Chapter 11: " The resurrected ex-wife who once cast me aside"

After the quarrel, Lin Laoshi simply used this as an excuse and did not return to the bedroom. Instead, he went to sleep in the guest room next door.

He Chunli waited in the bedroom in a depressed mood for half the night, during which time she thought of several plans to make Lin Laoshi change his mind. As a result, after waiting for a long time, her husband did not come back to the room. Even though she had a thousand tricks, she had no place to use them.

He Chunli felt extremely wronged and very upset. How had she ever done anything wrong to Lin Laoshi in her life? When she knew he was injured, she went to take care of him immediately. When she found a way to make money, she didn't forget to bring him along. But what happened to him? Not only did he not appreciate it, but he also had a cold war with her and slept in a separate bed.

The lonely night magnified He Chunli's grievances infinitely, and she thought of Lin Laoshi's various inconsiderate behaviors since her rebirth. Let's not talk about the distant past, just today: it was a hot day in August or September, unbearably hot at three o'clock in the afternoon, and it was five or six miles away, but he actually asked her to walk back without even mentioning that he would ask his brother to pick her up later.

Not to mention couples, even close friends would be embarrassed to do this—two grown men riding a bicycle and leaving a young woman behind.

This cannot be explained away by simply saying that he is not gentle or considerate. After all, Lin Laoshi doesn't care about himself, so he doesn't feel sorry for her at all.

Could it be that he has a heart of stone and can't be warmed up no matter what?

He Chunli hid in the bed and cried sadly. Her cry was resentful and plaintive.

The two of them lived in a room that was not very soundproofed. He Chunli thought that Lin Laoshi would come to see her after hearing her crying in the middle of the night. It was normal for something unspeakable to happen between a man and a woman alone in the middle of the night.

Once a man's lower body is satisfied, will he still be difficult to talk to?

But she waited for a long time and there was no movement next door. He Chunli did not give up. She got up, picked up a flashlight, sneaked out, and came to the door of Lin Laoshi's room. Through the door, she could hear Lin Laoshi's snoring, which was as loud as thunder.

This pig-like guy! This strenuous performance of mine was completely for the blind. He Chunli stamped her feet in anger and went back to the house angrily.

She didn't notice that as soon as she left, Lin Laoshi opened his eyes in the room and stopped snoring.

***

Country people are used to getting up at dawn. When Lin Laoshi heard the rooster crowing, he got up and practiced a set of boxing. When it was fully light, He Chunli still hadn't gotten up. He walked to the bedroom door and knocked: "Chunli, get up and cook."

He Chunli grabbed the quilt and covered her head with it, pouting. Now she knows he has a wife? She just won't do it, let's see what he can do!

After knocking twice and seeing that He Chunli didn't respond, Lin Laoshi turned around and walked out the door, heading towards Lin Jianyi's house on crutches.

On the way, they met villagers who had gotten up early to work. Everyone greeted Lin Laoshi enthusiastically: "Ashi, where are you going so early?"

Lin Laoshi smiled innocently and said, "Going to my eldest brother's house for breakfast."

The villagers looked behind him and asked in confusion: "Where is Chunli in your family?"

Lin Laoshi scratched his head: "She was tired from taking the train yesterday and hasn't gotten up yet."

The villagers glanced at Lin Laoshi with what they thought was a hidden sympathetic look. After he left happily, these aunts and grandmas started talking about it: "He Chunli is such a lazy woman. The sun is shining on her butt, but she still doesn't get up. The man at home, who is injured and has difficulty walking, has no food to eat..."

After Lin Laoshi arrived at Lin Jianyi's house and had breakfast, even a grown man like Lin Jianyi heard the news. He asked Lin Laoshi: "Where is your sister-in-law?"

"She's sleeping at home!" Lin Laoshi said after taking a sip of sweet potato porridge.

Lin Jianyi was not very happy, but he didn't know what to say.

On the other side, He Chunli waited for a while and heard silence outside. She lifted the quilt and got up, opened the door, and found it was empty outside. She didn't know where Lin Laoshi had gone.

She looked around the guest room and the yard but still didn't see anyone. He Chunli frowned, walked to the gate, opened the door, and saw Lin Laoshi humming an unknown tune, coming back in a good mood. She seemed to be the only one sulking.

"Where have you been?" He Chunli asked unhappily.

When Lin Laoshi saw that it was her, he stopped smiling and pointed in the direction of Lin Jianyi's house: "Went to eldest brother's house for breakfast!"

After that, he walked past He Chunli, went back to the house, moved a chair to the door, lay down on it, and closed his eyes to rest.

He Chunli was left alone to see her lazy husband and the cold stove at home, and her heart felt like it was filled with rotten cotton. Cooking in the countryside is rather troublesome. People use large iron pots and burn firewood and crop stalks. He Chunli was too lazy to cook alone, so she simply washed her face and went to the market.

When she arrived in the town, she bought two meat buns to fill her stomach, then walked around the town, feeling more and more bored. It is called a small town, but in fact, it is just one street, which can be walked around in a few minutes. The things sold in the supply and marketing cooperative are expensive and rustic, and the other things are mostly agricultural and sideline products that local farmers bring to the town to sell. There is nothing fresh. She didn't like any of them.

He Chunli lost interest and headed back home. Halfway through her journey, she suddenly heard the crisp sound of a bicycle bell behind her. She thought she was blocking the road, so she quickly stood on the side of the road, but unexpectedly the bicycle came over and stopped in front of her.

Juan sat on the bicycle with one of his long legs on the ground and said with a smile: "Chunli, what a coincidence, let's go, it's on our way, I'll give you a ride!" He was not serious, but unexpectedly attractive. Although she knew that this man was all show and no substance, He Chunli still couldn't help comparing him with Lin Laoshi.

Compared to each other, except for being lazy and accomplishing nothing in his life, Juan is actually better than Lin Laoshi.

And somehow, Mr. Lin has become so annoying, selfish, and completely disregarding her feelings. He was completely different from the honest, taciturn, hardworking, selfless, and kind man in her memory.

She even suspected that maybe because so much time had passed, she had automatically beautified Lin Laoshi.

Seeing He Chunli's distraction, Juan thought about the rumors in the village this morning and had a rough idea in his mind. But he never mentioned it and pointed his index finger at the sun: "Come up, it will be so hot when the sun comes out!"

Sometimes people's bottom line is broken little by little. He Chunli had already ridden on Juan's tractor yesterday, so it wasn't so difficult for her to accept riding his bicycle today.

In particular, her vain beauty was repeatedly frustrated by Lin Laoshi, and her female self-esteem was greatly hurt. Juan's courtesy just satisfied this need. She sat on it without much hesitation.

"Hold on tight, let's go!" Juan pedaled hard, and the bicycle sped away quickly, bringing up a gust of wind that blew on his body, brushing away the restlessness and heat around him.

It's only three or four miles away, and it only takes about ten minutes to get there by bike. Juan sent He Chunli to the door of her house, then he stepped on the brakes, snapped his fingers, and said, "Chunli, we're here!"

He Chunli jumped off the bicycle and was about to leave when Juan suddenly grabbed her sleeve, took down the yellowish-brown kraft paper bag hanging on the handlebars, and stuffed it into He Chunli's hand: "Ashi is injured, and I don't have anything good to give him. I happened to go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy something today, and the lady there didn't have any fifty-cent coins, so it was hard to find one, so I bought half a pound of jujube paste cake. Take it back to Ah Shi!" *

The villagers were very enthusiastic. When Lin Laoshi came back injured, many people brought a few eggs, duck eggs, and other things to visit him. But Juan is the only one who gives women the pastries they love.

He Chunli looked down at the fragrant date paste cake in her hand, then glanced at Juan's receding back. She had a vague feeling that this was something Juan bought specially for her. This man is still as good at pleasing women as ever.

She withdrew her gaze, pushed open the door, and entered the house. Lin Laoshi was still sitting under the eaves, maintaining the same posture as when she left.

She sighed and went into the kitchen to cook.

The days passed by in a dull manner. He Chunli felt very uncomfortable. This was completely different from the life she had imagined after her rebirth. There was no income at home, no money, and they had to be stingy when buying anything. The relationship between husband and wife was also very dull and cold, and Lin Laoshi had been sleeping in the guest room. She was feeling angry, so she didn't ask him to go back to the bedroom.

Their current living pattern was more like opposite-sex roommates sharing a house than a couple. No, it was even worse than that. Her roommate of the opposite sex would sometimes secretly look at her figure when she wasn't paying attention, but Lin Laoshi never did that and always behaved properly. If they were really roommates, she would praise Lin Laoshi for his good character, but they were husband and wife.

Sometimes she couldn't stand this indifferent life. She wanted to say something but didn't know how to start.

Just then, He's mother came to see her daughter and son-in-law.

The daughter and son-in-law came back from the army, and they hadn't come back to her parents' home for more than a month. He's mother couldn't help herself, so she picked up twenty eggs and brought them to the house.

He Chunli was very happy to see her mother. She took out all the good things at home and made a fairly hearty lunch.

After dinner, He's mother pulled He Chunli into the house to talk in private.

"What's going on between you and A Shi? Are you having a conflict?" The experienced He's mother knew right away that there was a problem between her daughter and son-in-law. No wonder she hadn't returned to her parents' home for so long.

He Chunli was upset and shook her head and said, "That's not happening, Mom. Stop guessing!"

"I'm just guessing. You all sleep in separate rooms, and everything is fine?" He's mother glanced at the bed and hit the nail on the head.

He Chunli was speechless. After hesitating for a long time, she said, "Oh, Mom, didn't you see? Ah Shi's leg hasn't healed yet, and I don't sleep well. What if I turn over in the middle of the night and crush his legs?"

Such an excuse couldn't fool He's mother, who had a sharp eye.

He's mother held He Chunli's hand and said earnestly: "Chunli, I know that you've been arrogant since childhood. Your father and I married you to Ah Shi because we thought he had a bright future. But we didn't know that he would be suddenly injured and retired from the army. But fortunately, you have a new house and Ah Shi is also strong. Listen to your mother's advice, live a down-to-earth life, and give birth to a fat boy next year. As long as you are diligent, your life will not be too bad!"

He Chunli did not comment on her mother's advice. Live a down-to-earth life? How to live a down-to-earth life? Farming in the village?

What future does farming have? Each person only has two or three acres of land, and the little grain he grows has to be paid as public grain. After deducting the cost of seeds, the rest is not enough to eat. Where can you compare to a city full of gold?

But she kept the last point her mother said in mind.

Having a baby might be a good idea. Because of his leg injury, Lin Laoshi's temperament had become weird and he had no fighting spirit. He would definitely become different after having a son.

They did what they said. At night, after taking a shower, He Chunli, still steaming, pushed open Lin Laoshi's door.

Lin Laoshi turned on the light and was reading a torn book in his hand. When he heard the sound, he looked up, frowned slightly, and looked at He Chunli in confusion: "Is there something wrong?"

He Chunli clenched her fists, walked to the bed, and took the book from Lin Laoshi's hand, saying with courage: "Ashi, it's so late, go to bed, and read the book tomorrow!"

Lin Laoshi glanced at her deeply and agreed: "Okay, go to bed, and help me turn off the lights and close the door when you go out later."

What a blockhead, she said it so obviously, why didn't he understand?

He Chunli stamped her feet, made up her mind, and threw herself into Lin Laoshi's arms. She wrapped her arms around his waist and said in a delicate voice, "Shi, there's a thunderstorm tonight, and I'm scared to be alone."

"Then why didn't you sleep alone when I was away?" Lin Laoshi asked coldly.

This person is really unromantic. He Chunli found that it was useless to beat around the bush with a straightforward man like Lin Laoshi, so she simply said, "Ashi, let's have a baby!"

While speaking, her hand quickly reached down, pointed directly at Lin Laoshi's lower body, and then grabbed the soft ball.

"You, what are you doing..." He Chunli was dumbfounded. She had never expected such an outcome. She, a young girl in thin clothes, threw herself into her husband's arms, but her husband did not react.

Lin Laoshi looked at her coldly with his dark eyes, until He Chunli felt uncomfortable. Then he calmly took away He Chunli's hand and admitted frankly: "It's just like what you see. I hurt my reproductive organs. I can't have children with you in this life!"