from both of you."
She turned around and saw a postman wearing a green military overcoat.
The postman recognized Fang Qiao and handed her the package directly.
Cheng Baidong's letter was confidential and required his personal signature, so Fang Qiao took her package and went to the yard to call for help.
Fang Qiao's package was sent by her family. It wasn't big. Inside were two bags of milk powder wrapped in newspaper, along with a letter.
Fang Qiao unfolded the letter and glanced at it. It was full of repetitive polite phrases, except for the last two sentences which seemed to have a bit of familial affection. They said: "I can't visit you and your child because we live far away. Just consider the milk powder as something your maternal grandparents bought for the child. There's no need to send money home."
She didn't take the letter seriously; anyone can say polite things, but the money still had to be sent.
It's perfectly acceptable for a son to spend as much of his parents' money as possible, but for a daughter to spend even a single penny is considered a debt.
She doesn't lack the money, nor does she want to be accused of it.
Otherwise, whenever the topic comes up in the future, it will be said that she coveted her parents' money for baby formula, even if it was money that her own parents voluntarily spent on her child.
After reading the letter, Fang Qiao crumpled it up and threw it into the trash can, thinking that she would go to town in a few days for the Lantern Festival and send the money for milk powder to her parents' home.
Just then, Cheng Baidong also entered the room with his letter.
Fang Qiao glanced at it and found that his letter was in a large file bag, with a red stamp with the word "Confidential" on one corner.
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