Chapter 50 High Branch
With the addition of Xiao Aiyu, Tao Nanfeng's home suddenly became lively.
Xiao Aiyun is the third child in the family. She is good at washing clothes, cooking and needlework. As soon as she arrived, she rescued Professor Tao Shouxin from the kitchen.
As he ate the delicious meal, a smile appeared on Tao Shouxin's face.
Hu Huanxin asked someone to bring a message, saying that he would stay in the countryside to celebrate the New Year and come to Jiangcheng to meet Tao Nanfeng after the fifth day of the New Year.
On the day of Laba Festival, Xiao Aiyun was cooking porridge in the kitchen and discussing with Tao Nanfeng when to return to the towel factory to visit their parents. Suddenly, she heard Tao Shouxin's low voice coming from the living room.
"You are not welcome here, please go back."
Tao Nanfeng and Xiao Aiyun exchanged glances, turned down the coal stove, and walked out of the kitchen together.
A man and a woman were standing at the door of the living room.
The woman was wearing a red cotton-padded jacket and had two big braids. She looked pretty and it was Tao You, whom I hadn't seen for a year.
The man was wearing a military green woolen coat. He was of medium height, plump and round, with a slicked-back hair. He looked a bit old. He was a stranger.
Xiao Aiyun tugged at the corner of Tao Nanfeng's clothes and asked quietly, "Who is it?"
Tao Nanfeng whispered in her ear: "Tao You."
Xiao Aiyun said "Oh——" and looked at Tao You with a wary look. This woman is not a good person. She used to bully Tao Nanfeng. If this wasn't the case at Tao Nanfeng's house, Xiao Aiyun really wanted to take a broom and kick her out.
Tao You saw the beautiful Tao Nanfeng at first sight. She was wearing a brand new tweed coat, which made her skin look whiter than snow and her figure as slender as bamboo. She looked even more radiant after not seeing her for a year. A trace of jealousy flashed in his eyes. He put the gift in his hand on the floor of the living room and greeted her enthusiastically: "Nanfeng, you are back again?"
The word "又" is used very cleverly.
Tao Nanfeng said, "Tsk!", "This is my home, isn't it normal for you to come back? But what are you doing here?"
Tao You smiled and took the man's arm, tilting her head with a shy look on her face: "This is my boyfriend, Zheng Xuxing. He is the head of the supply and marketing department of Jiangcheng Iron and Steel Plant. His father is the plant director and his mother is the chairman of the trade union..."
Before he finished showing off, Tao Shouxin said with a sullen face: "We are not interested in these, you can go back."
But Tao You was thick-skinned, as if he didn't feel the cold shoulder, and said to himself: "Dad, please don't be like this. Although you and mom are separated, you can't forget your kindness in raising us. It's our duty as the younger generation to visit you during the New Year and other holidays. You are also a reasonable person, you wouldn't be ignorant of this little etiquette, right?"
Tao Shouxin waved his hand: "Don't call me dad, I don't have a daughter like you."
Tao You glanced at Zheng Xuxing, then perked up again and said, "I can stay in the library and work thanks to your help. Even if you don't let me call you dad, you are still a highly respected professor in the school. It's not too much for me to come over and say hello, right?"
Don't hit someone who smiles at you. Tao You understands this principle very well.
Having lived together for so many years, Tao You knows Tao Shouxin very well. He is a very reasonable man, quite a gentleman, who would not deliberately make things difficult for others just because of his personal likes and dislikes.
Facing Tao You's entanglement, Tao Shouxin said coldly: "You've seen it, so go back. I don't want the things, you can take them back."
Zheng Xuxing couldn't help but speak up for his girlfriend: "Professor Tao, you are a well-read professor, and Tao You has always admired you very much. I brought me here this time because I have some questions to ask you. Could you please invite us to have a cup of tea?"
Tao Shouxin still had no smile on his face. He stood by the door and said, "If you have anything to say, just tell me. Forget about the tea."
Tao You was angry when she saw Tao Shouxin was so unreasonable, but for some reason she just didn't want to leave.
Standing in the entrance hall, I caught a glimpse of the shoe cabinet at the entrance. Thinking that every pair of shoes here was bought and put away by my mother and myself, I couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness from the bottom of my heart.
I spent eight years in this small red building. Her mother is virtuous and hardworking, her father is gentle and knowledgeable, and although Tao Nanfeng is a bit annoying, he is honest and easy to bully and can't cause any trouble at all. Everything is as beautiful as a painting.
It’s a pity that Tao Nanfeng didn’t die when he went to the farm. Instead, he came back and instigated his parents to divorce. The beautiful picture disappeared. In Tao You's eyes, Tao Nanfeng was so selfish and hateful that she wanted to tear her face off.
It’s just… thinking of how Tao Nanfeng beat her up before he left last year, Tao You didn’t dare to act rashly. I don’t know what skills she learned on the farm, but she became so fierce and domineering. It’s so scary.
The more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt. Tao You shed tears in a daze. He raised his head through his tearful eyes and looked at his father's elegant and gentle face. He choked and said, "Dad, are you okay now? Did you eat well?"
When Tao Nanfeng heard this, his heart suddenly skipped a beat and his expression became solemn.
In that book, the father blamed himself and felt remorseful for his own early death, and died of illness five years later. The book only mentioned that he was extremely thin and exhausted, but did not mention any illness.
I originally thought that since I was alive and well now, my father would naturally not be sad about getting sick and dying early. But from what Tao You said, could it be that there is something wrong with my father's health? Problems related to not eating well?
Tao Shouxin didn't think too much about it. After all, she was the daughter he had raised for eight years. Seeing her true feelings at this moment, he softened his heart. His expression gradually calmed down and he sighed: "You are already in a relationship, so live a good life. Don't call me dad anymore. I am not your dad."
Tao You took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears and said softly, "Okay, I know, you should take care of yourself too. Sister Nanfeng rarely comes back once a year, and you usually eat in the cafeteria. I feel so bad..."
My father is not good at cooking and he is busy with work, so he has no time to cook seriously. He mostly just makes do in the cafeteria. Tao Nanfeng listened, kept it in mind, and secretly thought about how to solve this problem.
Tao Shouxin waved his hand and said, "Go back and don't come here again."
Tao You pulled Zheng Xuxing's hand and motioned for him to speak.
Zheng Xuxing said, "Professor Tao, I heard that you are a famous architect in the industry. Our steel plant is now planning to build a staff dormitory area. We would like to ask you to help us design it. Do you think you have the honor?"
Tao You said with a little excitement: "Dad... Alas! I have called you dad for eight or nine years, and I can't change my words for a while, don't be angry. Zheng Xuxing has connections in the steel plant, so the design fee this time will be higher. You can take the job privately, and just ask the school design institute to stamp it."
When Tao Shouxin heard this, he became furious and pushed the two men out of the room.
"Go, go, go! If you want to make this money privately, don't come to me!" Before Tao You could react, Tao Shouxin pushed him out, and then two gift boxes were thrown out of the house.
"Bang!"
The door slammed shut.
Tao Shouxin inside the door was still furious and said to Tao Nanfeng, "Why didn't I realize that Tao You is obsessed with money?
It's a good thing that the steel plant wants to build staff dormitories. There would be no problem in just finding a formal design institute or inviting me to be an expert reviewer. But they insist on doing a private transaction. What the hell is this! The country's money is gone because of these parasites! ”
Tao Shouxin has been an upright person all his life. He never expected that Tao You, whom he had raised for so many years, turned out to be a scheming villain. He was furious and stood at home with his hands on his hips cursing.
"She is a dishonorable person, and is shameful. No one is allowed to open the door for her when she comes next time!"
Tao Nanfeng smiled and reminded him, "Dad, you opened the door yourself just now."
Tao Shouxin glared at her and said, "Next time I see her, I won't say a word and will just kick her out. That Zheng Xuxing is no good either. He's a government official and a middle-level leader at the steel plant. He wants to use a good staff dormitory for his own personal gain. Ugh!"
It was the first time that Xiao Aiyun saw Professor Tao get angry. She was a little scared and shrank into the corner without saying a word.
Tao Nanfeng was used to his father scolding people, so he chuckled and poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to his father.
"Dad, don't be angry. Tao You has always been like this, but you just didn't see it before. Feng Chun'e married Tao You's biological father in order to jump from the countryside to the city.
When Tao You is looking for a partner, she still values power and status, and doesn't care about character at all. The mother and daughter are of the same kind, both snobbish and greedy people. ”
Tao Nanfeng winked at his father and said, "Have you forgotten what kind of person Tao You was supposed to find? Now he is in a hurry to find such a fat man. I guess his life is not going well and he wants to take a shortcut."
Tao Shouxin has relied on himself all his life and is used to being independent. He has never thought that there are people who would continue to rely on others to climb up. After hearing her daughter's analysis, she thought that Tao You was supposed to marry Qiao Yadong in the future, but now it was someone else. She was shocked, but slowly calmed down.
I took another sip of tea and looked at my daughter, loving her more and more.
People say that appearance is determined by the heart. Tao Nanfeng has regular facial features, beautiful eyebrows and a straight nose, and his eyes are full of intelligence and kindness. This child is an upright and serious person, and has the character of the Tao family.
Compared with Tao You and Tao Nanfeng, their characters are so different.
Thinking of this, Tao Shouxin said bitterly: "Letting her be named Tao is really a disgrace to this family name!"
I don’t know why, but Tao You is very obsessed with the surname “Tao” and refuses to change it. He starts crying every time this surname is mentioned.
Tao Nanfeng pondered and said, "It's very troublesome to change her surname now and go to the public security department. Besides, she is already 18 years old, and we can't force her to change it, unless...she feels that we are a burden to her, then she may change back to Wang."
When Tao Shouxin heard this, he raised his hand and patted his daughter's shoulder, with a trace of regret in his eyes: "Grown up~ My Nanfeng has grown up."
Suffering makes people grow. My daughter is now seeing things more and more clearly, which is a good thing, but it also makes me feel sad.
Tao Nanfeng discussed with his father: "Dad, after listening to what Tao You said, I thought of one thing. You are alone at home now, you really have to take good care of yourself. You have to eat on time, exercise well, live a regular life, and don't stay up late..."
Tao Shouxin laughed: "Nanfeng, are you worried that I'll get sick? Don't worry, I'm single now and I'm so free and easy. There's a cafeteria in the school, I won't cook when you're not at home. It's easy to wash a few clothes, sweep the floor, and tidy up the house."
Because Xiao Aiyun was by his side, Tao Nanfeng didn't dare to mention what was said in the book. He just frowned and said, "But what if you get sick? Who will take care of you?"
Tao Shouxin waved his hand nonchalantly: "The school also has a hospital. If you have any problem, just go see a doctor. I'm not old, it's easy for me to pour myself a glass of water and take some medicine. I don't need anyone to wait on me.
You live in a collective on the farm, and have friends like Xiao Aiyun living and eating with you, so I feel much more at ease now. As long as you live well and I don't worry about you, you will naturally live a long life. ”
When Tao Nanfeng heard this, his throat seemed to be blocked by a warm current. In his father's eyes, as long as he was healthy and had no disasters, he had nothing to fear and no regrets.
On the other hand, Tao You was sad.
Zheng Xuxing was full of indignation. "You are such an ungrateful person! You didn't want a good opportunity to make money, and you kicked us out. How can you be a good host? You keep saying how great your father is, but I don't think he treats you well at all."
Tao You responded with sobs while shedding tears.
"My dad has changed now. He used to be very nice to me and taught me how to write big characters. But ever since Tao Nanfeng went to the countryside as an educated youth, he has taken his anger out on me. Not only did he kick my mom out of the house, he also disowned me. Woo woo woo..."
Zheng Xuxing is 27 years old this year, eight years older than Tao You. He is determined to find a beautiful and educated wife. He recognized Tao You through an introduction and fell in love with her at first sight. At that time, he was in love with her. Seeing his girlfriend crying, he felt distressed and was busy comforting her.
"That Tao Nanfeng is really not a good person! You and your mother are both kind and honest people, no wonder you were bullied by her. Don't cry, I will definitely help you vent your anger when I have the chance."
Tao You's eyes flashed with pride, but she said tenderly: "Don't take risks for me. Tao Nanfeng looks like a rich flower, but she is actually a rose with thorns. It hurts. I'm fine. It's okay to suffer a little grievance. I'm content to have you love me so much."
Zheng Xuxing was very happy when he heard his girlfriend's words. He said the words she wanted to hear: "You said that Tao Nanfeng is pretty, but I think she is just so-so. She is not as feminine as you."
Tao You shook his hand, but a trace of regret flashed through her heart. In the book in the dream, my husband is not the ordinary-looking man in front of me. He should be an educated youth, handsome, talented, gentle and considerate to me.
According to the book, her future husband is still suffering in Xiufengshan Farm, and distant water cannot quench immediate thirst.
Tao You is in a very difficult situation now, and he can only find a high branch to climb. Although Zheng Xuxing was not good-looking, he came from a wealthy family and everyone obeyed his orders.
As for what the future will be like, we will have to wait until the college entrance examination is resumed in 1977.
The author has something to say:
I should be able to let Tao You change his last name tomorrow, hehe~
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