【姇】(32)

Author: voxcaozz
First published on October 3, 2017 　　Word
count: 10143 　　Before posting, I still earnestly request the moderator's help with the formatting; I would be extremely grateful… 　　Beside the kitchen, Li Xia looked out the window and could clearly see the road conditions on Qianjin East Road and 　　all the changes in the surrounding area. The once bustling bookstore, Dongfanghong Photo Studio, and public bathhouse on the provincial highway to her left 　　have now been replaced by mobile phones, home appliances, and restaurants. After years of continuous expansion and development, the area has been completely transformed 　　, so much so that people have almost forgotten its past. 　　Although the once-prosperous main street of Liangxiang Town in southern Taizhou is not as bustling as it used to be, its densely packed stalls 　　and bustling crowds still hint at its glorious past. 　　Turning east, Wenyu Road can no longer be called Wenyu Road. The old cement road 　　is now riddled with potholes. Li Xia slightly turned her beautiful almond-shaped eyes and focused her gaze on the 　　old site of No. 1 Middle School, which she graduated from many years ago and which has long since become a vocational secondary school. 　　The old No. 1 Middle School buildings on the east side of the road are still single-story buildings, and after more than 20 years, they can be considered dilapidated. It is said that 　　it was converted into a vocational secondary school, but in reality, who invested in its renovation? To put it bluntly , it's just a small matter. 　　Nowadays, universities are worthless, so what's the use of a vocational school? In short, it's still 　　the same small thing that some people with ulterior motives did in private, and everyone knows it. 　　Before Li Xia could sigh for long, Wei Zongjian's voice rang out beside her, "What are you looking at?" 　　Li Xia was slightly taken aback, pointed to the old No. 1 Middle School nestled among many buildings, and gestured with her lips, saying, 　　"This area has become like this..." 　　Following Li Xia's finger, Wei Zongjian saw the old No. 1 Middle School and the faculty dormitory on the west side of the school 　　. Gazing at the wide gate of the old No. 1 Middle School, scenes from his student days flashed before Wei Zongjian's eyes, and he 　　could almost hear the sound of students reading aloud. He blinked, and everything before him disappeared. His old 　　Class 7, which he had once attended, was now just like the gate of the old No. 1 Middle School, dilapidated and run-down. 　　Moved by his thoughts, Wei Zongjian asked abruptly, "So many things have disappeared before my eyes, too quickly 　　. By the way, haven't you heard anything about the demolition of our old home?" 　　"Why are you asking that?" Li Xia shook her head. This rumor had been circulating for years, but she had never 　　received a definite answer from the old bureau chief. Anyway, her old home was now empty and no one lived there; going back would only 　　add to her sadness, so she hadn't gone. 　　"I was just thinking about some things from the past, just reminiscing!" 　　Li Xia knew what Wei Zongjian was recalling. Seeing his absent-minded look, she knew she hadn't 　　forgotten the memories of her three years of high school. 　　"What are your future aspirations?" Li Xia had heard Yang Shuang ask this question more than once. Each time, he 　　would smile slightly, and Li Xia's answer was always simple: "After finishing high school, go to university, and then go back to my hometown to work!" Li Xia 　　was reluctant to leave, she had something to look forward to. She had also heard Wei Zongjian's answer more than once: " 　　Study hard, find a good job in the future, earn more money, and take care of my father." 　　Looking at Yang Shuang, Li Xia would sometimes casually ask him, "What are your future aspirations?" Yang Shuang was this kind of 　　person... He was very cheerful and outgoing. Every time Li Xia and Wei Zongjian came home for school holidays, he would invite them to his house for dinner. They'd 　　been there countless times. Whenever Li Xia asked him a question, Yang would always glance towards the kitchen, 　　then chuckle and move closer to Li Xia, putting his arm around her shoulder and saying with a grin, "What ideals? Isn't 　　it tiring to think so much..." Despite Yang's physical advances, 　　Li Xia knew very well that while he seemed very casual, he was actually quite indifferent to romantic relationships. 　　It was always like this; she rarely heard Yang speak seriously. However, at 　　a small gathering after high school graduation, Yang said, after a few drinks, "In the future, I want to support my family, support my mother." 　　This deeply moved Li Xia, not only because of Yang's genuine feelings, but also because of his mother's gentle care and her delicious, beautifully cooked 　　dishes. 　　"What's wrong?" Wei Zongjian stared blankly at Li Xia, noticing her flustered state, and quickly reached out to wipe her 　　mouth. Li Xia blushed, covering her face with her small hand, and said reproachfully, "It's all because of you." Wei 　　Zongjian chuckled foolishly. He was a man of few words, but he knew exactly 　　what Li Xia was thinking. He said softly, "Life is full of unexpected encounters!" 　　Li Xia smiled, her husband having seen through her thoughts, and said, "You miss them too, don't you?" Then 　　she murmured, "We always keep in touch by phone, but I just can't see them. It's been three or four years since I 　　last saw them. I wonder if they'll remember this place when I come back..." 　　The scene of the demolition of Gou Tou Bao three or four years ago flashed before her eyes. Li Xia thought of Brother Yang and his mother, but she still hadn't seen Teacher Yang 　　. 　　Around 3 p.m., Lao Li left his son's house with his daughter and son-in-law. As soon as their car reached the entrance of the residential area 　　, it was blocked by the vehicles in front. There were many people gathered around, talking at once, but it 　　didn't seem like a fight. They opened the car window and listened for any sounds. Immediately, they heard groans, "Ouch! Someone's been hit! 　　I'm going to die!" The voice kept coming from one person, accompanied by a group of 　　onlookers' comments: 　　"This cripple is always trying to scam people on this road. Why didn't we just run him over?" 　　"Yeah, killing him would have been a relief, and would have stopped him from trying to scam people all the time." 　　"What's wrong with the driver in this car? Doesn't he know to call the police? Where are his taxi driver friends 　　? Where are his family?" 　　"He's really good at picking his targets, always targeting older drivers. We should get this cripple taken to the police station, 　　beaten up every time, beaten until he's shitless and won't dare to scam people again." 　　The chattering through the car window reached the ears of Li Xia's family, and it was clear that 　　everyone knew this scammer and they were disgusted by him to the point of universal scorn.

The Li family weren't troublemakers, so after a quick glance, they rolled up their car windows. Wei Zongjian had just started the car
to turn onto the main road when a BMW speeding from the east suddenly blocked his way a dozen meters
away. A casually dressed man got out, and strangely, he slammed the door shut with his heel
.
"Isn't that Brother Zhao?" Li Xia, with her sharp eyes, and Chengcheng, who also saw him, exclaimed to Wei Zongjian
. This Brother Zhao didn't even bother with manners, slamming the door shut with his leg—it was incredibly casual. Wei
Zongjian noticed too, quickly turning his car around and parking it in front of the shops on the right. He then got out.
Outside the crowd, Wei Zongjian spotted an ordinary-looking man leaning over the taxi, shaking his head
and shouting. Zhao Ge leaned forward to take a look, then a smile spread across his face. He pointed at the man and shouted
, "Who do we have here? Hehe, I said you get out of the car, you hear me?"
Forced out of the car by Zhao Ge's gestures and intimidation, Wei Zongjian examined the man who was trying to scam him. He felt the man
looked familiar, but couldn't quite place him. Just as he was racking his brains, Zhao Ge shouted again
, "Hey, Xu, open your dog eyes and see who I am! If you keep pretending, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
"You're all high and mighty, aren't you? You don't even recognize your old classmate! I didn't bother you..." The
man Zhao Ge had scolded slid off the car, looking embarrassed. His lips pursed outwards like a pouting carp
or a pig's burrow. Judging from his appearance, he wasn't exactly an honest man in his youth, and this
commotion only made him look worse. Besides, his tone and those triangular eyes
only added to his sinister aura.
"Hmph, it's good you still remember. I'm telling you, Xu Jiagang, if you keep talking nonsense to me, you'll regret it
. Get out of here right now, the farther the better," Zhao Huanzhang muttered, then pulled out his
phone.
"Yes, yes, Mr. Zhao, you're still holding a grudge against someone like me? Am I in the wrong?... Originally,
he was the one who hit me, but you know him and you know me, so for our relationship, I can't hold it against him..."
Seeing Zhao Huanzhang dialing his phone as if calling for help, Xu Jiagang quickly interjected, his words incoherent and
nonsensical, utterly incomprehensible. He then swayed as he parted the crowd, limping
away on his crippled leg, his expression grim and uncertain, completely devoid of his previous arrogance.
Yet, his chicken-like mouth seemed to be trying to save face, muttering incessantly, "So what?
Humph, back in the day, I..." Perhaps realizing he'd gone too far, he glanced back
at Zhao Huanzhang, then turned back to Wei Zongjian. He frowned, glared fiercely at Wei
Zongjian, then glanced back at Zhao Huanzhang behind him, a strange smile playing on his lips as he sneered, "Their sons are all
rich now, they even dare to scare their old man..."
"Xu Jiagang?" Wei Zongjian pondered for a moment, looking at the man who had staged the accident, and finally realized
who it was. Wasn't that guy from the same town as Brother Zhao? They'd played soccer together a few times before middle school, but then
he disappeared. Wei Zongjian didn't have a very good impression of him; he'd heard Brother Yang and Brother Zhao mention him before—
he seemed rather unpleasant to others. Wei Zongjian couldn't understand it. Brother Yang's hometown had already
been relocated; why would that Xu guy still be doing such despicable things? He was confused, but
Xu Jiagang, who was parting the crowd, bumped into him. "Don't block my way." This guy with the uneven ground
, instead of mentioning his own limp, started criticizing Wei Zongjian. Wei Zongjian quickly moved aside, afraid of being
extorted, and ignored him.
After the incident, Wei Zongjian hurriedly went up to greet Zhao Huanzhang, only then realizing that the old man in the car was Huanzhang
's father, Zhao Boqi. Seeing him trembling, he quickly took out his phone to call the hospital.
"Brother Wei, stop hitting me. I just finished. Did you just get back?" Zhao Huanzhang waved his hand. The old
man in the car seemed to have calmed down a bit and said, "Little Wei, I'm fine. It's just an old ailment..."
"Grandpa, you're over sixty, why are you still doing this?" The thinking of the elderly cannot be
understood by common sense, but it's puzzling that someone so old is still so busy. Wei Zongjian said to Huanzhang's father
, and at this moment, Li Xia came over with her father and Chengcheng.
"Oh my, the whole family is out! Chengcheng, come here!" Looking at the group of people in front of him,
Zhao Huanzhang was puzzled because he didn't see Zhang Cuihua. With a huge stove hanging on his head, the heat was unbearable.
Huanzhang quickly said, "Look at me, I've been talking too much. This is not a place to stay. If you're busy
, you can go first. We'll contact you later..." Zhao Huanzhang helped his father up, and Wei Zongjian quickly stepped forward to help. At this moment,
several experienced drivers gathered around. Huanzhang thanked them repeatedly, expressing his gratitude on behalf of his father to these longtime
car buddies who had called him over. He also quickly offered to treat them to a
meal and asked them to help drive his father's car to his house.
"I'm fine now, just taking my child's maternal grandfather back to his hometown,"
the ambulance said, snorting as it pulled up. After seeing the old man off, Huanzhang said to his father, "Just
listen to me, rest in the hospital for a few more days. Let them take this car back. Just like you said, nothing's
wrong. Rest in the hospital for a few more days and we'll see."
He helped the old man into the car and watched the ambulance leave. Seeing that Wei Zongjian's family wasn't in a hurry, Huanzhang
muttered before getting in, "I'll treat you to a meal later. See you at Penglai Pavilion. It's been a while since we had a drink together
, everyone come!"
After saying goodbye, Li Xia's family got into the car and drove west along the provincial highway. The car wasn't going fast, and
after about twenty minutes, they arrived at Old Li's former residence.
This neighborhood was built in the late 1990s, quite a while ago, but every flower and blade of grass
was still very dear to Old Li. Looking at the people inside, dressed in baggy shorts and flip-flops, Lao Li felt they
were very close to him, very real. Meanwhile, those people in the shade, fanning themselves, holding teapots, playing or watching chess, seemed distant to Lao Li.
It felt even more intimate to him. It was a feeling of returning home, a sense of being in another world yet relaxed. When Old Li
stood on the ground, facing the greetings from his neighbors, he truly felt a sense of groundedness.
News of Old Li's return spread quickly, and the old neighbors surrounded him, asking him all sorts of questions. He himself was all smiles
, radiating warmth. Seeing that her father's face had finally lost its worry, Li Xia was genuinely happy for him.
Back home, everything was as before, except the air quality wasn't great. When Li Xia returned to her
room, a laminated letter on her desk involuntarily caught her eye: "
Loving you for a lifetime isn't enough, perhaps I loved you too much in a past life. Water flows in vain, love flows in vain, am I a lover or
a good friend
? Loving you for a lifetime isn't enough, even if a single glance leads to old age, the moon grows thin in vain, I grow thin in vain, a vow made on a pillow is not as good as
picking red beans
. Joy is fleeting, sorrow is eternal, the willow that always tugs at my clothes is always sentimental. You are awake, I am dreaming, those who long for each other easily know
autumn..."
These lyrics were from a TV series she watched after graduating high school. Back then, Li Xia and Wei Zongjian were still
reserved, not fully committing their hearts to each other. Now, they were happily married and had lived together for many years,
making Li Xia sigh with emotion, lamenting the fleeting nature of time and the fading of youth. Eight years have passed since she wrote these lyrics
, which remain buried here, prompting her to sigh again. It seems everything has come full circle,
returning to where it all started.
"Have I ever regretted it?" Li Xia questioned her own heart, unable to find an answer. For so many years,
she had managed everything at home and outside, being dutiful to her parents, father-in-law, brothers, and her
son. If there was any shortcoming, it was that she owed the most to her husband.
Li Xia had discussed her father-in-law's situation with Wei Zongjian more than once. She herself had no problem with it, but she feared Wei Zongjian might misunderstand
, or feel she had wronged his father. Living together for so long inevitably led to some awkward situations
, which, although later resolved, and they had even done things that were traditionally considered husband and wife, were still
difficult to talk about. Li Xia still didn't know if her husband knew about her affair with her father-in-law, especially
the countless pairs of stockings they had ruined during their passionate early years. Thinking of this, Li Xia's heart suddenly raced
. She glanced towards the door, thinking that perhaps he hadn't noticed the situation in the wardrobe either. Her
fluctuating thoughts reflected on the path she had walked day and night. Li Xia looked down at the letter again, seemingly
understanding something, and murmured, "Yours, his, living under the same roof, aren't we all family?" She
quietly slipped the letter into her bag, just as she heard the living room door open, followed by her father's voice, "
The air in the house isn't very good. You should take Xia Xia out for a walk! I'll take Cheng Cheng with you for now, give you
two a couple of days to rest. Hmm~ I'll be back in half a day."
Wei Zongjian wanted to say something, but Li Xia had already come out of the house and interjected, "How about we
listen to Dad and leave it at that for now? Cheng Cheng, listen to Grandpa, don't go out to play alone, okay?" Cheng
Cheng nodded, glanced at his mother, then at his father, and giggled.
After leaving their hometown, the couple drove straight to the hospital. They bought a few things at a supermarket outside,
then called Zhao Huanzhang while visiting his father at the hospital. After chatting for a while, at Zhao Huanzhang
's urging, the three of them went to Penglai Pavilion.
They found a private room and, seeing that it was still early, Huanzhang ordered a pot of honey tea from the waiter. Li Xia and Zong Jian
exchanged glances, both puzzled by Huanzhang's relaxed expression. Zhao Huanzhang wasn't usually like this; even
if he was carefree, it was impossible for him to be so nonchalant about his father being hospitalized.
Zhao Huanzhang noticed their confusion, waved his hand, and said, "The old man was just
a little frightened and remembered things from the past. At first, I thought he was just trying to fool me, afraid of spending money or causing me trouble. But after
hearing what he said, I realized it really wasn't a big deal; he wasn't joking. How many years have I known Brother Wei?
Would I lie?" With a chuckle, Huanzhang explained.
"My dad used to drive a taxi. It's been over twenty years since then. Back then, our Tainan
county was just starting out. My dad was bold and daring; after returning to China, he was one of the first to try something new.
Sometime in the '90s? Hmm… let me think… it was around the time I was in junior high… My dad said that
day he left my maternal grandparents' house, had a few drinks, and drove down the embankment on that dirt road to the west. Brother Wei knows the area around Lujiaying
. I continued, I heard my dad say that he drove about halfway down, around
Xinjia…" Near the campsite, a woman waved to him from the roadside. It was late at night, in the middle of nowhere, and why
was a woman suddenly appearing? My dad said he stopped the car without thinking and let the woman get in. The
place the woman was going wasn't far, only about twenty li (approximately 10 kilometers). Before they even reached the highway to Mengzhuang town, there was a loud bang
. My dad said he saw a face pressed against the left front windshield. Luckily, the glass didn't break,
but it terrified him; his hair stood on end.
My dad has a habit of smoking before driving at night, and he'd heard... The old man said he was afraid of hitting something unclean, so
he prepared it. Imagine someone's face pressed against the glass! He didn't care about cigarettes or anything; my dad slammed on the gas, and
the car shot off. He was incredibly daring. After driving for over a mile, he calmed down, probably because he
was scared after hitting someone. He boldly asked the woman in the back if she was alright. Because he had hit
someone, and there was someone else in the car, my dad was uneasy. But to my surprise, the woman
was even calmer than my dad. Guess what she said? She actually turned the tables on my dad! "Then came the question, 'What do you think?'
My dad was also angry, and glared at the rearview mirror. What he saw terrified him."
After saying this, Huanzhang stopped, lit a cigarette, tossed it to Wei Zongjian, summarized, and
continued, "My dad saw in the rearview mirror that the woman was dressed exactly like those opera singers on TV
, with a deathly pale face. She wasn't dressed like this before she got in the car. My dad recalled
it several times. Because it was a car that got on halfway, and because it was in a half-open field, he was very familiar with her."
He was dressed very carefully, so he couldn't have been mistaken, and it certainly wasn't because he was still terrified after hitting someone's head. When
my dad saw the woman had changed her clothes, he broke out in a cold sweat. He drove a few more miles onto the provincial highway and saw some people
repairing a coal truck by the roadside. My dad had a sudden idea. He stopped the truck and told the woman in the back seat
, "See if they need help." After parking and getting out of the truck, my dad's legs were weak. But even though his legs were weak,
seeing a living person made him tell the woman in the back seat to get out; he absolutely refused to drive anymore. He then went home and
fell seriously ill. Haha~ At the time, I was staying at my grandma's house, busy playing around, and didn't pay much attention.
So many years have passed, and my dad told me, through his dental school, that the woman he was with was simply possessed by a ghost, but
the fact remains that he hit someone with his car. He'll never forget that face pressed against his windshield.
Even though more than twenty years have passed, my dad still remembers that person's expression perfectly. That's the gist of
it. Now, thinking back, I wonder how Xu Jiagang became disabled before I started school. I never imagined it was
my old man who hit him. That scoundrel! Why didn't my dad kill him back then?"
"That person didn't recognize the old man, did he?" Li Xia interjected, looking worried.
Huanzhang waved his hand and said, "I guess Xu Jiagang has long forgotten about this incident
. He deserved to be crippled... My dad was also bored and had nothing to do. I told him to stay home and enjoy his retirement, but he just couldn't
stand it. He insisted on going out to do that job of pulling seats, and he even told me it was for his own amusement. I'm speechless
."
"It's filial piety to obey. Let the old man do what he wants! However, this time we should have him stay in the hospital for
a few more days for observation. He's not as young as he used to be." Wei Zongjian and Li Xia comforted Huanzhang and offered their suggestions
.
"That's for sure. As people get older, their energy and spirit decline. I've long advised him to quit the taxi business. It
's not like I can't afford to support him, but the old man just won't listen. Hey, he's just like my grandfather, a total chauvinist
. Once he's made up his mind about something, he's a man of his word and will definitely find a way to get it done." Huanzhang gave
a wry smile. Seeing Wei Zongjian clasp his hands together in a fist salute, he quickly pointed to the cigarette box and said, "What's wrong?
Why are you so down?" Wei Zongjian smiled, glanced at Li Xia, and Huanzhang, puzzled, thought for a moment, then chuckled and muttered,
"Congratulations?" Seeing the expressions on the couple's faces, Huanzhang confirmed his guess and burst into laughter
, "This is great news! We should have a drink!" Then, as if realizing something, he quickly called the waiter for a bottle of
Perrier and replaced the honey tea in front of Li Xia.
The old man was acting strangely today, so someone should stay at the hospital to look after him. Since Jia Fengju wasn't there
, Li Xia asked, "Where's my sister-in-law? Why didn't we call her over? Shouldn't someone stay at the hospital to look
after the old man?"
Huan Zhang got up to grab a cigarette, but remembering Li Xia's situation, he quickly tossed the pack aside. Hearing her ask about
his wife, he clicked his tongue and said, "She took Da Xuan out for a walk." Then he shrugged and
added, "Before you guys came, the old man was whining to me for ages at the hospital, talking about all sorts of things..." " He kept arguing with me,
saying he was just a little scared and is fine now. If I hadn't begged him
to pay, he wouldn't be in the hospital today... I can't argue with him."
Speaking of the children, Li Xia quickly asked, "By the way, how did Da Xuan's high school entrance exam go? The results should
be out by now!"
Huan Zhang grinned, amusement in his eyes, and said, "I was so worried about this the other day, running around doing all this.
His grades only qualify him for a high school in a rural town, but I'm not comfortable leaving him there..."
"Didn't you ask Teacher Yang?" Zong Jian frowned slightly. He knew Huan Zhang and Teacher Yang were from the same
village, and their families were close. Teacher Yang had taught his whole life, and his students were all over the world. If he really didn't give him
a break, just a word from him would be enough to secure Da Xuan's admission.
"Sigh~ Don't mention Teacher Yang." Huanzhang took a sip of honey tea, somewhat helpless, but quickly relaxed and
said, "Even though my dad and Teacher Yang are sworn brothers, Teacher Yang is the person I'm most afraid of. You
've been in high school for three years, don't you know him well? He can't even tolerate his own son, let alone me. I didn't dare
mention this to my dad, lest it affect their relationship. But then again, things
are what they are, and it's not like we absolutely have to go to Teacher Yang."
Judging from Huanzhang's expression, the matter was probably settled. Li Xia picked up the conversation and asked, "Da Xuan stayed at No. 3 Middle School, right
?" Huanzhang nodded, then changed the subject, saying, "Let me show you this, I don't know if you
've seen it before."
Seeing Huanzhang fiddle with his phone, Li Xia shook her head. She hadn't touched her phone
or computer much lately, and because it was her second pregnancy, she was wearing maternity clothes to protect against radiation. How could she dare to go against her father
and husband's wishes and take any risks? Wei Zongjian had just returned from Jiujiang and hadn't paid much attention to anything.
"Although I studied in Mengzhuang, Goutoubao is still my hometown. I have no recollection of Chunlai Teahouse..."
Huanzhang glanced at the two sitting opposite him, chuckled, and began singing a modified version of "Shajiabang," startling Li Xia and Wei
Zongjian. Yang Ge had sung that song before; they remembered it going something like, "Although I studied in Liangxiang,
Goutoubao is still my hometown..." When Huanzhang showed them his phone screen, the couple
suddenly realized.
"I contacted your old director about Daxuan staying in the city to study," Huanzhang said to Li Xia as he handed the phone to Wei Zongjian
. Li Xia pondered for a moment, a thought instantly forming in her mind, but she
couldn't recall ever seeing Director Yang at Yang Ge's house, nor had she seen
Yang Ge at Director Yang's house in Xingfu Huadu. Just as she was about to ask, music started playing on Huanzhang's phone.
"How's Wei Ge? Yang Ge sang well, right? Still the same old style! There are so many songs in there,
I think there's even a duet with my aunt!"
Li Xia also heard the song on the phone, it was "Against the Current," the voice was clear and bright, after a long time...
Even after all these years, they still sound so captivating, like they're telling a story, just like the lyrics describe. These
familiar old songs were all first heard from Yang Ge. They touched Li Xia's heartstrings, carrying a touch
of melancholy that brought back many memories of her school days.
Before Li Xia could even speak, Huan Zhang said meaningfully, "It's been a few
years since I've seen Brother Yang. My mom has mentioned him to me more than once, but when she calls my aunt, she always gets sidetracked and
forgets to mention him. My in-laws also often talk about Brother Yang to my wife. It's not like I have a hard place in my heart
, do you think I could forget Brother Yang? I ask him when he's coming back, and he always says he's busy. I'm so confused,
I don't know what he's busy with."
"Didn't Yang's mother say she was going to live in Guangxi?" Searching her mind for fragments, recalling
the content of their previous phone call, Li Xia said, smoothing her hair. She calls Brother Yang's mother every year to say hello.
The last time they met was during the demolition of Gou Tou Bao. Several years have passed since then. Now, mentioning it
brings to mind a graceful figure, and Li Xia thinks of her kindness again.
"It's good that you're back, at least you're in the country. Look at how incoherent I am. Da Xuan was able to stay at Liangxiang
No. 3 Middle School thanks to Brother Yang's older brother, your Director Yang." After saying this to Li Xia, Huan Zhang then
explained, "Brother Yang's original name was Yang Shuxiang. He's your Director Yang's cousin. Yang Shuang's
name was changed before he got his ID card. The 'Xiang'er' that my Aunt Lingxiu mentioned isn't actually Brother Yang's nickname
. I don't know exactly why he changed his name back then, nor can I explain why Brother Yang and Teacher Yang were
so estranged, to the point that..."
"I was just saying... No wonder Director Yang has taken such good care of me all these years. I guess it's all
thanks to Brother Yang's family." Li Xia murmured thoughtfully. It turned out that all of this was so close to her, yet she had never
realized it.
"Didn't I also get help from Brother Yang? In the first few years, my photo studio was affected by the pandemic. If it weren't for Brother Yang's money
and ideas, it would have almost gone out of business. My mom always tells me to be grateful. Don't laugh at me, but Brother Yang and I practically
grew up together. How can I repay him when I can only hear his voice but never see him? In those years, Brother Yang always told me not to visit
Teacher Yang for the New Year. I didn't dare to openly contradict him, but I couldn't go against my family's wishes and not visit Teacher Yang.
Tell me, what kind of nonsense is this? Sigh."
After pausing for a moment, Huanzhang... He continued, "Let's not even talk about my parents,
I can't afford to mess with my mother-in-law's mouth alone, not to mention my sister-in-law and brother-in-law... Besides, whenever I mention going back to my hometown to Brother Yang
, he always says he can't get away. If he settles down in China this time, we won't have to worry about not seeing each other
." Huanzhang grinned and complained, but then smiled at the thought of Brother Yang coming back. He then asked Li Xia
, "Didn't my Aunt Lingxiu say where she's settling in Guangxi?"
Li Xia shook her head, wanting to say... Ma wasn't sure. Just then, the song "Against the Current" sung by Cai Guoquan (Yang Shuang's version)
finished playing. He glanced at the photos on the screen a few more times, then handed the phone back to Zhao Huanzhang, saying
, "Back in the day, Yang's mother sang Liu Sanjie's songs. Hearing Yang's version really brings back memories of the past.
When I get home, I'll take a good look at what's on it; there's quite a lot!"
Huanzhang suddenly slapped his thigh, poking around with his fingers, then shook his head and said, "Oh dear~
if you hadn't mentioned Liu Sanjie, I would have... " "I almost forgot, Yang's aunt lives in Guangxi, right?
It's not impossible that my Aunt Lingxiu and her sister-in-law live together there." After a moment's thought, Huanzhang remembered something and quickly
said, "Next year is my grandmother's 80th birthday, and Yang and his mother, along with my aunt, will have to come back from Guangxi to celebrate! I reckon
they'll definitely be able to meet this time."
This friendship had lasted for over ten years. They had fought together, kicked around in the cooperative's cup, drunk together,
sang together—the things they did together were countless. Now, thinking back on it always evoked endless sighs.
Huanzhang knew that Zongjian's sullen personality stemmed from his mother's death during his high school years. He was particularly
concerned about certain things, besides his relationship with Yang, there was also the concern for Yang's mother. Then the topic turned to Li Xia's
pregnancy. Huanzhang asked about the due date and boasted that he had handled the matter well, emphasizing that having a child in middle age was not something to be taken
lightly. Finally, he inquired about Lao Li's situation and nearly slammed his fist on the table after learning about Lao Li's ordeal.
"That bitch really knows how to maintain her family's power, almost as good as Xu Jiagang. I'll ask Yun Tao how he resolved
it later. If that doesn't work, I'll go find Gu Changfeng. With Brother Gu keeping things under control, I don't believe this can't be resolved.
There's nothing to be afraid of when they bully us..." Huanzhang said indignantly. It was simply astonishing that such a thing could happen right under his nose.
Not only had the old man been wronged, but his daughter had also had
those wicked thoughts about a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy. Was he crazy? Did he think this was the 80s or 90s? Huanzhang was a man of principle. He remembered fighting
Xu Jiagang with Brother Yang before he entered junior high because Xu Jiagang had stolen his girlfriend. He knew Zongjian and Lixia
were kind and generous, but did honest people have to be bullied? He thought to himself, "This is fine, but if something happens, I'll make sure that brat's whole family
is ruined.
" "It's all in the past..." Lixia didn't want to cause any trouble, so she said it casually.
For some reason, she felt a pang of worry for her father, thinking that he was the one most deeply hurt.
After a simple meal with Huanzhang, chatting about the past and catching up on family matters, Wei Zongjian and his wife felt very
relaxed. On the way home, the couple talked about their future. Li Xia didn't object to her husband smoking and drinking,
because he often traveled for work and needed to socialize, making it difficult for him to do without cigarettes and alcohol. Wei Zongjian and Li Xia had also agreed to
quit smoking at fifty and live together like Yamaguchi Momoe and her husband, no longer constantly traveling. This was what Li Xia sincerely hoped for;
she didn't want the couple to always be separated like drifting clouds, never seeing each other, always thinking of each other.
When they arrived home, the streetlights were already on. Li Xia took off her clothes and went to the bathroom for a shower. When she came out, she saw Wei
Zongjian smoking on the balcony. The sound of music from the distant square drifted into the house. Although the sound was the same,
it felt like a distant memory, making her think of what had happened recently. Looking at Wei Zongjian's tall...
Seeing his back, Li Xia sensed that he too was lonely and needed comfort. A knowing smile appeared on her face, and she gracefully
walked towards him.
To be continued...

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