Li Gensheng almost didn’t think at all he just nodded.
“Good.” Li Qiuyue no longer pressed him.
Li Gensheng thought she had been scared by him, and he was already planning in his mind how to use today’s events to squeeze some money from her.
But then he heard Li Qiuyue say, “My house is falling apart. I’ll be bringing my husband and child to stay at my parents’ house for ten years or so. You’re not going to charge me for meals, are you?”
“No way!” Li Gensheng and Liu Jinhua said in unison, their expressions identical.
Li Qiuyue ignored their objections and continued, “In a few days it will snow, and the village will need to clean the ditches and repair the channels. My husband and I will be busy so, parents, could you do it for us?”
“And don’t you give money to Li Erni’s family every month? You’re not going to be biased now, are you?”
One sentence followed another, leaving the two of them gasping for breath.
Li Gensheng trembled with anger and finally managed to sputter out: “You… you’re being unreasonable!”
“A rogue father and a rogue mother well, I got it from you,” Li Qiuyue snorted coldly.
She glanced at the mess on the ground and said, “But since the funeral has already been held, consider it my early filial duty to you.”
“It’s time let’s continue,” she gave a signal to the musicians.
These people were professional once the employer gave the order, tears immediately flowed.
Among the mourning music came another round of unified cries of “Rest in peace.”
Li Gensheng couldn’t stop it.
“Li Qiuyue, make them stop!” Li Gensheng, furious, tried to push her.
Before he could touch her, Qin Huai grabbed his arm.
Qin Huai looked at him coldly; he didn’t need to say a word just that look was enough to make Li Gensheng shrink his neck.
“Let go of me!” Li Gensheng muttered, unable to meet Qin Huai’s gaze.
Qin Huai glanced at Li Qiuyue, and when she nodded, he released his hold.
But he stood in front of her, clearly determined to back her up.
“This isn’t acceptable? We’re going to live together every day, and you’ll keep playing like this!” Li Qiuyue sneered.
Her words made the previously patient Li Gensheng leap up again.
Li Qiuyue ignored him, instead promising the others: “I, Li Qiuyue, put this on record today anyone in the village who comes to mourn, I will take care of their lunch!”
“Really?” someone asked in surprise.
Li Qiuyue nodded. “Really. Noodles with pork and vegetables the proper funeral meal I’ll provide it all!”
All that so-called neighborly or family affection couldn’t compare to a real bowl of meat and vegetables.
Liu Jinhua noticed the villagers’ interest and shouted for Li Qiuyue to stop.
But before Li Qiuyue could respond, Fat Mama somehow stood up: “Uncle Gensheng, Aunt Jinhua, don’t worry! I’ve already sent you off today; next time I have to come help, I’ll come again!”
Once one person spoke, everyone else followed.
Soon, more and more people sat on the ground, crying and mourning.
The villagers cried louder and more freely than the mourners Li Qiuyue had hired, their voices piercing, tears and snot streaming down.
A few men stood by the wall, whispering to Li Gensheng and Liu Jinhua.
Li Gensheng couldn’t hear what they were saying, but their gaze pierced him like a thousand holes.
The idle gossip of the past two days had already kept him indoors for several days.
Now, with this public spectacle, how could he ever establish himself in the Li family again?
How could he live in the village?
“Cut ties!” Li Gensheng pounded his thigh.
From deep in his chest came a shout: “Our Li family will no longer acknowledge you, you curse upon us!”
Panting, he shouted again, staggering backward and falling to the ground.
Liu Jinhua tried to help him but was dragged down as well.
Each one looked more miserable than the other.
Li Qiuyue stood in the center of the crowd, watching coldly.
She felt no thrill, no satisfaction.
When she looked away, she met a deep, steady gaze.
Calm. Unwavering.
Yet it seemed to see right through her.
…
Since both sides agreed, signing the documents, stamping handprints, and having the heads of the Li family as witnesses was done in one smooth process.
Two copies were made one for each side.
Li Qiuyue kept her word: even after taking down the funeral setup, she treated all the mourners today to a bowl of noodles with pork.
She even brought two extra bowls for Fat Mama’s family.
After the bustle ended, the place grew quiet.
Li Qiuyue had been cleaning the courtyard, but when she saw Zhaozhao running and jumping at the street entrance with the children, she grabbed a small stool and sat down.
If she had cut ties with the Li family sooner, Zhaozhao wouldn’t have been bullied by them.
If she could speak as well as Qin Huai, Zhaozhao might have been happy like this long ago.
A question suddenly popped into her mind could she really be a good mother to this child? Could she raise Zhaozhao well?
“Comrade Li Qiuyue.”
A cool, calm voice brought her back to reality.
She looked up at the tall, upright man standing before her.
In the sunlight, the golden light softened his stern features.
He looked serious and sincere. “I apologize for what I said before.”
Li Qiuyue tilted her head, seemingly unsure what he meant.
“You’ve already given Zhaozhao the best life you could,” he squatted to face her eye-to-eye.
He said, “You are a good mother. I shouldn’t have doubted your ability, or questioned your love for Zhaozhao.”
Li Qiuyue choked up for a moment.
She didn’t know what to say; she had doubted herself just moments ago.
She also didn’t know that if Qin Huai hadn’t said those things yesterday, she would probably have only gone to beat up the Li family, never mustering the courage to sever ties.
She would never have come to terms with her parents not loving her.
But she couldn’t voice such tender words.
She thought: Qin Huai is truly smart and capable.
Since he said she’s a good mother, then she must be a good mother.
With that thought, her face brightened into a smile.
She teased, “So, Chief Qin, how do you plan to apologize?”
“I can’t just say sorry, can I?” she said, pretending to scold, without a trace of embarrassment.
She even called him “Chief Qin” again clearly no longer angry.
“What do you want?” Qin Huai asked bluntly, tossing the question back to her.
He had a vague thought in mind, though he didn’t realize it himself.
He added without thinking: “Whatever I have, whatever I can give, I will.”
Li Qiuyue was momentarily surprised; she had never expected Qin Huai to say that.
After all, she could sense that Qin Huai was a very capable man.
If she seized the opportunity to make demands, she might instantly become rich or gain things she had never dared to dream of.
But she just rolled her eyes. “Who cares about your stuff? Whatever I want or do, I can handle it myself.”
She lifted her chin, proud as a peacock.
Perhaps from being together so long, some of her expressions resembled Zhaozhao’s exactly.
But just as she spoke boldly, she suddenly remembered she had a matter she absolutely needed to ask Qin Huai about.
Her expression instantly became awkward, and her eyes sneaked a glance at him.
Their eyes met dark, sharp, and knowing.
She wasn’t good at hiding her thoughts.
Especially now that Qin Huai had already figured out her temper he could guess what she was thinking with a single look.
A trace of teasing flickered in his eyes.
He deliberately drew out his words: “Since Comrade Li Qiuyue is so capable, I won’t hold back.”