Chapter 54: Rural Absurd Past Events Chapter 54: Mountain Gully Village 54

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

In everyone's life, perhaps there is always such a fate — sought but not obtained — where that person appears either too early or too late; in short, they simply don't appear at the right time, so one can only miss them, only regret.

For Li Xiulan, Niu Chunsheng was precisely such a fate.

Especially when her life was unsatisfactory, she couldn't help but fantasize even more: if the first person she had met was Niu Chunsheng, not Wang Zhanggen, what kind of situation would that have been?

It's just a pity there are no "ifs" in this world; no matter how beautiful the fantasy, it remains only fantasy.

No matter how bad reality is, once she opens her eyes, she has no choice but to face it.

This evening, Wang Zhanggen stayed out carousing and didn't come home; Li Xiulan lay in bed tossing and turning, thinking a great deal, and the thought of divorce grew ever more firm in her mind.

First thing tomorrow morning, she absolutely must catch Wang Zhanggen and get the divorce done!

As for which parent the three children stay with, let the three children choose for themselves!

If they're willing to stay with her as their mother, she'll do her utmost to care for them; if not, she'll let go — she won't fight for them.

However, what Li Xiulan never could have expected was...

Wang Zhanggen simply didn't give her the chance to divorce!

Early the next morning, Wang Zhanggen came out of the Village Casino; he didn't even go home, just directly got on Zhu Rou Rong's motorcycle to Town.

He left without saying a word.

He knew perfectly well that as soon as he went home there'd be another row; Li Xiulan now ran her own Convenience Store, her wings had hardened — she not only denied him Face but wanted a divorce.

He wouldn't let Li Xiulan succeed.

If they divorced, giving up custody of the children would be a huge loss; but if he sought custody, he was penniless and couldn't care for them.

So not divorcing and maintaining the status quo was best.

His head was very clear.

Divorce could wait until he'd gone to the City and earned money; once he had money, even if Li Xiulan came begging tearfully unwilling to divorce, he absolutely would divorce!

But upon reaching Town, Wang Zhanggen suddenly discovered he didn't have a single cent in his pocket.

Last night he accidentally bet big, couldn't stop himself, and lost the several hundred yuan he still had on him.

So now even the bus fare to the City was a problem.

What to do now?

Wang Zhanggen frowned in worry.

This man cared terribly about Face.

So he absolutely could not go home and ask Li Xiulan for bus fare.

He just squatted at the Town Street Entrance, smoking and thinking of a way.

At this moment a familiar figure passed by.

"Wang Zhanggen, old classmate, long time no see!"

Wang Zhanggen looked up and saw a familiar face appear before him.

It was none other than Primary School classmate Liu Xiaoli.

Back in Primary School, Wang Zhanggen and Liu Xiaoli got along fairly well; they were Deskmates, and Wang Zhanggen copied Liu Xiaoli's homework more than once.

Later, in sixth grade, Wang Zhanggen dropped out because his family had no money, went home to herd cattle and plow fields, while Liu Xiaoli continued on to Junior High School.

After that Wang Zhanggen married, had children, went out to work, and he and Liu Xiaoli basically lost contact completely.

"Liu Xiaoli, how come you're here?"

Today's Liu Xiaoli had already transformed from the little girl of the past into a fully ripened woman.

Her skin was wheat-colored, she wore a simple dacron shirt, her hair tied in a capable ponytail, the skin on her hands somewhat dry and rough.

One could tell these years she'd probably endured no small amount of life's hardships.

Yet her features were still well-maintained, her figure also good; the wheat-yellow complexion gave her a simple, healthy beauty.

"I'm doing masonry work in Town, happened to pass by and saw you; what about you, why're you squatting here?"

Liu Xiaoli bared her teeth, smiling radiantly.

"Heh heh, I'm waiting for someone here."

Wang Zhanggen's face showed a bitter smile, somewhat embarrassed.

He didn't want Liu Xiaoli to see through his predicament, so he told a lie.

Then hurriedly changed the subject:

"Are you married?"

This topic is actually quite sensitive; normally one shouldn't ask so directly.

How offensive.

But Wang Zhanggen just asked that directly.

Liu Xiaoli's heart gave a slight start, she couldn't help feeling awkward, but still answered truthfully:

"I was, but my man died a couple years ago..."

Then she added with self-mockery:

"Now I'm a Widow everyone dislikes!"

Liu Xiaoli recalled the various childhood moments between her and Wang Zhanggen, a trance-like, dreamy feeling in her heart.

"What about you, are you married?"

Liu Xiaoli asked, a hint of expectation in her eyes.

Actually, without asking, she probably already knew the answer.

In the rural area, people generally start blind dating at seventeen or eighteen, and most are married with children by their early twenties; by nearly thirty, there are basically few who haven't married.

Those nearly thirty and unmarried are definitely defective goods—either disabled, mentally abnormal, or too ugly to be seen.

Wang Changgen wasn't ugly; tall and thin, with a bit of handsomeness, it was impossible for him to remain single until now.

As expected, Wang Changgen said:

"Married long ago, had three sons, the oldest is eight!"

That hint of expectation in Liu Xiaoli's eyes quickly vanished, and she hurriedly gave an embarrassed laugh:

"Then you're great, a happy family, truly enviable!"

Wang Changgen forced a smile:

"Envy my ass! What's there to envy? That shrew at my house picks a fight over nothing. Just now, I came back for Mid-Autumn Festival, originally wanting to spend the holiday well with the kids, but she made a scene last night, really making me furious!"

"Husband and wife may quarrel at the head of the bed but make up at the foot; mutual understanding is what makes a good life!" Liu Xiaoli hurriedly comforted him.

Wang Changgen said instead:

"If only she were as reasonable as you! She's just an unreasonable shrew!"

Wang Changgen wanted to say Li Xiulan was an unchaste slut, and that he had always held a grudge over the rumors and gossip involving Li Xiulan, He Dazhu, and Yang Dafu, still unable to let it go to this day.

But the words reached his lips and he stopped.

Because saying his own wife was a slut, cuckolding himself, the shame would ultimately fall on him as a man.

Others would only laugh at him for being incapable, not at his wife for being wanton.

Wang Changgen speaking ill of his own wife left Liu Xiaoli not knowing what to say.

She could only laugh awkwardly.

Wang Changgen didn't know what to say either, keeping his head down and puffing on his cigarette.

The atmosphere was somewhat awkward.

"Old classmate, it's getting late, I have to go to work; let's chat again when we have time!"

After a while, Liu Xiaoli finally spoke such a sentence.

"Okay, okay, go on then!"

Wang Changgen waved his hand.

Watching Liu Xiaoli's receding back as she turned and left, he deeply exhaled a mouthful of smoke.

At this moment, he suddenly called out to Liu Xiaoli.

"Xiao Li!"

Liu Xiaoli was stunned, turned back and smiled:

"Something else?"

Wang Changgen asked:

"Is your construction site still hiring?"

Wang Changgen had no money to go to the city now, and didn't want to go home, so finding a job in town became his best choice.

Liu Xiaoli's face showed a hint of surprise and delight:

"We're hiring. Dajun Shu has been wanting to hire a big worker lately! Can you lay bricks? Can you plaster?"

In the township, construction work is generally divided into two types: big workers and small workers.

Big workers handle technical tasks like laying bricks, plastering, laying floors, and pouring roofs; small workers handle tasks like sifting sand, mixing mortar, and carrying bricks that don't require so much skill.

"I don't know, I've never done these! But I can learn!"

Wang Changgen said truthfully.

Liu Xiaoli said:

"Then come with me to see Dajun Shu; he's our foreman. I'll ask for you and see if he'll take you."

Wang Changgen immediately showed delight, tossed down his cigarette butt and ran over:

"Xiao Li, then I'll trouble you! If it works out, I'll treat you to a meal later!"

Liu Xiaoli said with a smile:

"We're old classmates; why be so polite with me?"