1959Siheyuan, a Turnaround

Li Dahu's heart seemed to be filled with mixed feelings, with all kinds of emotions coming one after another and intertwined in a mess.

He knew very well that his attachment to Qin Huairu was like the deep-rooted weeds under the ancient city wall. As time passed, it still stubbornly spread and grew in the deepest part of his heart, and was difficult to eradicate.

But in an instant, reason was like a ray of cold light, suddenly penetrating the maze of emotions, and he suddenly realized that they were both now tightly imprisoned by family responsibilities and obligations, like insects trapped in a delicately woven spider web. No matter how they struggled, they could hardly escape the predetermined trajectory of fate.

He exhaled heavily, trying his best to calm the turbulent waves in his heart. His eyes were intertwined with helplessness and painful struggle. He slowly opened his lips and said, "Huai Ru, you should go home first. Your child is still young and needs care. You must take good care of yourself in the future. You are still in confinement now, so you must not overwork, so as not to hurt your body."

After he finished speaking, he turned around in an instant like a frightened hare, his steps quick and panicky, as if there was a vicious falcon chasing him from behind, and every step he took was filled with the embarrassment of a hasty escape.

Qin Huairu seemed to be under a spell, standing there blankly, but her eyes seemed to have substance, fixed on Li Dahu's receding back.

The figure gradually faded from her sight, but like a hot iron, it was deeply engraved in the depths of her soul.

The lake of her heart was like the sea swept by strong winds, unable to calm down for a long time, and her thoughts were like a kite with a broken string, drifting wildly in the strong wind, unpredictable.

She thought to herself that Li Dahu's concern in just a few words was like the faint twinkling of stars in the dark night. Although it was dim, it was enough to make her feel a long-lost warmth in this difficult situation.

This deep friendship hidden deep in her heart was like a handful of burning charcoal, bringing her precious comfort in her loneliness, despair and helplessness.

She just stood there stupidly, and time seemed to freeze quietly beside her, until the figure disappeared completely.

She slowly withdrew her gaze, which seemed to have been drained of its soul, but the waves surging in her heart were like the surging river, endless and difficult to calm down for a long time.

In the Security Department's office, Li Dajiang stood in front of the window and could see the scene outside clearly through the glass.

He looked at Li Dahu's receding back, which revealed a hint of panic and embarrassment.

Qin Huairu, who was not far away, had tears in her eyes and her facial expression eased from her initial distraught state to a complex one.

Li Dajiang's heart was in turmoil at this moment. How could he not see that there must be a secret entanglement between Li Dahu and Qin Huairu?

In the past, he had indeed seen Li Dahu and Qin Huairu talking together, but at that time, he just thought it was just a normal interaction between the two and didn't think much about it.

But now, everything before his eyes seemed like a thick fog, which urgently needed him to clear it up.

Li Dajiang's fists gradually tightened until his knuckles turned white. He secretly decided in his heart that he must get to the bottom of the hidden truth behind this.

Otherwise, how could he be worthy of his younger brother and sister-in-law Chen Suzhi who lived diligently with Li Dahu.

On the way back, Qin Huairu dragged her legs as if they were filled with lead and walked into the house with difficulty.

Jia Zhang had been waiting in the house for a long time. When she saw Qin Huairu enter the house, her eyes were like a hungry wolf staring at its prey. She stretched out her hand impatiently and shouted in a rough voice, "Give it to me!"

Qin Huairu's eyes were red, tears welled up in them, and her voice was filled with tears and endless helplessness: "I didn't get it. The accountant said that the factory has a rule that wages can only be collected after get off work."

Jia Zhang's eyes widened, full of suspicion and anger: "What? Why have I never heard of this rule? Are they deliberately looking for trouble?"

Qin Huairu glanced at her sleeping daughter and sighed heavily.

That sigh seemed to carry the burden of life. "Who knows? Anyway, that's what the accountant said. I even used my child as an excuse to ask for an exception, but he ignored me. I can only go after get off work."

Seeing her red and swollen eyes, Jia Zhang wanted to ignore it, but she finally asked, "Look at you, did they say something to you?"

Qin Huairu's eyes flashed with pain and humiliation. She bit her lower lip and said slowly, "What else can I say? It's just about the money I owe Li Dajiang."

Then, she confided to Jia Zhang all the ridicule, harassment and humiliation she had endured at the factory.

Every word he said seemed to open a wound that had not yet healed.

After hearing this, Jia Zhang's face instantly darkened and she cursed: "These people are so evil, they are meddling in other people's business. What does this have to do with them? They are just bored! How about I go and get them tonight?"

Qin Huairu hurriedly looked at Jia Zhang and shook her head to stop her. She knew her mother-in-law's hot temper too well. If she let her go, she was afraid that things would get out of control.

She hurried over to say before Jia Zhangshi: "I'd better go. If you go, what if they find fault with you again? Can we go and see their cold faces again? We are standing under the eaves now, so we have to bow our heads."

Besides, they were in the wrong now, but what could she do?

It was already difficult for her to support her family with that little ration.

Now there is no one in the hospital to help her, and Xu Damao doesn't acknowledge the child.

What else can she do except to hold on with a thick skin?

Thinking of this, Qin Huairu's heart was filled with regret, and her thoughts drifted back to the past.

If she had not married Jia Dongxu and had not ruthlessly cut off her relationship with Li Dahu, she might be nestling in her lover's arms and living a stable and worry-free life. But now, everything has become a bubble.

"Da Hu, come with me to the office. I have something to ask you."

At noon, the cafeteria was bustling with noise and the aroma of food filled the air.

Li Dajiang and his brothers sat together. After hurriedly finishing their meal, Li Dajiang called out to Li Dahu who was about to get up.

Li Dahu's body shook violently, as if he was hit by an electric current.

He slowly raised his head and looked at Li Dajiang's serious and almost cold face. He nodded slightly and replied in a low voice: "Okay."

Seeing this, Li Dahe and Li Xinchuang thought that the two men just had a few words to talk to each other, so they tacitly took Li Dahu and Li Dajiang's lunch boxes and left first.

In fact, Li Dajiang did not take Li Dahu to the office, but took him to a remote corner.

The surroundings were so quiet that the only sound was the rustling of leaves in the wind. The sunlight shone through the gaps between the branches and leaves, forming patterns of interlaced light and shadow.

Li Dajiang stopped and turned to face Li Dahu. With a hint of concern and deep doubt in his eyes, he asked directly, "Dahu, what's going on between you and Qin Huairu?"

He has always regarded Li Dahu as his own brother, and although his tone was serious at this moment, it also revealed a bit of worry.