Chapter 13
The atmosphere of the Mo family's New Year's Eve was lackluster. Mo Changlin went to the Provincial Light Industry Bureau for a meeting, Meng Ruqing was supervising the work at the cultural performance, Mo Daoxing was invited to the TV station for rehearsal, Tong Yufei was working overtime, Aunt Lin opened a bag of six hemp candies and didn't finish half of them, but Mrs. Mo was very satisfied. Her son and daughter-in-law had important responsibilities, and her little grandson was a big shot. Even if there were no performances, he still had miscellaneous activities, so it was normal for him to be away from home. This year, at least her eldest grandson was by her side, watching "Public Relations Lady" with her, but she was secretly worried about Tong Yufei working the night shift. How could his health improve if he kept working like this? If his health didn't improve, having a child would be a distant prospect.
After getting to the bottom of it, Mrs. Mo urged Mo Daoyan: "Xiaoyan, you have to work harder."
Mo Daoyan had no desire to discuss the pros and cons of having children with his grandmother. Firstly, he and Tong Yufei wouldn't have any children, and secondly, he'd been up all night for three nights and had fallen asleep. His aunt, Mo Changying, was childless and lived in seclusion. Before the festival, his grandmother was going to stay with her, so he had Uncle Yan take her there that night. After his grandmother left, he showered and went back to sleep. He slept until dawn, when he was awakened by a cacophony of noise.
Aunt Lin came back from buying groceries early in the morning and saw two people standing at the gate of the courtyard. One was carrying a bag of fertilizer and the other was holding a cheap yellow leather bag under his arm. Based on past experience, she concluded that the people who came were most likely distant relatives of Director Mo and Deputy Minister Meng, who were not related to them at all. They were either here to borrow money or to find a job through connections. Some familiar relatives also came, but they would call before coming to make sure the two were at home and arrange a meeting time. They would not come rashly.
These relatives who came to bring gifts during the New Year were more disturbing than locusts. Meng Ruqing had taught her how to deal with this kind of thing earlier, and Aunt Lin did it with ease. She asked them who they were looking for, and the two of them turned their heads at the same time. One was Tong Jianzhong, who was wearing a gray-blue Zhongshan suit and a black liberation cap, and the other was Zhao Weimin, who was wearing a washed-out leather jacket.
Tong Jianzhong asked respectfully, "Is Director Mo here?"
"Director Mo and Vice Minister Meng are both on business trips. Please come back next year."
Aunt Lin hurriedly unlocked the door and entered, fearing that if she was a step too slow, she would be stuffed with some cheap local specialties, causing a tug-of-war between them and adding to her workload. But just as she was about to close the door, Zhao Weimin stretched out his foot to block the two ivory-black iron doors: "Let's go in and wait."
Aunt Lin frowned and said, "I said I'm not at home. Don't you understand what I'm saying?"
Judging from Aunt Lin's age and clothing, Zhao Weimin assumed she was the Mo family's nanny. A nanny who didn't ask who they were, where they came from, whether they had anything to do, or whether they wanted to stay. She shooed them away more eloquently than she could recite a text. She looked down on people! A span of a hand wasn't as close as four fingers. In terms of closeness, his father-in-law was much closer to the Mo family than she was.
He said angrily, "We're not waiting for Director Mo, nor for Minister Meng, but for Tong Yufei. Do you know who we are?"
Aunt Lin thought to herself, no matter who you are, if you engage in improper activities, don't even think about entering this door: "Miss Tong is not here, go wait somewhere else."
"If you say somewhere else, then somewhere else. You are the master of this family? Get out of the way."
"Oh, you still want to break into someone's house?"
"Trespassing? I'm coming in openly!"
"Where did this vagrant come from..."
The atmosphere outside was tense and tense, with the noises getting louder and louder. Mo Daoyan quickly put on his clothes, strode downstairs, and swiftly grabbed the arm of Zhao Weimin who was about to break in.
Zhao Weimin saw stars and wailed, "It's broken! My arm is broken! Who are you?"
Aunt Lin sneered, "You're still looking for someone, but you don't even know the owner."
Tong Jianzhong's eyes suddenly lit up when he saw Mo Daoyan flashing over. This person looked familiar. The two boys of the Mo family were four or five years apart in age. The younger one was about the same age as Tong Yi. Ting Yufei had mentioned that he was still in college. He did not have the calm and steady demeanor of this guy, and his age did not match. If he was not the youngest son of the Mo family, he could only be the eldest son, Mo Daoyan!
The second son-in-law has returned to China! Tong Jianzhong couldn't hide his joy: "Are you Xiao Mo...Mo Daoyan?"
Zhao Weimin was so imposing he could tear the roof off the house. He slapped his thigh and laughed, "The flood washed away the Dragon King Temple. Family members don't recognize each other anymore. Brother-in-law, I'm your brother-in-law, Zhao Weimin. When you and your second sister got married, we drank wine together. Don't you remember? And this old man, Yufei's biological father, you and my father-in-law!"
Mo Daoyan quickly sorted out the relationships between his father-in-law, his wife's father, and his brother-in-law. He invited the two into the house, made hot tea, and served them cakes. The house was well heated, and Tong Jianzhong was too thickly dressed, so he took Mo Changlin's vest and gave it to Tong Jianzhong to replace. He then told Aunt Lin to make more food. They had rushed from the village so early, so they must have skipped breakfast. Zhao Weimin gave Mo Daoyan a thumbs up and praised him for his good looks and understanding. He was worthy of being an excellent student. His second sister had married into a good family. Aunt Lin chuckled, her praise was irrelevant. Even if you didn't have to be an excellent student, you could tell they were hungry. Their stomachs were rumbling loudly.
Tong Jianzhong was happy that his son-in-law had returned to China and reunited with his little daughter, but as a father-in-law, he must not show any flattery and embarrass his daughter. He was a guest, and the food at his son-in-law's house must be eaten, not eaten for free. He untied the hemp rope that tied the fertilizer bag and took out the things inside one by one. Sweet potatoes, ginger, cabbage and radishes dug out of the cellar for winter storage and other seasonal vegetables were all grown by himself. The best pig's trotters, pork belly and pig offal were bought from his second brother Tong Jianguo at half price. Tong Jianguo was a butcher, and all the goods he sold to him were fresh.
There was also homemade stinky bean paste. A large bucket of it in a round-mouthed plastic jug was placed on the table, and the well-deserved stench instantly filled the room. Zhao Weimin said proudly, "This is called stinky bean paste. Boil it in water, add some cilantro and onions as a side dish, and eat it with a handful of tender garlic sprouts and a bowl of millet and pumpkin porridge. It's worth every morsel, even if it's from the mountains and the sea. Many city dwellers can't afford it. The most famous stinky bean paste maker in Wanjiang Town is my father-in-law."
Aunt Lin looked embarrassed. "Such a stinky thing, wouldn't Mrs. Mo be crazy when she comes back?" Mo Daoyan naturally knew that some old-fashioned hierarchy remained in her grandmother's ideology, and she was extremely wary of country people. But she didn't want to hit someone who smiled at her. Whether to eat the food or give it away was a matter after Tong Jianzhong left.
He examined the stinky bean paste and said, "It's similar to stinky tofu, right? It smells stinky, but tastes delicious. When I was in college, a classmate brought me something similar called a stinky bean cake. The old man was really good at making it."
Tong Jianzhong felt relieved when he heard his son-in-law's words, which were not empty flattery. He said, "If you are used to it, I will send more. Store it in a well-ventilated place, wrap it with several layers of cloth to prevent rainwater from seeping in. Scoop out as much as you can eat."
Mo Daoyan thanked Tong Jianzhong and took the stinky bean paste to the balcony. A few seconds later, he returned and looked at his watch. The hands showed 6:15. "You two should have some tea to warm yourself up. I'll go pick up Yufei. She worked overtime last night and stayed at the office."
Tong Jianzhong said repeatedly: "Go quickly and come back quickly."
Zhao Weimin was absorbed in admiring the magnificent curved porch: "My God, my brother-in-law's family is so generous!"
Mo Daoyan rode his bike to the Hexi Daily without stopping, and gave a box of cigarettes to the security uncle who was still on night shift, and asked him to tell Tong Yufei that her family was there to pick her up. The uncle went to the editorial office and came back to say that Tong Yufei was not in the company and did not work overtime last night. Mo Daoyan did not suspect anything, and asked the uncle to go and check again to see if she had happened to visit the tea room or other departments.
The uncle said firmly: "Definitely not. I asked their team leader, and Tong Yufei left as soon as he got off work."
During their conversation, He Yanjun and two female workers approached from behind. Seeing Mo Daoyan, they were all shocked. "Is this Tong Yufei's lover?" They'd all heard he'd studied abroad, and I'd thought it was just a rumor. But it was pretty close. He was so elegant and impressive, and looked like someone with a lot of knowledge. Standing aside, a bright and beautiful sight. A sorter named Qin Hong smiled at He Yanjun. "No wonder Tong Yufei rejected your brother. With someone like him around, no other brother would be able to stop him."
The uncle's words made He Yanjun feel like she had found a treasure. She walked straight to Mo Daoyan and said, "You are Yu Fei's lover, right? I am her colleague, He Yanjun."
Mo Daoyan said politely, "Hello, Miss He."
Other colleagues or their family members, the older ones just called her by her first name, or called her Little He, while the younger ones called her Old He or Sister He. Mo Daoyan's "Miss He" sounded very foreign, and He Yanjun was delighted and smiled shyly, "Yufei really didn't work overtime yesterday. We left at the same time. I even saw her buying a lot of holiday ingredients at the supply and marketing cooperative. Although she is beautiful and always acts like a single girl after marriage, she is a very conscientious person. She never slacks off at work, and it is certainly impossible for her to stay out all night. Is there a misunderstanding?"
Mo Daoyan glanced at He Yanjun and asked, "May I ask Miss He's age?"
The topic took a turn that caught He Yanjun off guard: "Twenty-eight years old...why are you asking about age?"
"At 28, her comprehension is still so poor. She needs to see a neurosurgeon. Maybe she has degenerative brain disease. I didn't know Tong Yufei was at work, so how did it turn out that she didn't come home at night? Shouldn't I be the one working all night and not getting home yet?"
He Yanjun was suddenly stunned: "I didn't say...she didn't come home at night."
"Of course you can't say it directly. We're both women, so spreading rumors is shameless."
After a few words, He Yanjun was embarrassed and ashamed. Qin Hong couldn't help but sweat for her. He Yanjun didn't know her own ability. She even quarreled with scholars and made herself boring. She also secretly envied Tong Yufei. Marrying a rich man was not the best thing. To be able to marry such a talented and beautiful man was a blessing earned through several lifetimes. Thinking of this, her heart ached. The same person had different fates.
Speak of the devil, and here he comes. Qin Hong glanced at Tong Yufei, who was walking across the street. He was wearing a black round-neck sweater and turquoise high-waist jeans, looking fresh and clean. She said loudly to Tong Yufei, "Yufei, your lover is here to see you."
Tong Yufei paused blankly under the maple tree in front of the newspaper office. Just as she was thinking about how to tell Mo Daoyan where he had been yesterday, he walked towards her, ruffled her seaweed-like black hair, took her hand, and clasped it tightly. His cold fingers penetrated hers one by one, interlocking theirs. "I'm off work and you're at get off work, so we can't see each other. I can only come here and wait. Do you miss me?"
Tong Yufei saw He Yanjun and roughly understood why he was singing this song, but in this day and age, how could one be so naked and express one's true feelings? Tong Yufei couldn't bear his dramatic urge and hid his hands in the square pockets of his sweater. "Did you stay up late last night? Your eyes are very bloodshot."
Mo Daoyan took the opportunity to put his hand over, deepening the inseparable ambiguity: "Your eyes are good, but your brain is almost useless. I can't even remember your schedule. Haven't had breakfast yet? Don't go to the cafeteria, come with me to the restaurant and stay a while."
He Yanjun watched the beautiful couple walk away from him, and said angrily: "What's her reason?"
Qin Hong said, "Others may not know, but how could you not know? Don't you also want her to be your sister-in-law? What moved you?"
What impressed He Yanjun was Tong Yufei's gentle and docile nature, but He Yanjun doesn't think so now. Among so many daughters from ordinary families, she is the only one who has risen to the top. She must have some means to climb up. As for what she got in return, it is hard to say. This strange view gave birth to He Yanjun's Ah Q spirit. Her brother did not marry her and he escaped a disaster.
She raised her eyebrows: "I was wrong!"
-----
After turning the corner, Mo Daoyan let go of her hand, and the kind expression on his face disappeared in an instant. The distant indifference once again occupied Qingjun's face. He chose a clean breakfast shop, ordered glutinous rice cakes and red rice porridge for Tong Yufei, and asked for a glass of milk for himself.
Tong Yufei stirred the hot porridge with a spoon: "You don't want to ask where I went?"
Mo Daoyan touched the spiral pattern on the milk cup and said disapprovingly: "Is it related to me?"
Whether it matters or not depends on how he understands it. If he treats her as his wife and has possessiveness towards her, he will not turn a blind eye to her staying out all night. If he does not treat her as his wife and has no possessiveness towards her, then what she does with whom she meets that night is her business.
Tong Yufei didn't say anything further, which was a good thing, as it saved him the trouble of weaving a lie.
Mo Daoyan didn't rush to tell her about Tong Jianzhong's visit. Instead, he asked her about the conditions for divorce, which was also the purpose of this breakfast: "Have you ever thought about furthering your studies? Or going out into the world?"
He had anticipated many answers. She had endured humiliation and married him just to find a support. This support could be a job, money, or a backup when she had nothing in the event of an accident. She had been a proofreader for more than four years without any promotion or special contribution. It was obvious that she was mediocre in her job. He was willing to pay for her to study abroad, in Japan and Singapore nearby, or in the UK, the US, France and Germany far away, to explore her potential in this golden age of seizing opportunities and achieving dreams. If she could not bear the hardship of leaving her hometown, he would tutor her in her homework, improve her academic qualifications, or simply provide her with a solid financial guarantee. It would be better for her to find a man who loves her with this guarantee than to live with him in name only.
But she didn't want any of these: "Give me a few years. I want to apply to be a journalist. Before I can establish myself, I need a stable backing."
"Your lack of achievements at work is due to an unstable background? How many years are you talking about? Three or five? Are you sure you can pass the exam and become a good journalist within three years, and gain a firm foothold in the industry? With all due respect, if you can break your promises before, why should I believe you will keep them a few years from now?"
Being arrogant and conceited requires capital, which she didn't have, so she had to settle for the next best thing. Mo Daoyan wouldn't do anything shady, but she knew about it and acquiesced, so the nature of it was different: "I haven't made any major achievements as a proofreader, and I haven't made any major mistakes. I've been named a model worker, so I give myself a score of 7. Three to five years, the longer the better for me. It depends on your acceptance. You can trust me or not, but trust that I can maintain harmony. Don't worry, if you meet a girl you like during this period, and you go out with someone else, I won't ask."
Mo Daoyan was speechless. She had tampered with his words, distorting them beyond recognition. If he did that, Mo Changlin would have beaten him to death without her having to ask. She might even accuse him of having an illicit relationship, which would at best be discredited, or even lead to imprisonment. She was willing to be invisible to show her magnanimity. The girl who had a good relationship with him was in trouble, so why would anyone else want to get along with him, a married man? She imagined that he could have a clear conscience and start a new relationship without divorcing her. What did she think of him?
He put down his untouched glass of milk and asked, "Are you sure you want to do this?"
Tong Yufei tangentally asked, "I waited for you for five years, and you waited for me for three years. Isn't that a good deal?"
"Business is all about mutual consent. Miss Tong, did I force you to marry me? Did you wait five years because I refused to let you go? Was it me who caused your career to fail? If not, why did I have to wait for you? If marriage is not easy for you, how could you lack suitors with your looks? There are plenty of people who want to marry you. I must divorce you. It would be best if you accept the terms. If not, we will sue."
Mo Daoyan took out two hundred yuan from his leather wallet and placed it in front of her.
"Your father and brother-in-law are waiting for you at home. They brought a lot of things with them. Please thank them for me."
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