Chapter 83
On her quest to interview Ling Ke, no fewer than six or seven reporters had failed. Tong Yufei had also been turned away twice when she went to the opera troupe to interview him. She couldn't go again until she had come up with a better plan. Another failure would not only annoy Ling Ke, but also discourage her. One can't force their way into someone who's unique, so one must outsmart them. The opera world may seem glamorous, but those who truly make it are as rare as the nine ribs of the Yuan River. Ultimately, it's still a small circle. Rather than attacking directly, it's better to start from the periphery. Many people had previously tried to find Ling Ke through connections, but simply approaching his former bosses and colleagues had little effect. Her second failure was precisely why she had to find someone who held a special bond with Ling Ke.
After much investigation, she finally found him. She dug out a very important piece of information from the prison guard who had guarded Ling Ke at that time. When Ling Ke was six years old, his mother died and his father remarried. He was raised by his grandparents, but the person who really accompanied him to grow up and paid for his opera lessons was his uncle who was only six years older than him. It was also his uncle who helped him survive the darkest moment of his life. However, his uncle was a low-key person and never made a public appearance even when Ling Ke was at the peak of his career. People outside the circle did not know of his existence.
This uncle is Professor He Binghe from the History Department of West China Normal University.
Tong Yufei made a special trip to West China Normal University to sit in on Professor He's class, hoping to strike up a conversation. However, Professor He wouldn't discuss anything other than academic matters, and was even vague about Ling Ke, despite his mastery of Tai Chi. In the school cafeteria, she ran into Mo Changying, who, upon hearing she'd come to see He Bing, offered to help connect them. In exchange, she'd be cooking for a dinner at her home the following week for her mentor, a teacher who had twice saved Mo Changying from her violent husband. She held a position in her heart as dear as Old Lady Mo. Even though the dinner was at home, she couldn't afford to be sloppy. Having tasted Tong Yufei's cooking, Mo Changying was convinced she was up to the task.
Cooking a meal can get her an interview opportunity. She agreed to cook not just one meal, but ten meals. Tong Yufei nodded on the spot.
I don't know what method Mo Changying used, but He Bing took the initiative to invite her to his home the next day and introduced her to Ling Ke. During the interview with Ling Ke, the opera knowledge she had accumulated from accompanying Old Lady Mo to watch operas came in handy. Ling Ke was originally a little wary of her, but when he found that she was indeed knowledgeable and not the kind of person who was trying to attract attention, his attitude became much more relaxed.
After three days of interviews and a week to finish the manuscript, Cheng Yuan reviewed the manuscript and promised that she would have a place in the annual employee selection at the end of March.
On the day agreed with Mo Changying, Tong Yufei arrived as promised.
Mo Changying's mentor was from Nanjing, so she prepared three Jinling dishes and several local dishes with West City characteristics. Her mentor's favorite was the pan-fried herring head and tail. With a gentle poke of chopsticks, the fish meat separated from the skull, leaving it tender and soft, with an endless aftertaste. She lamented that what was supposed to be a conversation between mentor and disciple had become a food tasting. Mo Changying particularly loved the savory and lingering fried egg and tofu soup, with its vibrant golden egg and creamy white tofu, a perfect balance of color and flavor. She later asked Tong Yufei for the recipe and tried again and again, but couldn't quite recreate it.
To get another taste of that soup, Mo Changying, who rarely visits neighbors, makes an exception and visits the Hongqi neighborhood. Tong Yufei, mindful of her aunt's loneliness, invites her to their home for dinner every week, and before she leaves, gives her some snacks and buns to take home. Mo Changying's third visit is a rainy day, and due to the dim light, she mistakes Ye Yimo, who is listening to the rain on the balcony, for Mo Daoyan. To avoid misunderstandings, Tong Yufei explains their relationship and her impending divorce from Mo Daoyan. Mo Changying, unconcerned with her marital troubles, is intrigued by Ye Yimo, who can fully recite the stories she casually quotes, listening intently without judging. She immediately proposes giving Ye Yimo a history lesson every Sunday as a return gift for Tong Yufei's culinary hospitality.
Tong Yufei was a little confused: "My brother can only memorize things by rote and can't apply what he has learned. Wouldn't teaching be boring?"
Mo Changying took a bite of a crab roe steamed dumpling and said, "There are countless men in this world who talk big even though they barely know the basics, but how many of them can actually listen to others? I'm afraid we can't even fathom your brother's thoughts. All living beings are lonely, and he's no different from ordinary people. Isn't Mo Daoyan lonely too? It's even more tragic that no one sees him. Those who are cold and indifferent have probably never been loved wholeheartedly by anyone, including themselves."
"No? But grandma holds him in such a way."
"But he may not have gotten what he wanted. It's foolish to ask a woman to redeem his feelings, but if you still love him, I will give you my blessing."
She might disappoint Mo Changying's expectations.
In June, a fleeting news item flashed across the news: Germany's move of its capital from Bonn to Berlin. He was far away in Munich, a fact that had nothing to do with him or his company. But ever since they'd met, he'd been tied to that distant land, and she couldn't help but think of him. They hadn't spoken in over fifty days, no letters, no phone calls. Ever since long-distance calls switched to written correspondence, their connection had drifted apart amid their busy lives. In recent months, they'd barely heard from each other, though he'd occasionally send money back, much like when he'd first left the country.
His inexplicable obsession with her should have dissipated, but this was just who he was. He would never be swayed by others. His months-long efforts to win her back were probably to maintain the initiative in their marriage. Now that he realized that marriage wouldn't affect his career, he withdrew.
On July 22nd, Qiao Zhuoyuan and Ji Xilin held a full moon banquet for their daughter Qiao Xiazhi.
The two got married at the end of the year, but Ji Xilin was reluctant. Pregnancy was hard enough, and she had to wear heavy wedding clothes and put on a forced smile. She thought jumping into the river would be more satisfying. She wanted to wait until the child was born and her body recovered before getting married, or even not get married at all. In her eyes, getting pregnant before marriage and marrying with a baby were both jokes, so she didn't need to care about what others laughed at. Old Master Qiao strongly opposed it. He had very little confidence in his son to keep her, and he was worried that the longer he stayed, the more trouble he would cause. Although Qiao Zhuoyuan solemnly promised his father that he would never let Ji Xinlin run away with the child, the old man still refused to give in. Qiao Zhuoyuan had no choice but to coax Ji Xilin, and after much persuasion, he finally got her to agree.
The wedding, held at the Imperial City Hotel, the largest hotel in West City, resembled an extravagant extravaganza. Luxury cars lined up in a long line, and a professional camera crew filmed the entire event like a movie. The raffle alone gave away tens of thousands of yuan. The extravagant, rustic display made Ji Xilin's teeth ache, but it perfectly suited the tastes of the self-made bosses in Qiao Zhuoyuan's business circle. The wedding was a showcase for Qiao Zhuoyuan's prowess and networking, and it was also a compromise earned by Ji Xilin, who had worked throughout her pregnancy and into labor. However, her daughter was born over two weeks premature and was rushed to the emergency room due to hypoxia on her birth day. She was saved thanks to the all-night efforts of Chen Ruchao and his colleagues.
The wedding hadn't satisfied Ji Xilin, so Qiao Zhuoyuan had given her full authority to arrange their daughter's full-moon banquet. Ji Xilin held the banquet at home, inviting only her closest colleagues and close friends. Tong Yufei had missed their wedding due to an interview, but she arrived early today to present the child with a jade peace locket. Ji Xilin, who had just given birth, hadn't gained weight, but had lost several pounds. Her complexion looked slightly haggard, and she had to apply two layers of powder to hide it. Throwing a celebration for her daughter seemed to make her happier than getting married. She wore a salmon-colored dress, a rare find, like the most eye-catching rose in the Rhine Garden. Tong Yufei wore a light green skirt with a white suit, and Ren Zhanyue wore light blue overalls with a yellow short-sleeved shirt. The three of them each had their own unique charm, complementing each other beautifully.
When Tong Yufei went to the nursery to see the baby, he saw Mo Daoyan, who was teasing Qiao Xiazhi with his head down. He was wearing a blue baseball shirt and sweatpants, one hand casually tucked into his pocket. His arm was well-defined and he exuded energy, not at all like someone confined to the confines of an office by a busy schedule. Tong Zhaoyang and Qiao Zhuocheng were also nearby. Tong Zhaoyang was gently wiping his niece's saliva with a handkerchief, while Qiao Zhuocheng was holding the baby with a loving expression.
The relationship between Qiao Zhuocheng and his brother was still tense, but his niece, who looked like a little dumpling, was so adorable that he was willing to put aside his grudges and give her all his tenderness. He held his niece's hand and would rather give her to a friend than to his brother: "Daoyan, give birth to a son. When he grows up, he can marry Qiao Xiazhi. That way, I won't have to fight her father until the end of the world."
Mo Daoyan smiled and replied, "You can marry her, but my son won't be a son-in-law."
Qiao Zhuoyuan walked in and snatched his daughter back from the arms of his murderous brother: "If you want to marry your daughter, give birth to your own. My daughter won't marry. We can talk again in thirty years."
Ren Zhanyue, who came in with him, said with a smile, "Girls should not be kept at home when they grow up. Wait and see the day when my brother-in-law will cry."
Mo Daoyan then looked up and saw Tong Yufei standing behind Ren Zhanyue. With a smile in his eyes, he said, "In order to witness the spectacle of big brother crying sooner, should we have a baby?"
Everyone joined in his laughter, as if they were deeply in love, but in fact, he had not told her anything about his return home this time.
At the banquet, they were arranged to sit together. He diligently pulled out a chair for her, picked up dishes, peeled shrimps and poured tea... He played the role of a model husband to the fullest. She did not reject his thoughtfulness in public and maintained a social smile, but immediately withdrew his hand when she walked out of the Qiao family's gate. She guessed that it was just his competitive spirit that was at work, and he couldn't bear to see Ren Zhan Yue smile more than her.
He had a few drinks, and his voice was erratic: "I thought you would miss me at least a little."
"Don't force yourself to justify it. Three months and eleven days. Is it fun to lie to yourself like this every day?"
"Has it been so long since we last contacted each other?" He suddenly approached, resting his forehead against hers. "It seems like you're counting the days. If you missed me, why didn't you call? The gift you gave Qiao Xiazhi doesn't seem like you can't afford the phone bill."
She didn't want to get entangled and turned to walk towards the bus stop at the intersection.
He gently grasped her forearm and slid it down to her wrist: "I drove here to give you a ride."
"When you drink, even if you don't care about others, don't hurt yourself."
"Two glasses of red wine won't be dangerous." He glanced at Tong Zhaoyang and his wife walking towards them and lowered his voice, "Do you want me to carry you to the car in front of everyone, or do you want to continue arguing here? If Miss Ren sees us like this, she'll probably quarrel with Tong Zhaoyang again when she gets home."
Ren Zhanyue wasn't as narrow-minded as him, even fussing over past affairs their partner hadn't even begun. But before Tong Zhaoyang's inquiring gaze reached her, she got into his car. This wasn't a matter of concern for others' opinions, but simply to avoid giving him the opportunity to exploit her. On the way back, he kept asking about Ye Yimo's recent situation and the siblings' lives in the Hongqi neighborhood. He also mentioned reading her interview with Ling Ke and praised her increasingly mature writing style, which now displayed the sophisticated writing skills of a professional journalist.
After being ignored for more than three months, and now he was caring for her so much, she couldn't stand this kind of hot and cold behavior, so she remained silent all the way.
When the car stopped at Hongqi Community, he got out.
She stopped in front of the unit door and said, "Just send it here."
The light flickered in the wind, illuminating his reddened eyes. "How's your postgraduate entrance exam review going? Let me help you with your lessons."
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