Chapter 81 p1
“Comrade Li Yang, I’m sorry for causing you so much trouble,” Yin Linfeng said with a face full of guilt.
Li Yang glanced at him and said indifferently, “It’s nothing.”
She had already learned about Yin Linfeng from her older brother and was sure that he was not approaching her with ulterior motives, but had indeed confessed to her because he liked her. So he was not wrong. The ones who were wrong were those who were gossiping behind her back.
But the calmer Li Yang was, the more guilty Yin Linfeng felt.
“I’ve explained to them that I’m the one pursuing you, but you’ve already rejected me. Don’t worry, I won’t come looking for you again, and I certainly won’t do anything that would cause a misunderstanding. I believe this matter will calm down soon,” Yin Linfeng said. He had not expected the matter to blow up so much.
Li Yang’s lips curved into a slight smile. How could it be that easy?
If Yin Linfeng continued to look for her, then everyone would say that they were already together. If Yin Linfeng stopped looking for her, then everyone would say that Yin Linfeng disliked her.
In short, it was hard to be a woman, and even harder to be a young widow with children.
“You don’t have to feel guilty. I really don’t care about these things. You should go back to work,” Li Yang said, nodding at him and turning to leave.
At the Li family’s house, Gu Yao was cooking. Seeing Li Yang come back, she beckoned to her. “Yangyang, I have good news for you. Old He has asked around. The school is still hiring two teachers, and they require a junior high school education or above. You just meet the requirement. You just have to take an exam. But only three people have signed up. I believe you can do it.”
An exam? She had been out of school for so many years and had already returned many things to her teachers. Even if it was three people competing for two positions, Li Yang was not as confident as Gu Yao.
“Yangyang, how about you quit your job at the cotton factory early and study at home? What do you think?” Gu Yao asked, handing her a pair of chopsticks.
Li Yang took the chopsticks and helped to taste the food. “It’s a little bland. Just add a little more salt,” she said. She swallowed the food in her mouth and looked up at Gu Yao. “My current job is easy. I can work and study at the same time. Sister-in-law, don’t worry. It’s just some nonsense. I don’t take it to heart at all.”
Gu Yao opened her mouth, knew she could not persuade Li Yang, and did not continue to persuade her.
“Try it again. How’s the saltiness now?” Gu Yao asked, tilting her chin.
“It’s just right now. Sister-in-law, can you make a soup too? I want to drink your seaweed and egg drop soup,” Li Yang said. She was a little cold in the eyes of outsiders, but in front of Gu Yao, she was a little girl who loved to act coquettishly.
“Alright. You take the food out and also call Haohao back for dinner,” Gu Yao said, also doting on her.
After a search, she found Haohao at Ye Qingzhi’s house. Carrying the dirty Haohao, Li Yang didn’t even have the heart to hold him.
“You’re off work? Let Haohao eat at my place. I made steamed egg with minced meat today,” Ye Qingzhi said, hearing the noise and quickly coming out.
“No need. My sister-in-law also steamed an egg,” Li Yang said, holding Haohao’s hand and smiling at Ye Qingzhi. “My sister-in-law just told me about the job. I’ll have to trouble Brother He.”
“Why are you being so polite with us?” Ye Qingzhi said, not asking about the cotton factory. It was a private matter, and it was better not to inquire. “It’s just that this job requires an exam. You should study more recently.”
Li Jinfeng had already inquired. The other two who had signed up were also military wives, and one of them was a high school student. The competition was still quite fierce.
“I know. Thank you, Sister-in-law,” Li Yang nodded solemnly.
In Daye Village, Ding Aixian got up as usual. Seeing that there was no smoke coming from the kitchen, she frowned and lifted the pot lid. It was empty. Nothing had been cooked.
“Qinglan, Qinglan?” Ding Aixian opened Ye Qinglan’s room but did not see anyone. She went to the yard and called out twice.
Second Sister-in-law, Yu Xiaoyan, came out of the house, yawning, and asked in a hoarse voice, “Ma, has Little Sister gone to do the laundry?”
Ding Aixian glanced at her and pointed to the large wooden basin of dirty clothes in the corner. “They’re all here. This little brat, who knows where she’s run off to.”
“Oh my, Ma, a daughter is a precious guest. Qinglan is about to get married. It’s only right that she does less work. I don’t think she needs to go to the fields either. She can just rest at home and get pregnant as soon as possible,” Yu Xiaoyan said with a smile, her eyes darting around.
After her little sister-in-law had married into the Zhang family, she would also be an official’s wife. Unlike Ye Qingzhi, this regiment commander’s wife, the Zhang family was in the city and could help the family at any time.
So she had to have a good relationship with Ye Qinglan. That way, when her child was a little older, she might be able to arrange for him to work in the city and become a city person.
Wang Guqiu, who had come out a little later, heard what Yu Xiaoyan had said and cursed her as a sycophant in her heart. On the surface, she said something similar with a smile.
“That’s right, Ma. Little Lan is a precious guest now. How can she work? If the Zhang family finds out, who knows how heartbroken they will be.”
Hearing what her two daughters-in-law had said, Ding Aixian thought it made sense. Ye Qinglan was not a money-losing good now, but a golden doll. The four major items, a bride price of six hundred and sixty-six yuan, and after she had given birth to the Zhang family’s flesh and blood and had established a firm foothold in the Zhang family, she could have her take things from the Zhang family to subsidize her parents’ family.
“Alright then. You go and make breakfast. I don’t know where this girl has gone,” Ding Aixian said, looking at the basket and the back basket. Not a single one was missing, which meant she had not gone to cut pig feed.
It wasn’t until they got off work at noon and lunch was also ready that they still hadn’t seen Ye Qinglan. Only then did Ding Aixian and the others realize that something was wrong.
“Did she go to Xiaohong’s house?” Wang Guqiu asked Ye Qingshan.
“How would I know? But Little Lan and Xiaohong have always been on good terms. It’s not impossible that she’s at her house. She’ll probably be back for dinner in a bit,” Ye Qingshan said as he ate.
Every family’s grain was rationed now, so although everyone would visit, they would never stay at someone else’s house for a meal. They would be laughed at.
But after everyone had finished eating, Ye Qinglan still had not returned. This time, Ding Aixian was really anxious. This girl, something must have happened. She was a golden doll now.
Ye Qingshan and his wife, and Ye Qingfeng and his wife also started to get anxious. They followed Ding Aixian out to look for her. But they had searched the whole village and still could not find Ye Qinglan.
The few of them quickly went to find the village cadres, wanting to organize a search party to go into the mountains.
“Are you looking for Qinglan?” The Brigade Leader asked, looking at the anxious few and tapping his pipe. “No need to look. Qinglan has gone to Qingzhi’s place.”
“What?” Ding Aixian looked at the Brigade Leader in a daze.
Ye Qingshan and the others were also bewildered. What did he mean by “gone to Qingzhi’s place”?
“Uncle Chuntian, what do you mean? Qingzhi is with the army in the Northwest. How can Qinglan go and find her?” Wang Guqiu said with a smile.
“She’s gone to the Northwest to find Qingzhi,” Ye Chuntian said, sizing them up and sneering in his heart. A family of money-grubbers, who would disregard their daughter’s life for money. They were all heartless. “Qingzhi called back, saying that she couldn’t take care of four children by herself, so she had Qinglan go over to help. She even had me issue a certificate. What, didn’t Qinglan tell you?”
Looking at the curious Brigade Leader, the few of them, Ye Qingshan, looked at each other.
After a long while, Ye Qingfeng exclaimed, “Qinglan went to find Qingzhi? She went to the Northwest?”
Yu Xiaoyan also reacted and asked in a panic, “When did she leave?”
No, if Ye Qinglan went to the Northwest, it would be like a meat bun thrown to a dog, never to return. Never mind the future, they wouldn’t even be able to get the bride price. They had to get her back.
“Yes, yes, when did my Little Lan leave?” Ding Aixian also came back to her senses and asked anxiously.
That damn girl, she had actually run away. But how did that damn girl Ye Qingzhi know about the family’s affairs and even help Ye Qinglan run away?
Ye Qingshan was also puzzled. Then he thought of how Ye Qingzhi had not said much to them when she had come back last time, but had said a lot to Ye Qingsong and Ye Qinglan. It must have been at that time that she had given them the address and the phone number.
Just then, Ye Qingsong came over. Ye Qingfeng grabbed him. “When Qingzhi came home last time, did she give you and Little Lan the address and the phone number?”
“No, how could Fourth Sister have told me?” Ye Qingsong’s gaze was frank.
Fourth Sister had indeed not told him. It was he who had gone to find Auntie Ye and had written to Fourth Sister through her.
Ye Qingfeng stared at him for a while, then let go of his hand, guessing that he probably didn’t know. Even if he did, he wouldn’t have helped Ye Qinglan run away.
After all, if Ye Qinglan married into the Zhang family, he would also benefit.
“Then it must have been Qingzhi who told Little Lan. Is Qingzhi and Little Lan’s relationship that good?” Yu Xiaoyan asked curiously.
Ye Qingfeng’s face was grim. “Little Lan was practically raised by Qingzhi. Of course their relationship is good. Uncle Chuntian, when did Little Lan leave?”
“Just this morning. You definitely won’t be able to catch her now. She took the early bus to the city. She should be on the train by now,” Ye Chuntian sighed softly. “I thought you knew. What a mess.”
“We didn’t know at all. That girl Little Lan left without a sound. She has no money on her. How did she buy a train ticket?” Wang Guqiu frowned.
The Brigade Leader shook his head. “I don’t know. I thought you had given her the money.”
Ye Qingfeng was unwilling. That was the four major items and six hundred and sixty-six yuan. He had to go to the train station to look. What if this Ye Qinglan hadn’t gotten on the train yet?
“Uncle Chuntian, please give me a certificate. I’ll go to the city to have a look. The farthest place that girl Little Lan has been to is the town. She’s in the city by herself now, in an unfamiliar place. She must be so scared!” Ye Qingfeng said, looking like a good brother who was worried about his younger sister.
Ye Chuntian thought of how He Qiming had said he had already arranged for a friend to help buy a train ticket. He guessed that Ye Qinglan was already on the train. Even if she wasn’t now, by the time Ye Qingfeng and the others arrived, Ye Qinglan would definitely have already left. So he readily gave them a certificate.
The two Ye Qingshan brothers went to the city together to look for Ye Qinglan. Ye Qingsong and Ding Aixian went home. He listened to her curse Ye Qingzhi and Ye Qinglan in a low voice.
“That damn girl Ye Qingzhi, she’s unfilial herself. Never mind not thinking of her parents’ family, she even led Little Lan astray. Little Lan is also not sensible. She ran off to find that damn girl Ye Qinglan without a sound. If she has the guts, she shouldn’t come back. A money-losing good. I shouldn’t have given birth to them in the first place. I should have strangled them at birth. I worked so hard to raise them, and they’re not grateful at all. Unfilial daughters who will be struck by lightning.”
Ye Qingsong was silent. Ding Aixian slapped him in anger. “Why aren’t you talking? Are you mute? You too. Didn’t you notice when you got up this morning? You’re a militiaman, and you didn’t even notice your younger sister had run away. If an enemy attacks our village, will you be able to notice?”
“Ma, how would I know that Little Lan would go and find Fourth Sister? Could you have thought of it?” Ye Qingsong asked the two sisters-in-law with an innocent look.
Wang Guqiu and Yu Xiaoyan both shook their heads. They had not thought of it either, so they were still a little in disbelief.
Second Sister-in-law had not said much to them when she had come back last time, with an attitude of cutting off ties with her parents’ family. She had said a few words to her little sister-in-law, but she had not seemed very enthusiastic. Who would have thought that she would give her address and phone number to her little sister-in-law, and even be willing to help her run away?
“No, why did Little Lan run away? The Zhang family is such a good family. The father is a cadre, the mother also has a job, and Little Zhang himself also has a job. He’s of a suitable age and not bad-looking. To be able to marry him is like a pie falling from the sky. Why did she have to run away?” Yu Xiaoyan asked from the bottom of her heart.
Wang Guqiu shot her a look. She felt that it was because it was too good that Ye Qinglan had been scared. So she had called Ye Qingzhi, and then her fourth brother-in-law must have investigated, which was why he had helped his little sister-in-law go to the Northwest.
“Big Sister-in-law, why aren’t you talking? Don’t you think so?” Yu Xiaoyan asked Wang Guqiu.
Seeing Ding Aixian look at her, Wang Guqiu gritted her teeth in her heart and said with a smile, “Yes, the Zhang family is such a good family, and Little Lan actually looks down on them. Could it be that Fourth Sister has introduced someone better?”
“Better?” Ding Aixian’s eyes first lit up, then her eyelids drooped. “How good can it be? Even if she marries a general, if he doesn’t give a bride price and is unwilling to help the family, it’s all for nothing.”
That seemed to be true. For a daughter to marry far away was equivalent to having given birth to her for nothing. If Ye Qinglan really married to the Northwest, it was a question of whether she could ever come back in this lifetime.
“Then what do we do? Little Lan left early this morning. She’s probably already on the train. Even if Qingshan and the others had wings, they wouldn’t be able to catch her,” Wang Guqiu said. She felt that this little sister-in-law, like her second sister-in-law, was as good as gone.
Hearing this, Ding Aixian started to cry. She had given birth to three daughters, but in the end, besides the eldest, the other two were born for nothing. How could her life be so bitter!
Second Aunt, who was passing by, asked in confusion, “Shuiping’s wife, what’s wrong with you?”
Yesterday, she had heard her boasting that her younger daughter was going to marry into the city. Why was she crying like this today?
“Second Aunt, that little brat Little Lan has run away,” Ding Aixian said, crying.
Wang Guqiu was suddenly very anxious. How could her mother-in-law be like this? Don’t air your dirty laundry in public. Why was she telling everyone everything?
She pulled Ding Aixian’s arm, wanting her to stop, but she couldn’t at all.
“Second Aunt, you don’t know. Ye Qinglan ran off to the Northwest to find her fourth sister, saying she was going to help Qingzhi watch her children. She’s definitely not coming back. That damn girl, she ran off without a sound. I gave birth to her for nothing. My life is so bitter. Shuiping was beaten to death, and now my daughters are all unfilial one by one,” Ding Aixian said, getting sadder the more she thought about it.
“Ma,” Ye Qingsong said, pulling Ding Aixian’s arm. “Little Sister is just going to help Fourth Sister with her children. I’m sure she’ll be back soon. Second Aunt, my ma is not feeling well. I’ll take her back first.”
Looking at their backs, Second Aunt smacked her lips. Big news! She had to go and tell her old sisters.
“Why are you stopping me? They’re unfilial. Can’t I say it?” Ding Aixian now wanted to tell the whole village how unfilial Ye Qingzhi was. She was unfilial herself, and she was also leading her younger sister to be unfilial.
Her four major items! And six hundred and sixty-six yuan! They were supposed to be hers in a few days. Now, they were all gone.
Wang Guqiu and Yu Xiaoyan also felt the heartache. They had already discussed it. The radio and the watch would be given to Ye Qinglan as a dowry, so that it wouldn’t look too bad. After all, they wanted to be long-term relatives with the Zhang family.
The bicycle and the sewing machine had to be kept. The eldest branch wanted the bicycle, and the second branch wanted the sewing machine. They could borrow from each other usually.
And the six hundred and sixty-six yuan bride price, this would be divided into four parts. The eldest branch, the second branch, Ye Qingsong, and Ding Aixian would each get a part.
Now, never mind the bicycle and the sewing machine, even the bride price was gone.