Chapter 89
Tong Yufei got a spot in the shelling room purely by luck.
After transferring to the newsroom, she performed exceptionally well and achieved impressive results, but given her seniority, she'd traditionally needed to wait another year or two. However, since the initial "housing reform" began in 1988, the commercialization of housing has accelerated. With the renovation of old cities and the development of new ones, a large number of commercial homes have entered the market, and supporting policies are becoming increasingly comprehensive. Over the past year, the newspaper has twice increased housing subsidies and incorporated them into its salary system. Employees who choose to forgo their housing allocation and purchase their own homes receive financial compensation. This has led many families with high housing requirements to voluntarily abandon their substandard, unsold housing. Suddenly, a large number of these small and remote unsold housing units have become vacant. Tong Yufei was thus placed on the shortlist, and by simply paying the difference in market rent, she could secure a unit early.
On the day she asked for leave from Cheng Yuan, Cheng Yuan told her the news. She was extremely surprised that happiness came so suddenly. The day after the exam, she went to the Housing Authority with Mo Daoyan to remove her name from the house title. A week later, she resubmitted the application for housing allocation. In early February, her name appeared on the latest housing allocation list. The shell house she was allocated was two streets away from the Hongqi community. It was a small two-bedroom house of 50 square meters. The living room was so small that it could only accommodate a set of dining table and chairs, but it faced north and south and had good lighting. Most importantly, every brick and tile was earned by her. This sense of security was incomparable to any other house.
Winter has passed and spring has come. Just after April, the maple tree in front of the unit’s door has already bloomed. The tender yellow flowers are interspersed with a few purple stamens, rustling in the wind. Against the backdrop of the mottled old building, they look particularly beautiful.
Tong Yufei had a chaotic first half of the year. In February, the postgraduate entrance examination results were announced, and she amazed everyone by being the first in her major. She scored 350 out of 400 in four subjects, and even 80 in English, which even she had not expected. In March and April, she was tossed between interviews and re-examinations, but her efforts were not in vain. She did well in the re-examination and still ranked first in the overall score. She was just waiting for the notification letter to be mailed and to enroll in school in September. In May, she and Mo Daoyan went to the Civil Affairs Bureau twice. The mediator recognized their familiar faces and saw that there was no hope of reconciliation, so he put an end to the marriage with a stamp of approval.
When she walked out of the Civil Affairs Bureau that day, she said to Mo Daoyan, "I did it."
He smiled back at her: "From now on, everything will go well for you."
In the same month, the allocation of welfare housing was finalized, and she planned to move on the 18th. Mo Daoyan offered to help, and everything was going smoothly, but unexpectedly something went wrong with Ye Yimo. Ye Yimo had learned to play ball and chess with Mo Daoyan these days, especially the latter. He was simply the incarnation of a chess fanatic and had to play several games every night.
The moving plan was shelved and remained unresolved until June.
On Children's Day, she came home from get off work and saw it was still early, so she packed up and moved to her own house. Halfway through, she turned around and saw Ye Yimo huddled on the sofa in the living room, staring intently at "Little Dragon Man." She turned off the TV and urged him, "Stop watching, it's time to go."
"Little Dragon Man!"
Ye Yimo suddenly got angry, grabbed the banana she had just bought and threw it out the door.
In a panic, she slapped Ye Yimo on the back and dragged him downstairs: "You're going to die."
"Don't do it!" Mo Daoyan carried two cardboard boxes and followed him downstairs. "Even fools have dignity."
"You still say that! If you hadn't taught him those things..."
"As a human being, you have the right to enjoy life." He interrupted, "If you want to leave, go ahead. He can stay."
"That's ridiculous! How could he follow you?" Her voice trembled with anger. "Who knows what you're up to?"
Mo Daoyan's expression suddenly changed, and he turned around to move back: "Then don't leave, it's a good opportunity to see what I want to do."
"Give it back to me."
She stepped forward to take the box back, but Mo Daoyan held on tightly. During the argument, the box fell to the ground with a bang, and the things inside scattered all over the floor. What was even worse was that a bottle of ink was broken, and the dark liquid instantly soaked her week's interview notes. Her eyes suddenly turned red, and she scratched and clawed at him like crazy, like a fox demon who had revealed her true form. Just like her father-in-law said, she looked about this ferocious when she fought with Tong Yi.
Fights between husband and wife have always been the favorite scene for neighbors to watch. More and more people gathered to watch. He didn't want to become a laughing stock, so he carried her up and went straight back to the house. Afterwards, he bought new ink, stayed up all night to help her recopy the notes, tried his best to save the situation, and said a lot of nice things, but she still refused to forgive him.
"I don't care about you anymore. You can live wherever you want."
She left Ye Yimo and left without looking back.
Ye Yi Mo naturally had to go back. He would feel uneasy if he didn't see Tong Yufei for three days.
Mo Daoyan took him to her new home. The house was still spotlessly clean and tidy by her. When he entered the door, she was standing on a wooden ladder pasting light green wallpaper. Her hat made of newspaper was tilted on her head, and her cheek was stained with lime powder, making her look like a female craftsman who had just finished work.
"Come in after I'm done." She seemed to have forgotten the unpleasantness of a few days ago. She turned to them and said with a smile, "Come in and change into slippers. I just mopped the floor. Don't step on it and make it dirty."
She used a folding dining table. There was no other clutter in the living room, only the dining table and four stools. The space suddenly became much brighter. She cooked iced mung bean soup, mixed peanuts and edamame, and fried a plate of pig's feet, which he and Ye Yimo ate up in silence.
After Ye Yimo fell asleep, she didn't rush to send him away. She took out a bottle of champagne from the cabinet, poured him a full glass, and said sincerely: "Mo Daoyan, congratulations."
This month was a double celebration for Xinli Group and Mo Daoyan. The company had won the National Quality Management Award for the second consecutive year in the refrigerator industry and even won the gold medal in the national quality evaluation sponsored by the China Household Electrical Appliances Association. After acquiring over a hundred small and medium-sized enterprises, production had expanded nearly a hundredfold, leaping to the top of the province. Plans for a listing on the Shanghai Stock Exchange next year were also underway, solidifying their position as the national industry leader. He had also just been named one of the "Top Ten Outstanding Young Private Entrepreneurs." As the youngest and most capable entrepreneur, he had received and been commended by city leaders, becoming Xicheng's most sought-after new business leader.
The front page of this morning's "Xicheng Morning Post" was all about his reports, and they were sold out as soon as they were put on the shelves.
Mo Daoyan didn't touch the glass of wine, but only said in a low voice: "I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry for what?"
"news."
The group was gaining momentum and the leadership team became the focus of media attention. Chen Huaili did not like to show up in public and pushed all the interviews to young people. Zhou Dinghe and Tong Zhaoyang became regular guests on the financial TV station. Ji Xilin was hired as a visiting lecturer by Jiaotong University. Mo Daoyan was always low-key and only accepted interviews from print media. He repeatedly emphasized that "only talk about work", but despite all his precautions, he was still found to be vulnerable.
In the corner of the same page as his glorious report, there was a "marriage change rumor" of about a hundred words. This entrepreneurial genius and the pride of Xicheng wanted to end the arranged marriage that was in name only, but his "wife who climbed up the social ladder" kept pestering him. Several "relatives" or "neighbors" spoke out to testify. In the vivid description, even their last dispute over moving was distorted into Tong Yufei trying to persuade him to change his mind in vain, and then "threatening to commit suicide" to ruin his reputation. The hideous back of the woman in the picture who was pointing at his nose and cursing was completely a mad woman.
The article didn't directly name Tong Yufei, but it did mention her workplace and even implicate Chen Jueyao, clearly urging others to follow the lead. This explosive news, fueled by Chen Jueyao's name, instantly diverted public attention and quickly fueled public opinion. Xinli's supporters flooded the company with calls, overwhelmingly criticizing her for appearing to advocate for women while actually behaving like an old-fashioned woman, unworthy of being a journalist. They urged Mo Daoyan not to compromise, lest her business prospects be ruined.
If he couldn't find peace, she must be facing an even worse situation: "I will ask the newspaper to publish a correction statement."
"No need. It's just treating the symptoms, not the root cause. Besides, the newspaper isn't entirely false." She didn't seem to care. "Someone called the newspaper to complain and put pressure on me, but my reporting achievements are there. No one can erase them or threaten me."
“But the truth is not at all what they wrote.”
"Who cares? If you issue a statement now, people will just think I forced you to do it. Facts speak louder than words. Once we're no longer in contact, no one will be able to find fault with me. Over time, no one will criticize me anymore." After finishing her drink, she swiftly put away the table and chairs and walked him to the door. "Mo Daoyan, your talent is far from being fully realized. There are endless possibilities waiting for you to create in the future. Don't worry about such trivial matters."
"You think this is a small matter?"
"It's not small, but I can handle it." She leaned against the door frame and smiled easily, "Just be good and do your thing."
"But I don't want you to carry me!" He suddenly pulled her into his arms, tightening his arms like iron hoops, "Tong Yufei, I can't get better."
Her waist was so tight that it hurt, and her whole body felt like it was cast into a solid wall, making it almost impossible to breathe. She felt weak all over, and he dragged her back, causing her to stumble and fall, knocking over the tables and chairs that had just been placed behind her. In a panic, she put her hand against his chest, but she didn't use much strength, but he seemed to have been hit hard, and he groaned and let go of her hand, and his whole body hit the door heavily.
On the white shirt, a glaring blood color was slowly spreading.
"It's bleeding!" She exclaimed, rushing forward and holding his trembling shoulders. "Why is it bleeding?"
"I regret it." He breathed heavily, pulling at the corners of his pale lips. "I wish you everything, but that doesn't include... leaving me and being indifferent."
She didn't bother to respond, lifting his shirt to examine him. A thumb-sized wound lay on his right chest, blood oozing out. Was this... the gunshot wound from six months ago? After all this time, how could it still look like new, with a fresh pink tinge around the edges?
Unless, it never healed.
If the wound is still this bad now, how much worse must it have been six months ago? She looked up in shock, tears welling up uncontrollably. "Your wound hasn't healed at all, has it? You dare fly an international flight right after surgery? Do you think you're too tough to live?"
He reached out and touched the corner of her eyes, wiping away the moisture: "It looks like he's really dead, but it can only be exchanged for a few tears from you."
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