Chapter 25
The sixteenth day of the lunar calendar is the day when married daughters return to their parents' home to visit. On this day every year, Meng Ruqing would ask Mrs. Mo for permission to use the family car. After getting permission, she would ask Old Yan to pick up Tong Yufei and take her back to Tongjia Village, filling the trunk with gifts she had prepared herself. It was fate that she could not give Tong Yufei a decent wedding, and she could not be too partial to her at work, and it would be useless to oppose her too much. Therefore, on the important annual visit day, she would give her a full show to maintain her confidence.
Meng's father was a watchmaker. Before liberation, he ran two watch shops. He relied on his craft to support three wives and concubines, five sons and three daughters, more than 20 people in total, young and old. Meng's mother was the second wife. She did not have the authority of the first wife, nor did she have the sweet words of the third wife who was as sweet as honey. She was gentle and dull in nature, the kind of person who was easiest to be manipulated. Coincidentally, she only gave birth to three daughters, so being bullied was commonplace.
Meng Ruqing grew up in a family that flattered the powerful and bullied the weak. Unwilling to be left behind, she endured humiliation and taught herself the exquisite art of watch repair, hoping to inherit the family's glory. However, she received no favor from her father, and could not dispel the Meng family's cold treatment of her mother. The post-liberation era brought a new world. The watch shop's reputation faded, and her father, disgraced and depressed, died in depression. Even though her parents had already divorced by then, she and her daughter were forced to live in the countryside, borrowing money to make ends meet, because the insults and scorn her father brought were still endless.
She had experienced loneliness and helplessness, and had seen the vicissitudes of life. She didn't want her daughter-in-law to go through the same thing again.
Tong Yufei did not deliver all the gifts that Meng Ruqing sent to the Tong family. Every time the car drove out of the city, she would ask Lao Yan to pull over and wait there. Then she would divide the gifts into three parts, leave one part in the car and take it back to Tongjia Village, and put the other two into woven bags. She would carry the bulging bags laboriously and squeeze onto a bus, which would take two hours.
Last year on this day, she arrived late, at dusk, looking rather pale. She tore open a packet of biscuits and handed it to Lao Yan to fill his stomach. She gave him the little money she had, her voice still soft, explaining that it wasn't hush money, but rather that she felt guilty for having waited for him for seven or eight hours, hungry, and wanted to make amends. It was already late, and it would be too late to return to Tongjia Village. He should just go back the same way. If he went back, and his in-laws asked why he hadn't made the trip, he could just tell them the truth.
The wind from the fields blew against Old Yan's wrinkled face. He blinked, marveling at the sun setting behind the mountain. How many years had it been since he had enjoyed such a tranquil sunset? She had given him half a day of leisure, a dreamlike moment of leisure. In return, he must fulfill his mission and immediately head towards Tongjia Village to complete her errand properly and thoroughly.
Old Yan ate two biscuits and drank half a pot of water. He said to Tong Yufei in the back seat, "We still have some time on the road. Miss Tong, you can take a short rest and think about how to respond to your father-in-law's greetings and hospitality. He misses his daughter so much that he wants to keep you for one night. How can you convince him to let us go back to the city at the last minute?"
"Uncle, thank you, but I didn't do anything dirty. The person I met suddenly fell ill and had no one to take care of him. I took him to the hospital and settled him down before returning. That person is mine..."
"We drivers only drive and don't ask about other matters. Miss Tong, please take your seat. We are about to set off."
Tong Yufei looked out the window. The sky was dyed golden red by the sunset. It was so beautiful!
This year, it was Mo Daoyan who accompanied her back to the village. He could have skipped the Tong family's thank-you banquet, but basic etiquette was essential. Mo Changlin had repeatedly emphasized this. Tong Jianzhong, to put it bluntly, was a simple working man, while Mo Daoyan worked in the home appliance industry, serving the public. He should not work in isolation but should go among the people and listen to their voices. Tong Jianzhong, to put it mildly, was Mo Daoyan's father-in-law, having given him a wife he had chosen from thousands of miles away. He should have visited his father-in-law upon his return, but his father-in-law hadn't said anything negative until today. That was because he was magnanimous. One must remember people's kindness and highlight the key points. Sometimes farmers talk without decorum, and as a younger generation, one should just listen. Don't imitate others and put on the arrogant intellectual airs whenever you disagree. A son-in-law is half a son-in-law. Respectfully accompany his father-in-law to eat and drink well, making sure everyone enjoys themselves. That way, Yu Fei would also be happy.
Mo Daoyan said it clearly: "If some of you are pointing fingers at Professor Chen, they are biased. He is the most approachable and unpretentious professor."
Mo Changlin couldn't bear to see Mo Daoyan defending Chen Huaili so much. Respecting teachers and respecting elders is a virtue. It's right to help the right person instead of relatives in general, but it depends on the occasion. If you do it in every occasion, what's the difference between master and apprentice and father and son? He raised a son for Chen Huaili. Nepotism is annoying, but people sometimes need that kind of blind love to prove the warmth of blood flowing. Mo Changlin snorted coldly and squeezed: "His qualifications are there. Why does he have to show off in front of the younger generation? He shows off too much. Do you know me as well as I do? You have only been in society for a few years. You are still far from judging people."
Mo Daoyan's understanding of his mentor might not be as good as Mo Changlin's, but when it comes to putting on airs, Chen Huaili is at most a "gentleman who uses his mouth, not his fists," and he's quick with words, while his father's airs are no less than those of a physical fight.
My mother told me that not long after they got married, they went to the Meng family ancestral hall to pay respect to my grandfather. Mo Changlin had an argument with my eldest uncle and had beaten him so badly that he couldn't get out of bed for three months. My eldest uncle had usurped my grandfather's inheritance and was causing chaos with his brothers and sisters. He was indeed at fault, but no matter what, it was not the place of a youngest brother-in-law to seek justice and stand up for others, right? If my eldest uncle's beating was justifiable, then what happened to my second uncle was completely unprovoked. His second uncle was a weak bank teller. He was worried that Mo Changlin would become the host and suffer the consequences of being attacked by the clan members. He tried to persuade him to leave, but was accidentally injured. The punch knocked off his glasses and broke his nose.
Neither he nor his brother inherited their father's martial spirit. It is unclear whether this is a misfortune or a blessing for the family.
His father had forgotten his bravery in the past and turned into a peace ambassador to guide him patiently. Although Mo Daoyan found it funny, he nodded and showed respect, and promised to do it. However, he did not think that Tong Yufei would be very happy if he accompanied Tong Jianzhong well. She obviously had a deeper affection for her adoptive father.
He slept in the study last night, not because he was worried that she would go out of her way and climb onto the sofa bed in the middle of the night, but because in that delicate situation, sleeping in the same room would only make it difficult for both of them to fall asleep. When the clock pointed to ten o'clock, he went to the room to ask Tong Yufei to come. Since they left late, they would naturally return late. He did not plan to spend the night in the countryside to avoid delaying the next day's work.
Tong Yufei didn't seem to have any desire to go back to her parents' home. She was still reading calmly. She didn't wear any special makeup. She just put on a layer of nude lotus root powder blush, which made her look more energetic. She didn't put on any other makeup.
Seeing him come in, she put down the book and confessed to him: "Daoyan, I hope you can think twice about what I said yesterday. I want to be the daughter-in-law of the Mo family, but if that person is not you, I can't hold on for so long."
Even when she was helpless, Tong Yufei didn't threaten him or bother his grandmother or parents. Although such threats were harmless and no matter how much she did, she couldn't shake the blood relationship, not many people possessed such wisdom. Because of this, he was still willing to sit down and talk with her, but that was all. He had never tolerated such inefficiency. "This is my first time to meet your father, and you have to go so late. Will people say you are disrespectful to your elders? It will be shameful for you."
"Daoyan, I'm not that unworthy of love."
"If you don't leave now, you don't have to go."
Tong Yufei followed him downstairs, but before they set off, Tong Jianzhong drove a three-horse carriage borrowed from his brother's house, carrying his eldest daughter and youngest son, and a cart full of vermicelli, bean curd and peanuts, and drove into the gate of the Mo family in a grand manner.
Mrs. Mo was startled by the loud noise: "What exploded?"
On the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, Tong Yi was released. It was this three-horse carriage that picked him up from the detention center. His father, eldest sister, brother-in-law, nephews, and nieces were all there. Those who didn’t know him would have thought he had become an official and returned home in glory. Tong Jianzhong wanted to take him to visit the Mo family that day, but his son-in-law declined the thank-you dinner. Instead of feeling disappointed, he was very pleased. This showed that his son-in-law didn’t take saving Tong Yi’s life that seriously and was a good kid who knew the big picture! He had to bring Tong Yi to see Mo Daoyan, first to thank his second sister and brother-in-law, and second to find a role model to learn from, to reform himself, to give up the wrong things, and to emulate the right ones.
Tong Jianzhong tried to persuade him, but Tong Yi still refused to go. He spat and said, "What's the point of learning? You should learn from your grandfather's generation. If you just learn, you will be able to do it." Why doesn't Tong Jianzhong learn from Mo Changlin? Seeing the father and son arguing fiercely, Tong Wan pulled his brother out of the car. He said, "You can not learn, but you have to thank your second sister. Second sister has broken her legs for him. Doesn't she owe him?" Then he told his father that today was not the right time to thank him. Tong Yi had to go home first to jump over the fire plate to get rid of bad luck!
Tong Yi had been at odds with her second sister since childhood. She had a special name, didn't speak the local dialect, didn't look people in the eye, didn't call him dad or sister, and didn't call him brother. She was as proud as a rooster. After her adoptive parents who gave her a name and taught her standard ordinary conversation passed away, her arrogance disappeared, but that was more or less related to him. He was not happy about her unhappiness.
Tong Yufei suffered for several years and married into a wealthy family. When she got engaged, Tong Yi got himself drunk. Knowing that she didn't want to see him, he was too lazy to go and see her acting smart. On her wedding day, he wanted to do the same thing, but the wine was snatched away by his brother-in-law. His brother-in-law said he had to go because he was her younger brother and would be her pillar of support in the future. He thought it was ridiculous because she had never asked him for support, no matter how good or bad her life was, and he had a hard time supporting himself.
Tong Yiken came to the Mo family this time because he was forced by his family. He was going to the south to make a living, and if he didn't come, he would have no money for the trip. But he was not an ungrateful person. It was Tong Yufei who didn't want his thanks. It would be better not to thank others if he thanked them but made them hate him.
After spending more than a month in the detention center, Tong Yi's hair had grown longer, his former crew cut now a flat top. When he wasn't glaring, his deep eye sockets made him look like a respectable, handsome young man. The first time Old Lady Mo saw him, she said to Mo Daoyan, "Siblings look so much alike. Tong's mother must be a great beauty. They say nephews resemble their uncles. If you have a child in the future, he'll probably look like this: tall and thin, with crescent-shaped eyebrows and bright eyes, and a straight nose."
Mo Daoyan thought to himself that his grandmother was telling ghost stories, and he didn't want a son like Tong Yi.
Aunt Lin prepared sweet and sour carp, stir-fried kidney, and used local ingredients to make braised pork with bean curd, pork ribs with potatoes and vermicelli, salt-baked peanuts, etc. Mo Changlin was off duty today and greeted Tong Jianzhong with a smile. His grandfather was a textile tycoon and also a skilled craftsman who tended the land. In his childhood, he planted beans, tomatoes and rapeseed flowers in the farmland contracted by his grandfather. This was the beginning of his love for the world, and he naturally felt close to his fellow farmers.
Mo Changlin invited Tong Jianzhong and his son to the front door to ask about the harvest, the high agricultural taxes, and whether spring plowing had begun. Had the seeds and fertilizer been purchased? Tong Jianzhong answered every question and took the initiative to talk about the Mo family's history. He wasn't one to expose his own wounds, but his second daughter was right. If you don't correct your mistakes, you'll continue to make them. As a father, he should lead by example. Mo Changlin took it easy. Youthful recklessness is what everyone goes through. A prodigal son who returns is worth more than gold. If you correct your mistakes, you're still a hero.
Tong Wan hurriedly ate a few mouthfuls of rice and pulled Tong Yufei upstairs mysteriously. Tong Yi didn't eat much of the food and didn't drink a drop of wine. Mo Daoyan thought that Tong Yi was restrained in front of his elders, so he wanted to show his hospitality and took him to the yard to play tennis. Tong Yi swung the racket weakly and the game became boring, so Mo Daoyan put down the racket and took him to the study.
The brothers' collection of martial arts novels lined the bookshelf. He'd bought Jin Yong's "The Double-Edged Blade" and "The Swordsman of Yue Girl," Liang Yusheng's "The Wandering Heroes," and Gu Long's "The White Jade Dragon." The most eye-catching piece was Mo Daoxing's recent purchase of Wen Ruian's "The Wandering Heroes" series. He hadn't read novels in a while, but knowing martial arts was still a favorite for many boys, he cleared out two and gave them to Tong Yi. Tong Yi, while avidly watching martial arts TV dramas, struggled with books, struggling to recognize even the most complete characters.
They went to Mo Daoxing's room, where there was a VCR and dozens of rented tapes, mostly music textbooks, with only one feature film, the Italian Western adventure "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," in its original, unsubtitled version. Tong Yi didn't quite understand what she was watching, but she kept watching, thinking it was better than just staring at them.
Mo Daoyan soaked some Maojian tea, washed the pears, and gave the largest one to Tong Yi: "How did Chen Jueyao offend your sister?"
Tong Yufei said that she had no grudge against Chen Jueyao, but Mo Daoyan didn't believe it. The reason for his disbelief was simple. She didn't make the red robe for Wang Zhaojun. Normally, he wouldn't pay special attention to what she made, but the red robe was an important costume and he remembered it clearly.
Tong Yiwan took a bite of the pear, chewing it with a crunchy sound: "Who is Chen Jueyao, the little deaf boy?"
"She has a name."
"Who is she to you?"
"My teacher's daughter, so I'm considered a junior sister."
"Leopards of the same hill."
"Birds of a feather, there are many leopards. Has she ever bullied your sister?"
"Do you think she dances well?"
"The signboard of the city song and dance troupe, do you even need to ask?"
"Tong Yufei may not be as good-looking as her, but when it comes to dancing, she's way better than the deaf kid."
"Your sister is slightly better looking..."
Mo Daoyan said without thinking, and only realized the key point of Tong Yi's words halfway through his words.
"Tong Yufei can dance?"
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