Chapter 18
The National Day holiday is just around the corner, and Lin Ting needs to go back to her hometown because her cousin is getting married.
Lin Ting's hometown is a small town called Lizhen under the county seat of Nancheng in Jiangnan. Every time he goes back to his hometown, he takes a 10-hour train ride to the county seat and then takes a bus home.
The picturesque scenery of small bridges and flowing water is the hallmark of Lizhen. Ancient stone bridges connect the two banks, and the water beneath them is crystal clear and flows gently. Occasionally, a few small boats drift leisurely on the river, with fishermen or tourists enjoying the tranquility and beauty.
The houses on both sides of the river are built along the water, and their styles are mostly the same: white walls and black tiles, exuding an antique charm. The wooden lintels are carved with exquisite patterns, and the window frames are inlaid with delicate carved glass. Although these buildings have weathered the storms of time, they still retain their original appearance and tell ancient stories.
Lin Ting's house is easy to find. Just walk along the river to the end, there are two rows of single-story houses, enclosed by courtyard walls on both sides. You can see a big peach tree planted in the yard, that's her house.
"Mom, I'm back." Lin Ting carried her suitcase across the threshold.
A moment later, a middle-aged woman rushed out of the back row of houses.
Both rows of houses are single-story. The front row houses have a passageway in the middle, a kitchen on the left, and a storage room on the right.
The living room is in the middle of the back row of houses, the master bedroom (Mother Lin's) is on the left, and the second bedroom (Ting Lin's) is on the right. There is a small, separate bathroom next to it, which has a wet and dry separation design.
Lin's mother took the suitcase and pulled it to the back room. "Didn't I tell you to call me when you got to the town entrance? The roads are all cobblestones, full of potholes, and it'll be hard to drag the suitcase."
Lin's mother's name was Lin Qin. She was slender and had obvious signs of aging around her eyes, but that did not diminish her graceful and beautiful appearance. She must have been an outstanding beauty when she was young. Lin Ting's eyebrows and eyes looked very much like her mother's.
"Mom, this suitcase isn't heavy, I can carry it." Lin Ting put her hands on her mother's shoulders, and they leaned close together affectionately.
As soon as Lin Ting stepped into the living room, she noticed the embroidery frame and four or five bundles of clothing pieces in the corner. Looking at her mother's eyes, she saw that they were bloodshot and her eye bags were so heavy they looked like they were about to fall off. It was obvious that she had been staying up all night, and it certainly wasn't just for one or two nights.
Lin Ting felt both sorry for him and reproached him, "Didn't I tell you to take on less work? Why are you taking on so many pieces of fabric, and such large areas of embroidery? How long are you going to keep going like this?"
Lin Qin smiled calmly, "They're all regular customers. They needed this batch of goods urgently, so I accepted it. You know that's all the skill Mom has."
“I didn’t tell you not to take any jobs. You need to consider your health. Frozen shoulder and herniated discs are all side effects. The doctor has repeatedly emphasized that you can’t hunch over for long periods of time. Otherwise, in a few years, you won’t even be able to straighten your back.” Lin Ting’s anger was evident, and her tone was very harsh.
Lin Qin held Lin Ting's hands in her own and comforted her, "Okay, Mom will definitely not take these kinds of urgent orders next time."
Lin Ting pulled her hand away, turned around, took out a leather bag from her bag, and placed it in her mother's hand. "Here is ten thousand yuan that I earned from tutoring during the summer."
Ten thousand, ten thousand for two months! Lin Ting's tutoring fees used to be only a little over 3,000 a month, this time it's so much higher. Lin Qin remembered seeing many news reports recently about female college students falling into prostitution and being kept by sugar daddies, and she felt a wave of panic. Her face turned pale, her lips trembled slightly, and she tightly gripped Lin Ting's hands, "You, you wouldn't do that."
Lin could tell from her mother's worry, "Mom, you're overthinking it, and you're missing the point. This time, the student I'm tutoring comes from a well-off family, and they require me to go every day. Plus, the hourly wage is higher, so my overall income is higher. There's also the money I earned from working at the milk tea shop these past two months. You know the boss likes me a lot and always gives me a little extra when he pays me. In short, this is all clean, hard-earned money. And what you're thinking about is impossible for me."
"It's all because your mother is useless. You have to work while studying. Other children don't have to worry about living expenses or tuition fees when they go to university, but you have to struggle for these things since the first day of school. Mom, I'm sorry." Lin Qin said, turning her head away and wiping away the tears that flowed down her face.
Lin Ting cupped her mother's face in her hands, her expression somewhat serious. "Mom, I've told you so many times, you're not allowed to say these things. I just want us to be okay. You take good care of yourself at home so I can feel at ease when I'm away. I'll graduate next year, and I plan to go back to the provincial capital to find a job. Once I have a stable job, I'll bring you here. In a few years, when we have some money, we can buy a house in the provincial capital and move away from here so we don't have to put up with all this anymore."
Lin Qin choked back tears, "Okay, okay!"
"Don't cry anymore, I'm hungry, I want to eat the sweet rice wine and egg drop soup with glutinous rice balls you make."
"Okay, Mom will do it now."
Fifteen minutes later, Lin Qin brought over a bowl of sweet soup from the front room, only to find Lin Ting embroidering. She quickly took the needle and thread from Lin Ting's hand and placed the soup bowl in her hands.
"You've finally made it home, so take a good rest."
Lin Ting took a sip, her face beaming with smiles. "It's so sweet, I love this taste."
Even the most strong-willed person, when they return home to their mother's side, will become a child who enjoys being pampered and craves the food their mother cooks.
Qin Qin sat to one side, watching Lin Ting eat the sweet soup she had made with gusto, her eyes sparkling with warmth, her face beaming with satisfaction and joy.
Just then, footsteps came from the front room; my uncle and aunt had arrived.
The uncle's name is Lin Li. He is three years younger than Lin's mother. He is of medium build and works as a bricklayer in the small town. Because he works outdoors all year round, his skin is dark and rough. Over the years, he has been helping Lin Ting and her mother. He is a steady, honest and kind man.
Aunt Zhang Linfang, with her distinctive almond-shaped eyes, short hair, and petite figure, was shrewd and capable, managing her family's life with increasing prosperity. In the past, she knew that Lin Li would occasionally give money to Lin Qin and her mother, which always made her feel uncomfortable, but she couldn't say anything. Many times, she would give Lin Qin the cold shoulder. After Lin Ting went to university and was able to earn money through part-time jobs, she would transfer 1,000 yuan to her aunt every month, firstly to thank her for their kindness over the years, and secondly to ask her to visit her mother more often when she was not at home. Only then did she treat them much better.
Lin Li spoke first, "Listen to see when they'll get home?"
Lin Ting: "Uncle, Aunt, we've only been home for a little while."
Lin Qin: "Why are you all here now?"
Zhang Linfang's lips curled up, and her eyes were full of smiles as she looked Lin Ting up and down, making Lin Ting feel uneasy and suspicious.
She patted Lin Qin's hand. "Sister, did Lin Ting do something good?"
Lin Ting found it strange. He had only been home for less than half an hour, and although he had encountered a few passersby, he had only managed to speak to the three people in front of him. What good could this be? Had he encountered a ghost?
"Aunt, what's the good news?"
Zhang Linfang turned to look at Lin Ting, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm, as if she were about to tell her something incredibly good. "Do you remember Wang Hao?"
"Who?" Lin Ting had no recollection of it at all.
Zhang Linfang: "He is your elementary school classmate, the son of the factory manager of Jiutai Garment Factory in the next town."
I don't remember the name, but I know Jiu Tai Lin. He's a well-known garment factory nearby, with a large factory area that can accommodate hundreds of workers. He does both domestic and foreign trade.
Ke Lin found it strange. Why bring up people who had absolutely no connection? "Aunt, what exactly are you trying to say?"
“I ran into Wang Hao and his mother at the supermarket a few days ago. His mother and I used to work in a textile factory when we were young, so we are old acquaintances. She asked me to introduce a blind date to her son, and I thought of you. I didn’t expect Wang Hao to still remember you. He said that he noticed you when he was in school. His aunt wants to arrange a time for the two families to meet.”
"Auntie, I haven't even graduated from university yet! And you're already busy arranging blind dates for me. I don't need it."
“You’ll graduate in a year, right? You can meet up and get to know each other. Girls eventually have to get married. Wang Hao is your elementary school classmate, what a great coincidence! Besides, his family has a factory and money. You’ll be living a life of luxury if you marry him. If I hadn’t given birth to a boy, I would have kept him with my family.”
"It's not too late for you to have a girl now," Lin Ting said with a cold expression.
Lin Qin stopped Lin Ting: "How can you talk to your aunt like that?"
"Mom, I'm only 23 years old. I haven't graduated from university and I haven't found a job yet. How could I possibly be interested in blind dates and marriage?"
Zhang Linfang: "What's wrong with being 23? Look around you, most of the girls your age are engaged or married, some have even had two children. And your cousin, who is only a year older than you, is getting married tomorrow. She's marrying someone whose family owns a hardware store. Your aunt and uncle must be so happy."
“Those women either went to vocational school or dropped out of high school and entered the workforce early, then followed their parents’ arrangements to go on blind dates and get married. But I have received higher education. My life values are not about relying on my husband’s family and being a good wife and mother. I have my own ideals. I want to pursue a master’s and a doctorate in the future. I am not a woman who will be trapped in the mundane details of daily life.”
Zhang Linfang: "What's the use of higher education, postgraduate studies, doctoral degrees, and so many books? If you can't find a good husband here, becoming an older single woman is a disgrace, and people will laugh at you."
Using marriage to bind women, to judge women based on marriage—has this society progressed or regressed? No matter how high a woman's education, income, or talent, if she doesn't marry at the right age, all of these become worthless, and may even become points of ridicule.
Lin Ting felt a chill in her heart, her expression turning cold. "Auntie, does marriage necessarily bring happiness to a woman? You've worked so hard for decades, your hair has turned white, and your face is covered in wrinkles. Are you sure you're happy? And what was the result of my mother's sincerity? Being abandoned and squeezed out of the house. Ask her what marriage has brought her?" By the end, Lin Ting almost shouted.
Zhang Linfang wanted to argue, but Lin Li stopped her and immediately smoothed things over, "Listen, don't be angry. If you don't want to go on a blind date this time, then forget it. You're right, you should focus on your studies right now. Your aunt and I won't say anything more and we'll be leaving now." Then she pulled Zhang Linfang's arm and walked out.
Zhang Linfang was unconvinced and tried to break free from Lin Li's hand to continue arguing, her face full of anger, "I haven't finished yet! What a great partner, do you think she's read too many books and ruined her brain?"
Lin Li concluded by scolding, "From now on, you are not allowed to mention blind dates in front of Lin Ting. Just mind your own business."
"If she weren't your niece, do you think I would care?" The two left Lin Ting's house during the argument.
Lin Qin sat on the stool, burying her face between her knees, her shoulders trembling slightly, her sobs sounding like the distant wind, low and sorrowful.
Lin Ting offered no comfort, but sat quietly to the side, waiting for her mother to calm down.
Over the years, she has come to realize that if crying could solve problems, she would be willing to cry all the way to the Great Wall. But in the end, it only hurts her body and mind and is of no use. What is meant to leave cannot be kept, and what is not yours cannot be forced.
A moment later, Lin Qin raised her head, her face streaked with tears, a sight that tugged at the heartstrings. She reached out and stroked Lin Ting's cheek, her voice trembling uncontrollably: "Daughter, I'm so sorry. I didn't expect that incident to affect you so much. It wasn't your fault. I don't want you to be disappointed in marriage because of my failed marriage. My daughter is so outstanding, she will definitely find someone who will love you and treat you well for the rest of her life."
“Mom, it’s not your fault. Don’t get stuck in the past anymore, and don’t care about other people’s gossip. They’re all blind and brain-dead. They’re people who have nothing to do with our lives. We can still live very well without a man to rely on.” Lin Ting hugged Lin Qin in her arms, and the mother and daughter licked each other’s wounds.
My cousin's wedding was scheduled for the second day of the National Day holiday. The banquet was to be held in her own backyard, decorated with bright red "double happiness" characters, lanterns, and firecrackers—a very festive occasion. Everyone present felt happy and blessed by the lively atmosphere, their faces beaming with congratulatory smiles. But Lin Ting didn't feel that way. All that red cloth seemed like strips of white silk choking her, making her feel like she was suffocating.
In Lin Ting's eyes, love and marriage are like an inescapable cage, robbing people of their freedom, binding their minds and bodies, stripping them of their dignity, and robbing them of their vitality. Just like her mother spent most of her life living in the ruins of her heart, she was not the one who destroyed her beautiful home into ruins.
She desperately needed to escape this depressing and suffocating environment, so she returned to Jinshi the next day.
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