1979: My fiancée is a goddess

"What great writer or genius!"
In my opinion, he's a liar. He talks a good game, asking us to adopt Xiao He and promising to give us 20 yuan a month for raising him!

Now look what's happened; in the blink of an eye, they've all vanished.

How dare he say he'd cover all of Xiaohe's expenses?

Chaoyang, inside a bedroom of a residential building.

The room was dark, with only a sliver of light filtering in through the open window.

At the same time, raindrops drifted in from outside, falling to the ground and splashing countless tiny raindrops onto the faces of the middle-aged couple sitting on the bed.

Even in the height of summer, it sent chills down one's spine.

"Don't speak so loudly! Don't let the two kids hear you, otherwise, knowing Xiaoli and Xiaohe's personalities, they'll be sad and upset again!"

Zhu Xizhi, wearing old plastic sandals, sat on the edge of the bed, her hands clasped together, her pale face showing dissatisfaction.

Upon hearing this, the husband paused, and his slightly agitated expression calmed down.

They have adopted Xiao Li for several years now. Although the child is a bit introverted and not very talkative.

But she is hardworking, obedient and sensible, and extremely filial. Moreover, she has excellent academic performance, and her teachers all say that she is very likely to get into a good university in the future.

Even for the sake of Xiao Li, Zhu Xizhi and Li Xitong were willing to treat Xiao He well.

Moreover, although the little girl looks delicate and frail, she is much more cheerful and lively than her older sister, Xiao Li, and she has an exceptionally sweet tongue.

Li Xitong remembers that in April, his family had just adopted Xu He, and they had already become quite familiar with each other.

So on Friday, when he came home from work, he opened the door to find his family having dinner. His little girl turned around and saw him, and immediately a happy smile appeared on her face. She put down her bowl, ran over with her short legs, jumped into his arms, and called out to him sweetly.

In that instant, he fell in love with this lively and adorable little girl.

She even likes him more than her older sister Xu Li, whom she has raised for several years.

In addition, the little girl's congenital illness makes her all the more pitiful and heartbreaking.

Li Xitong couldn't bear to let Xiao He hear these words, lest she feel wronged and cry.

"Old Li, don't think like that. You know better than I do what Comrade Cheng Kaiyan is, working outside. Do you think someone like him would run away over a few dozen yuan in child support?"

Given Zhu Xizhi's shrewd and worldly nature, how could she not harbor resentment?
But at this point, she still held onto a sliver of hope and patiently advised her husband to avoid making things worse: "After all, things have come to this point, and since we've already adopted Xiaohe and Xiaoli, it's best to treat them like our own daughters."

Stop complaining. It doesn't sound good. You should just focus on working harder and earning more money to support your family.

"Hey……"

Upon hearing this, Li Xitong sighed, subconsciously took out a half-empty pack of cigarettes from his pocket, put it in his mouth, lit it, and began to smoke.

The smoke shrouded the man's slightly dark face, making him look like a silent iron tower.

Weary and worn out.

He understood this principle perfectly well, otherwise he wouldn't have gritted his teeth and persevered for five or six months.

Although Old Li's family doesn't have much income, he's the only one working at the company, earning a little over fifty yuan a month. They live in their own house and don't have to pay rent.

Actually, when you really think about it, their family is quite well-off; the neighbors even envy their comfortable life.

Otherwise, the couple wouldn't dare to adopt a child.

Xiao Li has been with the family for several years, and their expenses are not high. The couple can still save a few yuan or ten yuan each month.

Over the years, I've saved up some money.

Now that we've adopted Xiaohe, it's really just a matter of having an extra pair of chopsticks and a bowl. The child doesn't need much in terms of food, clothing, shelter, or transportation, and can wear her older sister Xiaoli's old clothes.

Although this child doesn't need medication, the monthly check-up fees and the cost of replacing glasses are quite high.

After a few months, the couple's savings of several years were starting to run out.

If things continue like this, although we won't run out of money, the only solution is to keep Xiaohe at home from now on.

Like a blind person, I'm stuck at home and can't go anywhere.

"That makes sense. I've always treated my two children like my own daughters."

I just felt that Comrade Cheng Kaiyan is such a prestigious person; his words couldn't be taken for granted, right?

Li Xitong said in a low voice.

"That's definitely not the case."

Zhu Xizhi wasn't entirely sure about this either, but they needed a reason to persevere.

She didn't quite believe that Cheng Kaiyan was deliberately running away because she didn't want to pay.

His identity is extraordinary; he is an internationally renowned writer.

Moreover, when we first met at the hospital in March, Comrade Cheng Kaiyan immediately gave the doctor 100 yuan as a deposit.

Comrade Cheng Kaiyan has not appeared for more than five months.

Some time ago, Zhu Xizhi saw news about Comrade Cheng Kaiyan in the newspaper, saying that his paper had been published abroad, which caused quite a stir.

Therefore, Zhu Xizhi guessed: "This young man may have been too busy with too many things and forgot about this matter concerning Xiao He."

"That makes sense, he forgot... Heh, it concerns Xiao He's future health and life, and he just forgot about it because he was so busy?"

Li Xitong sneered, thinking it was very possible, but that would be too ironic.

"Forget it, let's not talk about this anymore. When we went to Peking Union Medical College Hospital for a checkup last time, Director Huang from the ophthalmology department said that the glasses we ordered from the United States last time should arrive at the beginning of this month."

I heard they're 100% effective against certain types of radiation. With these glasses, Xiaohe can go out without her vision deteriorating too much. If she adapts well, her prescription won't even decrease, and she won't need to change glasses anymore, which will save her a lot of money.

Zhu Xizhi waved her hand, quickly dispelling the choking smoke in front of her, and changed the subject.

He mentioned the news he had received some time ago.

Her face couldn't help but show an expression of anticipation and longing.

As long as Xu He's vision stabilizes, and the little girl is careful not to get too much sun or go outside, she will be no different from any other child.

And expenses will come down, so the household should be able to stay afloat.

"..."

Li Xitong remained silent, then took a deep breath and said, "I understand what you mean, but this amount of money is not a small sum."

I know Comrade Cheng Kaiyan has already paid a deposit of one hundred yuan, but we'll need at least three or four hundred more. Where will that money come from?

"Let's borrow some money from relatives, a little from each of us. We can pay it back slowly once things are more stable at home. If all else fails, I can go out and find some work to earn some extra money to help support the family."

Zhu Xizhi seemed to have already made up her mind, and said through gritted teeth.

"Can……"

Li Xitong opened his mouth, a heavy thought running through his mind, and finally nodded heavily: "Let's give it a try..."

"call……"

Zhu Xizhi breathed a long sigh of relief, finally able to give herself and her two children a satisfactory answer.

As for the couple, they are both in their forties or fifties, and after so many years of not being able to conceive, they don't plan to have any more children.

The two sisters, Xiao He and Xiao Li, are their children.

I'd do anything for my own child.

It's just a matter of enduring some hardship and toil.

The couple finally reached an agreement, and their mood improved considerably. They sat on the bed, discussing how to borrow money.

In the dimly lit room, the two spoke in hushed tones, barely audible.

The light rain outside the window gradually intensified, pattering against the glass.

The shimmering water and the dim sunlight shone on the glass window, reflecting in the subtle cracks at the doorway.

Those two eyes, appearing and disappearing.

Only one of them, black and white, stood out clearly, timidly glistening with a hint of tears.

The other one is a somewhat eerie and beautiful cherry blossom pink, lively and vibrant, as pretty as a flower fairy in human form.

……

……

"elder sister……"

The little girl, wearing a floral dress, stood at the door with her head down, her usually cute face now wrinkled.

Large tears welled up in her eyes, the glistening moisture contrasting with her cherry-pink pupils, a sight that evoked heartbreak and pity.

"good……"

Seeing his younger sister's tearful and heartbroken appearance, Xu Li was overwhelmed with sorrow.

Tears, no longer restrained, streamed down from the corners of her eyes, wetting her clothes.

They were both adopted into a family, their illnesses were almost under control, their older brother was willing to sponsor them, they were about to live a happy and stable life, and a bright future was just around the corner... So why is it that even this family is about to collapse?
She didn't know why fate treated them this way, as if it couldn't bear to see the two sisters doing well.

She didn't know why her older brother had lost contact with her during this period.

But she knew it wasn't that he was unwilling to help them anymore, but rather that he was too busy, far too busy, so busy that he had long forgotten about these two strangers he had only met a few times...

Xu Li tried her best to explain, comfort, and encourage herself in her heart.

She didn't want to blame Kaiyan, she really didn't want to.

But why... why the resentment, the sorrow, the traces of hatred, like a Pandora's box that could no longer be contained, filled her heart.

If she had never seen hope, she might not have had any complaints, but...

"Sister, I don't want to get treatment anymore, okay?"

The younger sister pouted, raised her head, and pleaded in a choked voice, "Tell Uncle and Auntie that I don't want treatment anymore, and lock me in the dark room, okay?"

"Waaah... It's all our fault, it's all our fault..."

Xu Li could no longer contain the overwhelming sadness in her heart, and she choked out a sob.

Fearing that her adoptive parents in the room would hear, the girl quickly covered her mouth tightly.

But a mournful sob still escaped from his throat.

It was as if it had been vomited out from the depths of one's soul.

"let's go……"

Xu Li bit her lip hard, picked up her sobbing sister, and staggered out.

As they stepped out of their house, the cold wind and rain that greeted them soaked their clothes and hair.

Xu Li's innate habit of caring for her younger sister led her to subconsciously press her sister's head into her arms, resting her chin against her head, to prevent her from getting wet and sick from the wind and rain.

The weight of the two of them, combined with the erosion from the rain, quickly made Xu He's slender legs feel as heavy as if they were filled with lead.

With each step he took, his shoes kicked up large patches of water.

He stumbled and ran towards the orphanage.

With the metallic, sweet-tasting blood seeping from Xu Li's mouth from being bitten by her teeth, she seemed to have lost her soul, muttering to herself:

“Xiao He, we really are just like what the villagers say… We are both jinxes, bring bad luck and misfortune to others.”

I knew it all along, I knew it would be like this...

Happy days are nowhere near our reach... We shouldn't have had any illusions in the first place; we should have just stayed quietly in a corner... waiting to die peacefully one day..."

"elder sister……"

The little head that had been held down tightly in her arms lifted up; perhaps Xu Li was too weak.

A pair of pink eyes, bloodshot and turning a frightening crimson, stared at Xu Li. "Sister, if we die, will everything be alright? Won't we be a burden to others?"

"Be good, Little Crane, your sister won't let you die. Even if your sister dies, nothing will happen to you."

Xu Li, panting heavily, patted her sister's hair and comforted her in a hoarse voice.

"Sister, do people turn into stars when they die? I want to become a star so I can watch over you, okay?"

The little girl's voice was full of innocence and purity.

"No! No way!"

A tearing, agonizing pain shot through Xu Li's heart. A sharp, piercing voice rose in pitch, its tone filled with anger and panic echoing through the deserted street.

It drew the attention of pedestrians holding umbrellas on the surrounding road.

"Sister... but I miss Mom and Dad. I don't want to be here anymore. I want to be with them. They come to see me in my dreams every day."

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

"elder sister……"

"Shut up! If you keep doing that, I'm not your sister anymore!"

Xu Li shouted at the top of her lungs, her voice sounding exceptionally cold and ruthless.

As expected, Xu He shut his mouth and dared not speak again. He simply stretched out his short arms to hug his sister's neck and gently, affectionately, rubbed his soft face against her cold, damp face.

Holding my sister in my arms is like holding the whole world in my arms.

This is her world.

Xu He quietly watched the world submerged by the rain, watching the streets gradually recede into the distance...

After an unknown amount of time, Xu He felt a thud beneath him.

The next instant, his body, like a tattered sandbag, suddenly lost its weight and flew forward.

But the cold arms that wrapped around her waist never left.

She instinctively closed her eyes.

"Pfft!"

A dull thud sounded in her ear, and splashes of dirty, yellowish water splattered onto her face, obscuring her vision.

Xu He blankly looked down at his older sister, who was protecting him very well beneath him.

Her pale, delicate face was covered in dirty water, and there was a cut on her forehead, with scarlet blood mixed with the dirty water.

It stung my eyes.

"elder sister."

she shouted.

"Are you alright, Xiao He?"

The stinging pain all over her body made Xu He frown subconsciously. She slowly reached out and stroked her younger sister's chubby face, trying to wipe away the stains.

But the more you wipe your blood-stained hands, the dirtier they become.

"Woooo..."

The two sisters lay on the road, hugging each other tightly, feeling each other's presence and breath.

Finally, the two slowly closed their eyes and quietly sobbed.

It seems to tacitly acknowledge the arrival of something.

Is it death?

Stinging, cold, and loss of body temperature sensation; consciousness gradually blurred.

I don’t know how much time has passed.

A familiar, gentle, yet tense voice came from afar.

"Little Carp? Little Crane?!"

"Is that Brother Kaiyan... or is it just a hallucination?"

"Is he/she the older brother?"

The two sisters murmured to themselves, as if they wanted to open their eyes and look at the person who had given them endless hope and warmth before they left.

flapping, flapping...

Her eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings.

A murky, blurry world swayed in my eyes.

A figure was running quickly through the rain from a distance.

The figure, backlit, was blurry but familiar, giving one a sense of peace.

"Little Carp, Little Crane! What happened to you? You fell and are bleeding?!"

An anxious and flustered voice rang in my ears, and that gentle face appeared before me.

"Big brother……"

The two sisters only managed to move their lips before the words were cut off and everything went black.

"I'll carry him! He's lost too much blood and is hypothermic!"

"Get her to the hospital immediately! She's unconscious!"

"Dean Jiang! Hurry up!"

Before losing consciousness, I vaguely heard many familiar voices.

...(End of chapter)