Chapter 269: Rural Absurd Past Events Chapter 269: Forced to Lie, Feeling Very Humiliated

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

"Big Brother, why don't you go to Eldest Sister-in-law's house? If you go now to try to keep her, maybe there's still time."

Wang Xiaohua looked at Wang Dashan, sympathy in his eyes.

Wang Dashan, however, sneered:

"I clearly didn't do anything wrong, so why should I be the one to go beg her to stay? I won't be that pathetic!"

Wang Zhanggen spoke expressionlessly at this moment:

"I don't object to you and Du Xiaojuan breaking up; I never thought highly of her to begin with. But during this New Year period, you'd better not go running around outside telling everyone about this! You just found a girlfriend, only brought her home once, and then broke up — if that gets out, how embarrassing! You might be able to throw away that face, but I, as your father, can't afford to lose it!"

Wang Zhanggen's first reaction was to consider his own face.

Rather than consider Wang Dashan's feelings, let alone consider Wang Dashan's future.

Wang Dashan himself cared deeply about face, so he immediately said:

"Rest assured, I won't say anything outside. When I find a better woman, announcing that she and I broke up won't be late either."

Wang Zhanggen nodded with satisfaction, then turned his gaze to Li Xiulan, Wang Erhai, and Wang Xiaohua:

"You lot don't go blabbing either!"

Li Xiulan's expression was complex; she sighed:

"If relatives and friends ask, what are we supposed to say?"

Wang Zhanggen said:

"Just say Dashan's girlfriend went back to her hometown. Anyway, they haven't gotten a marriage license yet, so her going back to her hometown is perfectly normal!"

Li Xiulan asked again:

"If someone asks when they're getting married, how do we answer that?"

Wang Zhanggen said coldly:

"Say there's no rush, at least wait until next year!"

Because Wang Dashan and Du Xiaojuan broke up, the whole Wang family spent this New Year in low spirits.

In a blink it was the second day of the Lunar New Year; today was the day for visiting relatives.

The Wang family of five set out early in the morning for the neighboring town to visit Li Xiulan's eldest brother and second brother.

Although Li Xiulan's parents had both passed away, her eldest brother Li Yaozu and second brother Li Jiahao were still alive and well. According to local custom, as the youngest sister, she had to visit them at least once every New Year to maintain family ties.

Wang Zhanggen had previously told everyone Wang Dashan had found a girlfriend; coincidentally, Li Yaozu called at that time asking when they'd come visit this year, and Wang Zhanggen casually said they'd come on the second day of the New Year, and that he'd bring Dashan's partner along.

But man proposes, God disposes; plans can't keep up with changes. Wang Dashan did bring his girlfriend home for the New Year, but barely past the first day, they broke up.

Before leaving, Wang Zhanggen reminded the three sons once more:

"When you get to your eldest and second uncles' house, absolutely do not say Dashan and his partner already broke up. Just say she had something come up and went back early. Understand?"

Wang Dashan and Wang Erhai both said they understood.

Wang Xiaohua just stayed silently mute.

Although he didn't agree with Wang Zhanggen's approach, feeling that lying for the sake of so-called face was unnecessary.

But he wouldn't go expose the lie either.

Because this wasn't just Wang Zhanggen's choice as an old man; Wang Dashan himself wasn't willing to let others know he and Du Xiaojuan had broken up.

As Wang Dashan's younger brother, Wang Xiaohua naturally had to respect his big brother's choice.

The family of five arrived at the eldest uncle's house in the neighboring town.

Eldest Uncle Li Yaozu, seeing Wang Dashan hadn't brought his girlfriend, indeed casually asked:

"Dashan, where's your partner? How come she didn't come?"

Wang Dashan could only answer with a dry laugh:

"She had an urgent matter come up temporarily and went back to her hometown."

Li Yaozu exclaimed in surprise:

"Didn't she just come to your house for the New Year? How come she left so urgently?"

Wang Zhanggen said:

"Can't be helped; her family had an emergency, she left yesterday afternoon. We couldn't very well stop her — after all, she and Dashan haven't tied the knot yet!"

Li Yaozu let out an "Oh," then asked:

"So when do they plan to tie the knot?"

"No rush, no rush," Wang Dashan's guilt showed on his face; he was never a man good at lying. "We'll talk about it next year..."

But his eldest uncle was just asking casually and didn't press further.

It wasn't his own children's business, so he didn't really care that much when Wang Dashan got married.

Purely just looking for a topic to chat about.

Relatives meeting during the New Year always revolve around those few topics — either gossiping about neighbors' trivial matters, or talking about marriage and kids.

Unmarried ones get pressed to marry, married ones get pressed to have kids, those with kids get pressed to have another.

If you say family planning now only allows one child.

They'll dismissively say:

"What's there to fear? Back then enforcement was even stricter, and people still had two or three in a row!"

After sitting a while at the eldest uncle's, drinking a few cups of tea, the Wang family of five headed to the second uncle's house for a visit.

My great-uncle and second uncle had separated the family long ago.

Both families had built two-story buildings.

They were not far apart, just over a hundred meters.

The two families had quarreled over the separation before, but after so many years, the conflict had faded considerably.

When Li Xiulan and Wang Zhanggen passed by Second Uncle's place, Li Yaozu told them to come to his house for lunch later, and to bring his brother's family along as well.

Li Xiulan agreed repeatedly, saying they would sit for a while and then have her family come over to eat together.

Arriving at Second Uncle Li Jiahao's home, everyone chatted about those same few topics.

Li Jiahao also asked Wang Dashan why his girlfriend wasn't there; hadn't he said he found a girlfriend and brought her back for the Spring Festival?

Wang Dashan could only answer embarrassedly that his girlfriend's family had an emergency, and she had returned to her hometown yesterday.

Outsiders were actually just asking casually.

But every time they asked, it made Wang Dashan's inner heart suffer once.

He felt very guilty and thought it was shameful.

He was a proper seven-foot man, yet he kept lying over this small matter.

It was truly laughable!

At the same time, his inner heart became even more determined: after the Spring Festival, when he returned to Guangzhou, he must find a woman better than Du Xiaojuan to be his girlfriend!

Not for anything else, just to prove to Du Xiaojuan that after he and Du Xiaojuan broke up, he would definitely live better!

Du Xiaojuan breaking up with him was Du Xiaojuan's loss, not his Wang Dashan's loss!

In the blink of an eye, it was noon mealtime.

Li Xiulan's family and Li Jiahao's family went together to Li Yaozu's home and ate lunch.

While eating, everyone was harmonious.

After lunch, they exchanged New Year's gifts and gave red envelopes to each other's children; when the time was about right, Li Xiulan and Wang Zhanggen's family said goodbye and left.

After returning home, Wang Dashan locked himself in his room, feeling depressed.

He took out his mobile phone, hoping Du Xiaojuan would send him a message, but his expectation was soon disappointed.

Du Xiaojuan did not send him any message.

The chat record still stayed on that one breakup voice message Du Xiaojuan sent him yesterday.

"Du Xiaojuan, you're really that heartless, right?"

……