Chapter 1140: Sad Niu Dali

The 1978 college entrance exam began on July 20th; at that time, Wang Yan and the others were in Ha City. By the time they returned to Ningyang, Ma Yan had already finished her exams.

By now, Ma Yan had already checked her answers against the key, though she didn't really need to; during the exam, she had already felt it, constantly thinking how awesome Wang Yan was. After checking the answers upon coming out, when filling out her college preferences, her first choice was Dong University.

Ma Yan was now a solid university student. Old Ma's mouth hadn't closed once; he laughed cheerfully every day, no longer scolding Wang Xin, and certainly no longer glaring at Wang Yan, feeling very happy. The words he loved to hear most were, "I heard your daughter got into university." If anyone said that, the old rascal would surely smile until he looked like an old chrysanthemum.

As for Wang Sufang, she was even more immersed in the happiness of her daughter making something of herself; her spirits were greatly lifted, and her body felt stronger.

In the blink of an eye, it was August. A postal courier rode a bicycle, carrying a large backpack, arriving at the compound, calling out Ma Yan's name, and delivering the admission letter from Dong University.

A week later, Ma Kui set up wine and food in the yard for Ma Yan's university entrance banquet, a rare big event in the compound. No one really cared about Old Ma's family setting up a banquet and collecting gifts. After all, supplies were still relatively scarce; everyone in the family contributed a share of money. If you calculated it truly, they were the ones profiting.

On this day, Wang Yan and the others all visited relatives' homes and got busy early in the morning.

No need to say more; all the supplies were arranged by Wang Yan. Even the chickens, ducks, and pigs were alive. The old and young men of the yard slaughtered the pig together on the spot, with Wang Yan wielding the knife, performing Ding Jie's pig butchery. The women prepared the dishes, chatting and laughing as they worked.

No outside chef was hired; it was the master chef from the train, whose skill level was quite good. Additionally, Wang Yan, Wang Laowu, and Old Cai also helped, preparing the condiments and starting the dishes that took a long time to cook.

"Not bad, dear brother. How come I never realized you had this skill for cooking in a big pot before?" Cai Xiaonian grabbed a plate of boiled and sliced large pieces of meat, gave one piece to each of the children, and ate a piece himself with great relish.

"Isn't that nonsense? Haven't you eaten my cooking before? If I can do well with a small pot, the big pot isn't much different."

"Are you treating me like I don't understand? A small pot and a big pot differ too much; it's either too salty or too bland."

"I am a genius."

"Hmm, I don't oppose you saying that. You are naturally material for a cook."

"Stealing food?" At this moment, Ma Yan walked over carrying a basin of washed vegetables.

"What? My dear brother is cooking a big dish for the first time; I'm helping him taste the saltiness and ensure the quality." Cai Xiaonian kept a straight face, speaking with righteous indignation.

"Taste it well. If it's not good and you waste the ingredients, you'll be executed immediately." Ma Yan rolled her eyes at him, put down her things, turned around, and left again.

Watching her back, Cai Xiaonian moved close to Wang Yan and whispered, "Dear brother, Ma Yan is going to university now; she's about to become a university student..."

Wang Yan smiled cheerfully, pretending not to know: "What do you mean?"

"Her future is vast now. Those universities have people from Tiannandibei, each more capable than the last. By the time she sees so much, we railway police might not even catch her eye anymore. You have to seize the opportunity. Dear brother, my words might sound harsh, but your little brother is doing this for your own good. You must take this seriously; don't just think nothing of it, or you'll cry with nowhere to go."

Wang Yan nodded with a smile: "I know what you're saying. Ma Yan is not that kind of person. Besides, who says those who go to university are capable? We shouldn't boost others' morale while diminishing our own. If she didn't go to university, it would be better; but since she is going, she will know even more how capable and excellent we are. Otherwise, she won't know how to cherish us."

"Yes, yes, yes, dear brother, you are the most awesome. The key is that those university students are full of sour grapes; each one can talk their way out of anything. You know how educated youth have deceived rural girls, don't you? Under the current circumstances, Ma Yan is that rural girl; she might get deceived by someone. Better to be cautious."

"I have it under control. Don't worry about me. Here, a meatball."

Cai Xiaonian said no more. The meatballs had just come out of the pot; ignoring the heat, he put one directly into his mouth, eating it while hissing "sigh, sigh." A group of children nearby saw this and ran over, looking on hopefully.

Wang Yan was naturally not stingy. After letting them cool slightly, he gave one to each child. In the blink of an eye, a pile of furry kids appeared, screaming in pain from the heat.

Watching the children eat happily with a smile, Wang Yan took out cigarettes, gave one to Cai Xiaonian, and they lit up separately.

"Dear brother, you really must..."

"Get lost, stop nagging. I said I have it under control. I know you mean well. I'll treat you to meat next month. Stop chanting like a sutra, okay?"

"Hehe, that's great. I'll remember that. You really are my dear brother."

Cai Xiaonian nodded repeatedly, then looked into the distance with a face full of disgust. "Look at that old stupid ox. Alas, Xiao Yao'er's dislike is written all over her face, yet he's still there like a poodle."

In the distance, Wang Xin was helping move tables and chairs. Yao Yuling sat on the other side cracking melon seeds, her gaze fixed on Wang Xin. Beside her was Niu Dali, whom Cai Xiaonian had dubbed the "poodle."

Niu Dali was leaning in, forcing conversation where none was needed. Yao Yuling's face showed visible impatience, but Niu Dali pretended not to see it. The sadness had already spread over to Wang Yan's side.

"Can't say anything. Once those two get together, it'll probably be fine."

"That's even worse."

"He's heartbroken. Whether it's good or bad, what else can he do? It's mainly because there's still hope right now."

Wang Yan waved his hand. "Alright, if you have nothing to do, go help with some work. Don't just stand here eating loudly; you'll be full in a moment."

"Look, after all, we are family; you can't bear to let us eat a little bit."

"Get lost."

"Okay." Cai Xiaonian ate another slice of meat, and with great refinement, ate two slices of sliced garlic, before leaving to chat with everyone. He didn't say a single serious word...

Many people came today. Not counting those from the compound, Ma Kui actually had quite a few friends, mostly police officers, some from other government units, and Old Hu and others from the same bureau. Adding relatives from both Ma Kui and Wang Sufang's sides, it was incredibly lively, with tables filling the entire compound.

To Wang Yan's surprise, Ma Kui had even invited Old Blind Man over. The old rascal wasn't annoying; Wang Xin brought over a plate of meat and fried peanuts, and the old rascal started drinking by himself...

Such liveliness lasted until night. After eating and drinking their fill, the crowd dispersed. With the help of everyone in the yard, the aftermath was cleared up, and the bowls, chopsticks, and tables supported by various families were washed. This university entrance banquet came to an end.

Night, Old Ma's house.

Ma Kui sat on a chair, his face glowing with redness, drinking tea. Wang Yan sat by the dining table, helping Wang Sufang and Ma Yan count the money.

"Collected quite a bit," Wang Yan said with a smile.

"It's all from previous occasions. When Old Ma was in there for those days, we never fell short on anyone's gift," Wang Sufang said. "How much did we spend on buying vegetables and meat? I'll settle it with you; we can't let you advance the money."

"Not much money, Auntie. Don't be so foreign. We are all family; what's the point of talking about that?"

Ma Yan nodded: "If he wants to pay, let him pay. Don't worry about him."

She didn't know where Wang Yan got his money; she just knew Wang Yan had money because she vaguely felt Wang Yan's spending didn't match the income of a police officer. Of course, this wasn't the reason she accepted Wang Yan's money; it was because she agreed with Wang Yan's statement that "we are all family." She also understood Wang Yan; if he said he didn't want it, he truly didn't want it.

This was all friendship sponsorship from big brothers in Ha City and Ningyang. Other places had short stopover times, but these two terminal stations had long times. Wang Yan regularly went to chat with various people. He had no burden, not because it was illegal, but because in the current times, those who got rich were basically not good people.

Wang Yan smiled: "Right, don't worry about me."

"That won't do. Although we all don't oppose your and Ma Yan's matter, there's no reason for you to pay."

Ma Kui said from the side, "Give him three hundred. If you give it to him, just take it. Don't be so indecisive."

Wang Yan shook his head with an amused smile but didn't refuse again: "Just take one hundred is enough."

"Then two hundred!" Wang Sufang counted twenty ten-yuan notes and placed them in front of Wang Yan. Only after watching the latter stuff them into his pocket did she nod in satisfaction. "That's right."

"Ah, so good..." Beside them, Ma Kui said contentedly.

Wang Yan teased: "It's been a month, and you still haven't recovered? What's wrong? Did you get into university too?"

"Ma Yan is my daughter. If she got in, then I got in. What about it?"

"What else can I say? You're right about everything. Alright, I won't banter with you anymore. I'm going back to wash up and sleep. Auntie, pay attention to yourself, keep your mood up, and absolutely don't get tired. You've been busy all day; everyone should rest early."

"I'm in a very good mood. I'm happy today, didn't do any work, and I'm not tired at all. Go on, you."

Wang Yan smiled and walked away, while Ma Yan stood up to see him off.

Once outside, Ma Yan said, "Thank you; you handled everything inside and out."

"What, trying to split the household now? Let me tell you, someone told me today to spare no effort in currying favor with you, lest you feel I'm not worthy of you once you're in university and kick me to the curb."

"Cai Xiao said that, didn't he?"

"Oh my, you even know that?"

Ma Yan rolled her eyes: "I knew it was him immediately. But he really is quite decent; anyone else wouldn't have told you this. He truly treats you like an older brother, doesn't he?"

"He's straightforward; he says exactly what's on his mind."

"Oh, come on, he's the biggest smooth talker of them all. Don't worry, I won't hold a grudge against him." Ma Yan laughed. "But what he said is true; it depends on your performance. If you don't perform well, I might actually do such a thing."

"Getting cocky, are we? Can't tell the king from the jack anymore? I'll serve you with family law right now." Wang Yan immediately slapped Ma Yan on the buttocks.

"Aiya..." Ma Yan quickly looked around, then shyly and angrily started hitting Wang Yan. "Get lost, you scoundrel."

She turned and walked away without looking back...

Wang Yan chuckled, sauntered back to his own home, washed up, read a book for a while, and finally went to sleep a little past midnight...

Life was very plain. When the time came for Ma Yan to go to university, Wang Yan borrowed a jeep, loaded it with quilts and other belongings, and drove Old Ma and Wang Sufang together to Dong University.

Wang Yan made full use of his working hours; after writing for a long time, his 'Thief-Catching Divine Art' was finally printed. The final title was simply 'Catching Thieves,' and after printing, it was distributed internally within their Ningyang Station.

The comrades' response was very positive; even some rather arrogant veteran comrades said nothing, because the prerequisite for criticizing Wang Yan was that you must have caught more thieves than him and been responsible for safer routes.

Now, on the trains along the Ningyang and Hacheng lines, one might not encounter a single professional thief for ten days or half a month; if one did appear, he was caught immediately. It was just that awesome.

As time passed, some comrades who had read the book began to put it into practice. One couldn't see the difference on a single train, but with many trains, the comprehensive results showed a clear feeling that the number of thieves caught on board was rising. The leadership was greatly delighted and launched an activity for collective organizational study of 'Catching Thieves,' further improving the success rate of catching thieves, turning it into a political task.

It was too awesome; since it didn't involve anyone personally, it didn't incur anyone's hatred. This was Wang Yan's current situation; everywhere he went, he was greeted with smiling faces.

Such stable days repeated with every train journey, until time reached late autumn.

That afternoon, people were gathering in the courtyard to bask in the sun and chat. The women clustered together knitting sweaters, sewing shoe soles, and making insoles, while the men formed two groups, one playing Chinese chess and the other playing poker; it was lively and warm.

Wang Yan, however, stayed by the water tap in the center of the courtyard, scrubbing clothes with a *ka-ka-ka* sound.

Just then, at the entrance of the large courtyard, Wang Xin walked in hand-in-hand with Yao Yuling.

"Yo-yo-yo, why are you holding hands already?" Sister Wang Laowu exclaimed with an exaggeratedly loud voice.

Her shout drew the eyes of everyone in the courtyard. This naturally included Niu Dali, who was standing there watching people play chess and constantly offering them advice...

Wang Xin smiled and said, "Since everyone is here, let me make an announcement: Yuling and I are together. We don't know when we'll be drinking wedding wine yet."

"Oh my, then we'll be waiting."

"That's wonderful. Hey, isn't this seemingly the first couple in our courtyard to succeed?"

"Isn't the son-in-law living right here? He and Ma Yan have long stopped hiding it." Cai Xiao walked over and affectionately put his arm around Wang Yan's shoulder.

Wang Yan glanced at Ma Kui, who habitually put on a stern face, then looked at Wang Sufang, who was smiling gently and kindly, and laughed heartily at everyone: "Yes, but my wedding wine will be drunk quite late."

"That's right; Ma Yan is attending university, so we can't delay her studies. This is a major matter." Old Cai nodded repeatedly in agreement, glaring at his own son and blaming him for speaking nonsense.

Cai Xiao paid no heed and said to Wang Xin, "He's slow, but you two should hurry up; we're all waiting to drink."

"I'm waiting for you too. Uncle Cai, Auntie Cai, you two should hurry up and figure it out; Xiao is two years older than me, so it's about time."

Old Cai's wife nodded with a smile: "We're looking, we're looking; it's only a matter of time."

After a few more jokes like this, Wang Xin said, "Then we two will go inside first; you all continue playing." After this polite remark, under the gaze of the crowd, Wang Xin went to his home still hand-in-hand with Yao Yuling; from start to finish, the two never let go of each other's hands.

The people in the large courtyard cast a subtle glance toward a certain spot in the middle of the scene, then continued with the previous liveliness and warmth.

"Old brother, I feel we won't live to drink Wang Xin and Little Yao's wedding wine; we'll have to drink a bit today." Cai Xiao looked at Niu Dali and shook his head.

At this moment, Niu Dali stood there dazed, motionlessly staring at Wang Xin's home. Finally, this day had arrived; finally, his sorrow had come...

Wang Yan also shook his head: "I have ten yuan in my pocket; go buy some meat and vegetables, and get two bottles of liquor. We'll drink in a little while; he might not last until tonight."

"Sigh... this truly makes one vow life and death to another; it's just that the one dying is this old fool Niu."

Hearing Wang Yan spend money to buy meat to eat, Cai Xiao didn't even feel happy, which was very rare.

"Go quickly."

"Then I'll tell Old Niu." Cai Xiao took the money out of Wang Yan's pocket, then walked over to Niu Dali, said a few words, went home, mounted his bicycle, and sped away in a cloud of dust.

Niu Dali stared for a full ten-plus minutes, until his feet went numb from standing, then limped back to his room.

When Cai Xiao returned, the three of them—Wang Yan, Cai Xiao, and Niu Dali—started drinking. Niu Dali drank incessantly, weeping uncontrollably; after making quite a scene, he finally couldn't withstand the power of the alcohol by midnight and fell into a deep sleep.

The autumn wind was bleak, swirling up the withered yellow leaves in the courtyard; those were all the sorrows overflowing from Niu Dali...