Li Xianglu secretly sized up the parcel in front, which turned out to be a new bedsheet. If her guess was right, it was specially purchased to wrap these items.
The corner of the wooden box that was revealed earlier was obviously made of red sandalwood, which is not any ordinary wood. Generally referred to as ’green dragon wood’ or ’small leaf rosewood’, it is the hardest type of wood among rosewoods, and also the most expensive and high-grade material used in rosewood furniture.
How valuable is it? Normally, it takes at least three hundred years to grow to a usable size, and it is mostly used for small items, such as red sandalwood bead strings.
A famous star from Northeast China once had a red sandalwood bead string that was said to be worth three million yuan.
This shows its preciousness, and in Qin Xi’s bundle, there is a box about the size of four or five bricks piled up; it would probably fetch tens of millions if auctioned in her previous life.
Sitting at the back, Mr. Li was already tired, dozing off incessantly on the shaky bus, and didn’t notice Li Xianglu’s gleaming eyes.
Meanwhile, Qin Xi, sitting next to the driver, always felt an itch on his neck, and scratched several times but couldn’t find any bug, not knowing that a pair of fervent eyes were tightly fixed on him from behind.
It wasn’t even six in the afternoon when the vehicle entered Li Family Village Production Team. Everyone in the commune often saw cars, but suddenly seeing a car driving into the team made everyone curious, staring at it, while many children excitedly ran after it all the way to the entrance of Li Huai Ren’s household, continuously surrounding and watching.
Among the crowd, there was a boy about the same age as Li Xianglu, wearing a tattered cotton jacket, his hair filthy, with a corner of his mouth cracked and bleeding. He looked at Li Xianglu, who was stepping down from the car, with a particularly resentful gaze.
Li Xianglu felt a tension in her spine and instantly turned around, only to see a group of older children and nothing else.
The car soon left, but the news spread throughout the Li Family Village Production Team, saying Er Fu’s youngest daughter was now living a life of luxury, having been adopted by Li Huai Ren, enjoying delicious food and spicy dishes, and even riding in a car, which was much better than her days at Er Fu’s house.
And at Li Erfu’s house, a new round of conflict had begun.
Inside the cave dwelling of Li Erfu’s house, Li Erfu stood in the middle of the room while Ge Sanmei lay on the ground, snapping and shouting, "I can’t live anymore, oh you, Li Erfu, you’re just like Chen Shimei, so ungrateful! I can’t live anymore, why shouldn’t the six hundred yuan given by Li Huai Ren be given to me, am I not your wife anymore?" As she spoke, she grabbed Li Erfu’s legs and wailed.
Li Erfu leisurely turned around, kicked Ge Sanmei’s arms away, walked to the kang (heated bed) to start smoking, barely lifting his eyelids he said, "Ge Sanmei, if you do not want to continue this way, we can get a certificate and divorce. After the divorce, you don’t have to go back to your parents’ home. We can each live in separate cave dwellings and mind our own lives. You have three sons to take care of you."
Ge Sanmei quickly stopped crying, incredulously looking at Li Erfu who was calmly saying these words.
The old man has changed. Ever since that cursed star left, this old thing has been cold as a snake, each time his gaze on her seemed as though he wished to skin her alive.
Ge Sanmei patted the dirt off herself, stood up from the ground, and muttered, "Er has to find a job, money is needed for connections, you’re keeping the money and not giving a cent, how is this supposed to work, money doesn’t grow on its own."
Li Erfu chuckled upon hearing this, then pulled out a roll of money he had prepared and placed it on the nearby kang bed.
Ge Sanmei grabbed it quickly, her hands trembling as she counted. Twenty notes, two hundred yuan. But this still wasn’t enough; Er had said they needed at least six hundred yuan.
Looking at Ge Sanmei, who still eyed him expectantly, Li Erfu scoffed, "You said earlier you needed this money for your sons, right? This two hundred is for your second son. The rest is for the eldest to use later when he moves out, and another two hundred should be kept for the third son’s education. Don’t even think about the rest."
After saying that, he tapped on his tobacco pipe and walked out.
The curtain was flung open, startling the person outside who yelped in surprise and dashed away.
The fleeing figure was large but distinct; it was An Cuicui from the West Cave, wife of the eldest son.
Li Erfu scoffed once more and addressed Li Jianye, who was walking in with a hoe, "Jianye, keep your wife in check. Have her live properly and discipline Gangzi well. Don’t be like your mother, undiscerning and cruel. If that’s the case, it might be better to divorce early and find someone better!" With that, he turned and headed to his elder brother’s house.
Li Jianye took his father’s words seriously, feeling the chaos his mother had stirred in their home was unbearable. As he saw An Cuicui peeking nervously from the window ledge, anger surged within him, and he threw down his hoe and stormed inside.
Suddenly, cries of anguish filled the West Cave.
Meanwhile, Li Jianqing was studying at the kitchen table, reading a book lent by Brother Qin who had said there would be a test when school resumed.
Li Jianqing struggled with some problems and couldn’t help but wish his sister was there. She was so smart, understood everything after hearing it just once, and explained things much better than any of the sent-down youths!
Hearing the shouts outside, Li Jianqing sighed and continued reading. The home was a mess. Although his father had started to assert himself and his mother had mellowed, there seemed to be something missing from the family that dampened everyone’s spirits. No, it seemed only Er didn’t change; he still left early and came back late, studying with those sent-down youths. ER never even seemed fazed by his sister’s departure.
Li Erfu arrived at Li Dafu’s house where the whole family was gathered. After chatting briefly with his brother, he went into his mother’s room and slipped her one hundred yuan.
Old Mrs. Wu frowned, not taking the money and asked, "Are you two at it again?"
Li Erfu nodded wearily, "Yes, I’ve made it clear to Ge Sanmei. If she continues being unreasonable, it might be best to divorce. The kids are grown now; it’s unnecessary to worry too much. Better to have some peace by getting a divorce."
Old Mrs. Wu shook her head disapprovingly, "It’s not that simple. In all the villages around, tell me who gets a divorce at the age of forty or fifty? Isn’t it the same everywhere?"
Exhausted, Li Erfu rubbed his graying hair, "Now, who cares about being ridiculed? If this is life, what’s the point of living?" Turning to Old Mrs. Wu, he asked, "Mom, am I particularly useless?"
Old Mrs. Wu looked at her youngest son who seemed to have aged ten years overnight. Her eyes immediately reddened and she tremulously reached out to pat his shoulder, "Er, you’re simply too kind-hearted. Otherwise, Ge Sanmei wouldn’t have been so spoiled."