Chapter 107: Heartbreak Once More

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Listening to Liu Yunfei ask about this matter, Zhang Xiaoli suddenly felt troubled again. "Originally, the urban management wouldn’t allow it. They forcibly demolished it many times. But there’s a thug on the food street, you know? My dad made a deal with him—after the urban management tore it down, my dad rebuilt it again."

“Thug?” Liu Yunfei was a bit puzzled. He usually didn’t pay attention to such things, and now this guy seemed even tougher than the urban management.

“Yes, his surname is Zhou. He used to be a pig butcher and was said to be very skilled at skinning pigs, so everyone called him ‘Pig Skin Zhou.’ He’s very fierce—anyone who provokes him gets chased down with a butcher’s cleaver. But he’s never really killed anyone, so the police are helpless against him.”

“Ah, there are still bullies like this?” Liu Yunfei couldn’t believe such people existed in a socialist country.

“Now Zhou Pigskin is old and not as fierce, but he has three sons—Zhou Jinlong, Zhou Jinhu, and Zhou Jinbao. They’re all tall and strong and are said to have joined the underworld. No one dares to defy them on the food street; otherwise, their stalls get shut down. Even the urban management and police fear them, so my dad asked for their protection. They agreed to let my dad continue running his stall.”

“Oh, so there really are gangs collecting protection fees. But for your family, that’s actually a good thing—without the gang, your yurt would have been torn down long ago.” Liu Yunfei thought that gangs might have some benefits after all; without paying protection fees, it would be impossible to make a living. Then he asked, “Is your little restaurant doing well?”

“Yes, in summer during peak season, the net profit can be over 5,000 a month. Even in winter, the off-season, 3,000 is stable.”

Though this family income couldn’t compare with the wealthy or civil servants, it was still better than most wage earners. Liu Yunfei was a little surprised. He tilted his head, looking Zhang Xiaoli up and down. But no matter how he looked, she was clearly dressed in low-income assistance clothes—washed-out, somewhat rough school uniforms and dusty sneakers. People earning 3,000 to 5,000 a month usually dressed better.

Zhang Xiaoli clearly noticed his odd gaze and lowered her head. “Too bad I’m not a boy. My family favors boys over girls.”

“What kind of society is this? Are your parents from the countryside?” Liu Yunfei didn’t expect that. He thought, if you were a boy, wouldn’t I be missing out on a wife?

“My parents are indeed from the countryside,” Zhang Xiaoli said, lowering her head with a hint of shame.

Liu Yunfei thought he’d misspoken again, clearly sounding like he was mocking her. He quickly explained, “Oh, sorry, I’m not making fun of rural folks, especially since your family now has a city household registration. I just mean their views are outdated.”

“I have no choice. Their backward thinking is deeply ingrained... sigh,” Zhang Xiaoli sighed heavily. Hearing her sigh so deeply, Liu Yunfei imagined all the grievances she must have endured over the years. He gripped her hand tightly and said, “But a few years ago, I saw you with a little boy you said was your brother. A son and a daughter—that should be a happy family, right?”

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“They were fined a lot of money,” she said.

“Oh.” Liu Yunfei thought that must be why Zhang Xiaoli’s family was struggling. They must have been heavily fined and in debt. “Why didn’t you say? I can help you pay off the debt.” He struck a wealthy pose and asked, “How much do you owe?”

Zhang Xiaoli looked confused. “Owe money? My family doesn’t owe anyone money. They live quite well.”

Now Liu Yunfei was puzzled. “Then why do you seem… Don’t be sad, I’m just curious. What do you mean by ‘they live well’? Don’t you live with your parents?”

Zhang Xiaoli sighed again, filled with unspeakable shame and grievance. “I live with them, but my life is completely different. My brother can buy whatever he wants; I don’t even get pocket money. Even the best dishes at meals are given to my brother first, and I only eat after he’s finished. They call me a money-loser every day…” Zhang Xiaoli finally choked up and couldn’t continue.

“No way, that kind of thing happens?” Liu Yunfei reached out and hugged her shoulder, pulling her close to his chest. The softness of her hair rubbed against his chin, a feeling he liked very much. Suddenly, he thought of something. “Are you really your parents’ biological daughter?”

“Yes, I am. I used to suspect I was adopted, but later my mom said, even if they were to adopt, they’d choose one who brings profit, not a money-loser like me.” Zhang Xiaoli lowered her voice so Liu Yunfei wouldn’t understand clearly, like a whisper. “If they were to adopt, they’d bring back someone worthwhile, not someone like me.”

“Oh, a bread seller. I really have to say, I admire them. What kind of parents are they? They treat their own flesh and blood worse than an adopted child.” Liu Yunfei had thought the family was poor, but now he realized even with money, they didn’t care for their daughter. He’d never seen such cruel parents, so extreme in their preference for sons.

“My mom even said that if it weren’t for my childhood nickname, she would have thrown me into the trash heap long ago.”

“Oh, what’s your nickname?” Liu Yunfei was curious, as nicknames were rare nowadays.

“Lai Di. I’ll tell you, but don’t tell anyone.” Zhang Xiaoli blushed.

Liu Yunfei chuckled and whispered in her ear, “Lai Di? That’s so old-fashioned, haha.”

“I shouldn’t have told you,” Zhang Xiaoli blushed and mockingly patted Liu Yunfei’s chest in fake anger.

During the first evening study session of senior year, Liu Yunfei kept thinking about how to get Zhang Xiaoli away from that family. He had to save her from misery. Thinking about such days filled with discrimination and humiliation, he himself couldn’t endure a single day. But if he made Zhang Xiaoli leave home, she would surely worry about her parents and refuse.

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Likewise, Zhang Xiaoli wasn’t focused on studying during this session either. Holding her book, she thought: Being with Liu Yunfei has long been my deepest wish. I love him wholeheartedly, madly, and completely. But if I were to date Liu Yunfei, I’d have to reject that thug Zhou Jinbao. Even though Liu Yunfei is now wealthy, that’s still Pigskin Zhou and his family—the animal trio: Dragon, Tiger, and Leopard. Even worse, their backing is the most powerful gang in Huangjiang, the Four Harmonies Society. If I truly refuse Zhou Jinbao, my parents’ business will definitely fail. Although my parents treat me badly, after all, they gave birth to me, raised me, fed me, and sent me to school. If I cause them to lose their livelihood, will my own life become even worse? It would also bring great trouble to Liu Yunfei. Zhou Jinbao’s fights and stabbings are common, and I’ve even seen him carrying a gun. No, I can’t let Liu Yunfei get hurt. I’d rather suffer myself than let the person I love suffer even a bit. Let me just love him silently for a lifetime.

After evening study ended, Zhang Xiaoli took the initiative to wait for Liu Yunfei and Xiao Wei. She meaningfully patted Liu Yunfei on the shoulder and said, “Seal the deal early, hehe.”

“Go away, you pure little pervert,” Liu Yunfei grumbled, lightly kicking the chubby guy, then left the school with Zhang Xiaoli.

Zhang Xiaoli pushed her bicycle, and Liu Yunfei accompanied her. The night alley was very quiet, with no street lamps. The faint moonlight illuminated the white concrete pavement, reflecting a bleak pale blue. From somewhere, the sound of a TV playing an unknown serial drama faintly drifted—somewhere someone was crying, someone laughing. Whether it was a tragedy or a comedy, the alley was about to stage its own life’s drama of sorrow and joy.

“Sorry, Liu Yunfei, I can’t be your girlfriend,” Zhang Xiaoli said directly.

“Ah?” Liu Yunfei was caught off guard. “What’s wrong with you? You were fine at dinner just now.”

“Sorry, I have a boyfriend.”

“...” The sudden blow left Liu Yunfei speechless. He had felt so good just moments ago, thinking about where he could hold her hand. But now, all he got was rejection.

“We started dating during summer vacation. He treats me well, so I can’t be your girlfriend. Goodbye.” Seeing Liu Yunfei stunned, Zhang Xiaoli felt a sharp pain in her heart, afraid she would soften if she looked at him again. She just wanted to say it and leave quickly to find a private place for a good cry.

“Wait.” Liu Yunfei hurried after her, grabbing her bicycle. “I just want to ask you one question—only one.”

“Say it.”

“Do you still love me?”

“I do, but what good does that do? Why didn’t you accept me earlier, even if just one week or two days earlier? It’s too late now. I’ve already promised someone else. We have to face reality. We’re not from the same world, not before, not now, and not ever. I have my life. Forget about me. Let go!” Zhang Xiaoli bit her lip, tears in her eyes, pedaled hard around a corner, and disappeared from Liu Yunfei’s sight.