Sun Guifeng's chest rose and fell violently with anger.
"So that means everyone knew that bitch Wang Xiuying was coming except me?" she snapped, her sharp voice almost piercing through the mud-brick walls. "Hah… good, very good! Your grandmother and grandfather truly know how to stab a knife into my heart!"
She slammed the wooden dipper in her hand onto the kang table with a loud crack, "No… this won't do. I must go ask them properly. They know exactly how much I hate that woman, yet they still dared to invite her here and even let her stay through the winter? Are they trying to disgust me to death?"
Zhao Hongmei hurriedly stepped closer, "But Mother," she said cautiously, "Grandfather and Grandmother are still at the county hospital. Aunt Zhang Xiuli and the others have already gone to the communal canteen. Right now we're the only ones at home."
Sun Guifeng's expression darkened even further. The anger in her eyes almost seemed capable of burning through the room itself.
If there was one person in this world she hated most after Chen Meilan, it was Wang Xiuying. Even after so many years, she still could not forget the humiliation that woman had brought upon her.
Sun Guifeng sat down heavily on the heated kang bed, her face stiff as old memories surged back into her mind like muddy floodwater.
At that time, she had only been sixteen. Still carrying the vanity and dreams of a girl who had never truly suffered hardship. And like countless girls from nearby villages, she too had fallen for Li Guoqiang.
The moment his name surfaced in her thoughts, the fury in her eyes unconsciously softened.
How could it not? Back then, Li Guoqiang had truly been extraordinary.
Tall and straight-backed even as a youth, with broad shoulders and long legs, he carried himself with the natural steadiness of someone born under good fate. His features were strikingly refined for a village boy, sharp brows, deep eyes, high nose bridge, and sun kissed skin, finer than most laboring men who spent their lives under the sun. Even before joining the army, he already possessed that upright bearing people often described as 'a young pine standing against mountain wind.' Just a glance at him gave woman a sense of security.
But what captivated people most was not merely his appearance. It was his temperament. Quiet yet dependable. Cold toward nonsense but respectful toward elders.
When he worked in the fields, he could labor from dawn till dark without complaint. When speaking, his voice was calm and low, unlike other village youths who shouted and swaggered after drinking two mouthfuls of sorghum wine.
Even the old women in the village would sigh and say, "That boy… aiya, if he were a general in royal court, he'll surely look like an officer from the picture posters."
And they had been right. As a sixteen-year-old girl then standing at the threshold of youth, Sun Guifeng had long woven countless foolish dreams around him.
In those years, village opera troupes still occasionally performed old stories. Secretly, many young girls still cherished those tales of generals and beautiful maidens.
And in Sun Guifeng's imagination she was naturally the treasured young miss. And Li Guoqiang was the heroic man destined to marry her.
Just catching sight of him once could brighten her entire day. Sometimes she would deliberately walk several extra li merely to pass by Shitou Village in hopes of seeing him carrying water buckets or returning from the fields. Even seeing his back from afar was enough to make her secretly happy for days.
Naturally, she knew she was not the only girl who admired him. At that time, almost every unmarried girl nearby had secretly looked at Li Guoqiang differently.
But Sun Guifeng had always believed herself superior. After all, her father worked under Landlord Hua in the county as a personal attendant. Although their family was not wealthy, compared to ordinary peasant households, their circumstances were far better.
At the very least she did not need to bend over in muddy fields every day like other village girls.
She could read a few characters. Owned two decent padded jackets. Even wore cloth shoes bought from county stores rather than homemade straw sandals.
Among girls her age, that already made her enviable. And because of that, Sun Guifeng had always believed she possessed a far greater chance than others. So eventually, unable to suppress her feelings any longer, she secretly confessed everything to her father.
The result was a furious beating. Her father had nearly exploded with anger upon hearing Li Guoqiang's name.
"A lowly peasant?" he had shouted back then. "How dare you little girl? I've been trying to find you a match from a good household in city and you want to marry in village? Rediculous."
For several months afterward, she was forbidden from leaving the house. By the time she was finally allowed outside again, Li Guoqiang had already been recruited into the People's Liberation Army and sent away with the troops.
That day, Sun Guifeng had cried beneath her blanket until midnight. Afterward, she went to the old temple outside the county several times, lighting incense sticks and praying for his safe return.
At that period, many girls already knew of her feelings for Li Guoqiang. And among them was Wang Xiuying.
Unlike Chen Meilan's quiet and proud temperament, Wang Xiuying belonged to another type entirely. She was lively, bold and good at speaking.
Not especially beautiful, yet she possessed a brightness that easily attracted attention. Her skin was fairer than most village girls, and she always knew how to smile sweetly before men and elders alike.
In school, she had been one of the more popular girls. Teachers liked her quick tongue. Boys liked her cheerful nature. And girls, well, girls either envied or disliked her.
One day, Wang Xiuying came to her personally and, in a roundabout way, began probing her feelings toward Li Guoqiang.
At first, Sun Guifeng had been extremely cautious. In those years before Liberation, especially in the countryside, matters between men and women were not spoken of lightly. A young unmarried girl openly talking about affection would immediately be labeled shameless. If word spread, people would whisper behind her back for the rest of her life.
But Wang Xiuying had smiled warmly and lowered her voice as though sharing a secret between sisters, "Guifeng ah," she had said, "why are you guarding against me? Guoqiang is my aunt's son. Right now I'm even staying in the same house as him. If you truly like him, maybe I can help you."
The moment Sun Guifeng heard that, her heart bloomed like spring peach flowers.
From then on, she naturally grew closer to Wang Xiuying. The two girls slowly became inseparable. They studied together, whispered together, walked together after lessons. Wang Xiuying was clever with words and knew exactly how to make people lower their guard. Little by little, Sun Guifeng began treating her as a true confidante.
Then, when Li Guoqiang returned home on military leave, Wang Xiuying started bringing her to the Li family courtyard.
For Sun Guifeng, those days felt sweeter than malt sugar. Even if she could only secretly glance at Li Guoqiang from a distance, it was enough to make her heart race for an entire day.
At that time, Li Guoqiang had already grown into a striking young man. Tall and straight-backed like a pine tree standing against mountain snow.
His brows were sharp, his nose high, and his features carried that rare upright handsomeness people often described as "a face born under clear skies."
Back then, Sun Guifeng truly believed no man in the world could compare to him.
In return for Wang Xiuying's "help," Sun Guifeng often took money from her father and bought cloth, hair ribbons, and little accessories for her. Once, when Wang Xiuying visited her home, she admired the gold ring belonging to Sun Guifeng's mother.
Without even hesitating, Sun Guifeng secretly gave it to her. At that time, she genuinely believed they were like sworn sisters.
Who could have imagined that the very same woman would one day stab her in the back so viciously?
Now, thinking back carefully, Sun Guifeng finally realized something she had been too foolish to notice in her youth. Although Wang Xiuying often brought her to the Li household, she never truly allowed her to get close to Li Guoqiang. Whenever Sun Guifeng tried approaching him, Wang Xiuying would deliberately interrupt, drag her away, or create some excuse.
At the time, Wang Xiuying had merely laughed and explained casually, "Guoqiang-ge is conservative. He doesn't like speaking casually with unmarried girls. Soldiers are all like this."
Young Sun Guifeng had believed every word. Then one day, completely out of nowhere, Wang Xiuying suddenly asked her, "Guifeng… do you want to marry Li Guoqiang?"
That single sentence nearly made Sun Guifeng faint from happiness. Her entire body had gone hot. Her heart had pounded wildly in her chest. She had immediately misunderstood, believing Li Guoqiang himself had asked Wang Xiuying to sound her out.
And Wang Xiuying, that venomous woman, never corrected the misunderstanding. Instead, she simply smiled ambiguously and let Sun Guifeng sink deeper into her fantasies.
That very night, under Wang Xiuying's subtle instigation, Sun Guifeng quarreled fiercely with her family.
Her father opposed it and mother cried. But she refused to listen to anyone. Like a moth flying into flame, she stubbornly insisted she would only marry Li Guoqiang. In the end, she even severed ties with her own family in anger. She walked out of her home carrying only a small cloth bundle of clothes and a secretly stolen stash of coins.
At the time, she believed she was walking toward a beautiful new life. Toward her future husband. Toward the man she had dreamed about countless nights. The entire journey to Shitou Village, her stomach fluttered with nervous excitement. Even now, after so many years, Sun Guifeng still remembered that feeling clearly.
But when she finally arrived at the Li household everything shattered. Because the groom waiting there was not Li Guoqiang but Zhao Depeng.
At first, Sun Guifeng had been completely confused. She thought there had been some terrible misunderstanding.
Panicked, she tried explaining herself. But before she could even speak properly, Wang Xiuying suddenly covered her mouth and dragged her into a corner of the courtyard.
And there she said words Sun Guifeng would never forget for the rest of her life. Words that even now still burned like hot oil in her chest.
"Sun Guifeng, don't act stupid." Wang Xiuying's smiling face had carried not the slightest trace of guilt, "Just obediently marry my cousin Zhao Depeng. From today onward, stop dreaming about Li Guoqiang."
Sun Guifeng could hardly believe what she was hearing. For a moment, she even thought Wang Xiuying was joking with her.
A dry laugh escaped her lips as she forced herself to remain calm. Her fingers, however, had already gone cold beneath her sleeves.
"Wang Xiuying," she said with a strained smile, "stop joking around, ok. Quickly call Guoqiang over. We still have to discuss the wedding date properly." Though her tone sounded casual, panic had already begun clawing through her chest.
Because Wang Xiuying's expression did not look like someone joking. The courtyard behind the Li family house was noisy. Several village elders sat inside the main hall drinking coarse tea. Matchmaking gifts had already been placed on the table. Someone was even discussing auspicious dates according to the lunar calendar. Yet Li Guoqiang was nowhere to be seen. That alone made Sun Guifeng uneasy.
Then suddenly Wang Xiuying's face darkened. Without warning, she grabbed Sun Guifeng's chin tightly. "So noisy." Her sharp nails dug into the flesh hard enough to make Sun Guifeng cry out in pain. "Stop taking my Guoqiang's name with your filthy mouth."
Her voice no longer carried the sweetness and friendliness of before. It was cold, possessive and vicious.
Sun Guifeng froze.
Wang Xiuying slowly looked her up and down before snorting disdainfully, "You think you deserve Guoqiang?" she said mockingly. "Dream on. Guoqiang belongs to me. It is only a matter of time before I marry him. After all, I only need to say one word to my aunt."
As she spoke, her eyes shifted toward Zhao Depeng, who stood awkwardly near the doorway in a new padded jacket, his ears red as he secretly glanced toward Sun Guifeng, "My cousin is not bad either," Wang Xiuying continued lightly. "Same age as Guoqiang. Also serving in the military. Ever since he saw you, he has liked you very much." Then her tone sharpened, "So now behave properly. Sit down quietly and let the elders decide the marriage date."
The moment those words fell something inside Sun Guifeng snapped. Her eyes immediately turned cold. She violently jerked Wang Xiuying's hand away from her chin and glared at her.
"Wang Xiuying, have you no shame?" she hissed. "You dare desire your own cousin like this?" Her chest rose violently with anger, "And how dare you ask me to marry that toad against my will? I will only marry Li Guoqiang. No one else."
At that moment, the arrogance of youth and privilege burst out fully from her, "Do not forget," she said coldly, "my father is the chief attendant of the Hua family estate. One word from him and your entire family will end up begging on the streets."
For a brief second, Wang Xiuying looked stunned by her outburst. Then she burst into mocking and cruel laughter, "Sun Guifeng ah, Sun Guifeng… you really are stupid."
She stepped closer and lowered her voice, "Let me tell you clearly. I have always liked Li Guoqiang. Since childhood." Her eyes gleamed possessively. "And why should I not? He is not my blood cousin. He is only my aunt's stepson." Then her expression slowly became vicious, "And you…" she sneered, "you have already severed ties with your family for the sake of marrying into this house."
Sun Guifeng's face slowly paled.
Wang Xiuying continued mercilessly, "You walked into this village carrying your little bundle like a runaway bride, everyone has already seen you. The village elders are already here. Even the village chief came personally to act as matchmaker." She pointed toward the crowded hall, "By now the whole village already believes you came to marry Zhao Depeng." Every word struck harder than the last, "And if you back out now?" Wang Xiuying laughed coldly. "What face will you have left?"
Sun Guifeng's breathing became uneven.
"You think your parents will accept you back after this disgrace?" Wang Xiuying continued. "Even if they do, do you think mastar Hua will let your parents keep you?"
Then she leaned closer and whispered the final knife into her ear, "You will become a broken shoe no one wants. A leftover woman. Not even beggars will spare you another glance, let alone Guoqiang."
Those words pierced straight into her heart like poisoned needles. Only then did Sun Guifeng finally realize from beginning to end she had been played.
Her trust, her friendship, her foolish dreams, all of it had become Wang Xiuying's amusement.
That day, for the very first time in her life, Sun Guifeng understood what true hatred felt like. It was not anger, nor jealousy. It was the kind of resentment that burrowed into the bones and never left.
In the end, before the eyes of the entire village, she could only swallow her humiliation and accept the marriage proposal. And the cruelest part of all Li Guoqiang himself was there that day. Standing beneath the doorway with his aloof expressions, she than realised he didn't care who she marries at all, infact she doubted if he even knew her.
That night, Sun Guifeng felt as though her entire world had shattered. After marrying Zhao Depeng, her life became a nightmare.
During the day, Wang Chunhua treated her no differently from a servant girl. And at night Zhao Depeng torchered her. The young girl who once dreamed of spending her entire life with Li Guoqiang was crushed completely.
Broken beyond recognition. Until one day Li Guoqiang returned home with a woman beside him.
Chen Meilan.
Sun Guifeng still remembered that scene vividly. The entire Li family courtyard had exploded into chaos that day. Li Guoqiang stood calmly before everyone and announced that his marriage application had already been approved by the military.
The marriage was official. Protected under military law. No one could interfere. Beside him stood Chen Meilan in a pale red cotton jacket, graceful and legant.
Her features delicate as painted orchids beneath spring rain. When she smiled softly beside Li Guoqiang, she looked exactly like the refined young ladies described in old scholar romances.
For a moment, the entire courtyard had fallen silent from shock.
Then Wang Xiuying completely lost control. She screamed, cried, smashed bowls, and demanded explanations from Wang Chunhua. The entire Li household turned upside down.
And strangely seeing Wang Xiuying suffer should have made Sun Guifeng happy. Part of her truly did feel satisfaction.
But at the same time watching Li Guoqiang stand beside Chen Meilan with such quiet protectiveness. Watching Chen Meilan lower her eyes and smile gently at him…
Sun Guifeng felt as though someone was slowly scraping a blunt knife across her heart. Painful, humiliating and unbearably bitter.
From that day onward her hatred for Chen Meilan and Wang Xiuying became something that could never again be untangled.