After dinner, Feng Ru started to clean up the dishes, saying that she had washed them this morning.
Yu Qing looked at the time. It was only 7:15, so he planned to sit for a few minutes before going to work.
Yu Qing took a sip of hot water and said to Han Chen, "It's snowing a little outside today, and it's very cold. If Xuemei gets bored staying at home, take her out for a walk in the courtyard."
"Aunt, I plan to take Xuemei to visit my mother later!" Han Chen replied.
As soon as Han Chen finished speaking, the table immediately became quiet. Feng Ru immediately stopped what she was doing. Except for the two children and Xuemei, everyone else at the table looked at Han Chen without saying a word. The atmosphere at the table became very tense for a moment. Xuemei looked at Han Chen, then at the others, and couldn't figure out what was going on.
Finally, Lin Songguo cleared his throat and said, "Xiaochen, come upstairs with me. I have something to tell you!"
Xuemei watched Han Chen follow behind Lin Songguo, and a worried expression unconsciously appeared on her face. Yu Qing patted Xuemei's hand and said, "Xuemei, it's okay! Don't worry. Grandpa told Xiaochen about his mother's situation. I think it will be a good thing for you and your wife!"
Feng Ru also continued, "Xuemei, Mom is right, this is indeed a good thing!"
After hearing what Yu Qing and the daughter-in-law said, Xuemei's worries were reduced a lot, and she began to help Feng Ru carry the dishes to the kitchen.
…
The second floor has four rooms, one of which is used as a study. Lin Jianye and Lin Hongwen usually stay in the study when they work from home, and Lin Songguo spends several hours there every day. The remaining three rooms are used for living in the summer, as sleeping upstairs is much cooler during the summer. Except for Lin Songguo, everyone else sleeps upstairs. There's also a shower room and a balcony.
In the study, Han Chen helped Lin Songguo sit down at the desk, and at Lin Songguo's signal, he closed the door before tentatively asking, "Grandpa, is what you want to talk about related to my mother?"
Lin Songguo sighed, took out a key from the pocket of his military coat, opened the top drawer on the right side of the desk, took out an envelope and a folded newspaper, handed them to Han Chen, and said, "Take a look for yourself!"
Han Chen took the things, put the newspaper on the table, opened the envelope first, took out the letter inside, and as soon as he opened it, he saw the eleven words "Letter of Severance of Mother-Son Relationship between Zhang Lin and Han Chen".
Han Chen's hands trembled a bit as he gripped the letter tightly and read on. It read: Zhang Lin had shown no gratitude towards Han Chen for raising him. Han Chen's years at the Kong family consisted of his biological father's savings and the proceeds from the sale of their house. Han Chen's going to the countryside for his stepbrother was a way of repaying Zhang Lin's gratitude. The 300 yuan Han Chen gave Zhang Lin's mother before leaving was a lump sum payment for her retirement. As of October 15, 1969, Zhang Lin and Han Chen severed their mother-son relationship, and there would be no further relationship. Han Chen was not required to offer sacrifices after Zhang Lin's death, and neither party was allowed to contact or disturb each other's lives for any reason.
Zhang Lin has signed his name and put his fingerprints on the signature. The witness is the person in charge of the street office where Zhang Lin works, who has also signed his name and put his fingerprints on it.
After reading it, Han Chen closed his eyes, holding the envelope tightly in one hand and clenching his fist with the other. Han Chen was very angry, a little lost and sad.
Han Chen calmed down his emotions and waited until he was no longer so angry before asking, "Why is she suddenly willing to sever her mother-son relationship with me?"
"Ever since you went to the countryside, your mother and stepfather's neighbors and the places where they work all know that they forced you to go to the countryside and forced you to give your job to your stepbrother for free. Their reputations have gradually become bad. Your stepfather failed to get a promotion this year, and because their reputations in their factory have also been ruined, he probably has no hope of getting promoted in the future." Lin Songguo explained.
"Is it because of this?" Han Chen asked.
Lin Songguo shook his head and said, "Of course not. It's because after Kong Lingjun's reputation was ruined, even though he was the deputy director of the steel plant, it was even more difficult for him to find a job for his eldest son, Kong Yue, than before you went to the countryside, because everyone was watching him for your affairs. Starting in October, the Beijing Municipal Government started sending unemployed or unemployed educated youth to the countryside again. This time, his eldest son had no one to go in his place!"
After Zhang Lin married Kong Lijun, she had a son and a daughter. The elder was only twelve years old this year, and the younger was ten. Even if they were old enough, Zhang Lin would definitely not want to let them go. They were not Han Chen, and Zhang Lin could just abandon them and coax them when she was in a good mood.
Hearing this, Han Chen asked anxiously: "They won't ask you to help find a job, right? This will affect you, Grandpa!"
Lin Songguo comforted him, "Xiaochen, don't worry. They didn't ask us to help Kong Yue find a job. Even if they did, we wouldn't help. The situation is unstable right now."
Seeing Han Chen was relieved, Lin Songguo continued, "The steel mill has a mission to assist the Northwest. I heard that those who participate have a child in their family who can go to the Northwest Military Region to study as an educated youth. Although the military region is also hard, having a job every month is much more secure than ordinary educated youth. Many families with several children in the steel mill want to seize this opportunity to go to the Northwest to provide assistance.
If your mother and stepfather hadn't had such bad reputations, since they both worked at the steel mill and your stepfather was a small leader, they would have most likely been elected!"
Han Chen frowned and said, "They want you to help get this spot!"
"No, they wanted me to help testify that they didn't force you to go to the countryside or give the job to Kong Yue for free! After all, I'm a soldier! On this condition, your mother is willing to sever ties with you!"
I discussed it with your uncle and his family, and we agreed, since it was just a testimony. Before we testified for them, we had your mother sign a letter severing her relationship with you.
"After the steel mill list came out, before they left, your uncle Hu and I went to their house and asked them to publish an advertisement in the newspaper stating that they were severing ties with you. The newspaper was on the table. I had originally planned to mail it to you last year, but I received a telegram the day before asking you to come back, so I decided to wait until you got back to tell you about it," Lin Songguo replied.
After listening to this, Han Chen opened the newspaper on the table and took a look. Then he remembered something and looked at Lin Songguo with a worried look on his face and asked, "Grandpa, do they really just want you to testify? Will it harm other people in the family?"
Of course, it is not as simple as just giving a testimony for Lin Songguo and his family. They also put in some effort in private. However, they are very cautious. Even if they find out, it will not be a big deal, because their Lin family provides labor to assist the Northwest, which is a contribution to the country. The Kong family will have to provide assistance in the Northwest for at least 30 years. By then, even if Zhang Lin returns to Beijing, he will not live for many years.
However, Lin Songguo didn't intend to tell Han Chen about this. He continued, "It's really just a testimony, and it won't affect my family. Your grandfather still has some political vigilance!"
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