Chapter 50: International Settlement Part 5
Mrs. Ge came for a while, causing a great deal of chaos in the Ge Mansion. Then she patted her butt and left happily. Mrs. Qiao came downstairs in a hurry, and the other ladies grabbed her and asked, "What on earth is she doing here?"
When she was asked about it, she became angrier and angrier. She slapped the mahjong table and sat down. She actually laughed out loud: "I thought the third girl was wondering why she didn't go to Europe. It turns out someone was secretly giving her advice."
"What advice can she give?" The ladies all laughed. "Don't let her teach the third young lady bad things for no reason."
"She's willing to do so," Mrs. Qiao glanced outside and waved to Yunyan, asking her to sit next to her. "It's a good thing you're going abroad with your father in a few days, so she won't ruin your reputation. Don't be like her."
Mrs. Ge has been infamous since her marriage. Relatives have their own theories as to why she hasn't been removed from the Lin family tree. When Chu Wang's mother married into the family, she brought a large sum of money with her. Who ultimately acquired this money is unclear. The most likely candidate is Mrs. Ge. Therefore, while the Lin family resents her for tarnishing their reputation, they dare not completely disown her. As the saying goes, family disgrace shouldn't be aired in public. While the wives despise her, they rush to discuss her when asked about her by outsiders, fearing they might seem less connected to Mrs. Ge.
After seeing Mrs. Ge off, Chu Wang knew what was going on inside the house, so he didn't immediately go back to the Lin Mansion to see what everyone was saying. So when Lin Zitong came back, she saw her still standing outside and asked, "What are you doing here?"
Chu Wang smiled and shook his head, but he didn't ask any more questions.
She walked around the mansion for a while, was questioned by the ladies, and came out after a while. She asked Chu Wang, "Where is Yan Sang?"
"I got mad and left." Chu Wang glanced at the next door and said, "I went home."
"Why did you leave in anger?"
"I just told him I'm not going to Europe. I was curious why no one told him in the past two days?"
Lin Zitong smiled. "Both families have been busy lately, so my father hasn't had much time to visit you. Suddenly, I had time to see you, so you told him the sad news. Aren't you going to comfort him?"
Chu Wang stared at the ground. "He's angry about the fact that I'm not going to Europe, not the reason. People who don't want me to go to Europe will naturally believe everything I say, and they'll even try to make excuses for me. He wants me to go with him, but no matter what reason I give, he'll always find a reason to refute it. Even if I go to the Si Mansion and ring the doorbell again, I'm afraid they won't see me, right?"
Before coming to Shanghai, Chu Wang had thought about all the reasons others had given for not going to Europe, such as cultural differences, different medical care, no one to take care of you when you are sick, etc. She could think of many solutions herself, let alone Yan Sang.
As for Zhou, after getting off the ship at the Marseille dock, he took Professor Xu's letter directly and went to England with Yan Sang, so he naturally avoided them.
She couldn't even convince herself with these reasons, let alone Yan Sang who wanted her to go to Europe with him.
What really made her decide not to go to Europe was Xu Shaoqian's letter. After all, she had been to all the places she needed to go and learned all the things she needed to learn. There was no point in wasting two more years and starting all over again.
"Although the warlords' conflict ended this year, our motherland will face nearly twenty years of internal and external troubles in the future." "I want to stay and see what I can do." If I told him this, would he believe it? Chu Wang himself didn't believe it and even found it funny.
"Even if you don't want to see me, I can't see you too, right?" Lin Zitong smiled, walked a few steps onto the lawn, turned around and said, "Let's go."
Lin Zitong strode across the lawn, Chu Wang trotting behind. When the two siblings reached the Si Mansion, they rang the doorbell and asked the maid to call for Young Master Si, saying that Young Master Lin from next door wanted to talk to him downstairs.
Si Yansang opened the door and saw the two of them, but he didn't look at Chu Wang. He asked Lin Zitong directly: "Why doesn't she go to Europe?"
Lin Zitong smiled and said, "Why don't you ask me why I don't go to Europe?"
"I'm not Miss Xu, why would I care whether you're going to Europe or not? Go away, Chu Wang, come here," Si Yansang pulled Lin Zitong aside and asked, "Are you really not going to Europe?"
"I really won't go," Chu Wang nodded. "What reason can I give you for not going that would make you happier?"
"Even if you say that the motherland is in danger and you are the only one who can save it, I won't be happy."
"Then what should I do?"
The three of them were silent for a long time. Then, as if giving in, he asked, "Then I won't go either, is that okay?"
Chu Wang shook his head, "No."
Si Yansang smiled helplessly and retorted calmly, "Then what should I do?"
Lin Zitong was also quite helpless, "Doesn't anyone care why I don't go to Europe?"
The other two said in unison: "No."
After a moment's silence, Chu Wang said, "Yan Sang, I know Europe has many advantages: science, education, industry... things that are far beyond what China has today, which is why many international students are scrambling to go there. For me, Europe should also have you. We could go to the Spree River for ice cream and a boat ride, and drive to the outskirts of Versailles together on weekends... I've given this serious thought. The result is: studying in Europe for me was tortuous and difficult, and I gained little; Hong Kong was smooth and fruitful, and I gained a lot. Therefore, Hong Kong is superior to Europe. But for you, the opposite is true: I can say without a doubt that you should complete your studies in Europe. So even if this engagement ties our futures together, it doesn't mean we should make a foolish and unwise choice. I shouldn't change my established future for you, and neither should you."
Seeing that he didn't answer, Chu Wang continued, "You can say I'm too rational or too cold. If you can give me a better solution to convince me to go with you, that would be even better. But I think you actually realize that—I don't. If you insist on being a romantic, then I have to be the sober one. Besides the fact that we can't be together for the past two years, are there any other drawbacks? It's only two years, and I'll still be waiting for you in Hong Kong."
His eyelashes drooped, his eyes were almost invisible. After a while, he simply said, "I understand."
The door of the Si Mansion was closed, leaving only the two siblings standing outside.
Chu Wang smiled bitterly, "He's still angry, isn't he?"
"Yes." Lin Zitong nodded, "Maybe this time he is angry with himself."
"Then why don't you go to Europe?" Chu Wang asked, "Father must have wanted to take you with him from the beginning."
"From what I've learned over the years, staying in China doesn't make as much sense as going to Europe," Lin Zitong said with a smile. "After the May Fourth Movement, I went to a bookstore in Shaoxing one day and learned about the government's corruption and incompetence, the people's poverty, hunger, and disease. There was a sign on the Bund lawn saying 'No Chinese or Dogs Allowed,' and foreign police brutally beating rickshaw pullers in the concessions. China's political situation was dire, and everyone wanted to 'go abroad.' Among the many dreams of saving the nation, there were those of industry, science, and education, as well as those of civil service and military industry... With a country stretched thin, the struggle between revolution and national salvation would never cease. My classmates all wanted to go abroad, to 'reform the country' and 'revive the nation' after graduation. I was the one who stayed. If the revolution failed, even dying on the battlefield for my country would be worth it."
Chu Wang nodded to show that he understood.
The history of studying abroad in modern China can be said to be half of China's modern history. The other half is about staying in the country to engage in politics and military.
"So that's why we wrote that poem during the Chinese New Year three years ago?"
"No more longing for thousands of miles, looking at the mountains and rivers by lamplight?" Lin Zitong said, "You can say such words today, Yunyan would never have said them, and even I admire you very much. Third sister's thoughts and opinions are rational and profound, and big brother is very pleased. I wanted to advise you not to take the gossip at home to heart, but now it seems that you definitely don't care about them at all, so I am relieved."
Chu Wang narrowed his eyes slightly and smiled, "Big brother, you are too kind."
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