Chapter 116: The Wei Family

When Zhu Lin was asked what he wanted with Wei Ming, Mei Wenhua first reminded him that the woman before him was Wei Ming’s mother—do you get my meaning?

Zhu Lin was surprised and didn’t know how to address her—whether to call her sister or aunt.

Although Xu Shufen had done plenty of farm work, her skin was naturally smooth, fair, and she was only in her thirties.

“I came to buy tapes from him—he has English song tapes. If he’s not here, could you please pass on a message? I’m about to travel far away and will buy from him later.”

Buy tapes? Mei Wenhua was startled—had Ming-ge been secretly running a small business, buying and reselling? He’s a major writer—could tapes really be that profitable?

Zhu Lin rode off on his bicycle, still thinking he’d say goodbye to the kid before leaving Beijing—only to find he wasn’t there.

But he already had a girlfriend—and never told me. I wonder what kind of person she is—surely she’s exceptional.

Outside the south gate of Peking University, Mei Wenhua stood on the roadside, stomping his feet.

When he saw the school bus returning, he quickly flagged it down.

Wei Ming stuck his head out: “What’s up, Xiao Mei?”

Mei Wenhua waved him over: “Get down. Let’s talk down here.”

There were only a few steps left, so Wei Ming told Master Liu and the others to go ahead.

After Wei Ming got down, Mei Wenhua asked: “Ming-ge, besides Mei Linda, you don’t have any other girlfriends, right?”

What kind of question was that? Wei Ming was stunned for a moment, then replied seriously: “Yes, Mei Linda is my only girlfriend.”

As he said this, Wei Ming exhaled—he had never formally acknowledged his relationship with Mei Linda before.

But that day, as he saw her off, her tear-filled eyes turning back again and again, though it meant their relationship was over, he needed to be clear—to himself and to those around him—that they had been together, and she was his first love in this life.

Mei Wenhua sighed in relief: “Good, good. Two beautiful girls came looking for you today—absolute beauties! And they both already knew you had a girlfriend.”

“What girls?”

“One is Gong Ying, the other is Zhu Lin. The first said she came to thank you; the second said she came to buy tapes from you. Why are you even selling tapes? Did you learn it from Mei Linda?”

Wei Ming was surprised—they’d shown up together? Interesting.

Xue-jie’s thanks? So the matter of “The Herdsman” is settled?

As for them knowing about it—well, let them know. But…

“But how did they find out?” Wei Ming narrowed his eyes and asked Mei Wenhua.

Mei Wenhua quickly changed the subject: “That’s not the point—the point is your mother found out too. Go home and check on her right away!”

“My mother? She came to Beijing?!” Wei Ming was stunned—he’d written home just recently saying he’d be home in half a month.

“Yes, your father came too, though I didn’t see him.”

Wei Ming hurried to the south gate guard post and indeed saw Xu Shufen—she was wearing a new outfit, bright and colorful, no wonder Zhu Lin had been at a loss.

“Mom, why are you here? Where’s Dad?”

“He—he said he’s going to that… something…” She glanced at the guard.

“Oh, it’s the symposium for ‘The Herdsman’—the Chinese Department is holding it. Uncle was invited by Liu Zhenyun.”

Wei Ming nodded, then told his colleague: “By the way, call the General Affairs Office and tell Director Wei to come to the south gate post after work.”

He figured since both his parents had come, he should treat Ping’an’s family to dinner.

The colleague chuckled: “You’re ordering around Director Wei now? Fine, fine.”

Wei Ming picked up his luggage: “Mom, let me take you to the guesthouse first. Xiao Mei, wait here for Dad and Director Wei.”

“Alright, alright.”

After leaving the south gate post, people kept greeting Wei Ming—he felt like a celebrity. Xu Shufen was proud and delighted, but couldn’t find a chance to speak.

When they reached Langrun Garden, the crowd thinned, and she finally asked softly: “You have a girlfriend? Why didn’t you ever tell us?”

Wei Ming replied: “Mom, I’ll tell you all together when Dad gets here. Otherwise I’d have to repeat it again. Tell me why you two came to Beijing without even telling us.”

Xu Shufen huffed: “You two are the same—everything you keep bottled up. Your father wouldn’t say why—he just read a letter and started muttering that he had to talk to you. I asked why he couldn’t just write, and he said no. Oh, it was a letter from Hong Kong.”

“Hong Kong letter?!” Wei Ming stopped dead in his tracks, thrilled. “Where is it? Let me see!”

Seeing his eagerness, Xu Shufen shook her head: “Your father treasures that letter—he keeps it inside his shirt.”

“Alright.”

At the North Guesthouse, Manager Wang was still warm. Wei Ming asked: “My parents came to visit me at Peking University—Manager Wang, could you arrange a room?”

“Oh, Master Wei, your word is law—of course, absolutely!”

Manager Wang quickly arranged a double-bed room. This man was barely any age and already famous in literary circles—who knew how high he’d rise? His ceiling was Lu, Guo, Mao, Ba, Lao, Cao; his floor was Chen Jiangong. To reach that ceiling, he must cultivate this relationship.

He not only arranged the room but also called for a camera.

“Master Wei, could I trouble you for a photo together?”

“Ah, you’re making me feel embarrassed.”

“No, no—it’s my honor,” Manager Wang laughed. “Just two days ago I took a photo with Professor Yang Zhenning. Now science has him, literature has you—I’m all set!”

Damn, Wei Ming suddenly felt his persona had been stolen—who taught this old Wang?!

“Manager Wang,” Wei Ming added, “your aunt probably really wants to be the dorm supervisor for the female dormitory. I’ve already recommended her to the International Office. Tell her to apply too.”

“Ah, this—this—this is such a huge favor! Auntie, let me carry your luggage!” His aunt was Wang Auntie, the cleaner in the female dorm.

“No, no need!” Xu Shufen was startled by his excessive enthusiasm.

Wei Ming carried all the luggage up himself.

“Mom, you’ve been on the road all day—you must be tired. Rest here. I’ll go back to the south gate to wait for them, then come get you.”

“I’m not tired. Your father and I only got one seat—he made me sit the whole way. Now I just want to walk around.”

“Alright. Leave the bags here—we’ll go back and wait for them.”

At the south gate, Wei Jiefang and Wei Anping had already met. “I told them how I’m different from Xu Shengfang in the novel—I said there’s no difference—I’m exactly as written, filled with love for the land I’ve lived and fought on. I can’t leave. Not for a hundred million, not for a billion.”

Old Wei waved his hands excitedly: “The students clapped wildly—some even stood up!”

Wei Anping listened calmly, smiling. Zhao Debiao and Mei Wenhua reacted with shock and smiles as Old Wei spoke—they felt Old Wei should’ve been the one telling stories—he delivered the emotion perfectly!

When he finally finished, Wei Anping asked: “Why come to Beijing now? You left pigs and chickens at home.”

Wei Jiefang didn’t answer why they came, but said: “I asked Chunhua to look after them.”

Wei Anping: “Can Fan Chunhua just work for free feeding your pigs and chickens?”

Wei Jiefang: “I told her—during our absence, all the eggs go to her.”

Just then Wei Ming arrived and heard this. He asked curiously: “Our chickens can lay eggs already?”

Wei Jiefang slapped his thigh and laughed: “No, but Chunhua doesn’t know that!”

Wei Anping / Wei Ming: Typical you.

“Since you’re all here, let’s go.” Wei Ming called out. The four of them left the south gate, heading for the Changzheng Canteen—no colleagues invited for tonight’s family dinner.

Wei Anping went ahead to fetch his wife and children.

Now only the three of them remained. Xu Shufen quickly told her husband about Wei Ming’s girlfriend.

!

Old Wei sighed in relief—he hadn’t been outdone by Liu Zhenyun.

Wei Ming: “We were together, but we broke up.”

“What? Broke up?!” Both parents exclaimed.

Old Wei asked: “Why?”

Xu Shufen worried: Could it be that her son had some moral flaw? Being a writer must be too tempting—he’d only sat at the south gate for a moment and already two goddesses came looking for him. She was just a bit old.

Wei Ming: “She went back home. That’s why we broke up.”

“Went back home?!” They were stunned. “She’s not Chinese?!”

Wei Ming nodded.

“Which country?” His parents asked, hopeful yet anxious—afraid it was Africa or Japan/Korea. The former’s skin tone was unacceptable; the latter had ancient grudges with the Wei and Xu families.

Wei Ming: “Britain.”

They sighed in relief, then felt sorry for their son—why did he pick a foreign student? They leave as soon as their visa expires—you’ve just been used.

His mother said a few comforting words. Wei Ming assured her he was fine.

“Here we are. Let’s go in and get seats.”

Others who occupied seats without ordering would get glared at—but Wei Ming was different. He was a regular here, even more frequent than professors. Even though it was a state-run canteen, the manager treated him with extra courtesy.

Soon, Wei Anping’s family arrived: “We met Xile just after school—he didn’t go home, came straight here. Xiaoyan, do you remember Sister?”

“Of course! Sister, you haven’t changed at all—you’re still so young and beautiful!”

“No, no, it’s you who’s young—you don’t even look like a mother of two.” Xu Shufen, not good with words, recited the prepared lines, then handed the rest to Old Wei.

After Xile and the little ones greeted everyone, Wei Ming took them to order food.

Lü Xiaoyan kept praising Xu Shufen—she wasn’t bad-looking, just inherited her soldier father’s darker skin.

“Xiaoming takes after his aunt—good-looking. No wonder so many girls like him—I don’t think it’s all because of his talent.”

Hearing this, Old Wei sighed: “Like him? He just broke up with his girlfriend.”

“What?” Lü Xiaoyan froze. Which one?

Old Wei went on: “She was a foreign student—British. If she really liked my son, she should’ve stayed in China and become his Chinese daughter-in-law. My son… he’s just not good enough.”

Lü Xiaoyan covered her mouth—Wow! Jiefang Brother just confessed! It’s really true!

Wei Anping: You’ve seized your chance.

He told his wife: “Today the foreign student left campus. Xiaoming went to the airport to see her off—and missed the ‘The Herdsman’ symposium. Clearly, he was serious about Mei Linda.”

When Wei Ming returned with the dishes and a bottle of Erguotou, he heard them talking about him. He felt a pang of longing for Mei Linda, now somewhere in the sky. He poured himself a full glass and drank it down in one gulp.

Wei Jiefang was startled—weren’t you saying you were fine? Did that foreign girl really play you?

Wei Anping quickly comforted his nephew: “Xiaoming, don’t dwell on it. Men go through several relationships in life. Let the past go—we’ll look ahead. Better ones are still waiting for you.”

Wei Jiefang quickly clarified his position: “I’ve never had any romantic entanglements—I was as pure as jade before marrying your aunt, never once set my heart on anyone else.”

Wei Anping: “Wait, is that the point?”

It had become the point now. Lu Xiaoyan poured herself another glass of Erguotou and smiled at him. “Oh? So it seems Director Wei had quite the romantic history before meeting me.”

Inside, Wei Jiefang screamed: I know, I’ve got the goods!

But seeing his younger brother’s discomfort, he didn’t add fuel to the fire; he patted his son’s shoulder and drank a toast with him.

Director Wei Anping’s bravado was deflated. He whispered, “Young people don’t understand love—I’m the only one who truly means it to you!”

Lele looked at Wei Ming: “Big Brother Ming, what are they talking about?”

Xi Zi: “This trio of delicacies is great—tasty!”

Wei Ming smiled: “They’re talking about how you and Xi Zi came to be.”

Xi Zi: “Wow! These meatballs are amazing!”

Lele: “So how did we come to be?”

Wei Ming: “Because of love.”

During dinner, Lu Xiaoyan also asked Wei Jiefang and his wife why they’d come to Beijing, but Old Wei deftly steered the conversation away.

But after dinner, when Wei Ming saw them back to their room at North Guesthouse, Wei Jiefang took off his coat and pulled out a crumpled envelope.

“Little Ming, you were right—our family seems to really have overseas connections. Take a look—what does this even mean? Could it bring trouble?”

……

(The female lead will make her official debut tomorrow—please vote for monthly tickets!)

(End of chapter)