Free Web NovelChapter 473: Chapter 473: Left
"You’re, are you going back alone?" Shao Meijuan’s heart was in turmoil. When she saw Li Yuntao standing at the school gate just now, she thought her support had returned. He was the only person she could trust in Jing City right now, but he said he was leaving, so what was she to do?
"Are you planning to go back with me?" Li Yuntao asked Shao Meijuan in disbelief.
Shao Meijuan’s tears came streaming down. "Yuntao, I have nowhere else to go, I can’t stay in Jing City any longer. If I go home, my parents will definitely beat me to death. Can you marry me, so I can go back with you?"
Li Yuntao stood utterly stunned looking at Shao Meijuan, watched her face streaming with tears, makeup smudged from crying, her swollen cheeks showing clear handprints, looking utterly disheveled. Yet, what she said at this moment was what he had always been waiting for, he had long wanted to marry her.
"If only you had said this earlier, if only you agreed to my proposal earlier." Li Yuntao smiled, his eyes reddened with emotion, "Ajuan, you’re really selfish."
Shao Meijuan ceased crying, gazing at Li Yuntao in disbelief, "You, you despise me now?"
"Shouldn’t I?" Li Yuntao choked on his words, "Do you not know how ugly the situation got for yourself? Now you want me to marry you, do you think I’m oblivious to wearing a green hat, can tolerate people’s gossip behind my back? Why are you so cruel to me, have I treated you poorly?"
Shao Meijuan was speechless from his retort.
"We dated back in the village, have you forgotten why?" Li Yuntao’s face filled with disappointment looking at Shao Meijuan, "You’ve forgotten that you came to me."
Shao Meijuan seemed to be suddenly awakened, her face turned pale as she took a step back.
"Your parents were unfair to you, didn’t want you to study, thought girls didn’t need education. It was you who sobbed and sought me out, I convinced my father to go to your house to reason with your parents so you could continue attending school."
"When you got into high school, afraid again your parents might prevent you from attending, you pleaded with me to become your partner, just pretend, saying that if your parents knew we were together they’d surely agree."
"Throughout all these years, how have I treated you? And how did you treat me in return? We were just putting on a show initially, but as time went on, people said I should take responsibility for you, take care of you. I owe nothing to you, but you owe me a lot instead."
"Only when you needed help did you think to find me. Every time you approached me it was either because you were hungry and wanted food, needed study materials, or wanted money." Li Yuntao smiled bitterly, "I’ve fulfilled what I could for you."
"Shao Meijuan, I’m already twenty-five. At this age, it’s rare not to be married or have children in the village. Do you know the pressure I face? I’ve proposed marriage to you so many times, yet you’ve refused while I chose to respect your decision. But you’ve disappointed me immensely."
"So, we won’t be getting married, whether you’re going back or not isn’t my concern, but from now onward, we have no relationship." Li Yuntao calmed down, "Marry whoever you wish, anyway we were never engaged. After arriving in Jing City you never acknowledged me as your partner, just as a brother from the same village."
"So, as your brother from the same village, I thought to say this before leaving. I’ve fulfilled my responsibilities, and you should... take care of yourself." Li Yuntao placed a folded handkerchief on the edge of the flower bed, "This is my aid as someone from the same village, plan your future well."
Li Yuntao left only counting money for a train ticket and meals for himself, the rest was in that handkerchief, he had done his utmost.
Once Li Yuntao left, Shao Meijuan fell to the ground crying, finally picked up the handkerchief, finding thirty-five yuan and quite a few ration tickets inside, tears came again. Perhaps she really did make a mistake, she recalled what Yi Roujing once told her, saying she wasn’t simply unlucky but rather too ambitious, greedy and never satisfied. She seemed to have missed the man who treated her best in her life.
Shao Meijuan left Jing City, this news was passed to Yi Roujing by Liu Aihui when she visited Beiluo Lane for a meal.
"A few days ago, I saw Mr. Li with Shao Meijuan at the school entrance." Liu Aihui admitted she overheard their private conversation, though she didn’t do it intentionally, it just seemed her ears were somewhat sharper.
Though Liu Aihui was straightforward, she never spread people’s business around. That day after Li Yuntao left, Liu Aihui helped Shao Meijuan up, offered a handkerchief for her to wipe her face, said nothing more, merely listened to Shao Meijuan talk. She likely had no one else to share her feelings with, spoke much to Liu Aihui, complaints about family, regrets regarding the past, Liu Aihui felt that might be the most genuine moment of Shao Meijuan.
In the end, Shao Meijuan bade farewell to Liu Aihui, said she was leaving Jing City but wasn’t returning home, going back would put Li Yuntao in a hard position. She wanted to go south, having heard of bigger opportunities there, wanted to try.
Liu Aihui neither encouraged nor belittled her, simply provided fifty yuan and some nationwide tickets, "Consider my sympathy running high, as being a woman traveling doesn’t come easy."
Just having returned from the post office and bank, Liu Aihui had money and ticket sent by her family, caring about her, aside from items, they sent money and tickets too. Her mother said while traveling, having money and tickets ensure no problems, better to have extra than lacking it, so Liu Aihui had plenty of money.
Shao Meijuan’s shocked look back then still lingered in Liu Aihui’s memory. She asked why give her money and tickets, they might never meet again, and earn no money to repay.
Liu Aihui didn’t dwell, since they were once good friends, albeit with motives not entirely pure but the friendship shared was genuine. Besides she had a soft heart, felt Li Yuntao was the most unfortunate, if he could let go, what was hers worth?
After thanking Shao Meijuan, she left, before leaving Jing City made sure to find Liu Aihui, not seeking her at school though, fearing Liu Aihui might face gossip because of her. She guessed where Liu Aihui might be, luck was with her, found her readily, offered sincere thanks and farewells, asked Liu Aihui to relay an apology to Yi Roujing, Shao Meijuan felt she had seen the light.
"She wanted me to offer you her apology, admitting she was jealous, but won’t be anymore." Liu Aihui conveyed.
Yi Roujing hadn’t taken it to heart, she wasn’t affected.
"Wow, Auntie’s fish head is so delicious, I can handle spicy now, this sweet and sour rib is also tasty, I’m so happy." Liu Aihui shared after completing the serious topics and began voraciously eating.
"Baozi, Mantou, Dumplings, Tangyuan, Aunt brought chocolate and candies for you all, but the most important is this, tada—" After dinner, Liu Aihui noticed Baozi approaching, quickly showcased the toys she brought.
Unconsciously, Liu Aihui also gradually drew closer to Yi Roujing and her family.
