Cheng Nuonuo had not appeared in the village for a long time, but there was always a legend about her in the village. The women from Mrs. Lin's neighborhood even went to visit the Lin family and came back to say that they saw Cheng Nuonuo lying on the bed, looking as thin as a skeleton, and the room smelled terrible.
Shen Yan occasionally went to the Lin family, but only gave money to Mrs. Lin, and never even looked at Cheng Nuonuo. She had just had a miscarriage, and was tortured by Mrs. Lin. She didn't know if she could endure it. If something really happened, I'm afraid the knot between Cheng's father and Cheng Yaoyao would never be untied.
After all, Grandma Xie was old, so she softened her heart: "A biological father is still a biological father, and there is no overnight hatred between father and daughter."
When Xie Zhao came back, Cheng Yaoyao tugged at his clothes and asked, "What did grandma say?"
Cheng Yaoyao had a bright face, and her eyes were filled with the innocence that comes from being spoiled. The gloom did not stay for a moment. Xie Zhao held her in his arms and whispered to her what his grandmother had said.
Since returning from Shanghai, Cheng Yaoyao has never mentioned his father, and has only sent him medicinal wine and food for injuries twice. As Xie Zhao spoke, he stared closely at the changes in Cheng Yaoyao's expression.
Cheng Yaoyao's face stiffened slightly and he bit his lip.
Xie Zhao said: "If you are not happy, then don't fight."
"Just listen to grandma." Cheng Yaoyao said calmly, and then turned to instruct Xie Zhao: "Bring me some fresh cream. Xiao Fei's birthday is coming up, I'll make her a birthday cake."
Whipped cream is not easy to make, but it is not a problem for Xie Zhao. Moreover, the spoiled girl has been wronged, so even if he wants to pick stars, he has to get it for her.
Cheng Yaoyao went out with Xie Zhao and walked the dog. Xie Zhao was running ahead without a leash, stumbling and falling. He couldn't get through a puddle and whimpered and stretched his short legs to ask Cheng Yaoyao to hold him.
The fat dog was low to the ground, and had a belly full of mud, but Cheng Yaoyao refused to hold him. The fat dog was so aggrieved that he stood up, clasped his two front paws together and shook them, as if asking for help.
Xie Zhao immediately bent down and stretched out his hand, holding the fat little dog in his arms. The tall and stern young man holding a wronged puppy was so funny, and Cheng Yaoyao, who had a stunning face, was like a walking luminous body, rumbling forward.
"Cheng Zhiqing, where did this puppy come from? It's so funny, it's fatter than your cat!"
"There's a name? Huhu, hahahaha, how interesting!"
"Are you two going into town?"
Xie Zhao had a cold temperament, and the women in the village didn't dare to talk to him, but they all scrambled to admire the puppy in his arms. It was so small, but it stood on Xie Zhao's arm and took advantage of Xie Zhao's power. If anyone tried to touch it, it would whimper and hide in Xie Zhao's arms, with its ears tucked up. It was so funny.
Xie Zhao placed his big hands on the puppy, blocking those hands that were pulling the dog's ears and pinching its butt.
Cheng Yaoyao said hurriedly: "The puppy is afraid of people! I will show it to you when it grows up a little bit."
The two of them walked away with the puppy. Xie Zhao moved his hand away, and the fat little dog covered its eyes and tucked its tail in, lying on Xie Zhao's wrist. The fat little dog was trembling, and the dog really lived up to its name.
Cheng Yaoyao asked Xie Zhao seriously: "Go to the fertilizer factory and ask them to get a more ferocious one."
Xie Zhao pinched the little fat dog's ears with his big hands, not sure if he was comforting Cheng Yaoyao or lying to himself: "It will become fierce when it grows up."
The warehouse in Tianshui Village was filled with the aroma of tea. The last crop of tea leaves came out in April and May, and Zhang Xiaofeng and Han Yin were still working in the warehouse. Cheng Yaoyao came to visit them today and invited them home for dinner.
Xie Zhao sent Cheng Yaoyao outside the warehouse and handed the fat dog to her: "Don't run around by yourself. I will come back to pick you up in the evening."
"I understand." Cheng Yaoyao held up the fat dog with both hands, with a look of disgust on his face: "Ahhh, don't let it rub against me, its paws are so dirty! I have handkerchief in my pocket, wipe it for it!"
Xie Zhao reached out from her pocket and took out a small handkerchief, which was white, soft and fragrant. Xie Zhao couldn't bear to put it away, so he put it in his own pocket. He wiped the paws of the little fat dog with his big hand, which earned Cheng Yaoyao's disgusted look: "You are dirty."
Xie Zhao pretended to wipe her face: "I know how to wash my hands."
"Oh, go away!" Cheng Yaoyao quickly dodged backwards, holding the little fat dog in front of his face.
"Woof!" The little fat dog wagged its tail happily and licked Xie Zhao's face.
Xie Zhao: “…”
Shen Yan saw Cheng Yaoyao and Xie Zhao from a distance, and subconsciously hid aside. Looking at the two of them laughing and chatting intimately, Cheng Yaoyao's eyebrows were full of unreserved dependence and sweetness, and when he looked at Xie Zhao, there was a light flashing in his eyes.
He once thought that the excitement and excitement between him and Cheng Nuonuo was love. But Cheng Yaoyao and Xie Zhao clearly did not have any physical contact, but the sweet aura around them was unstoppable, making others jealous.
Cheng Yaoyao's once troublesome and arrogant character turned into a charming and lovely person in front of Xie Zhao. Xie Zhao's sinister and cold character disappeared without a trace, and he became confident and clear-headed.
And where has the relationship between him and Cheng Nonuo reached now?
Shen Yan held the paper bag in his hand and waited until Cheng Yaoyao walked into the warehouse and Xie Zhao walked away, then he dragged his heavy steps towards Lin Wuxing's house.
Lin Wuxing's house is a new brick and tile house with two entrances and a patio. It was built with money from his eldest son in the city. It is considered one of the most respectable houses in the village. Unfortunately, no one is taking care of the Lin family now. A dozen chickens are flying around in the patio, and the chicken droppings are all over the floor with nowhere to land.
As soon as Shen Yan entered the room, he heard loud shouting.
"At that time, the eldest and third sons all went to school, but my husband didn't. I broke stones to support their education! Now that the two eldest sons have died, this job should be my husband's turn!"
"Sister-in-law, that's not the case. To work in the city you need a degree. How can your uncle, who can't read a single word, be a buyer?"
"Are you saying my man is illiterate? I'll fight you!"
"You dare to hit my mother, you..."
The women and children of the second and third wives were all quarreling. The men had all gone to work, but Lin Wangshi was the only one who jumped up and down and cursed, and no one could stop her.
When Shen Yan saw this, he wanted to leave. Lin Pingping had already seen him and quickly withdrew her hand from the fight with Lin Dandan: "Shen, Shen Zhiqing!"
Mrs. Lin came over and stared at the paper bag in his hand: "Shen Zhiqing is here? What good things did you bring this time?"
Shen Yan looked down on her and said coldly, "Why did you ask your grandson to call me here? What happened?"
Mrs. Lin's old face showed a shrewd look, and she snorted and laughed: "This time I didn't ask you to come. It was the one in the house who said that if you don't come, she will hang herself in my house. If she really dies in my house, I can't afford it. Our house is newly built! I think you should move her out quickly..."
Ten yuan was stuffed into her hand. Mrs. Lin smiled and held the money tightly, and tried to take the paper bag from Shen Yan's hand. Shen Yan avoided her and went straight to Cheng Nonuo's room: "I'll go see her."
Mrs. Lin's face darkened. She finally got the money, and quickly put it in her trouser pockets, and glared at the two daughters-in-law who were staring at her trouser pockets: "What are you looking at! This money is for the educated youth Xiao Cheng to buy meat and noodles to nourish his body! Hurry up and clean up the chicken shit, and pour a glass of water for the educated youth Shen!"
Mrs. Lin had been the head of the household for more than ten years, relying on the money and food coupons given by her eldest son. Now that her eldest son was dead, Mrs. Lin had lost her support, and her two daughters-in-law ignored her.
After Mrs. Lin left with a grumble, Liu Min, the third daughter-in-law, whispered to her daughter Lin Pingping, "Go get a glass of water for Mr. Shen."
Lin Pingping nodded and ran to the kitchen somewhat shyly. The stove was clean and the oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, rice and flour were locked in the cupboard, which would make a mouse angry to death. The water in the pot was full, and firewood was free anyway.
Lin Pingping scooped a cup of boiling water, took some rock sugar from her room, and then shyly brought it to Cheng Nonuo's room. Lin Dandan saw it and cursed: "Shame on you!"
Zhang Aihua, who had been eating melon seeds, suddenly became alert: "Dandan, hurry up and give some melon seeds to Shen Zhiqing!"
Lin Dandan was coy: "Then... isn't that the same as Lin Pingping?"
Zhang Aihua slapped her and stuffed melon seeds into her hands. Stupid people are not stupid when it comes to their children's marriage: "I heard that the Shen family is a big official in Shanghai! You are not worse looking than Pingping, hurry up!"
Lin Dandan hurriedly picked up a handful of melon seeds and walked to Cheng Nonuo's room. Cheng Nonuo lived in the lower room, which was a room next to the stairs. It was warm in winter and hot in summer. Now it was next to the chicken coop. Not only was the smell bad, but there were also many mosquitoes.
As soon as she reached the door, she saw Lin Pingping holding a cup of tea and eavesdropping against the door. Lin Dandan was about to call out, but Lin Pingping gestured to her, and she also tiptoed over and eavesdropped together.
There was no light in the room, the doors and windows were closed, and the room was filled with the darkness and stench of old age. The person on the bed looked like a ghost, with weed-like hair, a withered face and sunken cheeks, and his exposed arms were as thin as reed sticks. He exuded the same rotten smell as the room.
A rough, skinny hand tightly grasped Shen Yan's. Cheng Nonuo's black nails dug into Shen Yan's flesh. The man's palm was broad and thick, with the warmth of a living person.
A laugh came out of her throat: "Brother Ayan, you finally came to see me."
Shen Yan shuddered violently. In his memory, Cheng Nonuo's little hand was warm and soft, with the unique smoothness of a young girl, but now it was like a ghost's claw on his hand.
Shen Yan pulled his hand away, opened the paper bag and said in a disingenuous manner: "I brought you some snacks."
"Snacks? Give it to me!" Cheng Nuonuo stretched out her withered hand, grabbed a piece of pastry and stuffed it into her mouth. The pastry crust fell all over the quilt. She chewed it in big mouthfuls. There was no saliva in her mouth because she hadn't drunk water all day. She swallowed it hard, choking and coughing violently, with veins on her forehead bulging.
Shen Yan couldn't help but get goosebumps. Cheng Nonuo's lips were covered with foam and her eyes rolled back. If...if only a moment later, she would choke to death.
The thought bubbled up like poisonous gas in a swamp.
Shen Yan stood up and fumbled on the table: "Water, where is the water?"
The enamel cup was empty, without even a drop of water in it.
The door was suddenly pushed open, and Lin Dandan and Lin Pingping almost fell in, spilling the sugar water all over the floor. The two looked at Shen Yan in panic, and Shen Yan snatched the cup and handed it to Cheng Nonuo.
Cheng Nonuo snatched the cup, tilted his head back and drank half a cup of sugar water, finally forced the cake down, and leaned over the quilt, coughing violently.
The sunlight shone obliquely into the room from outside. A woman was still lying on the bed in the darkness, her long felt hair sticking to her back. There were large clumps of dried stains and crumbs on the quilt of unknown color, which fell to the ground as she coughed violently.
Shen Yan stood there in a daze.
Lin Dandan and Lin Pingping also looked at Cheng Nonuo in surprise and disgust. She was no longer human. Shen Zhiqing beside the bed was handsome and decent. The contrast between the two made the girls feel sympathy and another kind of longing.
If they can even impress Cheng Nonuo, why can't they impress Shen Yan?
When Shen Yan saw Lin Dandan and Lin Pingping coming in, he frowned and asked, "Is this room never cleaned? There's no hot water?"
Cheng Nonuo wiped the biscuit crumbs off her face with the back of her hand and said with a cold smile, "What hot water? It's good enough if I can have two meals a day."
Shen Yan said: "Is there such a thing? I'll go ask her!"
Shen Yan gave Mrs. Lin nearly a hundred dollars in total, just to let her take good care of Cheng Nonuo. Looking at Cheng Nonuo's environment at this time, he felt that he had been deceived.
Cheng Nonuo said quietly, "Who is Mrs. Lin? You can find out by asking around in the village. It's useless to ask her."
Shen Yan's forehead was sweating, and he didn't dare to respond. He just frowned at Lin Dandan and Lin Pingping: "Can you help me get some water? And clean up the house."
Lin Dandan nodded eagerly: "Yes, yes, yes!" and then ran out to get a broom.
Lin Pingping followed behind, sneering inwardly, "Idiot."
Only Shen Yan and Cheng Nonuo were left in the room. Cheng Nonuo ate a biscuit while checking the things Shen Yan brought. A bag of biscuits, a bag of candy, and two cans. She hid all the things under her pillow, which made Shen Yan feel disgusted again.
"Why is there no pearl cream?"
Shen Yan frowned and said, "You are sick, you don't need those."
Cheng Nonuo raised her eyelids and smiled coldly: "Are you short of money?"
Shen Yan's eyelids twitched. It must be said that Cheng Nonuo really understood him. Ever since he came back from Shanghai, his father had stopped giving him pocket money. After he paid Cheng Nonuo's hospital bills, he asked Mrs. Lin to take a lot of money from him, so he was really short of money. Even the people he dined with stopped talking to him. Shen Yan was shy, so he had to pay for dry food with his own money, which was another huge expense.
Cheng Nonuo smiled and said, "Ayan, listen to me. Send a telegram to your father as soon as possible and tell him that we are getting married. Your father should give you some money."
Shen Yan got a headache when he heard this, but he didn't dare to provoke Cheng Nonuo: "Let's talk about it when you get better."
Cheng Nonuo said in a deep voice: "Shen Yan, don't refuse a toast and then drink the punishment wine..."
Lin Pingping came back with hot water. Shen Yan stopped talking and handed the water to Cheng Nonuo.
Lin Pingping looked at the cup of hot water with rock sugar in it, and her smile froze. She walked to the bed again and swiftly picked up the clutter and garbage on the table.
Lin Dandan took a broom and started sweeping the house vigorously.
Shen Yan covered his nose imperceptibly and stepped back, saying, "Then I'll leave first."
"Ayan, don't forget what I said, Ayan!" Cheng Nuonuo's hoarse voice followed out. Shen Yan walked into the alley in one breath. The sunlight fell on his body warmly, and he felt that he was back to the world.
Lin Pingping chased after him: "Shen Zhiqing!"
Shen Yan looked at her without saying anything. Now Shen Yan had no good feelings towards the people of the Lin family.
Lin Pingping said kindly, "Shen Zhiqing, my grandmother is a person... As soon as she sees you, she will ask you for money. Don't come to my house too often in the future. If you are worried about Cheng Zhiqing, I can pass on the message to you."
Shen Yan is hated by everyone these days, and few people in the village are willing to pay attention to him. Hearing such caring and soft words, he was moved for a moment and uttered a word: "Yeah."
Lin Pingping smiled shyly, flipped her braid, turned around and ran away. The shy girl's coy demeanor moved Shen Yan's heart. But he was more worried about money now. The things he bought for Cheng Nonuo today were bought by selling his watch, and he still had about 20 yuan left, which was not enough to make it to the end of the month.
Shen Yan wondered whether he should send a telegram to his family and ask his mother for financial help.
Cheng Yaoyao and Xie Zhao squatted in front of the vegetable garden, staring at the strawberries.
After tasting the delicious strawberries last time, the two strawberry seedlings have attracted the attention of the whole family. Jianjian even lies next to the strawberries and watches them all day long. The strawberries that have been picked once have seven or eight small fruits and are still blooming. Xie Zhao cuts off the creeping stems of the strawberries and plants them in the mud. The two strawberries become seven or eight. Cheng Yaoyao waters the strawberries every morning and evening, and counts with Grandma Xie and Xie Fei how many delicious snacks can be made from the strawberries, which makes Xie Fei even more fascinated.
This time there were about ten strawberries, just right for making strawberry cake. At this time, the bamboo frame covering the strawberries was overturned, and all the strawberries were eaten bare, leaving only a few small green strawberries, which were gnawed into a mess.
There were plum blossom-shaped footprints lying in all directions on the mud.
Jianjian and the little fat dog both hid in Grandma Xie's room.
Cheng Yaoyao had prepared the cream cake and was just waiting to pick strawberries, but now he was dumbfounded: "Wow! I quit!"
Xie Zhao asked, "Shall I go pick some raspberries?"
"How can raspberries compare to strawberries! I've already made a promise with Han Yin and the others that I'll make a strawberry cream cake! When they come here later, they'll laugh at me for bragging." Cheng Yaoyao became angrier and angrier as he spoke, "Catch Jianjian and Kongkong for me, I'm going to beat them up!"
Xie Zhao immediately coaxed, "I'm going into town now, and I promise to get you some strawberries."
"It's already this late, where are you going to find him?" Cheng Yaoyao rolled his eyes and suddenly said, "Xie Zhao, block it for me."
Grandma Xie and Xie Fei were busy in the kitchen. Xie Zhao didn't understand what was going on, so he moved aside to block them.
Cheng Yaoyao's fingertips dropped, and the spiritual spring water poured continuously on the strawberries. The strawberries' broken branches and leaves stretched out, and little buds suddenly emerged, and the buds bloomed in an instant. The flowers shook for pollination, and the flowers fell and ripened. The little green strawberries grew up and turned red in the blink of an eye.
Xie Zhao looked back and saw dozens of strawberries hanging from the bamboo rack, bright red like corals, with branches and leaves still stretching out. Cheng Yaoyao even raised his little face and looked at him as if to ask for credit.
Xie Zhao had a headache: "Nonsense!"
Cheng Yaoyao said sweetly: "You are the only one who knows this."
The little anger that had just risen was extinguished. Xie Zhao stroked his forehead and said, "Take it off quickly, and don't let anyone else see it."
Cheng Yaoyao took a small basket and picked the strawberries one by one. Who knew that just after picking the strawberries, another crop of bright red fruits would grow. The two men kept picking a full basket, and the growth of the strawberries finally slowed down. Only a few flower buds emerged, slowly opened, and finally stopped.
Cheng Yaoyao covered his chest and said blankly: "I... I didn't know it would be like this!"
Xie Zhao raised his hand, and Cheng Yaoyao quickly closed his eyes, with a bitter face, not daring to hide, and put on a tragic look of being ready to be killed.
With her mouth pinched, Cheng Yaoyao opened her eyes, pouting her rosy lips like a duck, and she pulled Xie Zhao's hand away in anger.
Xie Zhao said in a deep voice: "Will you dare to do it again in the future?"
"Mmmm! Mmm... I don't dare..."
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