Chapter 315: Waiting for the Return

Brother Shi lived in the chef's building. It had two bedrooms and a living room, which was enough for him and his wife.

I brought some supplements, two packs of cigarettes and two bottles of Moutai into his house.

Mrs. Shi said, "Why are you so polite?"

I laughed and said, "How many people from Wuxiang are in Xu Ri? Besides Lao Xiao, there's Brother Shi."

Shi Ge said: "Don't send me gifts. If you send me gifts this year, you must send me gifts next year. If you send me gifts next year, you must send me gifts the year after next. Otherwise, I will have a problem with you."

I laughed out loud.

Mrs. Shi said, "He's not joking."

I said, "I know. I calculated that you won't be going back to celebrate the New Year this year."

Mrs. Shi asked, "Why?"

"You wouldn't say that for no reason. Someone in my hometown must have asked Brother Shi for money."

Brother Shi brought a pot of wine, and Sister Shi set out a few plates of braised dishes.

"Let's drink a pot of wine first, brothers." Brother Shi poured me a cup.

As we drank, Brother Shi complained to me.

He said that three years ago, when he was visiting his mother-in-law's home, the village chief came to visit. The two got along very well. The chief praised Shi Ge as the best son-in-law in the village, saying he greeted everyone he met and was very friendly. Villagers who came to the city often stayed at Shi Ge's house, and the couple had a very good reputation in the village.

Then they talked about some people in the village who were struggling, lacking oil for the Lunar New Year. Shi Ge, impulsively, asked how many such families there were. The village chief counted on his fingers and said there were 21.

Shi Ge said, "I'll give 4,200 yuan, 200 yuan to each household." The village chief was also happy and said he would also give 4,200 yuan. So, 400 yuan was given to each of the 21 needy households.

It's been two years now. Shi Ge thought he'd done his best. Unexpectedly, the day before yesterday, the village chief called and said those needy families were asking him for money again.

The village chief explained that the money wasn't an obligation. It wasn't mandatory. But then things got messy. These needy families started calling Shi Ge's house.

When I asked when the money would be given, I was told that the Chinese New Year was coming in a few days.

Second, I asked Brother Shi if he wanted to keep the money for himself. Some people said that Brother Shi applied for it from the Civil Affairs Bureau in their names.

The third was a threat that if Brother Shi didn't give them the money, they would dig up the ancestral grave of his father-in-law's family.

After listening to it, I was both amused and confused.

Brother Shi spread his hands and said, "How can I do good things? My personal matter is small, and it has also implicated my father-in-law's family."

I said, "As for digging up our ancestors' graves, they wouldn't dare."

Shi Ge said: "At least I don't dare to go back."

I said, "Weaning. I absolutely won't give it to you. Besides, you must go back during the Spring Festival this year. What are you afraid of? If you have money, give it to me. If you don't have money, don't give it to me. It's your money, and the village chief will stand on your side."

Mrs. Shi said, "Yes, Shanhong is right. We must go back. They call home every day. When have we ever owed them money?"

They're also slandering us, saying that our Lao Shi is using their hardship as an excuse to go to the Civil Affairs Bureau and ask for money. Let's investigate. We have to get to the bottom of this."

Brother Shi said to his wife, "It's not right to have so many people around the house during the Spring Festival. If they say a lot of unlucky things, your parents will be unhappy too."

Mrs. Shi said, "Then you're going to avoid it? If you don't go back this year, you won't be able to go back in the future."

Brother Shi was hesitant.

I said, "I'll go back with you on the second day of the New Year."

"You?" Brother Shi put down his wine glass.

"Yes, I want to go back to Wuxiang too. Xiaolin and I will go back to her hometown first, and you go back to Wuxiang. On the third day of the Lunar New Year, I will ask Xiaolin to go to her cousin's house to play, and then I will accompany you to your father-in-law's house.

I don't believe those people are unreasonable. If they are civilized, I will be civilized too. If they are not civilized, you know that I, Wan Shanhong, have some tricks up my sleeve."

Mrs. Shi said, "Shanhong is right. I don't believe that if I can't return home to my father-in-law for doing good deeds, there is such a thing in the world. If you want to be polite, I will respond with words; if you want to be martial, I will fight with fists."

Brother Shi picked up his glass and said, "Come on, brother, let's clink glasses. You are so righteous."

I think this is another example of doing good things but not being rewarded.

What happened these years?

If an old man falls, you can't help him. If you do, you'll get burned. If you help a poor student, you can't help him. If you do, you'll feel like you have to help him forever. Otherwise, you'll feel guilty and not a good person.

When I got home, I told Xiaolin about Brother Shi's family situation and my plan to accompany Brother Shi to his father-in-law's house.

Xiao Lin glanced at me and said, "You're going to someone else's mother-in-law's house in your first year?"

I said, "Brother Shi is not someone else, he is truly one of us. To me, he is closer than your uncle."

Xiaolin nodded and said, "As you wish."

Then came New Year's Eve. I invited Shiyu and Taoist Chen to my house for lunch. My mother was the head chef and Xiaolin was the assistant chef, and the meal was very sumptuous.

I told my mother that Shiyu was an orphan. My mother was smart. When Shiyu came, she didn't ask about his family situation. She just kept urging them to eat.

After Shiyu left, he sent me a poem he said he wrote during his senior year of high school. It was titled "Mother's Big Slap."

They say that a mother's slap is

It's so hot.

It is enough to awaken a person's childhood and youth.

I long for a slap,

Slap me in the face,

Let me experience the pain of maternal love.

Waited for eighteen years,

But still in mid-air

Didn't fall.

This poem brought tears to my eyes. I replied, "From now on, you can call my mother 'Mom'. Seriously."

I read this poem to my mother and explained it to her. She kept wiping away tears. After wiping away her tears, she insisted that I call Shiyu.

After the call was connected, my mother said, "Shiyu, call me mom, call me mom quickly. Don't call me aunt, call me mom. I miss you."

I listened and walked away, afraid that tears would flow again.

I don't want to recount what happened on New Year's Eve—it's probably the same every year. People are taking the New Year less and less seriously, just sending WeChat messages as a matter of routine.

And most of them are sent in bulk.

Following my father's instructions, I made a list of hundreds of people and wrote different New Year greetings for different people.

After dinner, I started sending it.

Because my New Year greetings have a salutation at the beginning, heartwarming greetings that are close to the relationship between us in the middle, and a signature at the end.

The effect is indeed different.

Some responded: "This is the only New Year's greeting worth collecting."

Some responded, "You are really wishing you a happy new year."

One responded, "Among hundreds of duplicate messages, yours is the only one that stands out like pearls."

Of course, what I am most proud of is the WeChat message I sent to my master:

There is true love in Wuxiang, and the heart-sealed stone in the villa is there;

The river flows day and night, and the disciples in the nest are looking forward to the return of the Lord.

(Note: The Yinxin Stone is a heart-shaped stone that President Deng placed in front of his villa. It symbolizes a close connection between hearts.)

Sister Li called me and said her father had seen the film and burst into tears. Then, fearing I might misunderstand, she quickly said, "Those were tears of joy, tears of joy."