Chapter 16: Xiao Lian’s Sorrow

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“Little Lotus, let me take a look!” Chen Dabao looked down and saw beneath Little Lotus’s dress two slender jade-like legs. Inside her sandals were tiny feet no bigger than a handful, white and tender like exquisite white jade.

Such beautiful feet.

“Dabao, do you have any Red Flower Oil at home? Could you help me apply some?” Little Lotus looked at Chen Dabao shyly, her body slowly leaning closer.

“All right, Little Lotus, I’ll support you!” Chen Dabao nodded. Since they were not far from his home, he helped Little Lotus hobble over to the small Western-style house.

After seating her, Chen Dabao began rummaging through cabinets for the Red Flower Oil.

Soon enough, he found a small medicine box under the TV cabinet—probably prepared by Xiaoxue—and inside was half a bottle of Red Flower Oil.

“Little Lotus, don’t move. I’ll apply the medicine for you!” Chen Dabao lifted her leg and slipped off her sandal. Little Lotus’s face flushed, her eyes flickering uncertainly, but she didn’t refuse.

Her foot was perfectly shaped, with a full arch and delicate toes painted with red nail polish, looking exceptionally beautiful.

If such feet fell into the hands of a foot fetishist, they would surely be unwilling to let go.

Chen Dabao poured out a bit of the oil and rubbed it onto Little Lotus’s ankle.

“Ah!” Little Lotus winced in pain, a trace of suffering flashing across her lovely face.

“Dabao, it hurts!” she said pitifully.

“Little Lotus, bear with it. Your ankle sprain is quite severe!” Chen Dabao rubbed her ankle a little harder and couldn’t help but grumble, “Little Lotus, where’s Deng Hongyan? Why did she let you go out alone?”

With Little Lotus’s looks and figure, every household within ten miles would praise her.

Only Liu Fugui’s family, riding on a bit of ill-gotten wealth, treated her badly. Honestly, with Little Lotus’s qualities, marrying into a prosperous family in the city would be effortless.

Deng Hongyan was just being difficult.

“Because... because I couldn’t have children!” Little Lotus lowered her head, murmuring to herself. Then suddenly, she mustered courage and looked up at Chen Dabao. But when their eyes met, she shyly dropped her gaze again, her ears burning red.

Chen Dabao swallowed hard. What did Little Lotus mean by that?

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Why was her face even red?

“Little Lotus, I... I’ll take you home. The medicine’s on now!” Chen Dabao said nervously.

Women were like tigers; he couldn’t afford to be eaten by one.

“Dabao, you... you want me!” Before Chen Dabao could stand, Little Lotus suddenly leapt forward and hugged him tightly.

Her soft body pressed fully against Chen Dabao.

“Little Lotus, no, we can’t! If your husband finds out, it won’t be good!” Chen Dabao hastily stood up, unsure where to put his hands.

But though he stood, Little Lotus still clung tightly, refusing to let go.

“Dabao, he’s the one who sent me!” Little Lotus suddenly said.

“Liu Tianjie sent you?” Chen Dabao was stunned, hardly able to believe his ears. Little Lotus was Liu Tianjie’s wife—how could Tianjie send her out like this?

“Little Lotus, is this true?” Chen Dabao asked, half in disbelief.

“It’s true,” Little Lotus sighed deeply and said gloomily, “Actually, Tianjie is sick and can’t have children. We secretly went to a provincial hospital before. The doctor said Tianjie has azoospermia, meaning he can never have children.”

“But in the village, after years of marriage without a child—”

“The gossip from those busybodies could drive someone to death!”

Little Lotus and Liu Tianjie had been married for three years, but in all that time, her womb had remained silent. The village was full of whispers.

Some said Little Lotus was barren.

Others said Liu Tianjie was impotent—a eunuch of sorts—with detailed rumors. Liu Fugui was despicable, and the villagers, long oppressed by him, had no outlet but to spread such stories about Liu Tianjie.

The pressure weighed heavily on both Liu Tianjie and Little Lotus. At first, Deng Hongyan treated her tolerably, but now she wasn’t even allowed to sit at the dinner table.

Little Lotus and Liu Tianjie had endured enough of this life. Besides, in the countryside, having no son to carry on the family name was unacceptable. Liu Tianjie had been pondering a solution for some time.

“Little Lotus, isn’t there in-vitro fertilization nowadays? Why don’t you two try that?” Chen Dabao suggested hesitantly.

“We asked about IVF, but it costs one or two hundred thousand yuan. Where would Tianjie and I get that kind of money? And if we told my father-in-law, he wouldn’t agree anyway!” Little Lotus sighed softly.

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IVF required a fortune, and they weren’t the Liu family’s own seed. How could Liu Fugui possibly approve?

If the matter leaked out, how could Little Lotus and Liu Tianjie remain in Peach Blossom Village?

After finishing, Little Lotus looked at Chen Dabao gently. “Dabao, you’re a university student, tall and handsome, with good genes. When you were silly before, I said we should just get it done.”

“But Tianjie was afraid that if you were still silly, the child might have problems.”

“He also worried you might blab and let the secret out. That’s why it’s been delayed until now. Now that you’re not silly anymore, Tianjie is urging me to get it done!”

“Dabao, please pity me!” Little Lotus looked at Chen Dabao with a plaintive expression. A breeze stirred her hair, framing her beautiful face and sorrowful look—truly heart-rending.

Chen Dabao’s heart thumped.

Little Lotus was a pitiful girl. She had already been admitted to university, but her father fell ill, and the family couldn’t afford tuition. Later, due to medical expenses, she had no choice but to marry Liu Tianjie.

Fortunately, Tianjie treated her well. Only because of Tianjie’s problem had they been childless. If she couldn’t conceive soon, she feared Deng Hongyan would cast her out.

Chen Dabao swallowed hard and hesitated briefly. Suddenly, Little Lotus released him and began to undress.

“Little Lotus, you...!” Chen Dabao was about to stop her when suddenly, a violent banging echoed on the door.

The main gate of Chen Dabao’s yard shook violently from repeated kicks. The door was forcibly broken open, and a group of rough-looking men stormed inside.

“Little Lotus, quickly put your clothes on!” Chen Dabao hurriedly helped her cover up and rushed outside.

Outside, more than a dozen unsavory men had gathered, led by Zhao Dapao and Zhao Erpao.

“Zhao Dapao, Zhao Erpao, what do you want?” Chen Dabao’s face darkened as he looked at the damaged gate.

“What do we want?” Zhao Dapao and Zhao Erpao sneered, shouting fiercely, “Of course, we’re here to deal with you, Chen Dabao! Today, Grandpa will show you why the flowers are so red!”