Northeast: My Absurd Woman

Zhang Changyao's heart was pounding with nervousness, but his face remained calm.

He suppressed his nervousness, afraid that Lu Shi would notice.

He tried his best to prove that he and Lin Qiu were not very familiar with each other, so he raised his arm to show Lin Qiu.

"Zhang Changyao, you are indeed stronger than before, I believe that."

I'll ask you in a bit, is it possible for you to do any kind of job?

Lin Qiu put away the pen and paper on the table, turned around and asked Zhang Changyao.

"Xiao Qiu, you know Zhang Changyao?" Lu Shi finally understood after listening for a while.

"Uncle, Zhang Changyao is my high school classmate, we know each other very well."

"You go back and watch the main gate first. Zhang Changyao and I will chat for a while."

Lin Qiu dismissed Lu Shi, then pointed to the chair opposite the table, indicating that Zhang Changyao should sit down.

"Lin Qiu, my wife is sick and is hospitalized at the health center."

"Please ask around at your grain depot if there's any work available. We need to start planting soon, but we don't have any money at home."

Zhang Changyao sat down and spoke to Lin Qiu in a pleading tone.

"Zhang Changyao, is that all you're going to tell me? Shouldn't you say something else?"

Lin Qiu seemed very agitated as he took an envelope out of the drawer.

When it was thrown to Zhang Changyao, the sharp end of the envelope pricked his face.

Zhang Changyao didn't dodge, and didn't even blink.

"Lin Qiu, didn't I make it clear to you in the letter?"

My family is poor and I'm not good enough for you. I can't let you eat coarse food with me.

Besides, we're not compatible at all; we can't possibly be together.

Wasting time and energy benefits no one.

Uncle Lu brought me to you. If you can help me, I will; if not, I won't force you.

Please forgive me for what I did wrong before, and don't hold it against me.

Zhang Changyao spoke with a firm tone, but he was trembling slightly.

His two hands were clenched together, and his palms were sweating profusely.

Lin Qiu was his girlfriend in high school, and the two had a very good relationship back then.

It wasn't until her senior year of high school that Lin Qiu's mother and teacher gave her a long lecture.

He left a letter for Lin Qiu and resolutely chose to drop out of school.

He didn't resent Lin Qiu's mother and teacher; he knew his own family situation best.

The teacher pressured him to write a guarantee for Lin Qiuniang, but he refused.

This was the last bit of dignity he, this poor boy, left for himself.

"Zhang Changyao, are you even speaking human language? Do I look down on you because you're poor?"

I knew my mom and teacher had talked to you, so I ran over and had a huge argument with them.

When I went back to find you, you left me a letter and left.

Can my mother speak for me? Why didn't you come and ask me before leaving?

Lin Qiu buried her face in her arms and started crying, leaving Zhang Changyao, who was about to leave, at a loss for what to do.

"Lin Qiu, I... I didn't know how to tell you, so I left without saying goodbye."

Your mother is right, someone like me doesn't deserve your kindness.

Who would want to let pigs root up their good cabbages?

Don't cry. If someone comes in and sees, they'll think I'm bullying you.

Zhang Changyao stood up, rubbing his hands, unsure whether to leave or stay.

"Zhang Changyao, you don't care about me at all. You just leave whenever you want and never come to see me even once."

I foolishly waited for you for a whole month in the little grove we used to go to.

Lin Qiu suddenly stood up and threw herself into Zhang Changyao's arms.

Two fists rained down on Zhang Changyao's chest.

Zhang Changyao stood there like a wooden figure, his hands outstretched, unsure of what to do.

He became Zhang Changyao again, the one who saw Lin Qiu.

He was a silly boy who was at a loss and didn't know what to do.

Every time, Lin Qiu would take the initiative to throw herself into his arms.

She stood on tiptoe, closed her eyes, and pouted her little mouth, asking him to kiss her, but he didn't dare to.

Zhang Changyao still remembers the first time he kissed Lin Qiu.

He awkwardly brought his mouth close, but before it even touched, he was already out of breath.

Fortunately, Lin Qiu took the initiative, hugging his head and biting his lower lip firmly, refusing to let go.

Later, he stopped resisting Lin Qiu's body and took the initiative to kiss her passionately time and time again.

When Lin Qiu first unbuttoned her own shirt and pulled Zhang Changyao's hand inside.

That soft lump stimulated him in his palm.

It made the blood in his body boil uncontrollably.

He knew what was about to happen; his intense possessiveness was about to burst forth from its restraints.

"I can't do that; it would ruin Lin Qiu."

In the final moment, Zhang Changyao's reason prevailed over his animalistic impulses.

He loved Lin Qiu, and he would never allow anyone to hurt her, including himself.

And so, the two stopped short of their final desires.

Zhang Changyao left school and didn't go home. He wanted to build his own life and then come back in glory to find Lin Qiu.

But things didn't go as planned; everything was different from what he had imagined.

Being disliked, criticized, and starving defeated Zhang Changyao.

He had no choice but to return to Zhangzhuang, a place he knew well.

He was too ashamed to go to Lin Qiu again; he had truly become the incompetent poor boy that Lin Qiu's mother had described.

"Zhang Changyao, hug me, and I'll take you to find work in a little while."

"My word carries weight in the granary; no one dares to offend me."

Lin Qiu raised her face, looking at Zhang Changyao with pleading eyes.

Zhang Changyao was captivated by the woman he loved; he held her in his arms and buried his face in her hair.

Just then, a knocking sound rang out on the door.

Zhang Changyao hurriedly pushed Lin Qiu away and turned his back to stand by the window.

"Come in!" Lin Qiu took a deep breath, then sat down in the chair and said.

A woman came in, handed Lin Qiu a piece of paper, glanced at Zhang Changyao, and then turned and left.

"Zhang Changyao, go to my uncle's house and wait for me."

I'll take you out to eat later, and we can catch up properly.

Lin Qiuxing, her eyes filled with affection, reluctantly grabbed Zhang Changyao's arm and led him out.

Zhang Changyao followed closely as he walked out, leaning against the outer wall of the row house to regulate his breathing.

Only after his breathing had stabilized did he enter Lu Shi's guardhouse.

"Zhang Changyao, has Xiao Qiu agreed to find you work?"

Lu Shi took a sip of tea, put down the large teacup in his hand, and asked Zhang Changyao.

"Uncle, Lin Qiu told me to wait for her here. I guess she's going to find me some work."

Zhang Changyao sat next to Lu Shi, his hands on his knees, looking extremely uncomfortable.

Yang Wuni was still at the health center, and he was worried about her, wondering if Dr. Qiu had given her her medicine.

"Zhang Changyao, let me tell you, this time you've finally found someone to rely on."

My niece has a lot of influence at this grain depot; the director of the grain depot is her father-in-law.

"If Xiao Qiu's husband weren't bedridden, no one would have a better life than her." Lu Shi sighed after saying this.

"Uncle, how could Lin Qiu marry a paralyzed man?"

Zhang Changyao's heart tightened upon hearing this.

"Oh! It's all because of that snobbish Peranakan woman."

Otherwise, how could such a good girl marry a paralyzed man?