Chapter 80
At the end of August, autumn arrived. Wei Bili returned and, along with Bei Bitang, packed their simple belongings and went to register at Jiaotong University.
At the end of August, golden autumn arrived. Wei Bili came back and together with Bei Bitang, they took their simple luggage and went to register at Jiaotong University.
At the school gate on Huashan Road, a dozen people wearing black pants and white shirts were standing there. Next to them was a desk with a registration form, paper and pen on it. A red banner welcoming new students was hung on the school gate.
At that time, Jiaotong University did not have the majestic palace-style gate and stone lions. The gate was narrow and low, only wide enough for one car to pass through. It was covered with black tiles and flanked by low walls half a person's height. The school gate was also surrounded by low tiled houses.
Bei Bitang walked across the white marble bridge carrying a quilt and pillow on her back and holding a washbasin and an aluminum lunch box in her hands. The senior students and teachers at the door kindly told her what she should do next and how to get there.
As soon as she entered the gate of Jiaotong University, Bei Bitang was fascinated and looked around with curiosity. She saw the castle-like library and the lush green lawns...
Bei Bitang and Wei Bili found the dormitory as if they were walking through a maze.
The small dormitory had already been occupied for a long time. No one had lived there for a holiday and it smelled of dust.
Everyone greeted each other friendly and introduced themselves. Bei Bitang and Wei Bili then began to fetch water, clean, hang mosquito nets, and spread out mats...
After a while, other people arrived one after another.
Most of the eight people in the bunk bed dormitory are locals like Bei Bitang. Two other girls and Bei Bitang are majoring in vehicle engineering, and the others are majoring in mechanical manufacturing.
Wei Bili had lunch in the school cafeteria, and then she nagged Bei Bitang and told her to study hard and get along well with her roommates and classmates before she reluctantly went home.
Classmates and roommates are of course easy to get along with. Everyone is here for the purpose of studying. There are study clubs, English corners, off-campus social activities, libraries... The dormitory is empty during the day, and it is not until the lights go out at night that everyone comes back with their backpacks and excited faces.
There are occasional frictions, but they are all minor matters that are quickly resolved and reconciled.
The first semester of the Department of Automotive Engineering had a full schedule of professional courses, but the workload was still heavy. Bei Bitang shuttled back and forth between the classroom, dormitory, cafeteria, and library. She did not participate in any activities outside of her major because she was not an active and lively person.
It was also uncomfortable to force herself to join in and fit in. At Jiaotong University, Bei Bitang had met many eccentric people, whose behavior was peculiar but who were incredibly confident. Compared to these people, being a little introverted and quiet was nothing, so why should she feel inferior?
In a corner near the window of the quiet reading room, Bei Bitang lowered her head and read a professional book attentively, occasionally picking up a pen to take notes.
Her pretty face seemed to be covered with a layer of velvety light, like a slightly red peach.
The seat next to Bei Bitang was empty and someone else sat down.
A box of white jade perfume powder with a folded note was carefully handed to Bei Bitang's elbow.
When Bei Bitang noticed it, she looked up and saw that all the people sitting around her were girls.
Her face was full of confusion. At this moment, the girl opposite Bei Bitang also looked up from her book, picked up the cup to drink water, and she kindly mouthed to Bei Bitang, "For you."
Bei Bitang smiled but didn't care about the feeling. She picked up the pen and buried her head in the book again.
The girl opposite understood what Bei Bitang meant. She blinked, put down the cup gently, and started studying again.
On campus, everyone dresses similarly and there isn't much difference. Even if someone is exceptionally talented and wears a Rolex, most people won't recognize him.
Looking around, young men and women are all ordinary students from Jiaotong University. Appearance has become the primary condition for dating, or even the only condition.
Bei Bitang was dressed in ordinary clothes, with cotton shoes, pants and shirts. She thought it was a waste of time to dress up, so she didn't even bring a skirt to school.
But she stood out from the crowd, she was young and beautiful, and she was from Shanghai. On the first day of school, the boys in her class expressed their affection for her and were particularly enthusiastic towards her.
After working for several hours, the moon felt sleepy and yawned uncontrollably. A cloud covered the moon.
The administrator stepped forward, his face serious, and said ruthlessly, "It's time to close! Hurry up and pack your things, go back to the dormitory, brush your teeth, wash your face, and go to bed!"
There was the rustling sound of people packing things, the sound of chairs being dragged and moved, and the sound of someone wailing in dissatisfaction.
A stream of people poured out from every room in the library, gathered at the stairs, and finally rushed towards the door.
The students left and the administrator checked each row to see if the floor was clean and whether anyone had carelessly dropped anything.
Sure enough, there is!
The administrator picked up the powder box from the desk, her brow furrowed. What kind of place is a library? How could someone bring cosmetics into a study area? When someone came to claim the lost and found tomorrow, she would definitely give the female student a good warning.
The administrator made a secret decision.
There was also a note. The administrator picked it up and looked at it, then laughed. So that's how it is. The flowing water is affectionate but the falling flowers are indifferent.
In order to avoid misunderstanding and make the male student who delivered the powder think that someone else had accepted his things, she decided to ask the people in the broadcasting room to broadcast a lost and found announcement early tomorrow morning.
Bei Bitang eagerly absorbed knowledge from both the classroom and beyond, wanting to engrave even the punctuation marks in her mind. She quietly rejected several male classmates who had a crush on her, and gradually, anyone who inquired about her was persuaded to withdraw.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching and the school is on vacation, so Bei Bitang has to go home.
When Bei Bitang arrived at Jiaotong University with her luggage to register and entered the campus, Miao Xiuxiu and the others had a real feeling that a golden phoenix had flown out of her family, and Bei Bitang was about to soar into the sky, and no one could stop her.
Miao Xiuxiu's attitude towards Bei Bitang had changed again, becoming even more affectionate towards her than during the holidays. Huang Dashan showered her with compliments, and even Lin Bilan, now and then, forced a smile to speak to him.
It was as if the quarrels, coercion, estrangement and cold war between her and them had never existed.
Sometimes Bei Bitang felt as if they even supported her in taking the college entrance examination, and Miao Xiuxiu and other family members also contributed partly.
On the one hand, Bei Bitang felt a little sad, but on the other hand, she felt relieved because of their flattering and negotiating attitude, which saved her a lot of explanations.
She stayed away from home for a long time on weekends. The next time she went home, Miao Xiuxiu and the others did not question her in person, saying that she was heartless and missed home. Instead, they made excuses for her, saying that she was studying too hard and that instead of taking the bus all the way home on weekends, she should just rest in the school dormitory.
Studying was quite demanding, but the main reason she stayed at school on weekends was simply that she didn't want to come back. Miao Xiuxiu and the others became more enthusiastic, but Bei Bitang's attitude cooled down.
Bei Bitang herself couldn't figure out the reason behind this.
Bei Bitang stayed at home for two days. On the morning of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Miao Xiuxiu, Lin Bilan and Bei Bitang all took their baskets and went out to buy food.
Along the way, Miao Xiuxiu and Lin Bilan strode with their heads held high, and whenever they met their neighbors, they would warmly ask Bei Bitang, a student at Jiaotong University.
Without waiting for Bei Bitang to answer, Miao Xiuxiu and Lin Bilan rushed to speak. Bei Bitang smiled easily and stood by, watching them greet each other and compliment each other.
After parting ways with the old neighbor who had greeted her, Lin Bilan said proudly, "Before Bitang got into university, Aunt Wang relied on her military son and was very arrogant. She always looked down on our family. But now she speaks to us warmly. And Feng Jiaqing, hehe, now doesn't dare to give me a cold shoulder when she sees me at the factory. She even smiles and calls me Bilan."
Miao Xiuxiu stole a glance at Bei Bitang's face and said with a gloomy look, "What are you talking about Feng Jiaqing on such a good day!"
The eldest daughter always brings up things that need not be mentioned. When she talks about Feng Jiaqing, she is not afraid of her younger daughter. She thinks of the days when they forced her to marry He Dafei and is not afraid that her younger daughter will resent her as the eldest sister with the most badass attitude.
Lin Bilan didn't inherit Miao Xiuxiu's heart and brains. She said arrogantly, "That's right! Bah! He Dafei is not worthy of our little sister. In the future, my little sister can have any good man she wants! He Zhiguo, a mere production director, is nothing! My little sister has been a cadre since graduation and will become a factory director in the future! My little sister is so lucky. She lost sesame seeds to pick up watermelons, unlike me, her elder sister..."
Seeing that Lin Bilan was becoming petty again as she spoke.
Miao Xiuxiu quickly interrupted and said, "That's enough! Stop talking and walk quickly, or the good stuff on the vegetable stall will be gone!"
In preparation for the Mid-Autumn Festival, Miao Xiuxiu planned to go to the most famous and largest vegetable market nearby, which has the most complete selection of southern and northern goods, to purchase supplies for the Mid-Autumn Festival dinner.
The streets between the shops were bustling with people, shoulder to shoulder, making it a very lively scene. The lines to the popular shops were very long and winding.
Xu Huiqiu was alone, carrying a basket of vegetables, and came out of that store to buy dried black fungus, and then squeezed into this store to buy white wine.
"Hui Qiu!" Xu Hui Qiu, who was waiting in line to buy peanuts, heard someone calling her. Turning around, she saw it was an old colleague. Since retiring, she hadn't returned to the school where she worked, and she had lost contact with her former colleagues.
An old colleague approached and said with a smile, "Hui Qiu, long time no see."
Then she looked around and asked doubtfully, "Where is your Lao Xu? Are you alone?"
Xu Huiqiu said calmly, "My husband, Xu, is busy at home making the fire. Let's split up and go in two directions. These two will be faster. My son will come pick me up later. He was worried about me carrying heavy things, so he rushed over from the school library and didn't even have time to read. It's all my fault for being so weak that I've caused him trouble."
The old colleague smiled and praised him, saying, "Your son is studious and filial."
Then, she hurriedly asked, "How's your new daughter-in-law? I heard she comes from a very impressive family. Is she a good mother-in-law to you? Huiqiu, you have such a weak temper. I'm worried you won't be able to control your high-spirited daughter-in-law."
Xu Huiqiu's face froze, then she forced a happy smile and said, insincerely, "You mean Linlin? She's incredibly kind to me, her mother-in-law. She's from a wealthy family, so well-mannered and kind. She's not calculating, she's generous, and she brings good things back from her parents' home to honor me. Swiss chocolate and coffee, they're so greasy and bitter I can't get used to them. It's a waste to keep them around the house, they'll just attract bugs."
"Guess what?" Xu Huiqiu asked, looking at the other person's frozen mouth, trying to win back a fight. At the same time, she secretly thought, "Hmph, old man, do you know why I didn't invite you to the wedding? Because I hate you the most, and you still ask me questions!"
The old colleague had to cooperate and asked, "What's going on?"
Xu Huiqiu looked up at the sky and said, "I told Linlin, and Linlin said, 'If it attracts bugs, then it attracts bugs. It's my fault for not liking to eat.' And then she turned around and bought me new clothes and put them on me. This kid, really, loves to spend money."
The old colleague said with a wry smile, "Hui Qiu, you've finally found happiness after all the hardships you've endured. You're so lucky to have such a good wife whose heart is with her in-laws."
Xu Huiqiu believed what she said and laughed sincerely.
But the next second, her smile stopped. An old colleague asked, "It's been almost a year since the new daughter-in-law was born. There's going to be good news, right? Huiqiu, remember to let me know when your grandson's full moon banquet is coming. I'll give the child a big red envelope."
Xu Huiqiu forced a smile and said, "Okay, I won't talk to you anymore. It's my turn now."
What the old colleague said hit the nail on the head with Xu Huiqiu's biggest concern.
Although she married Zeng Linlin, this big Buddha, for her son's future career, as a mother-in-law, she couldn't help but stare at Zeng Linlin's belly.
It was still a long way from Xu Zeli's graduation and job, and even before he could get his father-in-law's help, he still had to have a grandson. As for whether Zeng Linlin's studies would be affected by having a child, that was no longer within Xu Huiqiu's consideration, as it wasn't her son's pregnancy!
Xu Zhengqing and Xu Zeli, father and son, were not as anxious as Xu Huiqiu. They believed that they would have a child sooner or later.
But Xu Huiqiu couldn't stand her nagging from morning to night. At first, Xu Huiqiu didn't dare to bother Xu Zhengqing and the others, and only talked in Zeng Linlin's ear.
But Zeng Linlin is not someone who is easy to bully. As soon as Xu Huiqiu shows up by relying on her mother-in-law's status, she fights back.
Over time, Xu Huiqiu, who bullied the weak and feared the strong, did not dare to tell her about the child.
Xu Huiqiu missed her grandson so much that she couldn't sleep. She felt anxious and kept complaining to Xu Zhengqing and Xu Zeli, especially Xu Zeli, who was talked about the most.
In order to keep his ears clear, Xu Zeli also said to Zeng Linlin, "Let's have a child."
Zeng Linlin just smiled at this. After the two got married, because Xu Zeli didn't like to use condoms, she forgot Liu Hezhen's pre-marital warning and went along with Xu Zeli. It can be said that the two of them used almost no contraceptive measures.
But she wasn't anxious about not getting pregnant for so long. Hadn't she and her first boyfriend only gotten pregnant once in a while? What was there to panic about? She was really fed up with Xu Huiqiu's preference for boys over girls, constantly calling her grandson, and she didn't want to bother with her at all.
Zeng Linlin herself was not worried about not being able to get pregnant, let alone Xu Zeli.
His mother's nagging was unreasonable, and he followed Zeng Linlin's lead, letting everything go in one ear and out the other. Over the years, Xu Zhengqing had learned to be content with his own affairs and ignore Xu Huiqiu's words.
Everyone in the family turned a deaf ear to her words. Xu Huiqiu felt very suffocated, but there was no one she could talk to, and she even became slightly ill.
She also blamed Zeng Linlin for her illness, saying openly and secretly that she was busy all day and fell ill due to exhaustion.
The Xu family father and son seemed to suddenly realize the difficulties faced by their wives and mothers. They felt that Zeng Linlin should help share some of the housework, as this was what a woman should do.
Zeng Linlin was so angry that she returned home. In the confrontation between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, Xu Huiqiu won the first victory.
Although Zeng Linlin went back to her parents' home, Xu Zeli had to go home to eat and sleep again. She still had to drag her sick body to take care of one more person and cook for one more person, but she just felt that she had won.
The three of them acted separately. Bei Bitang remembered what Miao Xiuxiu asked her to buy and came out of an incense and candle shop.
As soon as I turned around, I saw Xu Huiqiu and Xu Zeli, who were covered with bags.
Bei Bitang's face was gloomy, and she thought to herself, "What bad luck!" She immediately turned away from the mother and son.
"Bitang..." Xu Zeli opened his mouth and muttered.
The beauty turned and left, and could not be stopped no matter how hard she tried.
Xu Huiqiu, sweating profusely, ran up to him and grabbed her son, the embarrassment still on her face.
She looked at Xu Zeli and said, "Xiao Ze, you can't do anything stupid!"
As she spoke, she looked around.
During festivals, people from this area flocked to the big market to buy a lot. If they saw one or two acquaintances, it would be considered a small number. If acquaintances saw her and told others about it, and Zeng Linlin heard about it, there would be a big uproar.
She did not forget that every time Zeng Linlin came back to her parents' home in a bad mood, her son would always urge her and ask her to go to Zeng's house to apologize and admit her mistakes before Zeng Linlin would give up and reconcile.
Zeng Linlin wasn't a good person, and neither was Bei Bitang. Look at her, she looked like a vixen, and her son's heart was hooked the moment he saw her. If she really became his daughter-in-law, her son would still have her as his mother in his eyes.
Xu Huiqiu pulled Xu Zeli towards the exit, and Xu Zeli looked thoughtful.
In just a short encounter, Bei Bitang seemed to have grown up again, with a rosy complexion, a translucent skin, and a body curve that had become more beautiful. She was even more beautiful, and her temperament was more confident and attractive.
He knew that Bei Bitang had taken the college entrance examination this year as a self-taught candidate, and her score was higher than his, and she went to a better university than him.
Xu Zeli thought resentfully, since Bei Bitang had the ability, why didn't she work hard with him in the Northwest, with her by her side, studying by candlelight at night, so that they could both be admitted to universities in Shanghai, return home in glory, and get married in the future.
The news that Bei Bitang was admitted to Jiaotong University had long been spread among her classmates. Her junior high school alma mater even used it to promote enrollment, and her teacher often mentioned it with pride in class.
How could those old classmates in Shanghai not know that if there was any good news, they would have already passed the news to Xu Zeli's ears, waiting to see Xu Zeli make a fool of himself.
Ma Tailong was the first person to do this. After drinking at Xu Zeli's wedding, he repeatedly looked for Xu Zeli, hoping to gain some benefits from him, and even came to his home.
Zeng Linlin acted like a princess and treated Ma Tailong to a drink. As soon as the shameless Ma Tailong left, she immediately told Xu Zeli to have less contact with Ma Tailong, not caring that it would lower the level of her friendship.
Someone like Ma Tailong is not qualified to be her driver or run errands for her.
Xu Zeli was also very smart. From then on, he avoided Ma Tailong and pushed all the blame onto Zeng Linlin, saying that his wife did not allow him to go out and fool around.
Ma Tailong finally gave up, knowing that he could not get any benefit from Xu Zeli, who looked down on him and was holding his breath. After learning that Bei Bitang had been admitted to Jiaotong University, he immediately called Xu Zeli to inform him of the good news: his abandoned first love had been admitted to university and had scored several dozen points higher than him.
Even after Xu Zeli hung up without a word, he couldn't stop laughing for days. He even told the other returning educated youth every detail of what happened between Xu Zeli and Bei Bitang.
After getting off the bus, Xu Huiqiu walked laboriously, sighing occasionally. Once she was alone, she said with deep emotion, "I never thought Bei Bitang would be so lucky. She's really changed now. She doesn't look like the humble, submissive girl she used to be, bearing gifts."
Xu Zeli listened in silence. As they neared their doorstep, thinking of the annoying Zeng Linlin, Xu Huiqiu couldn't help but say, "If I had known this would happen, I might as well have married Bei Bitang. I think Bei Bitang has a good complexion, a plump face, and a nice butt. You can tell at a glance that she's more fertile than some people."
Xu Zeli frowned and said irritably, "Mom, stop talking. What's the point of saying this now? I'm already married to Zeng Linlin. How can I divorce her and marry another?"
If he had married Bei Bitang, Xu Huiqiu would be satisfied with Zeng Linlin by now.
Moreover, Bei Bitang was not only his ex-girlfriend, but also his old classmate. He felt sorry for her. Bei Bitang had been admitted to university and had a bright future. After graduation, she would have a higher starting point than him and a better job than him. Thinking of the increasingly popular government-sponsored study abroad programs on university campuses every year, it was possible for Bei Bitang to study in Europe and the United States without waiting.
He should be happy for Bei Bitang, yes, that's it, he was happy that Bei Bitang was going to college, he was upset just because the two of them missed each other.
"What are you guys talking about? Why are you so excited?"
Zeng Linlin appeared in front of the two of them like a ghost, and Xu Huiqiu was so frightened that her eyes almost popped out.
Xu Zeli said calmly, "Nothing. You like beef, so I asked Mom to buy some, but she didn't, so I complained a little."
"Really?" Zeng Linlin looked back and forth between the two of them suspiciously, but this was something Xu Huiqiu could do.
Zeng Linlin reached out to take some of the things in Xu Zeli's hand, but Xu Zeli refused and said gently, "No, it's just the last few steps."
Zeng Linlin withdrew her hand and smiled sweetly. Although her married life was not satisfactory, her father-in-law was deaf, blind and a peacemaker, and her mother-in-law loved to find fault, but Xu Zeli treated her well.
The three of them went home together. Xu Huiqiu was talking bad about others behind their backs and was almost caught. She had something to hide and it was rare for her to be quiet.
But this quietness only lasted until the door of the house.
Xu Huiqiu put the things on the table, poured two glasses of water, handed one to Xu Zeli, and whispered, "Xiao Ze, have a drink of water."
Xu Zeli was talking to Zeng Linlin about the bustling scene in the big vegetable market, and they were so excited that they didn't hear Xu Huiqiu's call.
Seeing the smile on Zeng Linlin's face, Xu Huiqiu put the cup of water heavily on the table with a fierce look on her face.
With a bang, most of the water in the cup splashed out.
Xu Zeli turned around and asked in confusion, "Mom, what's wrong? Are you too tired to hold the cup?"
Xu Huiqiu sat down, glaring at Zeng Linlin and said unhappily, "Look, every household in the Shikumen market has the whole family going to the market together to buy things. But I'm in a bad mood. It's like I didn't even marry a daughter-in-law. I'm all alone in the market, squeezed in by people, and my feet have been stepped on several times. It hurts a lot."
Zeng Linlin remained indifferent to Xu Huiqiu's accusations. Giving up financial control was already the biggest concession she had made in this marriage. Xu Huiqiu wanted her to be obedient, follow the three obediences and four virtues, bear children, wash clothes, cook, and serve her tea. That was wishful thinking!
Who does Xu Huiqiu think she is? If the day ever comes when she ends up cooking, Zeng Linlin might as well jump into the Huangpu River.
Seeing the quarrel at home breaking out again, Xu Zeli interrupted and said, "Mom, look, Linlin is back, and the vegetables have been bought. Let's spend the Mid-Autumn Festival together happily. It's a big festival, so don't make trouble for other families."
Xu Huiqiu never thought that Zeng Linlin would not celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival at her husband's house. She didn't even ask, and Zeng Linlin didn't even ask where she would celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.
A few days ago, she arranged with Zeng Linlin what time to get up and go to the vegetable market on Mid-Autumn Festival, and what to buy. She would buy what, and Zeng Linlin would be responsible for buying what.
After Xu Huiqiu finished her long speech, Zeng Linlin said without even looking up, "No, I won't go."
These two words made Xu Huiqiu explode. She burst into tears and said that her daughter-in-law was a bully and didn't do any work! She wanted to do housework until the day she was buried. She might as well die.
This was the first time Xu Huiqiu mentioned her own death, which scared both Xu Zhengqing and Xu Zeli.
Xu Zhengqing was neither too harsh nor too rude, and as an elder he educated Zeng Linlin.
Xu Zeli also complained that Zeng Linlin failed to fulfill her duties as a wife and daughter-in-law, did not take on housework, made her elders work hard, and was unfilial.
Zeng Linlin stood up and shouted at Xu Zeli, "I did eat and drink some of your food, but I also returned it. The shoes and clothes your parents are wearing were given by me! You can't bear to see your mother suffer, so you help with the work. Ordering others to do it, how can that be called filial piety!"
Xu Zeli was speechless. He turned to Xu Huiqiu and said, "Mom, I'll help you carry your things on Mid-Autumn Festival!"
Thinking of the ancient book he had finally borrowed after waiting in line, Xu Zeli felt a pang of reluctance. He had waited a long time for that ancient book before it was his turn. Ancient books are extremely valuable, not only can they not be taken out of the reading room, but each person can only borrow them for a week.
This is why Xu Zeli appeared in the vegetable market.
Seeing how loving and filial they were, Zeng Linlin snorted coldly and said, "Not only will I not help you on Mid-Autumn Festival, I'll even go back home to celebrate!"
After saying that, Zeng Linlin threw down her dishes, ran downstairs, went to the phone booth, and called the driver to pick her up.
Xu Zeli and the others had never expected that Zeng Linlin was so tough. Not only did she sometimes fight three people alone, but she was also spoiled and didn't do any work. She complained about this and that and even went back to her parents' home during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Although the two families agreed that there was no marriage and it was just the marriage of two children, Xu Zeli and his family wanted to take it step by step and instill in them slowly. Zeng Linlin always listened to a word or two and put her husband's family first.
Xu Zeli was angry, and Zeng Linlin was even angrier than him. She pretended not to see Xu Zeli at school, and took the car back home as soon as she had no classes.
Being angry did not prevent Zeng Linlin from living a happy life. Sometimes she even wished Xu Zeli would not bow his head.
It was a holiday, and she had a lot of invitations. She had a great time with people in her circle. Desserts, soda, champagne, records, dancing, new clothes, beautiful high heels... her eyes and ears were filled with food.
Liu Hezhen was very indulgent towards her daughter and even took her to make some foreign friends. Seeing her daughter thrive in the social scene, Liu Hezhen thought proudly that her daughter was indeed a natural-born party queen.
Today, it was Zeng's father who spoke again. He felt that since his daughter did not want to divorce and wanted to continue living with Xu Zeli, she should at least go back for a meal to make things look decent.
Zeng Linlin came back, but she didn't bring back any of the holiday gifts that Zeng's father asked her to bring back.
Zeng Linlin ignored Xu Zeli's kindness. She smiled and said in a domineering manner, "I just came back to have a meal. I have to go home with Zeli to enjoy the moon later. Mom, please don't cook so much. Zeli and I need to save some space. We have to eat a few bites when we go back to my house. You can't be so rude."
With that, Zeng Linlin went back to her room, ignoring Xu Huiqiu's angry and frustrated behavior behind her.
"This is going to piss me off! She's such a good hostess!" Xu Huiqiu yelled.
"Some people think they're amazing, but let me tell you, Bei Bitang got into Jiaotong University. She's much more capable than you!"
Zeng Linlin paused but did not turn around.
Xu Zeli was overwhelmed and said a lot of nice things to Xu Huiqiu before she calmed down and went into the kitchen to prepare dinner.
Zeng Linlin sat in front of the dressing table that came with her as a dowry, on which were placed lipstick, eyebrow pencil, blush and powder.
These cosmetics were brought back from a recent shopping trip to Hong Kong by Liu Hezhen for her practice. She had placed the previous batch here, but after discovering that Xu Huiqiu had tampered with them, she threw them all away and brought the new ones with her.
Xu Zeli came in. Zeng Linlin put down her eyebrow pencil, looked at Xu Zeli in the mirror, and said sarcastically, "Oh, the filial son is here, why don't you go to the kitchen to help light the fire and cook!"
Xu Zeli pretended not to hear Zeng Linlin's sarcasm and said with a tired look on his face, "Linlin, can you please not argue with Mom? She can't beat you anyway."
Throwing her eyebrow pencil away, Zeng Linlin angrily said, "Fight!? Who wants to fight? It was your mother who wanted to fight me first! Xu Zeli, you need to understand this!"
Xu Zeli didn't say anything, pulled over a chair and sat down.
Zeng Linlin picked up the eyebrow pencil again and drew two thin eyebrows in a distracted manner, but she was not satisfied with the look of it.
She pretended not to care and suddenly asked, "Is what your mother said true? Isn't she just making up nonsense to piss me off?"
Zeng Linlin's meaning was unclear, but Xu Zeli knew what she was talking about. He hummed and said, "It's true."
Zeng Linlin fell silent, fiddling with the red and pink things in a sullen manner for a while, then regained her fighting spirit and said with full fighting spirit, "I said I'm going back to my house to eat mooncakes. Why don't you come back with me and stay the night at my house?"
Xu Zeli said without hesitation: "Do you want to bring a gift?"
Zeng Linlin laughed at Xu Huiqiu in her heart, see, your son still chose me.
Zeng Linlin said smugly, "No need. We're all family. Besides, what kind of presents can your family possibly offer?"
Xu Zeli lowered his eyes and looked at the mottled shadows cast by the mosquito net.
Under the dim light, Miao Xiuxiu quickly glanced at Bei Bitang while clearing the dishes. She said casually, "I wonder what happened to He Dafei? Is he missing or dead?"
Bei Bitang was startled and almost dropped the plate full of bones in her hand. She calmed herself down and looked up at Lin Bilan.
This silent, questioning look instantly sparked Lin Bilan's conversation. She said exaggeratedly, "Oh, you didn't know that He Dafei and his newly married young wife are missing! Two weeks ago, her mother was seriously ill and sent a telegram asking her to go back to take care of her. He Dafei wouldn't let her go, and she knelt on the ground, crying and begging. If she couldn't go back to take care of her, couldn't she also see her mother?"
"Some kind-hearted neighbors also helped to persuade them. The He family didn't want to make things too awkward, so they asked He Dafei to go back with his young wife to her parents' home for two days and then return together. The He family's explanation to the public was that the young wife was illiterate and couldn't speak Mandarin, so they asked He Dafei to take leave to accompany her. I think the He family was worried about the young wife, so they asked He Dafei to go back with her. On weekdays, you don't see He Dafei clinging to his wife, and he doesn't look disgusted."
"Unexpectedly, a week later, something happened. He Dafei and the young wife didn't return as scheduled. We called and sent telegrams to the young wife's family, but there was no reply. He Zhiguo and Feng Jiaqing rushed over overnight, but when they asked the people there, they found out that the two of them had not returned at all. Both places reported the matter to the police, and the police went to Shanghai Railway Station to investigate, only to find that neither of them had boarded the train. Perhaps they had not even entered the station, and had simply disappeared for no reason."
After a pause, Lin Bilan clutched her chest and continued, "I was eating when two police officers with stern faces came to my house to ask about the situation. I thought Dashan had gotten into trouble outside. I was scared to death. We asked every family, but there was no clue. He Dafei is still missing, and Grandma He Dafei is sick in bed."
No matter how much she hated He Dafei, Bei Bitang felt sympathetic. After all, it was a life. No matter what He Dafei did, his crime did not deserve the death penalty. Whatever he did wrong, the law would judge him.
Seeing Bei Bitang's bad face, Miao Xiuxiu quickly said, "Okay, Bilan, don't say anything. It's just me and Bitang here. Go get some hot water. I'll use it to wash the dishes later."
Lin Bilan curled her lips and said "Oh".
Bei Bitang was distracted and worried about the young wife. She was going to find Feng Guangmei to ask about the situation. Feng Guangmei was much more reliable than Lin Bilan.
After Miao Xiuxiu finished talking about her family affairs, she also wanted to ask about Bei Bitang's situation at school.
She looked at Bei Bitang and asked, "Bitang, are there any boys in school who are pursuing you? If you think he's a good guy, you can date him. We'll both be in the same school, so we can see each other every day. After graduation, we can get married. What a wonderful thing."
Bei Bitang came back to her senses, feeling disgusted. She said calmly, "No, everyone is busy studying and has no time for love."
Miao Xiuxiu pretended to slap herself on the mouth and said with a smile: "Look, Mom said the wrong thing. Mom has never been to college, so she doesn't understand you college students."
As she spoke, her expression became lost again. "Now you are the most promising person in the family. Mom can't give you any good advice. Your eldest sister and I can't help you at all. We might even drag you down. You have to think three steps ahead and plan more for yourself. Don't be like those nerdy female classmates who only focus on studying. When they graduate, they find that all the good men have been picked up by others. You have a good diploma, so you should make good use of it. The one who is close to the water tower will get the moon first..."
Miao Xiuxiu spoke earnestly, fearing that Bei Bitang didn't understand that a good diploma was a woman's best dowry. During the Republic of China, why did her father send her to a mission school? Wasn't it because modern women were popular at the time? Going to a foreign school not only helped them find a better husband, but also made them look up to her.
During that period, the world was changing rapidly, and countless women emerged who dared to fight for their own freedom to go to school, work, and marry. Miao Xiuxiu attended a foreign school, but she was influenced by it, but she didn't grasp the essence or learn the basics.
The frogs outside the window were croaking loudly. Bei Bitang was upset and couldn't even say "No, Mom, you didn't implicate me."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
