Chapter 2 The marriage contract is absolutely impossible to fulfill.
Chapter 2
Upon hearing this, Director Lin's hands bulged with anger, the veins on the back of her hands bulging as she clenched them so tightly that the buttons of her polyester shirt were stretched taut. Instead of being angry, she laughed, "Meng Yingying, you're really something! Since you don't want to stay in the propaganda team, then leave!"
"Let me tell you, once you leave the propaganda team, you can forget about ever getting into the team's cultural troupe!"
The selection process for the stationed cultural troupe is extremely rigorous. Every year, the propaganda team has dozens of members, and it's considered quite good if even one person is selected.
For someone with Meng Yingying's talent, it was already a blessing that they were able to take her in.
Faced with Director Lin's hysteria, Meng Yingying stared at her for a while, then gave her a mocking smirk.
Immediately, he turned and left without looking back.
Director Lin didn't expect her to actually dare to leave.
Her face contorted with rage. She grabbed a white enamel mug from the table and smashed it, yelling, "Meng Yingying, once you leave, don't even think about going back to the propaganda team!"
The angry roar almost carried from the office into the dance studio.
Those who were initially jealous of Meng Yingying's special treatment by Director Lin became gloating upon hearing Director Lin's roar. "I told you, with Meng Yingying's level, how could Director Lin possibly give her preferential treatment?"
Coach Chen frowned and looked over. The student immediately shut up. He lost interest in teaching and turned to go find Meng Yingying.
As soon as he left, Zhao Yueru secretly followed him.
When Coach Chen arrived, Meng Yingying was already in the dormitory and had packed all her things.
The original owner was born in the countryside, and her father was a pig butcher. She was forcibly integrated into the city propaganda team, which put her in a different position compared to those respectable people whose families had both working parents or whose parents worked in their respective workplaces.
Meng Yingying was like an ugly duckling that had mistakenly wandered into a flock of swans; naturally, she couldn't stay there for long.
The Meng Yingying of the past wanted to stay here, but the Meng Yingying of the present does not want to stay here anymore.
The selection process for the propaganda team is nearing its end. Following this, the city's propaganda team will be disbanded.
These people went to the countryside when they were supposed to, and returned to wherever they were supposed to.
Dancing and singing are for the petty bourgeoisie.
She's not as reliable and secure as the butcher's daughter.
Moreover, her father was seriously ill, and she should go back to be with him in his final moments.
"Yingying, why are you packing your things?"
Coach Chen chased after Meng Yingying to the dormitory and saw her wearing a black V-neck dance costume, with a strand of hair falling across her forehead, revealing a section of her slender white neck.
She had a full forehead, a high nose bridge, thin and pink lips, and a slightly chubby jawline, like a freshly peeled glutinous rice ball, fair and delicate.
To be honest, although Meng Yingying was a bit chubby, her body proportions were really good.
If it weren't for her limbs being as stiff as iron rods, she would definitely be a promising dancer.
When Coach Chen noticed that Meng Yingying was carrying a nylon canvas bag, he immediately had a bad feeling.
Meng Yingying quietly tidied up the noise. When she heard the commotion, she looked over and was somewhat surprised that Coach Chen had come after her. Thinking back on her years in the propaganda team, Coach Chen was the only person who had ever been genuinely kind to her.
She didn't hide anything and told the truth, "Coach Chen, Director Lin wants to charge me double the tuition. I'm quitting training and leaving the propaganda team."
She was still as obedient as ever, even when she was tattling.
Upon hearing this, Coach Chen frowned immediately, rushed into the dormitory, grabbed Meng Yingying's arm, and was about to stand up for her, "Come on, I'll take you to ask Director Lin why she's charging you double the tuition?"
Meng Yingying's tuition was the highest in the propaganda team.
Others only pay thirty yuan a semester, but Meng Yingying's tuition is sixty yuan. If it doubles, it will be one hundred and twenty yuan.
This is something that ordinary people simply cannot afford.
Despite Coach Chen's offer, Meng Yingying didn't move. She stood beside the bunk bed and said softly, "No, Coach Chen, I have to go."
“It’s not just about the tuition fees; I’m not suited for the propaganda team.”
"In addition, my father is seriously ill, and I want to go back to be with him on his final journey."
Seeing that she had gone this far, Coach Chen finally let go of her hand. He stood there for a while before muttering, "Meng Yingying, are you really going to give up after three years of studying like this?"
Among all the students, Meng Yingying was the most diligent. However, she was not quick to grasp concepts and her limbs were stiff, so despite being the most hardworking, she was the worst at learning.
Knowing that Coach Chen cared about her, Meng Yingying explained softly, "Coach, I won't give up. I can continue training even if I go home."
Her messy makeup was gone, and she smiled beautifully, her eyes crinkling into crescents, sweet and gentle, looking incredibly well-behaved.
Coach Chen was somewhat dazed. He had never known that Meng Yingying could be so well-behaved and beautiful. He opened his mouth and advised, "Then go back and keep practicing. I think you've finally figured it out."
"If the propaganda team comes to the cultural troupe again to select people in the future, I will secretly inform you then."
This means they're going to give Meng Yingying preferential treatment.
Meng Yingying stepped forward and hugged Coach Chen, her voice slightly nasal, "Coach, thank you."
Coach Chen swallowed hard, looking at Meng Yingying with a mixture of reluctance and longing. "Take care."
Meng Yingying nodded gently, picked up her luggage, and turned to leave.
Zhao Yueru couldn't hide any longer, so she stopped eavesdropping and rushed in from outside the door, her voice trembling with tears, "Yingying, are you leaving?"
Seeing Zhao Yueru crying her eyes out, Meng Yingying sighed and naturally wiped away her tears. If she remembered correctly, Zhao Yueru was her original little follower.
Originally fat and tall, he always protected Zhao Yueru from being bullied. Over time, a special friendship naturally developed between the girls.
"Don't cry." Meng Yingying gently wiped away her tears. "I have to go back to be with my father. Yue Ru, you know my father is seriously ill, and our family's circumstances don't allow me to stay in the propaganda team any longer."
Zhao Yueru knew the truth, but she was very sad. "But I really can't bear to part with you."
"Yingying, what will I do now that you're gone?"
Even his voice sounded somewhat fearful.
Thinking of the final fate of the propaganda team, Meng Yingying whispered, "Yueru, if you believe me, you should also quit the propaganda team."
"This is not a place for ordinary people like us."
Zhao Yueru was momentarily stunned, but quickly recovered and said firmly, "Fine, Yingying, if you leave, I'll leave too."
Hearing this, Coach Chen, who was standing nearby, immediately became furious. "Meng Yingying, the Wen Gong Group is coming to select candidates next month, and you're still letting Zhao Yueru leave? Are you asking for trouble?"
Meng Yingying hesitated for a moment, then nervously made up a story, "How about you leave too, Coach Chen?"
“I heard from my childhood sweetheart, who was stationed in the team, that the Wengong Troupe seems to have stopped recruiting new members.”
Coach Chen's expression immediately turned serious. "Really?"
Meng Yingying shook her head, her white face full of sincerity, "I don't know either, but it's better to believe it's true than not. Coach, you should find another team too."
Coach Chen didn't say anything, but looked at the two girls with some concern as they said goodbye.
"Yingying, remember to contact me after you leave." Zhao Yueru's delicate face was red from crying. "Have you forgotten that we used to share a bunk bed and a blanket?"
"We promised each other we'd spend our lives together, but now you're leaving," Zhao Yueru sobbed uncontrollably. "Have you forgotten?"
Meng Yingying shook her head and told her firmly, "Definitely not."
Zhao Yueru breathed a sigh of relief and quickly ran to her dormitory. She took out a brand new watch from under her pillow. It was clearly a Plum Blossom brand watch, which was the most fashionable watch at the time.
Zhao Yueru solemnly put the watch on Meng Yingying's wrist. "Yingying, if you miss me, just look at the time. I'll miss you too."
Meng Yingying refused and tried to take the watch off, but Zhao Yueru wouldn't take it, saying, "If you don't want it, it means you don't consider me a friend."
"Besides," she sniffed, but what she said was infuriating, "I have more than a dozen watches, this is just one of them."
This is one of the advantages of being a capitalist's daughter.
“But I’ll give you this one, and then I’ll buy another one exactly the same, so that we can wear matching ones,” she said with expectant eyes.
Meng Yingying had no choice but to accept it. She wanted to leave a keepsake for Zhao Yueru as well, but found that she couldn't find one after touching her entire body.
Meng Yingying was a little embarrassed and could only whisper, "Yueru, I'll make it up to you when I'm doing well in the future."
Zhao Yueru nodded emphatically and whispered, "Yingying, you're so smart, you're sure to have a bright future."
Zhao Yueru will always believe in Meng Yingying.
Just as she once believed, they could be best friends for life.
And they never grow up, and they never get married.
So, watching Meng Yingying's departing figure, Zhao Yueru's tears streamed down her face. She shouted at her, "Yingying, you must take good care of yourself. You must take good care of yourself from now on."
Zhao Yueru's shout was heard by the other students in the dance studio, who all rushed out.
When they saw Meng Yingying carrying her luggage, she didn't even look at them and left without turning her head.
Everyone felt a pang of guilt; they wanted to apologize, but couldn't bring themselves to say it.
But if he doesn't apologize, Meng Yingying might never come back.
"Coach, will Meng Yingying come back?"
"No, she won't come back," Coach Chen said.
He could tell that Meng Yingying had given up on the propaganda team and might not even be going to audition for the performing arts troupe anymore.
Now, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment, and when they thought of Meng Yingying's graceful dance earlier, they felt a little regretful.
Perhaps they shouldn't have been so harsh on Meng Yingying back then.
"Coach Chen."
A woman entered from outside the dance studio. She was wearing a green military uniform, had short hair that reached her ears, and looked very dashing. She was from the garrison's cultural troupe.
I wonder how long she stood outside the dance studio.
Coach Chen was also a little surprised to see Ming, the secretary. He shook off the jumbled thoughts in his mind and went to greet him, "Ming, it's not recruitment time yet, what brings you here?"
Ming, the officer, smoothed his hair, looking dashing. "I'm here to inform you that the cultural troupe will no longer be recruiting for the propaganda team."
"What?"
Coach Chen was stunned for a moment, then suddenly became anxious, "The cultural troupe recruits from the city propaganda team, isn't that the old practice? Why are they suddenly not recruiting anymore?"
Thinking back to what Meng Yingying had said before leaving, he immediately had a bad feeling.
Officer Ming patiently explained, "There aren't many spots left in the resident cultural troupe, so we'll prioritize our own people and won't be recruiting from outside for the time being."
This time, not only Coach Chen was shocked.
Even the other students were shocked. "What will happen to us if the troupe doesn't recruit new members for the propaganda team?"
These women paid high tuition fees to join the propaganda team, hoping to be selected for the performing arts troupe.
Ming said calmly, "This is something you need to worry about, not something I need to worry about."
Director Lin also heard this and wanted to come over and use his family's connections in the stationed team to plead for leniency.
However, he was flatly rejected by the clerk, "Director Lin, you don't need to plead anymore. It's canceled, and that's it. This is a decision made by the higher-ups, and it cannot be changed by personal will. The propaganda team can also be canceled from now on."
Upon hearing this, Director Lin's face turned ashen. She never expected that just moments before, she had been mocking Meng Yingying for leaving and never expecting her to return to the propaganda team.
Her turn will come soon. If the propaganda team is disbanded, will she still have a job?
Director Lin stood to the side, trembling and silent.
Ming acted as if he hadn't seen anything, and even went to ask Coach Chen about something else, "By the way."
"I watched from the entrance for a while. There was a woman who danced very well, and her movements were very standard, almost at a professional level. Why did she leave with her bag on her back?"
Coach Chen, still reeling from the shock of the previous news, instinctively replied, "Is it Meng Yingying? She's quit the propaganda team."
Ming, the secretary, was surprised. "That's a bit of a pity. Otherwise, with her dancing skills, she would definitely have been selected for the cultural troupe during this recruitment process."
That's a top seed.
Unfortunately, their performing arts troupe stopped recruiting new members for the propaganda team, and the path to advancement for that female comrade who was a very good dancer was also blocked.
*
Meng Yingying, who had already left, was unaware that the cultural troupe had just sent a notice to the propaganda team that they would no longer be recruiting new members.
This nearly crippled the propaganda team. In fact, it almost led to their disbandment.
However, none of this had anything to do with Meng Yingying anymore.
Following the route she remembered, she first bought a two-cent bus ticket from the city to the town, and then took a tractor from the town back to Mengjiatun.
On the way home, everywhere I looked were low mud-brick houses with slogans from the era painted on them.
"Grasp revolution, promote production!"
Women hold up half the sky.
"Learn from Lei Feng, a good example."
When Meng Yingying saw these familiar yet unfamiliar slogans, she had a genuine reaction; she had truly arrived in this impoverished 1970s.
She quickly lost her focus on her thoughts, as the tractor was bouncing along the bumpy dirt road, making her backside feel like it was going to get bruised and battered.
When the tractor stopped at the village entrance, she rubbed her numb and sore bottom, and looking at the familiar houses of Mengjiatun, she was hesitant to go back.
Will Meng Yingying, whose soul has been replaced, be recognized by her father?
Meng Yingying didn't know.
She felt somewhat lost. It was a good thing to leave the propaganda team, but from the moment she set foot on the land of Mengjiatun, she felt more lost and uneasy.
There was also the tension and sadness of meeting his seriously ill father.
The Meng family's house is a rare two-story building in Mengjiatun. The beautiful little building stands out as a beautiful sight amidst the large tiled houses.
Meng Baichuan was able to build this small house because he received compensation after being discharged from the military and later made a living by slaughtering pigs. It was a skilled trade, and in addition, he also castrated piglets, occasionally producing two piglets at a time.
Over time, the Meng family's circumstances gradually improved.
Even though Meng Baichuan raised his daughter alone, Meng Yingying was raised very well. This was because Meng Baichuan felt indebted to his daughter for leaving her in the countryside and not being able to let her leave with her mother to live a better life in the city.
Therefore, Meng Baichuan doted on Meng Yingying and granted her almost every request.
"Hundred Rivers".
It was Uncle Meng. His voice was sorrowful, yet also cruelly realistic. "You must take what I'm saying to heart. Your health is already like this. The doctor said you could pass away at any time."
"What will happen to Yingying if you leave? Can a young woman like her manage in Mengjiatun, in this two-story villa?"
Meng Baichuan was tall and strong, like a brown bear. However, he was lying on the bed at the moment, feeling weak, and even his forehead looked dark.
Clearly, his face already showed signs of death.
"You don't need to worry about Yingying's affairs. I will handle it myself."
He only had one daughter, and he must have made proper arrangements for her before he died.
How do you manage it?
Seeing that he was stubborn and unyielding, Meng Laoda immediately scolded him angrily, "Does a young girl need you to worry about her like this? No matter how much you worry about her, she will still get married in the future. Don't you really understand what I mean?"
“Baichuan, among us brothers, you’ve had the best life. I never asked you to help your brothers before, but now that you’re about to pass away, and Yingying is a girl, she can’t take care of you after your death. If you want to leave in style and have people carry your coffin, you’ll definitely need your nephews to step in. You know your eldest nephew, he’s twenty-four or twenty-five now, and because his family still lives in a thatched house, no girl wants him.”
“Give the house to Yuzhu or Dunzi. You watched Dunzi grow up, and Yuzhu is your own nephew. They are all family. If you give the house to them, I will make them smash the pot for you and let you leave in style.”
Meng Baichuan was a tiger, but this tiger didn't have long to live, though his ferocity remained. He panted heavily, his eyes gleaming with malice, "Give them the house, but what about my Yingying?"
His Yingying is only twenty years old, not yet married, and has lost her father. Does he intend to let her become homeless?
Old Master Meng said naturally, "Yingying is a girl, she'll belong to someone else's family sooner or later. Yuzhu is your own nephew, so adopting him to carry on the family line is the only way to honor our ancestors! It's always better for the house to go to family than to outsiders!"
"Besides, didn't I tell you that I've already found a husband for Yingying? It's my adopted son, Dunzi. You know he's an honest and kind man, and he's reliable and capable."
"Besides, they're all relatives. Yingying is married into our family. Your sister-in-law and I can keep an eye on her and make sure Dunzi doesn't beat or bully her."
Meng Baichuan grew angrier as he listened, his breathing becoming rapid. He grabbed the enamel mug from the kang cabinet and smashed it against his elder brother with a bang. "Is Yingying good just because she doesn't hit me? Meng, are you blind? You introduced this scumbag to my Yingying."
"roll."
"I'm not dead yet, it's not your place to eat up my childless heir!"
The moment the words "eat the childless" were uttered, Boss Meng's expression changed. Ignoring the spilled tea on his clothes, he rattled off a string of explanations, "Baichuan, how dare you speak like that?"
"We're doing this for your own good, for Yingying's own good. Besides us, your family, who else would be willing to help you?"
"roll."
Meng Baichuan wouldn't listen. He never expected that in his final days, the first person to come knocking on his door to try and take advantage of him would be his own elder brother.
Thinking of this, Meng Baichuan was filled with rage. He took deep breaths, almost with all his might, clenched his withered hand, and pushed hard, knocking over the cabinet on the kang (a heated brick bed).
However, being a seriously ill person, he couldn't overturn the cabinet despite his best efforts, and instead fell diagonally under the kang (heated brick bed).
Just then, Meng Yingying mustered up her courage and entered the room from the outside. Before she even stepped inside, the overturned kang cabinet rolled down to her feet.
Meng Yingying's family in her previous life were all good-tempered, and she had never seen such a scene before, so she was immediately startled.
She stood there prettily, her already flustered face turning deathly pale in an instant.
Meng Baichuan hadn't expected his precious daughter to come back at this time. He immediately took a deep breath, tried his best to adjust his unpleasant expression, and calmed himself down. "Yingying."
His voice also dropped eight octaves, as if he were completely different from the fierce-looking Meng Baichuan he had been before.
Meng Yingying paused for a moment. She glanced at Meng Laoda and seemed to understand something. She naturally squatted down and picked up the kang cabinet in front of Meng Baichuan. When she saw her father's lifeless face...
Meng Yingying's heart clenched. "Dad, why are you so angry?"
She was also surprised that she called him "Dad" so naturally.
Meng Baichuan was somewhat flattered. His daughter, who was always fierce with him, was actually caring for him like she did when she was a child. This made him happy. "It's nothing. I'm just chatting with your uncle."
After saying that, he gave Boss Meng a warning look. Boss Meng had a bitter face and was covered in tea. He could only grunt and mumble, "Yingying, try to persuade your father. Now that your father is gone, we will be your only family."
Meng Yingying's eyelashes trembled, and when she looked up, her eyes were reddened. "Will my uncle treat me as well as my father?"
Their clear eyes seemed to see through the filth and corruption of the world.
This left Boss Meng with no way to answer, so he could only flee in panic.
He can't do it.
You can't find a father like Meng Baichuan who dotes on his daughter like he does, even if you travel for miles around.
Because in most people's eyes, a daughter is assumed to belong to someone else's family from birth.
Since she belongs to someone else, why are they treating their daughter so well?
However, Meng Baichuan was an exception. He married late, at nearly thirty, and married a woman from the city. Later, his wife left, and he raised Meng Yingying alone.
For a full seventeen years during this period, he never considered marrying another woman, because he was afraid that his stepmother would treat Meng Yingying badly.
This one deal lasted for seventeen years.
Meng Laoda couldn't do what his younger brother did, and he couldn't face his niece's questions either. When he left, he almost never looked back.
Looking at his older brother's expression, Meng Baichuan sneered. However, when his gaze fell on his obedient daughter, who looked as white as a steamed bun...
Even the fierce-looking Meng Baichuan softened his breathing, afraid of frightening his daughter.
Ever since his daughter grew up, she has complained that his butchering of pigs was undignified and that he smelled bad all the time.
Meng Baichuan had no choice but to accept this.
Slaughtering pigs is the foundation of their livelihood; he can't give it up, so he can only try to appear in front of his daughter as little as possible.
However, since my daughter went to the city's propaganda team to learn to dance, she has rarely come back.
Now that he had suddenly returned, Meng Baichuan realized something and softened his tone to ask, "Yingying, why are you back at this hour?"
"Did you suffer any injustice in the propaganda team?"
"No, that's why I wasn't wronged."
Looking at her father's lifeless face, Meng Yingying burst into tears. She only told him good news and not bad, "Dad, I just wanted to come back and see you."
She knelt down in front of Meng Baichuan's kang (heated brick bed), because she knew that these were the original owner's emotions: regret, guilt, and the joy of regaining what she had lost.
Seeing his beautiful daughter crying her eyes out, Meng Baichuan immediately took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped away her tears. "Alright, Yingying, don't cry."
“Everyone dies eventually, whether it’s early or late. Dad is just worried that after I’m gone, these relatives in Mengjiatun will become cannibals. You won’t be able to handle that.”
While he was alive, these relatives would treat Meng Yingying better out of respect for him, whether sincerely or not.
But if he dies.
Behind his beloved Yingying was a pack of wolves and tigers, all wanting to tear a piece of flesh from his daughter.
Thinking about this...
Meng Baichuan forced himself to sit up and began to argue with his daughter, "You've seen your uncle's true colors. Your father isn't even dead yet, and they're already planning to exploit the family's members."
"Yingying, Daddy can't protect you for much longer."
Whenever this topic comes up, Meng Baichuan feels heartbroken. "Not only that, your uncle also wants to tell your brother Dunzi about you."
"Brother Dunzi?" Meng Yingying was a little surprised, but after a moment, her pretty face puffed up with anger. "Isn't he my uncle's adopted son? And I'm my uncle's own niece, how can this be allowed?"
"We even share the same surname, Meng!"
Meng Baichuan sneered, the scar on his face making him even more frightening. "He's just trying to keep the meat rotting in the pot. He's got his eye on our two-story house, and he wants to wait until I die, then Dunzi will marry you, and the whole family can move in rightfully."
These are biological brothers; when it comes to fighting for interests, blood ties mean nothing.
It is precisely because of blood ties that this struggle arises.
Meng Yingying was somewhat bewildered; this was a side of her she had never seen before.
In her past life, all her relatives were kind. She could focus on practicing dancing and singing, and her parents and relatives took care of everything else in her life.
Even when she appeared on the Spring Festival Gala, her relatives were happier than her parents.
Because she is the only daughter in the Meng family for three generations, and she is so accomplished, she is the pride of everyone in the Meng family.
Throughout her life, she has only encountered good people.
"dad."
She lay somewhat anxiously on her father's lap.
Meng Baichuan raised his hand and gently ruffled her hair, saying softly, "Don't be afraid, Dad has a backup plan for you."
He took out an old, yellowed pocket watch from the cabinet. There seemed to be some blurry engravings on the watch case. He noticed that his daughter seemed a little puzzled.
Meng Baichuan then explained, "This is a keepsake between your Uncle Qi and me from back then. We agreed that no matter who has children, we will be in-laws by birth."
Meng Yingying's breath hitched; this was her engagement token with her childhood sweetheart!
Seeing that she didn't speak, Meng Baichuan handed her the pocket watch. Meng Yingying took it subconsciously. The chain was quite old, badly worn, and had lost its original luster.
She clutched the pocket watch for a while before opening it. With a click, the watch cover opened, revealing a small, blurry photograph inside.
Because of its age, the exact appearance is unclear; only two figures embracing each other can be vaguely seen.
Seeing his daughter's puzzled expression.
Meng Baichuan explained, "This is a photo of Qi Xiaoer and you when you were eight years old."
“Your Uncle Qi is a retired veteran, and Xiao Er is young and has already been promoted to officer in the garrison. If I leave, that kid… will always be able to protect you.”
At this point, Meng Baichuan's tone was strained and helpless, "So, Yingying, Dad wants you to go find him and fulfill the marriage agreement."
Meng Yingying held the cold pocket watch in her hand, her fingertips curling slightly.
To fulfill the marriage agreement?
No! That's absolutely impossible!
A note from the author:
----------------------
This is a really long chapter, two chapters combined! I'm proudly asking for a favorite, a comment, and some nutritional supplements—I'll welcome them all, and there are even red envelopes!
P.S.: The red envelopes in the previous chapter have been sent.
For those of you experiencing a reading slump, check out my older works. They're all completed and from different eras, and they're super good.
"The Vicious Stepmother in a Historical Novel" has 80,000 favorites and is a very good read.
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