Chapter 422

The gates of the powerful are as deep as the sea, and human relationships are as thin as paper. People like me, from the grassroots, are everywhere. Looking up, although my father participated in the revolution, he was obscure his whole life. He was just a speck of dust that could be ignored in the vast torrent of revolution. Looking further up, my grandfather couldn't even have his remains preserved; a shell, and he was turned to ashes.

Grassroots are just grassroots; there is no lush green, nor towering greatness. But between heaven and earth, only the roots can be planted deep in the soil, unyielding and growing tenaciously. Although stepped on for a lifetime, they will never be trampled to death. As long as there is a tiny crack, they will surely poke their heads out to bathe in the sunshine and rain.

I am like this, and so is Guo Wei.

"Forget it, Chen Feng. Let's not go." Guo Wei sighed and handed the ring back to me.

"What's wrong?" I didn't take the ring.

"Ancient times taught that marriage should be between families of equal social status. As someone from a commoner family, I shouldn't try to climb higher." Guo Wei seemed full of worries. I understood that we had just come here excitedly to propose, and his sudden change of heart was related to what I just said about Qilin Villa.

"Ancient sayings also say, 'Are kings and nobles born with a special lineage?'" I chuckled, deliberately making the atmosphere light.

"That's what they say. But reality is cruel. You haven't seen it; throughout the dynasties, how many grassroots people have achieved great things? Even if by chance, it eventually ends up as a pipe dream."

Guo Wei losing his confidence was not necessarily a good thing for me.

"Zhao Kuangyin was a grassroots person too. When he was young, he was a monk and begged for food. Didn't he still achieve an eternal imperial cause?" I used an analogy to encourage his courage.

"Forget it. I'm not going." Guo Wei insisted on turning back. At such a critical moment, this was the very embodiment of "one wrong step leads to eternal regret."

I couldn't give up; if Guo Wei and Chen Meng succeeded, it would give me infinite help in the future. Because as of now, I have done him a favor.

Educated people are reasonable and differ from ordinary people in terms of morality and humanity. Reasonable people know how to be grateful; if I facilitated this matter, I would be Guo Wei's benefactor.

Actually, in my opinion, Chen Meng might not be suitable for He Jiaxiao.

Leaving aside Aunt Wanru, just regarding He Jiaxiao, a man who avoids courage in the face of love—can he give his woman happiness? This is a question mark.

Although they already have a child, this is just a product of passion and not necessarily love.

Chen Meng is several years older than He Jiaxiao, which is an unbridgeable chasm in Aunt Wanru's heart. Aunt Wanru, with her deep-rooted ideas, doesn't want her dashing son to face a withered woman in a dozen years.

Time is ruthless, and the storms remain. People will age, and women age faster than men. For a woman, once she passes thirty, time will ruthlessly begin to destroy her. As long as time carves a fine line on a woman's face, it will be like ripples on water, layer upon layer, connected in circles, never-ending.

Aunt Wanru knows her son's character well; rather than discord in the future, it's better not to connect now.

But the fruit her son produced is a pain in her heart. After all, the child has the blood of the old He family flowing in his veins. As the grandson of a dignified Municipal Party Deputy Secretary, no matter what, he cannot bear someone else's surname.

This is why my Aunt Wanru has been guarding Chen Meng.

"Go. You also know that love needs to be fought for, and happiness needs to be struggled for. You haven't tried, so don't give up lightly." I persuaded him, but my heart felt like a giant stone was hanging there. If Chen Meng rejected Guo Wei, I wouldn't know how to clean up the situation.

Men are all people who care about face. Since I've known him, Guo Wei has always been someone far ahead of me. If he lost face in this matter, it would be more painful than death.

Guo Wei calmed down for a while under my persuasion. We sat in the back of the taxi, he holding a cluster of fiery red roses, and in his hand, a bright red brocade box.

Our eyes looked outside the car; cars came and went on the street, and people came and went on the roadside. In every car, there is a story. On every person, there is a legend.

We were silent for a while, and the car stopped at the gate of the Municipal Committee family compound.

The armed police on duty knew me; seeing me, he grinned. At a glance, he saw the roses in Guo Wei's arms, his eyes lit up, and he wanted to speak.

I waved for him to be quiet and accompanied Guo Wei straight to Secretary Chen's door.

The old nanny who opened the door was so shocked to see us that her mouth hung open.

A child's crying came from inside the house; I looked past the old nanny and saw Aunt Wanru's busy back.

I didn't see Chen Meng, nor did I see Secretary Chen or Aunt Mo. I even suspected I had gone to the wrong door, thinking I was in my cousin's house.

Until Aunt Wanru turned around and saw me, calling out in surprise: "Xiao Feng, why is it you?"

I seemed to wake up suddenly, walked quickly to her side, and looked down at the baby she was holding.

Aunt Wanru smiled contentedly, gently patting the child and saying: "Good boy, Uncle is here to see you. Smile."

The child who had been crying suddenly stopped, a sunny smile appearing on his face. He was chubby and adorable, and the contours of Chen Meng could vaguely be seen on his delicate face.

I reached out to hold him, and Aunt Wanru handed him to me carefully. Turning back, she saw Guo Wei standing at the door and asked in surprise: "Who is he?"

I smiled and introduced him: "Xiao Guo."

"Which Xiao Guo?" Aunt Wanru looked at him vigilantly, her eyes sweeping to the roses in his arms, her eyebrows raised, and she asked: "What are you doing with flowers? Don't you know children are allergic to pollen?"

Guo Wei's face turned red and white, unable to advance or retreat.

I asked Aunt: "Where is Chen Meng?"

Aunt Wanru pointed to the room inside and said in a low voice: "Just fell asleep. Do you have something to find her for?"

I stammered, and Aunt Wanru seemed to understand, glaring and shouting: "Xiao Feng, what kind of trick are you playing?"

She walked straight to Guo Wei, pointed to the door behind him, and said: "Get out."

Guo Wei's face flushed red instantly, and he muttered: "I didn't come to find you."

"It doesn't matter who you're looking for. Didn't you hear me say the child is allergic to pollen?"

"The flowers aren't for the child."

"Whose flowers are they?" Aunt Wanru asked coldly.

Guo Wei stopped speaking, casting his eyes at me, waiting for me to speak.

I didn't expect Aunt Wanru to have such a standoffish attitude. In my opinion, she was too reserved to ignore basic politeness.

"Why are you still standing there? Get out." Aunt Wanru said, actually reaching out to push him.

Guo Wei didn't stand steady and stumbled; the brocade box in his hand fell to the ground, and the diamond ring rolled out of the box, rolling to Aunt Wanru's feet.

Aunt Wanru was stunned for a moment, staring at the diamond ring for a long time, seemingly understanding. Her face changed, she snatched the child from my hands, pointed to the door, and shouted: "Chen Feng, you get out too."

I was startled, still wanting to shamelessly speak.

Aunt Wanru saw I wasn't moving and shouted sternly: "Are you getting out or not?"

I had to smile and say: "Aunt..."

"Get out!" She squeezed the words through her teeth.

"I..." I still wanted to argue.

Aunt Wanru didn't want to listen to me, turned around, walked to the sofa, sat down, lowered her head, and kissed the child's face: "Grandson, tell him to get out."

I was left between laughing and crying; I hadn't expected such a scene.

I originally thought Aunt Wanru's heart was only on the child, but I didn't expect her to be like an old hen now, firmly protecting Chen Meng under her wings.

Just as I was about to leave, Chen Meng came out from inside.

She looked at us, her eyes falling on the diamond ring on the ground, and a smile spread across her face.

"Why are you all standing there? Come over and sit." She said softly, walking gracefully to the sofa and sitting down, her eyes looking at the child in Aunt Wanru's arms.

Guo Wei hesitated for a moment, and I gave him a wink, encouraging him to speak.

Guo Wei walked straight to Chen Meng, handed her the roses, and said: "Mengmeng, I've come to see you."

Chen Meng didn't take the flowers, but called to me: "Chen Feng, you come over too."

I looked at Aunt Wanru, who was as cold as frost, and hesitated, not daring to go over.

"Didn't you hear me call you?" Aunt Wanru raised her head and looked at me.

I had to go over, standing behind Aunt Wanru's sofa, lowering my head and saying nothing.

"What are you doing?" Chen Meng looked at the roses, then at the diamond ring lying on the ground, and asked me with a smile.

"Xiao Guo, Xiao Guo wants to..." I looked at Aunt Wanru and didn't dare to continue.

Chen Meng sighed and said: "Chen Feng, do you think this is appropriate?"

Before I could speak, Aunt Wanru interjected: "Appropriate my foot. Xiao Feng, you wait, I'll call your uncle to find you."

Chen Meng smiled faintly: "Chen Feng, this is my house; if you have something to say, say it."

Aunt Wanru looked at Chen Meng, stood up without a word, and carried the child into the inner room.

I pondered for a long time and said in a low voice: "I accompanied Guo Wei here to propose."

Chen Meng laughed and said: "You really know how to pick your time."

She had the demeanor of a gentle young woman, as if she were talking about something that had nothing to do with her. Her movements were graceful, her smile faint. A thick maternal love rippled around her.

"I'll ask you one more time, is it appropriate?"

I was speechless. What is appropriate or not? Could it be that marrying He Jiaxiao is appropriate?

"You guys go back!" She issued an order to leave.

She stood up to see us off, and I couldn't linger. Guo Wei, on the side, was still stiffly extending his hand, the roses in his hand trembling slightly; I could almost hear the rustling of the flowers.

At the door, Chen Meng pulled me and said in a low voice: "Help me tell him, I'm not marrying anyone."