Chapter 417: Chapter 417: Resolute and Unyielding

Seeing tears still on Kong Lijuan’s face, Shen Jinju asked, “What’s wrong, what happened?”

Once she asked, Kong Lijuan started crying, “I just feel my life is so bitter!”

Shen Jinju said, “Whatever grievances you have, just tell me!”

Kong Lijuan sobbed, “This life is truly unbearable, if it’s just me suffering, I could manage, but seeing my child Niudan suffering with me, my heart feels like it’s frying in oil.

We’re all born into this world, looking at other people’s children, and then looking at my Niudan, my heart feels like it’s soaked in bitter gall water.”

She wiped her tears and continued to sob, “I failed my Niudan, I failed him, bringing him into this world to suffer. I’m not worthy to be a mother!”

Shen Jinju actually didn’t have much affection for Kong Lijuan, but at this moment, she was moved by Kong’s words.

As mothers, they can deeply empathize with each other.

Especially when Kong Lijuan talked about the grievances her child suffered in the Sun Family, looking at the child so thin and frail, Shen’s eyes reddened as well, “Fortunately, you have compassion for him, you too have no other choice.”

Kong Lijuan wiped her tears and gritted her teeth, “There’s always a way, there will be a way!”

In these times, a child’s household registration follows the mother.

Shen Jinju’s heart stirred, she tugged on Kong Lijuan’s sleeve, “I heard they’ve been secretly studying, do you know, is there any news?”

Kong Lijuan was already excluded from the central circle of educated youths, she didn’t know many things.

Shen Jinju whispered, “I found out by chance, they’re all doing the Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry Self-study Series, I asked, but they wouldn’t say. You say they have close ties with that side, could there be news we don’t know about?”

Kong Lijuan’s heart skipped a beat, “College entrance exam?”

Shen Jinju nodded.

In an instant, Kong Lijuan saw a gleam of hope, she suddenly wanted to laugh, “No gains without pain, you know Xu Qinghuan is often in contact with Yan City, her information must be well-informed, otherwise they would be too busy with the factory to have time for this?”

“Makes sense!” Shen Jinju said, “This is also a way out for you!”

She didn’t say she thought the same, redirecting the matter to Xu Qinghuan not only increased credibility but had other intentions.

“Do you know where they bought the study materials?”

Shen Jinju shook her head, “I couldn’t find where to buy them.”

This was the truth.

Kong Lijuan kept it in mind, originally thinking about asking Duan Qingmei, but she didn’t want another person knowing, which would mean another competitor.

Returning home, Sun Lai raised his hand ready to hit, Kong Lijuan blocked her son, Sun Lai withdrew his hand but still scared the child into crying loudly.

“How can you hit your mother?” Sun Lai angrily asked.

Kong Lijuan cried, “You’re blaming me? Your mother is practically a murderer! She nearly caused your son’s death, do you know?”

Qiu Linghua’s tailbone was fractured, lying on the ground unable to move, it was Sun Lai who carried her back.

She accused others first, Sun Lai believed her.

At this moment, Sun Lai didn’t know whom to believe.

“Not cooking, what have you been doing?” Sun Lai was starving and furious.

Kong Lijuan endured hunger, holding her son, trying to nurse him, but she was hungry herself and had no milk.

“Starting tomorrow, I’ll handle the house chores. Your mother will go out to earn the work points, I can’t leave my son in her hands anymore, I’m afraid he won’t survive.”

“Cook first.”

“Give me some money!” Kong Lijuan reached out.

“Didn’t I just give you fifty cents, why do you still need money?” Sun Lai now received his monthly salary, having some money gave him confidence.

“What can fifty cents buy? Xu Qinghuan said the child needs to be taken to the county to see a doctor. Give me money, I need to take him.”

Sun Lai gave her five yuan.

Kong Lijuan handed the child to him, went to prepare a meal for two, not giving any to Qiu Linghua.

Qiu Linghua lay on the bed humming, Sun Lai was annoyed, threw the bowl after eating, and left.

Kong Lijuan locked the door, took her child to the county, went to the recycling station to pick up two old books, then to Xinhua Bookstore to inquire about the Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry Self-study Series, Gong Mingjie told her there was no such book.

Gong Mingjie himself was still searching everywhere for Xu Qinghuan.

When she returned, it was already late, passing Jiang Xingye’s home, she saw Xu Qinghuan cooking, a dog guarding two children. As she came in with her child, the dog got up.

This dog seemed so big, like a wolf.

Kong Lijuan felt a bit afraid, stopped at the door and called, “Xu Qinghuan?”

Xu Qinghuan straightened up, glanced, “What’s up?”

“I want to come in and talk!”

Xu Qinghuan had no choice but to let her in.

Kong Lijuan smelled the aroma of chicken soup, swallowed hard.

Seeing the child drooling, crying out and burrowing toward Kong Lijuan, Xu Qinghuan handed a piece of rice cake over, asking her, “Can the child eat this?”

Kong Lijuan broke off a piece for the child.

Her hands were dirty, she wiped them twice on her pants, Xu Qinghuan turned away, “What’s the matter?”

“Do you have the Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry Self-study Series here? Can you lend it to me to copy?” Kong Lijuan was certain Xu Qinghuan would have them.

Xu Qinghuan said, “I don’t have them, if you want, go buy them yourself.”

Helping to save Kong Lijuan’s child was one thing; not wanting to have any further involvement with her was another.

If she lent them, Kong would keep coming back with questions on problems she couldn’t solve.

Kong Lijuan didn’t expect her refusal, “Xu Qinghuan, we came here as educated youths together, right? We’re all from Shen City, right? So we’re kind of like fellow townsmen, how can you be like this?”

A bit speechless, Xu Qinghuan responded, “Kong Lijuan, when you wronged me back then, why didn’t you think of this? Are we on such good terms? Do I owe you help?”

Kong Lijuan left furiously, Qing Xiao followed her out to see her off at the gate.

Qiao Xinyu came over with her child; her and Yu Xiaomin’s kids were both over six months older than Xu Qinghuan’s two, already walking, once on the ground they rolled around with Qing Xiao.

“What did she want?”

“Came to borrow the Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry Self-study Series, which nerve of hers is off?” Xu Qinghuan felt a bit annoyed.

“I saw her go to Shen Jinju’s place at noon, and then to the county in the afternoon. Did Shen Jinju say something to her?” Qiao Xinyu remarked, “Shen Jinju really likes meddling, hasn’t she suffered enough?”

“Some people never suffer enough no matter how many times they lose.” Xu Qinghuan said, “However, there’s one thing she did that can’t be faulted, even when Dong Liangcheng was at his most foolish, she never mistreated him. Few can do that.”

Qiao Xinyu’s resentment toward Shen Jinju lessened, “If she wants to take the exam, she could ask us, why let Kong Lijuan come to ask?”

Just as they spoke, Shen Jinju came with her child, “I said Educated Young Qiao must be at Educated Young Xu’s place, Mingya said she wants to see your Nannan to play.”

Qiao Xinyu’s son was named Chen Shunan, usually the two children didn’t play much together.

Xu Qinghuan knew she came over for something, handing her a chair.

Shen Jinju said, “At noon, Educated Young Kong came to my place crying her heart out, her child had an accident, almost lost his life, luckily it was thanks to Educated Young Xu you, otherwise truly… I was so upset hearing it, as mothers, how can we bear to see children like this!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep