Chapter 63
Last Friday, Tong Yufei completed the third installment of the "Chen Jueyao Series." Compared to the public outcry sparked by the second installment, this installment felt more like a quiet farewell, serving to bring the overall incident to a close. Facing a difficult period in her life, Chen Jueyao chose complete honesty, first producing witness testimony to clarify her college relationship with Cao Cong. She also readily acknowledged whether this relationship crossed the boundaries of a teacher-student relationship. Like many others, she is still searching for answers. As an adult, she enjoys the right to emotional autonomy, but the traditional notion of "once a teacher, always a father" leaves her feeling unsure. Perhaps only time will reveal the answer.
In the end, the unsolvable self-confession can only be regarded as a public warning. Young girls need to be vigilant against the blind worship of authority. She opposes institutionalized teacher-student love, but will not deny her own feelings. If she has to choose one, she will choose the stage. Dance is the meaning of life second only to her family. It is interesting to note that Cao Cong once spoke out and took responsibility through a niche media, but due to limited dissemination, it failed to enter the public eye. The relationship between the two thus became an open ending, just like Chen Jueyao's professional destiny. The city song and dance troupe restored her work qualifications, but the protagonist of "Zhaojun Going to the Frontier" changed, and she had to start again with group dance.
Whether she can be reborn from the ashes depends entirely on whether she can persevere.
Cheng Yuan returned to work after a week's vacation. She spoke highly of Tong Yufei's manuscript quality and progress control. She was so happy that she approved her three days of vacation to compensate for the vacation she had lost in the early stage of writing. Tong Yufei had planned to use the vacation to visit around and find new topics. Just as she put on her bag, she was called to the message room.
Mo Daoyan didn't leave a message on the pager, but called her directly, asking her to contact the union as soon as possible to arrange mediation, and emphasized that he was only free the next afternoon. She ended the call and had to rush to the union to convey his message.
The next afternoon, Tong Yufei went to Hongsheng Community with two union representatives at around eight in the morning. They were ten minutes late and saw from a distance that Mo Daoyan was already standing downstairs waiting for them. His smile was as gentle as jade and he did not seem to be at all anxious because of the waiting. He then thoughtfully welcomed everyone into the house, took out slippers, washed fruits, prepared snacks... He was very attentive.
The house looked very different from when she left.
The mediators sent by the union were a capable woman in her early thirties and a senior uncle with gray hair on his temples. Both of them were experienced in mediation and would not be fooled by simple superficial work. After entering the room, they had a clear division of labor. The woman kept an eye on all directions, scanning the air like a radar for any signs of marital unrest. She then noticed the lilies on the dining table, the pink cushions on the sofa, the colorful wind chimes rustling in the wind by the window, and finally landed on the photos on the wall, especially the clever arrangement of the comparison group of childhood photos and wedding photos. They looked like a perfect couple who had grown up together as childhood sweethearts.
The elder sister concluded: "Such a good relationship ended so suddenly. How irresponsible."
They had a general understanding of Mo Daoyan's resume before they came, so the uncle asked him about some of his situations outside of work. After all, alcoholism, gambling and laziness are the three major killers of marriage, and the responsibility lies mostly with the man. When they found out that he had no such problems at all, they started to get closer to him. It turned out that the uncle's son worked at Xinli and admired Mo Daoyan, the "technical manager", and often told the uncle how wise his leader was.
The uncle patted Mo Daoyan on the shoulder and said, "Keep working hard and beat all those foreigners."
Tong Yufei touched the photo of her taken in Dongfanghong Park on the wall. The photo paper still retained the warmth of the darkroom, as if it had just been developed. He always said that she was an actor, but in fact, there were many masters among the people, and he knew how to act.
Mo Daoyan's meticulous arrangements went far beyond this. A heart-shaped hole was carved out on the photo wall, on which were posted her awards from junior high school: one for being an outstanding class leader, one for being a model worker, and one for winning first place in long-distance running. It must have taken him some effort to collect these from Tongjia Village. The pajamas he bought for her were soaking in the bathroom basin. Underwear couldn't be machine-washed, so he washed them by hand. The bedroom she had emptied was refilled, the wardrobe was filled with all kinds of clothes according to the season, the shoe cabinet was filled with high heels and sneakers, all in standard size 36, and socks were also prepared. On the desk were several rows of selected news books... Ha, what a lot of thought!
The eldest sister had a bias in her mind, and all the mediation words were directed in her direction: "Marriage is about taking on responsibilities and obligations, making sacrifices and contributions. You can't just seek momentary pleasure, you have to take it seriously."
She couldn't help but say, "These are all temporary arrangements he made to confuse you."
The uncle continued, "Temporary arrangements are also a remedy. It's too late to mend the fence after the sheep have been lost. If everyone were as calculative as you, how many couples in the world would be separated?"
Mo Daoyan saw the opportunity and said, "It's my fault. I studied and worked abroad for these years, and then came back to start a business with my teacher. I really neglected her. She wrote me letters, knitted scarves and gloves, made insoles for me, sent me meals... I remember every kindness she showed me. How can I just write it off by saying I have no feelings for her?" He expressed sincere regret, like a husband who had come to his senses. "I will try my best to spend more time with her in the future. Thank you, leaders. I have even more confidence that the organization can support us in protecting our family."
She wanted to mention that Ye Yi Mo was the key cause of their divorce, but with Mo Daoyan's Tai Chi skills, the mediator would only think that she was being unreasonable. It was a fact that he paid for her brother's illness to be cured. Now that she was filing for divorce, others would think that she was destroying the bridge after crossing it. As for what he said and did behind closed doors, his words were not enough to prove it.
The uncle taught her: "Don't always have high aspirations but low skills. Living a down-to-earth life is the right way."
The two people have obvious differences in attitude. Mo Daoyan is unwilling to divorce, but she insists on divorce. She is the only focus of mediation.
The elder sister pulled her into a room alone and counseled her, "We all adhere to organizational discipline. Your husband has a clean family background. Many of his ancestors have made significant contributions to the country. He also has outstanding work performance and decent conduct. The organization holds him in high regard. If you're seeking a divorce from a comrade like him, how bad will that be? How can social stability be achieved without the stability of individual families? What will your superiors think of you if you make such a fuss? Will you still be considered for future awards and honors?"
His excellence, family background and social status built an invisible wall. Behind this wall, her request for divorce became a joke made out of impulse in the eyes of the mediator, and she was restricted everywhere.
Tong Yufei was displeased at being accused right away: "So, model workers can't get divorced?"
"The organization hates unprincipled outbursts of emotion the most. The more successful and famous one becomes, the more they know how to weigh the pros and cons. It's only young women like you who, when things don't go your way, start yelling for a divorce and won't turn back until you hit a wall. There's no one else here. Tell me the truth, are you pregnant?"
"What?"
"My lover?"
"Just because you have a lover, you can stop trying to reconcile?"
"You are so confused. Do you really believe that wild flowers are more fragrant than domestic flowers, and that cheating on your husband is justified? The sea of suffering is boundless, and turning back is the shore."
"I don't have a lover, I just don't want to live anymore."
"What exactly are you dissatisfied with him for? While we're talking it out, if it's really his fault, let him change it!"
"It's easy to change the country, but it's hard to change one's nature. Can it be changed?"
The eldest sister wiped the red armband on her arm. "It depends on what you're dissatisfied with! If you think you're fat, you can lose weight, but if you think you're short, you can't fix your bones, right? As for personality, it's normal for men to have a bit of temper. As long as they don't hit others or get involved in pornography, gambling, or drugs, there's always a chance of persuading the marriage to work. I've crossed more bridges than you've walked. If I say he can change, he definitely can. If I don't persuade him, this man is definitely hopeless. You've been away for five years, and you've managed to get through it. Now that he's back, you want a divorce. Aren't you being hard on yourself? Don't treat marriage as a joke. Be lenient to others and strict with yourself. I'll tell him this too. Since you've asked for a divorce, you must have suffered some injustice. I'll ask him to reflect on himself and make my concern for you a reality." Seeing that she didn't say anything, the eldest sister thought she was convinced. "A harmonious family is the foundation of everything."
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As the sun set, Mo Daoyan saw the two mediators off.
The moment he closed the door, the formal smile on his face disappeared immediately. Tong Yufei stood in front of the French window and fiddled with the pot of variegated star. She had moved it under the flower stand when it rained one time. It was a poor thing that was forgotten when they moved. Although this kind of plant only needs to be watered sparingly, it should not be completely unwatered. She thought it would wither and die in a corner where no one cared, but it was surprisingly doing well. The flower stalks grew from the branches and bloomed with bright red five-petal flowers. The afterglow of the setting sun poured in, casting an orange-red color on the petals.
The old house has a small garden, which is planted with seasonal flowers all year round, roses, peonies, and peonies, which are beautiful beyond words. She often goes there to help take care of it. On the balcony on the second floor, she has another small world, where several pots of succulents such as red lotus and Mingyue are growing quietly.
During the days when their relationship was relatively calm, she fertilized the plants, and her skin was crystal clear under the sunlight, like a plump peach. Mo Daoyan would suddenly come over to hug her and gently bite the peach.
In the past, kissing was always a prelude to sex, but at that moment it was very pure. She was so shy that she didn't want to push him away. She wasn't afraid that someone would suddenly come up, or that Mo Daoxing would go home and pass by here upstairs and catch them in the act.
The sun was shining brightly, the breeze was cool, and the feeling of being held in his arms and kissed by him also had a hint of love.
They kissed for who knows how long. When he released his grip, she nearly collapsed, but he caught her in time and teased her about how she didn't have the physique of a dancer. He said he would teach her tennis after work to keep her fit. At that time, he and his colleagues were busy planning the overseas market for a new product. Even with sunken eyes, he would still play a couple of games with her after work.
After his stepbrother's affair was exposed, he never mentioned playing basketball again. Instead, she was busy traveling for interviews and her health got better and better.
That day, the natural light disappeared, and the lights in the house came on. She brought the stewed soup to the table. Mo Daoyan finally remembered to ask her why she only grew succulents and no flowers or plants. She thought for a moment and said that succulents were easy to grow. All they needed was a pot of soil, a little fertilizer and water, and plenty of sunlight to thrive. Sometimes she just wanted to grow a pot of succulents, which were not afraid of wind and rain.
He ruthlessly exposed the issue: "Too much rain will rot succulents from the root. Humans are the least afraid of wind and rain. It's just that humans are too stubborn and often overinterpret many natural events, which makes them appear fragile."
She took a sip of her soup and said, "So, those who are heartless and ungrateful actually live a comfortable life?"
Mo Daoyan nodded slightly: "That's the truth."
"No wonder you can be so free."
"It's okay to talk about it on normal days, but it's definitely not the right thing to say today."
"Speak now."
"I'm talking about the norm in the world. You have to understand it. You can't confuse sentimentality with emotionality."
She said he was heartless and he blamed her for being emotional. If they had to compare, she would rather choose the latter. But when he finally showed some affection in front of her, she felt that his words were not in line with her heart. After all, the little trust they had had had almost been worn away.
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