Suddenly the light came on, and Hongcai returned. Manzhen turned over and fell asleep facing inwards.
Hongcai came home unusually early today. It was rare for him to come home for dinner, and Manzhen never questioned him about it. She knew he was out having a great time again, but today it was raining, and he was too lazy to go out, so he came home early. He walked to the bedside, sat down, took off his shoes and put on slippers, and casually asked, "Why are you lying here all alone?"
"Hmm?" he said, placing his hand on her knee and squeezing it. For some reason, he seemed to have developed a strong liking for her today. At times like this, she needed such strength to suppress her hatred; she had no strength left at all.
She lay there motionless and silent. Hongcai, finding the room too hot, changed into slippers and went downstairs; there was a fan in the living room that he could turn on.
Manzhen lay in bed. Although the windows were closed, she could still hear a radio coming from a house in the alley, playing a pipa with a tinkling sound. A middle-aged man was singing, his voice slightly hushed and murmuring, though it was hard to make out clearly. The sound of the pipa was like the sound of rain, and in this gloomy weather, heard from afar through the rainy night, it carried an even more desolate quality.
The rain brought a chill to the air the next day. Manzhen, intending to call Jiemin to ask him to come over after work to send money to her mother, received a call from Weimin saying that Mrs. Gu had arrived in Shanghai and was with him. Manzhen went to his house, and mother and daughter were reunited. Mrs. Gu had endured much hardship on her journey; she had traveled by wheelbarrow, the cart driver being taken away by a laborer, and she had walked over a hundred miles. Today, the weather had turned cold, and she had caught a chill on the train, coughing constantly until her throat was hoarse. However, since arriving, she hadn't stopped talking. When she first arrived, Weimin hadn't returned yet, so she recounted her experiences to her daughter-in-law and mother-in-law. After Weimin returned, she told him again, and when he called Jiemin, she told him everything. This was the fourth time she had told Manzhen. It turned out that Lu'an had fallen and then been recovered—a fact naturally omitted from the newspapers of the occupied areas. Mrs. Gu originally lived outside Lu'an, but her house had been razed to the ground after two wars. She stayed with her cousin-in-law in the city. When the Japanese soldiers entered the city, they, as usual, committed rape and looting. Fortunately, her cousin-in-law, Gu Xiyao, lived with only an elderly couple and had little savings, so they didn't suffer much loss. However, on the third day, the Japanese appointed ten local gentry to maintain order. Gu Xiyao, having previously worked as a clerk in the Education Bureau, was on the list. The others were respected local gentry, essentially local bullies who had risen to power through exploitation. These people had little nationalistic sentiment, but wealthy people are generally afraid of trouble; who would want to work for the Japanese? Even if the Japanese left, they would be deeply entrenched in the area and unable to escape. Of course, under the threat of bayonets, they had no choice. Unexpectedly, less than two days after the establishment of this maintenance committee, the Kuomintang army launched a counterattack, and the residents of the small town once again experienced the terror of being besieged. Lu'an was only occupied for ten days before it was recaptured. As soon as the Kuomintang army entered the city, they executed all ten gentlemen.
Gu Xiyao's elderly wife returned with the body and wept uncontrollably. Their family had suffered such a tragedy that Mrs. Gu could no longer stay, and she was even more eager to go to Shanghai. Coincidentally, a few other people in the city were also leaving, and they found someone familiar with the roads to act as their guide. Mrs. Gu then traveled with them to Shanghai.
She went to Weimin's house. Weimin and his family only had one room, with a small partitioned-off room for his mother-in-law, Mrs. Tao. Mrs. Tao felt somewhat ashamed upon seeing Mrs. Gu, feeling that she was usurping her place. She warmly welcomed her mother-in-law, even more so than her own daughter, but she had to be careful not to be too overly attentive, lest she become the hostess or offend her, thus putting her in a difficult position. Mrs. Gu felt that her attitude was very unnatural, sometimes warm and sometimes distant. Weimin's wife, Wanzhu, although outwardly very polite, made Mrs. Gu feel that they only had her. Later, Weimin returned, and the mother and son talked for a while. He had initially thought that he shouldn't immediately complain about poverty since his mother had just arrived, but the conversation naturally drifted to that topic. Teachers' salaries have always been meager, especially now with soaring prices, making life even more difficult. Wanzhu chimed in, saying she was also thinking of getting a job to supplement the family income. Weimin remarked, "In Shanghai these days, finding work is really difficult, but making money is easy, which is why there are so many nouveau riche." Mrs. Tao remained silent. Mrs. Tao meant that her daughter finding work was secondary; even if she did, it wouldn't solve their poverty. It was Weimin who should be thinking. Since they had such a wealthy aunt, and Zhu Hongcai was making so much money in business, they could help him out. They were all family; why not give him a boost? Mrs. Tao always thought this way, which is why she always felt a little sour and unhappy whenever she saw Manzhen. That day, Manzhen came, and they all sat and chatted for a while. Seeing this, Manzhen knew that her mother and Mrs. Tao were completely incompatible. The two old ladies living together each had their own fixed lifestyle habits, making it difficult for them to get along. The place here was really small, so Manzhen had no choice but to say that she would take her mother to live with her. Weimin then said, "That's fine. Your place is more spacious, so Mom can have a good rest."
Mrs. Gu then went back with Manzhen.
When they arrived at the Zhu family home, Hongcai hadn't returned yet. Mrs. Gu asked Manzhen, "What kind of business is your son-in-law doing these days? Is it going well?" Manzhen replied, "I really can't stand what they're doing now. They're hoarding rice and medicine—it's all unethical." Mrs. Gu was surprised that Manzhen was still as indignant as ever when Hongcai was mentioned. She could only force a smile and say, "That's just how times are these days. What can you do?" Her face was pale and sallow, and she frowned, asking, "Are you feeling well?"
"Sigh, you used to work from morning till night, and you ruined your health! You could handle it when you were young, but it's getting harder as you get older." Manzhen didn't argue with her. Speaking of work, it was a sore spot. She and Hongcai had agreed beforehand that she would continue working after marriage. At the time, Hongcai was very accommodating, but he was always worried about her working outside. Later, he insisted she quit, and they argued about it countless times. Finally, due to extreme exhaustion, she resigned.
Mrs. Gu said, "Just now at your brother's house, your sister-in-law was saying that she wanted to find a job to supplement the family income. They said they didn't have enough money, but they were saying all that to me—doesn't it cost money to have a mother-in-law living at home? —It's really meaningless to raise a son." As she spoke, she couldn't help but sigh.
When Rongbao came home from school, Mrs. Gu immediately pulled him aside and asked, "Do you still recognize me? Who am I?" Then she smiled at Manzhen and said, "Guess who he looks like?"
He's growing more and more like him—he looks just like his maternal grandfather. Manzhen said, a little bewildered, "Like his father?"
In her memory, her father was a thin man with a mustache, but in her mother's memory, he was quite different—he looked like he did when he was young, and his image was easily seen in all his lovely features. Manzhen couldn't help but smile.
Manzhen asked the maid to buy some snacks, but Mrs. Gu said, "You don't need to bother me. I don't want to eat anything; I just want to lie down for a while." Manzhen asked, "Are you tired from the journey?"
Mrs. Gu said, "Hmm. I feel quite sad right now." The bed upstairs was already prepared, so Manzhen accompanied her upstairs. Mrs. Gu lay down on the bed, and Manzhen sat by her side to talk, as they began to reminisce about her experiences in the besieged city. She hadn't mentioned Mu Jin much, but Manzhen kept thinking about him, saying, "I heard the other day that the enemy had reached Lu'an, and I was really worried. I was thinking that Mom was all alone there, and then I thought that Mu Jin was there too, so maybe he could help out." Mrs. Gu pursed her lips and said, "Don't mention Mu Jin. I've been to Lu'an, and he's only come once." She propped herself up on the pillow and whispered, "Oh, do you know? He's been arrested." Manzhen was startled and asked, "Ah, why? Who arrested him?" Mrs. Gu insisted on starting from the beginning, first recounting in detail how she and Mu Jin had argued, which made Manzhen extremely anxious. She continued in an orderly fashion, saying that if he didn't come, she wouldn't go looking for him either. He added, "I didn't mention these things to your brother earlier, but the Tao family overheard, and it seems even our relatives look down on us. But let's not dwell on that. When the war started, things got increasingly tense, and I was living alone outside the city. He didn't even bother to check on me. Then the Japanese came in, and they set up some kind of puppet regime. They assigned ten people, and I heard that Mu Jin was originally supposed to be one of them, but he went into hiding, and Xi Yao was just filling in for him. It was truly a miscarriage of justice, so later the Kuomintang executed Xi Yao. hope Yao was too..." She hated Mu Jin to death. Later, when Mu Jin was arrested, Mrs. Xi Yao was actually quite happy to hear it. Manzhen frowned deeply and patiently asked, "Mom, you've been talking for so long but haven't said how he was arrested." Mrs. Gu leaned forward again and whispered, "I heard this from someone, but I don't know if it's reliable: they say that when the Japanese were there, Mu Jin was hiding in the house of a widow named Peng. They say that the widow has a son who is learning the trade in a paper craft shop and has contracted tuberculosis, which he can't afford to cure. It was Mu Jin who..." They gave him the money to treat her, so the family was grateful to him and let him stay there. He was considered a brother of Widow Peng's family, a refugee from the countryside. After a few days of hiding, the Kuomintang returned, and he reappeared, returning to the hospital. But he was arrested by the Kuomintang just a few days later. "Manzhen asked in astonishment, "Why? What crime did he commit?" Mrs. Gu whispered, "Someone hates him! They say someone has their eye on his hospital; the building is quite nice, neat and square, like a seal." "People in small towns are short-sighted; maybe it's all about that house—sigh, when I heard that, I was startled. After all, I watched him grow up! I originally wanted to go see his young mistress and ask what happened, but then I thought, I've never associated with this nephew's wife; she doesn't even look at me, her poor cousin's wife, so there's no need for me to bother her. Those two days were just too busy; someone died at Xiyao's place, and I had to leave again. The city was in complete chaos, so I didn't go there. I still don't know what's wrong with him now."
Manzhen was stunned for a while before quietly saying, "Tomorrow I'll go to Mu Jin's in-laws' house to ask; maybe they'll know more clearly." Mrs. Gu asked, "His in-laws' house?"
I think I heard him say that his father-in-law's whole family had gone to the interior. Around that time, if it weren't for the fighting in Shanghai, many people would have left.
Manzhen remained speechless for a long time. Mu Jin was the only person who cared about her; he might already be gone. If he had died at the hands of the Japanese, it would be understandable, but to die unknowingly at the hands of her own Chinese was utterly despicable! So this was the crazy world that post-liberation Lu'an had become. She had grown up under the Kuomintang rule, accustomed to the layers of oppression and exploitation. In her eyes, kind people always suffered; the burden of sorrow seemed to be inherent to life, and therefore, one could only endure it. This was the first time she felt that the wronged had a culprit, and her heart was filled with grief and indignation. She couldn't help but think of Shu Hui. Shu Hui had passed away peacefully.
But she always held this bleak view, precisely because the Communists were good, she didn't believe they would prevail. Justice will not conquer the world, neither in the past nor in the future.
She just sat there in a daze. Suddenly, Mrs. Gu leaned closer, touched her forehead, then touched her own, frowned, and said nothing before lying down again. Manzhen asked, "What's wrong, Mom? Is she a little feverish?" Mrs. Gu grunted in response. Manzhen asked, "Should we call a doctor to take a look?" Mrs. Gu replied, "No need. It's just a slight cold I caught on the way. A packet of herbal tea should do the trick."
Manzhen found some afternoon tea and told the maid to brew it. She also told Rongbao to go downstairs to play and not to disturb his grandmother. Rongbao was playing alone in the living room, folding paper airplanes—the ones Jiemin had taught him the other day—that could fly very far when thrown. He would throw one, then run after it, panting and laughing, squatting down to pick it up and throw it again. Just then, Hongcai returned. Rongbao called out "Dad!" and stood up to walk towards the back. Hongcai was furious and said, "Why do you run away when you see me! Don't go!" He felt heartbroken, thinking, "This child is awful. Ever since his mother came, he's only affectionate with her; he has no feelings for me at all." The child huddled behind the sofa, but Hongcai grabbed him and shouted, "Why are you so scared of me like a little devil! Tell me! Tell me!" Rongbao burst into tears, and Hongcai yelled, "What are you crying for? I didn't hit you! If you anger me, I really will!"
Manzhen heard the child crying upstairs and rushed down. She saw Hongcai hitting the child as soon as he returned, so she went to pull him away, saying, "What are you doing? For no reason? Isn't he my son?" Manzhen was so angry she was trembling, but she didn't bother to speak to him. She just pulled the child away forcefully. Hongcai hit him a few more times, saying angrily, "I don't know who taught him to treat me like an enemy!" A maid ran in and pulled Rongbao away. Rongbao was still crying, so the maid coaxed him, "Don't make a fuss, don't make a fuss, we'll take you to your grandmother's!" Hongcai was taken aback and asked, "What did she say? His grandmother is here?" He glanced at Manzhen, who remained cold and silent, going upstairs. The maid then called out from outside, "Grandma is here, she's upstairs."
Upon hearing that a guest from afar had arrived, Hongcai refrained from his anger. He straightened his clothes, rolled up his sleeves, and began to ascend the stairs. Hearing Mrs. Gu cough, he went into the back room and found her lying there alone. He called out, "Mother." She then inquired about Hongcai's recent situation, and Hongcai began to lament his poverty, saying that with their high standard of living, they were always struggling to make ends meet. However, he was always prone to complaining, and after a while, fearing that people would think he was genuinely poor, he quickly began to boast, saying that he and some friends had recently dined at a restaurant with the character "Hua" in their names—five people in total—and despite a casual meal, they had spent an astonishing sum of money.
Manzhen didn't come in. The maid brought in a bowl of afternoon tea, and Hongcai, knowing that Mrs. Gu wasn't feeling well, said, "Mom, please rest for a few more days. When you're better, I'll invite you to see a play. Shanghai is much more lively than before." For dinner, they ate upstairs to save Mrs. Gu the trouble of going up and down the stairs. They also prepared porridge for her, but Mrs. Gu said she couldn't eat anything, so it was just the two of them and the child eating together. Rongbao's face had been wiped by Manzhen; his eyelids were still a little red and swollen. The dining table was too quiet; the sound of chewing seemed unusually loud. The three of them sat around a square table, as if a dark cloud was hanging heavily over their heads, like an umbrella being held overhead.
Hongcai suddenly said, "This cook is absolutely terrible! What kind of food is this?!" Manzhen remained silent. After a while, Hongcai angrily added, "Not a single dish of this is edible!" Manzhen still ignored him. A bowl of crucian carp soup was placed some distance away, out of Rongbao's reach. He stood up and stretched out his arm to grab it, but Hongcai reached over and smacked his chopsticks in the middle, scolding, "Look at you, you have no manners at all! No manners at all!" With a thud, Rongbao's chopsticks fell onto the table, and his tears fell onto the tablecloth. Manzhen knew that Hongcai was deliberately picking a fight; he was trying to hurt her feelings, and he was only doing it through the child. She continued to eat her meal coldly, without saying a word. Rongbao was used to this. He picked up his chopsticks while sobbing, then picked up his rice bowl and shoveled a few mouthfuls of rice into his mouth. But a large piece of fish, from the belly, with few bones, was placed in his bowl; it was Manzhen who had given it to him. He had already stopped crying, but for some reason, tears started flowing again.
Manzhen thought to herself, "If this continues, the child will definitely get indigestion."
It's like this almost every mealtime. It's unbearable. But Hongcai also seems to be unable to stand the oppressive atmosphere and wants to get away from the table as soon as possible.
He had only a little over half a bowl of rice left, and he decided to finish it all in one go. He tilted his head back, raised the bowl, almost covering his face with it, and impatiently shoveled rice into his mouth, his chopsticks clattering against the bowl like a torrential downpour. He always did this when he was almost finished eating. He had several habitual little gestures, like when he blew his nose, he would press one finger against his nostril and snort briefly through the other. There was nothing wrong with that, and it couldn't really be called a bad habit. But Manzhen had developed a very bad habit: every time she saw him do this, a spasm of disgust would immediately appear on her face; she could feel the muscles under her eyes twitching and wrinkling. She couldn't stop herself from doing it.
Hongcai's chopsticks were still tapping against the bottom of his bowl when Manzhen put down hers, stood up, and went into the back room. Mrs. Gu pretended to be asleep when she saw her enter. She had heard everything clearly from the outer room, though only a few words were exchanged, and all she heard was the stiff silence. But she knew their quarrel hadn't been going on for long. If they argued like this all the time, it would be difficult for anyone visiting their home to manage. Mrs. Gu thought that although Hongcai had been very welcoming, relatives are often "familiar but distant," and things might change if they stayed too long. It seemed best to stay with her son. Even though they had a mother-in-law there, and everyone was only superficially friendly, which was very annoying, at least she would have a legitimate reason to stay there, and she would feel more at ease.
So Mrs. Gu decided that she would return to Weimin's place as soon as she recovered. However, her illness showed no signs of improvement, and she remained bedridden for over a week. Manzhen and Weimin argued constantly, and Mrs. Gu dared not intervene, so she pretended not to hear. She wanted to offer Manzhen some advice behind her back, but despite her vast experience as a mother and her skills in managing a husband, she found it difficult to speak to Manzhen directly. She knew that Manzhen's feelings for her were now limited, consisting mainly of a sense of responsibility.
Mrs. Gu's illness had subsided, and she was able to get up and walk around, but her appetite remained poor, and she often felt unwell with a constant nausea. Manzhen suggested she see a doctor for a checkup. Mrs. Gu initially refused, saying it wasn't worth seeing a doctor for such a minor issue. However, after hearing from Manzhen about a Dr. Wei, whom Hongcai was quite familiar with, Mrs. Gu felt that a doctor she knew would be more reliable and provide a more thorough examination. That afternoon, Manzhen accompanied her to the clinic. Dr. Wei's clinic was located in a large building, with several tricycles parked outside, and many tricycle drivers standing idly by. Manzhen immediately spotted her own driver, Chunyuan, standing there. When he saw her, he seemed to pause for a moment and didn't immediately greet her. Manzhen found this a bit strange, thinking that perhaps he was secretly earning extra money by driving passengers outside, and had brought a complete stranger here, hence his guilty conscience. She didn't dwell on it at the time and went inside with her mother, taking the elevator upstairs.
Dr. Wei's clinic was very busy; the waiting room was packed. After registering, Manzhen found a seat for her mother, sitting down in a chair by the window while she stood there. On a sofa opposite, only two people were sitting—a man and a little girl. There were plenty of empty seats, but according to custom, a woman wouldn't sit between them. The little girl looked about eleven or twelve years old, with a long face, yellowish-white skin, and seemed quite frail. She sat there bored, holding a man's felt hat to her chest and slowly twirling it, yet revealing a gentle expression. It must always be her father's hat. The man sitting next to her reading the newspaper was definitely her father. Manzhen couldn't help but glance at them a few more times, feeling that this scene had a strong sense of family.
The person reading the newspaper was obscured by the paper; only his robe, trousers, shoes, and socks were visible, and they all seemed strangely familiar. Manzhen was momentarily stunned. Hongcai had gone out wearing this outfit that morning. —Was he here for a medical appointment or did he have business with Dr. Wei?
He probably brought this child to see a doctor. Could it be his own child? No wonder Chun Yuan looked like she'd seen a ghost when she saw her at the gate. Hong Cai must have seen them when she and her mother came in, which is why he kept holding onto the newspaper and wouldn't show himself. Man Zhen didn't want to expose him on the spot. What would it look like to make a scene in front of so many people, especially with her mother there? She didn't want her mother to be caught in the middle and cause even more trouble.
Looking out the window of this building, one could see very far. Manzhen pointed and said, "Mom, come and see. Look, that's where we used to live, behind the church steeple. See it?" Mrs. Gu stood beside her, and together they looked out the window. As Manzhen spoke, she seemed to see the man reading the newspaper standing up, about to leave. She turned around abruptly, and the man quickly turned his back, his hands clasped behind his back, staring at the doctor's certificate hanging on the wall. It was clearly Hongcai's back.
Hongcai kept his head up, staring at the framed doctor's certificate. The dark glass of the frame reflected the movements of the two people at the window. Manzhen turned away again, leaning against the window with Mrs. Gu, gazing at the street below. Hongcai saw them in the frame and quickly walked away. But just then, Mrs. Gu turned back, closed her eyes briefly, and laughed, "Oh, looking down here makes me dizzy!" She left the window and sat back down in her original seat, just in time to see Hongcai's back hurrying out, but she didn't pay any attention. It was the little girl who called out, "Daddy, where are you going?" Her call made the group of patients sitting idly in the waiting room, already feeling bored, all turn to look at Hongcai. Mrs. Gu exclaimed in surprise and asked Manzhen, "Is that Hongcai?" Knowing he couldn't escape, Hongcai turned around and smiled, "Oh, you're here too!" Mrs. Gu, having just heard the little girl call him "Dad," was momentarily speechless. Manzhen remained silent. Hongcai also froze, and after a while, he smiled and said, "This is my goddaughter, Old He's daughter." He then looked at Manzhen and smiled, "Oh, did I tell you? Old He insisted on becoming my goddaughter." Everyone in the room stared at them, including the little girl. Hongcai continued, "They know I know Dr. Wei, and they insisted I bring her to see him; the child has a stomachache. —Hey, how did you get here? Did you come with Mom?" He nodded again, solemnly saying, "Yes, Mom should see Dr. Wei; he's very meticulous." He was a little flustered, so he talked a lot. Mrs. Gu could only weakly say, "Manzhen insisted I come, but actually I'm better now."
The doctor's door opened, and a patient walked out, followed by a nurse who called out, "Mr. Zhu." It was Hongcai's turn. He smiled and said, "Then I'll go in first." He then pulled the child inside. The child was a little afraid of seeing a doctor; she hesitantly held Hongcai's hat, one hand being led by him. After taking only a couple of steps, she suddenly turned around and shouted loudly to a woman next to her, "Mommy, Mommy's here too!" The woman was sitting on a sofa chair next to them, engrossed in looking at a magazine. Startled by the call, she had no choice but to put down her magazine and stand up. Hongcai looked embarrassed and, without having a chance to explain, awkwardly followed the woman and the child inside.
Mrs. Gu coughed softly in her throat and glanced at Manzhen.
The sofa was now empty, so Manzhen went over and sat down, beckoning to Mrs. Gu with a smile, "Mom, come over here." Mrs. Gu followed silently and sat down beside her. Manzhen picked up a newspaper to read. She wasn't feigning composure. Discovering that Hongcai had another woman didn't excite her much—nothing could stir her emotions anymore; she felt utterly weary of their painful relationship. She was simply thinking that if he had a daughter like this outside, or perhaps a son. If he had more than one son, Rongbao, then if they divorced, perhaps Rongbao could be raised by her. The thought of divorce had been on her mind for a long time.
Mrs. Gu held the clinic's brass plaque in her hand, fiddling with it, occasionally glancing at Manzhen and coughing softly. Manzhen thought to herself that she would take her mother home later and then visit the Yang family when she had the chance. Over the years, she had cut off all her friends because she didn't want to associate with others, except for the Yang family, where she used to teach. The two children, a boy and a girl, remained close to her. The boy had already graduated from university and was working as an assistant at a lawyer's office. She wanted to ask him to introduce her to the lawyer. Having an acquaintance as an introduction was always better; it would prevent them from being overcharged.
The small white door leading to the doctor's room was tightly shut; the group of people who went in didn't come out for a long time. Dr. Wei, probably out of consideration for Hongcai, observed them closely, chatting with Hongcai while keeping the patients outside waiting. After a while, the door finally opened, and three people filed out. This time, Mrs. Gu and Manzhen saw them very clearly. The woman was probably over thirty, with an oval face, alluring small eyes, and bright red rouge applied all the way to her temples. She wore a black woolen coat, but on her feet were narrow black embroidered shoes with white satin trim and a white chrysanthemum embroidered on the toe. Hongcai followed her out and stepped forward to introduce her: "This is Mrs. He. This is my mother-in-law. This is my wife." She nodded with a smile, then nodded and smiled at Hongcai before leaving with the child. Hongcai walked over and sat down next to Mrs. Gu, chatting idly with her and staying with them until they went in to see the doctor and came out, then went back together. He felt guilty; he wasn't afraid of anything else in today's incident, except that Manzhen would react violently on the spot. Since she didn't, that was for the best. Even if things came to light later, he wasn't afraid of what she would do. But he couldn't quite describe his feelings for Manzhen. Sometimes he tried to humiliate her, and other times he felt a strange, inexplicable fear.
He gave his own tricycle to Mrs. Gu and Manzhen, and hired another vehicle for himself. Mrs. Gu was always afraid of riding in a tricycle, so Chunyuan pedaled very slowly, gradually falling behind. On the way, Mrs. Gu wanted to talk to Manzhen about the woman from earlier, but she was hesitant because of Chunyuan, afraid he might overhear. Manzhen then asked Chunyuan to stop at a pharmacy, where they bought two medicines according to the doctor's prescription, and then went home.
Hongcai has arrived home and is sitting in the living room reading the evening newspaper. Mrs. Gu was exhausted from her trip and wanted to lie down for a while, so she went upstairs and lay down fully clothed. She took out the pills to take. Seeing Manzhen walking past the door, she called out, "Hey, come here, let me see what this package insert says." Manzhen came in, picked up the package insert, and looked at it. Mrs. Gu, however, lifted her head from the pillow. Seeing that no one was around, she looked at Manzhen and smiled, "I wonder what that woman was up to." Manzhen smiled faintly and said, "Yes, seeing how sneaky they were, it must be his maternal relatives." Mrs. Gu sighed, "I knew it. Hongcai is causing trouble at home now because he's seeing someone else. Girl, it's not that I'm criticizing you, but it's also your fault. You put all your heart into the children and don't take Hongcai seriously at all! Don't you know his temper? You need to try to win him over a little." Manzhen just kept her head down, looking at the package insert. Mrs. Gu noticed that Manzhen remained silent and thought it was strange. Usually, she would argue with Hongcai over trivial matters, but when it came to this kind of thing, she couldn't let him off easily. Yet, she seemed to be very tolerant.
How could this child be so foolish? As the mother-in-law, I should be mediating, not stirring things up, but it's really worrying to watch.
Manzhen is so naive when it comes to money; she doesn't even think about saving a little for herself. She simply disdains Hongcai's money because she thinks it's ill-gotten, and refuses to even ask about it. Mrs. Gu thinks this is extremely unwise. She paused for a moment, then spoke again: "I know you won't like hearing this, but I've been staying with you these past few days, watching you all this time, and I've been wanting to advise you for a while now. Putting everything else aside, while he's still financially comfortable, you should save some money yourself. Seeing you two arguing all the time, if things really come to a head, and he doesn't contribute any household expenses, it's always better to have some money of your own. I don't know what you're thinking." As she said this, a sense of loneliness crept in; there were things her children never told her.
She sighed again and said, "Oh! I'm really worried about you two arguing all the time!" Manzhen rolled her eyes and smiled, "It's true. Mom finds it annoying? How about we wait until Mom is better and then I stay at Weimin's place for a few days?"
Manzhen nodded slightly. Mrs. Gu was about to continue when a woman's voice called out from the stairwell, "Second Sister!" Mrs. Gu was momentarily stunned and quickly asked Manzhen softly, "Who is it?" Manzhen couldn't remember for a moment; it was her sister-in-law, Wanzhu, who had already entered with a smile. Manzhen quickly invited her to sit down, and Wanzhu smiled, "Weimin's here too. Is Mom feeling any better?" The couple were particularly perfunctory, saying, "It's rare for you two to come; invite Jiemin too, let's have some fun." They immediately urged Weimin to make a phone call and instructed the servants to order food from a restaurant. They added with a smile, "Doesn't Mom love playing mahjong? We can play a few rounds today." Although Mrs. Gu had no interest in amusement, seeing Manzhen's composed demeanor and her refined manners, Mrs. Gu naturally had to go along with it. The maid quickly set up the mahjong table, and Weimin and his wife, along with Hongcai, joined Mrs. Gu in playing. Soon Jiemin arrived, and Manzhen sat down to talk with him. Jiemin then asked, "Where's Rongbao?" He brought Rongbao over, but because Hongcai was there, Rongbao stood far away like a mouse avoiding a cat. He barely responded when Jiemin spoke to him. Mrs. Gu then turned around and smiled, "What's wrong today? Don't you like your little uncle anymore?" In the blink of an eye, Rongbao had already slipped away.
Jiemin strolled over and stood behind Mrs. Gu to watch the cards. The bright lights on the card table illuminated their faces, but looking from where Manzhen was sitting, she had a strange feeling, as if the group of people sitting and standing under the lights were very, very far away from her, and even their laughter sounded unusually faint.