Chapter 55: Truly Unlucky

“Jixiang, Anning went to Ma Hongmei’s house to fetch you, didn’t you meet him?”
“I didn’t go to Ma Hongmei’s house. I was just wandering about the street. I’m leaving tomorrow, and suddenly I feel reluctant to go.”
Thankfully, Grandma Li spoke first, or she might have blurted out that she’d been to Ma Hongmei’s house. Since Anning went to look for her, she certainly couldn’t use Ma Hongmei as her excuse.
“It seems you two missed each other! Let’s not wait for Anning, we’ll start dinner. He’s got long legs and rides fast, he should be back soon.”
Anchen’s mother started preparing dinner, while Anchen’s father poured the drinks. Everyone except Anchen had a glass of liquor before them.
After several cups of sorghum liquor, Anchen’s father and Han the blacksmith chatted about business, finding themselves in high spirits.
Anchen’s mother and Grandma Li were also a little drunk.
Anchen’s mother began talking about Anning and Li Jixiang going to the county seat to study together, so they could look out for each other. She couldn’t stop praising Li Jixiang for being clever, sensible, and having a head for business—much more reliable than her own Anning, and the most suitable candidate for a future daughter-in-law to manage the household.
The meaning behind Anchen’s mother’s words was clear to Grandma Li. The An family wasn’t particularly wealthy in Xingqiu Town, but at least they didn’t worry about food and clothing and could be considered moderately well-off. To let her granddaughter marry into the An family would not be a hardship.
Li Jixiang was only fourteen, but marriage could happen in the blink of an eye.
Grandma Li knew the An family inside and out; Anning was like a child she’d watched grow up. In terms of appearance, Anning and Li Jixiang were a perfect match. In terms of character, Anning was honest but a bit hot-tempered. However, Anning always listened to Li Jixiang, never contradicting her.
Grandma Li didn’t make a statement, but in her heart, she tacitly agreed with Anchen’s mother.
Anchen couldn’t follow his mother’s words, but as his mother and Grandma Li kept mentioning Anning and Li Jixiang, never mentioning him, he grew unhappy.
“Jixiang is mine. When I grow up, I want to marry Jixiang.”
Anchen stood up to declare his stance. His words stunned everyone at the table. Once they recovered, they burst into laughter.
“You’re still a child—don’t be in such a hurry to find a wife! Eat, eat more so you can grow up fast.”
Anchen’s mother picked up a chicken drumstick and stuffed it in her son’s mouth, turning his sorrow to delight.
Everyone laughed, except Li Jixiang, who felt terribly awkward and wished she could leave the An family at once. But Anning hadn’t returned yet. If she left now, she felt Anchen’s mother would see it as rude. Anning had gone to find her, missing his own meal—she couldn’t be so ungrateful…
Counting the grains of rice one by one, she felt as though time had stopped.

It wouldn’t take more than half an hour to ride to Ma Hongmei’s house and back, yet Anning had been gone nearly an hour.
The gate of the An family’s courtyard rattled loudly. Before Anchen’s mother could open it, the door swung wide.
“Oh, it’s Brother Ding! Come have a drink.”
“An invitation can’t beat good timing, I’ll have three cups with you.”
Anchen’s parents warmly greeted their neighbor, Old Ding. Old Ding was eager to speak, but kept being interrupted by Anchen’s father and mother. At last, when they finished, he licked his lips and said Anning had gotten into a fight at the farm and had been taken to the police station.
“What!” Anchen’s mother’s heart skipped a beat, her chopsticks falling to the floor. Anchen’s father slammed his glass down, grabbed Old Ding’s arm, wanting details. Anchen’s mother recovered and urged her husband to quickly ride to the police station to fetch their son.
Anchen’s father mounted Li Jixiang’s brand-new bicycle, gripping the handlebars unsteadily. When Anchen’s mother jumped onto the back seat, the bike nearly toppled.
Watching their zigzagging figures as they left, Li Jixiang felt uneasy. She wasn’t worried Anchen’s father would let Anchen’s mother fall—instead, she wondered why Anning, who’d supposedly gone to Ma Hongmei’s house, ended up fighting at the farm.
The farm lay behind the forest; to get there, Anning would have to pass the alley by their house. Anning had passed their door at mealtime without returning home—what could have driven him to do something so out of character?
“Jixiang, Jixiang, your grandmother wants you inside.”
Anchen came forward and took Li Jixiang’s hand, his gaze pitiful. Just moments before, the meal had been lively, but now he seemed like an orphan, waiting in Grandma Li’s shop for his parents to come home.
When Anchen’s parents returned, Anchen was already asleep on Li Jixiang’s kang. Anchen’s mother’s eyes were red, her movements weary. Anchen’s father stepped forward to carry Anchen home, but Grandma Li stopped him.
“Let Anchen sleep here. Don’t wake him, or he’ll be up all night.”
Anchen’s plump cheeks were flushed, his long lashes casting shadows beneath his eyes. His brows were furrowed and his lips pursed, as if he were troubled in his dreams.
“I’m sorry to trouble you with Anchen. I’ll come fetch him in the morning.”
Anchen’s father sighed, looking at his youngest son’s face, and helped Anchen’s mother out of the shop.
Li Jixiang followed Grandma Li to see them off at the door.
“Go in and lock up, it’s getting late.”
Anchen’s mother waved at Grandma Li. Just then, Anning emerged from the shadow at the corner of the house, and Grandma Li finally dared to ask what had happened. If she hadn’t seen Anning appear, she would have feared asking Anchen’s mother would bring only more distress.

“Anning put Chen Yu in the hospital—he’s still in the county hospital, fighting for his life…”
Anchen’s mother was unwilling to say more.
“That rascal needs to be taught a lesson at home!”
Anchen’s father raised his hand and smacked Anning on the back of the head. Anning stood straight, fearless, and took the blow.
“Anning, aren’t you going to register at County No.1 High School tomorrow?”
Anning kept avoiding her gaze, so Li Jixiang stepped forward and spoke to him.
“He’s not going anywhere! We’ll wait for the police station’s decision. If Chen Yu’s all right, fine. If not… Hmph, I’ll break his legs and make him pay with his life.”
Han the blacksmith and Grandma Li intervened, pulling Anchen’s father back until his anger cooled. Han the blacksmith hurriedly dragged Anning home, while Anchen’s parents thanked Grandma Li again and went home.
Anning never spoke or looked at Li Jixiang, not even once.
Why did Anning fight Chen Yu? Considering Anning went to Ma Hongmei’s house, then sought out Chen Yu for a fight, it must have been something Ma Hongmei said about Chen Yu.
Otherwise, she’d only just come back from Chen Yu’s place that evening—how could Chen Yu have provoked Anning?
The truth couldn’t wait. The bicycle Anchen’s father had returned was still parked outside the shop. She waited for Grandma Li to go inside, then immediately mounted the bicycle and rode towards Ma Hongmei’s house.
The night was deep and the moon was hidden behind clouds. She remembered it was only a few days after the Qixi Festival—the moon ought to be getting rounder and brighter. Even the streetlights seemed dim, as if the electricity was running low. Thankfully, there hadn’t been any power outages lately; traveling in total darkness was something she wasn’t used to.
She pressed forward, pedaling hard, but suddenly the streetlights went out. Darkness enveloped her, as if something blinded her eyes.
How unlucky!
She planted both feet on the ground and waited at the intersection, until the outline of the street became faintly visible. She mounted the bicycle again and rode toward North Street.