Read Novel Full Chapter 104
Chapter 104 : Chen Shimei
Xu Shuzhen’s two brothers, Jiang Li’s uncles, mentioned that they wanted to give Jiang Changsheng a thorough test.
The remittance slip had been sent a year after Xu Shuzhen’s death. Holding the yellowed letter, Jiang Li was touched by the warmth and closeness conveyed in the words.
Even after so many years and despite being separated across different places, Jiang Li felt deeply moved by the love shared between siblings and the affection of family bonds.
Were her relatives still alive? If they met her, would they like her?
Qi Shaoqiang gently patted her back and held her silently. Jiang Li wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and asked herself, “What’s wrong with me?”
“I miss my family.”
Qi Shaoqiang softly kissed her forehead and said, “When we get the chance, let’s go to Haicheng and see if we can find your mother’s family.”
“Alright,” Jiang Li replied.
That evening, they had a meal of freshly picked wild Sichuan pepper buds that Chen Xianyun had brought down from the mountain. The pepper buds had a distinctive fragrance, and when chopped and stir-fried with eggs and just a pinch of salt, they were incredibly delicious.
Served with pork head slices and steamed bread, topped with a drizzle of chili oil, each bite was a comforting delight.
After the satisfying meal, Jiang Li temporarily set aside her sadness and focused on studying.
Occasionally, she would find time to set up her stall and noticed that the middle-aged man who used to compete with her for customers hadn’t appeared in a long time.
Jiang Li found this surprising, but the vendor at the neighboring stall approached her to explain, “You weren’t around for a while, so you wouldn’t know. That guy got into trouble.
“One day, an old lady showed up in front of his stall with her two sons, crying and accusing him of selling poor-quality products and cheating people.
“The man got into an argument with them and even fought back, but that family was relentless, like sticky candy, and refused to leave.
“They demanded fifty yuan in compensation, claiming their daughter’s work had been affected and that her boss had criticized her because of him.
“Of course, the man refused to pay. After about a month of constant trouble, he stopped showing up altogether. I haven’t seen him for over half a month now.”
At that moment, someone asked about the price of flour, and the vendor hurried to assist the buyer.
Jiang Li thought back to the unruly family and suspected it was the same mother and daughter who had caused trouble before. She hadn’t expected such a dramatic turn of events but thought to herself that troublemakers always meet their own downfall.
Meanwhile, Wang Zhaodi’s family had also been struggling. Based on her tenure, Wang Zhaodi was supposed to receive a promotion and a pay raise this year.
However, ever since the commotion she caused at the workshop, not only did she lose her New Year bonuses, but the expected pay raise also vanished.
Wang Zhaodi was not well-liked in the factory. With such a difficult family, no one wanted to associate with her. Now, even during lunch, her colleagues avoided her.
Her mother, who always liked to take advantage of others, had borrowed money from neighbors for years whenever she ran out by the end of the month. After the social media fiasco, however, even the neighbors began to distance themselves.
With life becoming unbearable, the family resorted to harassing the stall owner. Wang Zhaodi’s two unemployed brothers blocked the man’s stall daily, creating chaos.
In the end, the stall owner chose to give up his livelihood rather than endure their harassment any longer, leaving the Wang family with nothing to gain.
Time flowed by. After the scorching heat of summer, autumn came to an end.
One day, news that shocked the entire country broke out: The college entrance examination had been reinstated.
When Jiang Li heard the announcement on the radio, she rushed excitedly to Qin Xiaoting’s house. The two of them leapt and cheered in joy, almost like children.
Despite being in the later stages of pregnancy, with her belly visibly large, Qin Xiaoting’s limbs and face looked the same as ever. She moved with surprising energy and walked with a light, brisk pace.
Qin Xiaoting knew that thanks to drinking the spiritual spring water to regulate her physical condition, her child would not be malnourished like in her previous life when she gave birth.
Jiang Li, however, was still concerned. She touched Qin Xiaoting’s round belly and asked, “When is the due date?”
“A week from now. After giving birth and completing the confinement period, I’ll still have time to review and take the exams,” Qin Xiaoting said confidently.
Having already gone through the “Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry Series” multiple times in her previous life, she had started reviewing again nearly a year in advance. She was sure she could achieve better results this time around.
Jiang Li, feeling a little anxious since she hadn’t been preparing for this year’s college entrance examination, voiced her concerns. Qin Xiaoting comforted her, saying, “I’ve highlighted the key points and compiled the practice questions I’ve worked on. Review them carefully, they’ll help you.”
“Let’s work hard and go to Haicheng together for university.”
The two girls clasped hands tightly, their eyes brimming with hope and excitement for the future.
—
Meanwhile, in Dashuping, several households were embroiled in heated arguments. These were families where educated youths had married into the community or vice versa.
“No! I won’t allow you to take the exam! Do you hear me?”
Ding Wenyu’s voice rang out as she smashed a teacup onto the table. Scalding tea splashed onto Chang Jinguang, igniting his suppressed anger. In the six months of their marriage, Chang Jinguang had endured more humiliation than in the rest of his life combined.
“Why are you trying to control my life? If I want to register for the exam, I will. It’s none of your business.”
Ding Wenyu sneered coldly. “Why? Because everything you wear, eat, and use comes from my Ding family. If it weren’t for me, you’d have starved to death long ago. How could you even dream of taking the exam?”
“Yes, you’ve helped me, but I married you, I didn’t sell myself to your family as a slave! I will take the exam, and not even the King of Heaven can stop me.”
“You!” Ding Wenyu trembled with rage, throwing objects in her fury. Her voice quivered as she lashed out, “You just want to go back to the city, get into college, don’t you?”
“You used me, and now you want to abandon me to reunite with your old lover. Chang Jinguang, are you even human?”
“Who said you could touch my things?” Chang Jinguang, visibly enraged, grabbed Ding Wenyu by her collar and shoved her hard.
Seeing the uncharacteristic ferocity in his eyes, Ding Wenyu’s heart sank. Did he really love that woman so much?
Her heart felt sour, as though she had bitten into a green tomato. After taking a long, shaky breath, she managed to whisper, “You don’t love me, do you?”
Chang Jinguang hesitated at her heartbroken expression, guilt flickering momentarily in his eyes. But that guilt was quickly overshadowed by the joy he felt at the thought of reuniting with his former lover in the city.
“You’re right. I never loved you. I married you just to make life a little easier. I’m sorry, Wenyu.”
Ding Wenyu, despite her fiery temper, had genuinely loved Chang Jinguang. She had fallen for his melancholic demeanor and refined, gentle appearance. But she hadn’t expected that he had never loved her back.
It turned out there was no love between them from the start.
“Wenyu, please let me go. Let’s get a divorce.”