Chapter 6: Rural Absurd Past Events Chapter 6: Mountain Gully Village 6

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

He Dazhu looked at Li Xiulan's face full of expectation; at this moment, how he wished Li Xiulan would give him a definite answer, even just a slight nod, and he would be overjoyed.

But unfortunately, reality and wishes always go in opposite directions.

Not only did Li Xiulan not agree to him, she even resisted breaking free from his hands, stepped back, and put distance between them.

That action of stepping back was like a sharp sword, deeply piercing into He Dazhu's heart.

"Dazhu-ge, I can't do anything that wrongs Changgen, and you can't do anything that wrongs Sister-in-law Chunhua, go now!"

Li Xiulan's expression was firm, and she issued a Funeral Expulsion Order.

Because of the lesson from Yang Dafu, she deeply understood that when facing a man, she absolutely could not hesitate, nor let him feel there was still a chance.

So, even for simple care, she would not give He Dazhu a chance.

Although she really needed a man she could rely on, if she accepted He Dazhu's care, what would Liao Chunhua think? What would the whole village think? What would her husband Wang Zhanggen think if he found out?

"Xiulan, we were once so intimate, but now you treat me like this? How can you be so heartless!"

He Dazhu showed an expression of unbearable pain on his face.

"The past is the past, now we both have our own families." Li Xiulan lowered her head.

Actually, her heart did not feel good either.

To say she had not a bit of feeling for He Dazhu anymore was impossible.

After all, the two had once been deeply in love!

It was just that the upbringing she received since childhood, and the principles in her heart, were driving her to uphold the bottom line of morality.

Additionally, she was very clear that as a rural woman, if she ruined her reputation, how serious the consequences would be.

Although drowning people in pig cages is no longer popular now, word spreads quickly, and afterwards in the village, she would absolutely not be able to lift her head to see people.

"Honestly tell me, did you ever love me or not!"

He Dazhu's heart was like being cut by a knife, suddenly becoming excited, he stepped forward, grabbed Li Xiulan's shoulders with both hands, shook Li Xiulan, and asked aggressively.

"Don't say these anymore, okay? What use is saying these?"

Li Xiulan struggled hurriedly; the more aggressive He Dazhu was, the more disgusted she felt.

"I want to know the answer!"

He Dazhu became emotionally excited.

He was just like that, gentle when gentle, fierce when fierce.

Actually, the reason Li Xiulan's parents initially did not agree to Li Xiulan marrying He Dazhu was not only because He Dazhu's family was dirt poor, but also because He Dazhu's character was unreliable.

The facts proved that in the big matter of marriage, Li Xiulan's parents' choice of a partner was still quite accurate.

Wang Zhanggen was also poor, but he had a good temper and was very enterprising, not someone He Dazhu could compare with.

"What can knowing the answer do!" Li Xiulan was driven to desperation by He Dazhu, suddenly exerted force, fiercely shook off He Dazhu's hands, and shouted loudly:

"I did give you a chance back then, it was you yourself who were unpromising, who can you blame!"

At that moment, the emotions Li Xiulan had suppressed in her heart burst out instantly.

Actually, she was not very happy either; her husband worked away all year and was home for only a few days, to say she was not lonely was impossible.

How many sleepless nights, she curled up alone in bed, could only hug the pillow tightly, relying on imagined tenderness to get through the long nights.

Plus the trouble of several children, the consumption on her spirit and energy was even greater.

She felt she had aged quickly these past few years, not yet thirty, but her complexion was dark yellow, no longer youthful and full of vitality like before.

The air suddenly became quiet.

He Dazhu could not speak.

In the vast mulberry field, only cicadas were making noise.

Li Xiulan's sentence struck straight into the depths of He Dazhu's soul, leaving him completely unable to answer.

Yes, Li Xiulan had once given him a chance.

On that dark and windy night four years ago, at the haystack by the stream, Li Xiulan was like moonlight from the sky, so pure, so clean, without a bit of impurity, not wearing a single thread of clothing, just standing before him, but he only hugged her once, and then fled in defeat.

That was He Dazhu's lifelong regret, lifelong pain.

"Honestly tell me, are you really incapable?"

Li Xiulan suddenly asked such a question.

She regretted it as soon as she said it.

She should not ask such a sensitive question.

After all, she and He Dazhu were just ordinary friends now.

But spilled water cannot be gathered back, and asked questions cannot be taken back.

He Dazhu lowered his head, his body deflated instantly, listless and hunched.

Then he fiercely slapped himself.

"Slap! Slap!"

The sound of slaps was like clear firecrackers.

"What you said is right, I am incapable, I am not a man! Not only am I incapable with you, I am incapable with Liao Chunhua either! How can that thing of mine be so unpromising! It was fine originally! Four years ago I was day and night hoping to do that kind of thing with you, but that night you invited me to meet at the haystack, I only hugged you once, and couldn't help but lose my strength... I am an incapable man, I deserve to die, I thought you wouldn't mind this bit of me, unexpectedly you would also mock me..."

He Dazhu was in unbearable pain.

He really hated his own unpromising thing, clearly desire was strong, clearly many times relying on imagination he could get it up, but why when truly approaching a woman did it lose strength so quickly?

"Don't be like this, why don't you go see a Doctor..." Faced with He Dazhu's self-reproach, Li Xiulan instead felt a bit of sympathy for him.

"Where would I have that kind of money?"

He Dazhu looked dejected.

Li Xiulan persuaded him again:

"If you have no money, just slowly nurse your body back to health. I think you just drank too much alcohol. You quit drinking first, and maybe you'll get better later..."

But He Dazhu shook his head with a bitter smile:

"Before I went to the Haystack with you four years ago, I never drank alcohol!"

Li Xiulan had nothing to say.

She felt He Dazhu was very pitiable, but she couldn't help him either; she wasn't a Doctor.

So in the end she could only change the subject:

"Why don't you go back and rest first? I still have to pick Mulberry Leaves. The Silkworms at Home are waiting for me to bring Mulberry Leaves back. Silkworms in the big eating phase can't be left hungry."

Hearing these words, He Dazhu felt very uncomfortable in his heart. He knew Li Xiulan had already completely let him go.

But he was unwilling, truly unwilling!

So he shamelessly refused to leave.

He continued with his head down helping Li Xiulan pick Mulberry Leaves.

Seeing him wearing a long face, Li Xiulan couldn't bring herself to scold him, so she could only let him be.

So the two of them just silently picked Mulberry Leaves like this.

The atmosphere was rather awkward.

Not until noon, twelve o'clock, did the two of them finish picking four Snake Skin Bags of Mulberry Leaves.

Li Xiulan picked up the bamboo shoulder pole, just about to carry the Mulberry Leaves back.

But He Dazhu snatched the bamboo shoulder pole in one grab:

"I'll help you carry it. You just take the two children!"

Not waiting for Li Xiulan to refuse, He Dazhu hoisted the four bags of Mulberry Leaves onto his shoulder.

These four bags of Mulberry Leaves were a fairly heavy load for a pregnant woman, but for He Dazhu, a big man, they were a piece of cake.

So he shouldered the Mulberry Leaves and walked with long, swift strides, heading down the Tiantián.

Li Xiulan carried Wang Erhai on her back, held Wang Dashan by the hand, and followed behind, shouting from time to time:

"Be careful, don't twist your ankle!"

Looking at He Dazhu's sturdy back, Li Xiulan couldn't help but sigh inwardly: If only her husband Wang Zhanggen were by her side, that would be good.

Li Xiulan and He Dazhu had just returned Home, but discovered Liao Chunhua was already waiting at her Door for quite a while...