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“I will let you stay, but I have three conditions!” Li Mancang said. With a little bit hope Li Xing’an replied.
“Dad, don’t even mention three conditions; I’ll agree to every single one!”
“Listen to them first before agreeing!” Li Mancang was dissatisfied with his perfunctory attitude.
“Dad, you say it!” Li Xing’an didn’t even dare to breathe now. His father was really ruthless! He said he would kick him out, and he really did.
“First: You will hand over your monthly salary! I won’t take it all; you can keep five yuan for spending money, the rest goes to the family!” Li Mancang coldly said.
Li Xing’an who does not want to be kicked out sadly replied. “Dad…”
“Don’t want to?” Li Mancang was about to close the door.
Li Xing’an gritted his teeth. “I’ll hand it over; I’ll hand it over, okay?”
“It’s your own will, not forced, right?” Li Mancang held the door. If Li Xing’an showed the slightest reluctance, the door would slam shut without hesitation.
Li Xing’an’s lips trembled. “Dad, it’s my own will. You and mom work hard for the family. I am grown up, and I should share the burden!” Li Mancang nodded, somewhat satisfied with this explanation.
“Second, whenever anyone in the family needs help, you must actively assist!” Li Fenglan’s situation had shown Li Mancang that although he had three sons, when he needed help, they were all selfish, avoiding any tasks without personal benefit. Meanwhile, Li Xing’an readily agreed. This condition was easy and cost him nothing; he readily agreed!
While this method wasn’t genuine, it was better than nothing. With time, whether genuine or not, at least the outward appearance would be maintained. That’s what Li Mancang thought; as long as he could save face, the situation wouldn’t be too ugly.
“Lastly..” Li Mancang continued. “You must stop seeing He Meina.”
Li Xing’an weakend. He could agree to anything, but this, he truly couldn’t. He immediately asked Li Mancang. “Dad, why? I like He Meina! Why can’t I see her?”
Li Mancang sighed. “He Meina is dating our factory director’s grandson, did you know?”
Li Xing’an could not believed what he just heard and said. “Impossible! It must be that guy pestering He Meina; you’ve misunderstood!”
Li Mancang looked at his lovesick son as if he were an idiot and said. “They’ve both met each other’s families. He Meina will be working at our factory’s broadcasting station tomorrow, did you know?”
Li Xing’an felt a bolt of lightning strike him. Impossible, impossible! That was the only thought in his head; his brain simply wouldn’t process anything else.
“The whole factory knows about this; you can ask around yourself! I’m telling you, whether He Meina ends up with the factory director’s grandson or not, you are forbidden from seeing her!” Li Mancang said to his son.
Although his son was hopeless, he couldn’t let such a fickle woman ruin his son’s life!
“Dad, it’s impossible; it must be a misunderstanding. I’ll still see He Meina!” Li Xing’an couldn’t hear a word Li Mancang was saying. He stumbled to his feet and ran outside.
“Dad, I’ll follow and see.” Li Xingye said as he was a little worried on Li Xing’an might do something.
But before he even follow his brother, Li Mancang stopped him and said. “Don’t bother. He won’t learn his lesson without suffering a bit! Quickly take the food to your mother and Manman!” Li Mancang was determined to let his son suffer a little. Li Xingye thought his father was right.
Everyone knew what He Meina was like; she was not serious, stringing along several men at once. Only Li Xing’an, the fool, truly believed that others were pursuing He Meina. He spent his entire monthly salary on that woman! Li Xingye listened to his father and went to deliver food to his mother.
Li Xing’an, dazed, arrived at the courtyard where He Meina lived. He imitated the cuckoo’s call against the back wall for a long time, but He Meina didn’t come out. This was their secret signal. Someone in the courtyard heard the noise and sneered. It was either frogs or crows, all sorts of animal calls, as if they were fools. Only a very foolish animal would be making such sounds in spring!
He Meina from the He family was quite the catch; she was always well-fed and well-treated. It was said she was going to work at the mechanical factory’s broadcasting station! She had snagged the grandson of the factory director.
Truly a great achievement! With such a good match, the He family wouldn’t have to squeeze into the courtyard with them anymore! Li Xing’an waited for a long time, but He Meina didn’t come out. He was also hesitant to leave; if he didn’t clear things up today, he wouldn’t be able to sleep at home.
At the hospital, Wu Zhiqiu and Manman had already finished dinner. Wu Zhiqiu had gone out to buy food, getting a fried chicken and two servings of rice—plenty for both of them. They left the meal for breakfast the next morning; it wouldn’t spoil in this weather.
Manman still respected her uncle, who had helped her and her mother when they were kicked out. He often came to check on them and didn’t keep pestering her mother for money like her third uncle, Li Xing’an did.
He told Wu Zhiqiu about the situation with Li Xing’an. Wu Zhiqiu nodded. Li Mancang was doing the right thing; she had no objections. In her previous life, He Meina had made a fool of herself, and only Li Xing’an was willing to marry her, which was why she ended up in their family.
After getting married, He Meina had been relatively low-key at first, and life with Li Xing’an was manageable. But as more people made money, He Meina became more and more disdainful of Li Xing’an.
While Li Xing’an was busy trying to find ways to earn money, their life was getting tighter and tighter, while He Meina dressed beautifully every day to go out and play cards. Li Xing’an was even out selling hats! But if Li Xing’an was willing, she had mentioned it several times, and he had even argued with her. Wu Zhiqiu shook her head. In this lifetime, whether Li Xing’an married He Meina or not, she wouldn’t spend a single day living with her and he could even leave this house.
“Mom, I’ll stay here tonight. You go home and rest well.” Li Fenglan decided to stay when she saw her mother didn’t look well.
Wu Zhiqiu had spent the day at the hospital and indeed felt tired. “Then you stay here. I’ll go home and rest. I’ll come back to relieve you in the morning!” Wu Zhiqiu rubbed her lower back.
“Let Chun Ni come over tomorrow morning. The kids can be looked after by Aunt Liu for a day!” Seeing Wu Zhiqiu’s poor complexion, Li Fenglan suggested that Chun Ni should come over.
“Grandma, if I don’t have a fever tonight, I can be discharged tomorrow. You don’t need to come!” Manman felt a bit embarrassed.
“Then I’ll have your aunt come over in the morning. If the doctor says you can be discharged, you can go to grandma’s house to recover!” Wu Zhiqiu softly replied.
“Okay, Grandma,” Manman obediently replied.
“If anything happens, just call your uncle; don’t feel shy.” Wu Zhiqiu reminded her once more before leaving the hospital.
As she was about to head to the courtyard, Wu Zhiqiu thought for a moment and detoured to He Meina’s alley. She wanted to see how He Meina was deceiving this lovesick fool.
Just as Wu Zhiqiu arrived at the entrance of He Meina’s alley, she heard women’s screams and men’s cries from inside. Wu Zhiqiu quickened her pace; better late than never, there was some excitement to behold!
People in the alley came out, as the usually quiet night was interrupted by the commotion. It had been a while since there was any action outside. The men and women hurried out of their houses toward the source of the noise.
Wu Zhiqiu rode her bicycle in the dark, moving faster than the neighbors on foot. The cries became louder, and the onlookers were getting more and more excited! It had been a long time since anyone had seen such a spectacle in the dead of winter.