Chapter 313: Straighten Your Back

Li Yue drove the Volga along National Highway 104, nimbly dodging the potholes on the road, as light as a fish dancing comfortably in the waves.

Returning home this year, Li Ye and Li Yue didn't take the train.

Because Wang Jianqiang's mother had sent him two telegrams saying she had arranged a marriage for him and wanted him to return home before the New Year to get married, Wang Jianqiang finally confessed to his family that he was in a "free-love" relationship with a girl from the capital.

The family was in an uproar, and Wang Jianqiang's mother went to the post office to make the first phone call of her life, scolding Wang Jianqiang for acting on his own and saying that marriage was for parents to decide.

But for the first time in his life, Wang Jianqiang talked back to his mother, firmly refuting his mother, Fan Chunhua, based on national law. The mother and son had a very unpleasant argument.

In the end, it was Wang Jianqiang's father, Wang Daguang, who made the decision to let Wang Jianqiang bring the girl home to see.

Wang Jianqiang was very conflicted. He and Huang Suwen didn't even have a formal status yet; would her parents be at ease if he suddenly took her thousands of miles away?

But after Wang Jianqiang nervously told Huang Suwen, the Huang mother and daughter agreed very readily.

Huang Suwen said, "You've already come to my house to let my parents see you so many times; isn't it normal for me to go to your house to let your parents see me?"

And Huang Suwen's parents had only one requirement: Huang Suwen must return to the capital before the New Year; she couldn't be in an unclear and shameful situation.

After Wang Jianqiang told Li Ye, Li Ye gave him a plan: invite Huang Suwen's brother, Huang Gang, to go back to Qingshui County together, at least so the neighbors wouldn't gossip.

Besides, everyone could drive home together, and Wang Jianqiang could just drive the Huang siblings back to the capital before the New Year.

So Li Ye, Li Yue, Wang Jianqiang, and the Huang siblings filled a Volga, and together with the Pengcheng Seventh Factory's 130 small truck, they left the capital and returned to Dongshan.

After arriving in the capital, sister Li Yue also became very familiar with Wang Jianqiang's girlfriend, so the two chatted all the way in the car, not feeling bored at all.

"Sister Xiao Yue, is your hometown a thousand miles from the capital?"

"Looking at the map, it's over four hundred kilometers, so that's eight or nine hundred li! We can get there in ten-plus hours by car. The train is about the same, but it's not as convenient as driving."

"That's not far! Qiangzi can drive too, so it'll be fast to visit his hometown in the future."

"Hee hee, Sister Suwen, are you worried about whether Qiangzi will settle in the capital in the future?"

"I do have that thought, but it's not certain," Huang Suwen didn't hide it, saying frankly, "I think it's best if Jianqiang can settle in the capital, but I also have to consider his thoughts. A family can't just be decided by me alone, right?"

"See that, Qiangzi? Sister Huang really respects you!"

Li Yue teased Wang Jianqiang and then said to Huang Suwen with a smile, "Sister Suwen, there are some things I can't tell you, but just remember one thing I say: Qiangzi is the pillar of his family, so you must straighten your back!"

"Straighten my back?" The usually crisp Huang Suwen was also a bit confused. "Sister Xiao Yue, what you said... what does it mean?..."

Li Yue pointed behind her while driving and said, "Ask your Jianqiang!"

Huang Suwen turned her head to the left, looking at Wang Jianqiang, who was sitting on the other side.

Wang Jianqiang smiled awkwardly, thought for a few seconds, and said, "Sister Xiao Yue means, don't wrong yourself."

Huang Suwen blinked and couldn't help but laugh, "What you said is really strange. Am I the kind of person who wrongs myself?"

Li Ye and Li Yue, sitting in the front row, both pursed their lips and stole a smile.

And Wang Jianqiang looked at Huang Suwen blankly for a few seconds, then also smiled honestly.

Doesn't Huang Suwen wrong herself?

Wang Jianqiang didn't think so.

Li Ye had once said something to Li Dayong, and Wang Jianqiang happened to hear it on the side.

That sentence was: "When two people are together, if one person feels cherished, then the other person must have willingly endured the wrongs themselves."

So Wang Jianqiang fell for Huang Suwen the moment Huang Gang was hospitalized and Huang Suwen rode her bicycle with her mother to the hospital.

At that time, the heartache in Huang Suwen's eyes as she looked at her brother moved Wang Jianqiang instantly.

Even if Wang Jianqiang was a bit of a blockhead, he still hoped that someone would cherish and love him when he was hurt!

Later on, Huang Suwen really treated Wang Jianqiang like she treated her brother, washing clothes and sending food in the middle of winter, asking after his well-being, and even though her own hands were cracked from the cold, she knitted two pairs of gloves for Wang Jianqiang.

You say this kind of girl wouldn't wrong herself?

【Is she a fool? Is she even more foolish than me, Wang Jianqiang?】

The capital is less than five hundred kilometers from Qingshui County. If it were the road conditions of the future, passengers would complain that five hours was slow, but given the road conditions of 1983, ten-plus hours was considered smooth sailing.

Li Ye and the others set off from the capital early in the morning and arrived in Qingshui County at seven or eight in the evening.

Li Ye asked Wang Jianqiang, "Qiangzi, should we eat first, then arrange for Brother Huang Gang and Sister Suwen to stay at the hotel, and then go to pay our respects tomorrow?"

Wang Jianqiang thought for a moment and said, "Brother, I sent a telegram to my family saying I'd be home today. It's not even eight o'clock yet; my mother should be waiting for us to eat!"

Li Ye nodded, "That works too."

Li Yue drove to the west side of the county and stopped at the entrance of an alley.

The 130 truck that had been following behind also stopped, and Wang Qiangdong and several demobilized soldiers helped unload some New Year goods from the truck bed.

This is the tradition of the Middle Kingdom: you can't just give money for the New Year; you have to let people see some meat and gifts so that the wife at home has the capital to hold her head high when talking to relatives and friends; otherwise, others won't believe how well you've done this year.

Wang Qiangdong asked Wang Jianqiang with a smile, "Qiangzi, should I help you carry them in?"

Wang Jianqiang quickly said, "It's not much; I can carry them in myself. You guys hurry home! Who doesn't miss their home!"

"Alright, then I'm off. Let me know when you're going back, and I'll keep you company on the road."

Wang Qiangdong didn't dawdle, stepped on the gas, and drove away.

Everyone had been away for more than half a year and truly missed their homes and loved ones.

Li Ye also wanted to drive away, but was pulled back by his sister, Li Yue.

She nudged Wang Jianqiang with her chin: "Help Qiangzi move the New Year goods in; otherwise, are you going to let the guests move them?"

Wang Jianqiang quickly said, "No need, brother, I can do it myself. I'll just make two trips..."

Li Ye looked at his sister, then at Wang Jianqiang, smiled, picked up a sack of hairtail fish, and led the way in.

"Let's go, Qiangzi, let's see what Auntie made for you that's good to eat."

Sister Li Yue followed with a smile.

Li Yue was a bit arrogant by nature, but deep down, she was actually very kind.

She asked Li Ye to help move the things in because she actually wanted Li Ye to go in and set the scene.

A girl from the capital visiting her boyfriend's family for the first time—what if there were some lapses in etiquette? Wouldn't someone need to smooth things over?

"Mom, I'm back."

Before the group reached the Wang family's entrance, Wang Jianqiang shouted, his voice loud and full of confidence, as if he were deliberately letting all the neighbors hear.

Of course, a young man who had been out in the world returning home in glory, and even bringing back a beautiful wife, shouting a few times to show off was human nature.

"Sigh, Third Son, why are you back at this time?"

There was immediate movement in the Wang family courtyard. Fan Chunhua came out of the room and said in surprise, "We waited for a long time and didn't see you, so we thought you missed the train!"

Wang Jianqiang was stunned for a moment and said, "Didn't I say so when I sent the telegram? I'm driving back!"

Usually, if you took the train from the capital, you would arrive in Qingshui County in the afternoon. If you drove, the arrival time naturally wouldn't be the same.

"Look at you, child, you didn't explain it clearly."

Fan Chunhua quickly stepped out two steps, looked at Huang Suwen behind Wang Jianqiang, and said, "Third Son, is this the girl you were talking about? Hurry and let her come inside to warm up. It's the twelfth lunar month, and making her run so far is very inconsiderate."

Wasn't it you who shouted for the girl to come back and see?

Wang Jianqiang was stunned, but Huang Suwen smiled and said, "It's okay, Auntie. It wasn't that far, and it wasn't cold on the road."

"How could it not be cold? Hurry inside, hurry inside."

Fan Chunhua pulled Huang Suwen toward the room while saying, "Our place here is a small town, and the conditions aren't as good as in your capital. You've suffered by following our Third Son."

"But 'marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, follow the dog.' You'll get used to it after living here for a few months. Life is still long..."

Huang Suwen only understood half of the authentic Dongshan dialect, so she could only smile and let Fan Chunhua pull her arm into the room.

Huang Gang, who was trailing behind, had been looking around from the very beginning.

Huang Gang was considered a clever person on the streets of the capital. His mother had asked him to accompany his sister, so naturally, he had to investigate the family situation of his future brother-in-law.

The houses in Wang Jianqiang's family were a mix of new and old. The three tiled rooms on the right were newly built, while the three main rooms were still the old house.

Smoke was rising from two chimneys toward the sky; it seemed the heating conditions at home were okay.

And a large dog was lying in the doghouse at the entrance, "crunching, crunching" on a bone.

Huang Gang nodded slightly; various conditions indicated that Wang Jianqiang's parents were doing okay.

Don't think that everyone in the capital is a rich master; there are plenty of people who find winter hard to endure. The large compound where Huang Gang lived might not even be as good as Wang Jianqiang's house!

But when Fan Chunhua said, "You'll get used to it after living here, life is still long," Huang Gang immediately frowned.

How did it sound like this old woman intended to make his sister marry from the capital to Qingshui County?

However, Li Ye, who was following behind, stepped forward and said with a smile, "You don't need to worry. In the future, your sister might settle in the capital with Qiangzi, or go to Pengcheng, or even live in Hong Kong, but it's impossible for her to come to Qingshui County."

"Hong Kong?"

Huang Gang was stunned for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Too far. It's best if it's the capital."

Li Ye smiled and didn't say anything, lifted the door curtain, and led Huang Gang inside.

Only after entering the main room did he realize that many people had come to Wang Jianqiang's house today. Some were familiar to Li Ye, and some he didn't recognize at all.

However, seeing the flushed faces of several of the men, it was estimated that they had a good relationship with the Wang family.

If the relationship wasn't good, how could they have gotten so drunk?

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 314 =====