“I’m being relentless?”
Mu Xiaocao laughed out of sheer anger.
“Liu Guoqiang, go back to the old house and take a look. Everything we use at home—the pots, the pans, the bedding, the blankets—which one of them wasn’t bought with the money I scrimped and saved? Your parents are in poor health. I have to go to the fields to earn work points every day after finishing the housework. Whether it was spring or winter irrigation, while the men from other families carried shovels and stayed up all night, I was the only woman squeezed in among them to repair dams and fill water holes.
“I’m making a scene? Do I even dare to? When I wrote to you to vent a little, you said I was being fussy, that I only knew how to enjoy life and didn’t know how to contribute. Heh, go back and see for yourself. There are plenty of women in the village, but which one of them works as hard as two men like I do? Since you want to use money to compensate me, then give me another five hundred. For three years of being your nanny, working your fields, and for my mental distress, asking for five hundred isn’t too much.”
And then there was the compensation for her lost youth.
Back when she lived with her own family, although her step-grandfather was a piece of work, her grandmother, parents, and brother had truly doted on her.
“What do you need another five hundred for?” Liu Guoqiang was infuriated by Mu Xiaocao’s calculating attitude.
“To buy a green hat to give to you, of course.”
Heh, did he really think Hu Lili was genuinely interested in him? She was just stringing him along to be her personal ATM. Only he was blind and foolish enough not to see it. That woman was not the type to settle down and live a proper life.
“Mu Xiaocao!” Liu Guoqiang growled.
Even now, he couldn’t believe this was the Mu Xiaocao he knew. In the past, whenever Hu Lili was mentioned, Mu Xiaocao would feel inferior. She would apologize to him aggrievedly, saying she couldn’t compare to Hu Lili, and would even urge him to take more care of her so as not to make things difficult for her.
But now, not only was she mocking him and Hu Lili, she even dared to reach out her hand to demand money! She must have been too idle at home, leading her to come up with so many unrealistic ideas.
“Learn from Lili. Read more books when you have nothing to do to improve your character,” Liu Guoqiang said in an extremely unpleasant tone.
But then he thought, what kind of books would a country woman like Mu Xiaocao read? Wouldn’t that be like farting after taking off one’s pants—a total waste of effort? What use would it be even if she did read?
“Sure, reading is great. Reading can bring wisdom and might even cure my eye trouble. Then give me the money. Only with money can I buy books to read.”
“I’ve already given you all the money I saved. What more do you want?”
“You’re so poor. Even Li Ergou from the village has saved up a thousand yuan from hauling goods with his tractor. This is all you have?”
Liu Guoqiang pinched the bridge of his nose irritably. “Don’t bring up money every chance you get. Would you stop living if you didn’t have money?”
Mu Xiaocao rolled her eyes at him. “I followed you for three years for nothing. Since I can’t get your love, I should at least take some money to comfort myself, right?”
Liu Guoqiang: “…”
He studied Mu Xiaocao carefully for a few moments. This woman was truly different now. He didn’t know if it was just his imagination, but having not seen her for only three days, she had become much more poised and bright. Her skin was several shades fairer and her eyes were sparkling. She no longer slouched or appeared dull and timid, the way she used to be that made him lose all interest.
“Give me five hundred as a bit of compensation. After the divorce, you go your way and I’ll go mine. We’ll have no further connection.”
“That’s enough!” Liu Guoqiang reached the end of his patience and slapped the armrest of the sofa. “I gave you money, but not so you could divorce me.”
“If we don’t divorce, are you expecting me to foolishly serve your entire family while you stay here and spend romantic nights with that fox spirit, acting like a couple? Stop talking nonsense. I’m getting the divorce, and I’m getting the money. If you don’t give it to me, I’ll go and make a scene at the Political Commissar’s office. This is what your family owes me; it’s what I deserve.”
Liu Guoqiang felt utterly exhausted. When did this woman learn to be such a rogue? His family didn’t owe her anything at all.
“Once you’ve thought it through, get out. Sharing a roof with you makes me feel like the air itself has gone foul.”
“Stop being so unreasonable. You injured Lili, so go wash her clothes and cook for her now. She likes red date and millet porridge. Go make some and bring it over.”
Mu Xiaocao stood up and looked down at Liu Guoqiang. “A man like you is a disgrace to the word ‘soldier’.”
Mu Xiaocao went back into her room and locked the door, cutting off his murderous gaze. She carefully tucked the hundred yuan into an inner pocket and pinned it shut with a safety pin. In the future, a hundred yuan might not even cover the cost of a meal, but in the early eighties, it was considered a large sum of money. With this hundred yuan, even if she left the Family Compound, she wouldn’t have to worry about going hungry.
By the time she came out again, Liu Guoqiang had already left. She stood in the yard and took a few breaths of fresh air. Heavens had given her a second chance at life; this feeling was wonderful.
A short while later, she saw Liu Guoqiang heading next door carrying a lunchbox. Heh, he really was meticulously attentive toward Hu Lili.
Meanwhile, Hu Lili was frowning at the pile of dirty clothes in the laundry basin. Her hand was injured, and her head ached. Washing the clothes herself would be a real struggle. In the past, her dirty laundry was always washed by Liu Guoqiang and Hu Ping. Even the cleaning of her home was handled by Liu Guoqiang. But ever since Mu Xiaocao arrived, the number of times Liu Guoqiang showed up had decreased significantly.
Over the past three days, she hadn’t seen Liu Guoqiang even once. Although she hadn’t decided whether she actually wanted to marry him, the thought that Liu Guoqiang was likely being touched by Mu Xiaocao made her feel uneasy.
There was a knock at the door. She went over and opened it to find Liu Guoqiang, handsome and upright. He was holding an aluminum lunchbox, looking at her with a tender smile.
“Lili, I brought some millet porridge. It’s not much, but try to eat some.”
“Thank you, Brother Liu. Come in quickly.”
As Hu Lili ate the porridge, she felt very conflicted. Liu Guoqiang’s appearance was exactly her type. She believed that if she married him, she would surely be very happy. But when she thought about his family background, she couldn’t quite get over that hurdle in her heart.
“Brother Liu, why aren’t you at home spending more time with Mu Xiaocao?” She set down the lunchbox and moved to pour him some water.
Liu Guoqiang quickly stood up. “You eat your porridge, I’ll do it myself. Your hand isn’t better yet.”
Tsk. It was just a small scratch; the red mark was barely visible now. Yet Liu Guoqiang felt distressed for her, which only increased his dissatisfaction with Mu Xiaocao’s coarseness and unreasonable behavior.
“Brother Liu, I’m full. You sit here for a while, I’m going to wash the clothes.”
“Your hand isn’t better yet. What clothes are you washing?”
“Brother Liu, I’m not that delicate. It’s just laundry.”
“No, that won’t do. You still have performances. If your hands get chapped, it won’t look good.”
“Brother Liu, it’s fine. Ever since my Jianjun passed away, I’ve been doing all the housework by myself.” Hu Lili’s voice was crisp and her smile was bright, nothing like the dull and boring Mu Xiaocao.
“Better not. This performance is very important; all the top leaders from the Military District will be attending.”