Chapter 162: Da Yizi's Initiative

Being moved doesn't have to be spoken.

Xu Yuexin shrugged and said, "You should go to sleep quickly."

"Blood Doubt" is a good film; otherwise it wouldn't have gone viral after being imported domestically.

The problem is that there are far too many later works with similar themes; Xu Yuexin may like watching them, but he can never be touched at the tear‑trigger like Da Yizi.

Da Yizi stayed silent; at that moment she already felt a wave of fatigue in her body.

The drama was so moving that she unintentionally watched it for several hours straight.

……

Early the next morning, Xu Yuexin rubbed his sleepy eyes as he left the bedroom, intending to go to the bathroom.

At that moment, he saw the living‑room TV already lit up, with Da Yizi sitting on the sofa, watching intently.

Alright, Da Yizi is truly engrossed.

Xu Yuexin went to the bathroom, finished using it, and returned to the second bedroom to fall back asleep.

When Xu Yuexin got up at high noon, Da Yizi was still unhesitatingly continuing to binge "Blood Doubt."

Seeing Da Yizi so focused, Xu Yuexin didn't disturb her and simply sat down beside her.

The plot on the screen kept unfolding, and Da Yizi's beautiful eyes gradually became moist.

When the female lead played by Shankou Baihui fell increasingly ill and the couple faced possible life‑and‑death separation, Da Yizi finally couldn't hold back tears that slipped from the corners of her eyes.

Xu Yuexin wrapped his arms around Da Yizi's slender waist, bringing his shoulder up to her cheek so she could lean against it.

This time Da Yizi didn't push Xu Yuexin away; instead, she voluntarily rested her face on his broad, solid shoulder.

Watching Da Yizi weep over "Blood Doubt" sparked ideas in Xu Yuexin's mind.

Romance‑themed works are really popular.

From "Lushan Love" to "Blood Doubt," which one hasn't become a sensational hit?

If I could write a novel on a related theme, its sales would surely be huge.

Xu Yuexin thought to himself.

At noon, Xu Yuexin and Da Yizi went out for a meal, and after returning home he set about preparing his new book.

Hmm, "Norwegian Wood" is pretty good.

But it would need a major overhaul, because the original story takes place in late‑1960s Japan, and the social backdrop is too different.

Xu Yuexin plans to extract the core of "Norwegian Wood" and create a new work.

The title can stay the same; after all, the whole novel's tone is rather damp and cold, which fits the atmosphere of a Nordic forest.

After thinking for a while, Xu Yuexin finally decided to set the background in the Republic era.

Because Xu Yuexin discerned a pattern: the romance dramas that were wildly popular when he was young, such as "Deep Love in Misty Rain" and "Golden Powder Clan," all have their storylines set in the Republic era.

In wartime, personal and family fates become turbulent, making love especially poignant and moving.

Both protagonists are set as university students in the 1920s, and because of the chaotic times and family entanglements, the tone of their lives is rather oppressive.

In college, the male lead meets the girlfriend of an old friend.

After the friend dies of tuberculosis, the male lead constantly comforts the now‑depressed female lead, and the two gradually grow close.

However, the tone of their romance remains shadowy until the female lead ends up in a mental hospital.

At this point, the male lead meets another female lead and their relationship keeps developing…

In the end, the story concludes with the female lead committing suicide, while the male lead and the other female lead fall in love.

After finalizing the plot, Xu Yuexin began outlining the novel.

Because the changes are so extensive, not writing an outline might cause him to lose grip on the story.

After finishing the outline one night, Xu Yuexin washed up and went straight to bed.

The next morning, after getting up, he didn't start writing the main text right away but went to Xicheng District to find his mother.

Since the novel involves social life during the Republic era, he must interview elders who lived through it to nail down certain details.

After mounting his motorcycle, he first went to Guogongfu to pick up some items he had previously bought in Xiangjiang, then continued on to Xicheng District.

When Xu Yuexin arrived at his parents' residence, his mother Wu Yan was knitting sweaters with three aunts.

Seeing Xu Yuexin, the aunts' faces lit up.

"So this is your son, he's really tall."

"He has a well‑proportioned face, what a fine young lad."

"Indeed. When do you plan to have children…"

The aunts kept praising him, and Wu Yan, proud yet quick to be modest, responded.

"Hey, don't overpraise him; if you keep praising, his tail will be lifted up to the sky…"

"Ladies, I brought a few small things, please don't feel obliged."

Amid the aunts' compliments, Xu Yuexin took out some chocolates, fruit candies, and the like that he had previously bought in Xiangjiang, and handed them out to the aunts.

The aunts said they were sorry, but in truth each of them was overjoyed.

At the same time, they were also very envious of Wu Yan.

The things they handed out so casually are already this good; the other items inside must be even richer? "Ah, such good stuff, you should keep it for yourself."

"Exactly. Looking at the packaging, it must be pricey…"

"Old Wu, your son is truly accomplished, coming over with so many fine things in hand…"

The aunts kept showering compliments one after another, and Wu Yan also felt her face glowing.

These people are her old colleagues, including a section chief and a director among others.

Two years ago, Xu Qiang was transferred to the Coking Group as a leader, and Wu Yan blushed once in front of these old colleagues.

Today her son brought so many fine things to see her, giving her another big blush.

The crowd chatted amid laughter and merriment for a while, then the older aunts who needed to go back to cook went back to cook, those who needed to pick up their grandchildren went to pick them up, and they gradually left.

After everyone left, Xu Yuexin began the purpose of this trip, asking his mother about their past life. Strictly speaking, Wu Yan only lived through the 1930s and did not personally experience the 1920s.

However, Xu Yuexin thought his mother should have learned some of it from his own elders—namely his maternal grandparents—so he asked her.

"Mom, I want to write a novel about the 1920s and plan to ask you a few questions."

"For example, how many taels per jin of white flour in the 1920s?"

"The price of white flour? I remember your grandparents told me that in a bumper year it was about seven fen of a tael per jin…"

…

Xu Yuexin kept throwing out question after question, and Wu Yan could sometimes answer immediately, while other times needed to recall.

That gave Xu Yuexin exactly the time to take notes.

Through talking with his mother, Xu Yuexin discovered a characteristic of the Republican era: prices fluctuated wildly.

Take white flour as an example: in a good harvest year it cost only seven fen per jin, but in years of poor harvest or disaster it could jump to two or three mao in one go! Accordingly, ordinary people's lives would become very hard.

There was also the issue of university graduate employment back then.

Although the number of university students was small during the Republic, social turmoil made life difficult for highly educated talent.

Sometimes a job might be going well, but the company could be blown up by artillery or seized by marauding troops.

In the 1920s, this was commonplace.

Xu Yuexin wrote down each of these points until it was almost noon, time for a meal.

"Stay and have a meal; your dad will be back at noon."

"Alright then."

Dad works at the group year‑round, so they don't see each other often.

When he heard he was coming back for dinner, Xu Yuexin naturally didn't leave.

After the Q&A, Wu Yan went to the kitchen to cook, and Xu Yuexin organized his notes in the living room.

Soon after, the slightly ajar door was pushed open from outside, and Dad Xu Qiang returned.

"Hey, why did you come over?"

Seeing Xu Yuexin, Xu Qiang was both surprised and pleased, stepped forward, sat down, and placed his hand on his shoulder, saying

"What, you're not welcoming?"

"Of course I welcome you."

Xu Qiang chuckled, "If I didn't welcome you, who else could I welcome?"

Although he treats his children equally, Xu Qiang's heart is most tender toward this second son.

First, because Xu Yuexin encountered a special period when he was in elementary school.

Moreover, Xu Qiang and his wife were sent down to do labor, unable to teach him at home, causing Xu Yuexin to lack proper education before entering university.

Before Xu Yuexin entered university, Xu Qiang often felt distressed about this and privately devised a plan to tutor him at home.

Of course, once Xu Yuexin was admitted to university, the plan was automatically cancelled.

Second, naturally, Xu Yuexin overcame his difficulties and became successful.

When the city convened cadres from Communist Party and government agencies and state‑owned enterprises for a meeting, any leader who knew Xu Qiang's family situation would give him a thumbs‑up, saying he had raised a good son.

Xu Qiang also took pride in this; whenever he mentioned his son's achievements to colleagues or superiors, he was always beaming.

"Thank you for the warm welcome; next time you come to my house, I'll welcome you too."

"When that time comes, I'll prepare two balloons for you—one saying 'Welcome', the other 'General Manager Xu Qiang'."

Xu Yuexin, holding back laughter, said.

"Good kid, you're teasing me, huh?"

Xu Qiang was amused, "Fine, since you say so, next time I must have the balloons ready."

"Otherwise, I'll have to come to you for an explanation."

"Alright, I keep my word."

Xu Yuexin and his dad laughed heartily.

He noticed that his dad's mood has become increasingly optimistic and cheerful over the past two years, no longer as solemn as before.

Indeed, his dad's stern caution was largely a product of the times; now the country is developing better and better, their department's operations are running smoothly, so his old man's temperament has naturally changed gradually.

"By the way, Dad, I want to ask you something: what was dating like for university students during the Republican era?"

Amid the laughter, Xu Yuexin asked his dad.

His dad was a member of the class of '47 in university, but his teachers came from the 1920s, so perhaps they can understand the situation.

"Uh, why are you asking that?"

"I… I never dated in college."

Xu Qiang's face flushed red from being asked that, and they stammered.

Dad did have a love life in university, huh.

Xu Yuexin thought, of course he had no plan to probe deeply.

After all, he came today to gather material and background knowledge for his writing, not to explore his dad's romance.

"Hey, what are you talking about?"

At this moment, Ms. Wu Yan came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of braised beef with potatoes.

"We weren't saying much, just chatting about our son's college life."

Xu Qiang quickly tried to cover it up.

"Hmm, really talking about that?"

Wu Yan placed the plate on the table, looked at her husband with a suggestive glance, and said, "How did I hear someone talking about his college dating situation?"

(End of Chapter)