Bai Fumei in the ’70s Chapter 21
Translated by Serena Love
Proofread by Soupysuspicions
Edited by Ladyhotcomb
Chapter 21
Both of them ate until their stomachs were nearly bursting. Finished with their meal, both Tang Qing and Jiang Li felt an oncoming food-coma, exhaustion and laziness oozing from their bloated tummies. They just wanted to sit quietly in this small log house and rest against the wall. They licked their lips for residual oil and patted their stomachs, already reminiscing about that heavenly taste.
It was as if their taste buds hadn’t fully processed the delightful noodle soup they had just devoured.
Tang Qing pointed out a stray noodle clinging to the corner of Jiang Li’s mouth. The usually image-conscious girl quickly wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. Catching the teasing glint in Tang Qing’s eyes, she couldn’t help but giggle. “You too.”
She pointed to the oil stains on his face. Their laughter filled the room, light and carefree.
...
Meanwhile, Zhao Lanxiang carried a steaming bowl of noodles to He Songbai’s room. He lay there, his hands and feet immobilized in casts and secured by wooden boards, a white bandage encircling his head. His bottomless black eyes, surrounded by alarming shades of blue and purple, stared blankly ahead, giving him a forlorn and pitiable appearance.
Despite the dullness in He Songbai’s swollen eyes, his mind and heart were in turmoil.
Memories of yesterday’s passionate encounter in this very room flooded back, causing his ears to burn with embarrassment and his heart to flutter with a mix of regret and longing. It wasn’t the kiss with Zhao Lanxiang he regretted, despite how anxious and confused he’d been yesterday – in the heat of the moment, her closeness and sweet breath had made it impossible for him to remain indifferent.
But he was plagued by thoughts of his poverty and tarnished reputation. How could he dare to pursue a relationship with her?
He couldn’t even promise her the bare minimum.
Zhao Lanxiang placed the bowl on the table and coughed lightly to get his attention. “Get up and eat,” she urged.
He Songbai licked a wound at the corner of his mouth and said vaguely, “Take these off, I’m not a lame...”
He lifted his plank-wrapped hand, looking at her with a mix of frustration and helplessness.
He then attempted to bite off the bandage with his teeth and dismantle the contraptions himself but Zhao Lanxiang quickly intervened, grasping his arm.
“The doctor said it needs to stay on for at least three weeks. Please, try to bear with it.”
Zhao Lanxiang looked down at him and flashed him a dazzling smile. “Don’t you want to experience being nursed back to health by me?”
He Songbai’s expression shifted abruptly, his usual composure faltering.
A faint blush colored his pale cheeks, and he coughed awkwardly. “You’re a girl, how can you talk like that all day? You’re even bolder than most men,” he chided, turning his head away.
“I can eat by myself,” he insisted, his voice hoarse but determined.
Zhao Lanxiang understood that He Songbai couldn’t accept receiving help like a cripple, especially for basic tasks like eating and drinking.
He was the type to shoulder his burdens silently, never one to voice complaints. Yesterday, when she had pulled him out of bed, he was already injured and feverish, his mind clouded with pain.
She glanced at him, took a deep breath, and handed him his bowl. Picking up a strand of noodle, she bit into it and slurped it up noisily.
“Alright, eat by yourself then.”
He Songbai, with his two injured hands, awkwardly held the porcelain bowl. Lowering his head, he brought the bowl to his lips and slurped the noodles, swallowing them without chewing.
After finishing his meal in silence, he spoke up softly, “I have something to tell you.”
“Hmm?” Zhao Lanxiang looked at him curiously.
He Songbai said, “It’s not impossible to talk about a relationship. But I have a condition.”
He Songbai, regaining his usual aloof demeanor, said, “I’m not against discussing a relationship. But I have a condition. You can’t tell my family or anyone else about us being together. If you can do this for a year, then we can consider other things.”
He Songbai’s reasoning was that no matter what kind of thoughts this woman had about him, she had grown up with a silver spoon in her mouth and was still young. How could she endure the hardships of rural life and the judgment of others pointing fingers at them?
Keeping their relationship secret for a year would protect her from any stain associated with being involved with a man from a landlord’s family.
He doubted she would last a year before realizing he was just a dull man from the countryside and would soon run back to the city.
His eyes briefly flashed with a fierce and domineering light.
Zhao Lanxiang, upon hearing this, felt a surge of anger and even considered smashing the empty bowl on his head to bring him to his senses. How dare he want to play a ‘secret love’ game? Those who were all talk, stringing others along with words without any real intention of following through to marriage, were little better than rogues.
In her memory, her old man had never been so irresponsible!
But then…she saw a flicker of guilt cross his bruised face, and her anger softened into understanding.
Zhao Lanxiang realized there was more to his request than met the eye, but her heart ached and she wanted to cry.
Stuffing some noodles into her mouth, she asked, “And…after a year?”
One year later?
He Songbai had already convinced himself she would run away before then, so did it matter what happened in a year?
Sipping the mellow broth, he replied nonchalantly, “If you can endure a year, I’ll be your man.”
Not just a boyfriend, but as your man.
Zhao Lanxiang’s eyes sparkled with a mix of emotions, and her appetite returned. She gobbled up her noodles with a smile.
After He Songbai finished his bowl, Zhao Lanxiang picked out the bones from her own portion to let him eat the meat and suck the bone marrow. She knew He Songbai had a particular liking for fatty meat, especially the kind he could bite into and suck out the oil, or the stewed meat that would melt in his mouth.
As He Songbai devoured the meat, Zhao Lanxiang held the bone for him. He gnawed away the meat and sucked the marrow clean, leaving not a single drop.
Noticing the oil dripping from her hand, He Songbai shook his head and said hoarsely, “I don’t want to eat anymore, it’s hard to eat... just having noodles and porridge is good enough.”
Zhao Lanxiang placed the cleaned bones back into the empty bowl with her chopsticks and glanced at him
He had clearly enjoyed the meal.
She couldn’t help but laugh, shaking the bones in the bowl, and said, “There are three pieces left here. Don’t waste them. If you can’t finish, do you expect me to eat your leftovers?”
He Songbai peeked at her in embarrassment, feeling somewhat overwhelmed by this woman.
Before Zhao Lanxiang could say more, a commotion erupted outside.
The two in the room looked up in surprise. Zhao Lanxiang opened the door and stepped out.
In the distance, she saw Sister He rushing back with Sanya, while being shoved and scolded by a group of women.
“He family’s second son, tell him to come out! We need to settle this!” one woman shouted.
“You must have eaten a bear’s heart and a leopard’s gall to dare fight with my family,” another added.
“Hurry up and have him come out and explain. My relative’s mouth is now injured, and we have to cover the extra workload,” a third woman demanded.
**start below
Several village women were scolding them in front of the old house of the He family, angrily demanding an explanation from Sister He.
How could Sister He defend herself in this situation? She hurriedly protected her little sister in her arms, while gesturing wildly.
“I can’t understand you, deaf girl! Let He’s second come out,” one of the women said impatiently.
Knowing the He family’s poverty, the women realized they were unlikely to receive any compensation. But they couldn’t afford to lose. They were there primarily to vent their frustration. In the countryside, an older woman’s strength was no less than that of a man, and they were not inferior in a fight.
Zhao Lanxiang quietly pulled Sanya aside and whispered, “Go to the branch secretary and tell uncle someone is causing trouble at the He family’s house. Ask him to come quickly.”
Sanya nodded vigorously and ran towards the branch secretary’s house.
Zhao Lanxiang approached the group of ladies and greeted them with a smile, “It’s noon, have all the aunts finished your meals?”
The four women recognized the white and clean female student from the city. She was neatly dressed, and her tone was very gentle. Their anger subsided a bit and one asked her, “Girl, are you seeing He family’s second son?”
Zhao Lanxiang shook her head and inquired, “I heard that your husbands were injured by him. Who was hurt?”
The women, thinking this female educated youth from the city might help them seek justice, quickly named their injured husbands.
Zhao Lanxiang carefully noted each name mentioned. Zhou Jiazhen had said she could recognize everyone in the village, and Zhao Lanxiang too had memorized all the brigade members within a few days.
Notably, Wang Xizi’s name was absent from the list, prompting Zhao Lanxiang to smile slyly.
“Now, if you compensate Second Brother He, we can resolve this matter smoothly,” Zhao Lanxiang said quietly to the four women.
Her suggestion landed like a bombshell, shattering the previously calm atmosphere. The women’s faces contorted with renewed anger.
“Hey, it turns out you and the He family are working together. You’re just a girl. You don’t want to be full of gunpowder. What do you know about these matters, little girl?”
Zhao Lanxiang maintained her outward smile but inwardly sneered.
She observed how, due to He Songbai’s background, these people dared to frame him without hesitation. None had intervened to stop the brawl, assuming he was the weaker party who would simply endure the beating.
Why do they think He Songbai will never fight back?
The moment He Songbai was attacked by their malice and blows, how sad he must have felt.
“I remember each person: Li Ai Dang, He Qingshan, Pan Huayu, Yang Zhimin. I’ll report this to the authorities later. These four have committed intentional injury and gathered a crowd, disrupting public peace and delaying our team’s production. Second Brother He is now bedridden and immobile. He may not be able to file a complaint and sue, but I can assist him.”
“Who are you trying to scare? If you keep spouting nonsense, I’ll shut your mouth for you!” one woman threatened.
Zhao Lanxiang replied calmly, “Aunts, I’m not one to make empty threats. Tell me, am I speaking nonsense? You can go home and ask your husbands if they were part of the group that attacked him yesterday. Did Second Brother He fight back with a hoe or shovel? Intentionally injuring someone is a criminal offense, punishable by imprisonment. Don’t you think an apology is in order?”
The Li family’s aunt inhaled sharply and said angrily, “My husband was beaten so badly by He’s second son that he can’t even get out of bed. You can’t fool me, girl.”
Zhao Lanxiang shook her head again, countering, “Li Ai Dang and the others used farming tools as weapons. That’s a criminal act, as is causing intentional injury.”
She spoke with a calm assurance, “With the medical injury report in Brother He’s possession, I can easily file a lawsuit at the police station. Once a report is filed, they can immediately arrest your husbands. Do you believe me now?”
After Zhao Lanxiang finished her statement, she faintly heard the sound of something heavy falling in He Songbai’s room. Concerned, she tugged on Sister He’s clothes and asked her to check on the situation.
Shortly after, Branch Secretary Li hurried to the He family’s residence. Seeing the two conflicting groups that had caused him so much trouble the day before now gathered together, his expression darkened with frustration.
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