Chapter 95: Chapter 95: The Groom Ran Away on the Wedding Night (Part 6)

On the green train.

Shen Chi and Mei Li were eating the not-so-cheap train boxed meals, chatting and laughing, occasionally glancing at the scenery outside the window, with their eyes full of anticipation for the future.

Shen Chi was the youngest in the Shen Family and really hadn’t suffered much since he was a child.

With a large amount of money in his hand, and knowing that there was hot food on the train, of course he bought it without hesitation. Besides, Mei Li was with him; even if he didn’t eat, Mei Li would have to, and he didn’t want Mei Li to endure hardship.

Mei Li told him he shouldn’t stay in the village, that staying there would mean he’d always be just a farmer. There are more opportunities outside, a person like him should venture out, and he would make something of himself sooner or later.

That’s exactly what he was thinking.

He envied the stone quarry owner the most, whose house was beautifully built and who also had a house in the city. Although he wasn’t exactly deprived of food and clothing growing up, it was still not comparable to those owners’ children.

He was an average student and didn’t get into college.

The stone quarry owner’s children were even worse in academics and didn’t get into college either, but their parents invested in their business ventures, paving the way for them. The son opened a furniture factory and it was thriving, while the daughter opened several clothing stores in the county and the city. Every year, they would come back driving fancy cars, looking glamorous.

He also wanted to be a big boss one day, driving fancy cars, with a chauffeur and bodyguards.

“Shen Chi, what are you thinking about?” Mei Li noticed Shen Chi was in a daze, “Are you regretting venturing out? If you are really worried about your family, you can get off at the next stop and go back. Anyway, I want to see the outside world, there are more opportunities, but I won’t force you. Actually, I really think you are capable of great things, that’s why I wanted you to come along.”

Shen Chi quickly said, “No, I was just thinking where to start when we get there. I have no plans of going back.”

He was both hopeful and confused about the future.

He also didn’t like Lv Chen, and after finally running away, how could he possibly go back?

Besides, he took the money given as a gift and also took Lv Chen’s three thousand yuan dowry money; going back now would be hard to explain, his mom would beat him to death. Lv Chen’s brother is not someone with a good temper either, he would surely beat him up.

He planned to make a name for himself outside and then return when everyone would treat him with respect. By that time, his family wouldn’t force him to marry someone he didn’t like.

He and Lv Chen weren’t even registered as a couple, so they couldn’t really be considered husband and wife.

When he has money, he can easily settle the matter with some cash; he wouldn’t even have to do it himself, there would be plenty of people willing to handle such small matters for him. With money, he would be closer to power, and by then he wouldn’t even need to look at the Lv Family.

As for agreeing to the marriage initially, wasn’t it because he had no money? Asking his parents for it was out of the question, so he had to think of a way to get the gift money. Actually, he had saved some money, but it wasn’t enough for traveling far, expenses outside are not like at home, everything costs money.

Later, when the two families discussed the marriage, Lv Chen told him she would bring dowry money over, amounting to three thousand yuan.

His parents only knew that Lv Chen would bring dowry money, but they didn’t know it was three thousand. When he heard this, he had an idea, he told Lv Chen not to tell his parents about it, just to say she would bring some money and not mention the amount, she should keep the money herself.

With the gift money, plus Lv Chen’s three thousand yuan, and what he had saved himself, it was enough for him and Mei Li to live comfortably for some time after traveling far. In a developed city, would it really be hard to make money? In recent years, some villagers had gone far for work and earned quite a bit.

But for the ambitious Shen Chi, those were all small sums. He looked down on that.

Only by becoming a big boss could he earn a lot of money.

He was different from those with narrow visions; when he got out, he aimed to become a boss. Maybe in the future, those villagers who went out to work would become his employees. Just thinking about that scene made Shen Chi feel elated.

The train ride lasted four days, leaving them both with numb backsides and swollen legs.

Mei Li, normally someone who loved to dress up and keep clean, couldn’t stand the stinky smell on her body at this point.

They found a nearby hotel to rest, Shen Chi had the confidence to do so, after all, he brought quite a lot of money with him, several thousand yuan.

Mei Li went to freshen up, while Shen Chi checked their luggage. While checking, he found the small bag containing the three thousand yuan missing, and a cut mark on the big bag, his face instantly went pale.

They had been robbed!

When did it happen?

How could he not have noticed at all?

Mei Li had told him, there were many thieves on trains, so the two were taking turns sleeping and keeping a close watch on the bag. They would occasionally feel around under the big bag to make sure the small bag with the three thousand yuan was still there.

The small bag was originally Lv Chen’s; it just happened to fit the three thousand yuan, and he took it because it looked nice. As for the big bag, it was kept at Mei Li’s side initially and later taken to the station by Mei Li.

Shen Chi’s hands trembled; with three thousand yuan suddenly gone, what were they going to do next?

If he had known, he wouldn’t have put the three thousand yuan in the big bag, he should have carried it directly on him. The thousand-plus yuan he had on him was still there.

“What’s wrong?” Mei Li came out.

Even though she was dressed, she looked as fresh as a lotus out of the water.

But at that moment, Shen Chi had no time to admire, his mind was buzzing.

“Shen Chi, what’s happened?”

Shen Chi struggled to say, “We were robbed, the three thousand yuan in the big bag is gone.”

“What?” Mei Li’s voice was sharp, that was three thousand yuan, how could it have been stolen?

She saw the cut mark on the bag and cursed the thief countless times in her heart, then gently comforted Shen Chi, who looked lost. The theft of three thousand yuan hurt her deeply, and she silently cursed Shen Chi for being an idiot, unable to even keep the money safe; it would have been better if he had let her keep it.

Being comforted by someone he liked, Shen Chi quickly recovered, still full of hope for the future, only now their days ahead wouldn’t be as carefree as he initially imagined.

Mei Li was secretly filled with resentment but could only coax Shen Chi, especially since he still had over a thousand yuan on him.

Meanwhile, the thief from the station weaved through corners to an empty spot, opened the small bag he had stolen, only to find it filled with paper money. He cursed loudly, “Damn his ancestors, I watched that kid for days without daring to take my eyes off, hoping I don’t run into him again!”

“Xiao Chen, where are you going with those things so early?” Jiang Hongying hurriedly came out with bowls and chopsticks, surprised to see Lv Chen not going back to bed after breakfast.

But once the person was out of the room, they were running out with things.

She glanced at the basket, it contained peaches, likely from their own peach tree, two pieces of cured fish, and two packs of rock candy. Remembering how Lv Chen said last night not to prepare her portion of the cured fish because she had other use for it, she wondered where she was taking these? She really dared to take them.

“I’m going back to my parents’ home.” Ah Chen said matter-of-factly, “I was supposed to go back in three days, mom, you really should have reminded me, I only just remembered. If the news got out, who knows how people would talk about me.”

Jiang Hongying was dizzy; how could she say this?

“You all take your time eating, I’m going back by myself, no need for you to come with me. Shen Chi hasn’t come back, so what’s the use in you accompanying me.”

Ah Chen’s words reminded everyone in the Shen Family, yes, Shen Chi hadn’t been found yet.

Someone saw Shen Chi at the county station, supposedly headed to the provincial capital. Shen Xun couldn’t follow, the travel costs were substantial. It was only after Jiang Hongying went to Mei Family to make a fuss that Widow Chen said they had taken the train to Guangcheng; that day, Jiang Hongying even got into a fight with Widow Chen.

“Bring some stuff back to appease my family, to avoid them causing trouble; actually, as long as Shen Chi comes back, I can forgive him, and we can forget about the three thousand yuan.” Ah Chen said again.

Jiang Hongying calmed down, hoping the third child would come back soon to deal with Lv Chen.

If the third child didn’t come back soon, Lv Chen might empty the house.

Ding Haiying’s eyes turned red upon seeing Ah Chen return, and she quickly went to the yard to pick a fat chicken for slaughter.

“You come back and bring whatever you like.” she scolded.

Ah Chen seriously said, “It’s the Shen Family’s, might as well take it. Mom, steam this cured fish tonight, let brother taste it, it’s pretty good.”

Ding Haiying had nothing more to say, her daughter didn’t seem to be at a loss.

She had heard some rumors, Jiang Hongying was not one to keep her mouth shut. She heard that Xiao Chen did nothing at the Shen Household, even going back to bed for a nap after breakfast.

Ding Haiying laughed, she didn’t care what people said; Shen Chi ran off with Xiao Chen’s dowry money on their wedding day, and they still expected her daughter to be a dutiful wife?

Ah Chen looked at the poultry in the yard, then went to check out the pigsty; Ding Haiying indeed had a knack for raising these, villagers nearby would come looking for her when they needed something farmed.

But this was not big enough.

One of the Commissioner’s wishes was to treat her family well. How to do that? Helping them get rich would certainly count.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep