FDNL 36

Chapter 36

 Fangchi (1 / 2)
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Early in the morning, Lianyi, as usual, prepared the meal, packed a few pieces of clothing, rolled them up in a bundle, took the banknotes with her, and prepared to leave Su Family Village without drawing attention.

Breakfast was, as always, silent. Just as they were about to finish eating, Da Hu suddenly lifted his head and looked straight at Su Lianyi, his gaze scrutinizing and complicated, as if he wanted to speak but held back. Lianyi’s heart leapt into her throat, secretly praying that Da Hu wouldn’t turn violent or simply confine her in the house.

In truth, over the past month of living together, although Da Hu had been cold and taciturn, he had never once raised a hand against her, nor had he ever interfered in anything she did. For a time, she had even felt that Da Hu was a good person, persuading herself to trust him and cooperate with him to the end—helping him would also be helping herself.

But helplessly, as a modern person, she had long since forgotten what trust even was.

In the end, Da Hu didn’t utter a single word. He changed clothes, picked up his farming tools, and left the courtyard.

Su Lianyi collapsed onto the stool and let out a long breath. Why was it that, even though she should feel relieved, there was instead an inexplicable sense of loss? She had hoped to gain Da Hu’s trust, yet what she was about to repay him with was deception.

Shaking her head, Su Lianyi ruthlessly suppressed her conscience. If one does not look out for oneself, heaven and earth will destroy them. In her previous life, it was precisely because she had been too upright that she ended up with such a result. If she had been as indifferent as other doctors, she would not have been forced to transmigrate into this bizarre time and space.

She cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks at the fastest speed possible, picked up her bundle, and left, giving herself no chance to hesitate.

The moment she closed the courtyard gate, she still couldn’t help but pause, looking back at the “home” she had lived in for the past month—the house was clean and tidy, carefully renovated. Clothes washed clean hung on the rope in the yard, swaying gently in the wind. Beneath them was a stone-paved ground, cleverly arranged in pleasing patterns. All of this was Da Hu’s handiwork.

A tranquil rural countryside, a quiet little courtyard, the man farming and the woman weaving, harmonious and content. Though she knew it was all but a fleeting illusion, Lianyi was still reluctant to leave.

When she had first transmigrated and needed help the most, this “home” had given her shelter. At night, once the courtyard gate was closed, home was the safest place. During torrential downpours, she and Da Hu would stay inside, sitting on small stools, eating melon seeds and leisurely enjoying the rain…

Gritting her teeth and hardening her heart, she shut the courtyard gate and turned away, refusing to look back again. People are inherently inert; once they have stability, they no longer wish to wander.

“Sis, where are you going?” Su Bai came running over, his fat trembling, carrying a large strip of pork in his hand.

In the countryside, people didn’t get to eat meat every meal. Some families might not eat it more than a few times a year. That large slab of meat Su Bai carried must have cost quite a bit of silver.

“What are you doing?” Lianyi’s heart softened, but reason forced it to harden again.

“Father said that ever since you saved that widow, your health hasn’t been good and you’ve lost so much weight. He feels sorry for you, so he specially had me weigh and buy some meat to bring you—to nourish your body.” Su Bai was always smiling when facing his second sister, like a Maitreya Buddha.

Su Lianyi looked at Su Bai’s smiling face, then at the meat in his hand. The heart that had just hardened softened again. Without thinking, she lifted her foot and kicked at Su Bai. “I’m already sick of looking at all that fat on you, and you still want to eat? Hurry up and take that pork and get lost. Go as far away as you can.”

Su Bai didn’t dare dodge and took the kick squarely. “Sis, don’t you like fatty meat the most? What’s wrong with you today?”

“I’m in a bad mood. Get lost right now. If you don’t, I won’t be polite!” Lianyi forced herself to be cruel and drove Su Bai away. Only when that plump figure left, looking back every few steps, did she let out a sigh of relief.

She had originally planned to go to the fields to say goodbye to the Sun family and her eldest aunt’s family, but Lianyi was afraid her heart would soften. In the end, she hardened herself and left. As for Chu Ying, she didn’t dare go see her at all.

Finally, she left the village and stepped onto the main road. Only then did she feel relieved—yet she did not know whether her actions were right or wrong…

…

Night fell.

When Da Hu returned home and saw the courtyard gate locked, his heart sank heavily.

She… had ultimately left.

He opened the courtyard gate and walked in, feeling for the first time utterly exhausted in both body and mind. Sitting quietly on the large stone slab in the yard, listening to the insects chirping in the night, the scent of dinner drifting over from the neighboring house, he thought how yesterday this courtyard had been brightly lit, and today it was pitch black.

In truth, he was not a man steeped in evil. If not for being driven by necessity, he would not have killed. He had hoped to cooperate with her until the very end. Even if they did not become friends, at least they would not become enemies.

She had said she was going to Fangchi to buy sea vegetables. Should he still believe her? Could she come back?