Chapter 206 Hypnosis
What happened yesterday was so exciting that Sun Xilai thought about it all night and came to Lin Yue's house early the next morning.
She sat on the kang and read the thank-you letter carefully several times before clapping her hands and laughing, "It's so satisfying. How could I not know that I should punish them like this before! You don't know that the two of them made a fuss for most of the night last night. The fight was so intense that when Captain Chen went out this morning, his face was covered with bruises!"
Thinking of the couple's temper, she worried again, "But will this piece of paper be useful? If he really goes out of his way to cause trouble, won't you still be in trouble?"
Lin Yue hugged Xiao Xixi tightly, restrained his hand that wanted to grab randomly, and said with a smile: "Chen Deyuan is afraid that his job will fail, so he dare not make a big fuss. Besides, I am really not afraid that he will make a fuss to the higher-ups. You also said that at most I will just eat a meal and pay him some money. But if I endure it this time, others will really think that my child, Lin Yue, is so easy to bully, and they don't need to pay any price to make up any rumors!"
Sun Xilai nodded in approval, "You are right, they are such bad people, they can think of such a wicked thing, it's a pity that Chen Deyuan is still a soldier!"
Lin Yue said nothing. Soldiers are also human beings. Being brave on the battlefield does not represent his normal character. He just has an extra layer of filter. If there is no army to look after him, it is hard to say what he will become.
As the two were talking, there was a sound of a door being pushed open outside.
It has been a custom in China since ancient times to keep the courtyard gate open at all times, especially in rural areas. For fear of "locking the door to the outside world", the courtyard gate is not closed as long as people are at home during the day.
However, when people visit someone, they will shout at the door and only come in after hearing the host respond. It is rare for someone to come in without saying hello.
The man walked in quietly without making any sound. Lin Yue looked at the time and thought it was Wang Tingting who came back from the night shift. But the man who pushed the door open turned out to be someone Lin Yue didn't expect.
She never thought that the person coming would be Tang Sisi.
Tang Sisi deliberately didn't knock on the door because she was afraid that Lin Yue would refuse to let her in.
She was wearing a red fox fur coat and a white lamb fur hat. Unlike the common clothes at that time, the fur of her clothes was not used as the lining, but was exposed as the outer fabric. Because of the unified color and reasonable matching, she looked particularly fashionable.
Every time she appeared, Lin Yue had a feeling of time confusion, as if this was not the gray 1960s, but the Shanghai metropolis in the 1980s.
Tang Sisi had a smile on her face and greeted everyone warmly as soon as she entered the room. Seeing Sun Xilai was also there, the smile on her face did not change at all, and she just said, "Hey, Sister-in-law Sun is here too, coming to chat with Xiaolin so early!"
She called him affectionately, but Sun Xilai didn't really appreciate it. He said with a fake smile, "I didn't expect you to come here. It was calm this morning. What kind of bad wind blew you here?"
Tang Sisi pretended not to hear her double entendre, turned to Lin Yue, and said with a good-tempered smile: "Xiao Lin, I came here specifically to see you today. Is it convenient for us to chat alone?"
Lin Yue frowned. This person had been very nice to him every time they met except for the last time when he spoke harshly. Even when Lin Yue went to see her again because of the children's wishes, she was very earnest in her words. Lin Yue had to admit that, apart from being a bit of a green tea, she didn't seem to have any problems on the surface.
Sun Xilai had a lot to say to her, but now she was silent. After all, this was in someone else's house, so she turned to look at Lin Yue and waited for him to speak.
Lin Yue thought for a moment and said, "Then let's go over there and talk."
Tang Sisi felt a little dissatisfied. She had just said this, meaning that Sun Xilai should go back first. She didn't expect that one of them was so shameless and the other pretended not to understand, so no one paid any attention to her.
However, when it comes to saving face, she has never lagged behind others, and she followed Lin Yue to the children's room neatly and efficiently.
The room was not very big, and the children's things took up most of the space. Tang Sisi looked around and wanted to lift the curtain to look inside, but was stopped by Lin Yue.
She was not embarrassed and smiled and said, "You have a solution. I also have four children, two boys and two girls. I will give them the same transformation when I go back."
"I remember that your house also has four main rooms, so there shouldn't be a shortage of space for the children, right?"
Tang Sisi laughed dryly and said, "One of the rooms has been converted into a study for the child's father. It will be more convenient for him to work there."
Lin Yue knew that the first few children in her family all lived in the loft, and only her own son lived alone in the main room, so she said this deliberately.
Everyone knows that Commander Yu is a rough man who can't read a single word. Moreover, the army has strict discipline and ordinary military affairs are not allowed to be taken home for processing. Why would he need a study? It's just an excuse.
But she didn't expose it. She nodded as if she had suddenly realized something, "Captain Yu works so hard, he never forgets to work overtime when he gets home!"
It was completely perfunctory, but Tang Sisi couldn't say anything.
Lin Yue didn't want to play Tai Chi with her, so he changed the subject and asked, "What brings you here?"
Tang Sisi looked like she had just remembered something and smiled, "Look at me. I was so attracted by the layout of your house that I forgot about the important matter. He Aini found me this morning and asked me to come here."
"You want to intercede for them?"
Tang Sisi waved her hands quickly: "How can that be possible! Although the couple came to me, they were not honest in the first place, and I have no intention of helping them at all!"
She looked at them with sincerity and said in a sincere manner: "I am just taking this opportunity to remind you that they are two crazy dogs. If you provoke them, you must be careful of their revenge."
Her eyes were so clear and bright that it was hard not to believe.
Lin Yue asked an unrelated question: "Are you hypnotizing me? I've only heard of it before, but this is the first time I've seen it. Where did you learn it from?"
Tang Sisi's eyes flashed with panic, but she was very strong in her heart and quickly calmed down. She looked just the right amount of puzzled: "What are you talking about? I came to remind you kindly, how did you get involved in hypnosis!"
"Or, I should call it another way, 'Zhu You Shu', right?" She had read a lot of books during this period, and finally found the relevant records in the collection left by Xu's father in the basement.
Tang Sisi was startled, then suddenly smiled. "Comrade Xiaolin, you have a wide range of knowledge!"
She found a stool and sat down without any panic on her face. She decided to come to Lin Yue, thinking that she could use other excuses to fool him, and if it didn't work, she could still be honest. But she didn't expect that Lin Yue would reveal her fault.
"Hypnosis has always been regarded as a charlatan trick, to the point where people turn pale at the mere mention of it. But everyone forgets that a long time ago, before it was demonized as a Western import, it had another name, which was the art of incantation, a medical skill that only court doctors could master."
She raised her head and looked at Lin Yue intently, "You are the first person who recognized me at first sight. Others avoided me, but you didn't. You were just curious."
Lin Yue felt the need to clarify, "That's not the case. I still hate the way you manipulate people, especially when you use it on me and my family."
She had never been exposed to hypnosis before. Even in later generations, this art was said to be miraculous, and some even said it could control people's minds. Lin Yue herself did not believe it was that powerful, but combined with the people and things around Tang Sisi, she had to believe that hypnosis might not be just a means of auxiliary treatment for doctors as she thought.
Tang Sisi smiled and said, "I don't think I did anything wrong. I just used my expertise to make myself feel more comfortable. And I'm really not that amazing. It's impossible for others to obey me just by saying a few words or giving me a look."
Lin Yue smiled sarcastically and said nothing. What she said was like brainwashing in later generations, through some rhetoric and psychological hints, to subtly control a person's thoughts, to play with others in the palm of one's hand, and finally to show an innocent look, blaming the other party for misunderstanding oneself and misinterpreting one's good intentions.
Tang Sisi's expression became even more sincere. "I really have no ill will towards you, or your children. I also won't hide it from you. Your little girl has a natural talent for languages. She is so smart at such a young age. She is very suitable to learn from me. I really want to take her in as my apprentice."
Lin Yue interrupted her and said with a smile: "Thank you for your kindness. I asked her and she said she didn't want to learn from you at all. My family has always been very open-minded and will not interfere with children's decisions casually, so I'm sorry."
"Don't be so quick to interrupt me. You can listen to what I say before making a decision. I know you have some prejudices against me, but this concerns the future of the child. I hope you can put aside your prejudices and consider my suggestions carefully.
You may not know that this is the first time I have met such a talented child, and I really don't want her talent to be buried. Moreover, she is now at the best age to get started. As long as you hand her over to me, I guarantee that her future achievements will definitely surpass mine."
Lin Yue sighed, after hearing her say that, he really did sound like a sorcerer.
She refused very bluntly: "Don't even think about it. I won't allow her to learn from you. And I don't want someone like you to have such achievements as mine."
Without waiting for the other party to say anything else, she resolutely sent him away: "Don't say anything more, it's useless. Oh, by the way, thank you for telling me the news about He Aini, I appreciate this favor. I also promise you that as long as you don't use hypnosis to harm others, I will never spread your secret."
She did keep her promise and didn't even discuss the matter with her children.
What Tang Sisi said was indeed very tempting. In this era, it was not so easy to learn a skill. Tang Sisi took the initiative to come to her house and wanted to take her in as a disciple. Logically, she should have considered it for the sake of her child. Unfortunately, she really didn't believe in Tang Sisi's character. Compared to the miraculous hypnosis that was said to be miraculous, she was more afraid that she would influence the child's mind.
There is an old saying that goes "Be a good person before doing things, and establish moral character before being a person." There is some truth to this. If a person's character is bad, his life is really over.
What's more, Lin Yue knew how the world would develop in the future. If Sisi was really interested in this, she would have more opportunities to learn in a more systematic way in the future, so there was no need to rush.
Tang Sisi felt a little powerless. The willpower of this family was surprisingly strong and they were not affected by her at all.
She came here to gain nothing, and her past was exposed. How could she be willing to leave like this? However, she knew how to judge the extent. She knew that if she continued to pester him, she would only annoy others. So she said straightforwardly, "Okay, I won't stay any longer. You should think about it more and don't make a decision too quickly. Anyway, I will never give up such a good seedling like Sisi. You can come to me whenever you have thought it through."
Lin Yue didn't say much, and watched her leave. When they were almost at the yard, she suddenly remembered the last time they met in the hospital annex, and couldn't help but remind her: "I heard that you were a soldier before. I hope you don't forget what the military's duty is, and don't go astray."
Tang Sisi's back stiffened slightly, then she turned around and smiled, "Of course, 'Once a soldier, always a soldier', I will never forget it."
Sun Xilai was holding a handful of pine nuts in his hand, knocking them as he walked out. She looked around curiously and asked, "What are you two talking about? Why are you talking about military personnel? Why did she come to see you? Why is she so mysterious?"
Lin Yue took her into the house and told her why He Aini asked her to help with the case.
Sun Xilai was surprised and asked, "So she is here to plead for He Aini? When did their relationship become so good?"
Lin Yue thought about Chen Deyuan's performance yesterday, and guessed that maybe the person she had a good relationship with was not He Aini.
However, she did not voice this thought, and only said: "She is not a fool. The couple will return to their hometown in a few days. It is impossible for Tang Sisi to offend me for them. From what she said, she wants to show her good will to me."
Sun Xilai shook his head and said, "Don't trust her too much. She is very good at playing two sides. She says one thing in front of you and another in front of He Aini. Be careful that she may instigate He Aini to give you a big gift behind your back!"
Sun Xilai's words seemed to be blessed. The second week after He Aini and her family left, the big gift she left for Lin Yue arrived.
This spring was warmer than last year, and ice sheets had already formed on the river near the camp. Tang Sisi still reminded adults and children to be careful on the radio every day, and she had not come to see Lin Yue in the past few days.
The border was still not peaceful. The other side was fearless and often drove armored vehicles over the thick ice to harass us. Every day, the soldiers hoped that the ice on the river would melt quickly so that the armored vehicles on the other side would fall into the river.
Seeing that some sections of the river were beginning to melt, the military officers came up with a brave and courageous solution: they simply blew up the river in advance to prevent vehicles on the other side from coming over. Zhang Yuandong came back this time to ask for instructions from his superiors.
Blowing up a river is not such a simple matter. It needs to be decided based on temperature changes and the conditions upstream and downstream. These are things that ordinary people cannot do. Experts have to conduct on-site surveys.
The expert didn't arrive so soon, so Zhang Yuandong had some free time during this period.
Zhang Yuandong was sent to the frontier, and he was even busier than before. The couple hadn't seen each other for a long time. This time, there was a four or five-day vacation, so he simply applied and took Lin Yue and several children to the Luohe Brigade.
The family took the bus to Linshi, and it was noticeably warmer there. There was no national weather forecast for them to refer to. Lin Yue had listened to the radio all night the night before, but he didn't hear any useful information about the climate in Linshi.
So they all left the bus station wearing knee-length, super windproof and warm leather jackets, and found that everyone around them was wearing light cotton pants and jackets, and everyone felt a little embarrassed.
As soon as he got out of the station, Lin Yue saw Brother Zhang holding a mule and waving at them vigorously.
A few people walked over and, with the help of Brother Zhang, put their luggage on the cart pulled by the mule.
It has been almost half a year since we last met before the heavy snow last year. People are more reserved now, and are too embarrassed to do anything out of the ordinary, but they are not so cautious about their children. Brother Zhang picked up the four children, weighed them one by one, and laughed heartily, saying, "Well, not bad, not bad, you have all grown taller and fatter!"
He looked at everyone's clothes and said with a smile, "You are really thoughtful. You are wearing thick clothes. Your sister-in-law also prepared quilts for you. Cover yourself with them later. This way you won't be afraid of the cold on the road!"
Lin Yue smiled awkwardly and accepted Zhang's compliment with a thick face. They really didn't dress like this on purpose, it was purely a misjudgment.
Little Stone sat on the mule's back, holding the mule's strong neck tightly with both hands, and pretending to be very cool, looking up and greeting them.
Lingling and Wanli shouted happily and ran over together, reaching out to touch the mule's mane: "Little Stone, that's great, you can ride a horse now, too. My dad taught us last year, but I've never ridden a horse this tall!"
The mule was frightened by their actions and screamed "Ahhh~Ahhh", which startled the two siblings. They both took a step back and said in surprise: "What a big donkey! We thought it was a horse!"
The mule was frightened and moved restlessly. The small stone on its back almost fell off several times. It was so anxious that tears were about to flow out. He regretted his behavior of showing off in order to show off. He did not ask for help, just because he didn't want to embarrass himself.
Brother Zhang watched his son's embarrassment from the side before kindly picking him up.
When Little Stone fell to the ground, his legs were shaking. Lingling and Wanli laughed without hesitation, calling Little Stone a coward.
Little Stone angrily retorted: "I'm not a coward. This mule is difficult to ride and is very fierce. If someone dared to get on its back, they would have been thrown off. If you don't believe me, go and try it!"
Ling Ling put her hands on her hips and said, "Just give it a try. Wanli and I dare to ride horses, so what does this mule mean to us?"
Lin Yue glanced over disapprovingly, but since they were outside, she gave Ling Ling some face and didn't say anything.
Zhang said with a smile, "Don't worry, sister-in-law. I'm holding them. I won't let them fall."
Lin Yue was not worried about this, but Ling Ling was no longer a child. She was still the same as when she was little, and would act impulsively when provoked by others. This was not a good habit. However, perhaps because of her personality, Lin Yue reminded her several times, but the effect was not very good.
Zhang Yuandong also knew Lingling's character, but he was not anxious at all. Instead, he comforted Lin Yue: "Don't worry, a childhood without being beaten is incomplete. She has never suffered any loss and doesn't know how to be cautious. It will be fine after she has received a few lessons."
Lin Yue glared at him and cursed in a low voice: "Is there any father like you?"
Zhang Yuandong did not refute and just laughed. However, he was determined not to stop Ling Ling. He just moved closer to Lin Yue and whispered, "Don't worry, it's better for the child to be tough. My brother and I are here, and we will make sure your daughter won't get hurt."
Lin Yue was anxious. She didn't like this way of education, but she also knew that Zhang Yuandong was capable of preventing his daughter from getting hurt. She couldn't interfere with her father's discipline of the child and could only worry on the side.
Wanli was observant and he soon discovered that this mule had no saddle or stirrups on its back and was quite timid and aggressive, different from the horses they had ridden before. In addition, the ponies his father had taken them to ride before were not very tall, but not as tall as this mule.
He and Lingling were both beginners and did not have many skills. It was too dangerous to rashly ride a mule whose temperament they did not know.
He wanted to stop Lingling, but unfortunately his sister got carried away by provocation and only wanted to show off her horse riding skills, and didn't listen to him at all.
The height of the mule was not something that Lingling, a seven or eight-year-old child, could reach. She tried several times but failed. Zhang Yuandong finally couldn't bear it anymore and "thoughtfully" carried her up.
The mule's back was very slippery, so Xiao Shitou lay on it with his whole body, holding on to the mule's body with both hands and feet to ensure that he would not fall off. As soon as Lingling got on, she found that she could not sit steadily, but if she used the same method as Xiao Shitou, it would be impossible to make the mule run obediently.
She carefully straightened up, and her eyes suddenly met the little stone.
The two kids hadn't seen each other for half a year. When they weren't together, they always talked about each other. But now that they met, they were like two fighting chickens, neither of them giving in. Little Stone put his hands on his waist and said loudly, "Go ahead and ride. If you dare, I'll recognize you as the boss!"
Lin Yue was worried, fearing that Ling Ling would not be able to bear the excitement and get hurt. She involuntarily took a few steps forward, thinking that if there was any danger, she would be able to protect Ling Ling in time.
Ling Ling did not act as she thought. Instead, she said, "I am older than you. I am your elder sister! But you are right. This mule is not easy to ride. It is much harder than riding a horse."
Lin Yue's steps suddenly stopped. She saw Ling Ling turned her head to look at her father and continued, "Dad, this is completely different from the horse riding you taught me before, but I still want to try it, okay?"
Zhang Yuandong smiled and spoke with pride as he assured her, "Of course you can. Go ahead and try. Dad will protect you. But you have to be careful and don't try to be brave."
Brother Zhang also laughed and said, "Lingling is really good, brave and careful, and she knows to ask your father for advice before encountering dangerous things. Don't worry, uncle is watching here, and he won't let you get hurt!"
With the assurance from her father and uncle, Lingling responded with a crisp "yes", her smiling face full of excitement.
But she still didn't dare to be rash. She held the reins tightly, and after making sure she was sitting very steadily, she pinched the mule's belly and controlled it to move forward slowly.
This mule was bought by the Luohe Brigade after the Chinese New Year. It is quite strong, but has a bad temper. Because Brother Zhang is usually responsible for feeding it, it is quite obedient in front of Brother Zhang. But it is obviously not satisfied with a strange little thing sitting on its back. It keeps shaking its head and looks restless.
Brother Zhang took out a small piece of bean cake from his pocket and fed it to it. It was soon calmed down and followed a group of people slowly walking towards the road.
Lingling sat high on the mule's back. She had a wide view and it was a little thrilling. This made her experience an unprecedented excitement. Her little face was flushed with excitement.
The remaining children ran around her, all looking at Lingling with envy. Lingling was very proud, but fortunately she did not get carried away, and knew to hold the reins firmly with both hands, control the speed of the mule, and be careful not to hurt her younger brothers and sisters.
Lin Yue felt a sour feeling in her heart. She had never thought that Ling Ling would not be impulsive and would be so rational. It seemed that her advice during this period was very effective.
No, Lingling performed even better. Not only was she rational, she was also very brave. She dared to challenge, and she knew how to find a way out for herself. This was very good, even better than Lin Yue could have imagined.
She was proud of her child, but also felt a sense of sadness as her daughter had grown up.
They walked very slowly along the way. With Lingling leading the way, several children took turns riding on the mule. Even the youngest Sisi and Xiao Mushi had their parents help them sit on the mule's back for a while. When they arrived at Luohe Brigade, it was almost noon. The smoke from cooking was rising in the village, and every household was preparing to make fire and cook.
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