Chapter 316: Gave Birth To A Daughter (2)
Old Woman Wang was very impatient with Zhang Xiaohui and all she cared about was the child in her stomach. With a frown, she snarled, "Where do I look for one? It's not like you never gave birth before. Where do you want me to look for a midwife for you at this hour?"
Zhang Xiaohui was taken aback. "What... what now?"
Old Woman Wang scoffed. "Enough. Who hasn't given birth before? I know the seriousness of this matter. You better lie down properly and give birth to a chubby little fellow for me!"
Zhang Xiaohui was in extreme pain. Fearful that her screams would draw a crowd, Liang Zhaodi stuffed a piece of cloth into Zhang Xiaohui's mouth to stop her from making any noise.
Meanwhile, she just watched from the sidelines as Zhang Xiaohui suffered dearly.
Zhang Xiaohui did not have full meals for a long time and had been beaten and scolded during this period of time which resulted in her physical and mental exhaustion. Now, with the delivery, she was even more drained and tormented as the baby was not coming out.
As ill luck would have it, Wang Guozhu was working overtime until very late and simply slept at the factory's dormitory afterward. Thus, there were only Zhang Xiaohui and these two elderlies at home.
Old Man Wang was not a prying person and he all the more did not know anything about pregnancy delivery, thus he was only boiling water in the kitchen.
Ads by Revcontent
Meanwhile, Liang Zhaodi simply disdained Zhang Xiaohui.
After a struggle until the late night, the child was finally born and Zhang Xiaohui passed out at once.
Liang Zhaodi, who had been looking forward to the arrival of the child excitedly, turned cold the moment she saw the gender of the child!
A girl!
It's a girl!
She had waited for so long. She already had a granddaughter and only wanted a grandson this time. In the end, she was given a granddaughter again!
Even worse was that Zhang Xiaohui's body was not in a good condition as she was malnourished for an extended period of time and she fell a while ago in addition. Thus, the child was extremely frail – after a few cries, she stopped breathing.
Liang Zhaodi felt a stroke of bad luck!
Ads by Revcontent
The long-suppressed anger within her rushed to her brain. Grabbing Zhang Xiaohui by the hair, Liang Zhaodi dragged her down from the bed and slapped her repeatedly without caring about the fact that Zhang Xiaohui was still unconscious after giving birth.
Slapping the right cheek and then the left, Liang Zhaodid vented all her anger on Zhang Xiaohui.
Zhang Xiaohui did not wake up and like a dead person, she was beaten by Liang Zhaodi as she pleased.
The night was very silent. Zhang Xiaohui did not make any noise but Liang Zhaodi's curses lingered on incessantly and one would be able to hear her cries if they listened carefully.
Could she not cry now that everything was lost?
In a few short months, her life changed drastically. Twenty years ago, her promising son brought her to the city and allowed her to lead the city grandma life. Never had she thought that she would end up in this plight one day.
The next afternoon, Zhang Xiaohui slowly regained consciousness and found herself on the ground. Her whole body was extremely sore but she also knew she gave birth yesterday night.
"Child... Mother, where's my child?"
Liang Zhaodi, drained from beating Liang Zhaodi, was seated aside after a sleepless night.
Ads by Revcontent
Her son's well-paying job, their good house and the long-awaited grandson was all lost!
She was in a daze. She beat Zhang Xiaohui until she had no more energy left and sat there crying for an entire night.
After what Zhang Xiaohui said, she slowly returned to her senses and ignored Zhang Xiaohui.
"Mother?"
Liang Zhaodi stood up and kicked Zhang Xiaohui's chest. "Quickly get up and cook. Don't play dead."
Liang Zhaodi left the room but Zhang Xiaohui was confused!
She looked at the bed beside her and used all her might to crawl over and take a good look. When all was clear to her, she passed out immediately.
...
Gu Ruoqing was still not found while Zhang Xiaohui completely began to lead a dog's life in the Wang family.
Chapter 317: Gave Birth To A Daughter (3)
At the same time, at the Qing River Brigade, the Gu family finally received a letter from the eldest uncle, Gu Yunjing. They had already reached the north-east and settled down.
The whole family was together and safe and sound!
Everyone sighed in relief.
Seeing the address that was left on the letter, Wen Ruyu hurriedly packed some stuff for Gu Qingyao to send to them.
It was a foreign and remote place. God knows how much they would have to suffer.
Wen Ruyu's heart ached dearly.
However, Gu Yunshen stopped her from sending too many things. Eldest Uncle and his family had just moved over and everyone was still unsure of the situation there. To play safe, Gu Yunshen told Gu Qingyao to send a few things only.
Gu Qingyao went to town. After pondering for a long time, she sent two catties of rice, one catty of flour, five catties of cornmeal, one catty of dried potato and one packet of dried vegetables.
Ads by Revcontent
She contained them with small cloth bags, which she had plenty of to contain all sorts of food for trading.
The supplies in her interspace had modern packaging and those rice, flour and whatnot were packed in large quantities using sacks. Nothing was packed in five or two catties and Gu Qingyao had to individually measure and split the quantity from the large sacks.
After sending it to the address, she went to find out about the Wang family's situation.
She knew that Wang Guozhu only had that one small courtyard thus she reckoned that the Wang family would live there after being chased out from that house.
She took a look and saw that Liang Zhaodi was beating Zhang Xiaohui in the courtyard. "Useless thing. You can't even wash clothes properly. You ate so much of my things and ended up giving birth to a girl. And you're still thinking of eating? Dream on. Work!"
Gu Qingyao was taken aback!
Girl?
The child was already born?
Ads by Revcontent
And it was a girl?
Peeking from the cracks of the door, indeed, Zhang Xiaohui's stomach was gone but she aged a lot and appeared extremely haggard.
Gu Qingyao had no sympathy for Zhang Xiaohui as it was all her own doing.
However, she was indeed quite surprised. She did not expect that in this lifetime, Zhang Xiaohui gave birth much earlier and the child was actually a girl. It should be known that in the previous lifetime, after getting together with Wang Guozhu, she did give birth to a boy.
It seemed that even the Heavens were sick of her already!
Zhang Xiaohui was already numb to such beatings and swearing but she still remembered Gu Ruoqing's matter. She begged, "Mother, I'm begging you. Let me look for Qing Qing! She has already been missing for half a month. I want to look for Qing Qing. Ahh!"
"Shut up!" Liang Zhaodi slapped Zhang Xiaohui's head. "I'll look for that girl. I don't believe that she can live outside for her entire life as a lady when she has nothing. She will naturally return when she's about to die from hunger."
"Don't worry. I will look for her and marry her away immediately once found."
"No... That must not be! Mother, she cannot marry into that family... Ahhh..."
Ads by Revcontent
Before Zhang Xiaohui finished her sentence, she met with Liang Zhaodi's vicious beatings once again.
Gu Qingyao frowned as she listened from outside. Gu Ruoqing was missing?
How could a well and alive person be missing?
It was hard for a lady to live outside in this age. Without work, salary and food, she did not even have anything to eat.
She had already been missing for more than half a month?
Gu Qingyao listened from outside for a long time but did not hear any useful information. Who knew if Gu Ruoqing would bother the Gu family again when she is driven to a corner? But given her prideful and arrogant character, Gu Qingyao reckoned that she would not have the face to look for the Gu family.
But just in case, she still wanted to know where Gu Ruoqing was.
Thus, she looked for Chen Jin and asked him to take notice of it as he was well-informed.
Chapter 318: Gave Birth To A Daughter (4)
Gu Qingyao was still elated that Zhang Xiaohui and Gu Ruoqing were having a hard time and she went home to make something good for the kids to eat.
Recently, there was a lot of work to do in the field and everyone was very busy. Many families ate much better and the aroma of meat could be smelt in Qing River Brigade.
Gu Qingyao took a piece of meat which she marinated previously and cut them into pieces. Then, she added a little water into cornflour and mixed it evenly before coating the meat slices with the mixture. Lastly, she steamed it using a rice cooker.
This way, the steamed meat would not be too fatty as a lot of the oil would enter the rice and the scorched rice at the bottom of the pot would be very delicious.
After her family ate it, she also made some for the Mo family and delivered it over. Mo Chengxu pulled Gu Qingyao's hand and said, "Young Aunt, you make delicious food! I got fatter recently!"
Gu Qingyao took a look. Indeed!
This child became rounder recently under her care.
In the past when Mo Beihan was around, these two children did not starve but the frequency of eating meat was larger only when Mo Beihan was at home. Once he left, their days were normal.
Ads by Revcontent
But it was different now. With Gu Qingyao around, they could eat meat every two to three days and the meats were in all sorts of varieties. They ate eggs even more frequently now – at an average of one egg every two days. In addition, they normally had sufficient food and filled their tummies thus the kids grew rounder at a rapid pace.
Similarly, they grew much taller.
Jiang Yingqiu was more than elated that the two children were being raised well. The public claimed that her son doted on Gu Qingyao and not on them as he sent all the good items to Gu Qingyao and let the Gu family eat them. Yet, these two kids were not raised as well before.
Now, there were no worries over food or clothes and she was extremely content.
She was even suspecting if Gu Qingyao used the Gu family's supplies to subsidize the Mo family's expenses.
After all, more people in the Gu family were working and thus had more sources of income.
Gu Qingyao pinched Mo Chengxu's little cheeks. "What do you wish to eat next time? I'll make it for you."
Mo Chengxu beamed immediately.
Ads by Revcontent
"But Young Aunt, Young Uncle said before that we cannot ask you for food frequently as you will be tired if you make food for us everyday. Young Uncle will spank my butt when he returns."
Gu Qingyao: "..."
Gu Qingyao did not know what to say when faced with his serious response.
Gu Qingyao did not know where all these friends of Mo Beihan came from either. The number of packages she received during this period of time increased over time and they were sent from all over the country. There were all sorts of local specialties and she was simply dazzled by it.
As she received more and more things, it was much more convenient for her to take items out and it was not as restraining as before!
Gu Qingyao was about to say something, but Mo Chengxu hugged her calf and looked up to her with an expectant expression. "I still want to eat although I will be beaten! Aunt, make food for me!"
Gu Qingyao chuckled. "Are you not afraid that your Young Uncle will spank your butt when he returns?"
"Uh... I'll not care anymore. I'll eat first. Anyway, Young Uncle will only return during the new year! I am still safe... for now."
"Pfft..." Gu Qingyao burst out in laughter!
Ads by Revcontent
...
Over this period of time, Gu Qingyao led a leisurely life. However, she was unaware that the day after she returned from town, Gu Ruoqing returned to the Wang family's house.
She escaped from the demon-like Wang Mazi with much difficulty. The Wang family lost the original house and could only live in this small courtyard.
When she returned, Zhang Xiaohui happened to be at home alone. Wang Guozhu went to work while Liang Zhaodi and her husband went out, seeming to meet Gu Ruoqing's future-in-law to discuss the marriage matters.
Chapter 319: Last Hope: Escape (1)
Gu Ruoqing jumped into Zhang Xiaohui's arms and bawled loudly the moment she reached home.
Zhang Xiaohui was frightened. She could hardly call the girl before her her daughter.
although her daughter was quite slim in the past, she was never this haggard. This child did not look like a human now.
"Qing Qing, what happened to you? What happened?"
Gu Ruoqing recounted the events in tears. She was overwhelmed with fear and there was no one else whom she could give vent to apart from her mother.
Zhang Xiaohui was paralyzed by what she heard.
Her daughter was bullied and her body was ruined by Wang Mazi what more.
Gu Ruoqing cried. "Mother, what to do? I can't stay here any longer. That Wang Mazi knows about us and will definitely look for me. I only managed to sneak out after finding a chance to hit him unconscious. These few days were like hell. I don't want to be here anymore. I want to leave. I don't dare to stay. Boohoo!"
Ads by Revcontent
Seeing that Zhang Xiaohui's big stomach was gone, Gu Ruoqing was taken aback. "Mother, where's younger brother?"
A bitter expression filled Zhang Xiaohui's face immediately as she recounted the incident.
Gu Ruoqing's last hope was shattered completely but she was, instead, more clear-headed at this instant.
"Mother, shall we leave? Escape quickly. Away from this damn place. We cannot stay in the Wang Family as we will only be slaving for those two oldies and we can't even fill our stomach. Furthermore, Wang Mazi would definitely look for us. By then..."
"That's right!" Zhang Xiaohui seemed to suddenly recall something and she grabbed Gu Ruoqing's hand abruptly. "Qing Qing, quickly run away. You cannot stay here. Your grandparents want to marry you away to a forty-year-old man in the countryside in exchange for food. Hurry, run away. Your grandmother went to discuss the marriage already and your father has already agreed!"
Gu Ruoqing was taken aback!
She burst into tears immediately. "Mother, I don't want to stay here. I want to leave. What... what should I do? Where do I go?"
"Mother, can you leave with me? I'm afraid! I'm afraid!"
Ads by Revcontent
Zhang Xiaohui's heart ached dearly as she looked at her daughter. Now that she explained the situation, she understood that their lives would be completely ruined if she and her daughter stayed here.
She must not ruin her future just like that. She still wanted to be a wealthy madam in the future!
Her daughter still needed to marry into a wealthy family. She must not! Must not be ruined just like that!
Suddenly recalling something, Zhang Xiaohui made a decision and said, "Qing Qing, don't be afraid. I will bring you away. Let's go to the North. There... is a great person there who will help us."
"Let's leave now!"
Things have reached this state and Zhang Xiaohui dared not let Gu Ruoqing stay here anymore. She wants to bring her away from this place. She still had her last hope in the North.
Zhang Xiaohui pulled Gu Ruoqing and wanted to leave.
"Wait!"
Gu Ruoqing calmed down after they decided to leave. Anyway, during the period of time that she was with Wang Mazi, she had already thought through that she would not be able to stay in this place. The fluster she had when she met Zhang Xiaohui just now was only due to the grievance she felt when she saw her mother after living in fear for the past few days.
Ads by Revcontent
After calming down, she immediately thought of the plan that she came up with earlier.
"Mother, wait! No! Follow me. Bring all the valuable items in this house away."
Zhang Xiaohui was stunned!
But Gu Ruoqing had already darted into the house and the first item that she looked for was the money that she once hid.
Although it was not a lot, she still had to take it.
Chapter 320: Last Hope: Escape (2)
Although the Wang family was chased out, they could keep their furniture and fixtures which were moved here.
That old chest of Gu Ruoqing was in that small room now.
She rushed over to open the chest and removed the layers, where she finally found the money and coupons that she hid under a loose board.
Fortunately, the Wang family did not find out about this crack and the chest was not thrown away so her belongings were still there.
In addition to this money, she also brought all of Wang Mazi's money and some food when she escaped. Wang Mazi had been living aimlessly outside for a long time and still had some family property. At the thought of the objects that she possessed, confidence rose in her.
She hurriedly packed a few clothes and went to Wang Guozhu's room to take all the valuable items.
Wang Guozhu still had some spare cash at home as well as some clothes and shoes. He worked in the factory and was concerned about his reputation, thus there were still two sets of clothes from when he wore during his time as the director which he did not sell. Gu Ruoqing packed these as well.
Seeing what her daughter did, Zhang Xiaohui also went to pack her clothes as well.
Ads by Revcontent
Afterward, Gu Ruoqing ran to the kitchen, packed all the food and brought it with her.
The mother and daughter acted extremely swiftly. In less than half an hour, they looted the entire house of anything that could be sold for money, including clothes that were in slightly better condition and not patched up.
Zhang Xiaohui's target destination was the North, so she took a deserted route to the North with Gu Ruoqing.
They did not have any recommendation letter nor money to take the train, so they could only go there on foot.
It was already two days later when Gu Qingyao heard this news.
She was dumbstruck!
Damn!
Amazing!
Ads by Revcontent
They still could escape in this era?
They had no food nor job and would not be able to find a job either as an outsider. Without a recommendation letter, they would have no proof of identity. If they fled just like that and no one raised them, the only outcome would be death.
Thinking about the Wang family's current situation, the only option seemed to be escaping if Zhang Xiaohui and Gu Ruoqing did not wish to be completely ruined. But for some reason, why did she find that something was off?
Zhang Xiaohui was extremely arrogant on the outside but she was just a countryside woman – she had no experience, never studied and knew nothing about the world.
Perhaps she would lead a miserable life in the Wang family but everything was unknown once she left. It was common knowledge that those who fled their homes would not have an easy life outside, thus according to common logic, people would still choose to stay at home even if it meant a more difficult life.
After all, it was an environment that she was familiar with and she would have the bare sense of security.
As a woman with a daughter, where could she flee to?
Without any objective nor hope, Gu Qingyao believed that Zhang Xiaohui would not escape so straightforwardly.
What happened exactly?
Ads by Revcontent
However, despite her confusion, she never heard any news about Zhang Xiaohui and Gu Qingyao in the month after the incident.
It was as though the two people vanished into thin air. It seemed like they really escaped!
The Zhang family and Wang family fought for a long time. The Zhang family even went to the Wangs to ask for Zhang Xiaohui but in reality, they just wanted compensation. Gu Qingyao did not bother with these dramas but told Gu Yunshen to be careful and not let the Gu family be implicated.
Gu Yunshen knew too.
Gu Qingyao did not receive news about Zhang Xiaohui and Gu Ruoqing but instead, heard that her second uncle's family received a promotion.