Chapter 178: Pan Xiaoqin

Pan Xiaoqin brought Zeng Dongming along, carrying a bag of fruit to see me. As soon as she entered, she shouted with a grin, "Brother, I've brought him here. Whether he lives or dies depends on a word from you."

Zeng Dongming blushed, bowed to offer me a cigarette, and followed Pan Xiaoqin's lead, calling me "Brother" with every breath.

Zeng Dongming was a native of Chunshan County, born to peasant parents. He hadn't studied much—just a junior high school graduate—but he was good at writing, especially poetry, having inherited something of the true essence of Haizi. He had published quite a few articles in various newspapers and magazines and was even a special correspondent for the *Hengyue Daily*.

Minister Wen, who was in charge of propaganda in the county, appreciated talent. He had originally wanted to get Zeng Dongming a formal position, but due to numerous restrictions and an unwillingness to let such a talent go to waste, he consulted various parties and arranged for him to work at the County Party School as a contract worker, promising that once policy loosened, he would definitely be the first to have his status resolved.

In truth, as the leader in charge of the propaganda sector, Minister Wen was just using a delaying tactic. Anyone with talent has a mindset different from the average person; they find impurities in the cracks of life, just as they can find a shadow under the sun.

Zeng Dongming had a bit of a reputation for his writing in small circles. Cadres in charge of propaganda fear nothing more than someone who might kick them while they're down; they always prefer to add flowers to brocade. If you don't recruit a person who might kick you while you're down, no one can guarantee when they might stab a huge hole in your reputation.

Minister Wen used a little trick, and Zeng Dongming followed him happily. Even though he was just an informal worker without a formal position, he at least had the County Party School's name hanging over his head, which made his back quite stiff when he went out to speak.

Principal Zhang of the County Party School knew his background and assigned Zeng Dongming to manage logistics, leaving him with a pile of trivial tasks every day. After several years, Zeng Dongming hadn't written a single poem, but he had come to know every cadre in the county, big and small.

Zeng Dongming knew his status; unable to write poetry, he didn't dare to be arrogant, and every day he was fearful and obedient to Principal Zhang. Whenever the County Party Committee's Propaganda Department needed to put together material on a model figure, Minister Wen would borrow him for a few days, and he would return once the work was done.

After several years of this cycle, he was still a rural household resident, and he harbored some resentment. However, after years of being polished down, the sharpness in him had long since vanished without a trace. He wanted to find an excuse to vent his temper, but his pen lacked the power, and in the end, he even lost his status as a special correspondent. Not daring to make a fuss, he had to be honest and obedient, fantasizing that one day Minister Wen would fulfill his promise.

It wasn't until he met Pan Xiaoqin that Zeng Dongming suddenly discovered there had been no spring in his life. That night, his thoughts flowed like a spring, and he wrote a long love poem. After finding out Pan Xiaoqin's address, he sent a letter expressing his endless longing and suffering.

Pan Xiaoqin received the letter, opened it in confusion, and read until her face turned red to the roots of her neck. Although she hadn't studied much, she was, after all, a young girl whose heart had just begun to stir. She could understand the sweet words of love, and feeling a sense of agitation in her heart, she wrote a letter back with a few sentences, one of which was: "Poets are either madmen or fools."

Zeng Dongming received the letter and was stunned by that one sentence, but immediately beamed with joy, suddenly realizing how profound a philosophical truth it contained. With such a woman, why should he hesitate? So, whenever he had free time, he would pedal his bicycle over mountains and ridges to Suxi.

Pan Xiaoqin remained lukewarm. If they happened to be eating, she would ask him to join, and sometimes when she needed to restock goods, she would ask Zeng Dongming to buy them in the county and bring them over on Sun Demao's vehicle. Neither of them broke the window paper, and half a year passed this way until Zeng Dongming's parents urged him to go back for an arranged marriage, threatening to sever the father-son relationship if he didn't marry.

Zeng Dongming took this threat, invited Pan Xiaoqin to stroll in the county park for a day, and by dusk, standing by a small river in the park, he finally spoke of his parents' intentions. After finishing, he added that if Pan Xiaoqin didn't agree to be with him, he would jump in and drown, making sure she would never have peace of mind for the rest of her life.

Pan Xiaoqin laughed and said, "I'll only have no peace of mind if you don't jump. If you dare to jump, I'll marry you."

Zeng Dongming froze for a moment, looked deeply at the smiling Pan Xiaoqin, and jumped without hesitation. Who knew that it was early winter, and the water in the river only reached his thighs? Seeing he couldn't drown himself, he threw his whole body in, buried his head in the water, and kicked his legs, splashing water like a duck.

Pan Xiaoqin laughed until she shook, not calling him up until she saw Zeng Dongming's lips turning blue from the cold, standing in the river shivering, and then she shouted, "Come up."

Zeng Dongming didn't move, looking at her with wide eyes, his lips trembling as he said, "If you promise me, I'll come up."

Pan Xiaoqin was afraid he would freeze, so she had to say, "Come up, and I'll promise you."

The two spent a long time arguing, and it was only when Zeng Dongming couldn't stand the cold anymore that he begged Xiaoqin, "If you don't give me an answer, even if I freeze into a pile of dung, you'll have to eat it."

Pan Xiaoqin wasn't afraid; she flicked her hand and turned to leave. Zeng Dongming called out a few times, but seeing she wouldn't turn back, he could only crawl onto the bank, fumbling, and hide behind a large tree to change his clothes. It turned out he had planned this, thinking a bitter-meat tactic would achieve his goal, but who knew Pan Xiaoqin wouldn't buy it? Disappointed, he had no choice but to follow behind Pan Xiaoqin like a dog, letting her point him east or west, never daring to cause any more trouble.

With this scene, the window paper was officially broken. Pan Xiaoqin brought him to my office and told me these stories, which moved me deeply.

Pan Xiaoqin was of the Yao ethnic group, and Yao people generally do not wish to intermarry with other ethnic groups. In the eyes of the Yao, children born with other ethnic groups are "mixed-bloods" and cannot enter the ancestral graves after death.

Pan Xiaoqin had no confidence, so she went to find Pan Shurong. Pan Shurong was straightforward, saying that in this new society, customs had been changing for many years, and besides, with national unity, as long as they were Chinese, they weren't mixed-bloods. Moreover, there were many precedents for Yao-Han intermarriage.

With this reassurance, Pan Xiaoqin thought about it for a few more days and finally decided to marry Zeng Dongming.

Zeng Dongming hired a matchmaker and, according to Yao customs, prepared sufficient gifts to formally propose to Pan Xiaoqin.

They came because Pan Xiaoqin was getting engaged and wanted to invite me to sit at the head table.

Sitting at the head table is an honor, usually reserved for people of high virtue and prestige. Of course, officials can also enjoy this honor.

Pan Xiaoqin invited me to sit at the head table not because I was the Township Head, but because I was her partner, her boss, and the brother she had recognized.

When I went to Pan Xiaoqin's supermarket, I found many people had come, including over a dozen from Gude Village. Suddenly, I saw Xue Bing there, busy greeting guests.

I walked behind her and called out softly, "You're here."

Xue Bing seemed not to hear me, continuing to greet guests with a smile and offering tea.

I coughed deliberately and said with emphasis, "Greetings to all the fellow villagers."

The people from Gude Village all recognized me and quickly stood up, replying hurriedly, "Greetings, Cadre, greetings, Cadre."

I pressed my hands down to signal everyone to sit, took out a pack of cigarettes, and handed them out one by one.

After chatting for a while in the lively atmosphere, Pan Xiaoqin came over and whispered in my ear, "Teacher Xue is crying in the back, aren't you going to take a look?"

I lowered my voice and said, "Look at the day it is; today is your engagement day, what is the meaning of her crying?" Then I changed the subject, "Why did you invite her?"

Pan Xiaoqin spread her hands and laughed helplessly, "I met her yesterday and just said it casually; who knew she would take it seriously and actually come?"

"However, I did tell her that I was inviting you to sit at the head table."

Pan Xiaoqin said mysteriously, "It's all because of you. Teacher Xue coming here, the drunkard's heart is not in the wine, after all."

I teased, "You've really grown up, you can even quote the ancients now."

Pan Xiaoqin laughed embarrassedly and said, "Brother, go and comfort her."

I had no choice but to walk to the back, where I saw Xue Bing leaning against the trunk of a weeping willow, her fingers picking at the bark, her shoulders shaking.

Walking closer, I saw her crying silently, pearls of tears falling on her porcelain-white face. My heart was filled with fear; I wanted to reach out and hold her, but in the end, I didn't dare to move, only standing there blankly, my mouth stammering, unable to make a sound for a long time.

Xue Bing didn't look at me; she picked a piece of bark off the trunk with her finger, threw it into the small stream at her feet, and asked me in a muffled voice, "What are you doing here?"

I smiled bitterly and said, "Xiaoqin said you were here, so I came to see."

"See what? See me sad?" She glanced at me quickly and lowered her head again.

"Why are you sad?" As soon as the words left my mouth, I felt I had asked a stupid question.

"What does my sadness have to do with you?" She sighed resentfully, "You are a very busy person, so busy you can disappear for months at a time. I realize now that I am not the person you want. I am sad for my own love; it is my own business."

I had no answer.

"I suddenly feel that all those vows of eternal love, all that talk of seas drying up and rocks crumbling, are all lies." Xue Bing said to herself, not looking at me, "Love is a lie; I don't believe in it anymore."

I wanted to speak but stopped, thinking for a long time before saying, "Love is beautiful, we should believe in it."

Xue Bing sneered, "Tell me, do we have love?"

I nodded affirmatively.

Xue Bing shook her head and said, "Since we are in love, why is it someone else holding the spirit tablet and not me?"

I was tongue-tied, stammering, "It was supposed to be Huang Qishan."

"But in the end, it wasn't him."

"I didn't expect that either."

"I'm afraid you had it all planned, didn't you?" Xue Bing glared at me with hatred, "You would rather have Pan Xiaoqin tell me than make a phone call yourself; what do you expect me to think?"

"Blame me, okay!" I softened my tone, "Besides, that doesn't represent anything."

"Don't say any more. I know everything. Her name is Huang Weiwei, the daughter of the Municipal Organization Department Minister, a cadre in the Municipal Women's Federation, isn't that right?"

I nodded and added, "She was originally doing social education in Chunshan County."

"I know all of that." Xue Bing said lightly, "If you don't know the enemy's background, how can you fight this war?"

"Fight what war?" I was shocked.

"I'm telling you, Chen Feng, I am currently fighting a war." Xue Bing threw down these words and walked away without looking back.

I stood there, my heart surging. Xue Bing's personality was originally as soft as water. Her soft and charming nature once made me forget to return home, making me think that all the beauties in the world were like paintings hanging on a wall.

But her words today were a clear signal that her heart was in chaos; she would not give up, and for the sake of happiness, she would not hesitate to fight a defensive war for love. ===== CHAPTER 179 =====