"What has the Song family ever done to us that is morally right? Forget it, it's the New Year, let's not talk about people who give us trouble." Shen Mingzhi had absolutely no goodwill towards the Song family.
Talking about them during such a wonderful time as the Lunar New Year is simply a waste of good mood.
“That’s true,” Jiang Shaozhen echoed.
The next morning, Shen Mingzhi and Jiang Shaochen went to the station to pick up Wang Xinian.
It was cold in the station.
Shen Mingzhi kept stamping her feet from the cold, looking out at the exit. She said to Jiang Shaozhen beside her, "Is it late? Why haven't we arrived yet? It's freezing!"
Jiang Shaochen took her hand and blew warm breath on it.
There were many people heading out, but the two watched wave after wave of people leave without ever seeing Wang Xinian.
"It's snowing in some places, so the trains might be traveling slowly due to the snow." After he finished blowing, he asked, "How are you? Still cold?"
"It's freezing!" Shen Mingzhi said. "How could it not be freezing after just one gust of wind?"
My hands aren't cold, but my face and feet are.
Jiang Shaozhen had no choice but to continue breathing on her.
The two looked very affectionate.
Wang Xinian, carrying large and small bags, came out of the station and saw it from afar.
After not seeing her for several months, Wang Xinian noticed that Shen Mingzhi had lost a lot of weight and gotten much darker, but her eyes looked more expressive and she looked radiant.
"He's out." Jiang Shaozhen noticed him first.
Wang Xinian carried a snakeskin bag on his shoulder and another in his hand. He was wearing a military green cotton coat and cotton trousers, which made his rather thin frame look somewhat bulky.
He walked up to Shen Mingzhi and Jiang Shaozhen, and before he could speak, he heard Shen Mingzhi say, "You've lost weight and gotten darker. You've had a tough six months."
Upon hearing this, Wang Xinian's displeasure with Jiang Shaochen vanished instantly.
“It’s no trouble, sister. I brought you a gift.” His eyes immediately lit up with a smile.
Jiang Shaozhen helped him carry a snakeskin bag of luggage. After weighing it in his hand, he couldn't help but say, "What is this that is so heavy?"
"Clothes and such," Wang Xinian replied.
After the three of them got into the car, Shen Mingzhi finally let out a breath, rubbed her hands together, and breathed on them. "It's not like the South here, is it? It's not this cold in the South."
“It’s cold in the South, both inside and out. They don’t sleep on kangs (heated brick beds), so it’s especially hard to sleep at night. Anyway, we have kangs, so it’s much more comfortable at night,” Wang Xinian said to Shen Mingzhi.
Shen Mingzhi thought so too. The South has four distinct seasons now, with hot summers and extremely cold winters.
Global warming wasn't so obvious in the 1980s.
After he sat down, Shen Mingzhi reached out and patted his cotton-padded coat: "It looks thick, but it's not as sturdy as our cotton-padded coats. Your brother-in-law and I prepared some clothes for you for the New Year in advance, so you can change into them when you get back."
"Thank you, sister." Wang Xinian lowered her eyes, a hint of shyness on her face.
"No need for thanks. By the way, when you go home for Chinese New Year this year, visit all your relatives and friends. Next year, just wait to go abroad," Shen Mingzhi told him, leaning back in the car seat.
Wang Xinian was initially quite happy, but upon hearing her words, his joy vanished without a trace.
"Sister, can't I just not go?" Wang Xinian has been working hard for the past six months, all so that he wouldn't have to go abroad.
He felt that he could stay in the country and help Shen Mingzhi with her affairs.
Upon hearing this, Shen Mingzhi's face immediately darkened as she said, "You've worked so hard to get into high school, and now you're so unwilling to go abroad? With your repeated refusals, I'm starting to doubt whether you'll actually study hard if we send you abroad."
She genuinely wanted Wang Xinian to be well, but why couldn't this child understand her good intentions?
Wang Xinian remained silent.
Jiang Shaozhen, who was driving in front, coughed lightly and said, "Your sister wants you to go abroad, naturally for your own good. Although you may not accept this, think about what you worked so hard to get into high school for."
Wang Xinian couldn't let go of Shen Mingzhi, and Jiang Shaochen knew it too.
"I don't need you to say all that!" he suddenly said in a deep voice, his tone full of hostility.
Shen Mingzhi subconsciously looked at him.
Wang Xinian realized he was too excited and immediately suppressed the fierceness in his eyes. After a while, he finally spoke, "I know how much it costs to go abroad. You have been very good to me. I don't want to rely on you anymore. I have gained some experience by collecting raw materials all over the past six months. My high school education is enough for me."
Shen Mingzhi did not speak.
The car fell silent.
Wang Xinian realized she was angry and wanted to speak, but several times, faced with Shen Mingzhi's indifferent face, he remained silent.
Shen Mingzhi wasn't this serious before he left.
She has indeed changed a lot in the past six months.
Back in the courtyard house.
Shen Mingzhi asked Jiang Shaozhen to look after the child, while she pulled Wang Xinian into his room.
His room had been empty, but Aunt Wang would clean it for him every few days. A couple of days ago, knowing that he was coming back, she started heating the kang (a heated brick bed) every day and covered the bed with thick quilts.
"How dare you speak to your brother-in-law like that?!" Shen Mingzhi's tone was full of anger. "If you didn't want to go, I wouldn't even bother supporting you! I only started supporting you because I saw how hard you studied and how difficult it was for you. What, have you turned into a tyrant?!"
Wang Xinian's eyes reddened after she said that.
"Don't blame me for being harsh, but you have the opportunity to study, and you'll regret it later. I thought you'd understand the value of education after reading so many books, but after just a few months in the south, you've already become so unruly. Fine, I won't let your brother-in-law try to persuade you anymore. Whether you go or not, I won't force you!" Shen Mingzhi said before leaving.
Wang Xinian stood in the room for a long time before walking to the bedside and sitting down.
He took off his thick cotton-padded coat.
With his eyes lowered, he remained silent for a long time.
Shen Mingzhi returned to the room and saw Jiang Shaozhen feeding Nian Nian with a bottle. She walked to his side and leaned on his shoulder. "Xi Nian has changed a lot. He was rude to you just now, but don't take it to heart."
“It’s alright. Although he’s of age, he started school late and learned to reason late, so I can understand.” Jiang Shaozhen turned his head and looked at her with a smile.
Shen Mingzhi took the opportunity to kiss his lips, "It's good that you're not angry."
"It's a pity that such a promising talent doesn't go to university and is unwilling to go abroad." Jiang Shaochen felt sorry for Wang Xinian.
"Let him be. I'm too lazy to care anyway. Once the New Year is over, he can go wherever he wants," Shen Mingzhi said indifferently.
Jiang Shaozhen handed Niannian, who had just been fed, to her while he went to wash the bottles. "Are you really giving up? If he comes back from abroad, he'll be so useful. The country is short of talent right now. What should he study?"
“If they’re not willing, there’s nothing we can do,” Shen Mingzhi shrugged.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
