Ch 17: The Scumbag’s Daily Wife-Doting Life [QT]

When they saw Li Tiantian had given birth to a boy, Li Jianguo and Wang Cuihua were so delighted they could barely speak.

“Oh my, my grandson is so adorable.”

After the baby was cleaned up and examined, he was brought into the hospital room. The two elders stayed glued to his side, completely unwilling to look away even for a moment.

Warm affection overflowed from Li Jianguo’s eyes as he repeatedly nodded.

“That’s right, that’s right! He’s my grandson, of course he’s adorable.”

Xie Li sat beside Li Tiantian’s bed writing letters. Every so often, he would lift his head to glance at the exhausted Li Tiantian asleep beside the baby. Hearing the two elders’ conversation, he could not help smiling.

With that tiny wrinkled face looking about as attractive as a monkey’s backside, only grandparents wearing emotional filters could praise him with such confidence.

Shaking his head, Xie Li lowered his gaze and continued writing.

“Writing a letter to your parents-in-law?” Li Jianguo asked casually after noticing what he was doing.

Xie Li nodded.

“The baby’s a boy. I should tell them too and let them share the happiness.”

Li Jianguo nodded in understanding, then sighed regretfully.

“Yeah, you should tell them. It’s just a pity grandfather and grandson can’t meet.”

In Li Jianguo’s mind, unless he personally recommended Xie Li for a worker-peasant-soldier university spot, Xie Li would probably spend the rest of his life trapped in Xiaoxipo Village. As for Xie Li’s parents, they had committed political mistakes and would likely spend their entire lives laboring in the northern wastelands. Naturally, they would never get the chance to meet their son or grandson.

The limitations of the era prevented Li Jianguo from imagining the future changes to come, so he genuinely felt regretful.

But Xie Li knew very well these days would not last much longer.

Mentally counting the remaining time before the wave of change that would overturn the era finally arrived, he lowered his head with a faint smile and continued writing without explanation.

In total, he wrote seven letters, addressed respectively to his grandfather, parents, eldest uncle, second uncle, fourth uncle, eldest aunt…

The Xie family was large. Over the past year, Xie Li had quietly sent four to five hundred yuan to different relatives in small amounts. Original translation at HololoNovels dot com. The person who received the most support was the head of the Xie family, Xie Li’s grandfather, Xie Jin’an.

The old man had once been the pillar of the entire family and the person who loved the original owner most dearly.

Now he was stuck laboring on a northern farm, working endlessly every day while barely having enough food or necessities. Life was extremely difficult for him.

In the previous life, just before his political rehabilitation, he died from illness and physical exhaustion caused by age and hardship.

But in this life, thanks to Xie Li’s financial support, the old man’s health remained relatively sturdy. At the very least, he no longer had to endure hunger.

If he learned his beloved grandson now had a child of his own, who knew how happy he would be?

…

Time passed quickly.

By the time the replies from the family arrived, Li Tiantian was also ready to leave the hospital.

As expected, the letter from the old man overflowed with joy and praise. He repeatedly complimented Xie Li and his granddaughter-in-law for doing wonderfully and said he never expected to live long enough to witness the birth of a great-grandson.

Even if he could not meet the child in person, simply knowing the news brought him comfort.

After reading the letter, however, Xie Li frowned sharply, sensing something hidden beneath the words. For the first time, he regretted informing the old man about the baby so early.

The tone of the letter clearly carried a kind of exhausted despair toward life.

Previously, the old man still worried constantly about the younger generations and could not let go. But now that he saw Xie Li capable of supporting himself, marrying, and continuing the Xie family bloodline, the old man’s final motivation to struggle onward seemed to have disappeared as well.

A future without visible hope could indeed drive people toward despair.

But it was already May now.

Less than half a year remained before the restoration of the college entrance examination system.

And only another year or two remained before the Xie family’s rehabilitation.

After enduring the entire long march, they could not collapse right before reaching the finish line.

After thinking deeply for a long time, Xie Li immediately wrote another letter requesting the old man personally name the child. Along with the letter, he enclosed a simple sketch portrait of the baby.

The drawing was done by Xie Li himself. With only a few strokes, he captured the baby’s features, making the newborn appear exceptionally cute.

In the letter, he also promised that once the baby reached one month old, he would send an actual photograph.

Of course, Xie Li did not send that photo until a year later.

By then, the old man had already received notice of rehabilitation. Sitting aboard a train returning to the capital from afar, he held the photograph of his adorable great-grandson in trembling hands and wept openly.

…

At this moment, however, Xie Li could not foresee the future.

He was simply doing everything he could to save the old man’s life. But mountains and distance separated them, leaving him powerless to do anything beyond sending letters.

Carrying that lingering worry in his heart, Xie Li helplessly put away the letters, packed up their belongings, and accompanied Li Tiantian home from the hospital.

The moment they returned to Xiaoxipo Village carrying bags and bundles, news spread rapidly through the entire village that Xie Li had gained a son and Li Jianguo had become a grandfather.

Villagers came one after another to offer congratulations.

The educated youths close to Xie Li also arrived carrying gifts to see the baby. The moment they laid eyes on him, every single one of them widened their eyes in shock.

Thanks to the constant nourishment from Xie Li’s spirit spring water, Li Tiantian produced abundant milk. After drinking her milk, the baby quickly lost the wrinkled redness from birth and transformed into a fair, jade-like little child overflowing with vitality and spiritual charm.

Even with the room crowded full of people, he remained completely calm. His round eyes rolled around curiously, and though he still could not see clearly, the sheer cuteness nearly overwhelmed everyone present.

“When my younger brother was born, it took a whole month before he stopped looking ugly. This baby’s so adorable. He was handsome right from birth.”

Xie Li protectively held the baby while smiling modestly.

“That’s not true. The baby also stayed in the clinic for many days.”

“But he’s still much better-looking than my brother,” the other person said enviously.

This time, Xie Li did not deny it.

His son was naturally handsome. What was wrong with people speaking the truth?

When the baby reached one month old, Li Jianguo absolutely insisted on hosting a banquet. Xie Li could not be bothered, so Li Jianguo became angry enough to pay for it himself, inviting the entire village to come celebrate and admire his grandson.

After completing her confinement month, Li Tiantian attended the banquet with Xie Li accompanying her.

During the celebration, Qian Lanxiang arrived with her parents carrying gifts.

Li Tiantian’s eyes brightened instantly as she pulled Xie Li forward.

“Lanxiang!”

Qian Lanxiang looked up. Her exhausted, spiritless expression immediately forced itself into a smile as she enthusiastically said,

“Tiantian, congratulations on having a son. I already saw the baby. He’s really adorable.”

“He really is adorable.” Li Tiantian smiled happily. “A few days ago he finally got a name. He’s called Xie Zhenchen. Xie Li’s grandfather picked it. His nickname is Donggua, chosen by my dad. You can call him Donggua from now on.”

Li Jianguo originally wanted to name the baby himself, but his competition was Xie Li’s grandfather. Considering seniority, even he had to respectfully address the old man as Elder In-Law. There was no way he could compete, so he settled for choosing a nickname instead to satisfy himself.

Qian Lanxiang nodded.

“Donggua is a very cute nickname.”

Li Tiantian was also extremely satisfied with it. She wanted to continue chatting, but suddenly noticed Qian Lanxiang’s expression dim. Avoiding the crowd’s gaze, she quietly moved behind Li Tiantian.

Confused, Li Tiantian asked,

“What’s wrong?”

After carefully scanning the courtyard, she immediately understood.

Hu Dezheng had arrived.

Truthfully, Li Tiantian still did not fully understand what was happening between the two of them. They were constantly awkward and hesitant. Clearly they cared for each other, yet neither seemed willing to fight properly for the relationship.

Unlike her Xie Li.

Even facing opposition, he still stubbornly insisted on marrying her.

“Let’s talk inside,” Li Tiantian said, pulling Qian Lanxiang into the room and asking what had happened and how things were progressing now.

Qian Lanxiang collapsed onto the bed and held her face with both hands, pretending to be carefree.

“My father arranged another marriage for me.”

Li Tiantian froze before finally processing the words.

“So things between you and Educated Youth Hu are over?”

“Mm. It’s over.” Qian Lanxiang smiled faintly and deliberately acted unconcerned. “Anyway, his heart never really belonged to me. No matter how much I force it, it’s useless. Better to obediently get married and stop making my parents angry.”

Li Tiantian sighed softly and said nothing more.

Always throwing a warm face against someone else’s cold indifference… no matter how much you like someone, after enough time, your heart eventually grows tired.

So Li Tiantian understood Qian Lanxiang’s decision. She simply felt it was a pity.

They were clearly such a perfect match, talented and beautiful together.

“You don’t need to worry about me anymore. Hu Dezheng already told me about his family situation. Honestly, I don’t even want to follow him into that kind of suffering.”

Seeing Li Tiantian looking upset on her behalf, Qian Lanxiang awkwardly forced herself to sound cheerful, speaking against her true feelings.

“Do you know his family has eleven people living together, but only three rooms? During summer it gets unbearably stuffy, and the entire family sleeps on floor bedding in the main hall together. In winter they try to save coal, so they only bathe once every half month. It’s absolutely terrifying.”

No matter how disdainful Qian Lanxiang sounded, the longing in her eyes could not be hidden.

Li Tiantian knew perfectly well that she was only pretending to be tough.

That night, lying in bed, she sadly told Xie Li about everything.

Even Xie Li found it difficult to understand.

But perhaps this was simply the helplessness of the era.

Even when two people genuinely loved each other, reality and hardship could still force them apart. Original translation at HololoNovels dot com. Life was not a fairy tale. Things could not always go exactly as wished.

Even if Hu Dezheng truly stayed behind for love, who could say whether decades later he might regret it and eventually become resentful toward Qian Lanxiang instead?

…

After the baby’s one-month celebration banquet, Xie Li finally found time to make a trip into town to visit Old Doctor Zhang.

Old Doctor Zhang was the station chief at the clinic, sixty-five years old this year. Without his approval, Li Tiantian would never have secured a hospital bed to safely await labor in town.

After all, the timing of this child’s arrival differed from the previous life. If complications arose unexpectedly, they could easily be caught unprepared.

Xie Li had been worried, so he searched everywhere trying to secure a hospital bed until he eventually approached the old doctor.

Fortunately, Li Tiantian really had stayed at the clinic, because during labor complications truly did arise. If doctors had not intervened promptly, something serious might actually have happened.

This visit was Xie Li coming to fulfill his promise.

“Congratulations, congratulations.”

Knowing Xie Li’s family had recently hosted a one-month celebration banquet, the white-haired Doctor Zhang smiled and clasped his hands in greeting.

“Don’t forget the promise you made me.”

“I wouldn’t dare forget.”

From the satchel on his back, Xie Li took out a ginseng root wrapped in dried grass and mud.

“I’m not particularly skilled at preparing medicinal herbs properly, so I brought it over directly.”

The old doctor froze momentarily before taking it carefully and examining it in detail. Instantly, excitement surged across his face.

“It really is over twenty years old… a treasure… an absolute rare treasure!”

A wild ginseng root over twenty years old was rare not only in this era. Even a hundred years earlier, such a thing would still have been extremely precious.

Back when Xie Li desperately searched for a hospital bed for Li Tiantian’s labor, he approached the old doctor with a proposal: if he could secure a room, then Xie Li would sell him an intact wild ginseng root.

The station chief’s elderly wife suffered from chronic poor health and relied on ginseng to sustain herself year-round. With this ginseng root, she could likely hold on for another two or three years. The old doctor therefore agreed without much hesitation.

Now that he finally saw the real thing, he was so excited he almost could not speak.

With a ginseng this precious, forget two or three years. It would probably last all the way until the end of his wife’s natural lifespan.

The old doctor gazed at the ginseng with the tender affection of someone looking at a beloved lover.

It was a fresh ginseng root about the length of an arm. The body was beautifully cylindrical, with nearly intact root tendrils. The upper portion vaguely resembled the face of an old man. Given a few more years of growth, its medicinal potency would strengthen further, and it would look even more human.

According to legend, thousand-year-old ginseng roots became mountain spirits. Before digging them up, one had to tie a red string around the leaves first, otherwise the ginseng would run away. By the time you finished digging, you would discover there was nothing beneath the soil at all.

When Xie Li first heard this legend, he even wandered thoughtfully around his space afterward, secretly deciding he would someday grow a thousand-year-old ginseng himself just to see whether ginseng spirits truly existed.

The old doctor still could not bear to let go of the root.

“I get off work at noon. Come, let’s go to my house so I can get your money.”

Xie Li nodded and followed him.

The old doctor’s home stood not far behind the clinic, a small two-story building. The elderly couple lived downstairs while their children occupied the upper floor.

After bringing Xie Li inside, the old doctor asked him to wait in the study while he went to fetch the money.

Watching the old man leave the room, Xie Li stood up and quietly examined the study’s arrangement.

There were not many books.

Aside from red-covered Chairman quotations, most of the shelves contained hand-copied manuscripts stitched together with thread and carefully preserved.

After a while, the old doctor returned. Seeing Xie Li staring intently at the shelves, he smiled faintly.

“My books were destroyed years ago. These are all things I rewrote from memory. They’re probably useless anyway. None of my children care to read them.”

Something stirred inside Xie Li’s heart.

“Come sit and chat, Xiao Xie.” The old doctor did not notice the change in his expression. Sitting down nearby, he said somewhat awkwardly, “I can tell you don’t understand market prices, so I’ll be honest. The ginseng you brought is old and medicinally powerful. If you found the right buyer, it could probably sell for two thousand yuan. Unfortunately, I only have this much money on hand. I wanted to ask you for a favor. Could you sell it to me first? I’ll slowly repay the rest later.”

The old doctor handed over a stack of bundled cash. Even at a rough glance, there was clearly at least fifteen hundred yuan there.

Looking toward Xie Li and seeing him hesitate, the old doctor anxiously shifted forward.

“It may not be enough, but this truly is all my savings.”

Xie Li smiled.

“Old Doctor, you misunderstood. I’m not saying the money is too little. Honestly, if not for your skillful treatment, my wife’s childbirth would never have gone so smoothly.”

The old doctor shook his head with a sigh.

“What skillful treatment? I merely did what was expected of me.”

The more humble the old man acted, the stronger the thought growing in Xie Li’s mind became.

“I don’t want the rest of your money. I know doctors don’t earn much, and afterward you’d probably have to borrow from others to repay me, which would only create more trouble. Why don’t we simply change the terms of the transaction instead?”