Chapter 175

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

"Hey, Dashan, can you hear me?"

Li Xiulan's voice came from the other end of the phone; she feared Wang Dashan might not hear her, so she deliberately raised her voice.

"I can hear you, I can hear you."

Wang Dashan responded hurriedly.

Li Xiulan hurriedly asked:

"Did you find a job in Guangzhou?" She immediately added: "If you haven't found one, don't rush; take your time, haste makes waste, good things take time, don't be impatient."

Wang Dashan replied with a smile:

"Mom, don't worry, I've already found a job. I work in sales inside Computer City, selling computers, and the boss is pretty good."

"Selling computers? You've never touched a computer from childhood to adulthood; can you sell them?" Li Xiulan couldn't help but worry.

As the saying goes, a mother worries when her child travels a thousand miles. Wang Dashan went to the city to find a job, and Li Xiulan had been worrying in her heart these past few days. She feared Wang Dashan wouldn't find a job, feared he'd be cheated while looking for work, and feared her son would suffer grievances out there.

Wang Dashan said:

"Don't worry, I can sell them. On my first day on the job, I sold four units. The commission per unit is eighty yuan. The boss says I have aptitude and thinks highly of me; he gave me five hundred yuan that very day, telling me to work hard from now on!"

Hearing this, Li Xiulan finally relaxed a little:

"That's good, that's good. Then work hard, don't change jobs every few days, don't be impatient and restless, just work steadily. We don't dream of making other people's big money; we just need to earn enough for food, drink, defecation, and urination. As long as we can live a good life, that's enough."

Li Xiulan nagged and instructed.

"I know, this job is pretty good. I'll definitely work hard and won't be half-hearted. Someone asked me to do online shopping before, but I didn't go. I'll stay here, work for a while to accumulate experience first."

Wang Dashan said so.

Li Xiulan nodded with satisfaction:

"That's right. It seems Dashan, you've grown up and become sensible."

Wang Dashan smiled knowingly, then asked with concern:

"Mom, take good care of yourself at home. Don't work too hard doing masonry; take it slow, don't throw out your back like before."

Li Xiulan laughed:

"Don't worry. Now that you're all grown up, your father and I don't need to work so desperately anymore. In a few years, once all three of you brothers are out working, that'll be when we enjoy our blessings."

Wang Dashan said:

"It'll be soon. Second Brother is in his senior year now, and Little Brother is in his first year of high school. Time passes quickly, just like when I was in the army—two years went by in the blink of an eye."

Li Xiulan laughed and sighed:

"Yes, time passes too fast. Before we knew it, you three brothers had all grown up. I used to take you three to work in the fields, to pick mulberry leaves, to sell goods at the small shop. Those days are still as clear as ever before my eyes. Who would have thought that, in a moment of carelessness, you'd all grown up, and I've started to get gray hair..."

Li Xiulan felt a thousand emotions, but this feeling wasn't bitter. On the contrary, it was a feeling of hardship rewarded with sweetness. That her children had all grown up healthy was the best reward for her.

She didn't expect all three children to be successful; as long as they could find stable jobs, marry smoothly, and have children, that would be enough.

Wang Dashan said at this time:

"Mom, don't worry. Once I earn money in the future, I'll buy an apartment in the city and bring you over to enjoy your blessings!"

Hearing these words, Li Xiulan felt sweet in her heart.

Although she knew deep down that the distance between Wang Dashan fulfilling this promise was still very far, and it might not be fulfilled in a lifetime, as long as Wang Dashan had this filial heart, she was already content.

"Let's not think too far ahead. Earn money slowly. Once you have money, find a wife first. Getting married and having children is your top priority. As for me enjoying blessings, that's secondary. Anyway, my whole life has been one of hardship; I'm used to bitterness. I might not even be used to it or feel comfortable enjoying blessings in the city!"

Hearing his mother's words, Wang Dashan couldn't help but be moved. He knew his mother had suffered too much for the three of them in this lifetime.

The state of poverty from childhood was still vivid before his eyes. His mother did masonry work in town; to save a little money, she actually chose to walk three or four hours home on foot. By the time she got home, it was already late at night, eleven or twelve o'clock.

To Wang Dashan, those things were unforgettable.

So his tone became increasingly firm:

"Mom, wait for me. I will definitely earn money and let you come to the city to enjoy blessings. I say what I do!"

Wang Dashan and Li Xiulan chatted for a long time on the phone. Unlike the strange distance with Wang Zhanggen, the mother and son seemed to have endless things to say.

After chatting for over an hour, they finally hung up.

Just after hanging up, Li Xiulan couldn't help but be moved to tears.

Her eldest son had grown up and could now shoulder some family responsibilities, and he was so filial. How could she, as a mother, not be moved?

"Look at you, what promise you show—crying just from a phone call with your eldest son!"

Wang Zhanggen stood to the side smoking a cigarette, his eyes full of contempt.

Actually, his contempt was a kind of cover-up. He also hoped he could be completely open with his son, but unfortunately he couldn't. Over these years, in front of his three sons, he had already shaped an image of a near "tyrant." This image maintained his status as head of the family, but as his three sons gradually grew up, his authority in the family was rapidly diminishing.

At the same time, the negative effects of one-man rule were infinitely magnified, to the point that now when Wang Dashan called home, he couldn't even communicate normally with Wang Dashan.

Father and son seemed close, but were actually estranged.

Being speechless, strange relatives—that was a very common phenomenon in rural father-son relationships.

The rural father figure doesn't reason; he always resorts to violence at the slightest disagreement, without communication or understanding how to communicate. This leads many rural children, once grown, to feel estranged and strange toward their fathers.

Obviously, the three Wang brothers were in such a situation.

Wang Zhanggen actually felt very uncomfortable inside, but he didn't know how to say it out, nor how to handle the problem.

In his life, he had never fully developed the ability to handle problems.

So his career failed, his family failed, his life failed. He could only muddle through with a wife toward whom he no longer had any feelings.

For a man, this was undoubtedly shameful and ridiculous.

Even if others don't mention it, he would still often feel ashamed in his inner heart because of it, and even angry at himself.

This kind of emotion in turn feeds back into his words and actions, so that he always blurts out some male chauvinist words, some cold-water-pouring words without any warmth.

For example right now, Li Xiulan is moved to tears, and he suddenly comes out with "Look at your promising self," and Li Xiulan can only smile helplessly and bitterly at this.

She wipes dry her tears, and doesn't indulge Wang Zhanggen either, directly confronting back:

"I'm the one without promise, so you have promise then?"

Wang Zhanggen, however, keeps a straight face and says righteously and confidently:

"I of course have promise! I gave birth to three sons! And all three sons are not bad!"