Male Lead's Canon Fodder Wife - Chapter 1183

Chapter 1183: Love Entanglements
Along the way to the county town, Zhang Ermu felt the gaze from behind him and knew it was Liu Piao staring at him. He wanted to ask how she had been all these years but held back. With so many people around, it wasn’t the right time.

Sitting behind him, Liu Piao leaned against the cart, intentionally choosing her spot to be closer to him. All these years, she had never once forgotten him.

She missed him so much that she had gone to his house several times after she returned. But each time, she lacked the courage to knock on the door and leave even before stepping into the Zhang family’s house.

Even though he still resented her, at least she could be close to him now. She was content with this and didn’t dare ask for more. When the cart jolted, her body shook, and she accidentally bumped into his broad back.

The moment she leaned against him, she felt his body stiffen. Though she wanted to stay like this, she didn’t dare cross the line. Reluctantly, she straightened her back and no longer leaned against the cart.

Sitting in the driver’s seat, Zhang Ermu felt a pang of disappointment when the weight against his back disappeared.

‘Did I make her feel so disgusted that she doesn’t even want to touch me?’ he thought bitterly.

While the two of them were drowning in their misunderstandings, Lin Muai noticed everything and sighed inwardly. In this world, love entanglements were the hardest problems to solve.

Her gaze drifted to Liu Pan’s back at this thought, and her chest tightened. The two of them would never have a chance. Maybe it was time to let go of her wishful thinking.

The obstacle in front of her wasn’t just their age gap. His marriage status alone would make her family oppose their relationship.

Rather than ruining the good feelings between them, it was better to maintain the status quo. As for the life-saving grace she owed him, she resolved to repay it to his children.

With that thought, she stopped looking at him and closed her eyes instead.

Sitting beside her, Wang Muyang clenched his fists. He had always wondered why Lin Muai treated him so distantly. Now he knew—she already had someone in her heart.

If that someone had been better than him, he might have accepted it. But that person was a divorcee with two children. He was uneducated, poor, old, and not even better-looking than him. Losing to someone like that filled him with unwillingness.

In order to spend more time with Liu Piao, Zhang Ermu drove the cart slower than usual, taking nearly two hours to reach the county town’s hospital.

After parking the cart, Liu Pan climbed down and helped his cousin. Then, he reached out to assist Lin Muai, expecting her to take his hand. To his surprise, she didn’t.

Instead, Lin Muai held onto the cart herself and carefully climbed down. Seeing her struggle, Liu Piao stepped in to help her down, then glanced at her cousin, who stood dazed on the side.

“Thank you, Sister Liu,” Lin Muai said as they walked toward the hospital lobby.

“Teacher Lin, there is no need to be so polite,” Liu Piao replied with a smile.

While they headed into the hospital, Zhang Ermu took the opportunity to visit the state-owned grain and supply store.

After parking his bullock cart, he walked to the counter. He looked around for a moment, then pointed at a dark blue cotton fabric and said, “Comrade, I would like to buy half a kilogram of brown sugar, five kilograms of cotton, and that roll of cotton fabric.”

The staff glanced at his patched clothes and replied, “Brown sugar is 2 yuan for half a kilogram. Cotton is 4 yuan and 30 cents per kilogram. A roll of cotton fabric is 37 yuan. That’s a total of 60 yuan and 50 cents.”

Hearing the price, Zhang Ermu hesitated for a moment. But when he recalled the old clothes his parents and grandparents wore, he took out his pouch and paid.

The staff’s demeanor shifted as soon as she saw the money. A smile appeared on her face as she counted the money and coupons.

Business had been slow lately, and she worried about missing her monthly target—and her commission. Who would have thought someone would come in and buy such expensive items today?

Smiling, she quickly packed the items. It took twenty minutes to weigh and bundle everything. Once she was done, Zhang Ermu loaded the goods onto his cart and returned to the hospital.

Meanwhile, inside the hospital, Lin Muai had finished registering and was waiting outside the doctor’s office with Liu Piao by her side.

As for Liu Pan and Wang Muyang, they waited in the lobby. Since the two of them have no common topic, they sit in awkward silence.

Before long, a nurse came out of the office and called, “Comrade Lin Muai, it’s your turn. Please come in.”

Hearing this, Liu Piao supported Lin Muai as they entered the doctor’s office.

The doctor frowned when he saw the bruises on Lin Muai’s face and neck. It was evident she had been beaten.

“Please, have a seat,” he gestured to them before he approached to examine her wounds.

When his hand brushed the bump on the back of her head, Lin Muai hissed in pain.

Hearing this, the doctor softened his movements and continued to examine her wounds. After a thorough check, he returned to his seat and said, “Comrade Lin, there is a lump on the back of your head. Given its location, we need to do some blood tests.”

Lin Muai’s hands trembled at his words. After being beaten by Shi Qiwan, she had indeed felt dizzy and had vomited several times. She had dismissed it, thinking it was just nausea and nothing serious, so she hadn’t told anyone.

Now, hearing the doctor’s concern, she realized her injuries might be more serious than she thought.