Chapter 27
27.
"Father, don't force me."
Upon hearing this, Wen Lin's mind instantly conjured up many inappropriate thoughts, and his paternal arrogance diminished considerably. He looked at Cheng Lingjun as if he no longer recognized his son.
Cheng Lingjun still had a smile on her face, but her eyes were serious. Wen Lin's face flushed instantly, and her lips trembled slightly: "You...you mustn't do anything foolish..."
Seeing that her father was stunned by her, Cheng Lingjun asked again, "Dad, have you told anyone I'm here?"
"No," Wen Lin quickly said, "I didn't know you were here. I... I was just looking around. You should be delivering new embroidery soon, but I couldn't find you at the embroidery workshop. So I thought I'd follow the people who delivered the embroidery to you, but they all disappeared. I never expected to see you here today..."
From Wen Lin's words, Cheng Lingjun deduced that his father had long anticipated that he would send a batch of embroidery every few days. He would count the days and go out to look for him, but each time it was not him who delivered the embroidery, but someone else. This was because Cheng Lingjun did not entrust the embroidery to the same shop each time, so it was difficult to find the person who delivered the embroidery. Even if he did find them, they would leave Guping Town in a carriage, and he had no idea where they went.
Wen Lin continued rambling, "I thought you looked like me from afar. I've never seen your clothes before, and you're wearing a veiled hat. I almost didn't recognize you. But how could a father not recognize his own son? I was right."
well.
Cheng Lingjun sighed inwardly, unsure of what to say. His chest felt both sore and bitter. Had he recognized him just by his back view? Or was it more absurd to say that he found him through some unspoken understanding between father and son?
Cheng Lingjun is also a father, so he understands the bonds between family members. Therefore, even though he was very upset by Wen Lin's words, he still couldn't hate Wen Lin.
Now that he knew Wen Lin hadn't told anyone he had appeared, Cheng Lingjun breathed a sigh of relief and wasn't so tense anymore. He said, "Father, I... I won't go back to the Li family or the Cheng family. Mother probably doesn't want me to go back either. Please don't try to persuade me anymore. Let me rest for a while. That would be the greatest mercy you can show your son."
“Ling Jun…” Wen Lin looked at his son’s pained eyes, but in the end, he didn’t say anything to ask him to go back.
"But it's not good for you to be out there."
Cheng Lingjun knew that his father was indecisive and always agreed with his mother and sister. Even though he knew the hardships of being a father and a man, he didn't think there was anything wrong with it. He didn't think that women were wrong, and even if a woman really made a mistake, a man should forgive her.
He didn't really want his father to accept him all at once, as long as Wen Lin didn't tell anyone about his whereabouts. Cheng Lingjun said, "Dad, I know what's going on. If my family can't accept me, can't I find somewhere else to live? As for the Li family, Li Guifang and I are truly divorced. I won't go back, and the Li family won't want me either. If you still have any pity for your son, please don't tell anyone that I've ever been here, okay?"
"You...this..." Wen Lin was somewhat at a loss. He had found his son, but was he supposed to keep it a secret from his family? This...this...
Cheng Lingjun didn't interrupt his thoughts, giving him some time to calm down.
Wen Lin sorted out the chaotic thoughts in his mind, gritted his teeth, and said, "I can not say it, but Ling Jun, your mother is only tough on the outside, but soft on the inside. You, you should see that your mother and father are so old. Families will always quarrel. You can't hold a grudge against your mother. You should always go home."
Why do we always have to send him home?
Cheng Lingjun sneered inwardly, but didn't show it on his face. He knew this was his father's bottom line, and if he tried to bargain further, his father probably wouldn't give in.
“Okay, Father, I will go back once Mother stops being angry with me,” Cheng Lingjun replied.
“Your mother is just saying that,” Wen Lin repeated. “When are you coming home?”
When? Cheng Lingjun couldn't give a specific date.
Wen Lin looked at him. His son's clothes were old, and although he looked fine, he must be having a hard time outside. It was ridiculous for a man to be taking care of a child.
Wen Lin took out a money pouch from his pocket and handed it to Cheng Lingjun, saying, "This is what your father has saved up over the years. Take it and stop working so hard on that embroidery."
Cheng Lingjun looked at the money bag embroidered with a green-eyed bird. The painting on it was also embroidered by his father. His father's skills were actually much better than his. Although the skills he learned were all taught by his father, he only learned the basics and his work was actually very crude.
Unfortunately, his father mostly used his skills to sew clothes and make thread for his family. His hands had become dry and rough from years of hard work. Even if he did some needlework for others, it would probably take him a long time to save up that little bit of money.
Cheng Lingjun shook his head, wanting to refuse, but Wen Lin saw through him first. Wen Lin directly stuffed him into his arms and said, "Just remember that you are a member of the Cheng family. No matter what happens, you must go home. And that child Li Guang, I don't know if he can even get enough to eat if he stays with you."
Wen Lin sighed, but his words truly stung Cheng Lingjun's heart. He couldn't help but waver. Perhaps, his mother was only acting out of anger for a moment. In time, she would eventually feel sorry for her child, just like his father. Parents always think of their children first. Wasn't he treating Xiao Guang just like his parents treated him? Besides, Xiao Guang had suffered with him. If he could return to the Cheng family…
Cheng Lingjun clutched the money pouch, looked at Wen Lin's expectant eyes, and slowly nodded.
Wen Lin breathed a sigh of relief, and a smile finally appeared at the corner of his eyes. "That's right. I won't rush you. You can come to town once a month around this time, just to see your father. I won't tell anyone about you. How about that?"
……………………
Cheng Lingjun didn't remember how he answered. It wasn't until he was sitting in the swaying carriage that he gradually came to his senses. Sister Wang looked at him with some concern.
"What's the matter?"
Cheng Lingjun shook her head, remained silent for a while, and then spoke, "Big sister, what do you say..."
"What did you say?" Sister Wang leaned forward.
“…It’s nothing,” Cheng Lingjun forced a smile and turned her head away.
Sister Wang and Uncle Niu, who was driving the cart, exchanged a glance, both somewhat surprised. How come Xiao Cheng was perfectly fine when he left, but returned looking like he had lost his soul? When they arrived, they only saw Cheng Lingjun and didn't know where he had gone. They just looked at his profile and thought he looked rather pitiful.
The two of them didn't know how to comfort him, so they could only tell him to go back and get some rest. But seeing how absent-minded he was, they didn't know if he had listened to them at all.
"How pitiful," Sister Wang shook her head.
Uncle Niu drove the car to the village entrance, dropped them off, and left. He had borrowed the car and needed to return it.
After saying goodbye to Cheng Lingjun, Sister Wang also left.
Cheng Lingjun walked slowly past the big locust tree and into the village. It was almost noon, and the sun was shining brightly in the sky. Yes, it was already this late, and he still had to pick up Xiao Guang.
Cheng Lingjun felt her feet moving, but her mind was blank. She should walk faster; Xiao Guang must be getting impatient. She wondered how long they'd been waiting, and Liu Niangzi was probably also…
Many thoughts rushed through his mind, yet it seemed that nothing remained. He simply walked towards that place, as if something was supporting him.
Suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder.
Cheng Lingjun froze for a moment, then turned around to see Guan Yue's familiar face in front of him.
"You... what are you doing here?"
"I've been waiting for you here," Guan Yue asked matter-of-factly. "But you, why do you look like you haven't slept at all?"
"Not...not awake yet?" Cheng Lingjun woke up abruptly.
"I...I'm not sleepy," Cheng Lingjun rubbed her face. "I'm just a little...okay, I'm just sleepy."
"Huh?" Guan Yue looked at him. "How is it?"
"What do you mean, how?"
“As for my sweet potatoes,” Guan Yue looked him up and down, “you didn’t bring them back. Did someone offer to grind them into flour for me?”
“Yes,” Cheng Lingjun smiled, “They took a liking to your sweet potatoes and said they wouldn’t make them for you at all, and would even help you sell them.”
"Really?" Guan Yue exclaimed in shock. "So this really is connections? This is what connections are like?"
Having connections makes all the difference; even Guan Yue has to admire Cheng Lingjun.
Cheng Lingjun chuckled twice and then asked, "How did you know I'd be back at this time?"
"I... I guessed," Guan Yue didn't mention what she had been waiting for. There weren't many people at the village entrance at this time; most had gone home for dinner. She had originally planned to wait for Cheng Lingjun to return home before appearing, but seeing him looking dazed and as if he was about to fall, she came out instead.
"Is that so?" Cheng Lingjun didn't press further, smiled good-naturedly, and the two slowly walked towards Lady Liu's house.
After walking for a while, Guan Yue asked in a low voice, "Did something happen?"
Cheng Lingjun paused, then sighed softly, "Is it that obvious?"
Guan Yue hesitated, "It's alright, you don't have to say if you don't want to."
As they spoke, the two could already see the bluestone bricks in front of Lady Liu's house, and Lady Liu's house was clearly visible in the distance.
Guan Yue stopped in her tracks and said, "Go pick up Li Guang first."
Cheng Lingjun understood what she meant. She always adhered to the inexplicable agreement to keep her distance in front of outsiders. He often felt that she was more cautious than he was, but it was clearly to protect his reputation—she cared more about his reputation than about her own.
Cheng Lingjun suddenly felt a pang of heart palpitation, but before she could catch it, it was over.
He snapped out of his daze and looked at Guan Yue, who had already retreated to a corner. "Wait for me to come back."
"Huh?" Guan Yue looked at him, not understanding what he meant.
Cheng Lingjun said, "I'll tell you what happened when I get home."
"Huh? Oh, oh," Guan Yue stood there, somewhat stunned.
Is he... about to take the initiative to tell her about himself?
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