Chapter 268 Separation
They had not been sitting there for long when Xu Guoping and Xu Guoliang arrived, and Xu Qingming's cousins were also there. They had gathered together on New Year's Day, and when they knew Xu Qingming and Wen Wan were back, they came to see them.
Lu Dongping had been talking to Xu Guoan for a while, and now he was a little more relaxed. He was naturally handsome and not the kind of person who didn't know how to deal with things. Standing among Xu Qingfeng and his brothers, he didn't feel out of place. If there was any sense of incongruity, it was just that his family background was not good, but who can decide one's own birth? Counting back a few generations, how many people didn't come from the countryside?
What era is this? Everyone is equal. Anyone who still divides people into different classes based on their birth is just making a mistake.
The men of the Xu family had a good impression of him. As for the old lady's dislike for him, he didn't take it to heart, because he also saw that the old lady disliked not only him but also his father-in-law. She had only said a few words when she entered the door, but those two words were not polite at all.
The old lady was probably in a good mood and in high spirits because she saw Wen Wan. She pulled Wen Wan aside and asked her all sorts of questions, saying that she had suffered a lot.
Zhou Ping breathed a sigh of relief. Yesterday afternoon, the old lady had insisted on asking her eldest son, Xu Qingfeng, to go to the Zhou family to invite Zhou Shouji's grandson, Zhou Mingli, to come over today. The two families weren't formally related, but Zhou Mingli had to call Zhou Ping "Auntie" and had a good relationship with Xu Qingfeng and his brothers. If Xu Qingfeng really went to ask, he might have gotten someone to come.
It was fine for them to move around normally, but everyone in the family knew what the old lady was planning. Zhou Ping refused to give in, and the old lady was angry for a long time before she calmed down.
Let's put this behind us today, have a happy meal together, and then send that person away and everything will be fine.
With Wen Wan accompanying the old lady, Zhou Ping breathed a sigh of relief and got up to go outside to greet others.
Wen Wan took the old lady's dry hand and rubbed it gently, her voice soft, just like when she was a child.
"Grandma, I really didn't suffer much. You know my character best. I'm someone who won't suffer even the slightest loss or hardship. I wasn't sensible back then and left without a second thought, but when I think about it, I don't regret it. Lujiazui is just a little far from the capital, and I miss you, but it's inconvenient to see you. Otherwise, I really wouldn't want to come back."
The old lady tapped her nose in annoyance. "You heartless little thing! Knowing you'd run so far without a word, your grandfather and I were almost pissed off, and yet you don't even want to come back. There are mountains over there, and you probably wouldn't be able to walk properly. What else could you do?"
Wen Wan smiled and hugged her arm and said coquettishly: "How could it be, I might have done it, I am not as useless as you said."
The old lady hummed in disbelief, but there was a rare smile in her eyes.
Wen Wan continued, "As soon as I arrived there, I met Lu Dongping. He was an officer in the armed forces department there, and he just happened to take me in. After I settled down, I lived with him. Later, we started dating, and he didn't want me to work in the fields anymore. He used his connections to get me a substitute class at school. During the busy holidays, everyone else had to work in the fields, but I never did. His family is very nice and took good care of me. So I didn't have to suffer at all. It was pretty good."
She said it easily and her face didn't look fake, but the old lady didn't believe it at all.
She is old, but not so confused as to believe whatever others say.
Her An Bao was raised in a honeypot. Her talent and looks were unique, not to mention in a mountainous area like Lujiazui, even in the capital. That kid surnamed Lu was clearly attracted by her beauty. As for that family, if they didn't pamper a girl like An Bao, how could they keep her?
Everyone in her family coaxed her, always reporting good news but not bad news. She had also heard that the girl had found a boyfriend over there, who was very good and treated her very well. Even Wen Shihua went to pick her up in person, but she refused to come back. And then, she ran back on her own the next day. If she hadn't suffered a great injustice, how could such a stubborn little donkey come back?
At noon, they had a lively meal. The three Xu Guoan brothers all prepared red envelopes. This was the first time Lu Dongping came to visit, and it was Chinese New Year, so giving him a red envelope was considered as a way of acknowledging this younger generation.
As for the old lady, as long as she doesn't make a fuss, no one cares whether she is given money or not.
After leaving Xu's house, Wen Wan breathed a sigh of relief.
Wen Shihua chuckled: "Tired?"
Wen Wan nodded as she walked, looked at Lu Dongping, and then separated.
"When I was young and ignorant, I thought that once I arrived at my grandparents' house, everyone would coax me and I could do anything and they would be happy with whatever I said. But now it's different. I feel a little tired." He was mainly worried about what they would think of Lu Dongping and what would embarrass him. He was always worried, and only when he walked out of the door did he feel relieved.
Wen Shihua said, "As people age, the things they see, think about, and face are all different. But with Dad around, you don't need to work too hard. Go to school and do what's easy for you, just like before." He sighed, "Life is so long, no one can predict it. When you have the conditions, it's good to live the way you want. Don't be too demanding."
Wenwan smiled but said nothing. She understood all of this. Work hard!
As we are about to part, time always passes quickly.
On the fourth day of the New Year, Zhang Qianfeng drove, and Wen Wan, Lu Dongping and Lu Chun'e went for a walk together. They went to the Capital Square to watch the flag-raising ceremony, then had breakfast outside, went to Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and then went to Capital Medical University where Lu Chun'e was about to go.
The night before their departure, both of them were very calm. Wen Wan handed Lu Dongping the passbook: "I don't know when I can go back. I know you have some money, but you still have to take this. Your monthly salary is in here. Take it. It will be convenient if you need it when you go back."
Lu Dongping smiled and didn't take it. "Keep it. I get a salary every month, so I won't starve. There aren't many places to spend money at home, and you're here, so you'll need more money. Just buy whatever you need. There's no need to save this money." Saving money would only make him feel uneasy. As a man, he should support his wife.
Wen Wan did not insist with him and gave him the bicycle ticket and industrial voucher that Wen Shihua had given her when he visited. She also gave him all the money in the red envelope that Wen Shihua had given her from the Xu family the day before, which amounted to several dozen yuan.
"This was given to me by my father when he went back. I was planning to buy it then, but it got delayed, so I kept it until now. You go to the county town so often, so having a car would be more convenient."
Lu Dongping asked her, "What about you? The school is quite far from here, so it would be more convenient to have a car."
"I don't need it, and I don't feel like riding such a long way."
There is another house over there. It was bought by her mother and her father before they got married. It was considered a dowry given by the Xu family. The yard is not big, but it is enough for her to live in.
We'll see how the situation develops and decide whether to live on campus or go there.
Lu Dongping put it away.
After turning off the lights, the two hugged each other and no one spoke, but neither of them fell asleep.
The next day, Lu Dongping was unable to go for a morning run with Wen Shihua. He cooked breakfast at home and ate it early. Zhang Qianfeng drove him to the train station.
Wen Wan remained silent the entire way, her lips pursed and her eyes red. Lu Dongping gave Lu Chun'e some instructions, but he didn't say another word to her. He only squeezed her hand before getting off the train, then took his luggage and boarded the train back home.
He had said everything he needed to say, and anything more would be superfluous at this moment.
For the future, he is willing to work hard, but whether he will be given a chance depends entirely on Wen Wan.
Lu Dongping knew that there was a huge gap between them. His family felt that he had wasted a lot of effort to marry Wen Wan, even though they only had two mud-tile houses. But did Wen Wan really want him? No, she didn't.
They lived in high-rise buildings, walked on concrete floors, ate fine grains, and walked on asphalt roads. Upstairs and downstairs, electricity and telephones—these were scenes he had never seen in his life.
Back then, I was young and ignorant, and I went to the countryside on impulse. Now that I'm back, is it possible for me to go back there? Lu Dongping asked himself, but he didn't get any answer.
Wen Wan just stood there and watched him enter the station, watched him blend into the crowd, and disappeared from view.
It's like I've taken root there and can't move.
"Sister-in-law, let's go back!"
"Huh? Oh! Go back!"
Wen Wan finally came back to her senses and turned around to leave the train station with Lu Chun'e.
It's really cold outside. The sun is pale and not warm at all. The wind is biting, making people want to hide their entire face.
Wen Wan rubbed her face. Lu Dongping was gone!
After being together for so many years, even if they had a conflict on the eve of returning home, it could be seen every day.
But it’s different now. He’s really gone, and if she doesn’t look back, she will never see him again.
She was used to having this man around, and with their sudden separation, she felt a little lost and as if her whole body had been hollowed out.
After two days of being depressed at home, Xu Qingming finally got together with his old friends and came over to take them to Shichahai for fun.
In the past, Wen Wan would have been extremely excited, but now she couldn't muster any energy.
Xu Qingming looked at her unhappily, "What's going on? Did Lu Dongping take all your energy away with him when he returned to Lujiazui? What a shame! Where's that courage you had when you were about to take the exam?"
Wen Wan sighed, "It's all over! I dreamed of Dandan crying last night. Brother Qi, do you think I did something wrong? Shouldn't I have left the child there and come back by myself?"
Xu Qingming scoffed: "Regret it?"
Wen Wan didn't shake her head or nod, and remained silent for a long time. She didn't know what she was feeling, but she felt very conflicted.
In the end, she was kicked out. If she stayed at home any longer, Xu Qingming felt that she would get into trouble.
Wen Shihua went to take care of his own things, and there was only her and Lu Chun'e at home. If she didn't want to go out, Lu Chun'e certainly wouldn't want to go out either. She had been here for several days, but Lu Chun'e hadn't gone out yet!
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