Another Year
Wu Mei, on the other hand, screamed at the door, startling the others. Xu An enquired, "How are you doing, Meimei? What are you yelling for?"
Wu Mei clapped his hands and said, "I forgot to invite Xu Ran to dinner tomorrow."
Upon hearing this, Xu An gently patted Wu Mei on the shoulder "It's all right. I'll invite them over the next day. Don't be worried."
It appeared to be the only viable option. Wu Mei rubbed his temples, puzzled as to why he had such a bad memory.
Persuaded by Xu An, "Alright. Don't overthink things. All we have to do now is tell them. We should now prepare some water for our children. They're about to sleep for the night."
"Oh!" Wu Mei realized it was time to go to bed after hearing Xu An's words. Anything should be done tomorrow.
____
When Xu Ran was outdoors enjoying the snow the next morning, he received a message from Xu An and his family inviting them to lunch. Xu Ran, on the other hand, did not have to prepare lunch at home today.
Of course, he still had to have breakfast at home.
During breakfast, Xu Ran informed his family of the situation and decided to bring all of the vegetables they had left over from the night before.
However, Liu Tong intervened. ", he explained "Wu Lan and Liu Qing must have been invited by Wu Mei. Sending all of the vegetables to Wu Mei isn't a good idea. Furthermore, our field is devoid of veggies. Why don't you just keep these vegetables and eat them today for dinner?"
'Why would so many people treat us to meals when it isn't even the Spring Festival yet?' Xu Ran wondered. He considered it for a moment and decided to agree with Liu Tong, who had more worldly understanding, so he nodded and remained silent.
It turned out that Liu Tong was right.
On the 27th, Wu Mei, Liu Qing, and Wu Lan treated them, and on the 28th, Wu Mei, Liu Qing, and Wu Lan treated them. Then there came New Year's Eve the next day.
On New Year's Eve, people should eat dinner in their own houses. Zhuo Yun told Qin Shuwen that the trip had been well worth it because they had eaten at several places. It was a joyous occasion for foodies.
On New Year's Eve, most people awoke early in the morning. Chicken and fish must be plentiful, and pig heads must be boiled. There should be plenty of other fried foods available. Whatever the case may be, the table must be laden with delectable fare.
Xu Ran made a summary for himself and his family after they finished the heavy supper, and he expressed his gratitude to Shao Yu and Gao Quan in particular.
And this made the two feel a little bit shy.
Gao Quan was alright, but after a few words, Shao Yu became pretty emotional. He stated that he was quite happy here and that he had a fantastic life.
Xu Ran also stated that Shao Yu and Gao Quan did not need to address him as "master."
Xu Ran said, "Shao Yu and Gao Quan, just call me and Liu Tong by our names from now on. Thank you for this year."
Shao Yu stood up instantly and replied, "Please don't, master. We can't imagine our lives if you hadn't bought we two back. Thank you!"
"Please address me by my given name. There is no longer a'master.' We've been living together for about a year and know one other fairly well. It's weird to refer to me as master "Xu Ran expressed his thoughts.
"How should we address you then?" Shao Yu was caught in a bind. It was impolite to address Xu Ran by his full name, and it was also strange to call him as "Ran."
Xu Ran thought the same. Then, he replied, "Just call me Xu Ran. Anyway, I'm quite used to being called in this way."
"Xu Ran," Shao Yu called and Xu Ran showed him a smile without saying anything.
Xu Ran turned to Zhuo Yun and his wife after finishing this conversation. The only thing that came up was Zhuo Yun's departure. "Are you planning to leave in January, Zhuo Yun?" Xu Ran inquired.
Zhuo Yun smiled and nodded. "Yes, of course. Although the weather in the north is cold and harsh, now is a fantastic time to sell the sausage and bacon you've produced. If I return early, I can also assist you in finding the fruit trees."
Xu Ran replied, "Sounds good! Please tell me if you're ready so that I can make the full preparation."
"Sure, please help me look after Shuwen when I'm not here."
"Don't worry. Shuwen's also my good sworn brother.I will definitely take good care of him!"
Zhuo Yun smiled after hearing Xu Ran's promise. "That's right, thanks!"
Xu Ran responded, "Don't worry, bro. To be honest, if we weren't good friends, you wouldn't spend the New Year's Eve with me, right?"
Zhuo Yun didn't respond, but it was clear that he agreed with Xu Ran. Xu Ran had no problem with Tangtang and Guoguo being as good as gold all day, so he remained silent.
They must, as they did last year, "put the food in the branch" (a kind of traditional New Year rite in which people cut a cleft in the branch and place their leftovers within, wishing for a healthy harvest in the next year).
Despite the fact that they didn't harvest much last year, they wanted to continue this tradition. They may put the food in their own fruit tree once they got one.
This custom piqued Zhuo Yun's interest, so he followed others to the summit. Then he noticed Xu Ran and his two boys whispering to the tree as though reciting scriptures. Then they stuffed the food into a hole they dug in the tree. Zhuo Yun found it strange and declined Xu Ran's offer to try it on his own.
They did the same thing year by year, but each year was as happy as the first year.
It was Xu Ran's second year on this world. He had his own home, a family, children, and friends this year. He saw this as a peaceful spot where he might live and work.
His wish was simple: to spend each year in the future as he had done this year. He intended to enjoy a nice supper with his families, put the food in the branch with his children, and visit Liu Tong's dead parents' tombs.
Xu Ran had no choice but to visit their tombs, no matter how much he disliked passing past Liu Tong's eldest uncle's residence.
Shao Yu and Zhuo Yun were looking after little Baozi. The four members of Xu Ran's family then traveled to Liu Village to pay their respects to Liu Tong's deceased parents.
They brought the same items as the year before. They left sooner this time because there was no space for their carriage to halt, so they had to walk there. Xu Ran was also concerned that those insane people would rob their carriage.
For their own safety, Xu Ran urged Tangtang and Guoguo to bring two dogs with them. They didn't have to go to a fight on their own if one occurred.
Xu Ran's idea was quite brilliant.
Xu Ran didn't want to meet his eldest uncle, but Liu Tong had no choice but to hope that no one would be in his uncle's house. Things, on the other hand, always went against people's wishes.
They came to find Liu Tong's uncle and his families waiting in the center of the road, which they could see from a distance.
Xu Ran frowned and asked Liu Tong, "Is this the only way, Tongtong?"
Liu Tong shook his head, clearly dissatisfied "There is another way, Ran, but it is too far away. We'd spend a lot of time on it and go home late. Let's get on with it, Ran; you don't need to worry about them. We'll go to the village chief if they actually do something!"
The most miserable aspect of Xu Ran's life was his insane relatives! Yes, indeed! Quite a few lunatics!
Hearing Liu Tong's words, Xu Ran replied, "In that case, let's go. Let's see what they can do?"
Liu Tong was in charge of the basket, while Xu Ran was in charge of two children. Liu Tong's uncle appeared just as they were about to take a few steps forward "Isn't this Liu Tong we're talking about? Will you pay a visit to your parents? What's in your basket? Let me check..."
His actions were identical to those of the previous year. He was reaching into Liu Tong's basket with his palms stretched out.
He had at least greeted Xu Ran last year, but this year he was even ruder. He went straight to Liu Tong's basket and robbed it without even addressing him.
Xu Ran stared angrily at Liu Tong's uncle "You have no right to consume Tongtong's parents' food. What if they showed up at your door tonight? After all, they're looking down on you from Heaven right now."
With a sinister tone in his voice, Xu Ran said these things. When Liu Tong's uncle touched the basket, he immediately retreated his hand.
Seeing this, Liu Tong took the opportunity to walk away from his uncle.
Xu Ran said, "If you can't eat meat, you can eat these, but you must first let us to see the tombs. If you decide to stop us today, don't blame me for being impolite."
Liu Tiezhu hurried over, incensed by Xu Ran's words "Are you being impolite? What a jerk! Remember that my father is Liu Tong's uncle. If you don't respect your uncle, that's great, but how can you be nasty to us? Don't you think I can get you to the village head right now?"
Liu Tiezhu was thinner and paler than before, but what he said changed him completely.
Liu Tiezhu, on the other hand, was unable to frighten Xu Ran. "Do you want to go see the village chief? That's great! Let's discuss about Tongtong's domain, shall we?"
Liu Tiezhu quickly lost his formidable demeanor when he heard that.
He shook his fist at Xu Ran, who disregarded Liu Tiezhu and took Tangtang's and Guoguo's hands as they walked away without looking back.
Then, another person was waiting for him in front.
Xu Ran was speechless for a moment. Many people were waiting for them along this path, and they had to deal with each problem individually. Now, the person in front of Xu Ran was Liu Piao, who was clearly staring sheepishly at Xu Ran.
Xu Ran held his forehead. It wasn't his cup of tea.
Liu Tong was asked to walk in front of Xu Ran. Liu Piao was a dwarf in comparison to Liu Tong. Liu Piao was speechless and terrified when he saw Liu Tong's cold face.
Liu Tong shoved Xu Ran aside, allowing him and two children to continue walking. Liu Piao was speechless, unable to speak. When the other two persons, Liu Tiezhu's wife and Liu Tong's uncle's wife, witnessed this, they didn't dare to say anything.
Then the four people finally passed the road.
When they arrived at the graves, Xu Ran felt much better. He informed Liu Tong's parents of the birth of their new baby, Baozi. They hadn't seen them in over a year, during which time their baby had been alive for more than a month. How quickly time has passed!
The space in front of the two tombs was weeded and cleaned up by Liu Tong. Apart from them, his parents' graves would never see any visitors during the year. He and Xu Ran didn't live in Liu Village, after all. On the one hand, going back and forth was bothersome, but on the other side, they had to pass by his uncle's house.
It would be extremely inconvenient if his uncle made every visit to the tomb painful. Because Liu Tong was aware of his uncle's and family's character, he could only pay them a visit at the Spring Festival.
When the visit was finished and the four of them walked back, his uncle's entire family must have been waiting for them on the side of the road. The scene makes Xu Ran feel uneasy just thinking about it.
However, they had to go back.
On the way back, they were surprised to see no one. When Xu Ran looked around, he discovered that no one was present. He took a deep breath and let out a lengthy sigh. It was fortunate that no one was present. Those who were shameless, it was stated, had nothing to fear. Xu Ran didn't fear tough guys, but he feared shameless guys.
Liu Tong led the way in the front, followed by the two children in the middle, and Xu Ran at the back. He was relieved as he felt his chest. He felt entrapped by something that suddenly rushed out at him.
Before he could react, Liu Piao's voice had come, "Help, someone is molesting me. Help!"
When Xu Ran observed Liu Piao clearly and their current posture, he was taken aback... The entire family of Liu Tong's uncle rushed out the instant Liu Piao shouted.
The spouse of Liu Tong's uncle replied to Xu Ran, "I was wondering why you had to walk by my door, shameless bastard. It comes out that you were the one who was molesting my family's Ge'er. I'm going to thrash you to death."
The spouse of Liu Tong's uncle stated he would beat Xu Ran, but he was only talking and his hand did not slap him.
Xu Ran was closely held by Liu Piao. It took a lot of effort for Xu Ran to get free, but Liu Piao seized him again before he could get up.
Liu Tong, like Xu Ran, was slow to react at first. His uncle and his family had already dashed off at breakneck speed by the time he realized what was going on. It was clear that everything had been meticulously arranged.
Liu Tong broke Xu Ran free from his uncle's family and pulled him up.
His uncle's spouse grabbed Liu Tong and said, "Before you say anything about leaving, our Liu Piao was abused by your man. Do not even consider leaving unless you give me an explanation."
He rolled up his sleeves and put his hands on the waist, looking fierce.
They had been planning this for quite some time. They were interested in Xu Ran last year, but Xu Ran didn't come to Liu Village very often, maybe once a year. They didn't stand a chance in Xu Village and couldn't accomplish anything.
The most essential factor was that Liu Piao was already married to someone else. His family had accepted the monetary gift from the other family and said that after the Spring Festival, they would hold a banquet to marry Liu Piao. The man Liu Piao was engaged to, on the other hand, was a peasant in his thirties from a nearby village.
He was unattractive and sloppy. In any case, Liu Piao was hesitant to marry him, but his elder brother had lost money due to gambling and couldn't pay the loan, so his brother sold him for the money without his parents' permission.
When Liu Piao heard the news, he passed out. He refused to agree in any way, but his family was unable to return the financial gift. As a result, he could only wait until after the Spring Festival to be hauled away.
Liu Piao had been putting on shows at home for over a year. His Daddy then remembered Xu Ran. It was nearing Spring Festival, and he planned to visit his parents' graves with Liu Tong. As a result, the entire family methodically arranged this, intending to escalate it so that Xu Ran could not refuse them in front of so many people.
However, Xu Ran hated such kind of people the worst.
Xu Ran smiled coldly. "We're not leaving. Let's go find the village head and ask him to give both of us an explanation."
Then Xu Ran walked away, pulling Liu Tong behind him. Tangtang and Guoguo smartly rushed in front of Xu Ran. Xu Ran didn't even pause because he knew where Liu Village's village chief lived.
Liu Tong's uncle and his family, on the other hand, were taken aback. Shouldn't they threaten Xu Ran with the village chief? They would then propose to Xu Ran and ask her to marry Liu Piao. Xu Ran had now beaten them to the village chief.
They didn't know what to do.
Finally, Liu Tong's uncle's spouse responded, "Keep an eye on him. He molested our Ge'er and pretended to be right. I'd let the entire village know what kind of person he is."
He spoke it firmly, although his heart was uncomfortable. He had no idea why. Liu Youcai was the village chief of Liu Village. He was a scholar of some sort, and he had been the village chief for decades.
He observed the Xu Ran's family come over furiously while sitting outside the door and talking to individuals with scarcely any tobacco leaves. Xu Ran had visited Liu Village several times, and he had also visited Xu Village. He was aware that Xu Ran had been awarded the title of Xiucai.
Upon seeing Xu Ran, he greeted him warmly, "Xiucai Xu, where are you going?"
Liu Youcai looked like he didn't see Xu Ran's darkened face at all.
Xu Ran said, "Unfortunately, I'm coming for you, village chief Liu. I'd like you to see to it that justice is done for me."
Liu Youcai frowned. He wondered if somebody in the village had offended him, so he said "Let me know what it was. I will undoubtedly provide you with an explanation."
Waves of tears washed over Xu Ran before he could speak. The Ge'ers in Liu Tong's uncle's family were all crying. Liu Tong's uncle's wife and Liu Piao were the ones who cried the most.
The spouse of Liu Tong's uncle wailed as he shouted, "You must defend justice for our family, village chief! Our Liu Piao had been sexually harassed, and they had come to complain first."
The wife of Liu Tong's uncle sat on the ground and clutched the village chief's leg. He acted as if he wouldn't release go of the village chief unless he helped them.
Xu Ran looked at them coldly without saying anything, waiting for the village chief's response.
When Liu Youcai looked at this family, he had the same disgusted expression as Xu Ran. This family's character was well-known across the village. Liu Youcai only found the whole process a bit challenging because of Xu Ran.
He pulled his leg out and said. "Liu Dewang, do something and stop being embarrassing."
Liu Tong's uncle was Liu Dewang. He didn't intend to cause a ruckus, so what could he do to prevent it? When he heard the village chief, he just asked his spouse to rise up symbolically. His spouse, on the other hand, cried even harder at the end.
Liu Piao's voice was louder than usual. He was merely crying and saying nothing, as though he had been through a lot. Liu Youcai was annoyed by the crying as well.
"Alright, stop crying. What good does it do to cry? Tell me everything you know. If what you said is accurate, I will, of course, punish you. If not, don't hold it against me if I don't show you pity."
When Liu Youcai said this, he glanced at Xu Ran from time to time. But Xu Ran was comforting his son and ignored him.
Liu Tong's uncle's spouse started to talk with tears. "You are also aware, village chief, that our Ge'er Liu Piao is already married. Liu Tong and his family stopped by our house today to pay their respects to his parents' graves. Liu Piao's engagement was a joy for us as a family, and they didn't come once a year. So I invited them to stay for dinner and they agreed. But in the end... in the end..."
The spouse of Liu Tong's uncle appeared to be unable to continue speaking. He began to cry once more. He continued after crying for a bit, "Finally, we heard Piao scream, claiming that he had been violated. Our family dashed out the door and saw Xu Ran hugging Piao."
Liu Youcai glanced at Liu Piao and then at Xu Ran. He was just about to ask Xu Ran if it was true when Xu Ran said, "Let him continue."
Liu Youcai turned his head and said to Liu Tong's uncle's spouse, "You continue. What happened next?"
The spouse of Liu Tong's uncle brushed away his tears and said, "We've all seen it, and Xu Ran has the audacity to deny it. He even came to you first to complain. You must bring justice to our Piao, village chief. Piao is unable to marry."
"Village head, please uphold the justice for me, please!" he said, his face sad. "Village chief, please uphold the justice for me, please!" Liu Piao said.
Liu Piao's eye got red for crying eyes and he looked convincing.
Liu Youcai was a little convinced. He asked Xu Ran, "Xiucai Xu, is what Liu Dewang's family said true? If it is, you have to give our Liu Village an explanation."
When Xu Ran took a step forward, Liu Tong was about to say something. "Do you think you're pretty?" he asked Liu Piao as he moved up to him.
Liu Piao reddened and raised his head to gaze at Xu Ran. His eyes were still welling up with tears. He appeared pathetic and frail, but he was rather adorable.
Xu Ran, on the other hand, couldn't see these in his eyes. He just saw Liu Piao's heinous and despicable actions.
Xu Ran said, "What do you think you have that Liu Tong doesn't, so I'm interested in you? Take a glance in the mirror. I won't even look at you if you're lying naked on my bed. Do you want me to speak up or do you want me to tell you how you set me up?"
"I didn't do it... You weren't set up by me. You were the one who did it. You were the one who harmed me. boohoo..." He began to cry again before he could finish his words.
06.04.21
Boom! Cliffhanger 😎 My ghash chill, the chapter's too long!! Don't worry, I'll update tomorrow cuz I plan to sleep all afternoon then work at night lol.😗and I can update whenever I want.