Chapter 66 Father and Daughter
In response to Tao Shouxin's question, Tao Nanfeng bent down and whispered, "Xiangbei is on a business trip to De County to look for a good doctor."
Tao Shouxin snorted and said nothing more. It’s better if he’s not on the farm. He’s too lazy to see him!
After the dinner was ready, the farm leaders came to invite them warmly. Tao Shouxin smiled politely and shook hands with the farm leaders to express his gratitude.
Professor Tao is tall and slender, elegant and handsome. Although he is nearly fifty years old and has gray hair on his temples, his speech and behavior exude the nobleness and gentleness of an intellectual, which makes people involuntarily listen to his opinions.
After just a few minutes of chatting at the table, Tao Shouxin became the center of the crowd.
After the excitement, the dinner was over and the farm's highest-level reception was coming to an end. Tao Shouxin stood up and raised his glass to everyone, and the welcome ceremony officially ended.
All the educated youth in Jiangcheng liked Tao Shouxin and pulled him to the educated youth site.
"Uncle Tao, I haven't seen my family for a long time. You are like a father to me. Please stay with us tonight. Although it is a large bunk bed, it is guaranteed to be clean and sanitary."
"Yes, he also taught us and told us what we should do in the future."
"Tao Nanfeng lives next door, you two can chat for a while, that's great."
Tao Shouxin felt sorry for these children from the bottom of his heart. He nodded and said, "Okay, I'll go live with you guys."
After Qiao Yadong went to college, there were only three people left in Wei Min's dormitory.
Xiang Yongfu was presented with a brand new set of bedding, which was new and soft, and he helped to make the arrangements with a simple smile.
Xiang Yongfu was not good at speaking, he just kept his head down and did all this silently, standing with his hands hanging down, his attitude was very respectful: "Tomorrow, please come to my house for a simple meal."
Tao Nanfeng grabbed his father's arm and shook it, with a pleading look on his face.
Tao Shouxin sighed, and politely bowed to Yongfu: "Thank you, I'll come over tomorrow night."
The common bed was covered with a new quilt, on which was a new beige printed bed sheet, a farmer's hand-sewn cloth quilt, and a new pillow filled with dried husks.
All of them are filled with the breath of sunshine, which is the simple sentiment of farmers.
Under the dim kerosene lamp, Tao Nanfeng brought hot water to his father. Tao Shouxin soaked his tired feet in the hot water, closed his eyes and sighed again.
Tao Nanfeng dragged a bamboo chair over and sat next to his father, leaning his head on his waist, and asked quietly: "Dad, why are you sighing?"
It was late at night, and only Tao Shouxin and his daughter were left in the main room.
Night insects were buzzing outside the door, and a light green damselfly was fluttering stupidly onto the lampshade. A cool breeze blew, and the leaves rustled.
Tao Shouxin gently stroked his daughter's head, feeling deep pity in his heart.
"Nanfeng, Dad is worried about you. You are still young and don't understand many things. I am afraid of you... You have suffered too much on the farm. If someone gives you a piece of candy, you will open your heart to him. Is it true love? I have to come and see for myself."
Tao Nanfeng sat up straight, raised his fist and gently beat his father's thigh, his smile seeming a little shy.
"Dad, you're right. I'll listen to you. I've been talking to Xiangbei for a while, and I wrote to you just to ask for your opinion and approval."
Tao Shouxin finally felt relieved after hearing what his daughter said. He looked down at his daughter's beautiful face and wanted to sigh again.
It's really depressing to have a grown-up daughter at home who will soon face the issues of love and marriage. Can't you slow down a little and grow up slowly?
Tao Shouxin frowned and said, "Xiangbei is not at the farm, so I can't see him. Let's put this matter aside for now. Pack up and come back to Jiangcheng with me in a few days."
Tao Nanfeng paused and looked up at his father: "Returning to Jiangcheng? Why?"
Tao Shouxin took out a kraft paper envelope from his arms, took out a page of admission notice with the official seal of Jiangcheng University of Architecture, and motioned Tao Nanfeng to take a look.
Tao Nanfeng took it and read through it quickly.
"What exactly is the charter for this infrastructure cadre training class? It's not clearly stated in the document."
Tao Shouxin looked at his daughter in surprise and asked, "It's so dark, can you see clearly?"
Tao Nanfeng let out an "ah" and her eyes widened unconsciously. Her "rat nature" was at work and she had excellent night vision, so she could see clearly no matter how dark it was. However, she never mentioned this ability to anyone else, not even her father.
Tao Nanfeng nodded: "I can see it clearly."
Tao Shouxin didn't think much about it and answered his daughter's question seriously.
"This is a junior college class organized within the school, jointly organized with the Education Department, with 30 quotas. Enrollment will start on October 1 this year. After two years of systematic training, students will be awarded a formal junior college diploma from the school.
You are the head of the farm infrastructure department and meet the training requirements. I'm going to get a quota for you this time. Please talk to the farm leader and come back with me to study. ”
Tao Nanfeng was stunned for a moment: "Dad, didn't we say we would take the college entrance examination next year?"
Tao Shouxin was disappointed: "Are you stupid? Two birds in the bush are worth a bird in the hand. Who can predict the results of the college entrance examination next year? Why not just study?"
He raised his hand and patted his daughter on the head, smiling, "Besides, if the college entrance examination system is restored, won't graduate school admissions also begin? When you graduate from junior college, you can apply with the equivalent academic qualifications and follow me to study for a master's degree... It would be great for us, father and daughter, to edit books, design, and teach together."
For some reason, Tao Nanfeng felt heat rising to his eyes.
Before coming to the farm as an educated youth, my father once talked about his future plans in the study: work in the college library for two years, apply for on-the-job undergraduate studies, and strive to stay on campus as a teacher after graduation and become a person like my father.
Now, after three years on the farm, my father is still worried about my future. Although this admission letter is only a thin piece of paper, it probably exhausted all of my father's communication skills.
Her voice was a little choked as she carefully put the admission letter into the envelope and kept it away solemnly.
Reaching out his arms and hugging his father's waist, Tao Nanfeng said coquettishly: "Dad, thank you, I will listen to you and go to study. I will ask the personnel department of the field office to issue a letter and stamp it tomorrow."
This type of cadre training class does not involve transfer of household registration. It is considered full-time paid study and is a way for units to train cadres. Tao Nanfeng is at least a middle-level cadre on the farm, so as long as she wants to study, there will generally be no problem.
The only troublesome thing is that various infrastructure projects on the farm are still in progress and need to be handed over first, so I have to run back and forth between the winter and summer vacations.
In addition, he and Xiangbei had to face temporary separation.
Tao Nanfeng lowered his head, secretly thinking about how to deal with the situation.
Seeing that his daughter was obedient, Tao Shouxin finally felt relieved.
With the help of the bean-sized kerosene lamp, Tao Shouxin looked at his daughter's face and said seriously, "Next, let's discuss your emotional issues."
Tao Nanfeng saw his father's eyes become stern, and his heart began to beat. He sat up straighter unconsciously and swallowed his saliva: "Dad, do you... disagree?"
Tao Shouxin nodded.
Tao Nanfeng and Xiang Bei were in love with each other and their feelings were deep. They thought that as long as they liked something, their father would support them. However, they were opposed as soon as they opened their mouths.
"Why?"
Tao Shouxin could see that his daughter was nervous and felt a little reluctant, but in the face of major issues, he had to harden his heart.
“If a traveler walking in the desert is given a glass of water, he will feel it is extremely precious; if a beggar who has been hungry for three days is given a piece of bread, he will be grateful. However, for a person who is well fed and well-drinking, a glass of water and a piece of bread are just ordinary items and are not worth mentioning.
Similarly, when you lack love and meet someone who says he loves you, or when you are in pain and meet someone who cares for you, you will magnify the other person's goodness infinitely.
Only when you have seen the prosperity of the world and traveled thousands of miles, and he still loves you and you still love him, the love at that time is true love and can stand the test.
When you go to the countryside as an educated youth, you are unfamiliar with the place, the conditions are difficult, and you have no relatives around you. At this time, when you say you love him, is it true love? ”
Tao Shouxin looked at his daughter earnestly and said word by word: "So, I don't agree."
Good medicine tastes bitter but is good for the disease; honest advice may be unpleasant to the ears but is good for conduct.
——Tao Nanfeng understands this principle.
Tao Nanfeng did not refute her father's words. Instead, she stood up, fetched a pot of hot water from the stove and poured it into the foot basin. The hot steam rose up, blurring her face.
After confirming that the water in the basin was slightly hot, Tao Nanfeng sat next to his father, rested his head on his knees, and sighed softly.
Tao Shouxin patted his daughter's shoulder and softened his voice: "Nanfeng, don't you like hearing your father evaluate your love like this?"
My father is very thin, and I can feel that he has no meat on his legs through his pants. The veins on the insteps of the feet were exposed after being soaked in water, and the sides of the soles of the feet turned white due to being soaked in socks by sweat.
Because of my own affairs, I made my father worry and suffer.
Tao Nanfeng gently closed his eyes and slowly recounted the story of how he met Xiang Bei.
When he was first assigned to the road construction team to demonstrate his magical powers, he handed a shovel to the north;
When the storm came, he came to the north, soaking wet, to report the news;
Zhulin overhears the conversation between Xiangbei and Yang Xianyong. He originally planned to live a peaceful life but decided to help the educated youth in Jiangcheng.
The tunnel collapsed, Tao Nanfeng went in to investigate, and Xiangbei followed silently;
After the bacon theft incident, Xiangbei slammed the table and gave himself a lecture, so that he would learn to say no;
I went to the provincial capital to ask for advice on the design of the tea oil factory, and he accompanied me all the way north and took good care of me.
When Tao Nanfeng was moved, he looked up at his father and bravely expressed his wishes.
"We knew each other when we were little, and we are inseparable. Dad, if the feeling of sharing adversity is not love, then what is love?
I know that you and my mother were childhood sweethearts, got engaged at a young age, went to school together, and studied abroad. You two have a common language and teach together at the university. If it weren't for this movement, you two would have been a harmonious and loving couple.
Perhaps, what you said about still feeling that loving him is love after seeing the world's prosperity is the conclusion you drew based on your life experience?
People say that it is better to help someone in need than to ask for icing on the cake. Why, when it comes to love, do you compare the love in need to a glass of water for a traveler in the desert, or a piece of bread for a beggar? ”
It was the first time that Tao Shouxin heard his daughter say so many words. His hand, which wanted to touch her head, remained suspended in mid-air, and he remained silent for a long time.
Tao Nanfeng smiled slightly, and her smile was like a blooming lotus, filling the lake with fragrance.
"Dad, I'm grown up. I'll listen to you about studying. But... please respect my wishes about who I love, who I don't love, and who I want to spend the rest of my life with, okay?"
The author has something to say:
My daughter has grown up - the reason why Professor Tao disagrees is more because of his reluctance as a father to let his daughter go.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
