WBSGVS Chapter 107

Unlike Tang Er’s wife, Li Lanhua was a woman who, because of the times, couldn’t prevent the fate of San Ya being sold in her previous life.

However, she deeply cared for her daughter.

In her previous life, she had gone mad, but this time, she was reckless, coming to look for her daughter in the middle of the night. When she saw the girl climbing the mountain and about to enter the deep woods, she immediately ran out to meet her.

Li Lanhua feared she might find her daughter’s remains or an injured animal, but was surprised when she saw the girl running towards her.

The agile figure stunned her.

“San Ya?” Li Lanhua called out hesitantly. Alone in the deep woods, she was truly frightened, but no one else was coming to help her find her daughter.

When she saw San Ya approach, it seemed as though they were no longer in the deep woods but in a familiar place. She almost thought she was imagining things, not believing the girl was her daughter whom she had carried for nine months.

San Ya gasped for breath as she ran, concerned that Li Lanhua might get hurt. When she stopped in front of her, she smiled weakly. “Mom, it’s me.”

Li Lanhua blinked back tears and ran towards her, hugging her tightly. With a mixture of relief and anger, she slapped her daughter on the back, “Why did you come up here? You scared me half to death!”

“Ouch!” San Ya winced as the force of her mother’s embrace hurt.

But she was too anxious and afraid to mind, just needing to make sure her daughter was alive.

Hearing her daughter’s pained exclamation, Li Lanhua’s heart ached, and she rubbed her back, crying, “Does it hurt? Did I hit you too hard? Oh, I didn’t mean to! You’re such a troublemaker for running up here.”

San Ya, still clutching her mother, remained silent, not disturbing her mother’s frantic apologies.

Only when Li Lanhua’s worry calmed down did she finally ask, “Are you hungry? You must be starving after not eating since lunch.”

San Ya finally spoke up, “No, I’m not hungry.”

“How can you not be hungry?” Li Lanhua fretted as she let go of her daughter. “You only ate a little at lunch, and now it’s—”

Her words cut off as she noticed her daughter pulling a piece of roasted meat from her pack.

It was still hot and filled with oil, a far cry from the usual bones and scraps. Despite not having any seasoning, the meat was the juiciest thing Li Lanhua had tasted in a long time.

“San Ya, you eat it!” Li Lanhua quickly shook her head, unwilling to take it. “You need to eat more; we might not get anything like this again.”

San Ya insisted, pushing the meat towards her mother’s lips, “I’ve already eaten half a rabbit. I can’t eat anymore. I was just going to sleep when I heard you calling. You eat it.”

Li Lanhua hesitated but couldn’t resist when the meat was placed in her mouth. It was tender and delicious, even without seasoning.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she ate greedily, savoring the taste. For the first time in a long time, there was no one to share the food with; it was all hers and her daughter’s.

While Li Lanhua ate, San Ya quietly applied some repellent ointment to her mother’s arms and legs. Li Lanhua couldn’t see what it was, so she didn’t ask.

This ointment would protect them from snakes and insects in the woods—a necessity in such a dangerous place.

There was plenty of meat, but Li Lanhua’s stomach wasn’t very big, and she saved a leg for her daughter, planning to give it to her after finishing the rest.

After eating, she wiped her greasy hands and gave San Ya a satisfied smile, “San Ya, come home with me. I won’t let anyone hit you again.”

San Ya shook her head, smiling, “Mom, I hit Tang Tian Tian. Grandma won’t forgive me. If I go back, she’ll hit me. How can you stop her?”

Li Lanhua’s expression faltered, and she almost cried again. Gritting her teeth, she said, “I’ll protect you. If they try to hit you, they’ll have to go through me first. It’s too dangerous here; let’s go home first, okay? Don’t be afraid…”

San Ya shook her head again. “Can you protect me forever? When you go to work, Grandma can easily come after me. Besides, Mom, I want meat, I want eggs, I want a lot of good food. If we go back, I won’t be able to get any of that.”

“But…” Li Lanhua was anxious. “It’s too dangerous here. You’re lucky to still be alive. If you encounter a poisonous snake, a wild boar, or even a tiger or wolf, you won’t survive!”

San Ya was determined. “Mom, I’m not coming back with you. Don’t worry, I’ll climb trees and I found a kind of grass that scares snakes. With this, I’ll be fine.”

Li Lanhua looked at her daughter. It was too dark to see her expression clearly, but that resolute tone made her break out in a cold sweat. Her body, which had just been comfortably full after eating, started to ache with worry as she crouched down, covering her face and crying, “Waa… I’m useless! It’s all my fault…”

She couldn’t protect her daughter, so now her daughter would rather stay in this dangerous place than go back to that house, which might be even scarier than the deep mountains filled with wild animals!

San Ya also crouched down, leaning against Li Lanhua and speaking softly, “Mom, it’s not your fault. It’s Dad’s. He’s the useless one. As a man, he can’t stand up for himself and always listens to Grandma. He doesn’t just neglect himself but also us. Mom, let’s get a divorce. Without the people from the Tang family, just you and me, we can live better!”

“A divorce?” Li Lanhua looked up in confusion, even more panicked and tearful. “San Ya, what are you saying? Divorce is a big deal…”

San Ya knew that women like Li Lanhua, conditioned by this environment from a young age, knew it was possible to divorce now, but they’d never considered it or dared to. She wasn’t angry; instead, she spoke patiently, “Mom, just answer me this: who’s more important, me or Dad?”

Her words seemed heavy, as if they carried a bad omen, scaring Li Lanhua into hugging her tightly. “You’re more important! San Ya, don’t scare Mom!”

San Ya patted her, but didn’t back down or soften her tone, “Mom, I’m telling you now. Only one of Dad or me can stay. If you choose me, you have to divorce Dad. If you decide to stay with Dad, I’ll disappear from your sight.”

Li Lanhua was a traditional woman, not weak. Just look at how she could bargain for extra food at the canteen. But she was obedient, with everything in her life revolving around her husband, too scared to defy. Now, hearing San Ya’s words, she was completely at a loss, unwilling to accept, shaking her head, “San Ya, how can you say such things? He’s your real father!”

“I’m saying it like this! I’m ungrateful, a bad kid, but they forced me to it! If Grandma hadn’t shown favoritism, if Dad had fought for anything, could you two have managed to support me alone?” San Ya didn’t let her resist, gripping her tightly and shouting, “I don’t want this father anymore. You have to choose one!”

San Ya’s clear voice echoed through the silent, dark mountain, each word like a hammer striking Li Lanhua’s heart. It shook her more than just hearing the word “divorce” did. She stared blankly at her daughter.

San Ya stopped talking, understanding that divorce couldn’t be decided instantly. She gently pushed Li Lanhua away. “Mom, you need to think about it. Do you want to spend your life with such a man?”

“San Ya!” Li Lanhua called out, but her daughter didn’t respond. As she pushed her down the mountain, San Ya said as they neared the bottom, “Mom, think carefully. Do you want to spend your life like this?”

San Ya turned and ran without hesitation, leaving Li Lanhua silently continuing on her way. She was all over the place, her mind a blank.

When her husband came to find her, Li Lanhua saw him but no longer felt the sense of security she once did. Without that filter, Tang Er’s only seemed like an ordinary man, even a bit pathetic.

The repeated thoughts of her daughter echoed in her mind, making her confused and distressed. Tang Er, however, was oblivious. When he saw her return, he thought everything was fine. He comforted her, “San Ya’s gone, but we still have to live well. If you keep making a fuss like this, it’s just pointless.”

San Ya didn’t die!

Li Lanhua silently refuted, but she knew she couldn’t tell them. And suddenly, she wondered, did Tang Er make a serious search in the afternoon?

Afraid that she’d faint and stumble into the deeper woods to get bitten, there were always eyes on her, yet she managed to find San Ya. Why didn’t Tang Er?

Seeing his wife’s blank stare, Tang Er let out a bitter sigh but didn’t say much, taking her back. They thanked the Fourth’s help and entered the house.

Everything looked the same as before.

The next day, Li Lanhua was still out of it. Tang Er finally mustered the courage to ask Qian Guiying to let her rest for a day. Qian Guiying didn’t say much, reluctant but resigned. The other people from Tang’s family didn’t say anything either, not pressing the issue.

But Li Lanhua’s unease was from the threat of her daughter, not a real emotional blow. Once everyone went to work, she quietly made her way back up the mountain.

She wore a hat to keep a low profile, she didn’t want anyone recognizing her. Li Lanhua was still worried about her daughter’s safety and thought about bringing her things—making a fire outside was a hassle, and she needed matches, even salt for roasting meat, and clothes…

She still had some private money, just a little over two yuan, so she quickly bought some things and hurried up the mountain, nervously asking, “San Ya, you didn’t mean what you said yesterday, did you?”

San Ya’s smile faded, her expression serious. “I meant it, Mom. If you choose Dad, I’ll find a tiger, let it take me.”

Li Lanhua’s heart sank, her face paling. “Don’t, I choose you, I choose you!”