Chapter 177: Follow the Good

　　After the melon-eating system finished its own business, it quickly sent the contents of the small world to Jiang Youtao.

　　The cover of this book is a picture of a lady wearing a blue cheongsam with two words written on it: "Become a good woman."

　　Jiang Youtao clicked on it and found out that this book tells the story of Bai Shuangyue, the top prostitute in Jinling Xinghualou during the Republic of China period, who traveled through time to thirty years later.

　　Before she traveled through time, she was the top prostitute in Xinghualou, but she was already old and ugly. There were always many young and fresh girls in Xinghualou. Before she traveled through time, she had already worked hard to become a mother. Because she didn't want to be someone else's concubine like those outdated top prostitutes, nor did she want to be looked down upon after redeeming herself.

　　She just liked the life of luxury and indulgence, and she just liked to enjoy herself. Unfortunately, when she went out of the building to entertain guests, she was abducted by the Japanese army and later died in the military camp.

　　When she was reborn as Bai Shuangyue thirty years later, she was very happy because this time, she was the eldest daughter of the Bai family, with parents who loved her, servants who listened to her, and two brothels at home.

　　The Xinghualou where she lived in her previous life was the most lively and luxurious brothel in Jinling and even in Beiping. Every night, red lanterns were hung in the brothel. Groups of girls with different looks sat on the railings, and the sound of stringed instruments in the building resounded through the night sky. Groups of upper-class men would come to the building in carriages and rickshaws, get off and walk into the building.

　　The two brothels of the Bai family were the lowest-class ones that Bai Shuangyue despised the most. The men who came were those whom Bai Shuangyue would never even look at in her previous life. But it didn't matter. Bai Shuangyue was confident that she could turn the Bai family's brothel into the second Xinghualou.

　　Unfortunately, before she could realize her ambitions for a few days, her brothel was closed down because the People's Republic of China was founded and brothels were no longer allowed in the new China.

　　The Bai family lost their source of business and could only open a secret brothel with the homeless girls.

　　Not long after, a group of bandits broke into their house. Bai Shuangyue's parents and brothers were all killed. Only she was rescued with some gold and silver jewelry by her family's coachman Chen Wu. The two of them followed the refugees all the way to Shandong. They were frightened by what they heard along the way.

　　After discussing it, the two went to Chen Wu's hometown and told others that Bai Shuangyue was his wife and that they worked as maids and servants in the city. At that time, New China was founded, and their tragic experience quickly attracted the sympathy of many people.

　　During the land reform, the two became oppressed poor and lower-middle peasants because of this incident. Later, the policies became increasingly strict, and the two could only obediently serve as farmers in the village.

　　Having been enslaved by capitalists, they became models of the brigade during the land reform. Their deeds were often mentioned by the brigade cadres, and they became heroes against capitalists. They established a firm foothold in the local area. At the end of the book, it tells how the two, under the leadership of the Party, abandoned their past and lived a more peaceful and happy life.

　　This novel is very short, only more than 100,000 words, and it can be read in a short time. The ending does not even mention how many children the couple has. The original intention of the author of this novel was to praise the changes between the old and new China. The reason for writing these two protagonists is also to create identity conflicts.

　　Jiang Youtao finished reading with a frown, and then said to the melon-eating system: [ The person who wrote this book must be crazy. He wants to write about people who have a hard life in feudal society. The protagonist can be anything. He can be a poor man carrying bags at the dock, a rickshaw driver pulling a cart on the street, or an exploited worker in a factory. Why must he write about an aspiring courtesan who dies and is reborn? ]

　　The melon-eating system points fingers at each other: [ Well, she was an oiran in her lifetime, and after death she was reborn as the young lady of the owner of the Flower House. Isn't this more fashionable? It's a big change of identity, from being exploited to being the exploiter, how attractive. ]

　　Jiang Youtao only wants to say a few things about the reason given by the melon-eating system:...

　　This reason is so fucking ridiculous.

　　Jiang Youtao directly turned to the report of Small World No. 19.

　　How could Bai Shuangyue, who had been spoiled and extravagant for so many years, endure the hardship of working in the fields every day?

　　Chen Wu was originally Bai Shuangyue's loyal lackey. He had always loved Bai Shuangyue. After marrying Bai Shuangyue, his life was like a dream. Seeing his sweetheart living like those old women in the village, Chen Wu felt very uncomfortable. After thinking about it, he went back to his original job.

　　In this era, secret doors could not be opened, but there were many bachelors. Chen Wu found several widows who had fled with him and brought them to the mountain. He also went down the mountain to find many men who were difficult to marry and kept their mouths shut. They led one by one, and soon Chen Wu's business flourished.

　　Many of the tricks Chen Wu used to control the women in the mountains were taught by Bai Shuangyue. Their secret door had been open for several years, and because the people who came were all acquaintances, and they also hired several tall and strong thugs to watch over the place, nothing had happened.

　　Bai Xianglan was born to one of the women on the mountain, and she died after giving birth to Bai Xianglan.

　　Bai Shuangyue and Chen Wu discussed and decided to adopt Bai Xianglan. After all, in the past, many girls in brothels were raised from childhood. Girls raised in this way are obedient, loyal, and easy to control.

　　When Bai Xianglan was two years old, Bai Yulan was born. Her life story was the same as Bai Xianglan's, except that Bai Yulan's mother was not dead and had been staying in the secret door on the mountain.

　　With the birth of Bai Yulan, the policy became more and more strict. When Bai Yulan was two years old, the two of them decided to stop doing it. The women in the mountains were old and unattractive, so they gave them some money and sold them to the old bachelors who had come to the mountains.

　　Bai Yanlan was picked up at the county train station when Chen Wu went to the county town the year they dispersed the women. At that time, Chen and Bai's eldest son Guangzong was about to be born. Bai Yanlan, who was good-looking, healthy and innocent, became the child bride they found for Bai Guangzong.

　　The Bai family lived at the end of the village. In order to go up the mountain, they had frequent exchanges with the villagers. Bai Shuangyue always wore loose clothes that could not show her figure. In addition, women's pregnancy was not taken seriously at that time. Bai Shuangyue gave birth to the children one by one, and with the intentional cover-up of the consciousness of the No. 19 small world, no one found out that the two sisters Bai Xianglan and Bai Yulan were not Bai Shuangyue's biological children.

　　Bai Yanlan was adopted, and this was something everyone knew, but no one would talk about it outside.

　　As Bai Xianglan and Bai Yulan grew up day by day, Bai Shuangyue taught them every day how to please other men. As Bai Yanlan was Bai Guangzong's child bride, she didn't need to learn these things.

　　Bai Xianglan and Bai Yulan went out to receive customers when they were fourteen years old. Bai Shuangyue asked for two yuan. Later, Bai Xianglan found a man she liked. She begged Chen Wu and Bai Shuangyue to let her go. As soon as she said it, she was rejected. After that, Bai Xianglan said something to them, and Chen Wu killed Bai Xianglan. To the outside world, they said that Bai Xianglan ran away with another man.

　　Bai Xianglan was not as smart as Bai Yulan. She was often seen talking and doing things with other men outside. So no one in the village doubted what Chen Wu and Bai Shuangyue said.

　　Bai Yulan witnessed the whole process, and from then on, Bai Yulan never dared to disobey them again.

　　At this time, No. 19 was on the verge of collapse. At this time, Chen Wu's death accelerated the collapse of the small world.

　　No. 19 started to save itself, and its way of saving itself was to create another small world within a small world, just like the series of articles.

　　Su Zhiyuan is the next male protagonist he has set his eyes on. In order to make Su Zhiyuan successfully fall into the Bai family's trap, he has done a lot of preparatory work, including making it rain heavily when Su Zhiyuan goes up the mountain to chop wood, letting the wind push Su Zhiyuan to the bottom of the hillside, and then sending a dream to Bai Shuangyue, asking Bai Yanlan to save Su Zhiyuan.

　　All the unreasonable things that happened afterwards were caused by the consciousness of small world No. 19.

　　It worked, the collapse of the little world was temporarily stopped. Old Mrs. Bai died happily, just like the ending in the book.

　　After Mrs. Bai died, the 19th small world had consumed too much energy and fell into a deep sleep, so Su Zhiyuan learned the secret that Bai Yanlan had given birth to a child and had a miscarriage. Just when he went to investigate, the small world finally collapsed and restarted.

　　Jiang Youtao:...

　　[ So Su Zhiyuan is just a tool? ]

　　It's so pitiful. She originally thought he was just a pure victim, but she didn't expect he was actually a tool.

　　A tool + a big victim, Jiang Youtao even wanted to shed a tear of sympathy for him.

　　The melon-eating system also feels it is too miserable.

　　There are nineteen small worlds, and Su Zhiyuan is the only one who is so miserable.

　　Jiang Youtao chuckled: [ Teach No. 19's small world consciousness how to behave. ]

　　The melon-eating system has slipped away.

　　Gu Nianwei came over in the evening carrying a big watermelon. The two sat in the yard, made a pot of tea, looked at the starry sky, and talked.

　　"October is almost here." October 1978 was an eventful month.

　　In October, China will announce a self-defense counterattack against South Vietnam. Since the late 1960s, South Vietnam's harassment of China's border has lasted for a full decade. During these ten years, China has been tolerant of South Vietnam and has reached the point where it can no longer tolerate it.

　　Jiang Youtao hopes that the two computers and weapons she donated can help those soldiers who sacrificed their lives for their country live better during the war.

　　"You are about to get married." Jiang Youtao was very emotional.

　　Gu Nianwei looked at the starry sky and said, "Yes, I'm getting married."

　　Time flies so fast. Gu Nianwei rarely thinks about things from her previous life, but she still feels a little dazed occasionally.

　　She said, "Tao'er, I seldom think of many past events."

　　Jiang Youtao knew what past events she was talking about. Jiang Youtao took a sip of osmanthus black tea, which she bought in the system mall. It had a strong floral scent and a mellow tea aroma. Jiang Youtao liked it very much.

　　"Everyone has to move forward, we are all the same."

　　Gu Nianwei picked up the teacup and took a sip: "Tomorrow night, let's have a barbecue. Let's have it in your yard."

　　Today is September 28th, and tomorrow is September 29th. After this meal and a few drinks, she will take a nap until the afternoon. On the morning of October 1st, Gu Nianwei will have to get up and start working before dawn.

　　"Okay. You prepare the ingredients, and I'll take care of the rest."

　　Gu Nianwei nodded and said okay.

　　The two of them kept drinking tea and chatting in the yard, and didn't go back until after ten o'clock in the evening.

　　Jiang Youtao's stomach was full of water.

　　The next afternoon, Jiang Youtao and her friends got busy.

　　The people from dormitory 203 and Xu Manqiu also came, and Fu Shaohua, his brother and sister-in-law, and Han Taorui also came to join in the fun.

　　As night fell, a strong aroma of barbecue rose from Jiang Youtao's yard, waking up the neighbors.

　　There were two large tables in the yard, one table was filled with ingredients to be grilled, and the other table had many people sitting around it. The master barbecue chefs were Jiang Youtao and Gu Nianwei.

　　The two of them took turns grilling, and soon they had grilled a large skewer of meat. This skewer was pure Mongolian lamb skewers from Gu Nianwei's space. It was grilled over charcoal and sprinkled with barbecue seasoning. The aroma of meat mixed with the natural aroma of seasonings was so delicious.

　　In addition, ham, leek, zucchini, eggplant, garlic and pork belly are things that cannot be found in barbecue.

　　After grilling a large table of food, Jiang Youtao and Gu Nianwei sat at the table.

　　"Let's cheers for Weiwei and Yanqing to live happily and joyfully in the future." As Jiang Youtao finished speaking, everyone stood up, clinked their wine glasses above the barbecue, and then put them to their lips and drank them all.

　　They were drinking beer. The beer of that time had a much stronger malt flavor than the beer of later generations. It tasted slightly bitter in the mouth, but then it became sweet.

　　Everyone couldn't wait any longer and reached out for the skewers on the table. All of them were delicious.

　　The sound of Wang Yurong crying and Old Lady Bai scolding her child came from next door, but everyone pretended not to hear.

　　Old Mrs. Bai has maintained her character very well, and her image of being a taking advantage and unreasonable person stands tall in the minds of her neighbors.

　　If the melon-eating system hadn't looked for No. 19 and checked again, Jiang Youtao would never have thought that she would be the former heroine.

　　Regarding the matter of Old Lady Bai, Jiang Youtao decided to wait until she attended Gu Nianwei's wedding before dealing with her. She was a new-age brothel owner who had killed people, so she must not be let off easily.

　　The classmates drank a little too much at night and did not go home. Jiang Youtao sent Fu Shaohua and others to their doorsteps. After they left, Jiang Youtao went back to sleep.

　　She was awakened by the melon-eating system. It was already dawn outside: "Host, Bai Yanlan went to find Su Zhiyuan."

　　Jiang Youtao woke up all of a sudden. She walked around Xu Manqiu who was still sleeping soundly, went to the living room to pour a glass of water, and clicked on the live broadcast of Bai Yanlan.

　　At this time, Bai Yanlan had already arrived at the door of the men's dormitory of Capital University.

　　Su Zhiyuan had a blank expression on his face when he was called down by his classmates.

　　He had anticipated Bai Yanlan's pestering of him, and he was particularly impatient with it.

　　Bai Yanlan looked at Su Zhiyuan greedily. When Su Zhiyuan walked in front of her, she said, "I know you are very annoyed with me now, but I still want to explain to you."

　　Su Zhiyuan glanced at the time and said, "Go ahead."

　　Having been a sucker and a cuckold all his life, Su Zhiyuan also wanted to hear Bai Yanlan's explanation.

　　Bai Yanlan said, "Let's go sit over there. When I came here, I saw a small pavilion over there."

　　Su Zhiyuan followed Bai Yanlan.

　　The bench in the pavilion was made of stone. It felt extremely cold when she sat on it, just like Bai Yanlan's heart, making her tremble.

　　She looked at the ground and said, "I didn't mean to lie to you. I am not the Bai family's biological daughter, and neither is Bai Yulan..."

　　Su Zhiyuan leaned against the pillar of the pavilion, his hands in his pockets trembling.

　　Ten minutes is enough to tell the life story of many people. Su Zhiyuan said: "If you don't want to do the same thing as Bai Yulan, then go to the Women's Federation and they will help you."

　　Bai Yanlan burst into tears: "Can't you take me away? If you take me away, nothing will happen. Do you dislike me for having given birth to a child?"

　　Su Zhiyuan shook his head: "I don't mind that my woman has given birth to a child. What I mind is your deception. Yanlan, we have been married for almost two years. Since we got married, you have had countless opportunities to confess your past to me, but you didn't even once."

　　"When I discovered the truth, you came to tell me about your suffering. I no longer understand you."

　　"It's getting late and I have to go to class. Take care."

　　Bai Yanlan sat on the ground and cried after Su Zhiyuan left.

　　Having suffered enough, she returned in despair.

　　When Old Mrs. Bai saw her come back, she wanted to beat her. Bai Yanlan thought about her hopeless future life, so she took out a fruit knife that she had hidden in her pocket and cut Old Mrs. Bai's hand.

　　Blood dripped from her hands.

　　Bai Yanlan approached: "You know what? I have wanted to do this to you for a long, long time. You have ruined my happiness for two lifetimes."