Chapter 115: Cozying Up and Remembering
Chapter 115: Chapter 115: Cozying Up and Remembering
Even though it was spring, the midday sun was still scorching.
"Sure. There are plenty of willow branches by the road. Go get some, and I’ll weave them for all of you," Zhao Nuanyue said with a smile. "They might not look great, but they’ll do the trick. Otherwise, we’ll get tanned way too early this year."
Li Qiong nodded in agreement. "Oh, I was just thinking that but was too embarrassed to ask. Thanks, Nuanyue."
"Don’t mention it." Zhao Nuanyue chuckled softly. As volunteers, they were somewhat isolated. Aside from Li Guihua, the head of the Women’s Federation, who would actively speak to them, the other village women seemed to not know what to say. They wouldn’t just stay silent; they would even keep their distance while working.
While the three of them were talking quietly, Liu Lanhua, laughing and chatting with a few other village women, began working her way over toward Zhao Nuanyue’s group.
"Li Qiong, dear, you’re not doing that right. You should do it like this..." Liu Lanhua said with a broad smile. She had come up close to Li Qiong, her tone intimate and warm, as if nothing had ever happened between them. She was acting just like a kind elder.
But the moment Li Qiong heard Liu Lanhua’s voice, she quickly shuffled to the side to put some distance between them. ’This woman is terrifying,’ she thought. ’Just like Zhao Nuanyue said, she’d sell you out and you’d still be counting the money for her!’
"Oh... oh... thank you." Li Qiong’s movements were a bit abrupt, and she felt awkward, forcing a sheepish smile. "Thanks, I’ll fix it!"
After saying that, she quickly started pulling weeds just as Liu Lanhua had shown her, creating more space between them. She didn’t want to talk to Liu Lanhua any longer.
Seeing this, Wang Cuihua, who was behind them, said snidely, "They’re high-and-mighty city folk. A country bumpkin like you shouldn’t be trying to cozy up to them. Didn’t you see how she jumped when she heard your voice? Can’t you see how disgusted she is just looking at you?"
Liu Lanhua just smiled, completely unbothered by the disdain in Wang Cuihua’s tone. Instead, she said pleasantly, "Ai, it’s not easy for those girls, leaving their homes to come all the way to our Nianqiao Village. And with all those misunderstandings before... the poor things. I have a daughter myself, so I can put myself in their shoes. I want what’s best for them. Ai, I only meant well, but it caused a misunderstanding. I can’t let them misunderstand me forever. I have to find a way to change their minds."
"They’re on guard against you. They won’t believe a word you say. I think you should stop trying to cozy up to them when they’re giving you the cold shoulder. You’ll only end up with egg on your face and humiliate yourself," Wang Cuihua advised, completely baffled by Liu Lanhua’s actions.
Liu Lanhua inwardly scorned Wang Cuihua. ’She’s hopelessly stupid.’
’An ignorant, short-sighted woman like her could never understand my real intentions. No wonder Wang Dadan can’t stand Wang Cuihua. The woman is truly a fool, without half a brain.’
Liu Lanhua had already discussed it with her husband. They had decided to break down the volunteers at the Dragon King Temple from the inside, so she had to improve her relationship with them and select the most suitable person to be their mole.
"It’s better to resolve animosity than to create it. We’re all kind, ordinary people. We can’t stoop to the level of these young girls," Liu Lanhua explained, acting as if she hadn’t detected the schadenfreude in Wang Cuihua’s tone. "I’ll help them out more in the future. Over time, they’ll come to understand my good intentions and the pains I’ve taken."
Hearing this, Wang Cuihua scoffed. "You’re really just looking for trouble, meddling where you’re not wanted. Serves you right that they can’t stand you. After what happened before the New Year, things are so sensitive. They’re wary of you, so why would they ever make up with you?"
Liu Lanhua didn’t want to discuss it with Wang Cuihua any further. Counting on this woman to work with her was out of the question; Wang Cuihua’s stupidity would only ruin her plans. She decided she needed to keep her distance from Wang Cuihua from now on, lest her foolishness rub off.
"Alright, let’s get back to work. Stop all this idle talk, or we’ll just upset everyone and let the young ladies up front get the wrong idea," Liu Lanhua said with a smile. "By the way, has your Dadan recovered?"
"He has, but his temper’s gotten much worse." At the mention of her husband, Wang Cuihua’s heart filled with bitterness. She began to air her grievances. "Thankfully, the village assigned him some light work, or our whole family would have trouble eating. By the way, now that your husband isn’t the accountant anymore, are things at home tough for you too?"
"Ai, yes. That’s why we have to work hard and help our men get their positions back. It’s not just about us women saving face; it affects our family’s standard of living," Liu Lanhua said, feeling this loss more keenly than anyone. In previous years, her family had more eggs, oil, and grain than they could eat, and she would even send some back to her parents’ home to help them out.
But this year? Forget about those nice things; just getting enough to eat was a struggle. Seeing her fall on hard times, her own relatives weren’t as warm as they used to be.
Even her own family was being pragmatic, to say nothing of the villagers who just liked to watch the drama unfold.
"Hey, Madam Lan Hua, was that why you were trying to get friendly with those volunteers just now?" Wang Cuihua asked in a low voice. She knew she wasn’t as clever or scheming as Liu Lanhua, so she couldn’t help but ask.
Liu Lanhua smiled and nodded. "Heh, you’re finally thinking straight. From now on, when you see them, don’t say anything nasty. That will only make them guard against us, which won’t help our cause at all."
Seeing that Wang Cuihua was finally catching on, Liu Lanhua was willing to give her a little guidance.
"But why?" Wang Cuihua didn’t understand, looking at Liu Lanhua in confusion.
"Ai, this isn’t the place to talk. Tonight, you and Dadan come to my house. We have important things to discuss," Liu Lanhua instructed quietly. In truth, she hadn’t wanted to involve Wang Cuihua, but she had no one else she could use.
Seeing Liu Lanhua’s grave expression, Wang Cuihua nodded. "Mm, okay. We’ll come over tonight."
As Liu Lanhua and Wang Cuihua murmured behind them, Li Qiong was also whispering with Wang Yuan and Zhao Nuanyue. "You guys have no idea. The moment Liu Lanhua gets near me, I get goosebumps. I’m terrified she’s going to try to harm me again!"
"You should definitely stay away from her," Wang Yuan said, still shaken by the memory. "We’ve suffered too much at her hands. That time before the New Year, she claimed she was there to help us, but right before I passed out, I clearly heard her whispering with those men, like they knew each other."
"What?" Li Qiong was stunned. "Then why didn’t you say anything at the time?"
Wang Yuan gave a bitter smile and lowered her voice, wary of Liu Lanhua overhearing them from behind. "My head was all fuzzy then. After I woke up, I was scared, and it was like my brain had forgotten everything. I couldn’t recall the details. It wasn’t until I got home and relaxed that I remembered. But remembering it now is useless."