Chapter 13: Missing and running away from marriage?

“No, I have to go out.”

Shen Sisi put down her chopsticks, decisively handing Niu Niu to Zhao Shilan: “Aunt, please feed Niu Niu…”

Niu Niu was chewing on braised pork when she was suddenly passed to her aunt.

She stared with wide eyes, seeing her mother so flustered for the first time.

Shen Sisi stood up, put on her red scarf, and was about to go out.

Chen Jianguo angrily threw down his chopsticks, almost hitting her: “Why are you going out at noon?”

She jumped, her heart pounding, but she didn’t hide it: “I’m going to find him.”

These words seemed to infuriate him, Chen Jianguo’s face turned black: “Don’t go! You’ve been dumped, I’ve been tricked, aren’t you embarrassed enough?”

Shen Sisi, hearing his hysterical roar, didn’t flinch: “No, Senior Gu isn’t that kind of person.”

Saying this, she ignored her uncle’s expression, opened the gate and slipped out, her mind filled with memories of where Gu Chengfeng’s aunt’s house was.

She vaguely remembered it was in the county committee family compound, but she couldn’t remember the building number.

Worried, she quickened her pace.

Before she left the yard, she was grabbed by a strong hand.

Chen Jianguo, his face sullen, caught up and grabbed her arm: “Come back with me, do you hear me!”

Shen Sisi used all her strength to break free from his rough grip: “I’m not going back!”

Chen Jianguo’s expression became ferocious, but he still kept his voice down: “Shen Sisi, don’t force me to do this here…”

“Go ahead, try hitting me!”

She raised her head defiantly, fearless, even a little arrogant.

He was momentarily stunned, then furious.

Rebellious, so rebellious!

“I’ll hit you, I’m your elder, it’s my right to discipline you…” He raised his arm, angrily slapping her.

Shen Sisi deftly dodged him.

Chen Jianguo lost control, falling to the ground.

“Uncle, you really thought I’d stand there and be your target?”

Shen Sisi patted her sleeve where he had touched her.

She didn’t bother arguing with Chen Jianguo, settling the matter and rushing to leave.

Chen Jianguo lay on the ground, dazed.

Seeing neighbors gathering, he clutched his chest and wailed: “Unjust! My niece beat her uncle in the street, someone’s going to die…”

Shen Sisi was momentarily stunned, quickly realizing he was faking.

His shout attracted a crowd, who blamed Shen Sisi and stopped her from leaving.

“A younger generation hitting an elder, aren’t you afraid of divine retribution?”

Shen Sisi was furious, pinching her thigh to regain her composure: “Uncle, you say I hit you, where did I hit you? Do you have proof?”

Chen Jianguo froze for a few seconds, then, like a ruffled rooster: “I’m like this, do I need proof?”

Compared to his anger, Shen Sisi was calm.

Her eyes welled up, her voice trembling: “Everyone knows how strong Uncle is, beating his wife all the time.  Do you think… I would dare hit you? And knock you to the ground? Who would believe that?”

The onlookers were enlightened by her words.

“Yeah, everyone knows Lao Chen never loses, he only bullies others, who would bully him?”

“Sisi is thin as paper, how could she knock down a big guy like you?”

“Isn’t this embarrassing…”

Chen Jianguo cried out in distress, glaring at Shen Sisi.

He wanted to save face for her, but he had lost all his own!

He angrily got up, pointing at Shen Sisi: “Isn’t this all your fault? What kind of trash did you find? You said the bride price would be here before noon, where is it?”

“He didn’t even show up, no letter, and dumped you. You still have the nerve to chase after him…”

“Shen Sisi is shameless, I still have face. Tingting is about to get engaged, how is she going to get married?”

The onlookers now understood why Chen Jianguo was faking a fall.

They looked at Shen Sisi with complex emotions.

Sympathy, pity, disdain, and ridicule…

“So she ran away from marriage…”

“They were holding hands in the yard yesterday, and now they’re breaking up.”

“Tsk tsk, I told you, a second-hand woman like her, who would want her?  Bride price… She’s young and naive, Lao Chen, you’re dreaming too!”

The whispers surrounded Shen Sisi, her gaze darkening.

She had been misunderstood and ridiculed for years, her heart hardened.

But today, for some reason, it ached.

“He wouldn’t run away, he wouldn’t break his word!”

Shen Sisi muttered, her words drowned out by the noise.

“Don’t be silly, girl, he’s not coming, he’s probably hiding.”

She would rather Gu Chengfeng had regretted running away.

Thinking that he might have had an accident, might be trapped by difficulties, she felt suffocated.

“No, I have to go see…”

Shen Sisi ignored everyone’s attempts to stop her, pushing past them.

“Come back…” Chen Jianguo grabbed Shen Sisi’s hair, about to pull, when the roar of a car approached.

Beep! Beep!

The harsh horn echoed through the family compound, instantly attracting everyone’s attention.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Shen Sisi pulled free her ponytail.

The commotion was interrupted by a car.

Everyone turned to look at the silver pickup truck with red flowers, slowly driving in.

This was a rare car, there weren’t even two in Lin County.  People usually used carts, tricycles, or at best, tractors.

This was the first time a pickup truck had entered the compound.

Everyone gathered around the truck, curious.

Whose car was this?

The driver quickly pulled the handbrake and jumped out, asking the crowd: “I’m from the provincial capital, here to deliver the bride price.  Is Chen Jianguo here?”

From the provincial capital, a bride price.

Everyone thought of Chen Jianguo’s future son-in-law Yang Huaidong.

Even Chen Jianguo thought so, wondering why Huaidong suddenly sent the bride price.

He quickly straightened his clothes, patted the dirt off himself, and stepped forward: “It’s me…”

He was elated, like a peacock showing off its feathers.

Everyone gathered around, praising him enviously.

“Look, this son-in-law from the provincial capital is different, the bride price is delivered by pickup truck, there must be a lot of things!”

Chen Jianguo’s mouth almost reached the sky: “Hey, my Huaidong is thoughtful, a wealthy family is different…”

“Lao Chen, you’re so lucky! Your Tingting is so impressive…”

They flattered Chen Jianguo and his daughter, looking at Shen Sisi with pity.

Two sisters, Chen Ting was a virgin, a pillar of the art troupe, her treatment was naturally different.

Unlike Shen Sisi, an unmarried mother with a child, dumped by a man.

What irony!

Shen Sisi knew what they were thinking, she didn’t bother, about to slip away, when she heard the driver calling her name.

“Comrade Shen Sisi, Comrade Shen Sisi, please sign here.”