Chapter 8

The lotus pointed to the grinding stone beside it and said, "You sit here for a while, and once I finish speaking, we will leave."

The lotus flower maiden wiped her tears and said: "I originally did not dare to say anything to him. I gave birth to three daughters in a row, and I felt guilty towards him... Later, when I had the eldest treasure, my heart finally felt at ease... Your father treated me better during those two years, and he also went to that little hussy's place less often... That little hussy is not a well-behaved one; when she saw your father ignoring her, she started flirting with others again. Your third uncle had an affair with her, but it was your third aunt who told me this in person..."

Lotus invited her mother into the house to talk. The two of them sat on the edge of the kang, chatting while looking outside. They saw Xiaobao running in circles in the yard with a puppy, while Changsheng squatted to the side, staring blankly for a while before joining in, appearing somewhat foolish.

Hmm. Changsheng agreed and went inside the house

The Lotus Flower Mother said: "This child, Changsheng, has a special affinity with Xiaobao."

Changsheng looked at Xiaobao in silence, and Xiaobao continued: "My family’s Ermao has given birth to puppies, would you like to take a look?"

Changsheng continued to lower his head, neither responding nor making a sound. Hehua hurriedly took the cake and said: "No need, he is full."

Lotus Flower Road: "The medication has been administered, and it is said that it will improve in a couple of days"

The mother of the lotus flower was still wiping her tears, sorrowfully saying: "I never intended to speak to you about this, but it troubles my heart to see you distressed as well... It is only that I feel so miserable inside, and there is no one left in my family. Your two younger sisters have married far away, so I can only ramble on to you... Now, I have no other hopes, only wishing for all of you to live safely and soundly, and in the future, to marry off Da Bao and Xiao Bao... Your father no longer cares for me, so I am relying on you all..." Before she could finish her words, she was already crying uncontrollably. Now, I have no other hopes, only wishing for all of you to live safely and soundly, and in the future, to marry off Da Bao and Xiao Bao... Your father no longer cares for me, so I am relying on you all..." Before she could finish her words, she was already crying uncontrollably.

The meal was quite dull. After finishing the meal, Hehua went to the kitchen to help with the cleaning and washing. Before long, Daba came in to relay a message, saying that her father wanted her to come inside to talk. Hehua knew she could not escape being scolded, so she wiped her hands and went into the room.

Changsheng was taken aback for a moment, turned his head to look around the room, and said: "Hehua asked me to sit here."

Hmm. Changsheng complied and obediently sat by the grinding stone, waiting. When Hehua Niang called him to come inside and rest, he ignored her. Dabao also looked down on Changsheng; after calling him twice without a response, he no longer paid him any attention. Duxiaobao sat on the threshold, picking at his toes while curiously observing Changsheng. After a while, he could no longer resist approaching him to speak, asking in a childish voice: "Do you want to see the puppy?"

The Lotus Flower Mother said: "It's nothing, I noticed that Changsheng didn't have enough to eat at noon, so I brought some pancakes over."

The lotus flower felt a tumultuous storm within her heart, as if the very sky had changed color. She had always thought her mother was soft-hearted, enduring years of her father's beatings and scoldings, never realizing there were such hidden grievances. Her father hit and scolded her, and she had no words to say, for he was her father after all. But thinking of the fact that he had such sordid affairs with that woman made her feel a wave of suffocation in her chest, a mix of anger and grievance. The thought of that widow Chen filled her with such hatred that it felt like her heart was aching; she even had the urge to take a knife and kill her. Her father hit and scolded her, and she had no words to say, for he was her father after all. But thinking of the fact that he had such sordid affairs with that woman made her feel a wave of suffocation in her chest, a mix of anger and grievance. The thought of that widow Chen filled her with such hatred that it felt like her heart was aching; she even had the urge to take a knife and kill her.

Changsheng appeared somewhat frightened, retreating slightly, and extended a finger to poke the puppy's belly

The lotus flower maiden said: "He is asleep"

Xiao Bao pouted and walked away holding the puppy

Lotus was taken aback and widened her eyes; her third uncle was known throughout the village as an honest man, yet he was involved in such a matter...

Changsheng lowered his head in silence, quietly placing the half-eaten biscuit back on the table

Changsheng tilted his head and saw the lotus flowers, and immediately stood up. The lotus flowers shouted towards the kitchen: "Mother, we are leaving now"

The Lotus Flower Mother could not help but be amused, wiping her tears and sighing: "Fortunately, you are by my side; otherwise, I would be suffocated with this feeling in my heart..." As she spoke, she turned her head to look out the window and saw Changsheng and Xiaobao squatting by the wall, staring foolishly at the puppy sleeping. She could not help but feel worried, saying, "Both of us are unfortunate... Changsheng is indeed honest, but I wonder if he knows how to care for others... If you are not doing well, do not keep it bottled up inside; I have endured this my whole life, which has led to a body full of ailments..."

The lotus flower feels wronged, directly stating that all of this is nonsense, and those who spread such gossip should drown in a cesspool! Her father kicked her and scolded, are you still not ashamed enough from yesterday? If I were you, I would have long since hidden by the wall, yet here you are, as if afraid others wouldn't see you, getting into a fight with someone! I must have committed sins in my past life to have given birth to such a disgraceful child!

He Lian's father originally had a poor complexion, and seeing Chang Sheng like this made his expression even worse. During dinner, he said irritably, "You may not know how to speak, but your appetite is certainly considerable"

Lotus was taken aback, but then she heard her mother continue: "How many years has it been? At that time, I was still pregnant with your elder brother... In the dead of winter, I was busy running around alone. Once, when I went to fetch water from the well, my legs went weak and I almost fell in. When I came back and told your father, I was hoping he would show some care for me, but instead, he just scolded me, saying I was foolish and brought it upon myself... My heart felt as if it had fallen into an ice cellar... He thought I didn't know; at that time, his mind was not on me, he was sneaking over to that little hussy's house every day, and even lied to me, saying he was going to your Uncle San's place in the south... In the dead of winter, I was busy running around alone. Once, when I went to fetch water from the well, my legs went weak and I almost fell in. When I came back and told your father, I was hoping he would show some care for me, but instead, he just scolded me, saying I was foolish and brought it upon myself... My heart felt as if it had fallen into an ice cellar... He thought I didn't know; at that time, his mind was not on me, he was sneaking over to that little hussy's house every day, and even lied to me, saying he was going to your Uncle San's place in the south..."

The lotus flower mother nodded, holding the lotus flower's hand, feeling pained for quite a while, and said softly: "It's my fault... it's my fault for being incapable, my good daughter has been bullied to this extent..." As she spoke, her eyes inevitably turned red.

The Lotus Flower Maiden turned her head back, looking at the scratches on the face of the lotus, and said: "How is it? Have you applied the medicine? Don't leave any scars"

The lotus flower maiden had just wiped away her tears, and they welled up in her eyes again, saying: "When I was pregnant with the little treasure, I had a big belly and could no longer serve him at night. He couldn't control his own waistband and got involved with that little whore... This has dragged on until now... Truly a heartless bastard. I have given him everything in my life. When our family was at its most difficult, I was almost starving but still left food for him to eat... After marrying him for over twenty years, I only wore a new dress once on our wedding day. He, on the other hand, recently went to the county town and only bothered to buy that little whore some fancy cloth. Just look at her flaunting it. Truly a heartless bastard. I have given him everything in my life. When our family was at its most difficult, I was almost starving but still left food for him to eat... After marrying him for over twenty years, I only wore a new dress once on our wedding day. He, on the other hand, recently went to the county town and only bothered to buy that little whore some fancy cloth. Just look at her flaunting it... Earlier, she was gossiping to your father. Your father is getting old and confused, not believing his own daughter, but believing that little whore's nonsense... Yesterday, when he saw you fighting with her, he seemed to feel sorry for her and insisted that I call you home today. Earlier, she was gossiping to your father. Your father is getting old and confused, not believing his own daughter, but believing that little whore's nonsense... Yesterday, when he saw you fighting with her, he seemed to feel sorry for her and insisted that I call you home today... I only hate how the heavens are blind, not striking that filthy little prostitute with lightning!"

Little Bao urgently said: "Mother, may I also go to my elder sister's house to play?"

Before the Lotus Flower Mother could respond, they heard the Lotus Flower Father shout from inside the house: "What are you doing! Stay at home and behave yourself!"

The Lotus Flower Mother sighed and said, "Men are all the same, unable to resist the seduction of a vixen... Therefore, when your father said he would betroth you to Changsheng, I actually felt relieved in my heart... Being a bit foolish is fine, as long as there are no ulterior motives, and one can live a steady life with you..."

The lotus flower was taken aback; she knew her father had a bad temper and that it was common for him to scold and hit them, even the eldest son whom he favored the most was not spared from his beatings. However, she never expected that her father actually had someone outside... and it was that widow Chen, who usually pretended to be a virtuous and chaste woman to intimidate others... Moreover, the eldest son was already sixteen this year, which meant it had been going on for quite some time... and it was indeed with that widow Chen, who had been pretending to be a virtuous and chaste woman... and the eldest son was already sixteen this year, which meant it had been going on for quite some time... She was completely unaware of it...

Lotus Flower Road: "That shameless woman will eventually drown in a cesspool! Choking to death on a big toad! Suffocating in her sleep from the stench of stinky feet!"

Lotus could not care about these matters and asked anxiously, "So now, does father still have any business with her..."

Lotus had grown accustomed to being scolded and beaten by her father. Knowing that continuing to speak would only lead to more punishment, she bit her lip and fell silent. After her father grew tired of scolding, he waved his hand dismissively and impatiently ordered her to leave.

Lotus Flower Road: "How did you come here? Is there something you need?"

When Hehua came out of the house, she saw Xiaobao holding a puppy and trying to hand it to Changsheng, saying: "Here, give it a hug, it's still small and won't bite."

Lotus entered the kitchen, closed the door, and pulled her pants down to her hips. She looked at the spot on her thigh where her father had kicked her and thought to herself that by tomorrow morning it would surely turn blue. She rubbed it a bit, then pulled her pants back up, started boiling water and lighting the fire to cook for Changsheng, only adding firewood without realizing that tears were falling. She felt wronged; she was not angry at her father for hitting and scolding her, but was saddened that he actually believed the slanderous words of those gossips, that he would believe she would engage in shameless acts with that good-for-nothing Feng.

Changsheng chased after her, tugging at the corner of her garment, saying: "Go home"

The lotus smiled slightly with pursed lips

She kept reminding Changsheng to know to call them father and mother once they entered the house, and Changsheng was indeed supposed to behave well. However, as soon as he stepped through the gate of the Li family, Changsheng suddenly became mute. No matter how much Hehua poked and glared at him, he remained silent, only lowering his head and clinging tightly to her. Wherever she went, he followed closely behind, even standing at the door when she went to the toilet.

The lotus flower lady calmed her heart and said: "That is the best... Now I understand clearly, this man, regardless of whether he can do things or not, whether he is clever or not, knowing how to cherish his wife is the most important..."

Xiao Bao said, "Then I will carry it over to you." After saying this, he hurriedly ran to the doghouse to pick up the dog

She was shedding tears when Changsheng suddenly pushed the door open. She quickly turned her back to wipe her tears and said, "Didn’t I ask you to wait inside?"

Lotus was very indignant on behalf of Changsheng; he had only eaten this one bun, which she had forced upon him, and he had not touched any of the dishes on the table. However, she did not dare to confront her father and only gently patted Changsheng's leg under the table

He actually believes it..." said Hehuan Niang, "That woman is so good at pretending... How many men have crawled over that bed, yet she still dares to shamelessly pose as a chaste and virtuous woman... Your father must have been blinded by something, treating her like a prized possession...

The Lotus Flower Mother gritted her teeth and said: "Don't mention that little wretch, she seduces men herself and still has the audacity to speak ill of my daughter... If it weren't for her, your father wouldn't be able to criticize you like this..."

Lotus could not help but frown upon hearing the implied meaning in her mother's words

The Lotus Flower Lady was mediating the situation, saying: "Young man, eating so little is not enough. Changsheng works hard in the fields every day and should eat more... Changsheng, it's fine, eat more, there are still some pancakes in the pot." As she spoke, she handed two pancakes to Changsheng.

The lotus flower walked over and said: "Changsheng, you have returned home"

He Hua and Chang Sheng returned home in silence. Upon entering, He Hua said: "We are not going to the mountain today. You didn't eat enough at noon, so I will prepare something for you to eat. You just wait here in the house."

At this moment, despite having a myriad of grievances and resentments, Hehua could not express them in front of her mother. She simply held her mother's hand and continuously comforted her, saying: "Please do not let that despicable woman upset you; it is not worth exhausting yourself... I believe father was momentarily bewitched by her, but he still has feelings for you in his heart. After spending more than twenty years together, how could he not know who truly cares for him? That woman is not a decent person, and I am sure father is aware of her true nature and will keep his distance from her... I believe father was momentarily bewitched by her, but he still has feelings for you in his heart. After spending more than twenty years together, how could he not know who truly cares for him? That woman is not a decent person, and I am sure father is aware of her true nature and will keep his distance from her..."

On the second day, Hehua urged her and Changsheng to return for a meal, knowing it was certainly about the incident of her fighting with Widow Chen

Lotus felt a warmth in her heart and said: "Where is father? Let him know that I have quarreled with you again"

The mother of the lotus flower sighed: "You were young and had not yet ventured out, so there were some things I could not tell you. Now that you are married, there are some matters I must keep from you... That Chen girl is not a good person; she has been flirting with your father for many years... Your father is also someone without resolve; just a single flirtatious glance from her makes him weak in the knees..."

Lotus hurriedly comforted, "It's nothing, who has bullied me? Don't be fooled by my face; I have slapped that widow Chen several times. Only the one who suffers knows the pain. Rest assured, your daughter will not suffer any loss"

Upon entering the house, Hehua was immediately met with a scolding from her father, who accused her of tarnishing the family reputation and bringing shame to the Lao Li family

The lotus also gazed out the window and softly said, "He is quite good, just a bit shy and doesn't dare to speak. The medicine on my face was applied by him, and just yesterday he was busy arranging for me to eat boiled eggs... quite good..."

Changsheng turned around and raised her hand to point outside. Hehua got up and left the house, seeing her mother standing in the yard with a basket, while Xiaobao followed beside her holding a small puppy.

The lotus flower lady came out of the kitchen, wanting to say something. She turned her head to look around the room but hesitated, only responding with a single acknowledgment, urging them to come back and sit often