Chapter 2
It is said: "In the end, it is your son-in-law, isn't it? You harmed him, yet it is still Hehua who suffers."
When Dabao saw this, he glared and was about to charge forward. Hehua quickly got up to intervene, but before she could fully stand, some villagers who were watching came up to stop Dabao. The crowd had enjoyed the commotion enough, and seeing that a fight was truly about to break out, they all gathered around Hehua's father to mediate and persuade for peace
Changsheng pondered for a moment and seemed to understand, then turned to Hehua's father and said: "Then you can take your daughter back, I no longer want her as my wife"
The lotus flower father was so enraged that he jumped up, pointing at Changsheng's nose and scolding, "You bastard, are you trying to play tricks? My daughter entered your house yesterday and even slept with you for a night, and now you say you want to back out! Do you think the Li family is easy to bully? Daba! Grab a weapon and beat this bastard to death!"
Changsheng ignored her and continued with his own tasks. After finishing folding the quilt, he tilted his head as if to inspect it for a while. Satisfied, he nodded and then opened a nearby cabinet, taking out a small wooden box. Hehua, curious, leaned in to take a look. At this moment, it seemed that Changsheng finally realized Hehua's presence, holding the box and looking at her warily.
Dabao was still somewhat hesitant, but upon hearing Changsheng say that he intended to abandon the lotus flowers, he became enraged and immediately grabbed a hoe to take action
The lotus flower smiled shyly and said, "What treasures are there?"
After asking several times, someone finally said they saw Changsheng carrying a hoe and heading to the fields. Knowing that Changsheng was safe, Hehua let out a sigh of relief, but upon hearing that he was working in the fields, her heart tightened again. Changsheng's family had given all their half mu of land as a betrothal gift to her father; where could he possibly go to farm now? Could it be that he foolishly ran back there again?
Upon hearing the commotion, Hehua immediately ran towards the fields, and the nearby villagers, hearing the excitement, also hurried over to see what was happening
Upon witnessing the scene before her, He Hua had already guessed what was happening. Regardless of her father's scolding, she walked straight to Chang Sheng's side and said, with little confidence: "Chang Sheng, let's go home"
At lunchtime, the men working in the fields walked home in groups of two or three, passing by her house. They would curiously glance at her, and their gazes made Hehua feel utterly embarrassed. She tried to hide the bundle in her arms, but it was impossible to conceal. She knew that for a long time to come, the villagers would use her as a source of amusement.
You might as well let him do it, after all, this place is yours, just consider it as having a fool work for you for free
The lotus flower was choked back, speechless, and looking at Changsheng's expression, felt guilty towards him. Seeing this, Lotus Flower's father scolded, "Are you two putting on a grand performance together?! Your grandmother gave me the land, so it belongs to my family! If you dare to go back on your word and play tricks, don't blame me for being rude!"
The entire morning, He Hua was busy tidying up each room. Just as she was about to wash her hands and prepare lunch, she realized that Chang Sheng was missing. She had just seen him standing foolishly at their door, gazing at the sky while she was tidying up Fourth Grandma's room, but in the blink of an eye, he had disappeared without a trace. She called out a couple of times in the courtyard, but no one responded. She then went to the front gate to look around, yet there was no sign of him.
As someone's daughter-in-law, Hehua felt somewhat guilty and stepped forward, saying: "Let me do it."
Since the moment she knew she was going to marry Changsheng, Hehua never thought there was anything wrong with marrying a fool. Just this morning, she felt that this kind of life was much better than enduring her father's beatings and scorn at home. It is only now that she truly realizes what kind of life she will face in the future
It is said: "Why argue with a fool? You may be upset for some reason, yet he remains blissfully unaware of what is happening."
The lotus secretly laughed, a fool is just a fool, how could a box of peanuts make me afraid of peeking and stealing? She shook her head and walked away
The lotus flower shrugged its shoulders and playfully stuck out its tongue at the back of the fourth grandmother before returning to the house
Changsheng picked up the small bundle again and stuffed it into Hehua's embrace, while pushing her outward and loudly said: "You go."
Lotus hurriedly stepped forward to stand in front of Changsheng
Father!" Hehua exclaimed, calling out to her father.
The lotus flower could not hold back her feelings and huffed, "If you want to give it, then give it; I don't even care to look at a broken wooden box!" After saying this, she turned and left. However, once outside the room, her curiosity got the better of her, and she partially opened the door, peering through the crack. She saw Changsheng tip the box onto the table, from which a pile of peanuts rolled out. Changsheng arranged the peanuts one by one, counted them, put some small ones into his own pocket, and carefully placed the rest back into the box before returning it to the cabinet.
The lotus flower pressed against the door and whispered: "Changsheng, open the door and let me in."
The crowd dispersed, leaving only the lotus flowers and Changsheng in the field. The lotus remained slumped on the ground, watching as Changsheng continued to work diligently, seemingly unaffected by what had just happened. She was not angry with him for what he had just said, nor was she upset that he had pushed her down; in fact, she felt somewhat guilty towards him. This land was left to him by his grandfather, the land that sustained him and his grandmother, yet it was lost because of her.
The lotus flower, burdened with a package, was pushed outside the door by Changsheng, nearly falling to the ground again. Changsheng closed the door from the inside and bolted it, leaving her outside.
The lotus placed the burden aside and said, "The meal is ready, let us eat."
The lotus flower father scolded: "Don't pretend to be foolish! This is the betrothal gift, do you understand? My daughter has become your wife! This land must belong to me!"
Changsheng did not pay any attention to Hehua's father, but raised his neck and loudly repeated to Hehua: "This is my family's land, it was left to me by my grandfather"
Father He looked at the lotus flowers and scolded, "You wretched girl! You just got married yesterday, and today you are already helping others plot against your own father! This land was clearly the bride price given by your grandmother, how can you forget it in just one night! This is my family's land! Hurry up and get your husband to leave!"
The lotus flower father scolded: "Are you being shameless! They don't want you anymore, yet you still protect him. Have you no shame!"
Inside the room, Changsheng was folding the quilt. In fact, Hehua had already folded it once, but it was evidently not to Changsheng's satisfaction. He spread out all the bedding and folded it again, meticulously, as if a young lady were embroidering.
The villagers, each voicing their opinions, took away the Li father and son. Before leaving, He Hua's father did not forget to shout at He Hua: "Just this once, if I see him again tomorrow, I will break his legs!"
She was lost in thought when she saw Xiao Bao running over from a distance, panting and pulling at her arm, urgently saying: "Sister, you must go quickly, brother-in-law and our father are fighting in the field"
Fourth Grandma said: "Why are you following him? It is proper to stay at home and take care of your man." After saying this, she turned and left with a bamboo basket.
The next morning, Hehua got up early to start a fire and cook. After finishing breakfast, Fourth Grandma took a piece of flatbread and carried a grass basket out the door, telling Hehua before leaving that she would not be back for lunch
Changsheng was momentarily taken aback and did not understand, gazing blankly at the lotus flower. The lotus flower, feeling uneasy under his gaze, bit her lip and lowered her head
The lotus flower stood there, lowering her head in silence. She felt that she was not shameless, but rather had long lost her face. Changsheng and her father each took turns stripping her bare, leaving her exposed in front of everyone as a laughingstock. Even without raising her head, she could see the way the villagers around her looked at her, and she even felt she could hear their snickering in their hearts. At this moment, she wished that the hoe in Dabaos hand would swing and strike her temple, ending her life cleanly. Even without raising her head, she could see the way the villagers around her looked at her, and she even felt she could hear their snickering in their hearts. At this moment, she wished that the hoe in Dabaos hand would swing and strike her temple, ending her life cleanly
Changsheng ignored her as well, and in a fit of anger, he forcefully swung his arm, causing Hehua to unexpectedly tumble and sit down on the ground
Upon entering the house, Changsheng set down his hoe and went inside, while Hehua washed her hands to prepare lunch. Once the meal was ready, she went into the inner room to call Changsheng for dinner, but he had already packed her small bundle and stuffed it into her arms, saying: "You go back, I no longer want you as my wife, return the land of my family."
Changsheng paused his actions upon hearing this, raised his head, and confidently stated: "This is my family's land, the land that my grandfather left to me"
He Hua was somewhat worried, thinking that Chang Sheng was a fool, fearing that something might happen. She put down her work and went out to search, looking everywhere in the village that she could think of, but she did not see any sign of Chang Sheng. At this moment, she was truly anxious, and disregarding the new bride's shyness, she only asked the villagers along the way if they had seen Chang Sheng.
Big Treasure said: "Sister, step aside, I will beat this bastard to death for you!"
Changsheng held the box, slightly lowered his head, and squinted as he said: "I won't show it to you"
Changsheng worked in the fields for the entire morning, while Hehua sat on the ridge of the field for the same duration. When the sun reached its zenith, Changsheng finally straightened his back, wiped the sweat from his brow, and shouldered his hoe to head home, with Hehua brushing off the dirt from her backside to follow him. Along the way, they could not avoid the villagers pointing and whispering about them due to the events of the morning. Hehua felt quite embarrassed, keeping her head down and pretending not to notice, trailing behind Changsheng as they made their way home.
There was no response from within. Through the crack of the door, He Hua saw Chang Sheng turn and return to the room. She knocked on the door a few more times, but it was ultimately in vain
When Hehua arrived, Changsheng was quietly working alone with a hoe, while her father stood by in a fit of rage, rolling up his sleeves and urging Dabao to take Changsheng out to fight. Dabao looked at his father and then at Changsheng, hesitating and not daring to move. Hehua's father became anxious, grabbed a hoe, and was about to swing it at Changsheng.
"What nonsense!" her father scolded, "This is my land, what right do you have to make me leave! You get him out of here!"
But she cannot die at this moment, and she has to face this embarrassing predicament. She can only clench her fist tightly, digging her nails into her palm, and softly say: "Father, you should go back and rest first, I will try to persuade him."
Changsheng completely ignored her and focused on his work. Hehua was at a loss for words and simply tugged at his sleeve, saying: "Changsheng, this is no longer our land, let's go back..."
Lotus turned around again, pulling Changsheng's arm and said: "Changsheng, let's go home"
The lotus flower pursued and said: "I will go with you, please take me to get to know the herbs, so that I can assist you in the future"