Chapter 241: Divergence
Life is a one-way journey with no return; why should she be controlled by him?
Live according to his Li Sanmao’s ideas? Just because marriage tied them together, does everything become his?
She has her own self, an independent individual. Because she transmigrated into the original body’s life and is already married to him, she’s already adapting to him. Why should she follow everything his way?
Husband and wife are to jointly resist future unknowns, not to bind and restrict.
She is a living person of flesh and blood, with her own thoughts, pursuits, emotions…
They could originally achieve each other mutually; she thought he was different from them.
She likes drinking tea in leisure time, listening to birdsong and smelling flowers, but that doesn’t mean she has to give up pursuits, give up self-realization, and stop at Zhao Li Village from then on.
“Urp…”
A surge of sour water rose from stomach to throat and spewed from her mouth, unstoppable…
Pain, heart-piercing bone-eroding pain. Something in her intestines, heart, and stomach was gnawing at her. Her head had a splitting headache, and her whole body was limp and powerless.
The familiar sensation struck instantly, even worse than that time. Her first thought: Am I going to die?
If so, let her die then, return to the modern era. She wants to go back…
“Miaomiao…”
Soon Luo Zhi’er was drenched all over, weak and powerless, with sweat pouring nonstop…
Her movements startled the sleeping Miaomiao. Miaomiao rubbed her eyes; the room was pitch black. “Mother, is that you?”
“Mother?”
In the darkness, Miaomiao groped her way over. On the parents’ bed in the room, a figure was squatting against the wall, motionless. Miaomiao pushed the person, and they fell straight down stiffly…
“What’s wrong, Mother? No, Mother, Mother!!!”
After a cry of alarm rang out from the third house, there followed a burst of a little girl’s sobbing.
This crying alarmed the people outside. Xiao Zhou Shi was collecting clothes with Liuliu. She hurried to the doorway to listen. “Miaomiao, why are you crying? What’s wrong with your mother?”
“Aunt, Mother seems to have fainted. Miaomiao can’t wake her no matter how I shout…”
“Fainted?”
Xiao Zhou Shi’s eyes darted around. “What happened? Where’s your father?”
“Miaomiao doesn’t know. When Miaomiao woke up, Father was gone. Aunt, can you help Miaomiao find Father?”
“Oh, wait a moment then!”
Xiao Zhou Shi turned and slowly walked into the room to drop off the clothes, pulling along Liuliu who was stunned at the doorway as she entered.
Liuliu had heard her mother’s conversation with Miaomiao just now. Seeing her mother not going to find anyone, she was anxious. “Mother, aren’t we supposed to go find Third Uncle?”
“Find him? Am I crazy? Who knows where he died off to?”
“Hmph! Maybe your Third Uncle won’t even be happy to come back! Stirring up trouble for nothing!”
“Mother, what are you saying? Third Uncle worries most about Third Aunt and Miaomiao.” Liuliu blinked her big eyes and boldly said.
“Nonsense! You little girl, what do you know? You saw what Li Sanmao looked like just now, storming out like he wanted to kill someone. Your Third Aunt was pissed off by him! But she deserves it!!!”
“You few listen to me: Don’t go out looking for people. It’s late; hurry up and sleep. Hmph, and your father still hasn’t come back? He went to renovate the roof at Li Zuzu’s house today.”
This was also for the two boys’ schooling, so when his family had work, he had to run fast.
Xiao Zhou Shi quickly shut the door and bolted it, specially instructing Liuliu, “Liuliu, you brat, don’t think about sneaking out. Tomorrow don’t talk nonsense either, and don’t think about meddling, or you’ll get it, got it?”
“Got it, Mother.”
Liuliu wanted to go in her heart but was scolded back by Xiao Zhou Shi.
Xiao Zhou Shi hadn’t misheard; that couple had quarreled just now, quarreled fiercely. It was the first time seeing Li Sanmao so furious. Isn’t he the one who treasures Luo Zhi’er most?
Hahaha, heaven really has eyes. Luo Zhi’er, you have this day too?
Over there, Chen Shi from the next-door second son’s family hadn’t returned yet, and the two children didn’t know where they were.
Zhou Shi and Old Li Tou were in the back room; Li Gui was sleeping, so this time they didn’t hear the commotion from that room.
“Mother, don’t be scared. Wait a bit and Father will be back. Miaomiao will light the lamp.”
Miaomiao groped in the dark to the room and found the flint, lighting the kerosene lamp.
She leaned in close to look at Mother. Mother’s face was ghastly pale, her whole body curled up together. “Mother, are you very hot? Miaomiao will scoop water for you to drink!”
No matter what she said, Mother didn’t respond. With nine bulls and two tigers’ strength, she straightened Mother flat and pried her legs apart. Why was there blood on Mother’s legs?
Blood?
And it’s still flowing… Is Mother going to die?
“Mother!!!”
What to do? Why hasn’t Aunt brought Father yet?
“Mother, hold on. Miaomiao’s going to find Father.”
Miaomiao didn’t have time to fetch water; sobbing, she ran out to find Father.
The room was now deathly silent. Miaomiao didn’t go find the grandparents; she knew they wouldn’t save her except to blame Mother at any time.
As soon as Miaomiao ran out of the yard, Old Li Tou came out from the back room. “Third, Third!”
He called for a long time with no one answering, then ran to the third house doorway to investigate. Xiao Zhou Shi ran out from the room.
“Father, what are you shouting for?”
“Oldest daughter-in-law, was that Miaomiao crying just now?”
Zhou Shi also came out from the room. Old Li Tou now somewhat valued Miaomiao, especially since the young master knew her.
“Oh, Father, I heard Third and sister-in-law quarreling just now. Probably scared Miaomiao.”
“Quarreling? Why quarrel? Where are the couple?”
“Don’t know what sister-in-law said, but Sanmao got so mad he stormed out. Miaomiao probably went to find her father. As for Third sister-in-law, maybe she’s angrily sleeping in bed sulking?” Xiao Zhou Shi said ambiguously.
“Is that so? Why didn’t she make a sound? What if something happened?”
“Aiya, Father, Mother saw her come back perfectly fine just now. What could happen?”
“Exactly, so spirited, glaring at me!”
At this, Zhou Shi understood. Hmph, just now she said Luo Zhi’er wandered in town all day before coming back, protected by Li Sanmao. Now, still unhappy inside, they quarreled!
Hehe, she was happy inside. Who told her to instigate Old Three to divide the family?
She had lit the fuse right!
This time Li Sanmao finally acted like a man once, listening to everything she said. Who does she think she is? Wonder if he hit her; it would be good if he beat her! Beat her black and blue!
“His mother, go in and check. If Third wife is at odds with Third, go persuade and comfort her a bit.”
Does Old Li Tou really care that much? Among the three daughters-in-law, the most filial, the richest; the wise know current affairs. With Gui’er’s behavior, after dividing, probably only their third house is reliable.
“What? Comfort? Why? This old lady isn’t going to find trouble!”
Old Li Tou’s face turned iron-blue looking at her. “Old lady? Who’s your old lady?” This damn hag, always defying him.
“Cough…”
“Watch out or my mother really climbs out of the grave to reason with you!”
“Aiyo, old man, I said it casually. I’ll change next time!”
“Hmph!”
“His father, I’m not going. Luo Zhi’er deserves it. Who told her to come back so late? Third is a big man with green smoke rising from his head; it’s normal to be angry!”
“Don’t make trouble. Husband and wife quarrel at the head of the bed, make up at the foot. You old man, don’t meddle. Go back to the room and sleep.”
Old Li Tou hesitated a while. As a grown man, it wasn’t convenient to enter in the dark. Zhou Shi seemed right too. Sigh. He poked his head in. “Third wife, which couple doesn’t bicker? Think it through.”
Dead silence inside, no response. “See, putting on airs. Who cares about you!” Zhou Shi muttered.
“Is Miaomiao okay?”
“Aiya, you old thing are possessed. Miaomiao has her father, and in this village she’s more familiar than anyone. What could happen?”
Under their obstruction and persuasion, Old Li Tou returned to the back room. Zhou Shi cursed and muttered at the door for a while. No response from inside no matter how she cursed; bored, she went in.
She also felt today’s Luo Zhi’er was a bit strange. Normally, with such cursing, she would have exploded long ago. Probably pissed off hard by Third.
