Chapter Eleven: Clearing the Clouds and Seeing the Sun
Life seems to be hard to love.
Most of the time, all living beings in the world are being manipulated, teased, and tossed back and forth involuntarily under the control of fate.
As an ordinary living being, "human beings" usually can only be patient and wait.
It has been almost a year since he returned to the capital, and Chang Xianzhang's current situation is particularly uncomfortable.
What worries him is that not only is there no possibility of any change in the political situation of his entire family, but he is also tortured by the pressure of survival and emotional confusion at the same time.
At first, he returned to the capital because of the news that the "great man" was about to come back. But although this incident had become a reality, its impact and effect were far from what he expected, saving the Chang family from the quagmire.
The incident involving his parents almost caused him to run away and break his leg. He also submitted a lot of materials to plead for his parents' vindication and removal. But whether it was the Organization Department of the Education Bureau, the Petition Office of Yongding Gate, or the political work group of the High School Affiliated to Normal University
, let him step on the threshold, and there will be no progress at all.
The better reception staff could even say some words of relief when they saw him, saying that there were tens of thousands of people like his in the country, and they could only try various methods and wait patiently.
If someone is not good, they will say, "The problem of the 'Old Right' is different from that of the 'capitalist roaders'. There is no possibility of wrong demarcation. Don't do it again." This is just to beat him to death with a stick and give him a hard nail.
Of course, it's not like he hasn't thought of other ways. For example, his father's close relatives and some in office have come to him to plead with anyone he could find out.
It's a pity that his father is a nerd who only knows about learning. When he was the deputy director, he was famous for his rigid temperament and scholarly spirit. He was very casual in his interactions with people. He neither liked his superiors nor his subordinates, and he had very few friends, which made him offended.
There are far more people than those close to you.
Therefore, the few people who might be able to help are not enthusiastic about the affairs of the Chang family. Some people even tore off the masks of the old disguise and ridiculed the Chang family's current desolation.
This allowed him to see the ugliest and most philistine side of human nature, and he also fully understood what it means to be warm and cold in human relationships and the coldness of the world.
During these days, the only thing that could make him feel warm and moved was the tenderness from Gu Lingye.
This girl who had been waiting for him for eight years like "Wang Baochuan" never wanted to be separated from him as soon as he returned to the capital.
No matter how her natal family tried to persuade or scare her, she would always say, "I will be a member of the Chang family for the rest of my life. If I can't get into the Chang family, I will never marry."
This made her parents so angry that they pretended they had never given birth to their daughter and wanted to break away from her.
But she didn't care at all. She just sewed and mended Zi Lai every day, washed him, asked him about his welfare, cleaned and cooked. She sent him all the things distributed by the unit, and helped him run around whenever she had free time.
, ask for news.
To put it bluntly, she was so determined that she regarded herself as the daughter-in-law of the Chang family. If the Gu family hadn't kept a close eye on her, she would have stolen the household registration book and dragged him to register for marriage.
As for him, his unyielding and extremely persistent love for Gu Lingye was of course inexplicably moved and deeply cherished. But at the same time, he couldn't help but feel a great mental pressure and an indescribable inferiority complex.
Because if we follow the ancient saying of our ancestors that "poor and lowly couples will always suffer," or the theory of philosophers that "the economic base determines the superstructure," their future is obviously not bright at all.
Don’t forget, Wang Baochuan worked hard at the cold kiln for eighteen years, and what awaited him was Xue Pinggui, who became the King of Xiliang after becoming famous. But he had no household registration, no food and oil connections, no fixed occupation, and it was difficult to support himself.
Idle people.
It sounds worse than an ordinary farmer who is well-established and honest. What can he do to protect this relationship, fulfill the responsibilities of a husband, and bring happiness to the people he loves?
It’s not that he doesn’t work hard, it’s that he can’t use his strength! It’s not that he has no knowledge, it’s that the knowledge is of no use! It’s not that he has no ability, it’s just the reality.
In these days, even if a person has great talent, unparalleled martial arts, a wealth of knowledge, and extraordinary abilities, as long as the political problem is not resolved, he will not have a place anywhere.
So all the time, as he ran into obstacles time and time again, his psychology became weaker and weaker.
Especially at the end of the year, the money given to him by Hong Yanwu and Chen Liquan had basically been used up, and he had to rely on Gu Lingye's savings and salary to survive.
But how did he feel every time he took the money from Gu Lingye? It was as painful as a needle prick.
This kind of stimulation made him clearly realize that reality has no room for him to move. Love, marriage, and a happy life are all luxuries for him. He simply cannot afford them! He can live like this for a while, maybe for a lifetime.
What?
He really doesn't know when he will be able to make a difference, and he even feels that his parents' problem may never be solved!
Therefore, even though the two of them stayed together until night several times, and Gu Lingye had the intention to "stay", he always restrained himself rationally and did not dare to cross that thunderous step at all.
The more he loved, the more afraid he was, fearing that he would ruin Gu Lingye's life. He even had the urge to break up with Gu Lingye again! He advised her to find the happiness that should have been hers long ago!
The most painful thing was that he could not express this unbearable psychological burden to anyone, and could only suffer in it over and over again in his own heart.
He didn't dare to write to his parents for fear that they would blame themselves and become anxious. He also didn't dare to tell his sister that she already had her own small family and she had enough to worry about in her daily life and work, without causing her to worry about it.
It's useless to worry about yourself.
Of course, he did not dare to let Gu Lingye see any of his thoughts.
Not to mention that he really loves her to the extreme. Just say that these eight years have passed and she is already twenty-eight years old. The best youthful time of her life has been spent waiting for herself.
And for this unimaginable persistence, and for the nearly a hundred unsent love letters in the study, how could he, how dare he, break the rekindled hopes and dreams of this infatuated girl?
That is really cruel!
He was confused, trapped, and panicked. He truly felt the pain of being at a loss and in a dilemma.
So in front of his eyes, even though he was watching Gu Lingye trying to find ways to collect New Year's goods, he himself had no spirit of celebrating the New Year at all. In fact, he even felt uneasy about every meal he ate. He simply didn't know that he was
Do you deserve to live?
It was at this time that Hong Yanwu and Chen Liquan arrived.
It should be said that for Chang Xianzhang, who was in trouble, the visit of his two students on the last day of the year was simply too timely.
This was not only because they brought generous annual gifts, which relieved his urgent need. It also allowed him to finally find someone to whom he could express his anguish.
What was even more unexpected was that after he couldn't help but talk about it, Hong Yanwu gave him a firm and powerful refutation and a well-founded analysis of all his concerns and confusions.
He never dreamed that one day his own students would teach him a crucial lesson.
"Oh, my dear Teacher Chang, don't be anxious! Is it possible that when the 'great man' comes back, no one will object and there will be no resistance? The country is in dire straits waiting to be revitalized, and it is difficult to recover. There must be a process before things will get better..."
"Old Chang, I think you have to look at things this way. Don't just speculate and analyze policy directions, but also consider the methods of doing things. For example, the policies just released by the upper management are, I think, a trial process. It is necessary to test the resistance.
How big is it? It is also testing the strength of support. Like the "great man" who quietly focused on science and technology education as soon as he came out, but it was restored at the end of the college entrance examination. What a clever move, he did it in one fell swoop and understood the support of public opinion.
The powerful force. Then there is no need to hesitate and worry about the next step. We can directly compete for public opinion and overturn the unjust, false and wrongful convictions caused by previous "movements". Of course, this process must have a sequence. I know the director's son. According to his information
, no more than this year at most, there must be specific policies. This is a matter of course, there is no doubt about this..."
"However, there are policies. This is just a general trend at the strategic level. If we really want to get things done, we must be tactically focused on methods and methods. You see, at least one thing I said is right. There are more than thousands of families across the country waiting to be rehabilitated and removed.
Wan. Is it possible to solve it all at once? It’s like queuing up to buy something. Although you can buy it without going through the back door without plugging in, you can just wait until the end..."
"Old Chang, what I mean is that we have to work hard if we can, and we can't be too arrogant. If nothing else, can Teacher Gu afford to wait? Your parents are still suffering. If it had been solved a day earlier, it wouldn't have been possible.
Same. Of course, I know you are not good at this. Just like when you first visited relatives, you just bring some small gifts to the door and point out that you are purely interested in friendship. That will definitely not work. We still have to find the right person and spend a lot of money.
That's right. Don't worry, I'm here with you. I'll give you some advice later..."
"By the way, since we are talking about Teacher Gu, please forgive me for being disrespectful and have to say a few words. In fact, in my opinion, you have to marry someone no matter what. Yes, I understand that you think men should be women.
Protector, I feel that my current situation makes me unqualified to get married. But you are really wrong to think so, because your relationship has reached this stage and cannot be hindered by the world. If you don't marry her, you will be even more sorry for her...
…
"To put it bluntly, what does Teacher Gu want after waiting for you for eight years? It's not that you can get ahead, or that your father can be restored to his original position. In other words, he wants to live a down-to-earth life with you. He has already prepared for the worst.
. But if you can’t even get this marriage certificate, then you are really sorry for me. Teacher, it may take more courage to accept love than to give love, but it is also the responsibility that a man should bear..."
"In short, don't worry about material things. I'm not bragging. In fact, for us brothers, the easiest thing now is money. I will definitely never let you suffer from poverty again. You
Look, I brought all the money, you spend this thousand first. We will tell you how much you need later..."
"Don't, don't let it go, master and disciple are like father and son! Not to mention that it was us who tricked you into this, even if we follow the old etiquette, we still have to provide for you until you die... You are a person who will lose your motivation if you continue to push.
I'm so angry. I remember when we were making up lessons and reading at your place, eating and drinking for several years and you didn't even get a penny. This money is justifiable even for late make-up lessons... Where did it come from? Why did you tell me
Am I like a big brother? Don’t worry, we earned it with our hands in Bincheng’s ‘touching the sea’! If you don’t believe me, ask Quanzi...”
"Old Chang, we are not being hypocritical. I think your current vision is a bit too limited, and your mind is narrowed. To take a step back, you can see that both of us, the labor camp inmates, can live a comfortable life on our own. You
Why do you think this world has no chance? It’s so negative! Stop thinking blindly. No matter what, we can all have food to eat. As you used to say, there will be bread and milk.
of……"
Not to mention, Hong Yanwu draws analogies by analogy. He interprets and predicts the direction of policies from the perspective of utilitarian gains and losses, and analyzes the relationship between Chang Xianzhang and Gu Lingye from the perspective of human nature, which all makes sense.
In addition, he used himself as an example, which truly proved that there are still more choices in life. As long as he works hard, there will be better results. So Chang Xianzhang was like clearing the clouds and seeing the sun. Not only did he think in his heart
When it becomes brighter, the layers of fog in front of my eyes are cleared one by one.
Indeed, under the influence of Hong Yanwu, he rekindled hope in life, and the long-lost confidence and optimism returned to him unknowingly...
Near noon, Gu Lingye, wiping away tears, finally returned to the downstairs of Chang Xianzhang's home with two kilograms of pork, a can of tomato sauce, a kilogram of Fuqiang powder, a kilogram of cut cakes, a bottle of fruit wine and half a kilogram of fruit candies.
.
She left home early this morning and went to the Caishikou vegetable market. But the place was already overcrowded. Everything she could afford required tickets and books, but she couldn't afford the things she didn't need tickets for. So she paid.
Da Jin, she only got some cut cakes and fruit candies.
After thinking about it for the last time, she felt that tomorrow was New Year's Eve and she had to make dumplings for Chang Xianzhang anyway. So she simply went home again. She had a big fight with her parents until her eyes were like peaches from crying.
Finally, the old couple showed mercy and took away some of the things they had prepared for the New Year.
However, when she went upstairs, she tidied herself up, wiped away her tears, and tried her best to smile. Because she knew that Chang Xianzhang had been upset recently, and she really didn't want him to see that she had been wronged.
But what happened next was really strange. As soon as she entered the corridor, she smelled the strong aroma of stewed meat, and when she opened the door of Chang's house...
Drink! A sumptuous meal has been laid out on the dining table in the living room. There are eggs, sweet and sour pork ribs, prawns and cabbage, and a bottle of sweet-scented osmanthus...
Even the walls and the floor are dazzling, with many colorful high-end and in-demand New Year goods...
While she was in shock, Chang Xianzhang, wearing an apron, also walked out of the kitchen with dishes and chopsticks. He also showed a rare smile in recent days and greeted her affectionately.
"Ling Ye, you're back, are you hungry? Today we will also improve and let you have a taste of my craftsmanship..."
Of course, Gu Lingye looked in disbelief and asked urgently.
"Xianzhang, what...is going on?"
"Hi, Xiao Wu and Quanzi are here. These are all sent by them. Those two brats, each one calls me "Old Chang", they really treat me as a buddy, no matter how big or small..."
"Ah? What about them?"
"If you leave, I can't keep you no matter what. I'm probably still afraid of seeing you and being embarrassed again..."
Gu Lingye blushed.
"Am I that scary? In fact, I can only thank them now. If it weren't for them, how would you have come back? This... is so embarrassing..."
"It's okay, we agreed. They will come to visit us again on the second day of the Lunar New Year. Just cook some good dishes then. By the way, your father likes to eat seafood. They sent a lot, so you can take more back. And those
Canned food and fruit…”
"Okay, okay, I know you have two good students who don't forget their roots, so don't show off..."
"As I said, they were your students at the earliest..."
At this time, Gu Lingye looked at the energetic Chang Xianzhang and really smiled from the bottom of his heart...