As expected, Wang Xueyong, who had intended to speak seriously to Liu Haihua, now viewed her with a dangerous gaze.
Moreover, they were in a room with the door closed, their parents were not around, and Wang Yuncai, his sister, didn’t tend to meddle in his affairs.
On her way back to the Guangming Production Team, Liu Haihua was accustomed to the dangerous mountain paths and, being bold by nature, she dared to leave The Wangs’ house in the middle of the night and find her way back in the dark.
Liu Haihua had almost considered all the men in the production team, whether married, single, old, middle-aged, or young, yet she couldn’t figure out which man knew.
She even feared going out, not wanting others to see her in her current state. She deeply regretted, wishing she had stayed at The Wangs’ until dawn if she had known she’d encounter such a disgusting situation. She never expected to run into a drunkard on her way back and couldn’t even guess who it was.
Liu Haihua dared not inquire further in case someone found out, which would truly ruin her.
Thinking about Wang Xueyong’s upcoming marriage pained Liu Haihua deeply, and she knew Wang Xueyong couldn’t marry her. She had been sweet-talked by Wang Xueyong, feeling content that although he couldn’t marry her, he still had feelings for her.
The Lius were oblivious to Liu Haihua’s ordeal, as everyone had gone to work, leaving her cowering in her room, bruised and swollen all over, including her face and lips, evidence of the man’s brutality.
At the Guangming Production Team that morning, Xia Xiao and Gao Jiaxing had gone to work in the fields, where they happened upon Li Zhenchuan and Ning Hui.
"Secretary Li, Ning Hui," greeted Xia Xiao.
Li Zhenchuan was already talking with Gao Jiaxing, while Ning Hui walked alongside Xia Xiao.
Ning Hui joked, "I didn’t expect you to get married before me."
"Our weddings were around the same time, it was the day you left when he proposed to me," Xia Xiao replied with a laugh.
"How have you been feeling?" Xia Xiao asked.
"Much better, I don’t even get stomach pains during my period now," Ning Hui said with a laugh. "I think your aunt is a true sage; I tried so many treatments that didn’t work, but a few doses of her medicine solved it simply."
Xia Xiao chuckled sheepishly, knowing well it wasn’t Zheng Xianghong’s medicine but probably the effect of the spring water, yet she couldn’t reveal this to Ning Hui, letting the beautiful misunderstanding persist.
Ning Hui suggested, "Xia Xiao, when we both have kids, if it’s a boy and a girl, let’s betroth them."
Xia Xiao looked at Ning Hui speechlessly, amazed that she was thinking so far ahead without even having children yet.
"No," Xia Xiao shook her head, "I don’t want to betroth my children."
"But if they’re your kids, I’d be willing," Ning Hui responded.
Xia Xiao laughed, "That’s not how it works. We might be willing, but what if our children aren’t? That would just mess them up. Let’s just let things happen naturally. Besides, what if we both have boys?"
"I just want our families to be connected through marriage. I want to have a son and then snatch your daughter," Ning Hui stated bluntly, her voice loud enough for Li Zhenchuan and Gao Jiaxing ahead to hear.
Both men were speechless, although Li Zhenchuan thought the idea had potential, whereas Gao Jiaxing considered that it might be him and Xia Xiao having a son to snatch their daughter instead.
Gao Jiaxing, thinking of potentially having a daughter like Xia Xiao who would constantly attract boys trying to woo her, was troubled by the thought.
Therefore, having a son seemed better, to marry off to someone else’s daughter. He couldn’t bear the thought of pesky boys coveting his daughter, let alone marrying her off.