Chapter 306

"Mom!"

Li Juxiang lunged forward, hugged Liu Jinxia, and pulled her off the bed.

If she had arrived even a step later, Liu Jinxia's hands would have been around the old woman's neck on the bed; as for how the old woman, who was already on her deathbed, would have passed, it would be hard to say.

While being dragged backward, Liu Jinxia kicked her legs hard, cursing viciously:

"Old beast, you are not human, old beast, you are not a thing."

You are about to die, and to seek relief, you've spilled all the old, rotten secrets; then what is she, Liu Jinxia, supposed to do?

She is already at this age, with a daughter and a granddaughter, and her life is clearly not far from the end; where could she possibly still care about her own origins?

Whether she was born to her parents or kidnapped by traffickers—what meaning does that have for her now?

Besides, her mother didn't say anything about this before she passed away, just to keep it from her; you're the only one with a mouth, you old beast, just itching to talk, right?

At this very moment, in Liu Jinxia's heart, there was not a shred of curiosity about her own origins, only full-blown anger and disgust.

Noise, quarrels, and chaos.

Li Juxiang finally managed to get her mother onto the tricycle and rode it down herself.

After passing the small path and getting onto the village road, traveling for a distance, Li Juxiang looked back and saw that the people on the dam in the distance were neither chaotic nor running, nor did she hear the sound of firecrackers, and only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.

Liu Jinxia calmed down; she didn't sit on the small stool wrapped in cloth, but instead draped her whole body over the tricycle, her half-white hair and elbows swaying along with the bumps of the wheels.

Sitting numbly like this for who knows how long, Liu Jinxia began to retch.

Li Juxiang immediately stopped the tricycle on the side of the road and helped her mother down.

Liu Jinxia pushed her daughter away, squatted down, and began to vomit.

The contents of her stomach were soon emptied, and tears took over.

Too distraught to wipe the filth from the corners of her mouth, Liu Jinxia leaned to the side, the old woman hugging herself, wailing silently.

Li Juxiang squatted beside her, one hand embracing her mother's head, the other gently stroking her mother's back.

The phrase "bitterness ends and sweetness begins" was just something she used to face the painful memories of the past; in truth, the bitterness that should have been eaten hadn't been missed by a single fraction.

Reaching the end, she thought her life could be considered to have had an account, whether facing her husband who died young, or the next generation, or even the generation after that.

But who would have thought, another slap would land on her face—it didn't hurt, but it left her heart feeling stifled.

A yellow pickup truck stopped beside them, and Tan Wenbin poked his head out:

"Auntie Juxiang?"

"Binbin?"

Tan Wenbin got out of the car, exchanged a few simple words to ask about the situation, and upon learning that there was no need to go to the health center, he first lifted the tricycle onto the pickup, then let Li Juxiang and Liu Jinxia sit inside.

"Auntie Juxiang, here is some paper."

"Thank you."

Li Juxiang pulled out some paper to wipe her mother's tears and the corners of her mouth.

"Binbin, are you coming back from Shigang?"

"Mm, went to my partner's house."

"Then is your partner at home?"

"She is still studying in Jin Ling."

"Then you go quite often."

"It's not that often; I don't have much time at home, so I go when I can."

During festivals, he was often outside, and it was easy for him to be away for a long time, so when he was idle, naturally he had to visit more often.

Other sons-in-law, before marriage, every time they went to their mother-in-law's house, in order to get more impression points, they would wish they could put a collar around their own necks and act like mules.

Tan Wenbin didn't need to; he would just put the gifts in the house and then go directly to Zhou Yunyun's old room to lie down and wait for dinner.

"Really good, both of you are university students, both have great prospects, and both your parents are worry-free."

"Hehe."

"As parents, we all hope that our children grow up, settle down, and start a family; then the worries of half a lifetime can be considered settled."

"Life will get better and better in the future; Cuicui is still young, and by her generation, they will have their own way of living."

"I hope so."

Tan Wenbin reached out to take a can of drink and handed it over: "Drink some, quench your thirst; I didn't put any water in the car."

"Thank you, sitting in your car and drinking your drink, it's quite embarrassing."

"Hey, it's not like we're outsiders."

Li Juxiang was indeed thirsty; she opened the drink first and brought it to her mother's mouth, but Liu Jinxia wouldn't drink, so Li Juxiang drank it herself.

After entering the Siyuan Village road from the main road, Tan Wenbin first drove the car to Liu Jinxia's house.

Li Juxiang looked at the second floor; the lights weren't on.

"Cuicui isn't at home!"

On nights when she was home alone, Cuicui would always turn on the lights.

Tan Wenbin: "Then she must be eating at Grandpa Li's house; let's go, let's go together, it saves the trouble of lighting the fire at home."

Li Juxiang was just about to refuse, but saw Tan Wenbin pointing at Liu Jinxia, who was still dull and listless: "Old ladies need old ladies to cure them."

Just like that, Li Juxiang sat back in the car.

Tan Wenbin turned the car around and drove back.

Cuicui wasn't at home, so she could only be at Grandpa Li's, because other families in the village wouldn't welcome her, and she wouldn't go there either.

The car drove to the front of Grandpa Li's house and stopped; the people on the dam were having dinner.

After Li Sanjiang's health recovered, he was finally able to drink with Old Man Tian again; once they started drinking, they couldn't stop, and both old men were already flushed.

Over at Lin Shu You and Runsheng's side, the original tripod-like balance hadn't been missing because of Tan Wenbin's absence, because Zhao Yi had joined.

This meal still had to be fought over to taste good.

But as they ate, Zhao Yi also discovered something was wrong and looked at Runsheng curiously: "Your appetite... hiss!"

Before he could finish asking, Zhao Yi's instep was fiercely stepped on by Lin Shu You.

Lin Shu You: "Three-Eyes, can't even a meal plug your mouth!"

Everyone thought it was because Yin Meng wasn't there, so Runsheng's appetite was poor.

At this time, there was no need to sprinkle salt on people's wounds.

Zhao Yi, however, knew clearly that Runsheng couldn't be that "childish"; logically speaking, with Yin Meng not there, he should be eating more and gaining more strength to go pick her up later.

Glancing at Lin Shu You, Zhao Yi bumped Runsheng lightly with his arm and said:

"If there's a good late-night snack shop, remember to introduce it."

Runsheng nodded.

Cuicui, along with Liu Yi, Uncle Qin, and Liu Yumei, were sitting at a small round table eating.

Liu Yi personally peeled a small bowl of shrimp for her and drizzled a bit of balsamic vinegar on top.

Cuicui wanted to take this bowl to share with Sister A Li, but when she turned her head, she found that Sister A Li was peeling shrimp for Brother Xiaoyuan, and Brother Xiaoyuan was picking bones out of the fish.

Liu Yi: "Don't look at them; you eat yours."

Cuicui: "Oh, okay, Liu Yi, the food you make is really delicious."

Liu Yi: "Better than what your mom makes?"

Cuicui leaned into Liu Yi's ear and whispered: "It really is better than what my mom makes."

Liu Yi: "Hehe, alright, keep it down, your mom and the others are here."

Tan Wenbin and Li Juxiang helped Liu Jinxia walk onto the dam together.

Liu Yumei held a cup of rice wine in her hand, drinking as she walked over.

Li Juxiang immediately noticed that her mother's feet began to support her weight, and the dull expression on her face gradually came to life.

Ever since her mother came here to play cards, at night at home, she was always talking about "Liu family sister this" and "Liu family sister that," a living replica of when Cuicui first met Xiaoyuan and would chatter at home every day about how "Brother Xiaoyuan" was this or that.

Looking at this posture, her mother not only played well with Liu Yi, but was also afraid of her.

Tan Wenbin let go, and Liu Jinxia pushed away Li Juxiang's hand and stood on her own.

Regarding this, Tan Wenbin wasn't the least bit surprised; he could see that Liu Jinxia wasn't "having an episode" at all, but had actively shut herself off when her emotions were subjected to a huge impact.

"Mom!"

Cuicui got off the table and ran over.

"Mom, what's wrong with Grandma?"

Li Juxiang: "Your grandma..."

Liu Jinxia patted Cuicui's head: "What could be wrong with Grandma?"

Liu Yi got up from the table: "I'll go get chopsticks; let's eat together."

Liu Jinxia: "How can I be so embarrassed, we picked up Cuicui..."

Liu Yumei placed her wine glass a bit heavily on the round table.

Liu Jinxia: "Eat, okay, eat, I'm hungry, I'm hungry."

Liu Yi smiled and went to the kitchen to get bowls and chopsticks.

Liu Jinxia sat over.

Liu Yumei swept a glance at her and asked: "What happened, to get into such a disheveled state."

Liu Jinxia: "Nothing happened, just felt stifled all of a sudden."

Liu Yumei: "The girl is here, and the granddaughter is here too; neither of them is having any trouble, so what are you stifling about here?"

Liu Jinxia hurriedly nodded: "Yes, yes, yes."

Liu Yi brought the bowls and chopsticks and signaled for Li Juxiang to take a seat.

Just as Liu Jinxia reached out to pick up her chopsticks, Liu Yumei spoke:

"Tidy up your hair, pat off the dust on your body; to sit at the table and eat, you must have some decency."

"Okay, I'll go right now."

Liu Jinxia put down her chopsticks and left the table; Li Juxiang followed her, and by the well, while drawing water to wash her mother's face, she helped her pat the dust off her clothes.

When they returned, Liu Jinxia had completely recovered her usual brisk spirit.

Liu Yumei nodded with satisfaction and personally poured her a cup of rice wine: "Come, eat."

Liu Jinxia: "Hey, eat!"

On the other side, Li Sanjiang let out a wine burp and said to Old Man Tian:

"Ha, this Liu Blindie is usually so fierce, who knew there was someone she was afraid of."

Old Man Tian didn't dare to pick up on that; that person—who wouldn't be afraid?

Earlier, when Liu Jinxia was just being helped up the steps, Old Man Tian had only taken one look and knew she was having a hysterical episode.

As a result, that person had removed the hysteria with just a few words.

It had to be said, sometimes this is the way of fate; if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn't have dared to believe that the matriarchs of two Long Wang lineages would actually sit together with a few old ladies in the village to play cards, and actually develop some feelings.

Li Sanjiang was just about to clink glasses with Old Man Tian, but who knew Old Man Tian's attention was entirely on the back.

"Hey, brother?"

"Ah, cheers!"

Old Man Tian clinked glasses with Li Sanjiang and drank it all in one gulp.

Li Sanjiang leaned over and whispered: "Brother, you wouldn't have taken a fancy to that Liu Blindie, would you?"

Old Man Tian hurriedly waved his hands: "How could that be, how could that be, I'm used to being alone, and I'm at this age, how could I still have such thoughts..."

Li Sanjiang: "If you haven't taken a fancy, then you haven't; why are you pulling out so many reasons?"

Old Man Tian: "I..."

Li Sanjiang: "Come, brother, originally I can be considered an old fellow villager with Liu Blindie, so I shouldn't say such things, but brother, you are also my friend, so I, your big brother, still have to remind you."

Old Man Tian: "Big Brother Li, go ahead."

Li Sanjiang: "Wanting to find a partner is fine, let's change the target; some things are just rumors and nonsense spread by people in the village, but there are still some... cough, hard to say."

Liu Jinxia's family is not unlucky; Li Sanjiang knew this point—you can be friends with them, or even do business together, and there's no problem.

But if you were to marry into the family, that would be a huge matter.

Li Sanjiang was much older than Liu Jinxia; when Liu Jinxia's husband died, she hadn't entered the profession yet, so it was Li Sanjiang who performed the funeral rites for her husband.

After that funeral was done, Li Sanjiang went back and had nightmares for three nights in a row.

Later, the son-in-law Liu Jinxia found for her daughter died after falling headfirst into a paddy field while planting rice.

Li Sanjiang went to help too; by that time Liu Jinxia had already entered the profession, so he accompanied Liu Jinxia to perform the rites, and Shan Pao was there too.

As a result, he, Li Sanjiang, had nightmares for three nights in a row again.

Shan Pao was even more extreme; on the way back to Xiting, he was directly hit by a car, and the car was a hit-and-run.

Thanks to the fact that Shan Pao was holding Runsheng's hand when he went, little Runsheng first begged nearby villagers to use an ox cart to send his grandfather to the health center, then ran home in one breath to borrow money from him to pay the hospital fees.

Regarding this matter, Shan Pao had always blamed himself, because in the past, as long as he worked with him, he would never have any good luck.

Li Sanjiang would usually scold him back in the past, but only that time, he let Shan Pao blame himself, just smoked his cigarette with his head down, and didn't offer an explanation.

In fact, Liu Blindie herself knew this in her heart.

Otherwise, for so many years, how could she not have recruited another one for her daughter?

Although her family's reputation was bad, the family conditions were good, and most importantly, Xiang Hou was both young and beautiful; even now, because Xiang Hou didn't have to work in the fields, she was still the best-looking woman in the village.

If she really wanted to recruit, even if one didn't care about money and only cared about looks, there would definitely be plenty of men willing to jump in.

When the same thing happened to her own daughter, Liu Blindie understood.

After drinking another cup of wine, Old Man Tian let out a sigh and said: "It's not her fault, she doesn't want it either; they are all bitter people, it's quite pitiful."

Li Sanjiang moved his neck back: "If you say she's pitiful to her face, she'll splash you with feces."

Old Man Tian: "Ah?"

"That's only because Liu Blindie's temper has smoothed out a bit over the years; back in the day when she was raising her daughter alone, the stock in her family's porcelain vat—let alone fertilizing fields, it wouldn't even be enough to splash people.

I remember back then, there was a bastard in the village who drank some wine and said that since she was a lone woman with a widow mother, she should just move into his house and serve him together with his wife.

That very night, Liu Blindie pushed a manure cart to his house and gave his walls a fresh coat of paint from the dam to the wall."

Old Man Tian: "Hehehehe."

Li Sanjiang: "What are you laughing at?"

Old Man Tian: "Without this temperament, she really wouldn't have been able to support this bitter life."

"You're really drunk."

"I'm not drunk, don't believe me? Come, keep drinking!"

"Who's afraid of who, drink!"

After dinner, the drunk Li Sanjiang was carried back to his room by Runsheng, while Zhao Yi carried the equally drunk Old Man Tian to Big Hu Zi's house to rest.

When the two old men separated, Li Sanjiang was still muttering in his drunkenness:

"Don't get carried away, don't be impulsive..."

Old Man Tian was also waving his hands while muttering in his drunkenness:

"It's not easy, it's not easy..."

Li Juxiang helped Liu Yi clean up, and Cuicui came to the second-floor terrace, watching Brother Xiaoyuan and Sister A Li playing chess under the starry sky.

Liu Yumei held a cup of tea and leaned there, while Liu Jinxia held a cattail fan, driving away mosquitoes for the two while recounting her experiences today.

The recounting was accompanied by emotional buildup, and in the end, Liu Jinxia almost cried out:

"Liu family sister, you say why is my life so bitter? I've lived for so many years in a daze, and only at this age did I learn my origins, and learn that my hometown is in Anhui."

Liu Yumei took a sip of tea and said calmly: "Jiujiang is in Jiangxi."

Liu Jinxia's old face flushed red: "Oh, my hometown is in Jiangxi."

An old person of her age only remembers Nantong and two or three nearby cities; she hadn't even figured out the place names within her own province, let alone outside the province, where she was completely in the dark.

"Then do you plan to look for your relatives?"

"Look for what relatives, just treat it as that old thing deliberately making up lies to disgust me before he died."

"Then just treat it as if it never happened and continue living your own life."

"That's what I think too."

"Then go back to sleep early; you still have to play cards tomorrow, and then you can introduce your hometown to them again."

Liu Jinxia was amused by these words, but felt embarrassed to laugh out loud, her face puckering into a chrysanthemum.

"Hehehe."

Liu Yumei smiled as she stood up, pushed open the door, and walked into the east room.

Liu Yi followed with hot water, preparing to draw a bath for the old lady.

"Aren't you going to chat with her some more? I think Liu Yi was quite wanting to chat more; I reckon she'll have a hard time sleeping when she goes back tonight."

Liu Yumei shook her head and said:

"I dare not chat anymore."

Liu Yi immediately realized there was something behind her words: "What's wrong?"

"I just felt a warning in my heart... cough cough, cough cough!"

Liu Yumei coughed for a while, covering her mouth with a handkerchief; after she finished coughing, she saw the blood on the handkerchief.

Liu Yi said anxiously: "You, didn't your body just get adjusted with medicine? How could you be coughing blood again? Have you been secretly looking at A Li's picture album again?"

Liu Yumei frowned slightly; she was also puzzled:

"Our Xiaoyuan, didn't he just come home?"

Liu Jinxia walked to Li Juxiang's side and asked: "Is everything packed?"

"Mom, everything is packed."

"Then call Cuicui and let's go home."

"Cuicui, come down quickly, let's go home!"

"Hey, coming!"

Cuicui went downstairs and returned home with her mother and grandmother.

On the second-floor terrace, Li Zhuiyuan's eyes were deep in thought.

The young man had good hearing, so the small talk downstairs was naturally heard clearly, and when the place name "Jiujiang" appeared, it meant the nature of the matter had completely changed.

The third water channel had appeared before him just like that.

Just how much does the Heavenly Dao dislike the Zhao family?

He had just decided to strike against the Zhao family, and the river water immediately rose to cooperate.

But the more this was the case, the more it meant that the secret deep within the Zhao family was not simple.

Li Zhuiyuan stood up and looked at Lin Shu You, who was sitting under the lightbulb downstairs reading a book.

Lin Shu You was reading the book with great relish because Tan Wenbin was sitting there watching TV.

"A You."

"Brother Xiaoyuan, I'm here."

"Go call Zhao Yi over."

"Understood!"

Lin Shu You put down the book and ran toward Big Hu Zi's house.

Just as he arrived at Big Hu Zi's house, he found it pitch black.

Soon,

A kerosene lamp was lit, and Zhao Yi's face was reflected behind it.

"Young Master, don't..."

"There's no other way."

"Young Master, really don't..."

"No, I've already decided."

Seeing the kerosene lamp and hearing this conversation, Lin Shu You immediately shouted:

"Three-Eyes, what are you doing!"

In the next moment, Lin Shu You's figure appeared in front of Zhao Yi, and the wind he brought caused the candle flame on the lamp to sway violently, and then, with a "clatter,"

It went out!

Lin Shu You: "..."