Chapter 154: The Roads in the Countryside Are Slicker, and People’s Hearts Are Even More Complicated
Every bit of gossip from the aunties had Ning Xiyue laughing with genuine delight, and the smile never left her face.
Auntie Zhang gestured animatedly as she spoke:
“Xiyue, do you know? Wu Dazhuang had to heat up ten whole barrels of water just to wash the stench off Wu Laogen and Li Cuihua.
And the clothes they were wearing were so soaked through with filth that no amount of washing could get the smell out. Wu Dazhuang ended up tossing them into the latrine pit just to make the house smell less disgusting. But the divorce certificate — stained and discolored by pig manure — couldn’t be thrown away. It reeked to high heaven, but they still had to carefully keep it. Hahaha, I nearly died laughing.”
Ning Xiyue, who was listening carefully to the gossip, joined in with a loud laugh. “Really? Haha! Then every time they see that divorce certificate, they’ll remember today’s mess. One whiff and they’ll recall exactly what they tasted! Hahaha!”
“Hahaha, the girl’s right!” Auntie Liu cackled. “It’s disgusting! What’s going to happen when they take a dump from now on? Will they want to taste it again — fresh, steaming, right as it comes out?”
That one sentence was enough to gross out the whole group, who all had vivid imaginations.
Auntie Qiujü clutched her nose and retched. “Ugh, Old Liu, stop talking, I’m going to throw up.”
“Exactly — I’m gonna puke — bleh…”
The other aunties started dry heaving too, completely disgusted by Auntie Liu’s vivid image.
Ning Xiyue was just as nauseated, crouching to the side and gagging. Her damned hyperthymesia — photographic memory — made the mental images far too vivid. She took out her water bottle and drank a few sips before she could suppress the feeling.
Seeing that the aunties were still retching, she quickly took out her thermos and poured water into each of their flasks. “Aunties, drink some water to settle your stomachs.”
Gossipers live for gossip — thankfully, they all talked so much they’d learned to bring their own water flasks. When their mouths went dry, they’d take a sip and keep going.
The aunties all clutched their water flasks and drank to suppress their nausea.
After finishing her water, Auntie Qiujü waved her hand. “Let’s not talk about that anymore. Let’s switch to another topic.”
It was the first time they’d ever disgusted themselves with their own conversation. Everyone had to poop, so the scene was all too easy to imagine — and once they did, their stomachs turned.
Li Xiuxiu, who had just come out of the toilet, felt especially awful. Her face was a shade paler, and she clutched her chest while gargling water. “Yes, yes, let’s talk about something else.”
Li Xiuxiu thought to herself: I feel like I’m the one who ate shit.
Seeing how powerful her words had been, Auntie Liu hurried to change the subject. “Anyway, the two of them are divorced now. After Li Cuihua showered and ate, she was kicked back to her mother’s house in the next brigade. Guess what happened next?”
“What happened?” Ning Xiyue asked, playing along.
“Spit it out, Old Liu.”
“Li Cuihua’s already a grandmother. There’s no place for her at her mother’s house — only her older brother and sister-in-law live there, and of course they can’t afford to feed such a useless loafer.
I heard that after she went back, her sister-in-law immediately called a matchmaker to find her someone — the farther away the better. They want to marry her off before she turns fifty next year, while someone might still want her. Maybe they can even get some bride price out of it.”
Young and naïve, Li Xiuxiu was surprised. “Someone would still pay a bride price for her?”
As the head of the women’s committee, Auntie Qiujü knew plenty about such matters. She nodded. “There are still widowers deep in the mountains who’d be willing.”
At that moment, Ning Xiyue heard heavy breathing from outside. She turned to see Auntie Qian panting heavily as she ran up to the clinic door, leaning on the frame as she gasped for air. “Big news!”
“Oh my, Old Qian, come sit down and rest before you tell us.” Auntie Liu and Auntie Zhang quickly went over to support her.
Ning Xiyue got up to pour her a bowl of water, and Li Xiuxiu helped pat her back.
All the aunties turned their eyes toward Auntie Qian, waiting eagerly for the new scoop.
After gulping down the water, Auntie Qian wiped her mouth, took a deep breath, and began sharing the juiciest gossip yet, her eyes shining with excitement.
“I just got the latest news from the next brigade — just now, Li Cuihua has already remarried. She packed a small bundle and left with a lame old man to the team behind Daqi Mountain.”
Auntie Liu’s eyes went wide in shock. “Are you serious? That fast? She just got back and now she’s remarried?”
Ning Xiyue had to admire Li Cuihua’s speed. Divorced at noon, remarried by afternoon — she’d be a shining example of a “flash marriage” in modern times. Interested, she asked, “Tell us, Auntie, how did it happen?”
Auntie Qiujü added, “What’s the situation with the man’s family?”
Auntie Liu: “Yes, yes, hurry and tell us. You’re killing me here.”
“It just so happened that the man had come to their brigade to find a matchmaker to help him find a wife. And wouldn’t you know it, Li Cuihua’s sister-in-law dragged her to see the matchmaker at the same time. They met at the matchmaker’s house, the man took a liking to Li Cuihua, and things moved quickly after that.”
Auntie Qian grinned mischievously as she continued.
“The man used to be a hunter. He’s been widowed three times. This time he offered a bride price of one hundred yuan, and Li Cuihua left with him. Of course, she only got fifty of it — the other fifty was tricked out of her by her brother and sister-in-law, who told her that her mother’s family would always be her strongest support.”
“Oh my god, he’s had three wives who all died? How did they die?” Auntie Zhang, always fascinated by such details, asked eagerly.
“They say it was illness. But I heard from someone in their brigade that it wasn’t illness at all. They heard horrible screaming but when they asked for details, he wouldn’t say anything.”
Ning Xiyue grew thoughtful. Could this man be abusive? He liked hitting people, and three wives had died… If Li Cuihua went with him, she might be jumping straight into a fire pit.
Li Xiuxiu sighed. “I can’t believe Li Cuihua still commands such a price — a hundred yuan bride price! That man must be loaded. Guess the divorce really was worth it.”
“Having money’s one thing — you also need to live long enough to spend it.” Ning Xiyue said meaningfully.
Auntie Qiujü, well-versed in family conflicts, grew suspicious too. “Mm, Xiyue’s right. That man’s had three wives die — I’m afraid Li Cuihua might become the fourth.”
“With Li Cuihua’s temper, she probably won’t cause trouble. Hey, what do you think Wu Laogen will do if he finds out she’s already left with another man?” Auntie Liu asked, itching to go tell him just to see his reaction.
Auntie Qian gave her a reassuring look. “Heh, we’ll find out soon — Old Zhao’s already gone to tell him.”
Their gossip squad was truly in sync — their thoughts were always aligned.
Just then, Ning Xiyue heard more footsteps and glanced toward the clinic door, smiling. “Look, Auntie Zhao’s here.”
“Big news,” Auntie Zhao announced as she entered — in almost the exact same way Auntie Qian had.
“Quick, quick, we’ve been waiting for you!” Auntie Liu hurried to greet her.
Once Auntie Zhao had caught her breath, she too brought them another huge scoop — this one about Wu Laogen.
It left Ning Xiyue sighing that she just couldn’t keep up with the pace of this era.
Li Cuihua’s sister-in-law had gone to Wu Laogen’s house to brag that her younger sister-in-law had gotten a hundred yuan bride price and remarried. Furious, Wu Laogen had chased her out with a broom.
But the most explosive news was still to come.
After she left, Wu Laogen went straight to the edge of the village and brought home a widow — Aunt Xu from their own Dayu Brigade. He put her belongings away, then immediately went to the brigade captain to get proof of marriage, and dragged the widow into town to register for a marriage certificate.
Li Xiuxiu hit the nail on the head: “Do you think Wu Laogen was already having an affair with that Widow Sun?”
“Mhm. I’ll let you all think about that yourselves.” Auntie Qiujü gave a knowing smile.
It was obvious there’d been something between them — otherwise, how could his target be so clear and his actions so fast?
Ning Xiyue was truly stunned by the whirlwind of events surrounding Li Cuihua and Wu Laogen, the newly divorced couple.
Whoever said city life was complicated and that the countryside was simpler clearly had no idea. The roads in the countryside are slicker, and people’s hearts are even more complicated.
That last part — Ning Xiyue deeply understood today.
