Barrage of Truth
A young woman sent to the countryside during China's Cultural Revolution discovers she can see barrage comments revealing her tragic fate. Armed with this knowledge, she fights to escape her predetermined destiny of being trapped by a manipulative man's fake rescue.
Barrage of Truth
When the educated youth dormitory caught fire, Zhou Weiguo, ignoring everyone's attempts to stop him, rushed frantically into the flames to save me.
Just as I was feeling moved, I suddenly saw barrage comments floating before my eyes.
【How despicable! The male lead himself has a serious illness. To avoid burdening his pregnant white moonlight, he deliberately set the fire and then pretended to save her, just to use the debt of gratitude to make the female lead willingly stay! How wicked!】
【Poor female lead! Not only does she have to care for the scumbag after marriage, but the money she earns is secretly sent by the scumbag to the white moonlight who's in college!】
【The white moonlight stole her spot and secretly gave birth to a child, went to college and found a good job. Tsk tsk, truly a tragedy!】
I looked at Bai Zhenzhu, whom I had already dragged to the doorway, and let go of her hand.
Chapter 1
【The female lead truly has it rough. After marriage, she not only has to care for the scumbag, but her earned money is also secretly sent by the scumbag to the white moonlight in college.】
【Right, right! Not only does she support the male lead's family but also pays for the white moonlight to finish college. A whole group of people sucking her blood dry. Finally, after serving the male lead until he's about to die, to leave the house to his son, he sets another fire, burning himself and the female lead to death. Tsk tsk.】
Seeing Zhou Weiguo about to rush in, I let go, stepped back a few paces, and covered my mouth and nose as I hid under the bed.
"Lihua? Lihua?"
I saw Zhou Weiguo rush in, look around for a moment without seeing me, hesitate about whether to go out, but then tripped and nearly fell.
"Lihua, I finally found you. Huh? Xue Xue? Xue Xue, wake up, Xue Xue?"
Zhou Weiguo panicked, holding Bai Xue as he rushed out.
I struggled to crawl out from under the bed. Just as I wanted to rush outside, the ceiling beam above, having lost its support, crashed straight down.
I hugged my head tightly against the wall.
"Meibao, quick! Back up! Back up! The window at the back is burning and has fallen out. Go out through the window, quick!"
"Yes, yes, the window is low. Just climb up and you're out. Quick!"
"Quick, quick! This way you can avoid the fate of being entangled with the scumbag. Go Meibao, go!"
I bit my lip and decided to trust the barrage, turning around to run backward.
The fire behind me was much larger than in front. If not for my trust in the barrage, I would never have turned back into the sea of flames.
I choked, barely able to keep my eyes open, but finally saw the window position the barrage mentioned.
Sure enough, the wooden window had already fallen out. Without hesitation, I rushed over, grabbed the windowsill, and jumped, rolling outside the educated youth dormitory.
I rushed to the riverbank and quickly washed my face clean.
Chapter 2
Combining the barrage comments, I roughly pieced together my life.
I am the protagonist of a book, but with a tragic fate, trapped by calculation, while Zhou Weiguo and Bai Xue are already involved.
Because Zhou Weiguo was ill, he couldn't bear to burden Bai Xue, so the two designed to trap me here, while Bai Xue stole my spot to go to college.
I was trapped here for a lifetime, burdened by the debt of gratitude, caring for Zhou Weiguo. The money I earned was not only sent to Bai Xue for college but also supported their child.
By my thirties, Zhou Weiguo was terminally ill. To keep the house, he set another fire, burning me to death.
This is my life.
My hand washing my face suddenly paused.
So, those times he helped me before—were they all designed by him?
Because he had helped me twice, I had some goodwill toward him. Today he took advantage of that goodwill to calculate me again.
If not for the barrage reminding me, I really might have stayed to care for Zhou Weiguo because of today's debt of gratitude, and finally married him!
I narrowed my eyes and quickly washed my face clean.
Then I rushed to the mountainside to gather firewood and ran back toward the educated youth dormitory.
Words come from Zhou Weiguo's mouth—I was afraid that although he didn't save me, he might still twist this to involve me later.
Words can be terrifying. I absolutely cannot, as the barrage said, be entangled by this so-called gratitude for a lifetime.
Chapter 3
When I arrived at the educated youth dormitory, gasping for breath with firewood on my back, Zhou Weiguo's loud voice indeed rang out.
"It's nothing, my injuries don't matter, as long as Lihua is okay."
"Lihua..."
My heart tightened as I pushed through the crowd and rushed in.
But I saw Zhou Weiguo holding the still unconscious Bai Xue. Though he looked at Bai Xue, the words coming from his mouth were about rushing into the fire for me.
My heart chilled as I quickly said:
"Wow, Comrade Zhou, did you save Educated Youth Bai? You're truly amazing!"
Zhou Weiguo saw me, his eyes blank for a moment, still thinking I was inside and hadn't come out.
How did I come in from outside instead?
He opened his mouth.
I added:
"Comrade Zhou, what's wrong with Educated Youth Bai? Oh my! She's unconscious!
"Quick, quick, everyone lend a hand. Send Educated Youth Bai to the hospital. Quick!"
The barrage had said Bai Xue was secretly pregnant at this time. Sending her to the hospital was definitely right.
This way her pregnancy would be exposed.
When Zhou Weiguo heard about sending Bai Xue to the hospital, his face showed panic.
"No, no, it's not necessary..."
I pushed Zhou Weiguo aside and had everyone lift Bai Xue up.
"Oh my! A human life is at stake!"
"If Educated Youth Bai has an accident here, none of us can escape responsibility!"
The watching villagers thought this was indeed true.
Soon someone went to the brigade to borrow a tractor, and everyone anxiously carried Bai Xue onto the tractor.
Zhou Weiguo couldn't stop them. Just as he was about to follow, I grabbed him.
"Comrade Zhou, look, you're injured. Quick, get it bandaged first."
I firmly held Zhou Weiguo, my nails almost digging into the flesh of his arm.
Zhou Weiguo cried out in pain and paused.
The tractor didn't wait for him at all, rumbling straight toward the city.
"Hey! Wait, wait!!"
I watched Zhou Weiguo chase after it for a long distance before finally stopping from exhaustion.
"Lihua, how could you..."
"Comrade Zhou, you should call me Educated Youth Wen! If you call me that, others who don't know might think we have an improper relationship!"
Chapter 4
Zhou Weiguo paused and sighed.
"Lihua? Are you angry I saved Xue Xue?"
"I was going to rush in to save you! I looked for you for a long time. Look, I'm injured!"
Zhou Weiguo said pitifully, raising his arm to reveal the burn wound.
I smiled faintly: "Comrade Zhou, this isn't right. You clearly rushed in to save Educated Youth Bai."
"You were also injured saving her. How can you ask me to feel grateful? This isn't right!"
"You..."
Zhou Weiguo choked: "No, I really did it for you..."
【Hahahaha, so funny, this male lead.】
【Meibao is really clever, so clever.】
【Hey Meibao, quick! That supporting character has woken up. She's afraid her pregnancy will be exposed and is making a scene asking everyone to take her back! Quick, chase after them!】
【You must expose her pregnancy. This way her conduct is problematic, and it will be impossible for her to replace you for further studies. Quick, quick Meibao!】
I paused, then grabbed Zhou Weiguo's sleeve and ran forward: "Oh no! I just saw blood on Educated Youth Bai's pants. Could she be hurt?"
"Quick, quick! Let's chase after and see!"
"What?"
"Why didn't you say so earlier! If something happens to Xue Xue, I'll make you take responsibility!"
Zhou Weiguo's face turned pale.
When he heard this, he shook off my hand and rushed forward.
Soon leaving me far behind.
I watched Zhou Weiguo quickly disappear from sight and walked leisurely toward the city.
Chapter 5
Qingcun Village is a small village.
The entire village only has three educated youth sent down: me, Zhou Weiguo, and Bai Xue.
Usually, the three of us lived in the educated youth dormitory and ate together.
A few days ago, the brigade leader said Qingcun Village had one spot for an educated youth to study in the city. With universities not recruiting students now, if we could go to university under this name, we would graduate with a university diploma.
This was a heaven-sent opportunity.
Originally, I didn't pay much attention to this matter, but I never expected the brigade leader would choose me.
The brigade leader said Zhou Weiguo was absent-minded from the start, putting no heart into farm work.
Everyone earned eight work points a day, but Zhou Weiguo slacked off every day, hoping to return to the city, so his work was naturally perfunctory. Four work points a day would be a blessing.
And Bai Xue was even more excessive. Since arriving here, she always claimed this or that part of her body hurt. The brigade leader had no choice but to silently endure it.
Only I, after arriving, worked tirelessly and even taught the village women how to make city-style pickles and identify medicinal herbs.
The villagers could secretly sell some of these and earn some income.
This was a big help to the village, so the brigade leader used all his connections to help me secure this spot.
It was around this time that I mysteriously fell into the river once, and Zhou Weiguo saved me.
Another time, a poisonous snake suddenly appeared in my room, and Zhou Weiguo found and caught it.
Plus his daily concern for me and his handsome looks, I couldn't help but develop some special feelings for him.
Until now.
A few days ago, he went to the city and, after returning, designed this fire.
I only learned from the barrage that when he went to the city this time, he was diagnosed with a disease called "ALS." I heard it gradually causes loss of limb function, eventually leaving one bedridden.
To avoid burdening Bai Xue, and to fulfill Bai Xue's wish to replace me for university studies, Zhou Weiguo designed today's fire.
First, to find a free nanny.
Second, so I could earn money to help support Bai Xue and their child!
Truly a vicious heart!
Just thinking about these things made me feel cold all over.
Chapter 6
The village where I was sent down isn't far from the city. On the way, I saw a villager driving an ox cart and hitched a ride.
When approaching the city, I saw Zhou Weiguo running until he almost collapsed. I waved.
"Comrade Zhou, keep it up!"
"Educated Youth Bai is waiting for you to save her up ahead!"
"Wait, wait for me! Give me a ride!"
I quickly urged the driver: "Uncle, it's life or death! Please hurry!"
The driver, about to stop, snapped the whip on the ox's back.
The ox cart flew forward like an arrow.
In the flying dust, I saw Zhou Weiguo finally sit down from exhaustion.
Chapter 7
【Meibao, quick, quick! They're right at the entrance. Bai Xue is making a scene demanding to leave!】
【Quick, quick! They're already on the tractor. Fast!】
I rushed over like the wind, running while cruelly picking up a sharp stone from the roadside and fiercely cutting my palm.
"Oh! Why are you leaving already?"
"Educated Youth Bai, are you okay?"
"Educated Youth Wen, you're here? Quick, quick. Educated Youth Bai is making a scene demanding to go back! You'd better persuade her."
I supported Bai Xue, my right hand gently sliding over her pants. When I felt it was enough, I withdrew my hand.
"Oh! Educated Youth Bai, what happened to your pants?"
"Everyone, look! What's this? Why is there so much blood?!!"
Everyone followed where I pointed and indeed saw a large bloodstain on Bai Xue's pants.
Bai Xue's face changed: "I, I, I'm fine, I'm fine. I want to go back!"
"Let me go back! Quick!!"
A straightforward woman said:
"This, so much blood, could it be..."
Everyone looked at each other. Though no one spoke, all revealed meaningful expressions.
"You? What do you mean? I said I'm fine. Let's go! Quick!"
I smiled coldly in my heart.
Finally getting to the hospital—how could it be so easy to leave?
I looked left and right, seeing a doctor and nurse walking over. I screamed.
"Ah! Help! Help! This female comrade is covered in blood. Quick, quick, save her!"
The doctor and nurse, hearing this, rushed over without thinking.
The villagers, also afraid Bai Xue was really in trouble, even though she resisted, still dragged her down and pushed her into the hospital.
I saw Zhou Weiguo, who had finally arrived, and couldn't help laughing.
Chapter 8
But I never expected human shamelessness could truly be invincible.
Because my palm had bled a lot, after seeing Bai Xue being pushed away, I went to the hospital restroom to wash my hands.
When I came out, I asked about Bai Xue's ward and went to look for it.
But just as I was about to enter, I heard Bai Xue's anxious voice.
"Brother Zhou, what should we do? What should we do?"
"The doctors already suspect I'm pregnant! What should we do now?"
"It's okay, it's okay. I've already sent them away. Rest assured!"
"How can I rest assured! In a moment, they'll definitely know, and when they know, the brigade will definitely know! By then, how can I show my face? Not to mention being pointed at everywhere, but university... university has no hope either!"
I heard Zhou Weiguo busily comforting her:
"It's okay, I've already thought of everything!"
"Wen Lihua has come too! In a moment, I'll go beg her. Use the debt of gratitude to ask her to take responsibility for your pregnancy. You'll be fine, believe me!"
"Impossible! How could she possibly agree to that? She's not a fool!"
"If she refuses, I'll say, I'll say I've long had relations with her! You forgot I deliberately went to her room twice before? I even made sure two villagers saw. By then, the villagers will definitely look down on her. She won't be able to explain herself clearly with a hundred mouths!"
"Don't worry, I will definitely let you go to university, and she will definitely stay. I guarantee!"
I saw Zhou Weiguo come out and quickly hid to the side.
Then I watched Zhou Weiguo walk toward the doctor's office.
Seeing him enter, the doctor picked up a pen and asked: "What's the patient's name?"
I saw Zhou Weiguo pause, then said softly:
"Lihua, Wen Lihua!"
I leaned against the door, my face cold.
Chapter 9
【Damn! What kind of nonsense is this! This is clearly starting to calculate our female lead!】
【What's going on with this person? How disgusting! Everyone, quickly think of ways to expose this disgusting man's calculations!】
【I'm really, so angry! Though I like reading stories about suffering, seeing such a tasteless man is really—tui!】
【Meibao, quick, quick! Those villagers sent away by the scumbag are back. Hurry back to the ward and expose this. Quick!】
My heart trembled. I withdrew my gaze from the barrage and turned to run back to the ward.
Just as I reached the door, I heard Bai Xue's soft voice.
"It's okay. It was just the fire. Comrade Zhou didn't see me when saving Educated Youth Wen. My thigh was hit and is bleeding. I didn't notice it myself earlier."
"Thank you for sending me here. Really, thank you all."
Hearing Bai Xue still trying to solidify the lie that Zhou Weiguo was my savior, I smiled coldly and stepped back a few paces.
If you show no kindness, don't blame me for showing no righteousness.
I put on a nervous expression and quickened my steps, rushing into the ward.
Seeing Bai Xue, I asked with concern:
"Educated Youth Bai, the doctor says you're pregnant?!!!"
"Oh my! What should we do? You were just bleeding. What did the doctor say? Can the baby be saved?"
My words made the noisy ward instantly fall silent.
Bai Xue's face suddenly turned deathly pale.
"You, what are you talking!! Say it again!!
"What, what pregnant or not? When did I get pregnant?
"The doctor said I was, I was hit and injured, that's why I'm bleeding. You, don't spread false accusations!!"
I looked at her in astonishment.
The villagers' gazes moved back and forth between Bai Xue and me several times. Some people's expressions became meaningful.
Some made awkward laughs.
"Um, um, perhaps Educated Wen heard wrong? Right? Ah, haha"
Others looked at Bai Xue with disdain.
"Educated Youth Bai! We all know what kind of person Educated Wen is."
"If she hadn't truly heard the doctor say you're pregnant, she definitely wouldn't speak carelessly."
"By the way, some people did say you and Comrade Zhou are quite close. This child—could it be Comrade Zhou's?"
The entire brigade only has three educated youth: me, Zhou Weiguo, and Bai Xue.
The villagers have little entertainment, so naturally they pay extra attention to us three educated youth.
But this attention isn't malicious.
They just think the educated youth from the city are cultured, plus they're curious about city life, so they pay a bit more attention.
"What do you mean 'close with me'? What are you talking about?"
Zhou Weiguo, holding the medical record, suddenly walked in and asked curiously.
When Bai Xue saw Zhou Weiguo, tears suddenly flowed.
"Brother Zhou, Brother Zhou, it's Wen Lihua! She's bullying me!"
"She said I'm not injured, I'm pregnant!!
"I, I really can't live on!
"I'm a proper young woman from a good family, and she's saying I'm... boo hoo hoo, I really can't live on, boo hoo hoo..."
Zhou Weiguo's face changed.
The hand holding the medical record at his side tightened sharply, but his eyes looked toward me.
"Educated Wen! You must be responsible for your words!"
"I just asked the doctor. The doctor said Educated Youth Bai's thigh was injured! How could you spread such rumors?!!"
"I never knew you were this kind of person!"
After speaking, he sighed again.
"I know you have feelings for me."
"But today, I rushed in to save you, I really did it for you."
"Saving Educated Bai was, was just a convenience!"
"Oh, I see. You must be unhappy that Educated Bai was carried out by me. Don't worry, I'll keep my distance from her in the future!"
Hearing Zhou Weiguo say this, most of the villagers hesitantly looked at me.
I knew what they meant—wondering if I had truly misunderstood.
Or was I deliberately framing Bai Xue?
My face darkened.
I was about to curse loudly but forced myself to calm down.
Cursing now would be useless and would only make everyone think I had failed to frame Bai Xue and was now angry out of shame.
I paused and smiled.
"Comrade Zhou, I really don't know how to respond to that."
"You said you clearly saved Educated Bai, but strangely, you keep trying to pin this nonexistent 'debt of gratitude' on me."
I pretended to be scared and stepped back. "Are you doing this because you're planning something against me? I'm actually quite scared."
Zhou Weiguo: ...
Bai Xue: ...
Everyone in the ward looked at each other, again casting meaningful glances at the two of them.
Indeed, when the educated youth dormitory caught fire, I wasn't in the room at all.
And Zhou Weiguo saved Bai Xue, but in this short time, they had already said several times that Zhou Weiguo rushed in to save Educated Youth Wen.
Said so many times, even they subconsciously felt that Zhou Weiguo was my savior.
Zhou Weiguo and Bai Xue, seeing the people who suddenly came to their senses, both gritted their teeth.
"Educated Wen, look what you're saying, haha."
Bai Xue forced a laugh.
Zhou Weiguo also came to his senses. He glanced at me and suddenly said:
"Since Educated Youth Bai is fine, let's go back."
Though it wasn't the busy farming season.
Every household had plenty to do, so there wasn't much time to waste here.
But I couldn't let them just leave like this.
Once they left today, Zhou Weiguo would be holding a medical record with my name on it.
That would be a glaring piece of evidence against me. Even with a hundred mouths, I wouldn't be able to explain clearly.
I saw Zhou Weiguo place the medical record on the table and reach to help Bai Xue up, so I suddenly walked over.
"By the way, what is this?"
I quickly took the medical record and opened it.
"Oh? It really says pregnant here?"
My voice was quite loud, instantly making Zhou Weiguo and Bai Xue freeze on the spot.
Chapter 10
"What pregnancy?"
Someone crowded closer.
Zhou Weiguo finally came to his senses and tried to snatch the record from me.
"What are you doing?! Give it to me!"
Of course, I wouldn't let him take it. I dodged and stepped back several paces.
"Oh? It really says pregnant here? And it says 7 weeks?"
"Seven weeks is over a month!"
"Good, Educated Youth Bai! You're clearly pregnant, yet you said your leg was crushed. And you said I was framing you."
"And Comrade Zhou, you clearly knew Educated Youth Bai was pregnant, but you said I admired you and was framing her."
"Ah? That's not right? Why is my name on this medical record? Wait, wait, wait. This isn't right!"
I was thinking about how to prove the name on this medical record was indeed written incorrectly when barrage suddenly appeared again.
【Meibao, quick! That doctor is in the next room!】
【Quick, bring him over here. Have him prove the name on this is fake. Quick, quick!】
I ran out immediately.
When I dragged the confused doctor over, Bai Xue glared at me, as if she wanted to eat me alive.
"Doctor, is this patient pregnant?"
Zhou Weiguo's face changed as he blocked Bai Xue: "Wen Lihua, what are you doing?!!"
I completely ignored him and said to the doctor: "Doctor, she did have blood all over her pants just now, so we brought her here."
I didn't mention Bai Xue being choked unconscious by the smoke.
"Now she wants to leave. Are you saying that if she leaves and the baby is lost, you can bear that responsibility?"
The doctor's heart tightened: "Nonsense! I already told you she's newly pregnant, and the fetal position isn't stable yet. She needs to stay in the hospital for a few days."
"You want to leave?
"I'm telling you! If you don't listen to the doctor and the baby is lost after leaving, don't blame us!"
After speaking, the doctor angrily started to leave.
The villagers also looked at Bai Xue with disdain.
But how could I let the doctor leave so easily?
I grabbed the doctor and opened the medical record again.
"Doctor, the name on here isn't right either! She's clearly called Bai Xue. Why does it say Wen Lihua?"
The doctor frowned, took it, glanced at it, and looked at Zhou Weiguo sternly: "Didn't you say the patient was named Wen Lihua?"
"This..."
Now I didn't need to speak. All the villagers in the room were speechless.
Even Zhou Weiguo became as quiet as a quail, lowering his head, not daring to speak.
I took a deep breath and secretly pinched myself.
"Fine, Zhou Weiguo! You framed me!!"
I rushed forward and, crying, fiercely slapped Zhou Weiguo across the face!
"It's clearly Bai Xue who's pregnant, but you said her thigh was injured!
"It's clearly she who's pregnant, but you deliberately told the doctor my name. What are you two plotting?!"
"If I hadn't come today, or if I hadn't seen the medical record, would the pregnant one have become me tomorrow?
"And the one with corrupt morals would have been me?"
I nodded, as if having a sudden realization: "I understand. You must be jealous that the brigade recommended me for study, so you wanted to frame me!
"I'm telling you, this isn't over!!"
After speaking, I wiped my tears and rushed out of the ward.
"Hey, hey, Educated Wen, wait for me."
Just as I went out, the villagers behind me shouted and chased after me.
"Oh, oh! Educated Wen, don't be angry."
"This matter, we were all here. You go to the brigade leader and report this!"
"We can't want such black-hearted educated youth in our village. Too disgusting!"
"Yes, yes. Why does it feel like watching a play today? It's dazzling!"
"Hmph! If we hadn't come today, who knows how badly Educated Wen would have been bullied!"
Everyone protected me, and we got on the tractor together.
Back at the village, even without me saying anything, everyone repeated what had happened at the hospital to the brigade leader.
The more the brigade leader heard, the more shocked and amazed he became, his face finally turning black.
He looked at me and comforted: "Educated Wen! Don't worry about this matter. The recommendation spot is yours. No one can take it!"
He thought for a moment: "This way, you go pack your things now. Tomorrow morning, I'll have brigade people escort you to the city. Since you have to leave anyway, leaving early will save you from being constantly targeted!"
His face cold: "As for Comrade Zhou and Educated Youth Bai, I still need to go to the commune about this. How to handle them will depend on what the commune says."
"Oh, captain! The educated youth dormitory already caught fire! Things inside are probably all gone! This, this... how can Educated Wen sleep without bedding?"
Everyone finally came to their senses.
"It's okay, it's okay. The fire was in the main room. The rooms should be fine. I'll go back and take a look now."
After speaking, I ran toward the educated youth dormitory.
Fortunately, the fire was extinguished in time. Except for the main room, which was severely burned, the rooms didn't suffer much damage.
Just being smoked, so the walls had many blackened areas.
I looked around, and seeing no one, I took out a bundle of leaves from a crack in the earth wall. Inside were the various receipts and over 100 yuan I had hidden.
After putting everything in my pocket, I began packing my room things.
Bedding and such could be endured for one more day. I didn't have many clothes of my own, so I directly packed them in a box.
Other things, with the long journey ahead, I didn't plan to take.
But I never expected that at midnight, Zhou Weiguo knocked on my door again.
Although there were only three educated youth in our village, men and women were separate.
Zhou Weiguo was in the courtyard next door. This was where I lived with Bai Xue.
Because of being calculated by Zhou Weiguo and Bai Xue at the hospital today, plus seeing my original tragic life in the barrage,
At this moment, I felt that any contact with Zhou Weiguo and Bai Xue could lead to trouble.
So I didn't answer but took a broom and stood guard by the door.
"Lihua, are you asleep?"
"Xue Xue is fine. She's safely back. Lihua? Are you there?"
"Oh, Lihua, I know you must think Xue Xue's child is mine, but it's really not. I just pity her."
"And I don't know why my name is on that medical record. You must think it was me, right? Lihua, you've wronged me. My heart for you..."
I didn't listen further but opened the back window, quietly climbed out, and rushed to the brigade leader's house.
When the brigade leader heard Zhou Weiguo was forcibly trying to break down my door, he cursed and led people angrily to follow me to the second floor of the educated youth dormitory.
At this moment, Zhou Weiguo still thought I was in the room.
"Lihua, really, I only have you in my heart, but, but Xue Xue is really too pitiful."
"Her parents look down on her and are unwilling to find her a job in the city. That's why she had no choice but to come to the countryside! If, if you could let her have this study opportunity, she could return to the city, and we, we could be together happily! Ah!"
"Lihua, I know you have feelings for me too. You forgot those two times I helped you? Lihua, I don't mean you should feel grateful, I just, I just like you too much. I want to be with you for a lifetime."
"Lihua, come out. If you don't come out, I'll break down the door! It's so late, and a man and woman alone in a room, as long as I'm in your room and people see me, you won't be able to explain yourself clearly with a hundred mouths. Lihua..."
I saw the brigade leader's face grow darker and darker. Before Zhou Weiguo could finish his remaining words, he shouted angrily and led people rushing in.
"Zhou Weiguo! What are you doing?!!"
The brigade leader's words made Zhou Weiguo jump.
He turned his head and saw the dark-faced brigade leader and several people with me.
"Lihua? You, why are you outside?"
The captain coldly snorted: "Outside? Waiting to be threatened by you in the room?"
"Zhou Weiguo, I always thought you looked decent, but behind my back, this is how you bully Educated Wen?"
"I heard you tried to frame Educated Wen for Educated Youth Bai's pregnancy at the hospital today. Do you know I can send you to the public security for this?!"
The brigade leader wanted to say more, but seeing me still standing aside, he paused: "Take him away first. Lock him in the cow shed. I'll deal with him tomorrow!"
Zhou Weiguo was dragged out of the educated youth dormitory by two people.
I looked at the tightly closed door opposite and coldly snorted.
Even though Zhou Weiguo repeatedly took the lead for Bai Xue, even though Zhou Weiguo had been taken to the cow shed by the captain,
Bai Xue didn't explain a single word or come out.
She let Zhou Weiguo bear everything alone.
I slammed the door shut.
But it didn't matter.
Bai Xue was already pregnant. As long as she had any shame, she and Zhou Weiguo would never be separated in this lifetime.
I slept soundly.
Chapter 11
Early the next morning, I boarded the village tractor heading to the city.
The train ticket had been bought for me in advance, and the proof and materials for studying in Beijing were all prepared by the village.
I watched the village where I had lived for three years slowly fade away, feeling only gratitude for this place.
Though I had been forced to come to the countryside, the people here were truly very, very good.
Without the brigade leader's efforts, with universities not recruiting now, I would have had no chance to step into a university campus.
At the train station, the tractor turned around to leave.
I suddenly couldn't help but run a few steps, catching up to the driver.
"Uncle, help me deliver a message!"
"What did you say?"
The tractor's engine noise was deafening.
The uncle couldn't hear what I was saying at all.
"I said, help me deliver a message!"
"I, Wen Lihua, I will come back again!"
"Daughter? What did you say? Speak louder!"
I smiled and waved: "You go back quickly!"
I picked up my luggage and left the mountains.
Heading toward an unknown future.
【The End】
Extra (Zhou Weiguo's Perspective):
After that day, I was locked in the cow shed for four days.
On the fifth day, I was released.
When I came out, I immediately rushed to the educated youth dormitory, but Bai Xue told me Wen Lihua had already left.
And she said the brigade had already talked to her.
They asked if her child was mine. If it was, Bai Xue and I must marry.
If not, the pregnant Bai Xue must leave the village.
I married Bai Xue.
But just after marriage, my limbs gradually seemed to lose strength.
I watched Bai Xue's belly grow day by day, but because of my illness, I couldn't help at all. My heart ached for her.
Later, Bai Xue gave birth to a son for me.
When the child was two, I was completely paralyzed, and even my speech became slurred.
We saw many doctors, but all said they couldn't find the cause.
Bai Xue had to care for the child and me these past few years, her temper grew worse and worse.
Completely without the gentle charm before marriage.
Finally, when I soiled myself again, she angrily smashed the basin at me.
"I've had enough of you!!"
"Do you know you've ruined my life?!!"
"I saw your medical records. Why did you know you were sick but still marry me? Was it intentional?"
By now my tongue was stiff—I couldn't speak at all.
I couldn't even shake my head.
I wanted to say, no, really not.
I wanted to let Wen Lihua stay.
I wanted to say, I truly wanted to see you live a good life, but in that situation, if Bai Xue didn't marry me, she truly had no way out.
"Speak! Are you dead? Why did you harm me?!!"
"Did you know long ago this would happen, so you deliberately got me pregnant, deliberately married me, made me care for you for a lifetime? Speak!!"
No, really not.
In desperation, I vaguely mumbled out how I had calculated Wen Lihua, just to let her go to school.
Who knew Bai Xue just laughed:
"Don't put on such a deep act! You're disgusting!"
"If you really loved me, when Wen Lihua left, you could have let me go, not chosen to marry me and made me care for you for a lifetime!"
"You're just a selfish thing. You calculated Wen Lihua, and you calculated me too!!"
After that, Bai Xue never had a kind word for me again.
When unhappy, a slap across the face, even a kick to my body became common.
I knew she wanted to leave, but couldn't bear to part with the child.
I was afraid too, afraid she would really leave me, and I would truly starve to death.
So, another two years passed.
In these two years, Bai Xue got together with a widower in the village.
Every night, they would lock me in the room.
And she herself would mess around with that widower.
I hated!
I wished I could kill her!
But I couldn't even muster the strength to speak.
I thought of death many times, but even death became my luxury.
One day, I suddenly heard the village was going to build a primary school!
This was wonderful news. I looked at my son rolling dirty on the ground.
I thought, with a school in the village, my child could study too, right?
Finally, on the day the school was completed, everyone went to see the excitement.
Bai Xue was in a good mood that day and rarely put me on a cart, willing to pull me to see the excitement.
The primary school was built so well—a two-story building of blue bricks.
Over ten classrooms upstairs and downstairs!!
"Oh! Educated Youth Wen is back!!!"
"Quick, quick! It was Educated Wen who paid for our school. Quick, let's find Educated Wen!"
"Oh, don't call her Educated Wen anymore. She's our principal here now. We should call her Principal!"
"Yes, yes..."
I looked up and saw Wen Lihua surrounded by people walking toward the school.
Wen Lihua seemed to have changed, yet not changed.
Still so young, but had become even more beautiful.
"Snap!" My face burned with pain.
I wanted to make a sound, but couldn't say a word.
The cart was forcefully turned around, and I nearly fell off.
"Hmph! What are you looking at? A toad wanting to eat swan meat!!"
That night, I had a dream.
I seemed to dream that on the day the educated youth dormitory caught fire, I truly saved Wen Lihua.
Then she married me, managing household chores, working tirelessly.
She took good care of me. I was always clean, unlike now with this strange smell on my body that even my son disliked.
But why did I see myself secretly sending the hard-earned money Wen Lihua made back to Bai Xue?
Bai Xue went to college and found a job.
But never once came back to see me.
My son too—outwardly, no one knew he was mine.
But I was already a useless person. I had left behind a son. I definitely had to plan for him.
When I felt my body gradually failing, I finally set fire to burn both myself and Lihua.
I absolutely cannot let the family property fall into Wen Lihua's hands!!
I suddenly woke with a start.
I stared blankly at the ceiling.
The me of my previous life—how, how could I have treated Lihua like that?
Clearly she was so gentle and careful with me.
Clearly she would rather suffer herself than let me live poorly.
But why did I...
Why was I so blinded?
I hate it so much!
(Full End)