Chapter 111
Guan Jueming was stunned. He obviously didn't expect the other party to ask this question. He had never considered remarriage before, so he was really stumped by the question.
Guan Chenxiang reacted very quickly and said immediately: "My brother has not remarried, but he already has a good partner. The other party is very young, has a formal job, is very good to my brother, and is a very decent and kind person."
She knew Comrade Tang too well. What she was best at was climbing up the pole. Even if there was no pole, she could make one herself. Guan Jueming was a rather slow person, so she had to react quickly here.
Guan Jueming was stunned again, but he knew his sister's character and knew that she was not someone who would lie easily, so he did not refute and remained silent.
Comrade Tang's expression dimmed for a moment, but she soon perked up and whispered, "That's right. You have a respectable job now and you're not too old. There must be a lot of people in school who want to introduce you to a date. What kind of person is your current date?"
"Why are you asking this?" Guan Jueming spoke this time. It wasn't because he was on guard, but mainly because he couldn't make up a story on the spot, so he could only ask back.
"I don't mean anything else. I'm just worried that if your partner has a bad personality, then in the future...even if you meet Xiaojun, you won't get along well with Xiaojun. What can I do by asking this? I'm a mother, and I must be thinking about my child." Comrade Tang said it in a high-sounding manner.
Guan Jueming said: "Don't worry about this. To me, nothing is more important than Xiaojun. If someone doesn't get along well with Xiaojun, then Xiaojun will be the only one in my world."
"That's good, that's good." Comrade Tang sighed and said, "Seeing that you are doing well now, I am relieved."
Guan Chenxiang said: "Yes, my brother is doing very well. He is very popular in school. Many people introduce him to girls. Female students also like to be around him and say that he is elegant and noble."
Xia Qingtang carefully looked at Comrade Tang's expression. Sure enough, a hint of unwillingness and resentment flashed across her eyes, but she quickly concealed it.
Comrade Tang said: "Your brother was a famous handsome man when he was young. Now that he is older, he is still handsome. It's just that he has more white hair. He is only in his forties, how come he has so many white hairs? Jueming, you must take good care of yourself. Our son is only in his teens. You must live a healthy life and watch our son have children."
Guan Chenxiang said, "Why does my brother have so many white hairs? Don't you know the reason? In order to distance yourself from our family, you sold all our family assets that we had hidden for so many years to the fan faction. Then you were safe, but our family was beaten even harder. My parents were also locked up in a farm with worse conditions because you betrayed them. They suffered from hunger and cold every day and did the hardest work. As a result, they starved to death in a few years. I may not hold this grudge against you, but I will always remember it. Comrade Tang, please also remember that you and our housekeeper are in a lawsuit involving a life. My brother and I will not mention it in front of Xiaojun, but it does not mean that these things have never happened."
Guan Chenxiang didn't want to say such words at this time, but she really couldn't help it. From Comrade Tang's words and actions, it was clear that when she saw that Guan Jueming was not dead and had a decent job at the university, she wanted to become husband and wife with Guan Jueming again.
Comrade Tang is still so young and beautiful, so she is naturally very confident in herself. What kind of man can't she win over in her life?
Besides, Guan Jueming is only in his forties, much better than the old Ren who is about to retire. The old Ren will only go downhill from now on, but Guan Jueming still has a bright future. Maybe he will be promoted someday. Following Guan Jueming now is definitely much better than following the old Ren.
Guan Chenxiang and Xia Qingtang both saw through Comrade Tang's thoughts at the first moment, which was why Guan Chenxiang had to tell Comrade Tang about the past so that she could understand clearly that she still owed the housekeeper's life. They did not ask her to pay for her life because of Xiaojun. If she still had any inappropriate thoughts, Guan Chenxiang would definitely not let her go.
After hearing what Guan Chenxiang said, Comrade Tang's face turned red and black, and he looked very uncomfortable.
But the advantage of this kind of person is that they are thick-skinned. She quickly restored her normal expression, then lowered her eyebrows and said in a gentle manner: "Chenxiang, you were still young at that time, and there are some things... you don’t understand very well. I was caught by the fan faction at that time. They tore my clothes and threatened me with that kind of thing, asking me to tell you the things hidden in your house... In that situation, what could I do? The first thing I wanted was to survive. I still have a son. You are all locked up, and I am the only one left. If something happens to me, what will happen to Xiaojun? If it were you, what could you do? If you want to blame me, I admit it, but for my son, I can only do that... wuwuwuwu..."
After saying this, Comrade Tang covered his face and started crying again.
Guan Jueming said softly, "Forget it, let's not talk about the past. It's been so many years, there's no point in bringing it up again, I've let it go a long time ago. No matter what, Comrade Tang, you raised Xiaojun, I'm always grateful to you, thank you for not abandoning this child no matter what."
"Look at what you said. He's my son, our son. How could I abandon him? So many people pursued me at the beginning, and the people who came to my house in advance had trampled the threshold, but I still chose you. Why do you think that was? Isn't it because I have feelings for you? At that time, if I didn't like you, how could I marry you and have children with you? In the end, I was forced to separate from you because I wanted to give our child a better life. If I didn't divorce you, how could Xiaojun grow up healthily? Jueming, you are a sober person, you should understand my difficulties." Comrade Tang said it sincerely.
Guan Chenxiang said quietly, "Yes, at that time your family was farming in the countryside. The conditions were so poor, and you were also farming in the countryside. The people who came to your house to propose marriage were at most workers from the county. Didn't you like my brother because of his good conditions? My parents are both university professors. My brother was knowledgeable and cultured, and he was handsome and elegant. You know best whether you like him as a person or these things. Also, do you think you picked him? It was my brother who didn't despise you. He brought you, a country girl, to the provincial capital and helped you find a job at the university. I made you change your appearance, become the wife of a university teacher, and live in a scholarly family. At first, I was against you two being together, because your eyes were full of vanity and calculation. I knew that you were unreliable, but my brother liked you, so I had no choice. Later, I was right. My mother treated you as her own, so she told you all the family heirlooms, but in the end, you gave them all to others! You also took away all the things that were left in the house, leaving nothing for my brother. You really have feelings for my brother!"
Comrade Tang stopped crying this time. She looked at Guan Chenxiang with a cold face and said viciously: "Guan Chenxiang, what do you want to do? If you are unhappy, get out of my house now! Don't forget, my son is still my son. Xiaojun is under my household registration name and has the same surname as me. He is not your housekeeper now! If you really make me angry, your brother will never see his son again!"
"I know that if I make you angry, you will definitely turn against me! But I'm not afraid of you. What you just said to my brother, I can just repeat it to that old Ren. So that he can also see your dirty thoughts and let him know that you still want to seduce my brother now!" Guan Chenxiang did not admit defeat at all.
Comrade Tang sneered and said, "Do you think Lao Ren will believe you? Guan Chenxiang, so many years have passed, and you are still so naive! Lao Ren is my husband, and I have been with him until today. Do you think I can't control him?"
"You can certainly control him, but no matter how much he likes you, he is still a man. You are so much younger than him, do you think he doesn't know why you married him? He may not believe everything I say, but he will definitely doubt it after listening, because he knows your character, Tang Zilan, and he only needs to think about it to know that I am not talking nonsense. As long as he has doubts in his heart, from now on, you can forget about living a peaceful life. Everything you have now is provided by Lao Ren. You think you have controlled him, but in fact, if Lao Ren has doubts about you, you will be nothing!" Guan Chenxiang said: "Xiaojun is not yet eighteen years old, of course he has to listen to you, but he will be an adult the year after next. By then, no matter how you object, my brother can find him privately to recognize him. Do you think you can threaten us with this?"
Comrade Tang bit her lower lip tightly, her eyes widened as big as copper bells. She was obviously very angry, but she couldn't refute Guan Chenxiang's words, because at the moment, it seemed that the advantage was indeed on the butler's side.
The living room was quiet again, so quiet that the only sound could be heard was Xia Qingtang eating pumpkin seeds.
After a long while, Guan Jueming said, "Comrade Tang, my sister is concerned about me, so she spoke a little radically. Don't take it to heart. I no longer have any hatred towards you. At that time, many people were helpless. Besides, you are right to plan for yourself. If you don't work for yourself, you will be punished by heaven and earth. No matter what, you raised Xiaojun, and I am always grateful to you. Let's not talk about other things. You and I are no longer the kind of relationship where we can reminisce about the past. I am Xiaojun's father and you are Xiaojun's mother. I hope that we can live in peace for Xiaojun. What do you think? "
"Okay, why not?" Comrade Tang said, "But, now that we're here, I've worked hard to raise Xiaojun all these years, and you, as a father, haven't contributed any effort, let alone money. How are these accounts going to be settled?"
Xia Qingtang couldn't help but give Comrade Tang a thumbs up again. This person was really amazing. When she found out that she could no longer renew her relationship with Guan Jueming, she immediately reached out for the benefits she deserved. The speed at which she changed her face was really not something that ordinary people could do.
"I have saved a sum of money for Xiaojun. When Xiaojun gets married, let me pay for all the expenses. I will buy him a three-wheeler and a ring. The rest can be given to you as part of the cost of raising him over the years." Guan Jueming said: "If possible, I can cover all of Xiaojun's expenses starting from next semester."
Comrade Tang said, "How much do you plan to give me? I have raised him alone for more than ten years. Let's calculate it based on 100 yuan a year. I will give you a discount. Give me at least 1,000 yuan."
"One thousand yuan?" Guan Chenxiang's eyes widened. "You are asking for too much! Who has so much money as one thousand yuan?"
"I raised a child, so one thousand yuan is not too much?" Comrade Tang laughed coldly, "If you can't afford it, just tell me directly. Why are you still settling accounts with me? You are an old maid who can't get married. Do you know how much it costs to raise a child?"
"You!" Guan Chenxiang's face turned red with anger.
Xia Qingtang suddenly said, "If we really settle accounts for this matter, Teacher Guan doesn't have to give Comrade Tang a penny. It's not that Teacher Guan doesn't want to raise the child, but because the child was hidden and taken away, so he can't raise it! Moreover, I heard that Comrade Tang also took away the housekeeper's heirloom. Don't you want to settle the accounts? Now that the fans have settled, everything that should be taken back can be taken back. Comrade Tang, why don't you tell us who it was given to in the first place? Mention a name, and our Xie Jinxuan can go and ask for Teacher Guan. This is a family heirloom, and it must be taken back. And the treasures that Comrade Tang took away, should they also be returned to the housekeeper?"
Xia Qingtang knew that this was a matter between the housekeeper and Comrade Tang, and as an outsider, she should not have said anything. However, she respected Guan Chenxiang very much, and when she saw Comrade Tang humiliating Guan Chenxiang by saying that she couldn't get married, she immediately became angry.
Comrade Tang immediately stared at Xia Qingtang and said, "Do you want me to mind my business?"
"I am Teacher Chenxiang's student. When my teacher is bullied, I, as a student, must stand up." Xia Qingtang said with a smile, "Don't be angry. Aren't we just discussing this properly?"
Guan Jueming said, "Xiao Xia is right. We can discuss anything, but you came up here to ask for so much, I'm afraid I can't give it to you."
"Didn't the university compensate you for your salary? How much money would that be for so many years? Don't lie to me!" Comrade Tang said.
"The university only gave me a portion of the money. After all, the school is in financial difficulty and doesn't have that much money. Besides, Chenxiang and I have also spent part of it. It's unreasonable for you to ask for so much. If you really want that, then I can only ask you for the things in your home. Even if our housekeeper's things are not heirlooms, just the few dowries my mother gave them are all top-notch items."
"That's right, return my mother's dowry! It should have been mine!" Guan Chenxiang said, "As for our family heirloom, I have already asked someone about it. If we really go to court, we will win!"
Comrade Tang doesn't understand anything about lawsuits. She is not well educated and is very clever. She sometimes feels intimidated when facing intellectuals. Now that Lao Ren is not at home, she doesn't know whether what Guan Chenxiang said is true or false, and her momentum immediately weakened.
Guan Chenxiang said, "Why don't you speak? Is it because you hid our family's treasure that you feel guilty now?"
"Given my situation at the time, if I hadn't handed over all the treasures to them, would I have been able to get away? Guan Chenxiang, stop accusing me!"
"You are allowed to ask for money, but I am not allowed to say anything to you?"
Comrade Tang rolled his eyes and said, "Jueming, we were both a little emotional just now. How about this, let's calm down and discuss what to do."
Guan Jueming's face was very calm. He said calmly, "Just do as I say. I will pay for all of Xiaojun's high school expenses. As for the money I saved, I will give it to Xiaojun for his marriage, and the rest will be all yours. In short, Xiaojun is the first priority, and everything else is secondary. If you don't agree, don't take the rest of the money. I don't think you care about it."
Seeing Guan Jueming's firm attitude and determined eyes, Comrade Tang knew that he had probably made up his mind and would not change it, so he could only say, "Okay, I'll listen to you. The main thing is that I'm a very kind person. Although I raised Xiaojun by myself, I think you're in such a difficult situation, so I'll just forget it and leave you a way out."
Guan Chenxiang sneered, and Xia Qingtang couldn't help but applaud.
"What are you doing? Why are you clapping?" Comrade Tang looked at Xia Qingtang sideways.
Xia Qingtang said: "I admire Comrade Tang so much. People like you will never have a bad life. Congratulations."
Xia Qingtang's words were partly sarcasm, but mostly he was actually praising her.
Like Comrade Tang, many people want to move up and live a better life, but few people have such strong motivation as Comrade Tang.
She wanted to leave the countryside, so she took advantage of her youth and beauty to find Guan Jueming. When the butler suddenly met with misfortune, she immediately drew a line with him, divorced him quickly, and took out the butler's heirloom in exchange for her own safety.
Then, for fear of being implicated, she moved away with her children. Although Xia Qingtang didn't know what kind of person her ex-husband was, just by looking at the fact that she found Lao Ren to remarry, she knew that her ex-husband must not be an unknown person. He must be a small cadre in the city who could allow her to live a comfortable life.
If a person only has ambition, it is called daydreaming. But if a person's ambition is accompanied by strong execution, she will immediately become a powerful person.
Of course, if Guan Jueming and the others didn't mind what she owed the housekeeper, there would be nothing others could say. After all, it was a moral deficiency and no one could really ask her to get it back.
Comrade Tang said coldly: "I am not as lucky as you to marry into such a good family right away. But I climbed all the way out of that small ravine, and everything I did was for a better life! Whether you think I am shameful or unclean, I admit it. But I don't think I did anything wrong. If I didn't do these, I might have died with those people in the housekeeper, and my children would not have been able to live such a good life! Anyway, I have a clear conscience!"
These words were spoken with great force. If you didn't know her, you might think she was some upright hero or great hero. But she was indeed right. She fought for what she wanted and immediately cut off what was holding her back. What did she do wrong?
Guan Jueming said: "I hope you can always live such a good life and be so happy forever. I really mean it. Xiaotang, no matter what happened in the past, you are Xiaojun's mother. You raised him. He and I both hope that you can be happy for the rest of your life."
His eyes were pure and you could tell that he sincerely meant it.
Comrade Tang seemed to be burned by his sincere gaze. She shuddered slightly, and her expression suddenly became complicated. Xia Qingtang even saw a hint of nostalgia in her eyes.
Guan Jueming is indeed a man of noble character. If it were Xia Qingtang herself, she would never have forgiven Tang Zilan just like that.
The room fell silent again. Xia Qingtang continued to eat melon seeds. After a while, he had eaten a small pile of melon seed shells. Seeing that the pumpkin seeds were almost finished, Comrade Tang stood up, filled another plate of pumpkin seeds and put it back on the coffee table.
Xia Qingtang smiled: "Thank you."
Comrade Tang didn't say anything, but just continued to look at Guan Jueming who had a calm expression.
After a while, there was a noise outside, and Guan Jueming stood up immediately: "Are they back?"
"I'll go out and take a look. You guys stay in the house." Comrade Tang also became a little nervous. She tidied up her hair, opened the door and walked out.
A young boy's clear voice rang out from outside the door: "Mom, Uncle Ren just said that my biological father is still alive, is that true?"
"It's true, Xiaojun, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Before, my grandpa told me that my dad was gone, and I cried secretly for several times. Now that I know that my dad is still alive, I'm so happy and can't wait to come back! Is my dad in the house?"
"Yes, your father is in the room, so... go in." Comrade Tang said.
The door was opened, and a thin boy about 1.7 meters tall rushed in with a gust of cold wind: "Dad?"
He looked even better than in the photo, with dark hair, and looked a lot like Comrade Tang, but he also inherited Guan Jueming's chin and mouth, and looked more resolute.
His eyes were shining, full of joy and excitement.
He was wearing a dark blue coat, a bulging cotton jacket underneath, and thin cotton trousers. On his feet were a pair of black cotton shoes. The shoes were very new and looked like they had been made this year.
Guan Jueming was indeed right. No matter what kind of person Comrade Tang was, she raised her son very well after all.
Guan Jueming burst into tears: "Xiaojun, Dad is here!"
"Dad!" Xiaojun rushed over and hugged Guan Jueming.
The father and son hugged each other tightly. At this moment, Guan Chenxiang was crying so hard that she couldn't breathe. Xia Qingtang quickly stood aside and patted her back gently.
Xie Jinxuan's eyes also turned slightly red, and Xia Qingtang even shed two lines of tears, because they all knew how long Guan Jueming had waited for this day, and this reunion was really not easy.
After the father and son had hugged enough and cried enough, they both wiped their tears. Xiaojun continued to look at every feature on his father's face. He said, "Dad, you are much older than in the photo."
"You are a grown man now, and your father must be old." Guan Jueming said with a tearful smile.
"Dad doesn't age, he's still very handsome. Every time I look at his photos, my mom says I look a bit like him."
"Yeah, you look a bit like dad. You have our butler's chin."
Xiaojun laughed and said, "Yes, I have a butler's chin, but my last name is not Guan anymore, my last name is Tang. Dad, will you be unhappy?"
"Dad won't be unhappy. No matter what your last name is, you are my son. That's all." Guan Jueming carefully touched his son's face and whispered, "How have you been these years?"
"I'm fine. My previous Uncle Liu was very good to me, and the current Uncle Ren is also very good. My sister at home never bullied me. It's just that I have transferred to a new school now, and I haven't made any friends yet, so I'm a little sad." Xiaojun said.
Young people's worries are always so simple and direct. Guan Jueming showed a relieved and relaxed expression, because he knew that his son was a very healthy child, so he felt relieved.
Lao Ren and Comrade Tang were both standing at the door, holding hands, and neither of them spoke. It seemed that they did not intend to disturb this father-son encounter.
After Xiaojun chatted with Guan Jueming for a while, he looked at the people behind him and said, "Dad, who are they?"
"This is my sister Guan Chenxiang, your aunt. The other two are our students. I was able to find you this time thanks to my students." Guan Jueming said, "Child, go hug your aunt. She misses you too, very much."
"Aunt." Xiaojun walked over and hugged Guan Chenxiang.
Guan Chenxiang's tears, which had just stopped, began to flow again. She cried very loudly. Xiaojun was a very patient child, and he kept comforting her.
After Guan Chenxiang stopped crying and Guan Jueming calmed down, the three of them sat together, holding the photo album and chatting about the past years.
Lao Ren said, "Comrade Xie, you can have lunch here at noon. We don't have much food at home today, but it's okay to have some simple noodles. Don't be polite to me. It's a rare visit for you."
Xie Jinxuan said, "Okay, thank you Comrade Ren. I think the teacher doesn't want to leave Xiaojun so soon, so let's stay here for lunch and let them chat for a while."
Lao Ren then took Comrade Tang to the kitchen, leaving the space for the people outside.
Through chatting, Guan Jueming finally learned about Comrade Tang's previous marital status. It turned out that she was also introduced by her natal family. The man was lucky. His two previous wives both died of illness, leaving him with two daughters. He was the only son in the family and must have a son. So he met Comrade Tang through an introduction. When he saw that she had given birth to a son, he actively proposed to her.
Comrade Tang didn't have any requirements. She just said that she wanted to bring her son with her when she got married and that she wanted to give her son an education. The other party agreed, so she took her son over by train.
That man's family is doing pretty well in the local area. Xiaojun said that he can eat meat several times a month with that uncle, and an egg every two or three days. His clothes are basically without patches. He lives a good life there and has made some good friends.
But Comrade Tang had been pregnant twice, but both times the fetuses died in the womb. After that, that uncle found another woman outside, but after trying for a long time, the one who got pregnant couldn't keep the baby. Finally, he went to several big hospitals for physical examinations and saw a lot of Chinese medicine doctors, but they all said that the man had a health problem and it was very likely that he would not have children in the future, and even if he got pregnant, he couldn't keep the baby.
But the man was not giving up and wanted to find another young wife to try, so he proposed a breakup to Comrade Tang. Comrade Tang was also straightforward. He asked him for money and some gold jewelry, and then took Xiaojun back to her parents' home.
"My mother and I haven't been back for many years. After I came back, I said I wanted to find my father. I wanted to ask him in person why he didn't write to me for so many years. Do you not want me anymore?"
Guan Jueming immediately said, "How could Dad not want you? It was your grandparents who concealed your affairs. No matter how many times I begged, they were unwilling to tell me where you were. Dad had no choice..."
"Well, now I know. It's not that dad doesn't want me, it's that grandpa and grandma are lying. Grandpa also said that dad had passed away a long time ago, and that he starved to death on the farm. I cried at that time... Mom was also very sad. I saw her crying for several nights. Later, the food coupons that mom brought back were almost used up, and when mom and I wanted to eat, Uncle Ren showed up. Uncle Ren is a good man, and I like him very much." Xiaojun said innocently.
Xia Qingtang sighed slightly. Comrade Tang was such a scheming person, but he had a son who was so innocent. He seemed to be completely innocent and told everything he knew.
Guan Jueming patted his son's head gently and said, "Yes, Uncle Ren is a good man. You should remember his kindness and be nicer to him in the future."
"I will, don't worry, Dad. I have good grades and I will definitely be admitted to university in the future. Uncle Ren said that you are a teacher at the provincial university. If I am admitted to the provincial university, can we see each other every day?"
"Yes, as long as you get into a university in the provincial capital, we can see each other every day." Guan Jueming said, "If you want to stay with dad for a few days, that's fine. Dad will be on winter vacation soon. If you want to go, dad will take you there to play for a while. There are some very good parks and zoos in the provincial capital now, and dad can take you there to play."
Xiaojun said, "Really? Then I'll discuss it with Mom after I finish my final exam. Dad, why did Grandpa say you're gone?"
"Maybe there's a little misunderstanding. Your grandpa lives in the countryside and doesn't see us often. I guess someone said something wrong." Guan Jueming still wanted to protect his son's innocent heart.
Xiaojun nodded: "It's my fault, actually. I'm not a child anymore. I shouldn't just listen to what others say. I actually miss my dad very much. If I could find the provincial university to take a look, I would know that my dad is still alive."
"I don't blame you. You're still a child. It's not easy to go to the provincial capital. I don't blame you." Guan Jueming said, "Anyway, now that you know your father is still here, isn't that enough?"
"Yeah! I'm so happy!" Xiaojun held Guan Jueming's hand and said, "Others have fathers, and now I have one too!"
Guan Jueming asked Xiaojun about his studies and making friends. Xiaojun told him about everything and also talked about some of the difficulties he faced in the county high school. For example, his classmates all grew up together, so no one wanted to play with him as an outsider.
"Luckily I joined this reading club. Although we are not friends, I still have people talking to me after attending several times a week." Xiaojun said, "I don't really care about these things. I have friends, but they are over there. I am satisfied with the reading club now. As for making friends, I will make new friends after I get into college."
As he was talking, Comrade Ren came out from the kitchen and said, "It's time to eat. Everyone, please take a seat."
Everyone used the bathroom in Ren's house, washed their hands, and came out, and were arranged by Mr. Ren to sit down.
Xiaojun naturally sat next to Guan Jueming, while Comrade Tang sat opposite her. She looked very silent, unable to tell whether she was sad or happy, and seemed to have no emotions.
Lunch was hand-rolled noodles, which Comrade Tang made himself. Everyone had a big bowl. The noodles were topped with fried vegetables with dried shrimps, and were served with pickled radish and fermented tofu that he made himself.
Xia Qingtang tasted them one by one and found that Comrade Tang's cooking skills were very good. No wonder she could live a good life no matter who she married.
She is good-looking, willing to be gentle, and can cook delicious home-cooked meals. For a woman like this, it is normal to marry into any good family as long as she is not picky about the man's age and appearance.
During the meal, Xiaojun was the only one chattering at the table. He kept telling Guan Jueming everything about himself, as if he wanted to make up for all the past years.
Comrade Tang didn't have any expression at first. But when they were almost done eating, she saw her son still talking eagerly to his biological father, and her eyes suddenly became red.
She said, "Lao Guan, when you all have your winter vacation, take Xiaojun to the provincial capital to live for a few days."
Guan Jueming was shocked: "Is it really possible?"
"Mom, can I really go?" Xiaojun also jumped up.
"Sure. Seeing how you cling to your father, I know you definitely want to stay with him for a few days." Comrade Tang said, "But there is a prerequisite. You must be in the top five in the class in the final exam. If you don't do well, you are not allowed to go."
"Don't worry, Mom. I usually rank among the top three in the exams, and I'm sure I'll be in the top three this time too!" Xiaojun cheered excitedly, "Can I stay there for a few days?"
"You can stay until the 27th or 28th of the twelfth lunar month and come back. As long as your father doesn't mind you, you can stay however you want. You rarely talk at other times, but today it seems like you've said everything you've said in the past year." Comrade Tang's eyes became even redder as he spoke.
Lao Ren also said: "Yes, this child usually doesn't talk much, I didn't expect him to be so talkative today."
Xiaojun said: "I haven't seen my father for so many years, so of course I have to make up for what I haven't said."
Guan Jueming touched his son's head again, as happy as a child: "Dad will be with you no matter how long you think about it."
"So Dad is going back to the provincial capital today?"
"We have to go back, but... we can leave a little later. Dad will continue to chat with you in the afternoon." Guan Jueming looked at Xie Jinxuan and said, "Jinxuan, how long can we stay at the latest?"
Xie Jinxuan said, "It's not safe to drive on the provincial road after dark. The latest is... four o'clock."
"Four o'clock, that's still a long time. Dad, come with me this afternoon. I'll take you to see my school and the places I usually go." Xiaojun looked at Comrade Tang again, "Mom, is that okay?"
"Okay, you all go out and play, Mom is waiting for you at home." Comrade Tang said with red eyes, her voice a little choked. Lao Ren immediately held her hand, trying to comfort her.
After lunch, Xiaojun immediately took Guan Jueming out, and Guan Chenxiang also followed the father and son.
Xie Jinxuan chatted with Lao Ren for a few words, then made an excuse to visit an old friend and took Xia Qingtang out with her.
"Do you want to go see your friend?" Xia Qingtang asked.
"He's not in the county recently, so there's no need to go there." Xie Jinxuan said, "We can just take a walk. This county town isn't big, so we can take a walk around and come back."
"Okay." Xia Qingtang took Xie Jinxuan's arm and wandered aimlessly with him in the center of the county.
There were also a few times when I ran into Guan Jueming and Xiaojun. Xiaojun waved to them happily: "Brother, sister!"
Xia Qingtang watched Xiaojun pulling Guan Jueming away and couldn't help but say, "It's amazing. How could Comrade Tang raise a child like Xiaojun?"
"Generally speaking, children whose parents are too smart tend to be a little bit stupid." Xie Jinxuan said, "It's the same in our family, Xiaoyun is a little bit stupid."
"Xiao Yun and Xiao Jun seem to be taking the college entrance exam in the same year. Maybe they can play together."
The afternoon sun was very bright. Xia Qingtang walked for a while in the sun and felt so hot that she took off her scarf.
There were people selling mountain products on the roadside, so Xia Qingtang went over to ask. Seeing that the products were of very good quality, he took out a cloth bag from his backpack, filled the bag with them, and then paid for them.
"Since we are traveling, of course we have to bring some souvenirs back. Give half of these to Aunt Six. She will definitely be very happy." Xia Qingtang handed the cloth bag to Xie Jinxuan, then put the change back into his trouser pocket. Suddenly, he saw a familiar figure walking out from a corner not far ahead.
Xia Qingtang immediately pulled Xie Jinxuan to the side, then cautiously looked over there.
"What's wrong?" Xie Jinxuan said in a very low voice.
Xia Qingtang retracted his head: "I saw Kong Liangchao and one of his followers. They looked sneaky. How about you take another look? I think I am not mistaken."
Xie Jinxuan leaned out to take a look, then said, "It's him. The two of them are walking over there now. There's also a man in a grey cotton coat who just separated from them and is now walking towards us. He has a big black mole on his left cheek."
As he was talking, a scoundrel-looking man with a crew cut walked towards them. There was indeed a big black mole on his left cheek, with a few whiskers growing on it.
He was humming a song and seemed to be in a good mood. After he walked over with a swagger, Xia Qingtang and Xie Jinxuan came out from the corner.
Kong Liangchao and his followers also disappeared. Xie Jinxuan narrowed her eyes and asked, "Why did they come to this place?"
Xia Qingtang didn't say anything, but her expression was solemn, and her thoughts had returned to her previous life: she had seen this man with the black mole, and more than once!
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