Chapter 313: Hold Your Head High

Li Yue drove a Volga along National Highway 104, nimbly dodging potholes, gliding as lightly as a fish dancing through waves.

This year, Li Ye and Li Yue did not take the train home.

Because Wang Qiang's mother sent him two telegrams, announcing she had arranged a marriage for him and demanding he return home before the New Year to wed, Wang Qiang finally confessed to his family that he had fallen in love with a girl from Beijing.

The household erupted in chaos; Wang Qiang's mother went to the post office and made her first phone call ever, scolding him for acting on his own and insisting that marriage decisions belonged to parents.

But Wang Qiang, for the first time in his life, talked back to his mother, citing national law to firmly refute her, and the mother-son argument ended bitterly.

In the end, Wang Qiang's father, Wang Daguang, made the decision: Wang Qiang should bring the girl home to meet his parents.

Wang Qiang was torn—he and Huang Suwen weren't even officially a couple yet; how could he take her thousands of miles away and expect her parents to be at ease?

But after Wang Qiang nervously told Huang Suwen, her mother and daughter agreed without hesitation.

Huang Suwen said: "You've been to my house so many times letting my parents see you—why shouldn't I go to yours so yours can see me?"

Huang Suwen's parents had only one condition: Huang Suwen must return to Beijing before the New Year—no vague, unseemly arrangements.

After Wang Qiang told Li Ye, Li Ye gave him advice: invite Huang Gang, Huang Suwen's brother, to come back to Qingshui County with them, so neighbors wouldn't gossip.

Besides, they could all drive home together, and Wang Qiang could drive Huang's siblings back to Beijing before the New Year.

So Li Ye, Li Yue, Wang Qiang, and the Huang siblings filled one Volga, joined by a 130 pickup from Pengcheng Seventh Factory, and left Beijing for Dongshan.

After arriving in Beijing, Li Yue had grown close to Wang Qiang's girlfriend, so the two chattered nonstop in the car, never growing bored.

"Sister Xiao Yue, is your hometown a thousand li from Beijing?"

"Four hundred kilometers on the map—that's eight or nine hundred li! We'll get there in ten hours by car, same as by train, but driving's more convenient."

"That's not far at all! Qiangzi can drive too—visiting home won't be hard later."

"Hehe, Suwen, you're worried Qiangzi won't settle in Beijing, aren't you?"

"I do have that thought, but it's not certain," Huang Suwen replied frankly. "I hope Qiangzi can settle in Beijing, but I also have to consider his wishes—a family can't be decided by just one person."

"See that, Qiangzi? Huang's girl respects you!"

Li Yue teased Wang Qiang, then smiled at Huang Suwen: "Suwen, there are things I can't say to you, but remember this: Qiangzi is the pillar of his family—you must hold your head high."

"Hold my head high?" Huang Suwen, usually quick-witted, was puzzled. "What do you mean, Sister Xiao Yue?"

Li Yue kept driving and pointed behind her: "Ask your Qiangzi."

Huang Suwen turned left, looking at Wang Qiang sitting across from her.

Wang Qiang smiled awkwardly, thought for a few seconds, then said: "What Sister Xiao Yue means is—don't sacrifice yourself."

Huang Suwen blinked, then laughed: "That's a strange thing to say—am I the type to sacrifice myself?"

Li Ye and Li Yue in the front seats both smiled silently.

Wang Qiang stared at Huang Suwen for a few seconds, then grinned sheepishly.

Was Huang Suwen not sacrificing herself?

Wang Qiang thought not.

Li Ye had once said something to Li Dayong that Wang Qiang happened to overhear.

The saying was: "When two people are together, if one feels loved, the other must willingly endure the injustice."

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

At that moment, the anguish in Huang Suwen's eyes as she looked at her brother struck Wang Qiang deeply.

Even if Wang Qiang was a fool, he still hoped someone would care for him, love him, when he was hurt.

Later, Huang Suwen treated Wang Qiang just like she treated her brother—washing clothes and delivering meals in winter, checking on his well-being, her own hands cracked from the cold, yet she knitted him two pairs of gloves.

Can you say a girl like that doesn't sacrifice herself?

【Is she a fool? Is she dumber than I, Wang Qiang?】

Beijing was less than five hundred kilometers from Qingshui County; in later times, five hours would seem too slow, but in 1983's road conditions, ten-plus hours was smooth sailing.

Li Ye and the others left Beijing early in the morning and arrived in Qingshui County by eight or nine at night.

Li Ye asked Wang Qiang: "Qiangzi, should we eat first, then put Huang Gang and Suwen up at a hotel, and visit your place tomorrow?"

Wang Qiang thought a moment: "Brother, I telegraphed ahead saying we'd arrive today—it's not even eight yet; Mom's probably waiting for us to eat."

Li Ye nodded: "Alright then."

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

The 130 truck behind them also stopped; Wang Qiangdong and several veterans helped unload New Year goods from the truck bed.

This was a Chinese tradition: during the New Year, you couldn't just hand out money—you had to show tangible gifts, so your wife could hold her head high among relatives and neighbors; otherwise, no one would believe you'd done well this year.

Wang Qiangdong smiled and asked Wang Qiang: "Qiangzi, need help carrying the gifts inside?"

Wang Qiang hurriedly said: "Not much—just me carrying it in twice is enough. You guys head home—everyone misses home!"

"Alright then. I'm off. Let me know when you're heading back—I'll ride with you."

Wang Qiangdong didn't dawdle—he got in, stepped on the gas, and drove off.

Everyone had been away for half a year—they all missed home and family.

Li Ye was about to drive off too, but his sister Li Yue pulled him back.

She nodded toward Wang Qiang: "Help Qiangzi carry the gifts inside—do you want the guests to do it?"

Wang Qiang hurriedly said: "No need, Brother—I can handle it myself, two trips is fine."

Li Ye looked at his sister, then at Wang Qiang, smiled, picked up a burlap sack full of ribbonfish, and walked inside.

"Come on, Qiangzi—let's see what Mom cooked for you."

Sister Li Yue followed with a smile.

Li Yue had a proud temper, but deep down she was kind.

She made Li Ye help carry the gifts inside because she wanted him to go in and set the tone.

A Beijing girl visiting her boyfriend's home for the first time—what if she slipped up on etiquette? Someone had to smooth things over.

"Mom, I'm back!"

Before they even reached the Wang household gate, Wang Qiang shouted loudly, his voice strong and clear—as if he wanted the whole neighborhood to hear.

Of course, a young man returning home in glory with a beautiful bride—shouting a bit to show off was only natural.

"Ah, Lao San, why are you back so late?"

The courtyard stirred immediately; Fan Chunhua stepped out of the house, surprised: "We waited a long time and thought you missed the train!"

Wang Qiang blinked: "Didn't I say in the telegram I was driving home?"

Usually, taking the train from Beijing got you to Qingshui County by afternoon; driving meant a different arrival time.

"You never made it clear, you silly boy."

Fan Chunhua hurried forward, eyeing Huang Suwen behind Wang Qiang: "This is the girl you mentioned, Lao San? Quick, bring her inside—it's freezing out here! You shouldn't have made her travel so far—you're so thoughtless."

Didn't you demand she come home to meet you?

Wang Qiang froze, but Huang Suwen smiled: "It's fine, Auntie—not far at all, and the road wasn't cold."

"How could it not be cold? Come in, come in!"

Fan Chunhua pulled Huang Suwen's arm toward the house, saying: "We're a small place, nothing like Beijing—marrying my Lao San means hardship for you, but once you marry a rooster, you follow the rooster, marry a dog, you follow the dog—after a few months you'll get used to it, life's long."

Huang Suwen understood only half of the local Dongshan dialect, so she just smiled politely and let Fan Chunhua lead her inside.

Huang Gang, lagging behind, had been scanning everything since the start.

Huang Gang was sharp and street-smart even in Beijing; his mother sent him along to investigate his future son-in-law's family.

Wang Qiang's house had both new and old parts: three new brick rooms on the right, three old ones on the front.

Smoke rose from both chimneys—clearly, their heating was decent.

A large dog lay in its kennel by the gate, crunching on a bone.

Huang Gang nodded slightly—everything suggested Wang Qiang's parents lived well.

Don't assume all Beijingers are rich; some endured harsh winters too. Huang Gang's own courtyard home might not even match Wang Qiang's.

But when Fan Chunhua said "you'll get used to it, life's long," Huang Gang immediately frowned.

Did this woman mean to make his sister marry into Qingshui County?

But then Li Ye stepped forward, smiling: "Don't worry—your sister may settle in Beijing, or Pengcheng, even live permanently in Hong Kong—but she won't come to Qingshui County."

But Li Ye, who followed behind, stepped forward and smiled: "You needn't worry—your younger sister might settle in Jingcheng, or Pengcheng, or even make her permanent home on Hong Kong Island, but she'll never come to Qingshui County."

Huang Gang blinked, then shook his head: "Too far. Better if she stays in Beijing."

Li Ye smiled but said nothing, lifted the curtain, and ushered Huang Gang inside.

Inside the main room, they saw many guests—some Li Ye recognized, others he didn't.

But several men had flushed faces—he guessed they were close to the Wang family.

If they weren't close, how could they be this drunk?

(End of Chapter)

(End of chapter)