Chapter 20 Tian Youfu’s Hope
…
Tian Youfu had a glorious time.
Thinking back to the time when Tian Youfu was the leader of the group, who in Furong Village didn't look up to him? At that time, even Qian Dafa, who is now the most successful person in Furong Village, was Tian Youfu's younger brother, following Tian Youfu around every day.
If he had not died seven years ago, Qian Dafa would definitely have been the village party secretary of Tian Youfu.
It’s a pity that one wrong move can lead to a complete loss!
The deposit is gone.
The house is gone.
My wife is gone too.
It still owes a lot of foreign debt.
Today, Tian Youfu can only rent the old house of a younger brother who was once quite loyal to him. He drags a crippled leg and lives with a girl who dares not even leave the house, barely making ends meet, without any hope in sight.
but--
That was only before.
Now Tian Youfu has found hope!
…
After seeing off Xu Kai and the others, Tian Youfu said to Tian Haitang in high spirits, "Go and cook two hard dishes for Dad, and then give Dad a big bowl of the rice wine you brewed."
After hearing what she said, Tian Haitang silently went to cook four side dishes, two meat dishes and two vegetable dishes, for Tian Youfu, made a bowl of soup, and scooped a large bowl of rice wine she brewed.
Tian Haitang's grandfather used to be a village chef. He was good at farm work and could also weave bamboo products. Whenever the neighbors had weddings or funerals, they would happily ask Tian Haitang's grandfather for help.
While grandpa was cooking, Tian Haitang was helping him.
In addition, when she was a child, Tian Haitang worked as a carpenter with her grandfather, cooked with her grandmother, and worked in the fields when the crops were ripe.
Through observation and learning, Tian Haitang learned a lot of skills in cooking, housework and farm work.
After her father's leg was broken and her mother ran away with someone, Tian Haitang's heart closed.
Since then, Tian Haitang began to look for cooking articles and videos in books and on the Internet, honing her cooking skills day by day, year after year.
Over the past few years, Tian Haitang's cooking skills have developed into something unique, and she can turn ordinary ingredients into delicious delicacies.
Take the four dishes and one soup that Tian Haitang prepared for Tian Youfu. Although they are all seasonal dishes, they are all made by her to be delicious and tasty, making people's appetites grow at first sight.
There is also the rice wine brewed by Tian Haitang, which combines the six flavors of sweetness, sourness, bitterness, spiciness, freshness and astringency, and is clear, fragrant, mellow, soft, mellow and refreshing.
After two sips of rice wine, Tian Youfu suddenly said something shocking: "Haitang, I want to marry you to Xu Kai."
As soon as Tian Youfu finished speaking, the bowl in Tian Haitang's hand fell onto the table.
Fortunately, the distance was not high and the bowl did not break.
Tian Haitang hurriedly picked up the bowl and continued to serve soup to Tian Youfu.
Tian Youfu saw in the dim light that Tian Haitang was not only panicked, but two red clouds appeared on her pretty face.
This made Tian Youfu more confident.
Tian Youfu took another sip of rice wine and ate two bites of side dishes before continuing, "Although you are only 19 and not yet of legal age to get married, there are many rural people who get married at your age. Many even get married at 14 or 15."
"But don't think that your father is in such a hurry to marry you off because he doesn't like you or wants to evade the responsibility of raising you."
"Although your father is poor and incompetent, he is not so irresponsible."
After a pause, Tian Youfu continued, "The reason why I want to marry you to Xu Kai is because I think Xu Kai is the best match for you."
"Yes, Xu Kai has been in prison. He is 12 years older than you and has a child who is almost 11 years old."
“But in my opinion, these are not problems at all.”
"What happened to you being in jail?"
"Gou Jian was imprisoned, but he endured hardships and destroyed the Wu Kingdom. He held the Xuzhou Alliance, moved the capital to Langya, and dominated the Central Plains!"
"Cao Cao was imprisoned, but he fought against Dong Zhuo, defeated Yuan Shao, unified the Central Plains and the north, and laid the foundation for the Cao Wei regime!"
"Zhao Kuangyin was also imprisoned, but he established the Song Dynasty, ended the wars of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, destroyed Jingnan, Wuping, Hou Shu, Southern Han and Southern Tang, and basically completed the unification!"
"Being in jail is nothing. A hero doesn't care where he came from!"
After calming down, Tian Youfu said leisurely, "Everyone in the village says you are sick, but I know you are not sick at all. You were just scared by those debt collectors when you were a child. You lack a sense of security, so you are afraid of contact with people."
"I admit that I am timid and stubborn, I have no ability, and I caused so much trouble. I pissed off your grandparents and your mother, and it left you with a huge shadow on your childhood. I am not worthy of being a son, a husband, or a father."
As he spoke, Tian Youfu burst into tears: "Nine years have passed, and I still can't protect you, give you a sense of security, and make you afraid to even leave the house..."
It is not difficult to hear from Tian Youfu's words that he feels very guilty.
But soon, Tian Youfu's tone brightened and he said:
"So, a long time ago, I thought that I must find you a husband who can protect you and give you a sense of security."
"Today on the bus, I saw Xu Kai protecting you so well. At that time, I was wondering if the person I was waiting for had appeared?"
Tian Youfu drank and smiled as he said, "I have been observing Xu Kai all day."
"As a result, everything Xu Kai did made me very satisfied."
"He is responsible, courageous, aware of current affairs, knows how to make choices, has vision, and values friendship and loyalty."
"This is the son-in-law I, Tian Youfu, want!"
"What's wrong with being 12 years older? You should know how to care for others when you are older!"
"What's wrong with having a daughter? Just treat her as...as if she were your sister, that's all!"
“…”
"If you can marry Xu Kai, I will die with my eyes closed."
"No, I can't die. I have to witness your happiness."
"I heard that your mother is not doing well now. That man complains that your mother is old and in poor health. He always beats your mother and sometimes doesn't even give her food. If you can marry Xu Kai, Xu Kai will help me pay back all the money I owe and buy a house. Then I will bring your mother back and I, Tian Youfu, will have a home."
“…”
Tian Youfu was drunk and fell asleep on the table.
Tian Haitang took a piece of clothing to cover Tian Youfu, and then quietly cleaned up the dishes.
But as she was collecting the money, Tian Haitang remembered what Tian Youfu had just said about marrying her to Xu Kai.
Then, Tian Haitang recalled the scenes of Xu Kai saving her on the bus, Xu Kai's reliable back, and the sense of security she had never felt before when Xu Kai stood beside her.
Unconsciously, Tian Haitang's face began to get hot and her heartbeat started to quicken.
"Will he really be my husband?"
Tian Haitang's voice is as sweet as a lark.
It's a pity that no one in this world has ever heard Tian Haitang's voice, including his father Tian Youfu...
…
(End of this chapter)
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