Chapter 307: Returning Home in Glory

The next day, Lao Xiao and I went to visit Mr. Deng, who was not in Wuxiang. Xiao Liming took us on a tour, and we found that the unfinished villa had indeed been built in Mr. Deng's park.

Xiao Liming said: "This is called a structural house. It is prefabricated first, and then assembled. It will be renovated after the New Year. In this way, the master can move back as soon as possible."

Then he took us to dinner at Little Song City. During the meal, we all avoided the sensitive topic of Brother Long. When someone loses power, people try not to mention him during gatherings.

This seems to be a very cruel principle.

After lunch, I went to Xicheng District with Lao Xiao.

I asked Lao Xiao where to go in Xicheng District.

He said, let's go to the teahouse. Although it has been sold to someone else, it is the only place where you can see your old friends and acquaintances.

"When your acquaintances and friends see you, they will definitely ask you to stay. They haven't seen you for a long time."

"I think so. After all, I lived there for many years."

I vaguely remember the road, and after winding through the old streets of the old city, I finally drove into the old teahouse. I got out of the car, and Lao Xiao jumped out first.

Some people were basking in the sun in the large square, while others were sitting together playing cards.

Lao Xiao raised his hand from a distance and greeted them.

The people playing cards together saw Lao Xiao and waved their hands. No one stood up and they continued playing cards.

Old Xiao was stunned for a moment. Even the most polite person just looked up at him and asked, "Come back and take a look." Then he drew a card: "10 of Hearts, do you want it?"

Old Xiao was standing nearby, wanting to check out the cards, but he walked away and led me to the teahouse. I saw Mr. Qing curled up in the corner, basking in the sun.

He shouted, "Master Qing, are you still going to lecture on Water Margin?"

Mr. Qing seemed not to recognize him and asked, "Comfortable? I don't feel well at all. I'm not feeling well."

Entering the teahouse hall, there were several tables of people playing cards. Lao Xiao ran into several acquaintances and friends. They all greeted him casually and continued playing cards.

Lao Xiao felt a little awkward, returning to a group of familiar strangers. The loss he felt was beyond words. His eyes signaled to me: Go away.

We got on the highway in the west of the city.

Lao Xiao sighed: "How come these people have become so indifferent?"

I laughed and said, "You thought that when people met, if not hugged, they would at least stand up and shake hands, or pat you on the shoulder and say excitedly, 'You're back?'"

"yes."

I burst out laughing: "It's called the 174 principle."

"don't know."

"You're not from Xicheng District; your wife is from here. Of course, you married your wife and settled down here, which is called 1. After living together for more than ten years, your relationship rose to 7. Then, you took your whole family away, and your relationship dropped to 4.

"When you first arrived, your situation was 1, very bad, and they sympathized with you. Then you became successful and moved to the provincial capital, and your situation rose to 7. Their situation, on the other hand, was 4 then and remains 4 now.

You've distanced yourself from each other. People have already categorized you as belonging to another circle."

Lao Xiao said: "The meaning is clear, but I don't understand why you use 174 to express it."

I said, "Let me use another analogy, and you'll understand. For example, the relationship between me and Mr. Su Xipo can be represented by: 147. When I met Mr. Su, it was 1, which means our relationship was average.

We help each other and the relationship heats up to 4. After that, we stay in touch and the friendship solidifies to 7.

Lao Xiao said: "It seems to be true, but I still don't quite understand it."

"It doesn't matter if you don't understand. As long as I understand, that's enough."

Lao Xiao said, "Can you please speak sensibly?"

I smiled. "Okay, as you say. You left without contacting anyone, didn't do anyone a favor, and didn't bring any gifts when you returned. You only ask for others to be enthusiastic towards you. How can you generate such enthusiasm?"

Lao Xiao suddenly realized and said, "The criticism is correct."

"The so-called 147 is the process of things progressing step by step. The so-called 174 is the violation of this process. Because every seven brings change."

"What is the change every seven days?"

"Okay, let me focus on the number 7. There are only seven colors in nature: red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and violet. If you want to create more different colors, you have to use two colors to create a 'change'."

"Aren't black and white colors?" Lao Xiao asked.

"No. You can do an experiment. If you mix all seven colors together, it will be black. If you don't paint anything, it will be white."

Lao Xiao said, "You are too knowledgeable. It's too technical for me to understand."

I said, "This is what is called a hometown you can never return to. Besides, it's not your real hometown, it's just where your wife used to work.

You think others hate you for what you have and laugh at you for what you don't have. The world is becoming more and more realistic, and people's enthusiasm is like water in the desert, evaporating too quickly.

In fact, the relationship between people is mutual. You think they are like Cuihua in Chenjia Town, who will wait for you for several years after you leave.

Lao Xiao blushed, laughed awkwardly, and said, "Let's change to something else."

"Okay, then you start."

Lao Xiao then talked about Xiao Ye from yesterday, saying that Xiao Ye joined the company in order to build good relations with the locals and get taken care of.

Although Xiaoye is pretty and can explain things well, she only memorizes them. She is also very stubborn. If you point out her mistakes, she will argue with you.

I said, “Let me tell you a story.”

Lao Xiao said: "Don't talk about 174, talk about people's words, I like to hear it."

One day, a man broke into Confucius's school and insisted on discussing something with Zigong, one of his students. The man said, "There are only three seasons in a year, why does your teacher say there are four?"

Zigong explained to the visitor that there are four seasons in a year, namely spring, summer, autumn and winter, and there are 24 solar terms. But the visitor did not agree and said that Zigong was talking nonsense.

The two argued until their faces turned red.

After the visitor left, Confucius criticized Zigong, saying, "Don't argue with him, because he was a grasshopper in his previous life. Grasshoppers only live for two or three months and have never experienced four seasons. It's a waste of words to argue with him."

Lao Xiao pointed at me and said, "You are so mean. You used the story to insult me. You said I didn't understand 174."

"You misunderstood. I wasn't scolding you. I was using this story to warn you and me. When you can't explain something clearly, don't explain it.

This is what Confucius later said: "To know what you know, and to know what you do not know is wisdom." This means: "Discuss with those who know, and do not argue with those who do not know. This is wisdom."

"Oh, so this is what Confucius meant."

"Yes, a more popular and vivid story is this: A scholar and a fool were arguing. The scholar said three times seven is twenty-one, while the fool said three times seven is twenty-eight. The two went to the county magistrate and asked him to decide who was right and who was wrong.

The county magistrate ordered the scholar to be beaten. After the beating, he said: "He is so stupid, and you still argue with him, you are even more stupid than him. A beating will teach you a lesson."

After hearing this, Lao Xiao burst into laughter.

Returning to Rising Sun, Lao Xiao said, "Although this trip was a little disappointing, I still learned a lot from you."

I said, "You'll never return home in glory unless you're like Brother Dong, with tons of money to spend."