WBSGVS Chapter 108

Li Lanhua’s compromise was expected by Qing Li.

She wasn’t lovestruck; her feelings for Tang Ersong were merely because he was her husband. Their marriage was more of a family arrangement than a love match. They got married because the matchmaker introduced them, and they felt the other person met their criteria. After marriage, they were too busy with work and raising children to focus on building a deep emotional connection.

In a modern, relaxed environment, how many couples still manage to nurture deep feelings for each other when faced with the daily grind of bills, chores, and child-rearing? Many couples lose their love under the weight of daily life.

Li Lanhua prioritized her daughter above all else. In her previous life, her daughter was sold, and despite her efforts, she couldn’t stop it. It showed how much she valued her daughter. When Qing Li suggested a divorce right away, she was reluctant, but if it meant threatening her, Li Lanhua wouldn’t hesitate to comply, even if it scared her. Especially now that her daughter was in a dangerous situation.

She couldn’t defy her daughter at this point. Watching her live in that place filled Li Lanhua with fear; she was worried that the next day she might lose her forever. She didn’t want to provoke her further and kept agreeing.

Once Li Lanhua chose Qing Li, she said firmly, “If you choose me, then you need to divorce Tang Ersong.”

Li Lanhua nodded reluctantly, still trying to reason with herself, saying, “But he’s still your father.”

“He doesn’t deserve to be called ‘Dad’ for what he’s given me,” Qing Li replied with a serious tone. “It’s not enough just to be biologically related. To be a real parent, he should have taken responsibility.”

Li Lanhua didn’t understand the phrase but asked, “Where did you learn all this?”

Qing Li paused before answering, “I learned it from Xiaoca’s sister. She had it in her textbooks. Mom, I want to go to school.”

It was the year 1960, well before the Cultural Revolution, so there were still schools open. Qing Li needed to get an education quickly. Fortunately, there was enough time before the next school year in September.

Hearing this, Li Lanhua immediately agreed, “Of course, I’ll make sure you can go to school. When’s the right time to go down?”

Going to school meant Qing Li would become literate, and in rural areas, educated individuals were highly respected. Being able to read and write was seen as a major achievement. Many rural children saw school as an opportunity for adventure and novelty, but few continued long-term.

Seeing her daughter’s enthusiasm, Li Lanhua eagerly agreed, even planning to support her through higher education in the future. However, if Qing Li returned to the village, her grandmother would not allow her to attend school. The divorce needed to happen first.

Qing Li smiled gently. “If I go back, my grandmother won’t let me go to school. Only after you’re divorced will I be able to attend.”

Initially hesitant, Li Lanhua’s face softened when she heard this. It seemed like divorcing Tang Ersong wasn’t so hard to accept if it meant Qing Li could go to school.

Going up and down the mountain took a lot of time, and although Li Lanhua rested, she still had work to do, so she didn’t stay long before hurriedly heading back down. This time, her fear of the mountain wasn’t as intense as it had been the first time; it seemed safer knowing Qing Li was there.

Watching her mother’s retreating figure, Qing Li picked up the remaining supplies and chuckled softly. Li Lanhua wasn’t an ideal mother due to her limited abilities, but her love for Qing Li was genuine. Even if she didn’t want her daughter to live in such a dangerous place, she instinctively brought her what she needed, fearing any discomfort for her.

Yet, her resources were limited. Now that she had agreed, though she wasn’t fully willing, she was still leaning toward it. Over time, as she realized she didn’t need to tolerate Tang Ersong’s family, she genuinely wanted a divorce. Unfortunately, in this era, women couldn’t just leave without repercussions. They had no property rights, their household registration stayed with their husband’s family, and if they tried to leave, they could face beatings or other consequences. In Li Lanhua’s previous life, she was beaten and ended up sick from overwork, ultimately killing herself.

If she divorced and stayed on the mountain with Qing Li, people would discover Qing Li was still alive, which was a national concern. She needed to wait until she was well-prepared before seeking a divorce.

Qing Li picked up the supplies, wondering what she might catch today. She had cleared and reset the traps yesterday, so she was hopeful for some game. Sure enough, when she reached the trap site, she found that it had caught a beautiful wild chicken, struggling inside but unable to escape.

Three days since Qing Li entered the mountain. Li Lanhua rested a day and her body felt much better, but her mind was still in turmoil. She agreed to the divorce to appease her daughter, but doing it… she was still too scared, too reluctant, too anxious.

So she kept moving through the day in a daze. Tang Ersong planned for her to rest another day, but when he opened his mouth, he was met with a scolding from Qian Guiying: “Rest? Now is the peak season for farming! Back when I was pregnant with you, I didn’t take time off, but she wants to relax now? And didn’t she rest yesterday? She’s acting like a princess now!”

Tang Ersong softly tried to reason with his mother, “Mom, Li Lanhua just lost Qing Li…”

“Lost Qing Li? Are you saying she needs to mourn like a widow now?” Qian Guiying snapped. “Get out there and do your work!”

One day was already a stretch. How could she ask for more?

In the end, Tang Ersong went inside and contradicted what he had just told Li Lanhua: “Lanhua, just go outside and work for a while. If you’re tired, you can come back.”

Li Lanhua noticed the commotion outside and smiled wryly, sarcastically. Qing Li’s words were true; with a single command from his mother, Tang Ersong had no spine, following her every order. Now that Qing Li was gone, he still carried on like this.

If she chose Tang Ersong, Qing Li wouldn’t want her back. If she had another child with him, it would be raised just as carelessly. What if they ended up like Qing Li? She couldn’t be more guilty toward Qing Li now.

Tang Ersong felt his face flush under her gaze, embarrassed and ashamed as he looked down.

Li Lanhua suddenly felt a sense of relief; the answer had been clear all along. She couldn’t possibly abandon her daughter, nor would she sacrifice her for this man. But for the sake of her daughter, she was willing to let go of the current relationship.

Even if life was difficult, it was still far better than… living like this, right?

She put her determination into action; now, she could earn eight work points a day, and with time, she could earn ten. If she cut back on expenses, she could support her daughter’s education. If she could get her into high school, she might even have a chance to work in the city—now that would truly be a great opportunity!

With this decision in mind, Li Lanhua stood up and silently left.

Since she hadn’t been out in front of people for a day, when she finally emerged, the villagers going to work noticed and came over to offer comfort. Li Lanhua smiled bitterly each time but didn’t say much.

Despite understanding her recent loss, no one judged her; if anything, they felt more sympathy, even questioning why she was still working: “Your mother-in-law let you work just like that? If it were her little darling in trouble, she probably wouldn’t step out to work at all.”

“Little darling” refers to Tang Tiantian.

Li Lanhua remained silent, her bitterness growing more intense.

Yes, in the family, Tang Tiantian was treated like a gem, while her own daughter was not. Li Lanhua saw things more clearly now, thinking more about divorce and the situation at Tang’s house; once they lost their daughter in their eyes, people talked for a moment, but no one suggested building a tomb for the missing child. It was a chilling indifference.

In the days that followed, Li Lanhua continued to act similarly, occasionally sneaking up to the mountain at night to check on her daughter, always getting fed well each time.

At first, when Tang Ersong noticed Li Lanhua was gone, he would panic and frantically search for her. But after a few times, he grew calm, assuming she was just sitting at the foot of the mountain.

After a while, Li Lanhua didn’t just maintain her weight; she even put on some pounds.

People whispered, unsure if it was a sign of genuine kindness from Li Lanhua’s mother-in-law or if Tang Ersong provided the extra food.

However, since there was no proof, the issue was left unresolved.

When Tang Ersong began to consider having another child, Li Lanhua kept dodging him.

After several failed attempts, Tang Ersong got frustrated: “Wife, what’s wrong? Do you not want another child?”

Li Lanhua calmly asked, “Can Tang Tiantian eat eggs every day? Can Si Si and Wu Wu get a couple of eggs a month, with the boys occasionally sneaking a bird and roasting it? If I have another child, can you guarantee they’ll eat meat?”

Tang Ersong stared at her, shocked and saddened: “Living without meat is how we all got by; I didn’t have any either.”

“Eggs, though? Why should Tang Tiantian get eggs but not my child?” Li Lanhua retorted.

Tang Ersong tried to explain: “Mom was old when she had Tiantian; her health wasn’t great; she needed the extra nutrition…”

Li Lanhua gritted her teeth: “So she’s two months younger than Si Si, yet she’s taller and better-fed? Should Si Si suffer?”

Tang Ersong fidgeted. “Every family raises kids like this; why are you so hung up on it? Si Si is already gone!”

“If another child turns out like Si Si, never having tasted a real piece of meat by ten years old, I’d rather not have one!” Li Lanhua declared firmly.

Tang Ersong, feeling cornered, looked at her angrily: “Are you blaming me for being useless?”

Li Lanhua fell silent, but her gaze spoke volumes, clearly indicating that was exactly what she meant.

In frustration, Tang Ersong smashed his fist down on the bed with a loud “bang,” startling Li Lanhua. He lay back on the bed, panting heavily, but unable to argue because he knew Li Lanhua was right: Tang Tiantian ate well, but Si Si did not.

Yet, Tang Tiantian was his mother’s daughter; he couldn’t argue with that.

“Wife, can we not talk about Si Si?” Tang Ersong’s voice was barely a whisper. “What if we have another child? If it’s a boy, I swear I won’t let him go without meat!”

“I only want Si Si,” Li Lanhua reiterated firmly.

She didn’t want any other children; if she got pregnant again, she knew she’d be even more reluctant to divorce. If Si Si was gone, she wouldn’t be able to live without her.

Tang Ersong buried his face in his hands, helpless tears streaming down his cheeks. All he wanted was Si Si, but she was already gone.

Li Lanhua looked on with cold eyes, almost wishing she could divorce him sooner—once they were divorced, she wouldn’t have to live with a man who couldn’t even protect his daughter but still wanted more children.

But unfortunately, it wasn’t that simple; her household registration was tied to Tang’s family, and her own family wouldn’t accept her back, nor would Tang’s. Without a household registration, the village committee wouldn’t take her in, and neither would her own family. Si Si advised her to wait a little longer; there would be a way soon, and she just needed to endure a little more.

Unexpectedly, just a few days after this conversation, a girl who looked much healthier and taller, wearing a short-sleeve shirt and straw shoes and carrying a backpack, emerged from the deep mountains when everyone else was working.

“Si Si?” someone recognized her tentatively and called out.

The girl turned around, grinning: “Daju Uncle, it’s me.”

“!!” Everyone panicked and screamed, “A ghost ahhhhh!”