Chapter 386

With more people, eating and drinking took longer; the family chatted and laughed, and after finishing dinner and clearing the dishes, they all squeezed into the eastern room of Old Zhou's house for a while of idle chat—it was already six o'clock.

Zhou Bingyi, having drunk quite a bit and feeling a little dazed, said: "Dad, Mom, Bingkun, I'm staying at Dongmei's place tonight."

Zhou Zhigang paused, then nodded: "Good idea—it's late already, go ahead and leave. Don't forget to take the local specialties you bought back; I brought two more cured pork legs, take them to Dongmei's parents to try."

Hao Dongmei smiled warmly and thanked him: "Thank you, Dad."

Zhou Bingyi got up quickly, shook his head: "Bingkun, I'll borrow your bike—I'll bring it back before you head to work tomorrow."

"No need, Big Brother. You two were worn out yesterday—go rest well. Juan has another bicycle; I'll ride that tomorrow."

"Alright then, we're off, Dad, Mom." Zhou Bingyi nodded to everyone in the room.

Zhou Zhigang nodded, then turned to Wang Yan: "Xiao Yan, you and Chen Jing head home too—it's late, get some rest. Tomorrow you're going to visit her parents, right? Take two of these cured pork legs for them; southern specialties like these are hard to find here."

He hadn't spent little money on this trip back, and had brought back plenty of things—he'd already prepared everything in advance.

"Alright then, Uncle Li, Aunt Li, we're leaving too—we'll come back the day after tomorrow."

Li Suhua waved her hand: "Go on, go on. You drank a lot tonight—take care riding with your wife and child."

"Got it."

Wang Yan replied, waved goodbye, packed his things, and called over Wang Jianye, who didn't want to leave, to get on the bike and head home. Tomorrow they were going to his in-laws' house; otherwise, he wouldn't have said anything to make the kid leave—he'd grown up in Old Zhou's house.

In the past seven or eight years, the streets of Guangzi Pian had narrowed into alleys. The main reason was that Zhou Bingkun's generation had all grown up, married, and started families; they were also generally large households. The original houses couldn't hold them, unit housing was scarce, and they couldn't afford to buy, so they built makeshift additions. More people meant more chaos, more chaos meant disorder—it was no longer the old Guangzi Pian.

Wang Yan's family of three slowly walked with Zhou Bingyi and his wife toward the edge of Guangzi Pian—they'd share the same path for a while.

"Thank you, Xiao Yan."

"Again with this? Even without our relationship, anyone going to the hospital for treatment gets the same care. Besides, we still don't even know the full situation—you two need to put in the effort too."

Looking at Hao Dongmei, who seemed slightly shy and girlish beside him, Zhou Bingyi smiled: "How have you been lately?"

"Same as always—what new things could I have? Work, see patients, then think about how to treat the ones I can't cure—it's boring. But you two—you're college students, always pointing out the fate of the nation, writing passionately—that's the real good life."

They chatted idly all the way out of Guangzi Pian and parted ways; Wang Yan pedaled his bicycle, his child seated on the crossbar, his wife on the back, listening to her chatter as he rode slowly home…

Of course, Wang Yan hadn't hidden from Old Zhou's family that he bought Chen Jing a house. She occasionally stayed in her dormitory at school, chatting with her roommates about things; sometimes she'd stay at the house for a while, cooking nice meals to improve their diet.

She often visited Zhou Bingyi and Zhou Rong too, since they were all from the same school, and she and Zhou Rong had been classmates—there was no way to stay distant. When they planned gatherings, she'd sometimes bring them to the house; after all, it was spacious and more comfortable than Zhou Rong's home. Because they had a phone and it wasn't far, sometimes they'd come over to make calls. But she never mentioned the second apartment in the Second Ring Road—these people didn't know. It wasn't that she was hiding it; they never asked, so there was no need to bring it up—it wouldn't be right to show off like that, and it'd be pointless.

That Beijing apartment, with its own dedicated phone line, gave Zhou Bingyi and Zhou Rong and Feng Huacheng a glimpse of Wang Yan's actual standing. After all, they'd only known he was powerful, well-connected, and sometimes brought home random stuff—but none of that had real, measurable value. Now he'd bought a Beijing apartment for several thousand yuan without blinking—an unimaginable sum given the average monthly income of forty to fifty yuan.

So now Zhou Bingyi treated him with even more courtesy—not because he didn't want to be like family, but because without emotional foundation, he simply couldn't.

Of course, there were also malicious speculations about Wang Mou's professional ethics. After all, he was a doctor—how could he, after only five years, have several thousand yuan in hand? That was a question worth pondering, and a reasonable suspicion.

But they naturally didn't ask, and Wang Yan certainly wouldn't explain. Only Li Suhua, seeing how freely he spent, warned him not to earn money through unethical means. Zhou Bingkun, through subtle hints from his older brother, suspected the money might have come from questionable sources—but he didn't press further.

With five people gone, the house grew noticeably quieter—though not too quiet, since ten others remained, plus three energetic, noisy children.

Zhou Zhigang sighed: "Alright, even though it's not dark yet, we're all tired—let's stop the noise and get some rest on the kang."

Zheng Juan, who had barely spoken until now, said: "Sister, Brother-in-law, the western room is all set—you two can sleep there with Yueyue tonight."

Zhou Rong nodded: "Thanks, Juan'er."

Feng Yueyue, who had just come in, protested: "No! Auntie Zheng, I want to sleep with you and Uncle Bingkun!"

"How can you be so…"

"How old is she? How long have you even been together? Why argue with a child?" Li Suhua glared at her daughter, then turned to the little girl, lips trembling as if she'd cry, and spoke softly: "Yueyue, they're your father and mother—no child sleeps apart from their parents. Be good."

"But I never slept with them before! Why now?"

Feng Huacheng laughed: "It's fine, fine—the child's still shy. Bingkun, Zheng Juan, let her sleep with you for now—we'll spend more time together these days and she'll get used to it."

"Alright then, we'll go next door—it'll save the child from disturbing you. We're off." Zhou Bingkun got up, herded the children, and left with Zheng Guangming and Zheng Juan.

With everyone gone, the eastern room's half-open window let in the cool summer evening breeze, refreshing body and mind; Zhou Zhigang closed his eyes, contentedly savoring the peace.

Li Suhua glanced over and sighed: "I thought we'd all sleep together here, lively and noisy, chatting. Who knew everyone scattered?"

Lying on the kang together, everyone talking, that's what was good.

"The kids are grown now, and haven't seen each other for a long time—they need their own time to bond. You, as a mother, should understand."

"Don't give me that. When Bingyi said he was leaving, I saw Dongmei giving him a look. I understand—it's been a long time. But they got married in 1973 in the Production and Construction Corps, and it's been over five years now—they're both thirty-two. How come they still haven't had a child?"

Zhou Zhigang sighed: "They must have their own plans about children. They're in different places, both studying—how could they find time?"

"Do you think Dongmei doesn't want a child?"

"Who knows? Whether they have one or not is their business—we shouldn't meddle. Bingkun can have kids, and he's got two already. As for Bingyi, I say don't push."

"I wonder what Dongmei's parents think—how could any parent not want a grandchild? Dongmei's mom's retired, and her dad's such a high official—he's busy all day. She's home alone—doesn't she want a grandchild?"

"Maybe she says she's unwell—maybe she just wants peace." Zhou Zhigang said: "Bingyi's not having an easy time either. Think of Dongmei's family background—how comfortable can he be? At least he got into Beijing University, the best school, proving he's talented and has a future. Otherwise, with Dongmei's parents… I wanted to say today: let's meet our high-ranking in-laws. But after all these years, not meeting feels wrong. But the words stuck in my throat—I couldn't say them. Our thinking is one thing; whether they have time or want to meet us is another. We can't make Bingyi uncomfortable."

"That's true—Chen Jing's father was just a division chief before. I saw how different it was. Imagine Dongmei's parents."

"Bingkun said Chen Jing's father was promoted to deputy director of the Minzheng Bureau—and it was thanks to Xiao Yan's efforts. He even bought her a house not far from Beijing University. Xiao Yan's capable—none of our family can match him."

Li Suhua smiled: "Xiao Yan's a good kid—I really treat him like my own son. All these years, he's treated us properly."

"Of course I know—Bingkun wrote it all in his letters. In all of China, there are few like him. Honestly, we owe Xiao Yan."

"Xiao Yan says there's no owing or not owing—emotional bonds matter more. You don't know: back in March, right after Beijing University opened, Cai Xiaoguang came to Bingkun for help… Xiao Yan didn't hesitate—he handled it the next day. If Cai Xiaoguang had gone to Zhou Rong to ask Bingyi, Dongmei's parents might've picked even more fights."

"Yes, he did right—if he could handle it, he should. If not, he shouldn't drag Bingyi into it. Good, Suhua—you really see clearly."

"Of course I do—I'm not stupid. I won't make trouble for Bingyi."

The old couple chuckled for a while, then Li Suhua suddenly sighed: "Thinking about Yueyue being taken away… my heart aches."

"What can we do? Children must live with their parents. Bingkun's right—if we waited until she was older to bring her back, maybe. But now, raising her from two or three to over five—how can we keep her? You saw tonight—Yueyue looks at Zhou Rong and Huacheng like strangers. If this goes on, when she grows up and realizes her parents only gave birth but never raised her, she'll never bond with them."

"I know, I just can't let go." Li Suhua sighed softly: "Today I finally understand—no matter how famous Feng Huacheng is, it doesn't help him in reality. Why is housing so hard to get? Because his fame is hollow. When Xiao Yan first went to City Hospital, within two months he got a three-story apartment—why? Because he could heal people."

"True, everyone's struggling. Look at how many people there are in this world—how many can match Xiao Yan? He's lucky just to have a place to stay in Beijing. Things will get better." Zhou Zhigang turned and stroked his wife's white hair: "You said it yourself—children have their own fortune. They're already better off than most. Let them be."

Li Suhua shook her head: "What else can we do? We're old now…"

"Yes, you've got quite a few white hairs."

Meanwhile, the old couple murmured quietly; in the western room next door, Zhou Rong and Feng Huacheng lay on the bed, wrapped in the thin quilt their mother had carefully prepared, still smelling of sunshine, finally speaking the words they'd held back all day.

"You say it's easy, but if we actually take Yueyue in, what are we going to do?"

Feng Huacheng snorted: "We did it the same way before, we'll do it the same way now. Dad's right—when we lived in caves, why were there never so many problems? Forget the distant past; just look at the Jiang family next door—they're a couple with two kids too. Honestly, our living conditions are even better now than before. Bringing Yueyue to live with us is a good idea."

"I always wanted to bring her, but you kept saying 'wait,' then said we should wait until you passed the college entrance exam, then said wait until we got housing. If the apartment isn't assigned one day, we wait one more day to bring our daughter home? Bingkun's right—we might end up only giving birth but never raising her. Where's the family bond then? Right now, if you mention Yueyue, to her you're just a stranger called 'mother.' Saying it now will only make her hate you more."

Zhou Rong hung her head: "Fine, I won't complain about the daily inconveniences. It's fine for the child to live with us. But who'll take care of her while I'm in class and you're at work? And the living expenses—I have no job, I rely entirely on your salary. How are we supposed to get by? Have you thought about any of this?"

"Aren't you about to start preschool class? Once we get back to Jingcheng, I'll handle it right away—won't delay us. As for my salary, though small, it's enough to support all three of us."

"You raise valid problems, but they're all solvable. What we should be considering now is that Yueyue doesn't feel close to us—she sees us as strangers. If we wait longer, she won't be our daughter anymore. Neither you nor I will have the right to act like parents toward her, the way you did today. I believe that if you insist on leaving her here, Dad, Mom, and Bingkun won't object—they'd even be happy. And honestly, her living conditions here are better than ours."

"But if you want this daughter, you must take her away this time—do you understand? Zhou Rong, I just don't get it. We were so poor before, yet we were happy. Now our conditions are far better, yet you're acting like this."

Zhou Rong exhaled deeply. Why was she like this now? Because she was no longer the mountain teacher earning eighteen yuan a month in the ravine. She was a top student at Jingcheng University, a pillar of the nation. Her life, both spiritually and physically, should be on a higher level. It wasn't that she didn't want to raise her child—she simply felt the child was now a burden.

She couldn't say this aloud—it was her fault, and she had no argument. She rolled over and nestled into Feng Huacheng's arms. "It's not that I'm like this, Huacheng—it's that times have progressed. Bringing Yueyue over is fine. Honestly, today I was truly heartbroken. She's the child I carried for ten months, nearly gave my life for—how could I not love her? But now there's one more mouth to feed, and I don't earn anything. All the pressure falls on you. I just feel for you."

"I'm fine. For you, for Yueyue, no matter how hard or tiring, I'm willing." Feng Huacheng hugged his wife tightly, sighing: "When we return to Jingcheng, I'll push hard to get housing as soon as possible—so we can move into a bigger place and truly settle in the capital."

Zhou Rong hummed in agreement, sealing the decision to bring Feng Yueyue back. She shifted topics to her parents, relatives, and the changes in her hometown—she hadn't returned in nine years…

"Dad, Mom, we're back. Eating this late? Did Dad just get home?"

In the Jichun Provincial Committee compound, a three-story building, Hao Dongmei led Zhou Bingyi into the house, finding Hao Jinlong and Jin Yueji seated at a long table eating dinner.

Hao Jinlong, bowl in hand, nodded with a smile: "Bingyi's back."

"Back, Dad, Mom." Zhou Bingyi stood stiffly, bowing slightly. "Oh, by the way, Dad and Mom—this is cured pork my father brought from Bashu. He told me to bring it for you to taste."

"Your father's thoughtful," Jin Yueji said, nodding. "Xia, take this cured pork down and cook it tomorrow." She called the household maid to take it. Hao Dongmei and Zhou Bingyi now sat beside the table. "Ah, you reek of alcohol—go wash up properly later."

Zhou Bingyi nodded with a forced smile. Hao Dongmei said: "They've been apart since '69—nine years—finally all together again. They were all happy, drank a lot. Dad, Mom, you didn't see it—Bingkun and Wang Yan could drink even more. They held back today; otherwise, Bingyi would've been passed out under the table."

Jin Yueji feigned seriousness: "Don't drink like that again—your health comes first."

"Yes, she's right. Health is most important," Hao Jinlong said, taking a bite of vegetable and eyeing his son-in-law. "How are your parents? Are they in good health?"

Zhou Bingyi nodded: "We have a doctor at home—a traditional Chinese one. He's kept them in great shape. They haven't even had a cold in years."

"I know Wang Yan—Northeast's number one healer. Big reputation. The prescription you gave us, we sometimes drink it—it's really good."

Jin Yueji smiled: "Yes, his medical skill is excellent. We went to see him before—he said he adjusted them well."

Zhou Bingyi smiled too: "His ability is undeniable. My brother's wife's younger brother had terrible eyesight—couldn't see. Wang Yan treated him for two years and fully cured him. No wonder he's called divine. Dad, Mom, when you both have time, I'll invite him over to adjust your health too. You've had a hard life—there must be hidden injuries. This is where our ancestors' medicine still works best."

The elderly couple nodded with smiles, saying he was thoughtful. Jin Yueji sighed: "We've been talking so much—why don't you two eat more? I'll ask Xia to add another dish."

"No thanks, Mom. We finished eating past five. Fifteen of us—two full tables, chicken, duck, fish, meat—all there. And that cured pork? So delicious, absolutely mouthwatering."

Jin Yueji asked: "How's life at Jingcheng University?"

"Pretty good. Every day is full. Funny thing—our dorms range from thirty-six to eighteen people—almost two generations. Many even have children."

Hao Dongmei added: "His sister says he's completely buried in his books—twenty-four hours a day, eighteen studying, six sleeping. He even eats while reading."

"Good. Learning knowledge is most important—do what's appropriate where you are." Hao Jinlong quickly shoveled rice, finished in a few bites, set down his bowl, and said: "I'm done. Bingyi rode a train all night and drank heavily today—go rest early with Dongmei. You're on break for half a month anyway—we can talk later."

His attitude remained kind—he didn't hold Cai Xiaoguang's incident against him. In the past six months, Zhou Bingyi hadn't helped anyone else. He had no negative opinion of him—he actually felt quite positively about him.

Watching Hao Jinlong leave, Hao Dongmei nudged the man beside her: "Bingyi, go upstairs and wash first. I'll talk to Mom for a bit."

"Oh, right. This whole body reeks of alcohol and sweat—I'm uncomfortable. Mom, I'll go up now. Take your time eating." Zhou Bingyi nodded, stood, heard Hao Dongmei's farewell, climbed upstairs, found the room, and began washing.

Jin Yueji smiled at her daughter across the table: "What's on your mind? Speak."

Hao Dongmei giggled: "Mom, look how big the family reunion was this time—everyone home. Bingyi and I have been married five years. Don't you and Dad want to meet my in-laws?"

"We should meet them. It's been too long not to—it wouldn't be right. Your father won't object. And Wang Yan—he spent months curing your illness—I owe him thanks. But your father's schedule is packed every day. I don't know when he'll have time." Jin Yueji paused. "I'll talk to your father first. If he agrees, I'll speak with his secretary. How's that?"

"That's perfect," Hao Dongmei jumped up and sat beside her mother. "Thank you, Mom."

"Enough. Bingyi just got back—go upstairs. Hurry up. I'm waiting for my grandson."

"Oh, Mom…"

"Go on, go on—waiting for your good news…"