Chapter Forty-Six: Reunion (Part Two)
"Chengjing, how much suffering has your sister endured all these years? Has she...?"
Shu's mother was filled with worry the whole way. The thought of her daughter pained her during the day, and she would wake up in a panic every night. She even dreamt that it was all an illusion. Her daughter was still missing, and the pain in her heart made her unable to die in peace.
"It's true, right?"
"Mom, don't be sad. My sister is doing fine," Shu Chengjing could only offer this comfort, even though he knew his sister had definitely suffered financial hardship over the years. But her marriage was happy, and she and her husband were of one mind; wasn't that another kind of good thing?
"You didn't tell your sister we were coming, did you?" Mr. Shu wasn't as agitated as his wife, but he was equally worried. He was afraid to see a daughter who looked weathered and worn out. Many women on the mainland look sixty even at forty; if his daughter looked like that, his heart would break.
“She didn’t say. She asked before, and I said I wasn’t sure. She guessed we were coming, so she had already painted and tidied the house. Besides, with you coming, she must be nervous and doesn’t know what else to do. I don’t think the house needs any repairs; we should just choose a new site and build a new one.”
The elderly couple nodded; of course they would build a new house for their daughter. The car drove on and soon arrived at the Su family's gate. Shu Yao, who works both morning and afternoon shifts, was at home at the moment. The weather was nice today, so she took the blankets out to air them.
When her parents came in, they saw her holding a stick, gently tapping the quilts that were drying in the sun. Hearing the noise and turning around, the tears that Shu's mother had just held back welled up uncontrollably again.
"Graceful and slender"
"Mom!" Overwhelmed with emotion, my mind went blank, and I forgot all the words I had prepared. My parents are old now, but they were middle-aged when we parted, so they are easy to recognize.
"my daughter,"
The mother held her and cried uncontrollably, while the father beside her also shed tears. Just like when the eldest brother first saw her, the whole family was overwhelmed with emotion and wept.
"Mom, don't cry. I'm fine. Our family is reunited."
"well."
Shu Yao took a handkerchief and wiped her mother's tears: "Don't cry. Your older brother said your eyes aren't very good, and crying like this will hurt them. It's all in the past now, and we're both doing well. Don't be sad."
She felt even more excited than in her previous life. In her memory, she met her family again five years later, and of course, they hugged and cried. But it seemed to pass quickly, and afterwards, she received strong support in her career. She grew from a small shop into a large company within a few years.
"Mom, I'm sorry." I know you miss me, but I can't abandon my child. Many people see a few people who successfully cross the border illegally and think that route is easy. But as someone who's been there, she knows all too well—it's just survivor bias. In reality, many more die on that route, but it goes unnoticed.
She chose a winding but steady path, and now her parents are safe and sound, her children are safe and sound, and she has a husband who loves her. The reunion was a little late, but her family is all together, not one is missing.
"Mom, I remember you used to love Hunan pearl rice the most. Look, your son-in-law prepared it a long time ago. Try it, is it still the same taste?"
After returning home and greeting his parents-in-law, Su Xiangdong went into the kitchen. He had prepared lunch himself. He knew they were coming, so he had made preparations in advance.
I prepared free-range chickens, Yellow River carp, a famous local roast duck, braised pork, and knowing that foreign food is rich and oily, I also made four vegetarian dishes.
Spicy and sour cabbage, stir-fried shredded potatoes, onion and wood ear mushrooms, cold kelp salad, four cold dishes and four hot dishes, with a soup bowl in the middle, which was his stewed pork rib and lotus root soup.
For most families in China at that time, this was an absolute feast, but for the wealthy Shu family abroad, it was nothing special. Yet, all three members of the Shu family smiled and praised the meal after every bite.
"Xiangdong has such good skills, our Yaoyao is so lucky." Mrs. Shu couldn't hold back her tears again, but this time they were tears of joy. Her son-in-law's every action seemed so natural, a testament to how things had always been this way. The home was peaceful and warm, her wife considerate and gentle. Her daughter may not be wealthy, but she was truly happy.
"Hmm, this rice is authentic, isn't it, Dad?" Shu Chengjing spoke up after his father, who hadn't said anything. What was wrong? Was he dissatisfied with his brother-in-law?
"yes."
Although it was just one word, he did speak, and he naturally picked up some food to eat. Shu Yao also noticed something was wrong and reached out to pick up some onions and wood ear mushrooms for her father.
"Dad, I heard your blood pressure is a bit high, this is good for you."
"Okay." Facing his daughter, Mr. Shu was rarely moved, a smile appearing on his face. His cloudy eyes seemed to glisten with tears, and the suppressed apology and heartache surfaced.
"In previous years," he said, "overseas connections are highly sought after now, but I heard that people suffered because of them a few years ago." He was really concerned about this, wondering if his daughter, who hadn't enjoyed the family's support, had been implicated because of it.
"It's alright, it's all in the past." She smiled after saying that, "I was only criticized once, but they didn't have any specific information about you. So I didn't suffer much. Besides, Xiang Dong protected me; it was he who got his head broken."
Father Shu's gaze shifted to his son-in-law, Su Xiangdong, whose expression was gentle. "It's all in the past. Father-in-law, you don't need to dwell on it anymore."
Mrs. Shu raised her hand and gently pinched him, and the man's expression relaxed. "Alright, sit down and eat."
Shu Yao pulled her husband down to sit, looking at him apologetically. Her father, she said, came from a wealthy family. Aside from the chaotic times of war when they had to flee in disarray, he always maintained an air of superiority.
Su Xiangdong, however, remained calm, his eyes reassuring his wife not to worry. Marrying someone's precious daughter naturally meant facing scrutiny from the father-in-law. He was lucky with his timing; if times hadn't changed, someone like him wouldn't have been able to snag the Shu family's darling.
After leaving the Su family home, Shu Yao stayed at a guesthouse with her parents that night. She and her mother whispered about how much they missed each other, glossing over all the grievances and embarrassments she had suffered at the Sun family home.
Mr. Shu, standing to the side, couldn't help but shed tears, quickly wiping them away in a secluded spot. Over the years, he had thought countless times about what he would do if he found his daughter.
For a time, he bought over a dozen dresses and filled a room with dolls. But when he saw his daughter again, she was already middle-aged. Forget about him wanting to raise her as a princess; she was now the mother of three college students and had already chosen her own husband.
He felt a heavy weight of disappointment, inner turmoil, heartache, and resentment pressing down on his chest. His precious daughter—he hadn't done anything for her, and she was already married.
The next morning, Shu's mother grabbed the old man in the corridor. "Why didn't you take out the gift you prepared for your son-in-law?"
"I don't want to give it."
His wife burst out laughing. "How old are you? Why are you acting like a child?"
"..." Old Shu sighed. Everything she had after having her daughter had vanished like a bubble. She had thought about finding her a son-in-law who would be satisfactory in every way—good family background, good looks, and high education. But now, this son-in-law had been with her daughter for twenty years, and no matter how she looked at him, he was not quite right.
“He’s so much older than my daughter, and he’s not very educated, and his looks are just average…”
“But he protected our daughter from the Sun family’s interference. He spoiled our daughter so that she could eat the southern rice she loves in such an environment. Even during those ten years, he was the one who farmed the land. When he was criticized or beaten, he always stood in front of our daughter. He was the one who did all the things that we should have protected and cared for.”
Old Man Shu fell silent, truly speechless this time. It was his fault for not taking good care of his daughter, letting her get lost during the war and be sold to the Sun family as a child bride by human traffickers. It was all his fault; on the contrary, it was his son-in-law who was helping, protecting, and taking care of her.
"I'll give it to you later."
Shu's mother chuckled, understanding his slight awkwardness. Her daughter was intelligent, beautiful, and sensible—such an outstanding child. He had once said that anyone wanting to marry her would have to pass countless tests. But now, she felt she would be at a disadvantage if she didn't put him through the wringer.
But his wife was right. He had been protecting and caring for their daughter all these years, and he deserved the Shu family's approval. Especially when he went to their daughter's house again this morning, he was cleaning the house and cooking in the kitchen. His caring nature made people feel even more at ease.
"You didn't go to work today?"
"I took the morning off." Su Xiangdong was very used to doing housework. He wiped his hands, lifted the curtain, and let his parents-in-law into the house. He then quickly brewed tea, which was this year's new tea that he had specially asked someone to buy from the south.
Mr. Shu took a sip and nodded silently. Indeed, tea from his hometown tastes the best; nothing he buys abroad is as authentic. This tea is definitely this year's new tea; his son-in-law has put a lot of thought into it.
"I was too excited yesterday and forgot." The old man took out a box and handed it to him: "This is a gift for our first meeting."
"Thank you, Dad." Su Xiangdong saw the old man nod and understood that this meant he was being accepted. He actually understood his father-in-law's feelings very well. If his daughter got married, he wouldn't be able to have a smooth and amicable relationship with his son-in-law. He needed his father-in-law's approval to be considered family.
The box was exquisite, and inside was a pair of watches. The craftsmanship was superb, and they were very beautiful—Rolex, a top international brand. Although he didn't know the prices of these watches, he knew they must be expensive. Most importantly, they were a pair, each with a different meaning.
"Wife, look!"
Shu Yao came over to take a look; this thing was quite valuable. Her parents must have picked it out on purpose; matching watches represent husband and wife, a very auspicious meaning.
These watches were a limited edition, specially requested by Mr. Shu; they weren't available on the market at all. Seeing that his daughter and son-in-law liked them very much, he was pleased. He also took the opportunity to transfer the shares to his daughter, which, after being signed, would be processed by a lawyer and become effective.
"Dad, give me this?"
"You should rightfully have a share in the Shu family's business."
"Actually, I'm also starting my own business, and all of these things will come in the future."
"What's yours is yours, and this is a gift from your parents." The family shares are divided into three parts, and the daughter's share was originally agreed upon to be left to her. Neither son nor daughter-in-law has any objections; now all that's needed is to complete the formalities. The elderly couple still have savings and will receive dividends at the end of the year. They plan to buy a house in mainland China, to return to their roots.
"Sign quickly," her older brother urged her with a smile. "This was agreed upon from the beginning; it's your share."
“But I’ve never done anything for my family, how can I ask for so much? My older brother is already very kind to help me start my business.”
In her past life, she had tried her best to refuse, but in the end, she still received a portion. The other portion was given to her as cash, which she used to invest in and start her own company. In this life, she still wants to do the same. She has never done anything for her family, so how can she share in the fruits of her two brothers' hard work?
“Yaoyao,” Shu’s father said, “this is what your father gave you; it’s what you deserve.”
“But I would feel uneasy accepting it. As a daughter, I haven’t been able to take care of my parents; it’s all been my two older brothers and their wives who have done it. My two older brothers have also been running the company all these years. How can I get so much for nothing?”
After some initial reluctance, it ended the same way as in her previous life. She was given four percent of the Shu family's assets, but her two brothers gave her a million yuan in cash upfront, to decide what investments she wanted to make. All of that belonged to her; whatever profits she made in the future were hers alone, and had nothing to do with the Shu family.
"Thank you, eldest brother. Um, please thank second brother for me."
The eldest brother stroked her hair: "Your second brother feels this is too little and feels bad about it. However, the company just invested in a project this year, and the cash flow is not sufficient. You can do whatever you want without worry. When the funds come back next year, just tell us how much you need."
"Um."
From a young age, their parents taught them to take care of their younger sister, and the brothers have felt guilty ever since they lost her. They genuinely wanted those shares for her, to let her be a wealthy woman. But their sister wants to work and doesn't want to receive something for nothing, so they support her.
With so much money in her hands all at once, she had to completely give up her small business. She didn't find the factory work particularly strenuous, but her parents were still heartbroken to see it. Her father had worked in textiles before and knew all too well the workload of female textile workers.
"Quit your job, being a textile worker is too hard."
"Yes, listen to your dad. Being a factory worker is too hard. We weren't here before, but now we are. Your mom and dad will take care of you."
Shu Yao was both amused and exasperated. "Mom, I'm forty years old. I'm not a child anymore."
Both parents sighed inwardly, and the mother spoke with regret, "To your parents, you'll always be a child."
The father nodded in agreement: "Listen to us, your mom and dad will take care of you from now on."
“Dad,” Shu Yao smiled helplessly. “I’m the workshop foreman, and the work isn’t hard. I plan to take leave without pay next year, and finish this job this year. You have to finish what you start, right?”
Upon hearing this, her parents stopped insisting that she quit her job. The Lunar New Year was approaching, and the twins would soon be home for the holidays. Because processing their overseas travel documents was taking too long, her parents decided that everyone should stay and celebrate the New Year together this year.
"Mom," Shu Chengjing began, "There's still a bit of a gap in the domestic market. Will you be able to adapt?"
"Why not?" the old father exclaimed, his eyes wide. "Your sister has lived here for decades, why can't we?"
"Fine," Shu Chengjing said, not daring to utter another word. Shu Yao had also wanted to persuade him, but now she remained silent. Her parents were getting old and quite stubborn; they wanted to spend the New Year with her, and if she tried to persuade them, it would seem as if she didn't welcome them.
"Then, Mom and Dad, why don't you stay at home? It's more convenient at home, and it's easier to take care of us since it's close by."
"Is there not enough room at home?"
“We’ve already discussed this before. Third Aunt can stay at Xiangdong’s cousin’s, her daughter’s, place tonight. You two can stay in our current bedroom, and Tangtang and Heyi can stay in the outer room. Xiangdong and I will stay in the east wing.”
"And what about He Xu?" The old lady had quickly become familiar with her daughter's children; at least she remembered their names.
"He Xu's room is a side room, so it won't affect anything."
"Okay." While the old lady was still considering, the old man agreed first. Looking at his son-in-law, Su Xiangdong had always been welcoming.
That same day, the house was tidied up again, and the elderly couple's belongings were moved over. That evening, Shuyao prepared water for the old man to wash his feet, and he lay comfortably on the kang (heated brick bed).
“You old fool, your daughter’s house is only so big. If we move in, it will be too crowded. It will also affect the children.”
"What else can we do? Stay in a guesthouse during the Chinese New Year? Our daughter would feel terrible."
The old lady thought it made sense and couldn't help but complain, "Chengjing is too slow. It's been so long and he still hasn't finished the house."
“It’s not easy to buy a house in China these days; you have to be right on the right day. Chengjing said there were two places that weren’t suitable, so he simply got the land approved himself. The foundation beams have already been laid, and construction can begin next spring. Our house and our daughter’s house will be together, independent yet not far apart, which is very convenient.”
"That's great. We need to fix the toilet and make it possible to take a shower."
“Go tell your son.”
Having lived abroad for many years, the old lady only had these few requirements: convenient access to toilets and showers; everything else was fine. Her son, of course, knew his parents' needs and assured her that all of those were provided.
"We'll install a boiler room in several places, so you can have hot water anytime. Don't worry, ma'am, we'll make sure you're comfortable."
To better care for her parents, Shu Yao and her husband rushed home every day after work. Meng Xi, who had been the subject of much controversy, had already been fired from the factory. When she got off work, she saw the other person standing not far away, probably waiting for Sun Yaozu.
She couldn't be bothered to ask any more questions about their relationship; let them do whatever they want. They shamelessly hugged and kissed each other, talking about true love, and look at them now, wishing they could stab each other to death. This is their so-called true love—it can't withstand even the slightest hardship.
Shuyao stewed beef and ribs for her parents in a clay pot over low heat. The beef was authentic free-range beef from the grasslands, and it wasn't gamey or dry. It was also mostly lean meat, which suited her parents' eating habits. There was also ginseng from Northeast China, so she made a pot of ginseng chicken soup to nourish their qi and blood.
Passersby couldn't help but take a few extra breaths of the delicious aroma wafting from the Su family's gate. Watching Su Xiangdong ride his motorcycle home from work, everyone's gaze was filled with nothing but envy.
Aunt Xu shook her head and sighed to her neighbor, "Indeed, everything in this world is fair. A few years ago, we were saying that this person was unlucky, but look at them now, we can never catch up to them in this lifetime."
"Yes. Who would have thought that the Shu family would get a land plot to build houses on the east side, and one of them is for Shu Yao and her husband."
"Really? My goodness, Su Xiangdong is so lucky."
“Indeed.” The woman glanced at the Sun family: “The Sun family doesn’t have that kind of luck.”
Yes. Good people do have good fortune.
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