The 1970s: Married First, Fell in Love Later-Chapter 113 - 112: Let’s Die Together

"What? You can’t reach them? How can there be no news?"

The Li Family was in chaos. Their own situation was dire, and their hope of going abroad to seek refuge with the Zheng family was now dashed.

That same night, Li Wanqing accidentally overheard her parents talking.

"The Zhengs haven’t been in touch. What do we do now?" her mother said anxiously.

Her father said, "If it comes to it, we’ll leave Beijing City and go back to the countryside to lay low for a while."

"The house in the countryside has been uninhabitable for ages. Where would we live?"

"As long as we have money, we won’t starve to death anywhere."

"What about the two girls? Are they coming back with us? What if the Zhengs come looking for us later and can’t find us? Besides, they’re used to this kind of life. The countryside is so harsh. Will the children be able to adapt?"

"We can’t worry about all that now. Yesterday, the old man from the Guo Family in the front courtyard told me his grandson has taken a liking to our Wanqing. If we have to, we’ll marry Wanqing off to him. The Guo Family might be able to help us out then."

"Would Wanqing agree? That Guo Guaizi is really not much to look at, and he has a limp. He’s not good enough for our Wanqing."

"What ’good enough’? Can looks put food on the table? It’s decided. Besides, the Guo Family has connections. If things get desperate, they can support us."

Her mother hesitated for a moment but still agreed. "Alright then."

Outside the door, Li Wanqing stood stunned for a long time. She never thought her own parents would decide her entire life so easily.

After returning to her room, Li Wanqing sat in a daze for a long while. The thought of the kind of man she was supposed to marry made her retch.

’Why? Why can’t I marry the man I love? Why am I being used as a stepping stone?’ Li Wanqing tore at her clothes in her room, venting her fury for a long time.

"Wanqing, I’m pregnant. It’s Brother Zheng’s baby. Brother Zheng told me to wait for him. I believe in him. The baby and I will wait for him together." Li Wanyi caressed her belly, her face filled with happiness.

Li Wanqing forcefully suppressed her hatred.

’Why? If my life is going to be miserable, then everyone should just die together.’

The scene shifted. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

She and Li Wanyi were standing by the river.

"Little sister, what are you doing here?"

Li Wanqing stared fixedly at Li Wanyi.

"Why aren’t you dead yet?"

"What?" Li Wanyi was stunned.

"Little sister—"

"Don’t call me that! Why? Just because I’m the younger sister, does everything have to go to you first? My dear sister, do you know I fell for Brother Zheng long before you did? So why was the engagement given to you? Every time you told me about your sweet little moments, I hated you a little more. You even dragged me along on your dates. Do you know how much it hurt to watch you two together? Even Mom and Dad are biased toward you. Why do I have to marry Guo Guaizi? Why?! I feel sick just looking at him! You’re the shameless one who got pregnant before marriage! Why aren’t you the one marrying him? My dear sister, you always said you doted on me. So why don’t you take my place and marry him? How about it?"

"Little sister—"

"Heh... heheh... I knew you wouldn’t. All of you are heartless, utterly hypocritical people. I’ll let you in on a little secret. Do you know why your precious Brother Zheng was ignoring me for a while?

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

Because I slept with your beloved! I just used a tiny bit of a drug, and he thought I was you. Tsk tsk, that feeling... How about it? The two of us sisters sharing one husband?"

"Stop it, stop talking—" Li Wanyi’s face was pale, and she trembled all over.

"Hah, why should I listen to you? Did you think I’d be grateful just because you took care of me and ’loved’ me? I spit on that! You and your sanctimonious face, looking like you’re bestowing charity with your kindness. But did you ever ask if anyone wanted it? If it weren’t for you, I would be the eldest daughter of the Li Family! Where exactly do I fall short of you? Why couldn’t Brother Zheng fall for me?"

Tears streamed down Li Wanyi’s face. She covered her ears. "Don’t say any more! We’re sisters!!!"

"Oh, right. We’re sisters. Then how about we two sisters die together?"

Li Wanqing’s eyes were filled with a fanatic gleam, and she let out a series of strange, chilling laughs.

Li Wanqing took a few quick steps toward Li Wanyi, reaching for her. Li Wanyi instinctively backed away, but she had forgotten she was standing at the river’s edge.

Her foot slipped, and right before Li Wanqing’s eyes, she fell in.

The scene shifted again, and her parents were frantically interrogating her. "Did you let your sister go out? Is her death related to you?"

"It wasn’t me! It wasn’t me—"

"Wanqing—, Wanqing—"

"It wasn’t me—AH—" Li Wanqing jolted awake from the dream and sat up abruptly.

"Having a nightmare?"

Li Wanqing’s head snapped toward Wang Tianzhu, and only then did she fully awaken from the dream.

Wang Tianzhu reached out to touch Li Wanqing’s forehead, but she suddenly flinched away.

Wang Tianzhu’s hand froze in mid-air. He narrowed his eyes.

In a low voice, he said, "Go change your clothes. I see you’re covered in sweat."

Li Wanqing’s fingers twitched. She looked at Wang Tianzhu. "Did I say anything in my sleep?"

Wang Tianzhu’s gaze faltered for a second. "No."

Only then did Li Wanqing breathe a sigh of relief. She threw back the covers and went into the bathroom.

Soon, the sound of running water came from the bathroom.

Wang Tianzhu sat on the bed, gazed out the window, and slowly lit a cigarette.

Wang Tianzhu had been taken with Li Wanqing from the very first glance. She was beautiful, with deep eyes that seemed to hold countless stories, making one uncontrollably curious. But it seemed she had no shortage of suitors. Wang Tianzhu used his family’s background to get a step ahead of the competition.

Marrying a beauty should have been a joyous occasion, but he slowly discovered that the secrets that had once attracted him were not the stuff of legends he had imagined, but rather, something sordid.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t break into a heart that had been locked shut.

Time is a powerful thing. It can wear away hope, and it can change everything.

No one can keep trying when their heart is thrown back in their face time and time again.

’Forget it. Let things be as they are.’

Early the next morning, Xue Yue steamed a pot of brown sugar sponge cakes and had He Lang take them to Zheng Guofeng at the cowsheds.

"You don’t have to go to the trouble. I have enough grain to eat." Old Man Gu and Mrs. Gu had left all their grain for him. If he ate sparingly, he could make it last until next autumn.

He Lang put the food down. "Uncle Zheng, please eat. It’s easy for us to get food, and since we’re all family, there’s no need to be so formal. We’ll come by often. If you’re short on anything, just let us know."

Zheng Guofeng smiled and nodded. "Alright. Thank you."

He Lang waved his hand. "Don’t mention it. Yue’er wanted to come too, but we have the kids at home, so it’s just me. Besides, Big Brother also asked us to look after you."