Chapter 261: Inferiority
Xiao Yifei cast a peculiar glance at the rural woman, slightly baffled as to why, if the bag truly contained bedding, she would cherish it so dearly.
The woman lowered her head, rubbing her grimy hands on her clothes with the help of the rainwater, revealing a bit of their original color. Her voice tinged with melancholy, she said, "Back in my village, it wouldn’t matter if you knew the person or not; the moment someone cries for help, everyone from young to old lends a hand. Who knew city folk could be so indifferent, not even bothering to help."
Xiao Yifei cast a quizzical look at the rural woman, unable to comprehend the sudden shift to despondence in her mood.
"We’re poor back home, and my husband has a gambling habit. He lost money gambling the year before last, and gambled away our land and our house, leaving us with no place to live. I didn’t resent him for it. I told him as long as he gave up gambling, I would still live with him. But then he lost again last year, and the creditor he owed made me go pay off his debts. If I hadn’t fought back with all I had, I might have lost my honor too,"
The downpour, or perhaps the recent string of blows she had suffered, made this ordinarily strong rural woman seem forlorn as she spoke with her head lowered, her voice soft.
"My parents are unwell, and I’ve given up on my husband. All I hope is that he won’t harm me again. There’s no money at home, so I thought I could come to the city to earn some to help them. But after I got here, I worked for a small restaurant near the college town. The boss only paid me 2,000 yuan a month and he even tried to take advantage of me! I’m naive; I didn’t sign any contract. When I refused to let him touch me, he ended up not paying my salary at all!"
As Xiao Yifei listened to the rural woman’s continuous murmur, a pang of pain surged through his heart. Looking at the drab, down-to-earth woman who was remarkably strong, Xiao Yifei felt a mix of pity and admiration. Although skeptical about her constant mention of the boss wanting to "eat her tofu," he still pitied and admired her.
Alone, she remained relentless in her struggle.
"Let’s go, we’re almost there!"
Finally, they made their way to the entrance of Jinghang Garden in the rain, each step alternating between deep and shallow.