CHAPTER 299: CHAPTER 291: A SIMPLE MEAL

Zhong Yuying and Huang Debiao returned to Shanghai after the second day of the Lunar New Year, and a funny incident occurred just as they were about to leave. According to Zhong Meiying, Zhong Liangcai asked Zhong Yuying for the two hundred yuan as a betrothal gift. Zhong Yuying claimed not to have brought the money with her and would send it from Shanghai later.

Of course, Zhong Liangcai wouldn’t be fooled. Since Zhong Yuying wouldn’t hand over the money, he demanded it from Huang Debiao instead. But Huang Debiao wasn’t one to be trifled with either; he, who usually regarded banknotes highly, never handed over financial control even in the face of his affection for Zhong Yuying. So when Zhong Liangcai asked him for money, it was doomed to failure!

Zhong Liangcai, failing to get the money from either side, grew anxious. In a fit of ferocity, he locked Zhong Yuying and her husband in the house, threatening that if they didn’t produce the money, they could forget about leaving.

Later, nobody knew whether Zhong Yuying had actually handed over the money or not. But according to neighbors at Zhong Liangcai’s house, Huang Debiao left with a somber face, and Zhong Liangcai had a smile on his, presumably having gotten the money.

Huang Debiao was indeed very unhappy. He had ended up coughing up the two hundred yuan because he had to go to the factory to work the next day, and being late would mean losing out on the perfect attendance bonus.

Thinking of the visit to his in-laws, which saw him spending nearly a hundred yuan on purchases and now losing another two hundred, Huang Debiao was so furious that he couldn’t keep it to one place. With a sullen face, he said to Zhong Yuying, "You don’t need to visit your parental home anymore. I can’t afford to keep funding visits to your parents!"

The two hundred yuan was half a year’s salary for Huang Debiao. The more he thought about it, the more it hurt. He made up his mind to cut Zhong Yuying’s living expenses for the year in half to recoup the two hundred yuan.

Tian Xinhua and He Chengsi returned to Beijing before the Lantern Festival, while Sisi planned to leave just before school started. There was still nearly a month left before school, and she wanted to spend more time with Tian Manjin. Once she was in Beijing, she wouldn’t be able to come back often, and this caused Tian Manjin to not enjoy the New Year’s festivities much.

The Old Man and Granny Zhao, on the other hand, were quite happy. This New Year’s Eve, the Old Man announced he and Granny Zhao planned to move back to Beijing after Qingming to stay for a while. In the future, they would likely spend most of their time in Beijing, keeping the company of old comrades-in-arms. Though that’s what he said, everyone knew the Old Man probably wanted to spend more time with his granddaughter.

This made Tian Manjin feel even worse. Daddy and Mommy were happy enough, seeing Ah Nan every day, and He Xuewen could often travel to Beijing to see her. But he couldn’t, sigh. If it weren’t for his daily need to work, he would have loved to accompany his daughter to Beijing!

Around March 12th, Sisi decided it was time to leave. She wanted to go to Beijing early to tidy up the Old Man’s and Granny Zhao’s house so that the old couple could have a comfortable place to live as soon as they arrived.

Many people were going to Beijing together: Tian Shouhua and his wife, Liu Qiqi, the brothers Hu Weiwen and Hu Weichao, Zhong Anping, and a handsome-looking young man who was the second highest scorer in the exams—Zhuge Yun.

He had also been admitted to Beijing Foreign Studies University, in the same department as Liu Qiqi. As they were going up to Beijing, Zhuge Yun’s grandparents asked for a favor, hoping that Sisi and the others would take their grandson with them, so there would be someone to watch over him along the way.

The Old Man, of course, agreed straight away. He always enjoyed taking care of hardworking young people, which is why they had one more person in their group, the unfamiliar Zhuge Yun.

Zhuge Yun didn’t talk much usually, but he was able to converse easily with Zhong Anping and the others. No matter what the topic was, he could engage well, showing his extensive knowledge. Most importantly, his demeanor was notable; he was neither servile nor overbearing, composed and at ease.

Zhuge Yun must be a person with a story. It was clear that his family’s financial situation was particularly poor. Normally, families with even moderate means would have their children dressed in a couple of new sets of clothes and shoes when they started university. But by the looks of his clothing, patched in three or four places, it was probably his best outfit.

Despite wearing patched old clothes and worn-out fabric shoes, and dragging a heavy, old-fashioned mahogany chest with peeling paint, which stood out starkly among the modern and lightweight leather suitcases, he still conversed serenely with Tian Shouhua and the others, undisturbed by his own poverty.

The trip to Beijing was orchestrated by He Xuewen. In truth, Sisi didn’t really want He Xuewen to accompany them. She preferred the experience of a long train journey with her peers, sharing a carriage with many friends, playing cards together, gossiping—and enjoying it all!

But He Xuewen was entrusted by the two biggest figures at home—the Old Man and Granny Zhao—and Sisi didn’t dare go against their wishes.

Hu Weiwen had purchased sleeper tickets, and Sisi was stupefied. It was her own fault for not being clear at the outset; Hu Weiwen must have chosen the most comfortable tickets.

But considering Zhuge Yun’s financial situation, even affording a seat ticket might have taken him a long time to save for, and now he was supposed to pay for a sleeper ticket, which must have been difficult for him. Zhong Anping might also find it challenging.

After thinking it over, Sisi decided to leave this matter to He Xuewen. She didn’t want to compromise and sit in an ordinary carriage herself; the train conditions back then were quite bad, only the sleeper carriages were slightly more comfortable.

To He Xuewen, this issue was trivial. With a grand gesture, he declared loudly that he would cover all the food and travel expenses for their heroic journey, and no objections would be entertained!

Sisi led the cheering, loudly requesting to eat in the restaurant the whole way. Hu Weiwen and Tian Shouhua, being clever, quickly understood the profound meaning of He Xuewen’s gesture and unreservedly joined Sisi’s cheer.

Knowing He Xuewen better, Zhong Anping was moved, thinking of the kindness bestowed by He Xuewen and his daughter and the need to repay it one day.

Sisi was initially concerned that Zhuge Yun might feel uncomfortable, but he accepted He Xuewen’s generosity with the same measure of respect and calm, showing no signs of embarrassment or annoyance. Instead, he even graciously remarked that thanks to Uncle He, he could enjoy the treatment of an official.

Zhuge Yun’s attitude put everyone at ease. Sometimes, what’s most awkward is when you genuinely want to help someone, but they act as if you’re insulting them—it truly makes one feel terrible.

Later, when He Xuewen spoke of Zhuge Yun to Sisi, he expressed great admiration, quoting, "A simple meal, a gourd of wine, in a humble home; yet in such mean conditions, the joy remains unaltered. Good indeed! Ah Nan, mark my words, Zhuge Yun will achieve extraordinary success and prove to be a great talent!"

Sisi agreed wholeheartedly. A positive attitude like Zhuge Yun’s was a guarantee that in the future, he would certainly not be an unknown nobody!