Plum blossoms, orchids, chrysanthemums, and bamboo—have the plum blossoms bloomed yet? (The End)

"Plum blossoms, plum blossoms, are they blooming?" A middle-aged man's hoarse, distorted singing came from outside the window, as piercing as a crow perched on a branch in winter announcing a bad day. Hearing this voice, I paused for a moment, then lowered my head and continued tidying the clothes on the bed.
"Go on, you bitch. Your lover is here to see you again, why don't you go? You Pan Jinlian, stop pretending, I'm not going to die anytime soon, if you don't go, you'll suffocate!" The hoarse voice, the vicious curses, came from my husband, who was sitting in a wheelchair.
My name is Li Chunmei, and my husband's name is Lu Wunan. He is the same age as me and from the same village. The man singing outside the window is our neighbor Zhao Youcai, whom we grew up with.
The three of us have known each other since we were toddlers, childhood sweethearts. When we were five or six years old, we went to the only primary school in the village together, and a few years later we went to middle school in the county town together. Through the changing seasons, the first eighteen years of my life were spent in my
childhood, a time when Wu Nan was infatuated with me. Whenever he had nothing to do, he would loiter outside my window, singing a song he'd learned from who-knows-where
: "Plum blossoms, plum blossoms, have they bloomed yet? Plum blossoms, plum blossoms, have they bloomed yet…" Whenever this happened, my mother would always joke with me, saying that this Lu boy wouldn't give up until he married my Chunmei! And I, through the window, would glare at him as he sang with all his might until his face turned red, then blush and lower my head to continue doing my homework.
"Lu Wu Nan! You're howling here again! Can't a person do their homework?!" Sure enough, not long after, Zhao Youcai from next door would rush out and start playing around with Wu Nan. I could sense that he liked me too, but he lacked Wu Nan's boldness and straightforwardness. He never dared to show anything to me directly, only when Wu Nan expressed his affection for me would he casually find various excuses to cause trouble.
"You'd better get out of here, or these two brats will tear our house down!" My mother said this to me with a smile. Then, in the fields and by the river in the countryside, the figures of three little boys running, chasing, laughing, and playing were left behind.
For several years, this continued until
I went to middle school. I gradually learned to be reserved and knew that what girls and boys should and could do was different, so I played and fought with them less. But my mother's words came true. Lu Wu Nan increasingly and clearly showed me feelings that went beyond the friendship of being from the same hometown and classmates, and he pursued me relentlessly. At first, Zhao Youcai always tried to stop us, but after graduating from junior high school, he failed to get into a vocational school and returned home to farm. From then on, Wu Nan and I only saw him when we returned home for holidays.
At that time, we were a pair of
rural girls, and marriage was always our top priority. Therefore, after graduation, our families didn't plan for me to continue working outside. Wu Nan had good grades and quickly found a technical job on a construction site, saying he would start working soon. After we returned to our hometown and stayed for a short time, he came to propose marriage. Our families had always been on good terms, and our parents had already tacitly accepted our relationship. We quickly arranged a wedding banquet, and two months later, Wu Nan and I left home again to work
in other places. Although life was tough, we both upheld the honesty, diligence, and hard work characteristic of rural people, and we made it through step by step, so we were not worried about making a living. Especially after I gave birth to our first daughter when I was nineteen, he regarded us, mother and daughter, as his responsibility, more important than his own life. He worked like a madman, carrying the entire family on his shoulders. Back
then, hard work paid off. Four years later, our second daughter was born, and Wu Nan had become a small foreman on the construction site. Seven years later, thanks to his relentless ambition, he finally got a managerial position. The following year, we finally got our wish and had our third child, our only son.
At that time, I was middle-aged and felt that a happy and fulfilling life couldn't be better than this. My husband was successful in his career, my children were doing well in their studies, and I was retired at home with a nanny to take care of my daily life. I spent my days reading and watching TV. What more could I ask for?
However, this happy time didn't last long. Tragedy struck when our fourth child was about to be born. I accidentally fell down the stairs and went into hemorrhagic shock, almost losing my life. At the time, Wu Nan was inspecting a construction site when he received the call. Panicked, he accidentally fell from the high scaffolding. Fortunately, I was unharmed, and my daughter and I were safe. However, my husband was crippled.
At the peak of his life and career, he suddenly became disabled and had to retire. Wu Nan's personality changed drastically. From then on, my once gentle and kind husband became a volatile and unpredictable man.
That period was the darkest time of my life. I had to take care of my young child while also being careful of Wu Nan's temper, always ready to face his harsh words. Only when the night was deep and quiet, and my husband and child were asleep, could I dare to bury my face in the blankets and cry my heart out. This
kind of life continued for a long time...
When I was forty, my eldest daughter, Xia Lan, started working, my second daughter, Qiu Ju, was admitted to a key high school, and my son, Ze Nan, entered the best junior high school in the county. He was under military-style management and lived and ate at the school. For a while, the burden on my shoulders was much lighter, but Wu Nan's temper did not improve. After careful consideration, I decided to take him and my daughter Dongzhu back to our rural hometown, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. I hoped the tranquility of the countryside would cleanse his character and bring him back to the Lu Wunan of the past that I missed
. Upon returning home, I met Zhao Youcai, whom I hadn't seen in a long time. The peaceful and leisurely life in the countryside is never short of gossip and trivial matters. He naturally knew what had happened to our family, but when he saw me, his face showed an inappropriate joy.
After all, we had been close friends for many years, and the awkwardness of a long-awaited reunion disappeared after a few days. Using the excuse of worrying about our inconvenience, Zhao Youcai began to frequently visit my home.
With the changes in society over the past few decades, people's attitudes have also changed dramatically. Materialism is no longer a thought unique to urban families. In the years since he left home, more and more villagers have started to leave, and news of someone's family making a fortune or becoming an official in the city has been frequently heard back. Families with daughters of marriageable age have started to scheme and secretly consider which young man seems promising and could become a good son-in-law. At this time, Zhao Youcai, although handsome, has no market value because he only knows how to farm. He also looks down on girls who are willing to marry down but whose conditions are not good enough. Year after year, he has been waiting, unable to find someone suitable, and is still a bachelor at the age of forty.
Youcai himself doesn't care much about this, and since his parents died early, no one cares about him. As time went by, his once handsome appearance was almost completely ravaged by time, and years of working in the fields made him, who was originally tall, somewhat hunched over. Gradually, when the village elders scolded their lazy daughters, they began to say things like, "If you continue like this, you'll only be able to marry Zhao Youcai."
Under such circumstances, Zhao Youcai's life has not been easy in recent years. I only learned about all this after returning home for a while. Feeling a sense of shared misfortune, I understood the joy on his face when we met that day
. If I were in his shoes, driven to despair by life, I would probably react the same way upon seeing an old acquaintance with whom I had shared countless happy times.
Perhaps it was because he didn't want to lose face in front of his former rival, or perhaps he was truly lonely without a close friend to confide in for many years, but Lu Wunan was surprisingly kind to Zhao Youcai. He would often share drinks with him, reminiscing about the past, sighing together, sometimes crying, sometimes laughing, as if he had come back to life. I was secretly pleased and silently hoped that Zhao Youcai would visit more often.
However, Wunan's temper didn't subside, especially after drinking. He would often yell at me, even smashing his glass and scolding me for my slightest oversight. Although Zhao Youcai tried to stop him, he was, after all, an outsider and couldn't say much, only offering a few words of quiet comfort afterward. One night, Wu Nan was in a bad mood again and lashed out at me, even knocking over the basin of water I was using to wipe him down. The commotion drew the attention of Zhao Youcai from next door, who rushed over in a flurry of activity, still wearing his coat.
"Don't wash your dirty linen in public." Although the bad news had already spread far and wide, Wu Nan couldn't continue his outburst now that an outsider was in the house. He angrily told me to prepare some food and drinks, wanting to have a good drink with Zhao Youcai while he was in a bad mood. Although Zhao Youcai felt it was inappropriate, he wasn't comfortable leaving so easily, so he didn't stop us
. The drinking went on until the wee hours of the morning, and Lu Wu Nan fell asleep completely drunk. Zhao Youcai helped me carry him to bed and clean up the mess on the table and floor. Then, while I was cleaning up the dishes in the kitchen, he hugged me from behind. "Chunmei, come with me!" His breath, a mixture of alcohol and hot steam, hit my ear, startling me. He had drunk quite a bit, and his voice wasn't trying to be quiet; his words were like thunder. Luckily, the kitchen was far from the main room, and there was no reaction from the other side.
"Brother Zhao, look how drunk you are! What nonsense are you talking about!" I scolded, forcefully pushing him away. He suddenly knelt down in front of me.
"Chunmei, I drank quite a bit, but I'm not drunk! I...I..." He stammered, unable to say anything more. I froze for a few seconds, then rushed forward to help him up.
"Brother Zhao, what kind of behavior is this! Get up!" "No! I won't get up! I...I've offended you, I'm not human!" Zhao Youcai pushed my arm away and started slapping himself hard.
"Brother Zhao, don't do this! If Lao Lu hears us..." I whispered helplessly.
"Let him hear us!" Zhao Youcai didn't stop slapping himself, crying and shouting to me, "Chunmei, Lu Wunan is sorry! Yes, he's lucky to have married you, the most beautiful flower in our village, but he doesn't know how to cherish you! He doesn't know how to hold you in his hands and love you! Look at him now, he can't give you a good life! Come with me, come with me, okay? We'll continue to support him, we'll support Dongzhu's schooling together, we'll live a good life together..." "Zhao Youcai, you're crazy!" "Ignoring the possibility of waking Wu Nan, I interrupted him sharply, my voice trembling.
'I...I...I'm not crazy!' Zhao Youcai's lips trembled a few times as he shouted, 'Do you think I haven't been able to find a wife all these years? No! Chunmei, I can't let you go! When we were little, I wasn't as brave as Lu Wu Nan, I couldn't do what he did—sing to you outside your window—but I wanted to! I wanted to stand there and sing to you, smile at you, even if I only saw you glare at me, Chunmei…' 'Stop talking!' Recalling those days that felt like a lifetime ago, my tears also fell. 'Don't mention the past…' 'No! I want to mention it! The things I didn't dare tell you before, I'll tell you now. The songs I didn't dare sing to you before, I'll sing to you now!' After saying this, Zhao Youcai, with tears streaming down his face, knelt there, as if he had gone mad, and began to sing at the top of his lungs,
'Plum blossoms, plum blossoms, have they bloomed yet?' " "Plum blossoms, plum blossoms, have they bloomed yet…" In the still of the night, only this mournful, hoarse song echoed in the night sky…
I stared at him, speechless. At that moment, I wished my husband would wake up, wake up and drive him away, let me return to that painful yet peaceful life. "
Plum blossoms, plum blossoms, have they bloomed yet?"
As the song played, Zhao Youcai stood up, walked step by step to me, and hugged me
. "Chunmei, I missed you. All these years, I've thought of you day and night, I wanted to see you, but I couldn't. I was afraid you weren't doing well, suffering outside, but I was also afraid you were doing well and had forgotten me. Chunmei, I wanted you to come back, I waited for you to come back, year after year, and you're back, it's so good, so good…" "Brother Zhao, don't do this, please don't do this…" I felt the man's face buried in my neck, wet tears sliding down my hair, and my own tears began to fall in strings.
"Chunmei, have a cry, I know you've been wronged." Even if you don't come with me, just let your tears fall on my shoulder. From that moment on, I've been a useless man, and this is all I can give you! 'Waaah…' My defenses crumbled. All the pain and grievances of the past years erupted in those words. I pounded on his broad back, bit his shoulder hard, and cried uncontrollably…
That night, nothing happened, yet something clearly did. After seeing Zhao Youcai off, I lay down fully clothed next to Lu Wunan, listening to his thunderous snoring, unable to fall asleep. My forty-odd years of life played out before my eyes like a movie, first in black and white, then slowly turning to color, then back to black and white, and then a little color returned…
The next day, as usual, I got up early, made breakfast, and took Dongzhu to school. When we reached the gate, the child suddenly turned around and grabbed my sleeve.
'Mom, don't go with Uncle Zhao!' Those words were like a knife plunged into my heart. I was speechless, staring into the innocent, pleading eyes of the little girl.
"Mom, I won't tell Dad anything, please don't go with Uncle Zhao!" Tears welled in Dongzhu's eyes. She gripped my arm tightly, shaking it forcefully.
"Don't worry, Mom won't go." I turned my head away, not wanting my daughter to see my tears, and softly agreed, "Okay." Relieved by my promise, Dongzhu breathed a sigh of relief, nodded, and turned to leave. But I felt as if a rope was strangling me, my breath caught in my throat. I opened my mouth wide, but couldn't breathe. Suddenly, I missed that shoulder from last night.
"You stinking woman, are you dead out there? Get back in here, I need to use the toilet!" Wu Nan's shouts came from inside. I quickly wiped away my tears and ran in, helping him get out of bed and to the toilet.
"Was Uncle Zhao singing outside last night?" Holding the basin in both hands, I caught the foul-smelling urine gushing from his limp genitals. His words sent a shiver down my spine. Had he heard something last night?
"Damn it! I dreamt I heard him howling outside, I don't even know what he was yelling about. He had ill intentions towards you even when you were young, and now that you're an old woman, the way he looks at you is still so weird! You better watch out, don't go out and embarrass me!" Wu Nan cursed filthyly as he urinated, seemingly unaware of what had happened last night. I breathed a sigh of relief
. "Don't worry, we're fine." "Fine? Fine now! I'm useless now, I can't fuck you, but I don't know how long you can hold it in. I've heard you secretly getting horny!" Wu Nan's morning grumpiness grew stronger, every word piercing my sore spot. After the injury, he was impotent. As a normal woman, over the years, I had inevitably been tormented by desire to the point of being unable to control myself. I dared not show it in front of him, afraid it would make him feel inferior and despair, but I didn't expect him to find out anyway.
"What's wrong? What does it mean to keep your head down and not say a word? Before, in the county town, you had no connections and had to do it all by yourself. Now there's a forty-year-old bachelor next door who's amassed quite a stock. Who knows if you'll lose control one day and climb over his wall!" His words became increasingly harsh. I kept my head down until the dripping water finally stopped, then I pinched his manhood and gave it a couple of shakes. I picked up the chamber pot and walked out of the house, escaping that merciless humiliation. I urinated into the toilet, washed the pot, and heard someone outside pushing a cart selling tofu. I quickly opened the gate to buy some tofu, but saw Zhao Youcai standing at his door, staring blankly in my direction.
Our eyes met, and we both opened our mouths, but neither of us spoke. After a moment of silence, I closed the gate again.
What should I say? I don't know
if he had a reckless determination, if I should break free from the shackles I'm bound to, if the plum blossom should bloom beautifully before it withers... But we all know that the consequences of doing so would be irreversible. When Xia Lan was little, I told her a fairy tale. It said that all flowers are transformed butterflies. At that time, Xia Lan asked me why butterflies had to become flowers. I answered, "Because butterflies can only fly around; only by becoming flowers can they settle down." Now, I really want to know, why do butterflies have to become flowers?
Life went on. Wu Nan remained violent, Zhao Youcai still often stood guard at his door, and Dong Zhu, as if to prevent me from escaping, always followed me around. Youcai
still came to my house, but he was met with Wu Nan's subtle hostility, Dong Zhu's obvious wariness, and my deliberate avoidance. Gradually, I saw him less often.
Before I knew it, it was almost Dragon Boat Festival. That morning, I saw Dongzhu off and bought a large bunch of reed leaves on my way back. My hands were full, and I was already panting when I entered the yard. As usual, Wu Nan's cursing came from inside the house. I immediately dropped the leaves and ran in to help him get up and urinate.
The
yellow urine splashed in the basin, and a few drops of liquid kept spilling onto the back of my hands. I stood motionless with my head down, numbly listening to the voice that went from dense to scattered.
"Brother Lu, Chunmei, I..." When Zhao Youcai pushed open the door with a bag of zongzi in his hand, what he saw was me grabbing Wu Nan's penis and shaking off the remaining urine.
"Damn you, you stinking woman! You're getting worse and worse! You don't even know what a chain door is!" The proud Lu Wu Nan immediately exploded at this humiliating moment, overturning the chamber pot that I was holding with one hand, which was already trembling. The stench of urine was poured over my head, dripping down my hair in streams. Zhao Youcai was stunned by the sudden turn of events.
"Brother Lu, how could you do this to Chunmei!" After a moment of stunned silence, Zhao Youcai immediately dropped the rice dumpling on the ground and rushed over, ignoring the filth on me as he helped me up.
At the same time, he shouted, "Chunmei? You know how to call me 'brother,' but you don't even know how to call her 'sister-in-law'? Zhao Youcai, Zhao Youcai, you still have designs on her!" Without a trace of remorse, Lu Wunan glared at the two of us, as if all the blame for his current state lay with us.
"Lu Wunan! How could you become like this!" Zhao Youcai's face was full of disbelief. He knew Wunan's temper had turned sour, but he had never seen him so vile.
"What I become is none of your business! What are you glaring at me for? What do you want to do? Do you think you can interfere when I'm disciplining my wife?" "Wu Nan stared at Zhao Youcai, who was panting heavily with wide eyes, his face full of disdain and provocation.
"Fine, fine, Lu Wu Nan, you're really something! Chunmei, come with me!" Zhao Youcai trembled with anger, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the door.
"Brother Zhao, don't..." I struggled, but his hand gripped my wrist like an iron clamp, bringing me excruciating pain.
In my memory, he always protected me in any situation. When we went out together, with him around, even the mosquitoes on summer nights couldn't get near me. Now, he was so angry that he had lost his mind; otherwise, he would never have gripped me so tightly.
Yes, it was all for me...
I didn't say anything more and silently followed Zhao Youcai out of the house
. "Damn it! I knew you weren't good people! You dog and bitch! You sluts and whores! Get the hell out of here! Get as far away as possible! Never come back for the rest of your lives!!!" Behind me, Lu Wu Nan's curses continued, but at this moment, I only felt the pain in my wrist. The pain was excruciating, a pain that was both agonizing and comforting.
We hadn't rolled far before entering Zhao Youcai's yard next door
. Once inside, he noticed the swollen marks on my wrist and quickly released my hand, apologizing profusely
. "It's alright," I whispered. Then, neither of us knew what to say.
"I...I'll go boil some water for you. You should wash up first," Zhao Youcai muttered, seeing my still-wet hair, before getting up and leaving the house. Just moments ago, I could sense the courage in him to kill my husband for me, but now, he wouldn't even look at my
filth, wouldn't sit down, and just stood there surveying the room's furnishings. Everything was very simple, except for a pile of unused glutinous rice, red dates, and bamboo leaves on the central table, which stood out conspicuously. A short while later, Zhao Youcai brought in a large basin of hot water, then went to get a towel, soap, and a change of clothes. "I only have men's clothes here. Make do with these. Wash up first. I'll go outside; call me if you need more water." "He mumbled something and then went back out
. "Hmm." I responded softly, not knowing if he heard me. The door closed, and I began to take off my clothes, washing my body little by little with hot water.
Twenty years ago, my skin was smooth and tender, but over the years it had become loose, rough, and covered with several scars. A long scar on my lower abdomen was left by Sheng Dongzhu. Because of Wu Nan's accident, I hadn't even had a proper postpartum period after giving birth to this last child, leaving me with many health problems. I had almost lost all the assets a woman should have. Lu Wu Nan was right, I'm already an old woman. With
this body, with this me, what is there for him to be infatuated with?
"Old Zhao, I'm all better." I called softly to the door. Through the window, I saw Zhao Youcai throw his half-smoked cigarette on the ground and stomp it out. He got up and came over.
I didn't draw the curtains, but he remained squatting outside the window, never turning around to look.
"Chunmei, you..." "What's wrong?" "Didn't you say you wanted me to follow you? Why the expression now?" I used a joke to cover up my unease. It was the first time I'd been naked in front of a man other than Lu Wunan, and I was filled with trepidation. I didn't even understand why I was doing this.
"Chunmei, I..." "Can't you say anything other than Chunmei, you, and I?" I walked towards him step by step, took his hand, and placed it on my breasts. They
were sagging badly, no longer as full and firm as they used to be, but Zhao Youcai's gaze was incredibly devout, so devout that it made me feel guilty
. "I'm sorry, Lao Zhao, I'm not pretty anymore." I sighed
. "No, Chunmei, you'll always be the most beautiful flower in our village, no, in the whole world!" As I said this, his hand seemed to be on pins and needles, not daring to move
. *Pfft!* I laughed out loud. "Remember when you called me Little Plum Blossom, and I called you Zhao Youcai? Now, you call me Chunmei, and I call you Old Zhao. Everything has changed." "Some things won't change." Zhao Youcai's hand finally moved, but it left my chest and gently stroked my cheek. "Everything changes."
I smiled and insisted
, "No, it won't change." He laughed too, hugging me tightly
, caressing and kissing me...
Many years later, I tasted this feeling again. Although it came from another man, I was completely willing.
"Chunmei, you will always be the Little Plum Blossom in my heart, the most beautiful Little Plum Blossom that never fades even in the coldest winter, it won't change." I murmured, the boy who always followed behind me all those years, who would rush to my side when I was in danger, entered my body.
"Do you know? Chunmei, back then I told myself, in this life, I only have Li Chunmei as my woman." Soft yet burning words echoed in my ears. My hands caressed his back, and my legs wrapped around his waist. I knew that at this moment, words like "slut," "whore," "vulgar," and "shameless" would forever be etched on my shoulders. But I clearly heard my heart say: I don't regret it.
Every wrinkle on Lao Zhao's face spoke of happiness, every breath revealed satisfaction, and every thrust seemed to send his whole heart into my body. I cried out wildly, letting out sounds I hadn't uttered in over a decade, letting out all the resentment and grievances in my heart.
Wu Nan was right; this old bachelor had indeed accumulated quite a bit of "sex," and being a virgin, he quickly came inside me. I stroked the large lump on the back of his neck, swollen from years of hard work, and laughed, saying he was old and useless. Then, in a fit of pique, he came again, but again, he was defeated in no time, which only earned me more playful teasing
and playful teasing. Two people in their forties, yet like children, embraced, naked, reminiscing about the past. Even when their voices were hoarse, they gazed at each other, never leaving each other's side for a second. I knew that for me, this had nothing to do with desire, nothing to do with love; it was simply a surrender, a surrender to reality. I bowed to life, admitting I couldn't hold on any longer, admitting I had given in to myself, surrendering myself to fate's whims…
I knew that after this brief happiness, my life would be plunged into darkness.
But, I'm sorry, this man on my back
eventually had to come to an end. As I slowly unlatched the door and opened it, wearing Zhao Youcai's clothes, I thought, perhaps I'll never step into this courtyard again, never see this man again.
Zhao Youcai behind me didn't speak, but I could feel his lingering gaze. I'm not a decisive woman after all; I can't abandon everything. This one and only time was my own escape, and also my way of repaying him. Squeak…
The two doors slowly opened. Before me sat Lu Wunan, sitting in a wheelchair, his face cold and silent, and behind him stood my daughter, her face streaked with tears.
"Mom…" Upon seeing me, a smile flashed across Dongzhu's face, but it was immediately replaced by grievance and blame. At the same time, Zhao Youcai rushed in front of me again, kneeling down before my husband.
"Brother Lu, I forced her. If you want to kill or torture someone, come at me! Don't make things difficult for your sister-in-law!" He hadn't expected Lu Wunan to be guarding the door; he just instinctively rushed out to protect me, as he always had. Even after more than a decade, this habit remained unchanged. It turns out some things truly never change.
Since the first time he learned that Wu Nan and I were a couple, this was only the second time he had called me "sister-in-law." "You bad guy!" The half-brick already in Dong Zhu's hand flew out, landing on Zhao Youcai's forehead, blood gushing out
. "You're not allowed to steal my mother!" Dong Zhu picked up another stone and threw it at him. Lu Wu Nan stared at me, saying nothing. A crowd gradually gathered. He looked around, pulled a rattan cane from his wheelchair, and said coldly, "Kneel down." I didn't resist. I walked past Zhao Youcai, went to Wu Nan, and knelt down
. *Smack!*
The first blow landed directly on my face, a burning pain, warm blood instantly flowing to the corner of my mouth. "Dad...Dad! Don't hit my mother, it's all Uncle Zhao's fault, please don't hit my mother..." Dong Zhu froze for a moment, then immediately cried and lunged at Lu Wu Nan, trying to snatch the rattan cane from his hand. At the same time, Zhao Youcai rushed over and stood protectively in front of me, facing Lu Wunan
. "Old Zhao, take Dongzhu aside," I sighed, speaking to the hunched but broad back before me. He turned and gave me a deep look. I didn't speak; I knew he understood.
Zhao Youcai stood up, picked up the struggling and crying Dongzhu, letting the little girl's sharp nails leave bloody marks on his face, and slowly walked to the side
. *Smack!*
The second lash landed hard on my forehead
. *Smack!
*...
Each lash pierced my heart, tearing at my soul.
The villagers watching pointed and whispered, but no one dared to intervene. This village hadn't been this quiet in a long time, only the little girl's cries and the sound of the cane striking...
The singing from outside the window still drifted in, and my husband's curses continued unabated. I gathered my clothes, saying nothing. The wounds on my face and hands had scabbed over and were slowly peeling off. But that mark may never disappear.
I don't
know why butterflies turn into flowers, nor why plum blossoms stubbornly bloom in the cold winter. I only realize now that what lasts isn't necessarily beautiful; perhaps sometimes, withering is peace. The luggage was finally packed, and Xia Lan's car had arrived at the door. We silently got in, drove away, passed Zhao Youcai's house, and drove out of the village.
The road in the rearview mirror gradually became a thin line, and that lonely figure could no longer be seen. Only the hoarse singing seemed to still linger in my ears.
Plum blossoms, plum blossoms, have they bloomed?

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Plum blossoms, orchids, chrysanthemums, and bamboo—have the plum blossoms bloomed yet? (The End)

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