Chapter 9: The Person of Bai Cuifen
It turned out that Bai Cuifen was indeed a married woman, just as Liu Dezhou had suspected, and she was also a newlywed bride.
Less than half a year after marrying her husband, Bai Cuifen became pregnant, and the whole family was overjoyed as they prepared to welcome the new life in her belly to carry on their family line.
Just as she was looking forward to a happy future life, her husband suddenly fell ill and died quickly, passing away soon after.
After her husband's death, his relatives, family members and even the whole neighborhood thought that she was jinxed and had brought bad luck to her husband, saying that she was a "sweeping star" who had taken her husband's life. Otherwise, how could a healthy and strong person suddenly fall ill and pass away after getting married?
She didn't argue for herself and there was nothing to argue about because this is just how things were.
She came to Liujiacun that day, it was because she was scolded by her mother-in-law and felt unhappy, so she went out and got on a car, then randomly got off at a station, and randomly walked around. When the sun was about to set, she arrived at Liujiacun, and was brought back by Qing Sheng.
When Liu Xiuzhen and Bai Cuifen walked out of the room, Liu Xiuzhen was about to report Bai Cuifen's affairs to Qing Sheng and Liu Dezhou. Liu Dezhou, who was sitting at the top of the dinner table smoking, waved his hand and said, "No need to say it, we all heard it. You called others into your room to ask questions, but you didn't close the door. It's better to just ask in front of us."
Liu Dezhou held a pipe in his hand, tapping the corner of the dinner table with it. A fine dust-like ash fell from the pipe and landed on the floor.
Then Liu Dezhou sat still in his seat, staring out at the gate.
Liu Xiu Zhen was ridiculed by Liu De Zhou and stood awkwardly in the middle of the room. Originally, she thought she had made a contribution and could show off in front of Qing Shu, but unexpectedly it turned out like this, and she couldn't help feeling regretful about her carelessness.
She shifted her gaze to Qing Sheng, looking at him with pleading eyes.
"Ah, Father, look..." Qing Sheng looked at Liu Dezhou with inquiring eyes.
Although he was not quite satisfied with Liu Xiuzhen's rough and careless style of doing things, after all she was his woman, so Qing Sheng still helped Liu Xiuzhen out of the difficulty, saying: "Daxiu has already fully understood her situation, you see, how to arrange for her..."
"Her husband died, and she was still pregnant. Her family didn't treat her well either." Liu Dezhou fell silent for a long time, muttering to himself, then took another drag on his cigarette before suddenly speaking up: "Ask her again, is she willing to stay in our village of Liu Family? Our village won't mistreat her and the child in her belly."
This time, Qing Sheng and Liu Xiu Zhen were both stunned.
"Dad, you mean..." Qing Sheng looked at Liu Dezhou and asked cautiously.
"Let Da Xiu ask her first if she's willing to stay, and then we'll talk about it later." Liu Dezhou said slowly while puffing on his cigarette.
Liu Xiuzhen was like a commander, hastily turning around and pulling Bai Cuifen into the room. This time she didn't forget to close the door.
"My father asked you, your husband is gone, and your family doesn't treat you well either. Now you're pregnant again, with no one to rely on, nowhere to settle down. Don't you want to stay here in our Liu Family Village? We'll help you find someone, as long as my father is around, our Liu Family Village won't mistreat you and the child in your belly. If you agree, just nod."
In the room, Liu Xiu Zhen asked Bai Cui Fen hastily as if she was eager to complete a sacred mission.
For some reason, Bai Cuifen suddenly lifted her head and looked towards the outside of the door.
At this time, Qing Sheng was standing outside the house door with his back against the door and talking to Liu Dezhou.
This time, Liu Xiu Zhen suddenly came to her senses, quickly opened the door, walked behind Qing Sheng's back, and pushed his back, saying: "She wants to ask for your opinion, it was you who brought her back."
Qing Shu turned his head, and unintentionally met the gaze of Bai Cuifen, who was standing at the door, looking at him with her eyes narrowed.
In his thirties, having seen the world and experienced ups and downs, Qing Shu's heart, which had always been serious and taciturn, suddenly felt a slight tingling sensation, as if he had been electrocuted.
He hastily shifted his gaze away and turned his back, muttering in a low tone, "If you have nowhere to go, then stay here."
Liu Xiuzhen did not notice the subtle change on Qing Shu's face, and she continued to speak loudly to Bai Cuifen: "He let you stay."
Bai Cuifen smiled at Liu Xiu Zhen, revealing her neat and white teeth.
She nodded.
"Alright." Liu Xiu Zhen let out a long sigh, as if she had just completed a monumental task. She spread her hands and said, "She's agreed, now it's up to you all to arrange things."
After finishing speaking, Liu Xiu Zhen stretched out her hands and walked towards Ah Po, taking over Liu Jia Wei from Ah Po's arms. "Come on, our family's darling, Ah Po is tired, I'll hold you for a while."
"Ah, Father, she has agreed to stay." Qing Sheng said to Liu Dezhou, who was surrounded by swirling smoke.
"Hmm!" Liu Dezhou hummed, and a puff of smoke emerged from his nose.
He slowly took the cigarette butt out of his mouth, coughed twice, "Then take her to Bingwen's house, and let him know not to look down on outsiders, he himself is from outside too! A pregnant woman can't be looked down upon, that's a legitimate child, it's just an unfortunate fate, dead husband, that's all. With his conditions, being able to marry a wife is already good enough, I think this woman should know some characters, and they're a match." Liu Dezhou waved his hand.
Liu Dezhou coughed twice after saying a long passage in one breath.
"Yes, Father, I'll let Auntie arrange for her to take a bath first, and then I'll send her over," Shu Sheng said.
After listening to Qing Shu's words, Liu Xiu Zhen hurried into the kitchen, scooped up hot water, and arranged for Bai Cui Fen to wash up properly. After that, Qing Shu quickly got up, picked up the undershirt hanging on the back of the chair and put it on, ready to send Bai Cui Fen out the door.
"Also, tell Bingwen that we can't make a move tonight. She's pregnant and we have to wait until the two of them are married before we do anything. We can't ruin the reputation of our Liu family village."
Qing Shenghe and Bai Cuifen had just walked out of the gate when Liu Dezhou instructed from behind.
"Alright, Father, don't worry! Bingwen is not that kind of person either." Qing Shu responded with a single word in the dark night and then took Bai Cuifen to An Bingwen's house.
An Bingwen's home was at the west end of the village, directly opposite to Qing Sheng's home, with two other households in between.
After passing by the doors of those two households, Qing Sheng and Bai Cuifen arrived at An Bingwen's home.
In the dark of night, a simple single-story house was built leaning against the White Tiger.
As he entered the house, a slender and tall young man with a pale complexion was sitting in the middle of the main hall smoking a water pipe.
This man is An Bingwen.
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