Chapter 145: Rural Absurd Past Events Chapter 145

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

These past two days Wang Dashan had asked his father several times for money to buy a mobile phone, but each time Wang Zhanggen firmly refused, and Wang Dashan was truly very angry about it.

Originally, his image of his father Wang Zhanggen was just so-so in his heart, but after this incident, the image of his father fell even further.

He even began to gradually turn into resentment.

A father who was originally not very responsible toward the family was now so faithless, simply because he held the family's power in his own hands, unilaterally denying the promises he had made before.

The impact on Wang Dashan was even worse and more serious than the previous impact of them not buying Xiao Hua a tape recorder.

But as an ignorant lower-class person, Wang Zhanggen simply did not realize the seriousness of the consequences of his actions.

Not only did he not realize it, Li Xiulan, as a mother, did not realize it either.

They always took things lightly, always felt that raising three children was already not easy, and that no matter what, the children should understand their difficulties.

At that moment, the ignorance and limitations of the lower class were vividly embodied in this couple.

But this cannot be blamed on them; if they truly had high-level cognition and truly had far-sighted vision, they would not have lived to such an old age and still be living poor days in the rural area.

Outside, Reform and Opening Up was in full swing, the economy was booming, as long as someone had a little brain, they could stand firm in the city, earn their first pot of gold in life, and have a small home in the city.

But Wang Zhanggen had been out wandering for so many years before and earned not a single cent, which already showed that his life was destined to fail.

And this failed life of his was now, intentionally or unintentionally, affecting his three sons.

Wang Dashan finally really cried.

A big boy of 1.75 meters, a man who had trained a strong muscular body, under the faithless actions of his father and mother, was truly heartbroken.

Even Xiao Hua could not bear to watch this anymore.

Previously, the parents were unwilling to buy him a tape recorder, which was simply a cognition issue; but now being unwilling to buy Wang Dashan a mobile phone was a credibility issue, an issue of the parents' authority.

Xiao Hua had read many books at such a young age, and naturally he had also come into contact with the story of "Zengzi Slaughters the Pig."

He wanted to tell the story of "Zengzi Slaughters the Pig" to Wang Zhanggen and Li Xiulan, in order to change their notions.

However, Xiao Hua was ultimately too young and did not know a cruel reality of this society:

For lower-class people, wanting to change their notions was no different from digging up their ancestral grave.

So when he told the story of "Zengzi Slaughters the Pig" to Wang Zhanggen and Li Xiulan,

Wang Zhanggen laughed and said:

"This Zengzi is really a big fool; killing a pig over such a small matter, what will they do when they want to eat pork during the Spring Festival?"

Li Xiulan said:

"Xiao Hua, do you want to eat pork? If you want to eat, I'll go buy some for you later; our family is richer than before now, eating pork several times a month is still affordable."

Xiao Hua cried and laughed helplessly:

"Dad, Mom, you misunderstand my meaning. The story of Zengzi Slaughters the Pig says that one must keep one's word in life, especially parents' promises to their children, which must be kept even more. Since you previously promised to buy something within one thousand yuan for Big Brother, now Big Brother wants a mobile phone costing nine hundred eighty-eight yuan, you should buy it for him!"

Wang Zhanggen, upon hearing this, immediately became angry:

"Xiao Hua, you've turned bad too, haven't you! You give me an honest explanation—do you also want to play with a mobile phone!"

Xiao Hua, being shouted at like this by Wang Zhanggen, immediately showed fear and was full of grievance.

He once again produced a deep sense of frustration in his heart.

For Xiao Hua during his childhood, his father shaping authority in such a rough and unreasonable way was simply an inescapable shadow.

"I didn't, I didn't mean that..."

Xiao Hua's voice became weak.

Wang Zhanggen sternly scolded:

"You didn't? I see you're lying! Otherwise why are you beating around the bush saying so much? Talking about Zengzi Slaughters the Pig, talking about keeping one's word, what does a little kid like you understand? You understand fart! We adults have eaten more salt than you have eaten rice, walked more roads than you have walked bridges, and still need you to lecture me? Don't think I don't know what little tricks you're playing! If you mention buying a mobile phone again, I'll break your hands!"

Xiao Hua was directly shouted into tears.

Wang Dashan hurriedly came over and pulled Xiao Hua away:

"Little brother, don't talk to him anymore, let's go play; if they won't buy, then forget it!"

Wang Dashan pulled Xiao Hua out to the courtyard outside, and Xiao Hua's nose felt sour:

"Big Brother, I really can't understand how Mom and Dad could be like this..."

Wang Dashan laughed hehe:

"What's there to not understand? The family is too poor, they're unwilling to spend money, so when we grow up later, we must work hard to earn money; only with money can we have the right to choose."

Although Wang Dashan was not good at studying, what he said was actually quite reasonable.

He then said:

"I'm not good at studying; being able to go to high school is already burning high incense. Taking the Gaokao has almost no possibility at all; I can only pin my hopes on you, little brother. You study hard, and when you get into university in the future, go out to the big city outside and earn big money!"

Xiao Hua nodded:

"Mm!"

Wang Dashan took Xiao Hua to wander outside for most of the day, went swimming in the river, went to catch mice in the mountain, and also went to play game machines with several friends of Wang Dashan's age.

Wang Dashan had a friend from the neighboring village whose family not only had a television but also a game machine.

Xiao Hua only quietly watched them play from behind; he didn't play himself, but already felt very happy.

This was something Xiao Hua had never experienced before.

This day was the happiest and most blissful day he had spent in recent years; even when he grew up and worked in the city, whenever he recalled this day, he could still feel that unprecedented happiness and bliss.

Xiao Hua seemed to understand why so many children liked playing game machines; that thing looked fun just by looking at it, let alone playing it personally.

At the same time, he could understand, to some extent, his father's strict vigilance toward them; this vigilance was clearly too extreme—no mobile phone, no tape recorder—but the intention should have been good.

Wang Dashan's friend told Xiao Hua that if he wanted to play games later, he could come to his house, as long as he taught his sister to do her homework along the way; his sister was in fourth grade at the time.

Xiao Hua declined his kindness.

Because Know, although game consoles were fun, they did not belong to him; he could not play them, let alone become addicted to them. He still had to study, still had to take the Gaokao, still had to earn lots and lots of money...