Chapter 263: Chapter 255: Tian Xinhua Goes to the Countryside
Tian Sisi later heard from Niu Erniu about the Kang Mianhua family. Kang Mianhua’s father was the eldest son of Kang Tudi, an outstanding soldier who died in the line of duty before Mianhua was born. Mianhua’s mother died from heartbreak after giving birth to her, leaving Mianhua an orphan with just an elder brother five years older than her.
Kang Mianhua was raised by Kang Tudi himself. Kang Tudi’s current wife is his second, who bore him two sons, Mianhua’s uncles. However, like their mother, both uncles were somewhat selfish and treated Mianhua and her brother poorly. Thankfully, with Kang Tudi in the house, at least Mianhua and her brother were spared from worse mistreatment.
He Chengsi didn’t expect that Kang Mianhua had it even worse than him. He didn’t say much, but he soon started speaking more gently to Mianhua, softening a lot.
Tian Sisi wondered what kind of relation this Kang Tudi and Luo Datou couple had? To just send their granddaughter over without any worries at all. Didn’t they care a bit?
As soon as Kang Tudi entered his house, a fair-skinned elderly lady greeted him, "Old Kang, did someone rob our house? There’s a lot less grain."
"I took it. Mianhua is staying at someone else’s house, I needed to take some grain to her," Kang Tudi explained gruffly.
Mrs. Kang felt a tightness in her chest, almost wanting to fiercely slap the man before her, but she had always presented herself as gentle and virtuous, unable to behave like a shrew. She suppressed her anger and said with a smile:
"How can our Kang family members stay in someone else’s house? Old Kang, you should bring Mianhua back home. There’s no place like home!"
Actually, Mrs. Kang wanted to say to just bring the sack of grain back. Nowadays, grain was rationed, and although their family was better off than average families, they were not rich by any means. Kang Tudi had just taken forty to fifty kilograms, which pained her deeply.
Kang Tudi looked at his wife with scorn. This wife was not his choice, but arranged by the organization. She was beautiful and educated, more than a match for a coarse man like him, yet he longed for his former wife, an illiterate, unattractive woman who cursed and fought.
If Mianhua’s grandmother were still alive, why would Mianhua and her brother (Qiao Mai) suffer so much? How could he have the heart to send Mianhua to someone else’s house? There’s an old saying, "gold and silver nests are not as good as one’s own dog’s nest," but his "dog’s nest" indeed couldn’t compare to someone else’s golden one.
Mianhua had been staying at Luo Datou’s house for a few days, and she was smiling more and looking healthier than at home. Ah, it was his incompetence! He couldn’t provide his granddaughter with a good life!
Yet those sons of his, worthless as they are, still his sons, Kang Tudi could handle others harshly but couldn’t bring himself to be harsh with his own sons.
As Mianhua was growing older by the day, he was aging faster each year, and his body was deteriorating, including the old shrapnel wounds which were becoming more painful. He feared he might not have much time left. He wasn’t worried about his grandson, a boy in the military watched over by the government, but he had to make arrangements for Mianhua, or who knows what sort of man this venomous woman and her sons would marry her off to?
Luckily, fate intervened, and just as he was worrying, Mianhua was rescued by Luo Datou’s nephew. Indeed, heaven never seals off all exits, this son-in-law was truly a gift from above!
Mrs. Kang felt uncomfortable under Kang Tudi’s gaze, offered a strained smile, and tried again to persuade her husband to bring the grain back, but Kang Tudi spoke up: "Mianhua is better off living in someone else’s house, at least she’s well-fed and doesn’t have to suffer. Those grains are her own stock, you should stop eyeing it."
"But Mianhua doesn’t have that much grain in a month! You took double the amount!"
"That was to make up for the grain you withheld from Mianhua in the past to feed your own grandson. Don’t pretend I don’t know. If you think there’s not enough grain, eat less yourself."
"Old Kang, what do you mean ’your grandson’? Isn’t your grandson my grandson too? What are you trying to say?"
"If it weren’t for the sake of the grandson, do you think I could have tolerated you until now?"
Kang Tudi looked at the woman who had been by his side for most of his life with a smile that was not quite a smile. If it weren’t for occasionally hearing her talk to their two sons, he really wouldn’t have known the true face behind his virtuous wife, could it be that the grandson’s early enlistment in the military was also credited to this woman?
No wonder Luo Datou used to always say that he was blind despite having eyes, it seems like Luo Datou might have seen through this woman long ago, and indeed, I really am a blind man!
Mrs. Kang’s heart skipped a beat, did the old man find out something? With a guilty conscience, Mrs. Kang dare not bring up the matter about the grain anymore, preferring to wait until her son returned.
After returning to Beijing, Tian Xinhua became busy once again. The night before Tian Sisi and the others returned to Shanghai, Tian Xinhua came over while she was packing her luggage, seemingly preoccupied.
"Brother Xin Hua, what have you been busy with these past few days?" Tian Sisi stopped packing her luggage altogether and sat in front of him.
Tian Xinhua embraced Tian Sisi, placed her on his lap, buried his head in her neck and took a deep breath before saying, "Ah Nan, I’m going to be sent to the countryside to the rural reassignment next month."
"Brother Xin Hua? Aren’t you still in high school? Why are they sending you to the rural reassignment?" Tian Sisi was extremely surprised; normally, students still in school wouldn’t need to join the rural reassignment.
"My teacher arranged it, he wants me to go to the countryside to train for a year, and next year he will send me to Tsinghua University for further studies."
First to be sent as an educated youth, then to study in university, and after graduating from university he might work in government, Tian Xinhua’s life is taking a completely different path from his previous life! But is this the path he truly desires?
"Brother Xin Hua, didn’t you always say you wanted to earn a lot of money? If you don’t like going to college, then don’t. In the future, we can make wine together and sell it, we will definitely earn a lot."
Tian Sisi looked at Tian Xinhua with worry. The path of politics isn’t so simple, fraught with dangers and thorns, one careless step could lead to falling into an abyss, shattered completely. Rather than chasing after unseen fame and fortune, she would rather have Tian Xinhua be an ordinary merchant.
The concern in Tian Sisi’s eyes was too apparent. Tian Xinhua kissed her forehead gently and said softly, "Ah Nan, don’t worry, Brother Xin Hua really likes studying in university. In the future, Brother Xin Hua will definitely become as impressive as Mr. Yun. Then, Ah Nan, you won’t have to worry about anyone coming to get you anymore!"
Tian Sisi sighed. She didn’t expect the situation in Inner Mongolia to inspire Tian Xinhua to pursue a political career. She knew that once Tian Xinhua made a decision, he wouldn’t change it.
But her heart was touched; having such a man wholeheartedly caring and protecting her made even a heart of iron melt.
"Brother Xin Hua will definitely succeed, I will help Brother Xin Hua, we’ll strive together!"
Tian Sisi said earnestly, although she couldn’t reveal Space, she would do her utmost to help Tian Xinhua climb higher.
"Right, let’s strive together!"
Tian Xinhua’s heart, uncertain of what the future held, became steadied in that moment, holding Tian Sisi tightly and filled with confidence about the future!