Shen Nian didn’t know how long she would have to stay in the thatched hut, so she decided to buy some essential items—at the very least, she wouldn’t let herself go hungry or suffer.
The hut had no electricity, so she bought a few candles, a washbasin, soap, laundry soap, two boxes of matches, paper and pens, two towels, a flashlight, as well as pots, pans, and some basic seasonings.
As she was leaving the supply and marketing cooperative, her eyes fell on a machete. She paused, then decided to buy one. She also bought five pounds of rice and a bedsheet.
All these miscellaneous items together cost around eight or nine yuan.
Her clothes were tattered, and her shoes were practically falling apart. She spent another 1.5 yuan on a pair of sneakers, two yuan on a shirt, and five yuan on two pairs of pants for changing.
As for a quilt, she decided it wasn’t needed for now. The weather was getting warmer, and as long as she had clothes to change into, it would be fine. The hut was near the river anyway, so she could wash there conveniently.
After buying all the necessary supplies, she finally left the cooperative.
Carrying all these things back to the village would certainly arouse suspicion, so she planned to return slowly at sunset.
Thinking back, she felt grateful that she had been smart enough to steal Wang Dahua’s money and vouchers—these would be her fallback.
After eating her fill in town and wandering around a bit, she slowly made her way back with the two baskets in hand.
It was already dim when she returned.
The door of the thatched hut had been opened—probably by some child—and the straw inside was torn and scattered everywhere.
Luckily, she had bought a lock earlier that day. Tomorrow, she would secure the wooden door.
She tidied up a bit, arranged her belongings, took out three white steamed buns, grabbed her flashlight, locked the door, and headed into the village.
The three buns were for Li Hong and her two children.
In the original owner’s memory, every time Shen Nian had been chased out of her home by Shen Dafu, it was Li Hong who had taken her in, washed her clothes, brushed her hair, and saved some food for her.
Dripping water should be repaid with a fountain of gratitude. Li Hong was a good person, simple, honest, and pitiable.
Shen Nian arrived at Li Hong’s door. The house was quiet. Through the worn wooden door, she could see a dim yellow light flickering from the window.
Li Hong usually couldn’t even afford light bulbs and relied on candles at night.
Knock, knock, knock—
Shen Nian raised her hand and tapped the door. Li Hong’s cautious voice came from inside.
“Who’s there?”
“Li Jie, it’s me.”
At this time, Li Hong was sitting on the kang, braiding corn husks. Hearing the knock, her nerves instantly tensed.
She perked up her ears, hearing a girl’s voice, and frowned in confusion.
The voice sounded somewhat familiar, but she couldn’t place it.
She glanced at her two sleeping children, hesitated, then got off the kang and went to the door.
Through the worn wooden door, she asked softly, “Who is it?”
“It’s me!”
Listening carefully, the girl’s voice outside was low and quiet, very much like Shen Nian’s.
But… it couldn’t be Shen Nian.
Shen Nian wouldn’t call her “Li Jie” in that tone; she would say “sister” softly and plaintively.
Opening the door carefully, Li Hong saw Shen Nian’s face.
Where she used to look silly and dazed, today her slender, frail figure stood straight and tall at the door, looking strong and spirited. There was none of the usual messy, awkward, goofy look.
“Niannian… is it really you?”
Li Hong was shocked. How was she so different from usual today?
Her eyes looked clearer and more alert than ever.
“Li Jie, I bought some large buns in town today and brought a few for you and the kids. Here, take them.”
She handed the oil-paper wrapped buns to Li Hong, who was still flustered.
Is this still the Niannian she knew?
“Niannian… how… how come…”
Li Hong’s emotions surged, and she almost asked, but the words didn’t come out.
“Li Jie, it’s a long story, but I wanted to thank you for taking care of me before.”
Hearing Shen Nian speak normally now, Li Hong was sure that she was no longer “crazy.”
“Niannian, are you… cured?”
“Yes, Li Jie. Strange as it sounds, I slept in the thatched hut on the hillside last night, and now I’m fine. But I hope you can keep this secret for now.”
Li Hong felt a rush of happiness and tears welled in her eyes.
“You’re fine now, that’s good. Once you’re well, no one will dare bully you again.”
Wiping her tears, Li Hong realized she was still holding the buns, so she quickly put them back into Shen Nian’s arms.
“Niannian, listen to me. Don’t be polite. You have no money, and you’re living alone on the hillside. Take these buns and eat them yourself.
“Your recovery is the main thing. Don’t tell anyone else, do you understand? If the Shen family finds out, they’ll probably force you to marry again.”
After saying this, Li Hong still felt uneasy. She grabbed Shen Nian’s wrist anxiously.
“Niannian, listen to me. You should run tonight, as far as you can. Go somewhere they can’t find you. Find a good person to marry and live a stable life.”
Marry?
For some reason, looking into Li Hong’s sorrowful eyes, Shen Nian felt a sense of despair.
She smiled bitterly. Even the people who gave birth to her couldn’t be relied on, let alone some stranger.
Right now, she wasn’t thinking about marriage.
“Li Jie, don’t worry. I won’t let anyone know. Take the buns, it’s late, go rest.”
Confident that Li Hong wouldn’t reveal her secret, Shen Nian left before Li Hong could react.
Li Hong stared at her retreating figure, unease gnawing at her. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but stopped.
Only when Shen Nian’s figure had disappeared did she lock the door and return inside.
As Shen Nian approached the thatched hut, she saw a small red flicker at the door—it seemed to be moving.
She turned off her flashlight and hid to observe. A deep, familiar male cough came from the doorway.
That cough—she knew it too well. It was Shen Dafu.
At this hour… what was he doing here?
Shen Dafu glanced toward the road.
Strange. He had clearly seen someone with a flashlight coming this way, but in a blink, no one was there.
Could someone be taking advantage of the dark to steal something?
This “crazy girl” had been gone all day—who knew what she had been up to.
He saw the door was locked and thought, “Probably the village chief did this.”
This hut had always been Shen Nian’s place. He wouldn’t have locked the door just to drive her away.
After waiting for a long time and seeing no sign of Shen Nian, he stubbed out his cigarette in anger, kicked the wooden door, and stomped down the hill.
Once he was gone, Shen Nian emerged from the shadows.
She opened the door and wedged it shut.
She didn’t know what Shen Dafu had come for tonight, but it certainly wasn’t good.
No matter—she would meet force with force and cover water with earth. No one would bully her again.
Meanwhile, at Li Hong’s house, she had just sat back on the kang when a tall, dark figure scaled the wall and quietly entered, tiptoeing toward Li Hong’s room.