Remember last year when we watched a movie, it was about five or six miles from their village. An outdoor movie, shown at night. The electrical bureau only provided power from 7 to 9 PM, but the projectionist got drunk and only started the film at 8. Just as Zhu Xijuan jumped up in Red Detachment of Women, there was a sudden power cut, and the crowd below erupted in chaos with shouts, curses, cries of regret, and sobbing all mixed together. It seems this was the moment she and Ye Qing got separated in the confusion.
Thinking of this, Lin Wan tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. She could never understand why Ye Qing was so harsh on her when she mentioned that day.
That day she and her brother had been looking for her all the way until everyone was gone, and only then did they leave.
Worried, Lin Wan went to her home the next day to check on her, but she didn’t see Ye Qing. Outside, she met her mom, who said Ye Qing was sick and lying inside, and told her not to disturb her.
At the time, she didn’t think much of it and told Ye Qing’s mom she would come again in a few days, then left.
Who knew Ye Qing would stay at home for an entire month.
It looks like she’ll have to inquire about Ye Qing in the village. She knows Ye Qing was to attend college the following year, and it was in S City. When she initially went to S City, she often visited her at school to hang out. Every time, Ye Qing’s face bore that genuine intimate smile.
She had no idea that Ye Qing had hated her since she was sixteen. If she hated her, why did she still act so intimate?
Truly an actress she was, fooled by Ye Qing’s facade completely. It’s just like that saying, someone could sell you out, and you’d help them count the money. Utterly sly.
In this life, she must find out what it’s all about.
In the previous life, in these six months while she was schooling outside, she hadn’t done business, nor was there anything involving Er Qiangzi.
Nor did she encounter Han Yi at this time.
Will this life be different? Can she avoid being deceived by Ye Qing? Can she live well with Han Yi?
Early the next morning, the village loudspeaker sounded, notifying everyone who needed to grind rice to hurry and queue up
New Year was approaching, and everyone started preparing festive goods. Early in the morning, Liang Hongmei got up, prepared meals for the children, and carried two small porcelain bowls of glutinous rice for the queue.
Though Liang Hongmei was injured, there weren’t any marks on her face, so many villagers who hadn’t seen her were concerned and some kindhearted households would approach her.
But most people looked at her with disdain, bothered not to engage.
Liang Hongmei was used to this situation; wherever she went, she was looked down upon. People are pragmatic; her family was the poor household in the village, plus they were orphans and widows, so many weren’t willing to associate with her family for fear of bad luck.
Having not been home for a long time, the vegetables in the courtyard grew haphazardly, sparse and disorderly.
After eating, Lin Wan told her brother to continue resting. But Lin Yinghui disagreed.
"It’s only external injuries, aside from some bruises, nothing serious. I’ll go get some firewood from the village woods."
"We have a woodpile at home, no need to go. You stay home and rest, I’ll go to the town to buy some vegetables."
Their village was two miles from the town, and public transport had yet to reach rural areas. Bicycles were available, but only affluent families had them. Although tickets weren’t needed at this time, some things still required them.
Most people walked to the market.
Lin Wan typically saved the money she earned together to whole numbers, including what she made knitting sweaters for people. Her savings passbook showed over three hundred now. There were also quite a few meat tickets, food tickets, grain and oil tickets, and cloth tickets, totaling two or three sheets, with special provision tickets numbering seven or eight.
She still had over fifty yuan not yet saved.