Chapter 5
Before dinner, Mo Changlin and Meng Ruqing returned home. Mo Changlin was furious to learn that Mo Daoyan had quit his job and been hired by Chen Huaili's family workshop. The economic reforms of recent years have affected private enterprises and self-employed individuals, giving some people ample freedom and sparking a new wave of entrepreneurs. Even university professors like Chen Huaili have abandoned their teaching positions to join the entrepreneurial movement. Chen Huaili is a skilled lecturer, but navigating the business world requires more than just words. The Xinli Electric Appliances he founded claims to be a tribute to shareholding reforms and a true joint-stock company. However, any discerning eye can see that it's a makeshift team with only sixty or seventy people, many of whom are related by various connections. Can such a style of leadership be effective?
According to Mo Changlin, even if Mo Daoyan didn't want to emulate his predecessors in the 1980s, integrate into mainstream European and American society, and climb the technological peak again, he still had plenty of options. He could return to a domestic research institute and immerse himself in technical research, join a strong state-owned enterprise with a guaranteed income, or teach at a university. If he didn't want any of the above, and wanted to open up a new arena, there were many outstanding people. Why would he follow Chen Huaili, who had no practical experience? Scholars are good at theoretical discussions. Mo Daoyan, after years of Western education, was flattered to the point of not knowing the immensity of the world. He pretentiously believed that he could create a new world. History has repeated itself countless times. Without the shade of the tree, those who have fought through the tide of the times are rare. Some mistakes cannot be made. One careless move can lead to a complete loss. The life of an ordinary person will be crushed to pieces.
His old friends envied him for having an older son who was less troublesome and laborious, but they did not know that the silly younger son was the one who did not need to be worried about. The younger one could make a fuss, but could not jump out of the framework set by his parents. The older one would occasionally do something unexpected, which was often a major turning point in his life. Mo Daoyan's move was exactly the same as his self-willed study abroad, and he would not allow others to interfere at all.
Mo Daoyan's views contradict his father's in many aspects. For example, the tide of going into business is not simply due to favorable policies. The unstoppable rapid economic development has provided a unique market space. At the same time, the employment situation is becoming increasingly severe. Going into business is a desperate survival choice for many people, and a small number of people have personal ambitions. No one will turn a blind eye to the opportunities in the golden period of entrepreneurship. The rise of private enterprises is the future trend, just like the chronic illness of some state-owned enterprises. The market dominance is declining, and innovation is urgent. Those who stand still will be washed away by the waves.
Xinli was established not long ago, so it is inevitable that there are some unsatisfactory aspects. This is also the focus of the dispute between him and Chen Huaili. The salary can be appropriately reduced, and the personnel management rights must be argued for. However, Xinli also has its merits. The leader Chen Huaili can not only foresee the direction of market development and consider long-term interests, but also has the tolerance to tolerate others. He knows that nepotism is not good for the company. He is forced to do so due to the limitations of reality, but he always maintains an open attitude towards innovative plans.
Chen Huaili generally agreed to the core conditions he proposed.
Mo Daoyan didn't intend to start a debate with his father right after he landed. Doing so would only backfire and increase the cost of communication. So he changed the subject and talked about his father's recent troubles. The cruel reality of the declining competitiveness of the machinery factory and the frequent poaching of mid-level technicians had accidentally stirred up a hornet's nest. Mo Changlin's anger extended from his career development to criticism of private enterprises of varying quality. He angrily accused them of being dishonest and breaking the rules, currying favor with others, giving kickbacks, bribing technicians, stealing blueprints, and even counterfeiting finished products... In the end, he turned his indignation to him, saying that he might as well help his father than help them.
Mo Daoxing opened the wine with a deer antler corkscrew and asked Tong Yufei, who was washing the red wine glass next to him, "Sister-in-law, where do you want my brother to work?"
Tong Yufei said calmly, "My words don't count."
"His work determines half of the quality of your future life. You are the hostess, and your attitude is crucial."
Children are children. Tong Yufei put the washed cup back on the tray and said, "You are still young, don't drink too much."
"I can't be greedy. I have a mission. I urge you to drink another glass of wine. If Dad drinks more, Brother will be scolded less. But if you ask me, you and Brother should have a drink. Wine is also called love wine in Europe, and love is as sweet as honey."
"When I drink, the words float up, and a news story becomes a news accident."
Aunt Lin cooked several home-cooked dishes, including fig and pork bone soup. With Tong Yufei's help, she made a new dish, braised beef in vinegar. She marinated the beef with wine, fruit vinegar, cloves and other spices, stewed it over high heat, and then poured the marinade into a thick soup. It is said to be a dish often eaten by Germans, with a sweet and sour taste that lingers on the teeth and cheeks.
Everyone was seated, and Mo Daoxing poured wine for everyone. Everyone knew that Mo Daoyan's work was the sore spot for both father and son, so they avoided talking about it. Mo Changlin didn't agree with him about work, so he turned to other things and asked him when he would put the important matter of having a baby on the agenda. Mo Daoxing almost spilled the wine, shocked that his father was forcing him to do something against his will. His brother's chair hadn't even warmed up yet, and he and his sister-in-law hadn't even had time for their own world, but he was about to have a baby. Isn't it too tragic?
Mo Changlin ignored the second brat and grilled Mo Daoyan on the spot, "You're already in your twenties, what are you waiting for? You're so impulsive at work, even at the risk of your life, yet you're dragging your feet on something as lucrative as having a baby. When I was your age, my son had already finished elementary school."
Mo Daoxing wasn't good at math, but addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division within a hundred were a piece of cake. He quickly figured out the error: "Let's say you started elementary school at six, and finished school at eleven. So you became a father at twelve or thirteen? Did you marry Mom? Didn't Mom say you met Dad after you started working? Or is there a half-brother somewhere in the world who has the same father as us?"
Meng Ruqing frowned: "Big fool and little fool."
Old Madam Mo was not happy with this. "Changlin is a recognized prodigy in the compound. At the age of 24, he was chosen as the successor by the old factory director, despite all the opposition. He is a unique talent in all of West City. Daoyan has always been at the top of his class, and he inherited his father's talent. He didn't inherit his Taoism, so he can only make up for his shortcomings by taking a different approach."
Mo Daoxing stuck out his tongue at Tong Yufei: "Fools have no human rights."
Mo Daoyan half-jokingly said, "Although Western music in China is in a downturn, it can't be said to be a niche genre. Perhaps one day it will break through. The genetics theory is even more unfair and unscientific. According to genetics, IQ is determined by the combined effects of multiple genes, not a single gene."
His father's questioning was both unexpected and reasonable. If he didn't make a decision on one thing, he had to make up for it on another to demonstrate his authority as a father. For example, when he was in elementary school, Mo Changlin, wanting to show off his superiority, asked him to recite "The Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng" and pi to his uncles at a dinner table. He confidently retorted, "You can even make a planer? Go ahead and make one." Mo Changlin didn't have a planer, so he staged a capture move, cursing as he did so, "You little bastard, you're losing face!"
For example, Mo Changlin wanted him to apply to a military academy, and recalled the past and said, "If my father, your grandfather, had not made mistakes, your father would have been a general. Now your uncle has died for the country, and I have no chance to become a general. I hope you can complete the unfinished work of your fathers and win back the glory of the Mo family." But Mo Daoyan sternly rejected his idea, saying that his grandfather's mistake was only to shoot and cripple someone, and he was a man who deserved to die. With your temper, you can kill people when you are angry. It would be beneficial to the country and the people if you don't become a general. Everyone has their own ambitions. He would not pay for Mo Changlin's regrets. Since his ambition was not in the army, why bother to fight for a place?
Mo Changlin, frustrated when he was filling out his college application, withheld his living expenses. He even argued with his father, saying, "What's the good of him?" The scholarship alone wasn't enough to support the growing Mo Daoyan. A single penny could kill a hero, but he couldn't quite muster the courage to say, "A man can be killed, but not humiliated." After all, he had unfulfilled ambitions. So, desperate, he turned to Mo Changlin, writing a self-apology against his will to express his filial piety.
He was grateful for the favor he received, and he worked day and night in West Germany to make extra money, which was somewhat due to the reverse catalysis of Mo Changlin. Now that Mo Changlin saw that he could not change his job choice, he made trouble out of nothing and wanted to use his child to win back a city. In fact, there was no need to rush. Mo Changlin had a fiery temper, and there were plenty of people who would be his grandsons when he went out.
Mo Daoyan saw through his father's tricks. It was hard to tell whether his father was trying to force him to give in. He was determined to make him surrender. He said calmly, "Why don't you wait? I'll give you a child tonight."
Mo Changlin retorted, "If you had the ability to hit the target with one strike, I would have been a grandfather long ago."
The living room fell silent as these words were spoken. Mo Daoyan wanted to retort, "Of course you can't hit if you don't hit. Can humans reproduce asexually?" Did he have to be so lustful that he flew to the other side of the world and still irresponsibly sowed seeds, only caring about giving birth and not raising them? But he stopped there and retreated without a fight. Reproduction is not a one-sided thing. If he spoke too much and without restraint, he would inevitably hurt Tong Yufei.
Mo Daoyan glanced at Tong Yufei. She was peeling an apple for her grandmother with a pleasant smile. Her dimples appeared from time to time, as if she was not listening to the quarrel between him and his father, but to some interesting family stories. She remained calm even when Mount Tai collapsed in front of her and a deer appeared on her left, and she did not blink. His "wife" had great composure.
Old Madam Mo frowned and scolded Mo Changlin: "Don't scold your son before dinner, and don't scold your wife before bed."
Mo Changlin argued, "You're using your own spear to attack your own shield. Am I not your son?"
Mrs. Mo was old, but she was sharp-eyed and didn't fall for her son's sophistry: "You provoked Xiaoyan first."
"He's my son, and he always does what he wants. Am I not allowed to control him? You've been too indulgent with him, pampering him to the point where he has nothing to fear. He doesn't even take me, his father, seriously. He studied and learned, but he's forgotten his duty to bring honor to the Mo family. He doesn't have the slightest responsibility as the eldest son and grandson of the Mo family. If he grows up to be a child, I can't rely on him. Can't you ask him to give birth to a child for me?"
Meng Ruqing pinched Mo Changlin's hand and said, "You don't act like an elder. You just say whatever you want. There's no rush. We have to proceed step by step. Besides, it's useless to force Xiaoyan. It was Yufei who carried the baby for ten months. She has anemia."
In a nutshell, you need to have a child, but you don’t have to give birth immediately. It takes time to regulate your body.
Mo Changlin was so angry that he was confused. He only wanted to scold his rebellious son, and didn't want to hurt his filial and sensible daughter-in-law. It was not that he was not in a good mood, but he used it all on Meng Ruqing. Meng Ruqing had a widely circulated nickname "Meng Rulai", which did not mean that she had the appearance of a Buddha. It meant that even if Mo Changlin had great magical powers, comparable to Monkey King, he would be completely obedient when he saw Meng Ruqing. Mo Changlin had been obedient for more than 20 years and developed a conditioned reflex. When Meng Ruqing made it clear, he immediately shut up.
Mo Changlin made a feint to the east and attacked in the west, while Meng Ruqing shifted the conflict. Only Mrs. Mo took it seriously, and she felt that her desires coincided with her daughter-in-law's. A cousin of the same age became a grandmother, and her grandson gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. She was blessed with great fortune. The second son of Mo Changlin's cousin was promoted to Deputy Director of the Finance Bureau, and the family had a plump, fair-skinned girl the month before last. Their marriage and career were progressing in tandem. The two sons of the Mo family were grown up, working and attending school, and the house was becoming increasingly quiet. She longed for Mo Daoyan and his wife to have children and bring some life to the family.
Mrs. Mo advised Tong Yufei: "Talk to your boss and ask him to assign you less work if possible and to pay you less. If he doesn't agree, just quit your job. You are not short of food at home. A woman should still put her family and children first."
Old Mrs. Mo sticks to the old idea that "men work outside and women work inside". Her biggest dissatisfaction with her daughter-in-law Meng Ruqing, who is busy with all kinds of work, is that Meng Ruqing has no time during workdays and has never taken care of the children. Mo Daoyan, who was five years old, and Mo Daoxing, who was one year old, were both raised by the old lady. Although they all grew up well, the absence of their mother still made the children suffer, especially Mo Daoyan.
When it came to Mo Daoyan and Tong Yufei's children, the old lady was already overwhelmed by her own efforts. She didn't want them to repeat the mistakes of their parents. Tong Yufei's family background was no longer prestigious, so she had to be a good wife to Mo Daoyan. This was the lowest expectation that old lady Mo had for Tong Yufei when she first came into the family.
"In a few days, I will invite your cousin Xu Ying to come to my house as a guest and take a good look at your health."
Xu Ying is Mrs. Mo’s niece, Mo Changlin’s cousin, and an expert in the Reproductive Medicine Department of the People’s Hospital.
Tong Yufei said, "My cousin is very busy. I'll find time to go to the hospital."
"Let Xiaoyan go with you."
"OK."
Tong Yufei obeyed his orders. Her smile and tone were like a cup of 45-degree water, neither hot nor cold. To someone who was used to drinking coffee, it was bland and tasteless. Mo Daoyan didn't think she had such a strong obsession with having children with him, but he didn't have the desire to explore it further. He was just curious, if he really had a baby with her tonight, would she still smile like that?
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