Chapter Seventy-Eight: Drawing In

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Ler was just about to eat when the yellow dog started barking. Tao Youneng and Tao Huan entered the courtyard with a girl student.

“Useless yellow dog, if you bark one more time, I’ll fix you up and eat you,” Tao Youneng shouted at the dog.

“Hey, you two idiots, why are you yelling at my dog?”

“If you don’t train it properly, it keeps barking at us every time it sees us. If we don’t eat it, what’s the point of keeping it around?” Tao Youneng laughed as he walked into Ler’s main room.

“Have you eaten yet?” Ler asked.

“No, we came here just in time for a meal.” Tao Huan sat down by the table, peeking into the pot. “There’s barely any rice, and so few dishes. How are we supposed to eat?”

“If you want more, cook it yourself.”

“Alright then.” Tao Huan got up cheerfully and went to wash rice and start cooking. “Where’s the rice?”

“In the kitchen, find it yourself,” Ler replied. He turned to look at the student girl. “Youneng, who’s this pretty girl?”

“Hehe… She’s my girlfriend. Isn’t she beautiful?” Tao Youneng grinned. “Lili, call him Brother Ler.”

“Brother Ler…” the student girl said shyly, her face a little flushed. She was delicate and petite, a classic country beauty—gentle by nature, it seemed, and obedient to Ler’s words.

“Well, for Lili’s sake, I’ll go fry some dishes,” Ler said.

“Brother Ler, I’ll help you.” The student girl was quite industrious, immediately getting up to assist.

“Oh, there’s no need, you’re a guest.”

“Let her help, I have something to talk to you about,” Tao Youneng interjected.

Ler fetched some eggs and a small piece of cured dog meat. The student girl went to cook, while Ler eyed Tao Youneng, making him nervous.

“This student girl isn’t someone you tricked into coming here, is she?”

“Of course not… She’s my classmate. Isn’t she pretty? Prettier than Tao Haiying, don’t you think?”

“What do you want me to say? That your Lili is beautiful?” Ler chuckled. “Well… she’s good-looking, but honestly, she’s not as pretty as Tao Haiying.”

“Would it kill you to say something nice?” Tao Youneng glared at Ler. “Tao Haiying just has a bigger chest and a perkier butt… But you messed with her brother, she hates you now. Still think she’d marry you?”

Tao Youneng burst out laughing.

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“Nonsense, as if I’d like her,” Ler scoffed. “Are all the girls in the world dead? I’ve never seen a pretty girl with three legs, but there are plenty with two.”

“How about a pretty four-legged girl, want me to find you one?” Tao Youneng laughed loudly.

“Looking for trouble, are you? Maybe you’ve been with too many four-legged beauties yourself…”

The two bantered back and forth. The student girl moved quickly and soon served the eggs, though the cured dog meat would take a bit longer. Tao Huan put the rice on the biogas stove and joined them at the table. Ler brought out some wine and poured three big bowls.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in class today? Did you skip with the student girl?” Ler asked as he poured.

“What’s the point? We can’t get into college anyway. We’re just getting a high school diploma to find work,” Tao Youneng replied, taking a swig. “The teachers don’t care if we study or not. If we’re not there, they’re probably happier.”

“With troublemakers like you, what teacher wouldn’t be relieved?” Ler laughed. “How many girlfriends have you had?”

“Not that many,” Tao Youneng mumbled through a mouthful of food. “Just this one.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it.” Ler took a sip as well. “Huan, is he telling the truth?”

Tao Huan, busy eating, nodded.

“If you went to school too, that would be fun… The whole school would be ours,” Tao Youneng said happily. “You really pulled it off this time, didn’t you? Even Tao Wen fell into your hands… By the way, how did Ms. Feng become the village head?”

“Why shouldn’t she be?”

“I just don’t get why she’d want the job. There’s no salary, and for a young woman to be the village head—doesn’t she worry about being bullied?”

“Would you dare bully her?”

“Me? Of course not,” Tao Youneng glanced at Ler, noticing a sharp glint in his eyes that made his heart pound. “I’m just afraid some foolish idiot will cause her trouble.”

“Anyone who isn’t afraid of dying can try. Let me make this clear—anyone who gives her trouble, I’ll deal with them myself. I, Sha Ler, always keep my word.”

“Uh… Who is Ms. Feng to you, anyway?” Tao Youneng looked at Ler, puzzled. “You’re not planning to marry her, are you? Would she even consider you?”

“Did you eat something foul?” Ler raised his bowl. “Come, drink up. Listen, there are bound to be idiots in Shangtao Village who don’t like this, who want to make trouble. But I advise you not to be foolish—just follow me and support Ms. Feng. I promise it’ll be good for you in the future.”

Ms. Feng was the daughter of Secretary Feng from the county party committee, but only the village party secretary and Ler knew this—no one else.

“What good will come of it?”

“You’ll find out soon enough.” Ler clinked cups with them. “Your group in Shangtao Village is the weakest, even worse than our Xiasha folks. Why follow those rabble-rousers?”

Tao Youneng’s eyes darted. What Sha Ler said was true—the third group was the most bullied among the Tao family, simply because they lacked anyone outstanding. They were bullied but, unlike the Xiasha villagers, didn’t dare fight back. They could only swallow their grievances in silence.

Tao Youneng had long felt rebellious, but all he could do was act like a clown; it was pointless, and no one paid him any mind.

The dog meat was served.

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“Lili, eat up,” Ler said kindly to the student girl. “You’re our guest and yet we put you to work. I’m really sorry.”

“Brother Ler, do you live here alone?”

“Yes.”

The student girl filled a bowl with rice and sat beside Tao Youneng. She ate delicately, small mouthfuls, picking at the dishes, and finished quickly.

“Lili, why don’t you go watch TV?” Ler said, seeing she was uncomfortable and smiling gently.

“Take off your shoes before you go in,” Tao Youneng reminded her. “Close the door, we need to talk.”

The student girl obediently took off her shoes, went into the inner room, closed the door and turned on the TV. Tao Youneng looked at her back and frowned, as if something was on his mind.

“Youneng, what’s wrong? Something on your mind?”

Tao Youneng laughed awkwardly, glancing at Tao Huan.

“He got Lili pregnant,” Tao Huan said with a grin. “Now he’s in a bind. They want to go to the county for an abortion, but they don’t have money. He wants to borrow some from you but feels awkward asking.”

“Damn… You really are something,” Ler burst out laughing. “How much do you want to borrow?”

“Just… a hundred yuan. You can deduct it later from the performance subsidies, okay?” Tao Youneng seemed genuinely anxious. “Damn it, only did it twice and she’s pregnant—must be some kind of luck.”

Ler laughed even harder, Tao Huan joined in, and only Tao Youneng was left with a wry smile.

“You want a hundred yuan?”

“Don’t tell me you’re too stingy to lend even that?”

“I’m saying, is a hundred yuan even enough?”

“The bus from the town to the county is five yuan, the abortion costs thirty. I’ve checked—fifty yuan covers the trip, and there’s enough left for some food.”

“I told you, you’re an idiot and you don’t believe me.” Ler stopped laughing. “After an abortion, you should buy her something to build her strength back up. If she’s weak, how will she bear you children and help around the house in the future?”

“I really don’t have the money… and I can’t ask my parents either.”

“Alright, I’ll lend you a hundred, and give you another hundred as a gift. But don’t misuse it—buy Lili plenty of nourishing food, and make sure she stays in the hospital for a couple of days. Don’t let her health suffer.”

Tao Youneng took the money from Ler, his eyes growing moist.

“Ler, from now on, Huan and I are with you all the way. If there’s a fight, we’ll be at the front, taking the blows and the blades.”

“That’s your promise…” Ler smiled. “You think you’ll lose out by following me, but who would dare mess with me? Director Xie from the town is like a big brother to me, and Secretary Huang backs me up. As long as you stick with me, there are great benefits in store for you.”

Tao Youneng nodded. He knew all this. In Shangtao Village, anyone with a brain wouldn’t dare cross Sha Ler. Even Tao Gaolong, as ruthless as he was, had been defeated. Tao Wen, the village head, had fallen too. Secretary Tao only acted on Secretary Huang’s orders. If those fools tried to make a move, they’d probably end up being destroyed themselves.