02 Dolls Are Here to Divorce
"Now it's the new era, arranged marriages are remnants of feudalism.
As a youth of this new era, I will not continue to accept this marriage arrangement.
Besides, I'm now half an urban man, and long since not on the same path as your family's Lin Tang.
It would be better for everyone to annul the marriage sooner rather than later..."
He was about to become a regular worker at the Food Factory from a temporary one.
Even if Lin Tang's family had many brothers, and she herself was a high school student, she was no longer a match for him.
It would be better to resolve this marriage issue sooner rather than later.
So he could find an urban bride.
Li Xiuli's chest heaved violently with anger, she clenched her teeth and asked, "You really want to call off the marriage?"
She was furious!
Just thinking about her daughter coming back to the village covered in blood, barely breathing,
And before she had even regained consciousness, Liu Guohui, her prospective son-in-law, came to annul the marriage.
Li Xiuli's lips trembled with rage.
She didn't know if the idea to annul the marriage came from the Liu Family or from that worthless boy.
No matter what, her daughter shouldn't have to suffer this insult for nothing!
Liu Guohui's face changed slightly when he heard the words 'calling off the marriage.'
"What do you mean 'calling off the marriage'? I am a progressive youth following the Organization, and I firmly refuse to bow to arranged marriages.
Is there something wrong with that? There isn't, right!
Auntie Li, don't make it sound so serious, just straightforwardly agree to the annulment!"
Li Xiuli's fist tightened involuntarily.
Before she could speak, the door to Lin Tang's room 'creaked' open.
"Mom, since he wants to call off the marriage, let's just call it off!"
Lin Tang didn't even glance at Liu Guohui, her gaze steady on her mother, as a storm raged within her.
Mom, you don't know how much I've wanted to come home.
Thinking of the nightly dreams of my parents' backs, feeling heartache upon seeing the elderly and bursting into tears, dreading to not dare recall any memory of this place...
There was a time when she even thought that Shuangshan Brigade, Lin Lu, Li Xiuli, Lin Qingshan... all these people were just figments of her imagination, that they didn't actually exist.
Being able to come back, to see Mom again, how wonderful that is!
Liu Guohui's face looked a little uneasy when he saw Lin Tang come out.
His face turned blue with anger upon hearing her words.
He had actually liked Lin Tang.
Because she was so beautiful she didn't seem like a village girl.
If only she hadn't been so clueless, not even willing to hold hands or kiss.
He wouldn't have so resolutely called off the marriage.
"Lin Tang! Who do you think you are to look down on me? I'm about to secure a permanent job, what about you?
You, a mere village girl tilling the land, what right do you have to say such things?"
"Even if you're a high school student, you can't even find a temporary job.
You're just a waste, no matter what, I'm still much better than you."
His eyes carried an obscure sense of triumph, as if assuming Lin Tang was just sour graping.
Lin Tang looked at Liu Guohui, almost nauseated by disgust.
Just because of this man, in her previous life she had been targeted and bullied by Wang Zhaodi from an early age,
Ugh...
Disgusting!
"Fine, you're impressive!" Lin Tang didn't want to argue with the man in front of her anymore, she waved her hand as if shooing away a fly.
"I agree to the annulment, now get lost... uh... leave my house!"
Please, stop embarrassing yourself here.
With this time, wouldn't it be better for her to go and enter a lottery?
Liu Guohui felt choked up inside, finding this very unsatisfying.
In his mind, being so outstanding, his breaking off the engagement with Lin Tang should've led to Lin Tang weeping bitterly; that was the proper reaction.
Definitely not this calm demeanor that stirred not the slightest ripple, and even had a hint of... disdain?
Liu Guohui looked at Lin Tang.
The young girl's face was pale, a white cloth bandaged around her head.
There was a scratch from a fingernail on her powdered white face, which was heartbreakingly visible.
Her hair was disheveled, the braided pigtails undone, appearing slightly curly.
Her eyes were like autumn water, with a misty layer of sleepiness, making one's heart quiver unconsciously when she looked at them.
She was delicate, not like a village girl, but like a spoilt little fairy.
Liu Guohui hesitated for a moment in his heart.
But thinking about the bright future ahead, he steeled his resolve once again.
He was sure he wouldn't regret it!
"Fine, you've agreed as well, our engagement is annulled, and from now on, our marriage arrangements will have nothing to do with each other."
Having said that, Liu Guohui left without looking back.
Li Xiuli let out a sigh when she saw her daughter agree to the breakup, thinking she and the child's father had been blind.
How could they have set such a fiancé for their daughter.
But now that the engagement was broken, it was for the best.
If the two of them had been married, it would have been even more disgusting.
"Daughter, don't be sad, your mom and dad will find you someone better in the future. The stench won't go, but the scent will come; it's nothing..." Li Xiuli consoled her.
In her heart, however, she worried that the breakup wasn't good news, and the village gossips would surely wag their tongues.
Before Lin Tang could speak, a pig-faced Wang Zhaodi popped her head over the wall to the right.
"Giggle giggle, how funny, Lin Tang, you've actually been dumped. It's killing me with laughter."
Her laughter was loud and mocking, heavy with mockery, and completely asking for a beating.
Her face was both red and swollen, her eyes squinting into slits as she sneered.
"Wang Zhaodi, you dare to come and pick a fight!"
After what she'd done to her daughter's head, and now she was here to gloat?
Was this the act of a human being?!
Li Xiuli twisted her eyebrows fiercely and, with a sweep of her sleeve, took a piss pot from the doorway of the latrine.
'Splash'—she flung the stinky water from it right onto Wang Zhaodi.
"Scram! If you don't scram, I'll treat you to another pot of piss."
In the rural households, there wasn't a toilet in every room, and there were no lights in the courtyard, so everyone kept a piss pot handy.
There was a faint yellow layer on top of the pot; it wasn't particularly stinky, but the smell was definitely unpleasant.
Wang Zhaodi was nearly fainted from the stench.
"...Ahh ahh ahh..."
She was so angry that she stamped her feet, slipping on a round bucket she stepped on.
The next second, there was a 'thud' from the next courtyard, followed by a wail.
"Ah! My back."
Li Xiuli spat toward the wall, cursed the girl next door for having a short memory, and hurried to wash her hands.
"Tangtang, go back to your room! Don't worsen the wound on your head, are you hungry? Your mom will bring you some food in a bit."
Lin Tang's head indeed ached a bit, and she agreed before returning to the room.
Before leaving, she cast a faint glance at the courtyard wall, a glint of cold light flashing in her eyes.
If it weren't for that person in her past life, she wouldn't have died, nor would she have lived alone for over twenty years.
As a result, she now found it somewhat difficult to be close to her family...
No sooner had Lin Tang settled back on her bed than the system beeped.
"Host has received a novice gift, would you like to draw it now?"
Lin Tang looked expectant, "Draw!"
As she spoke, she tapped the transparent screen in front of her, full of anticipation.
The wheel spun wildly, and the pointer stopped on a little fan in the corner.
"...Ding... Congratulations to the host for receiving one 'Bone Washing and Marrow Cleansing'..." the system said.
The moment it finished speaking, Lin Tang felt a warm sensation spread to all her limbs.
Her whole body was energized, even the painful spot on the back of her head felt better.
Awesome!
The side effect was that she was even hungrier!!