Chapter 1384: Xiang Dong
Jing Chuang Dong wandered back home in a daze, not knowing what he should do. It was no longer possible for him to come back on his own terms. But he really couldn’t swallow it.
He looked at the time; he might as well cook for Dad and his younger brothers.
He’d been cooking since he was a child, so he was used to it. Doing this actually calmed him down.
All the elders had told him to just keep his head down and work steadily.
He gave a self-mocking smile. He’d really let them blindfold him. Come back? Go from being a formal worker in a city factory to coming back here to farm? Never mind himself, even other people would laugh him to death over it.
After he finished making lunch, he tidied up the yard, then once again sorted out his things, ready to take everything back to the city.
Li Yunqiang came back and saw that lunch was already done; he felt a bit more comfortable.
"Dad, I’m going back this afternoon."
"Mm."
"Dad, did you know that the liquor from our distillery can’t be sold?"
Li Yunqiang nodded. "I know."
"Then we just keep investing and there’s no return."
"Everyone in the village agreed. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll just divide it up."
This made Jing Chu even more determined not to work at the distillery. If he came back, it would just be to earn work points; what would be the point of that?
He had already applied to the higher-ups, saying that he could drive a truck and knew how to source goods. Now he could only wait for news.
"Oh right, on the tenth, Chaoyang and Lv Zhiqing are getting formally engaged."
Jing Chu was stunned. Even though the two of them had already said they were together, hearing that they were going to get engaged still made him feel extremely upset.
"I’ll ask for leave and come back."
"You should. You and Chaoyang grew up together. If he’s getting engaged, you ought to come back. And you’re not young anymore either. You should hurry up and find someone and settle down too."
He hadn’t planned to interfere, but he felt he ought to say it anyway.
Jing Chu nodded. There were almost no women workers in the factory; even if there were, they were in the offices. He basically never had any contact with them. Where was he supposed to find a partner?
To find another girl from the village, he just couldn’t accept that.
After he finished eating, he went over to Li Yungui’s place; the children didn’t give him a pleasant face at all, even yelling at their dad.
"Second Uncle, where’s Chaoyang?"
"He went to the city with Jing Chu."
Now Jing Chu was really displeased. He’d told the two of them that he was going back today. How could they go to the city without calling him along?
"When did they leave?"
"In the morning. Chaoyang’s engagement is on the tenth of next month; there’s a lot of things they need to prepare."
"Mm. Second Uncle, I just came over to let you know I’m going back to work now."
"Mm, do a good job."
Jing Chu felt that he and Chaoyang were getting further and further apart. Before, no matter what, he would have at least asked him. Now he just left without a word.
He went home, slung the clothes and daily necessities he’d packed onto his back, and walked off to the commune to catch the bus back.
All the way, his heart was full of resentment toward Chaoyang. But even more than that, it was jealousy. That he could get someone as beautiful as Jing Chu—he really couldn’t accept it.
Out working in the fields, Tao Chun also heard that Jing Chu and Chaoyang were together. His heart only stirred for a moment. He no longer felt the same amazement he’d had the first time he saw Lv Jingchu. She was indeed very beautiful, but for him, beautiful women weren’t that hard to find; what he needed was a woman who could be helpful to his family and to himself.
"How come Lv Zhiqing is willing to marry into the village?"
The female educated youths whispered among themselves.
"They must have known each other long ago. Feelings, I guess."
"I’ve seen Chaoyang too. He’s a pretty ordinary guy. Aside from being tall, there’s nothing special about him."
"They just took a liking to each other, that’s all. Who knows when we’ll get to go back?" Hou Wenhui sighed. She was getting older and still hadn’t had any news about going back; if she got any older, no one would want her.
She turned her head and glanced at Shen Youjun, bit her lip—might as well be him. They had come here together, so they were familiar with each other, but she still felt unwilling. Shen Youjun’s circumstances were really very average, but there was no one else more suitable for her.
She made up her mind, thinking that today she had to talk to Shen Youjun. The quietest one was Tao YanZhen; ever since she’d seen Lv Guodong and the others come back, she’d been like this.
She couldn’t let go, really couldn’t. Tao YanZhen felt she was just waiting out her days now, with no idea when she would finally get through them. She didn’t even dare see either of the two of them now.
She was afraid she’d lose control, afraid she’d do something even she herself would despise.
She had long since pushed Yang Zhongyi to the back of her mind.
When Yang Zhongyi came home on leave, he called his family. Since he’d already decided to listen to his family’s arrangements, and had also discussed things with the Tao Family Brothers and Sisters, he wouldn’t drag things out.
Yang Jiu Long took a call from his youngest son. After listening, he felt a bit sad. It wasn’t that he didn’t like his three older sons, but they’d never really lived together; the feelings simply weren’t as deep as what he had with the youngest.
"Zhongyi, if you really don’t want to, then just leave it as it is for now."
"Dad, actually, Tao YanZhen is a very outstanding girl; it’s just that I don’t love her. But the girl I love doesn’t love me, so marrying into the Tao Family is still acceptable."
"Have you thought it through? You won’t regret it later?"
"Mm, I’ve thought it through."
"Alright, then the two of you get along for now. What I discussed with the Tao Family was two years; there’s still more than a year left."
"Okay, I understand."
"And how are Run and the other three?"
"They’re not with me, but they’re very safe. They’re living in a village; the two younger ones have suddenly become really fond of studying."
"Something like that happened?"
"Mm, Grandpa should know that Run came over together with another family—that family. The two younger ones don’t want to go back, but that family hasn’t agreed to take them in."
Something like that? They must have known the Yang Family’s status, but still didn’t agree?
"Mm, they can come back whenever they want; don’t worry about them.
And, the Xu Family your mom had her eye on is finished."
Yang Zhongyi paused. "Finished?"
"Mm. Our family almost got implicated. Now your mom has calmed down."
"Mm, I know." He’d known what kind of person Xu Ying was since he was a child. Once, when he went to the Xu Family to play, he’d seen her lose her temper, smashing things and hitting people.
So no matter how gentle she pretended to be in front of him, he would never agree.
"Dad, where’s Mom?"
"She’s out. Call her yourself."
"Forget it, I’ll call her in a while." He knew exactly what kind of person his mother was. He didn’t want to listen to her crying and complaining right now. It would all be about things that never even happened.
After hanging up, Yang Zhongyi felt a bit lighter.
Since it was already decided, then so be it. He would never be like his father. Even if he couldn’t give Tao YanZhen love, he would absolutely be loyal to his family and never betray it. That was his bottom line as a person.