eurekapd Chapter 209 Aunt Hua, in desperation, seeks any treatment.
Chapter 209 Aunt Hua, in desperation, seeks any treatment.
When Li Xianglian got home, she didn't rush to go to sleep.
She dumped the whole bag of scraps of cloth onto the kang (a heated brick bed), and by the dim light, began to think about new designs.
If someone like Zhao Guangming can use hair ties to please women, it means there is indeed a market for these things, and they can even be made into more upscale products.
"If only I could sew some beads on it, or add a bow..." Li Xianglian gestured with her needle and thread, completely immersed in the joy of making money.
Late into the night, the big yellow dog outside the yard suddenly barked twice.
"Woof! Woof woof!"
The sound was particularly jarring in the quiet night.
Li Xianglian's hand trembled, and the needle pricked her fingertip, drawing out a bead of blood.
Her heart skipped a beat, and a sudden, inexplicable panic made her put down what she was doing.
She got up and walked to the window, peering out through the crack.
The courtyard gate was tightly shut, and the pale moonlight shone on the ground; there was nothing there.
"I'm scaring myself." Li Xianglian patted her chest, suppressing the slight unease.
But the panic in my heart just wouldn't go away, like some kind of omen.
Meanwhile, at the guesthouse on the other side of the county town.
Zhao Guangming leaned against the headboard shirtless, a cigarette between his fingers, looking at Wang Chunyan who was fast asleep beside him with a look of utter disgust on his face.
After all that commotion, the woman was screaming happily, but she was really weak and listless, like a dead fish.
"Damn, this is so boring." Zhao Guangming exhaled a smoke ring, and Li Xianglian's beautiful face without makeup reappeared in his mind.
If you were to get a respectable woman into bed, she would definitely cry and make a scene at first, but once she's been won over, well...
A greedy glint shone in Zhao Guangming's eyes, like a hungry wolf eyeing its prey.
"Li Xianglian...you just wait. Qin Rushan isn't home, let's see how long you can keep up this act."
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
Li Xianglian didn't sleep well that night.
Although the pleasant scent of soap and a faint smell of tobacco from Qin Rushan still lingered in the bed, the empty space beside him and the cold touch made him feel somewhat uneasy.
Fortunately, there was a stack of warm banknotes under my pillow, which was like a reassurance.
Li Xianglian got up very early in the morning.
The pomegranate flowers in the yard are in full bloom, their bright red blossoms like flames leaping wildly from the branches.
First, she tidied up the scraps of cloth that she hadn't had time to sort out the night before. Then, she took out the twenty-five yuan, carefully tucked it into an old dictionary, and hid it at the very bottom of the camphor wood chest.
This was her first pot of gold.
Even if half of this money came from that disgusting Zhao Guangming, as Xiao Lan said, money doesn't bite, and this is "compensation for mental distress" earned through hard work.
Just as they were busy working, the courtyard gate creaked open.
Li Xianglian peeked in and saw Aunt Hua walking in with her head down.
Normally, you can hear Aunt Hua's voice before you even see her; her loud voice could practically lift the roof off.
But today, this plump auntie looked like a wilted eggplant, extremely listless.
His gray jacket was wrinkled and grimy, his eyelids were swollen like rotten peaches, and there were dark circles under his eyes. He even dragged his feet on the ground when he walked, showing no energy or spirit whatsoever.
"Auntie, so early?"
Li Xianglian quickly went to greet them, moved a small stool and placed it under the shade of a tree, "Have you had breakfast? There's still some hot millet porridge in the pot."
Aunt Hua plopped down on a small stool, her fat body jiggling with the movement. She sighed heavily and waved her chubby hand: "I can't eat. My throat feels like it's blocked with cotton. Even drinking water makes my mouth water."
She raised her bloodshot, beady eyes and stared intently at Li Xianglian, her lips trembling for a long time before she could finally utter a word.
"Hey sis...did Captain Qin talk to you about that last night?"
Li Xianglian's heart skipped a beat.
This Aunt Hua, her own daughter is hanging out with a scoundrel like Zhao Guangming, yet she still has her eyes on Wei Donghai?
Looking at Aunt Hua's hopeful eyes, Li Xianglian felt a little uneasy.
This is the heart of a mother. Even if her daughter is disappointing, a mother always wants to pave a golden road for her child, even if it is wishful thinking.
Li Xianglian didn't want to keep her hanging on; she wanted to end things quickly to avoid future complications.
She straightened her expression and tried to soften her tone: "Auntie, when Brother Shan came back last night, I specifically asked him about it."
Aunt Hua leaned forward instantly, her hands gripping the fabric on her knees tightly, her knuckles turning white: "How is it? What did Captain Wei say? Did he mean it?"
"Auntie, I'm afraid this won't work out."
Li Xianglian didn't beat around the bush, but she also saved face by not revealing Wei Donghai's unpleasant past.
"Brother Shan said that Captain Wei is someone who puts all his energy into his work. He's determined to make a revolution and has no intention of getting married at all. No matter which family a girl comes from, even if she's an angel descended from heaven, he won't even glance at her."
"What? You have no plans?"
Aunt Hua's expression instantly fell, as if someone had poured a bucket of cold water over her head, chilling her to the bone.
She pressed on, unwilling to give up, "Is it...is it because Captain Wei looks down on our family's financial situation? Or is it because Yanzi is just an ordinary office worker? Sister, please talk to Captain Qin. My Yanzi may be a bit straightforward, but she's a proper high school student, and her looks are among the best in the factory..."
"Auntie, that's really not how it is." Li Xianglian interrupted her, patiently explaining, "You've met Captain Wei yourself. He's a stern-faced man with a very tough personality. Brother Shan and he have a life-or-death bond. If there were even the slightest possibility, wouldn't Brother Shan help to bring them together? He really doesn't have that intention, and no one can persuade him otherwise."
After hearing this, Aunt Hua felt as if her spine had been removed, and she slumped against the tree trunk, the light in her eyes completely extinguished.
"Sigh...it's fate."
Aunt Hua slapped her thigh, her voice trembling with tears, "I was thinking that if I could get on Captain Wei's good side, Yanzi would have a powerful backer, and I could benefit from it and hold my head high. Who would have thought..."
She wiped away her tears, sniffed, and looked so pitiful that it made one's heart ache.
Li Xianglian handed over a handkerchief without saying a word.
Aunt Hua wiped her nose with a handkerchief, then suddenly seemed to remember something, and grabbed Li Xianglian's wrist with frightening force.
"Hey girl, do you think... Captain Wei has heard some rumors?"
Aunt Hua's voice trembled, her eyes filled with panic, "Did someone gossip about Yanzi and that Zhao Guangming to him?"
When Zhao Guangming was mentioned, Li Xianglian frowned slightly.
"Auntie, Captain Wei doesn't have time to listen to such gossip."
Li Xianglian was hurt by the grip, but she pulled her hand back without making a sound. "However... Auntie, there's something I don't know if I should say."
"Tell me, tell me!"
Aunt Hua is now desperate and will try anything.
"That Zhao Guangming... he's really not a good match."
Li Xianglian recalled Zhao Guangming's lecherous face from last night and felt a chill run down her spine. "That man is wicked. If Yanzi really gets involved with him, she'll be jumping into a fire pit."