Rebirth in Famine: She Thrives by Lucky Space

It was noon, the sun was scorching, she had been walking for a long time and was terribly hungry, finally reaching the village entrance.

Along the way, she had thought it over. She remembered how her dad was particularly afraid and respectful of Han Xiangjun, so she couldn’t tell them she had left him. She’d say she came back to stay for a few days, so it wouldn’t be too hard on herself.

When she got together with Brother Xuesong, they would have no way to deal with it then.

She arrived at the doorstep by memory, standing in front of the dilapidated house, feeling very disdainful.

She pushed open the gate woven with branches. ”Dad? Mom?”

A fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl came out of the house.

”Xiao Lan?”

”Big sister? Are you my big sister?”

”Yes, I am your big sister. Xiao Lan has grown so much. Where are Dad and Mom?”

”They went to the fields. Wait a moment, I’ll go call them back. If you came a bit later, I would have had to go to work too.

Big sister, come inside; I’ll call Mom and Dad back.”

Yu Xiaoli went inside, the low, pitch-black house felt so oppressive.

She entered the west room and saw only two pillows on the bed. Thinking about it, her eldest brother must have married, right?

Really hungry and uncomfortable, she put down her things, went to the main room, lifted the pot lid, and found nothing inside.

She looked around for a bit but didn’t find any grain, so she went back to the room, opened her bag, took out a packet of noodles, went to the yard to pick an onion, and washed a small Chinese cabbage there.

”Xiaoli, you’re back?”

Yu Xiaoli stood up excitedly, ”Mom, I came back to see you.”

”Good, good!” Yu Ma saw the vegetables in her hand, understanding she hadn’t eaten yet.

”Xiaoli, you haven’t eaten, have you? I’ll cook for you.”

Saying this, she passed through the main room into the east room, scooping out a ladle of white flour.

”Mom, I brought noodles back; just cooking them will be fine.”

”I’ll make egg pancakes for you.”

Yu Xiaoli felt so comforted. Home was still the best, and Mom treated her so well.

Yu Ma’s movements were swift, and in no time, the egg pancakes were ready.

Though it contained only one egg and there was no oil, Yu Xiaoli thought it was delicious.

”Xiaoli, why did you come back?”

Yu Xiaoli hesitated for a moment but decided not to tell the truth, at least not now. ”Mom, I just came back to see you and bring some food.”

”But your dad once said when he got back, that man said you’d never come back for a lifetime, just pretend we don’t have you as a daughter.”

”It gets better with time.

Mom, how is Dad? Did my eldest brother get married?”

”Your dad is in good health, your eldest brother did get married, and you now have nephews and nieces.”

”Mom, where’s Xiao Nan?”

”They all have to go to the fields to earn their work points, or else what would they eat?

Xiaoli, how’s life in the city?”

”Not bad, Mom, do you still need to go to work?”

”Have to. You rest at home for a while, wait till the evening when the whole family is back.”

Yu Xiaoli saw off Yu Ma, changed her clothes and shoes, washed what she had taken off, and hung them outside to dry.

She kept watching the next door, but there was no movement.

After tidying up, she looked at her clothes, feeling pretty good. She decided to go out to find Brother Xuesong; she couldn’t wait until evening. She was eager to see him.

Standing at the door next door, she saw their house was empty. She thought she should go to the fields to find him, but looking at the mud on her shoes, she hesitated.

In the end, love won over. Having lived in the city, Yu Xiaoli was fair and delicate, walking by the fields drew everyone’s attention.

At first, Yu Xiaoli felt a little uncomfortable, but seeing the envious looks from the girls, she felt satisfied.

There were many fields in the village, she had no idea where Gao Xuesong was, and she was too embarrassed to ask.

After wandering around without finding him, she decided to go back home to wait.

”Are you Yu Xiaoli?”

Hearing someone calling her from behind, she turned around and saw a middle-aged woman.

After staring for a while, she finally remembered it was Second Sister Gao, two years older than her. Why did she look so old?

”Second Sister Gao?”

”Yes, it’s me, Xiaoli, you’re back?”

”Yes, Second Sister Gao, how’s everyone at home?”

”Everyone’s good. Did you come back to see Uncle and Aunt?”

”Uh-huh, came back to see them. How are you, Second Sister Gao?”

”Just the same, digging food out of the dirt every day, can’t match you, marrying into a wealthy family, I’m only two years older, but standing next to you I look ten years older.”

”Second Sister Gao, you jest. By the way, where did you get married to?”

”Married your Brother Erzhu. Over there is Cui Ping, your Brother Gao’s wife.

Cui Ping, come over; this is our next door Uncle Yu’s eldest daughter, Xiaoli.”

Upon hearing this news, Yu Xiaoli was dumbfounded, thinking she had misheard, but seeing the woman nodding at her, she knew everything was real.

Yu Xiaoli didn’t know how she responded, but when she came to, she had already left.

Tears couldn’t stop flowing. How could he get married? Seeing that woman, she knew they must have been married for a long time.

She walked to the edge of the cornfield, hearing the men’s voices.

Just wanting to leave, ”Who are you? How come you are in our village?”

Yu Xiaoli turned around, thought for a bit, and tentatively asked, ”Uncle Changxing?”

”Still remember me? Whose girl are you?”

”Uncle, I’m from Yu Family, Yu Xiaoli.”

”Xiaoli? Ah, I wouldn’t have recognized you. Life in the city is good, you’re even prettier.”

They kept talking, and several others working in the field came out with their hoes.

Yu Xiaoli spotted Gao Xuesong at first sight. He was no longer the way she remembered; now he bore no trace of his former handsome self, just an ordinary rural man.

She felt very disappointed, how could it be like this? She just nodded at him and exchanged a few pleasantries with everyone, then left.

She was twenty-five this year, Gao Xuesong was only twenty-six, yet he looked much older than the thirty-four-year-old Han Xiangjun.

She returned home in a daze, hope in her heart shattered, feeling utterly drained.

Lying on the bed, all she could think of was the appearance of Gao Xuesong, both from when he was young and what she just saw.

Suddenly, Yu Xiaoli sat up, no, this wasn’t her Brother Xuesong anymore. She didn’t want to stay here, didn’t want to live with him. She didn’t want to become like the women in the village.

She got down to put on her shoes, grabbed her handbag, wanting to leave, but memories of Han Xiangjun’s words from the morning popped up. All her courage vanished, she dared not return, absolutely not, but she couldn’t bear to live such a life either.

Lying back on the bed, all filled with regret. What should she do now?