Chapter 15
Tong Yi had said something when she was throwing the punches, "Bully my sister, I'll beat you up every time I see you." Luckily, Chen Jueyao was a girl, and had swapped genders with Qiao Zhuocheng, so she would have been the one to get beaten. However, Tong Yi hadn't gotten her way at the cinema. Qiao Zhuoyuan had also been with Qiao Zhuocheng and Chen Jueyao that day, having just finished a big deal, and movies were his way of treating himself to a meal. Qiao Zhuoyuan had been robbed several times while delivering goods, and to avenge his humiliation, he'd taken martial arts lessons from a master. He was a true martial artist. Tong Yi, despite his ferocity, was no match for Qiao Zhuoyuan. In their fight, they couldn't even touch a hair on Qiao Zhuoyuan's head. Instead, Qiao Zhuoyuan threw him over her shoulder, dislocating his shoulder and leaving him with a bruised face.
The more Qiao Zhuocheng thought about it, the more he felt something was amiss. Why would Chen Jueyao attract such a scoundrel for no apparent reason? Could it be because Qiao Zhuoyuan was sitting next to him, and he was mistaken for Qiao Zhuoyuan's lover? He was a playboy with a smooth tongue, but he had neither the heart nor the courage to commit a crime. Qiao Zhuoyuan, on the other hand, was the opposite, accustomed to his romantic debts. It was his father who had the foresight to bankrupt his family in the late 1970s and send his eldest brother to America. Otherwise, given his eldest brother's temperament, he might have been forced to eat the government grain during the crackdown.
He treated Tong Yi as a debt collector and advised her earnestly that every wrong has its perpetrator and that she should not involve others. The man who hit you is called Qiao Zhuoyuan. Go back and ask your sister if she slept with him. If she did, go to Rhine Garden and ask Qiao Zhishan to propose to your family. He kindly reminded her that if you want your sister to live a stable life, it is more cost-effective to ask for money than for people. But if your sister is a blind idiot and still wants to continue sleeping in the same bed with him, just ignore what he said.
Because of these words, Qiao Zhuoyuan kicked him three meters away. "You're crazy! I'm not that mean and shameless." Tong Yi's bones were broken but he didn't give in. He didn't call the police or extort money from anyone. He left without saying a word and glared at Qiao Zhuocheng before leaving.
The second time in the restaurant, Qiao Zhuoyuan was not there, and Qiao Zhuocheng was beaten badly. Now he knows that the beating was not undeserved.
Once was a coincidence, twice was deliberate. He figured that linking Tong Yufei to the Chen family wouldn't involve Mo Daoyan. Mo Daoyan hadn't been in the country in recent years, so the bullying Tong Yi was talking about could only refer to the fact that Mo Daoyan and Tong Yufei's wedding was hastily held due to Chen Ruchao's interference, causing his sister to lose face. But Tong Yi's revengeful nature wouldn't bypass Chen Ruchao and pin the blame on Chen Jueyao. Moreover, compared to the lack of grandeur of the wedding, Chen Ruchao's life was almost lost. Compared to a wedding and a life, Tong Yi was a vindictive person, and his temper was too much.
In this case, the crux of the matter lies in the conflict between Tong Yufei and Chen Jueyao.
Tong Yufei decisively denied it: "Miss Chen Er and I only met once at a dinner party between our two families. We didn't exchange many words. There was no conflict or grudge. As for what Tong Yi meant by this, I'll have to wait for him to come out and ask him."
Qiao Zhuocheng spread his hands. This was the tricky part. Chen Jueyao was always right and unforgiving. Mo Daoyan was the cause of both his success and failure. Tong Yi happened to be his brother-in-law. It would be extremely difficult to ask for her forgiveness.
There's no point in setting up obstacles. Mo Daoyan interjected, "I'll go find Chen Jueyao tomorrow."
If he wanted to find Chen Jueyao, he would have to be willing to see him. Things were different now. The name "Senior Brother Mo" was no longer popular, so Qiao Zhuocheng actually had some respect with Chen Jueyao. "I'll be the first to go and test the waters. Wait for my news."
Tong Yufei half bowed to express his gratitude: "Thank you for your trouble, Mr. Qiao."
Qiao Zhuocheng stared into her clear, bright eyes and suddenly changed the subject: "Miss Tong, have we met before?"
"You went home on Double Ninth Festival."
"Haven't you seen him lately?"
"Have you been home lately?"
Qiao Zhuocheng, with the shrewdness of a businessman, quickly brushed off his abruptness: "I have to quit drinking. My memory is failing and I'm talking nonsense."
When we walked out of Rhine Garden, the sun had set. The Danxia landscape was like a brocade, stretching for thousands of miles. The rosy glow shone on people's faces, covering them with a layer of golden glow. Tong Yufei jumped onto Mo Daoyan's 28-bar in the backlight. Mo Daoyan stayed where he was, without moving. She raised her slender little finger and poked Mo Daoyan's hard back, "Aren't you going to leave?"
Mo Daoyan turned slightly, revealing his handsome profile: "Being hit that morning, did that affect your full attendance pay?"
Tong Yufei retracted his hand, his expression unchanged: "Who was hit? Is the injury serious?"
Mo Daoyan felt like he was watching a poor performance. "You hit me, do you have to pay me the full penalty?"
"They say foreigners are very open-minded. Mr. Mo's trip was well worth it. He was very humorous and talkative."
Mo Daoyan had long seen that Tong Yufei could act, but she still lacked a proper understanding of her acting abilities. She probably recognized him on the spot, so she remained silent after he came back from shopping. On the day he returned home, she never mentioned the dispute, or the fact that he had returned to China but not come home. She treated him as if it was her first day back and treated him with great care. He had a photographic memory for studying his skills, and often discarded things he didn't care about. He couldn't produce evidence, nor did he need to. She stubbornly refused to admit it. If she wanted to wear a mask and pretend to be a virtuous woman, then she could do it. She had to endure the hardship.
The exquisite and fascinating play always comes to an end. Whether she is a human or a ghost has nothing to do with him.
They arrived home at dusk. Mo Daoyan went to park his bicycle, and Tong Yufei walked into the house. As soon as she stepped into the door, she saw Meng Ruqing sitting on a rosewood chair, staring at the door intently, as if she was waiting for her, or them. Sure enough, she called out "Mom", and Meng Ruqing called her into the study with a frosty face.
Meng Ruqing walked around to the dark brown walnut desk, holding a chestnut purple sand stone teapot, and poured out two cups of Longjing tea. He pushed one cup in front of Tong Yufei and took a sip of the other cup himself. Tong Yufei saw that Meng Ruqing was not sitting down, so he stood opposite with his hands behind his back, not touching the tea, and pretended to listen respectfully. Meng Ruqing took a sip of tea and frowned, saying, "Don't be so tense. No one can eat you. I saw the reporter recruitment advertisement in your newspaper. Have you signed up?"
Tong Yufei held up the matching Zheyao cup and said, "I filled out the registration form on the first day. I had planned to tell you after the first round of qualification screening and the final list."
"As usual, I've informed the leadership of your newspaper to ensure that no one with connections will take advantage of your legitimate registration rights and your right to be admitted after passing the entrance exam. However, whether you can pass the exam depends on your ability. Without real talent, I won't guarantee you anything. Opportunities are always close to you, but they won't come back once you've missed them. No matter how much or how good others give you, they can be taken away at any time. It's better to rely on yourself than on others. You can achieve something in the future, and no one can control your destiny. If you really want to, do your best to prepare for the exam. Changing majors is difficult, but the difficulties are not the most difficult. As for how to deal with the old lady, you can adapt to the situation."
She only wanted fair competition and didn't want to take shortcuts. With Meng Ruqing's support, she had nothing to ask for: "I will do my best."
Meng Ruqing put down the teacup and suddenly changed the subject: "Don't thank me so early. I help you based on the fact that you are Mo Daoyan's wife. If one day you are not, the help will be immediately abolished. This is what we agreed on long ago, so I really want to know, is it your idea to sleep in separate beds or his idea? The idea is yours. Do you think you can be a vase and enjoy the blessing forever? You are calculating too much! The idea is his. Separate beds today, file for divorce tomorrow, and break up the day after tomorrow. You teamed up with him to deceive me, and still want me to help you? You might as well dream of the Spring and Autumn Period. I don't want to give you a set of flannel four-piece suits, but I don't know that Mo Daoyan can only sleep on the sofa at home. How scheming!"
Mo Daoyan slept on the sofa bed and thought he would be back to normal the next day, but he was so busy that he made a mistake and eventually revealed his flaws.
Suddenly, Tong Yufei felt as if a huge rock had struck her mind, stirring up a turmoil that suffocated her. It was as if, after days of climbing over mountains and ridges, she had finally touched a tiny flicker of fire, only to be completely extinguished by a cold wind. She was once again thrown to the edge of a precipice in the vast darkness, her thoughts futile, swallowed by the endless blackness. But for a brief moment, a sense of relief crossed her brow. What mattered if it succeeded or failed? Could it be worse than six years ago?
She pretended to be shy and stammered, "I've told you many times that the room won't be spacious enough with a sofa in it. We should move it to the study. The study is the place for reading and working... But Daoyan said we've been apart for too long and we can't waste a single minute. I don't understand. He sits on the sofa reading, and I sit on a chair knitting a sweater. Sometimes we don't say a word for a long time. How come it doesn't count as wasted time? That sofa... not only does he sleep on it, I sleep on it too, and sometimes we even sleep together... Oh, he said... it's boring to always sleep in the same place, and I..."
She fabricated these shameless stories without any scruples, and her earlobes turned red as if they were painted. If Mo Daoyan knew about this, he would definitely despise her to the extreme.
Meng Ruqing stood there like a clay or wooden sculpture, her indignation suddenly turning into secret joy. Mo Daoyan's circle of friends since childhood were all boys. Even though he interacted more with the Chen sisters, they cared for each other like brothers and sisters. This situation did not improve in high school and college. Her son was eccentric and ignorant of the ways of the world. Everyone accepted that he was a nerd, but he was still very popular. Meng Ruqing occasionally had doubts. Could it be that Mo Daoyan was more interested in the same sex than the opposite sex?
Last year, she noticed a special film festival organized by a Hong Kong stage director. Although loving men and women is not right or wrong, going against the current will encounter huge social pressure. If Mo Daoyan has to bear this kind of pressure, she, as a mother, can do nothing to help. She is afraid that no one will be able to help her... Tong Yufei's shameless answer was like the scorching sun at noon, which illuminated the haze in Meng Ruqing's heart. Her son was not only a young man with normal needs, but also could play tricks!
Meng Ruqing put her heart back, her resentment towards Tong Yufei had subsided, and she even felt a little guilty for her gaffe: "I didn't investigate it clearly, and I wrongly blamed you."
Tong Yufei said solemnly, "You're being too kind. I know you're doing this for our own good."
Meng Ruqing saw Tong Yufei out and waited until she went upstairs before slowly coming out. In the small flower bed in the middle of the lawn in the yard, a pot of Clivia stood proudly on the flower stand, with its blooming orange-yellow petals gorgeous. Mo Daoyan was watering the Clivia with a light green plastic watering can. Next to the Clivia was a ginger-yellow cymbidium orchid, with a subtle and elegant fragrance and wild flowers.
Meng Ruqing picked up a withered petal and said, "The machinery factory is facing numerous difficulties and your father is too busy to take care of you. But this doesn't mean you should give in. He helped you when you went abroad. You can't ignore his words. This would be insulting to your father's honor. You can do the work you want, but he has to give you the opportunity. It's not good for you to be ungrateful."
Mo Changlin and Meng Ruqing have completely different ways of educating their children. Mo Changlin is all talk and no action, and is used to "using power to suppress others". Power does not refer to physical force, but the aura of being a father. Meng Ruqing seldom takes care of his children, and when he does, it is simple, rough, and powerful, and the method he uses is a one-to-one exchange rule.
When Mo Daoyan was a child, he was obsessed with storybooks and had to exchange his sleeping time for homework time. One time, he was willful and refused to do his homework, so his mother took him out and abandoned him in a cemetery in the wilderness. It was an uninhabited place where his grandmother could not hear or protect him no matter how much he cried. No matter how much he cried, her grandmother did not show any mercy. After he finished his homework quietly, she taught him solemnly that he was born in the Mo family, and mediocrity would mean failure in the future. No sugar cane has the best of both worlds. Everything in the world has a price tag, and if you want to get it, you must be able to afford to lose it.
By analogy, what about the person who is honest but lies about half of his words and pretends to be honest only half of his words? What did you gain by marrying him, and what did you lose?
What his mother said made sense. Mo Daoyan fell silent for a moment before saying, "After three years, Xinli hasn't made any new breakthroughs. I'm resigning. Principal Fang has always wanted me to teach at my alma mater. Jiaotong University is full of talented people, but I'm not completely useless."
Mo Daoyan's answer was flawless. He had a goal, confidence, and a way out. Although this way out was most likely a perfunctory act on his part, Meng Ruqing had already gotten what she wanted. What she wanted to see was not whether Mo Daoyan obeyed her orders, or even whether he would do what he said, but his determination to risk everything for his ideal. With this determination, it would not matter whether he would teach at Jiaotong University in the future.
No one in the world demands more of himself than he does, and he will not waste his time.
Meng Ruqing placed the petals in a vase, dug some soil with a small shovel and buried them. She said straight to the point, "It's good that you have a clear career plan, but what about your relationship? Do you still want her? If you don't, I'll let her go."
A hint of surprise flashed in Mo Daoyan's eyes. He was surprised at Meng Ruqing's frankness. She didn't sound like a human being, but like a homeless stray cat and dog temporarily staying here. He had no doubt that his mother had carefully chosen Tong Yufei because she thought marrying her would be a flexible option and she had the ability to let her go back and forth from where she came from, but he would not do that.
Not just for her, but also for a future life without interference.
"Now that I'm back, I won't bother you."
Mo Daoyan's words were filled with obvious displeasure, which Meng Ruqing interpreted as a defense of Tong Yufei: "I saw there was an extra sofa in your room, and I was worried that you might have a falling out. Yufei said you wanted to have more positions, and you young people... since that's the case, just live well with her."
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