Chapter 572: Absolutely Impossible

Yang Huajian shouted to let the three sit down: "Still Master Wang has deterrent power, good fellow

He didn't ostentatiously introduce Wang Yan to everyone, because everyone actually already understood Wang Yan's situation. Moreover, Wang Yan really wasn't close to them and couldn't even hold a conversation; they were just giving him a modicum of respect to join in the fun and have a meal.

Before, after Wang Yan got married, whenever he met familiar people for a chat, it was inevitable to talk about the recent status of people they were still in contact with. Like Wang Yan, a celebrity who lived in a different world from them, he was someone they couldn't avoid talking about. Plus, with the photo taken by the New York Times that Wang Yan had even been featured in with a full-page national report, it was even more impossible for them to forget.

In fact, if Wang Yan had faded into the crowd and lived a mediocre life, they might have felt some pleasure in talking about him. After all, few people can resist schadenfreude; knowing that someone who was once awesome is now down on their luck brings an indescribable pleasure—people are just that strange.

So the people here knew that Wang Yan was still awesome, had married the school beauty, had a son, and had even been specially approved by the leadership to attend Peking University; that was all they knew—just a general situation.

"What kind of intimidation is that? It sounds like I'm bullying people; it's the classmates respecting me." Wang Yan waved his hand and laughed: "I saw it when I walked over just now. This bunch of people were all looking at Su Meng, all wondering how such a great beauty ended up with a hooligan like this."

Su Meng gave Wang Yan a flirtatious look: "It's good that you know, old man. You got the better end of the deal."

"Wang Yan is just being self-deprecating. You are no hooligan; you were a serious university student, a scientist—you're amazing." Yang Huajian waved his hand: "I won't keep you company for now. Wang Yan, Chunming, you sit tight. I'm going to see if everyone has arrived; once we go through the motions, we'll serve the dishes."

Han Chunming waved his hand with a smile, turned his head, and started chatting happily with the people at the table, even asking the Party Secretary from their time spent sent-down in Xiaoqinghe how his health was and if the lives of the people there had changed, and so on.

The number of people Su Meng actually knew was limited, after all, most weren't from the same class, and she just found most of them familiar-looking; it wasn't that there weren't people from her class, just very few. She looked at the environment in the venue, where a total of eight tables were set, and finally, her gaze turned to a piano placed on the platform in front. She tugged at Wang Yan beside her: "Hey, look, there's even a piano placed in front."

With such a large object standing on the stage, Wang Yan saw it as soon as he walked in. Whether the Shanguoju in the original timeline had such a large space to fit ten tables, he didn't know. Whether there was such a Kawai piano from Japan, which was relatively rare in this era, he knew even less. But according to the nature of the "Living Father," it was certain that no matter where he ate, there would definitely be such a large venue and definitely such a Kawai piano.

Wang Yan was indeed just idling, coming to eat and drink a little, and coming to see if Han Chunming was still being called "Master." He sat there comfortably, shelling peanuts, cracking melon seeds, and drinking tea made from high-end scraps.

Yang Huajian walked around to count heads, seeing if the people who had promised to come had arrived, and also encouraged two female classmates to go on stage to put on a program, singing a revolutionary song.

Amidst the applause and cheers for the female classmate's singing, the high-spirited Yang Huajian went on stage like an old cadre, pressed his hands down to stop the noise in the venue, and after the venue quieted down, he held the microphone and said: "Brothers and sisters, sent-down youth who were sent down, dear classmates, for this gathering, we have specially invited Party Yang Shuji of the Xiaoqinghe Party Branch from when we were sent down in Fangshan. Everyone, welcome him; please invite Yang Shuji to come up and say a few words to everyone."

Yang Shuji, who was sitting beside Han Chunming, laughed and stood up, waving to the people present, just like in the original drama, and went on stage to give a short speech.

Right now, this bunch of people was still willing to listen to what kind of big principles this Yang Shuji was talking about; twenty years later, they wouldn't even be able to remember who this Yang Shuji was. If it weren't for Han Chunming finding Yang Shuji for the second class reunion, no one would have even mentioned him.

Next, Yang Huajian livened up the atmosphere again, saying: "Speaking of which, everyone hasn't seen each other for two years, and some haven't seen each other for five or six years; I don't know what changes everyone has had. Wang Yan married Su Meng, everyone has seen that. I'll reveal a piece of news to everyone that most of you don't know: this kid Han Chunming is married. He married another great beauty from our Third Middle School, Cai Xiaoli, and even had a big, fat boy. Chunming, why didn't Xiaoli come together?"

Han Chunming laughed: "The child is small, she's at home taking care of the child. Later, later I'll bring the child over together."

"Chunming, you kid are not being proper; you handled such a big thing as marriage secretly?"

"Yeah, that's not loyal at all; looking down on us poor brothers?"

... A crowd of people below were denouncing Han Chunming; it seemed that they had quite a few opinions about not receiving an invitation to give a gift, which showed his good popularity.

In the words of Han Chunming's second sister, Han Chunyan, this Han Chunming was a living Bodhisattva who was good to everyone. In the original plot, he had only worked at the Yili Food Factory for two or three months, and when he was fired, it was the coworkers crying and seeing him off; even the old man guarding the gate felt sorry for Han Chunming's departure and splashed a bucket of water on Cheng Army Supervisor. Although this was somewhat unrealistic, in this world, Han Chunming just had such charm and was just that popular.

Looking at the noise in the venue, Yang Huajian called out: "Han Chunming, you come up and explain to everyone; if everyone is not satisfied, you're going to have a hard time."

Han Chunming laughed, bent his waist, bowed, and kept waving to apologize to everyone. He took the microphone and said: "I'm sorry to everyone; I had no choice either. The conditions at home aren't enough, and the place is small; it really couldn't fit so many tables. Later, when I make it big, I guarantee to treat everyone to three days of delicacies, and I'll have my son pour wine for his uncles and aunts; everyone, don't hold it against me. I inquired before; among so many of us, there are only a few who are married; you all should hurry up."

Of course, no one cared about these words, and those people didn't take them seriously either; they were just stirring up trouble. Among them, it wasn't that there weren't people who were married, but they hadn't invited others either; it was all the same.

After saying a few words about how good his wife was, Han Chunming patted Yang Huajian's shoulder: "Seeing Yang Shuji reminds me, you kid have to bow and thank Yang Shuji for saving your life. On the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month in 1973, our comrade Yang Huajian secretly celebrated the Little New Year for himself..."

As soon as these words started, Wang Yan knew that this matter couldn't be avoided. It was all scripted; once these words started, in a while, it would definitely lead to the topic of performing programs, and naturally, it would still be able to lead to playing the piano.

The only way to avoid this kind of thing happening was not to come. As long as he came, with Han Chunming's good popularity and some prestige among these classmates, it was inevitable that he would have to go on stage and say a few words. For a group of people with shared experiences, mentioning those shared interesting events from the past was inevitable, and as the conversation went on, it would eventually lead to performing programs to entertain everyone.

So it was still the same as originally, Han Chunming was on stage happily talking about those things they had experienced before, everyone was empathizing, and then he wanted to leave. Yang Huajian held him back and stirred up trouble, wanting him to perform a program. After a few words, Yang Huajian patted the piano and said: "Play us a piano piece; I tell you, I chose this place because there's a piano, and there's the accordion that Xiao Fang played just now, so that when we eat and drink well, we can also have fun."

"Stop joking, play the piano? Among us old sent-down youth, who knows how to play the piano? Is there anyone?" After waiting for a while, seeing no one below answering, Han Chunming spread his hands: "Look, there isn't one. If there's even one, I'll call him Master. Mao Ditu, can you do it..."

Cheng Army Supervisor's butt couldn't sit still anymore; hearing Han Chunming threaten to call someone "Master," his body straightened up even more.

He knew how to play the piano because he tuned pianos at a piano factory; if he didn't know how to play, how could he tune them? If he went on stage now and played a piece, making Han Chunming unable to get off the stage, he would definitely be in the spotlight, and this bunch of classmates would definitely look up to him.

After rolling his eyes for a long time, he raised his head to speak, but just happened to see Wang Yan looking at him with a smile, which gave him a jolt, and he hurriedly shifted his gaze and shrank back.

Then he looked again, and seeing that Wang Yan was no longer looking at him, he let out a long breath, but he saw Su Meng beside him shelling peanuts for Wang Yan, and he couldn't help but grit his teeth. He knew Su Meng was a woman who looked down on everyone, but looking at Su Meng's appearance, his anger flared up.

Just as he was in a daze, Han Chunming had already walked off the stage and was going back to sit down.

Yang Huajian said: "Since this kid Han Chunming can't do it, we won't force him, let the waiter serve..."

"Don't do that." Cheng Army Supervisor interrupted Yang Huajian's words loudly and said: "Han Chunming, it's not right to sweep everyone with one stroke; just because you can't play doesn't mean others can't play. Everyone, don't you think so?"

When he spoke like this, how could others not know his intention? In the spirit of watching the fun without fear of trouble, the bunch of people below started stirring up trouble one after another.

Mao Ditu, the one who wet the bed twice when they were sent down, shouted: "Army Supervisor, can you do it? If you can, do one."

"I can, Chunming, today I'm going to challenge you on this." Cheng Army Supervisor stood up: "You say, what if I play a sound?"

"What I said wasn't just playing a sound; I said it had to be a piece of music." Han Chunming might have forgotten, or might not have understood that tuning a piano requires knowing how to play, or perhaps, he believed that even if he lost, Cheng Army Supervisor wouldn't be petty and really make him that embarrassed.

In fact, it was true; if a normal person were in Cheng Army Supervisor's position, they might not even want to be in the spotlight. Even if they were in the spotlight, after really playing a piece of music, they shouldn't really make Han Chunming call him "Master," but rather generously express that it was all a joke and let it go. In this way, he would not only be in the spotlight in front of his classmates but also leave a good impression on the people present, and his popularity among his classmates would immediately improve a lot; after all, no one likes people who are petty.

However, Cheng Army Supervisor did just that; he made Han Chunming call him "Master," so he fell into a lower position. Although Han Chunming was indeed embarrassed and made a fool of himself, in fact, Han Chunming's popularity was even better because he could play along.

"Good, just play a piece of music." Cheng Army Supervisor clapped his hands in affirmation, walked around the people, and came to stand in the central aisle: "Master, what do you say?"

As soon as these words came out, the people who were still stirring up trouble had nothing to say; they all looked at Wang Yan, wanting to know if he would flip the table and rise up to give Cheng Army Supervisor a sound beating.

Wang Yan ignored their gazes and looked at Cheng Army Supervisor with a smile: "You challenge Chunming, and you ask me what I think? Why, do you also want to bet with me? It seems you have an opinion about me..."

"Master, look at what you're saying; who among those present doesn't know how awesome you were back then? How would I dare to have an opinion about you."

Facing the smiling Wang Yan, Cheng Army Supervisor was of course nervous, but since things had reached this point, he had no reason to retreat. Everyone lived in the same courtyard; it was one thing to beat him up when they were kids—the parents didn't care, the police didn't arrest him, there was no way around that—but he didn't believe that now that they all had wives and children, Wang Yan would still dare to beat him up. If that happened, it would actually be better; anyway, he believed that even if Wang Yan dared to beat him, he wouldn't dare to beat him to death. As long as he was beaten, he would immediately call the police, and today he would send Wang Yan in, saving himself from watching Wang Yan show off all day, and also relieving his hatred.

He steadied his mind and pretended to be indifferent: "Su Meng is a famous golden voice in our Third Middle School; she performed many programs when there were activities at school before. I was thinking that just playing the piano without singing is meaningless, so I wanted to ask you if Su Meng could sing while I accompany her. I didn't intend to bet with you, but since you said so, let's just bet. Master, what do you think? Everyone, tell me, should Master bet?"

Following his lead, at first, two bold troublemakers hiding in the back followed suit, and gradually they gathered together, all urging Wang Yan to bet.

By this time, Wang Yan couldn't not bet; if he retreated, it would be a huge blow to his prestige. However, this Cheng Army Supervisor was indeed quite capable; didn't the meaning of those words challenge him? He spoke, and only then did he turn back to make up for it, dragging Su Meng out, as if he were the one pushing for the bet and he were the one finding trouble first.

However, Wang Yan didn't care. In a plot like this, which wasn't about killing and was in a peaceful environment, he wouldn't easily kill anyone. Anyway, it was meaningless, so he would just play along.

He stretched out his hand and pressed down, and the people stirring up trouble quieted down, and then he looked at Cheng Army Supervisor: "Chunming is a brainless fool; he knows you tune pianos at a piano factory and still bets with you—that's meaningless. Why don't we do it separately? How about this: if I play a piece of music, you call me Master. Everyone, tell me, should Cheng Army Supervisor bet with me?"

The crowd, which had only just quieted down, started shouting again, even more happily than before.

Cheng Army Supervisor couldn't match Wang Yan's indifference; his face, which had just been smiling and pretending to be indifferent, had stiffened, and he was somewhat in a dilemma. Because Wang Yan was betting on whether he could play, and he was a sure winner. Now he had to bet on whether Wang Yan could play... He was certain that he had never seen, let alone heard, that Wang Yan could play the piano, but looking at that indifferent, unfathomable, and annoying smiling face, he couldn't determine whether Wang Yan was putting on a show to save face and bluffing him, or if he really could play.

Han Chunming on the side was stunned for a moment, looking at the classmates stirring up trouble, and slapped his own mouth hard. He had just been having a lot of fun, and he hadn't been close to Cheng Army Supervisor for the past two years, so he had ignored Cheng Army Supervisor's affairs. Of course, he knew Cheng Army Supervisor was petty, and he didn't know what was wrong, but ever since they returned to the city after being sent down, Cheng Army Supervisor hadn't been right with him, especially after he started dating Cai Xiaoli, so little by little, there had been a rift.

He didn't think that with Cheng Army Supervisor's pettiness, he would generously let him not call him "Master"; he would definitely look at him triumphantly, in the posture of a winner. So he wasn't regretting it now, because there was no place to regret it; he was just blaming himself for being carried away and not considering things, and his skill wasn't enough...

Su Meng had already been tugging at Wang Yan under the table. Although she had always had great confidence in Wang Yan, they had been together for two years, and she really hadn't heard anything about him being able to play the piano. She thought Wang Yan was just trying to save face and pretending to be calm to scare Cheng Army Supervisor away. She tugged at Wang Yan, hoping he would calm down and not make it hard to end things later. Unfortunately, the words had already been spoken, and the classmates were watching the fun without fear of trouble, so it couldn't be taken back...

Finally, Cheng Army Supervisor gritted his teeth and shouted loudly: "Bet."

He had been silently watching Wang Yan all along; although he was lucky enough to get into university, he was studying physics. And he came back early every day, and he hadn't seen him spending much time at school, so it didn't look like he had the time to join school clubs and cultivate hobbies. He didn't believe that a hooligan could play the piano.

Wang Yan nodded and gestured: "Go ahead, start with yours and Chunming's first."

Seeing that the water had been spilled and couldn't be gathered, Yang Huajian, who had been standing on the stage without saying a word, called out: "Come, everyone, applaud, let's see if Cheng Army Supervisor really has this ability."

Amidst applause, Cheng Army Supervisor went on stage, and Yang Huajian went off stage.

Ignoring Cheng Army Supervisor pretending to adjust the keys, Yang Huajian sat down beside Wang Yan: "Master, can you really do it? You didn't just want to scare Cheng Army Supervisor and then fail to scare him, did you?"

Su Meng also leaned over: "Exactly, we've been together for two years, and I haven't heard the word 'piano' from your mouth. Don't really call him 'Master' in a while; then your prestige as Master Wang will be all gone today."

"Won't we know in a while?" Wang Yan raised his eyebrows, looking at Han Chunming, who was covering his face, with a smile, and the sound of the piano rang in his ears: "Are you stupid?"

"Getting carried away..." Looking at Cheng Army Supervisor's triumphant appearance, Han Chunming let out a long sigh: "I've really lost face today; don't tell Xiaoli when you go back, it'll ruin the wise and martial image I have in her heart."

"Yo, it's already this time, and you're still joking?" Yang Huajian said amusingly: "I estimate Cheng Army Supervisor can't make you really call him 'Master'; you two grew up together, and even if you wore the same pair of pants, it would be too loose; it's just a joke, he shouldn't be that petty."

Han Chunming let out a sneer, only shaking his head and lamenting his own stupidity...

Cheng Army Supervisor finished playing "Moscow Nights," and amidst a round of applause, he stood on the platform, looking down: "I say, everyone, the piano piece is finished; regardless of whether it was played well or badly, it was a complete piece of music. Shouldn't someone call me 'Master' now?"

"That's right, Chunming!"

"Exactly, call him 'Master'!"

"Chunming, what are you waiting for?"

A crowd of people in the back were shouting and stirring up trouble. Yang Huajian waved his hand and said: "I say let's just forget it; everyone is just joking, why be so serious?"

As soon as these words came out, they also drew agreement from others, but Cheng Army Supervisor of course disagreed. He glanced at Wang Yan, who was still smiling and extremely calm, and said: "It's not that I'm serious; it's what Chunming said just now in front of everyone—whoever plays it should be called 'Master.' You can't say that just because he can't play, everyone can't play, right? That's too looking down on people; I have to make him remember this lesson. How about it, Chunming? Want to go back on your word? That won't do; I still have a round with Master here later, how should that be calculated?"

He even added emphasis to the words "Master Wang," with full provocation.

He had finished playing a piece and found his confidence, and he was even more determined in his thinking. He knew how hard it was to learn to play, and he didn't believe that Wang Yan, a brute who only knew how to use his fists and show off his prestige, could do it.

Listening to the various voices of the classmates below, Han Chunming prepared himself mentally, took a deep breath, and stood up. Although his face was very ugly, he still admitted defeat, just like in the original drama, and said in a respectful manner: "Army Supervisor plays this piano well; I had eyes but didn't recognize Mount Tai. Master, I didn't recognize you, please forgive me."

The noisy classmates quieted down again. Although they had been shouting happily just now, when the moment really came for Han Chunming to call him "Master," they felt more or less a little guilty in their hearts.

Su Meng's face also fell, but this time it wasn't for Han Chunming, but because she thought of Wang Yan, who had always been mighty in her eyes, also calling Cheng Army Supervisor, this petty person, "Master" just like Han Chunming. She felt terrified just thinking about that scene...

Cheng Army Supervisor nodded with satisfaction and looked at Wang Yan, as if he had already won: "Master, if you regret it now, it's still not too late; don't say I didn't give you a chance. Otherwise, when it gets to that point later, it'll be too late to regret."

Wang Yan stood up with a smile, patted Su Meng's shoulder to reassure her, and amidst Han Chunming's expectant gaze, walked slowly onto the platform. Under Cheng Army Supervisor's rapidly shifting eyes, he walked up to him, reached out and gently patted his face, and said softly: "For the sake of us all being from the same courtyard and seeing each other every day, I'll let you go this time. If you dare to provoke me with your words again and find trouble with me, I'll break your legs."

The final threat of breaking his legs was said in a low voice, heard only by Cheng Army Supervisor. Looking at the fear that flashed in his eyes, he patted his face with a little more force, directly pressing him off the stage.

Threatening people is meaningless, but it is very useful many times. Especially when combined with Wang Yan's past, no one would doubt that he was lying. In this way, a lot of trouble was saved. Although Cheng Army Supervisor was petty and would definitely hold a grudge, having had this experience would make him remember the lesson and not look for trouble without a brain...

Walking to the small stool in front of the piano and sitting down, Wang Yan also adjusted the keys to find the pitch, and then raised his eyebrows at Su Meng, who was staring at him intently below.

As his slender fingers slid across the piano, notes rang out, converging into a generous and impassioned piece of music...

At the beginning of the cheerful prelude, the people below didn't hear anything, but as the music suddenly became rapid and generous, Su Meng very cooperatively followed the music and began to sing.

Arise, ye workers from your slumbers,

Arise, ye prisoners of want!

For reason in revolt now thunders,

And at last ends the age of cant!

Although her voice was relatively weak and lacked blood, her flushed face also showed that she was really putting in the effort, perhaps also adding the excitement of re-recognizing the man she had slept with for two years.

As her singing rang out, Yang Huajian also started singing along, and gradually, others joined in. Yang Shuji was shouting with his neck stretched out, and Han Chunming, who was immersed in losing face, was also infected by the atmosphere, shouting until his veins popped.

The sound gradually changed from messy to neat, becoming sonorous, covering the sound of the piano, penetrating the barrier of the walls, resounding throughout the entire restaurant, and spreading to the streets outside...

Only Cheng Army Supervisor stood blankly in the central aisle; impossible, absolutely impossible, he was just a hooligan...