Chapter 8: Tragedy and Comedy

  Back home, Ding Mei was nagging Wen Huiming in the living room, and her son didn't even bother to ask a question. Wen Can felt ignored and went to the kitchen to find something to fill his stomach, then sat down to listen to his parents talk.

  "In my opinion, Li Shengli is not a man at all. His wife ran away, so what? The more this happens, the more he should live with dignity and let that pair of scoundrels take a good look. All day long, he just knows how to drink and drink, drinking himself to death would be better!" Ding Mei's face was full of regret, her expression of hating iron for not becoming steel reminded Wen Qian of the past when she got beaten up for doing poorly on exams.

  Wen Huiming glanced at the Qingzhou Daily and said casually, "Everyone has their own fate, it's an unstoppable thing. If Li Shengli can't even take care of his own wife, he can't blame others. I'm saying, a woman like Zhao Yaqing, Li Shengli shouldn't have married her in the first place."

  Ding Mei suddenly thought of something, her eyes turned red, and she wiped the corner of her eye: "It's just poor Nuan Nuan, such a clever little girl, now..."

  Wen Huaiming sighed and said, "Tomorrow you send 200 yuan over. We also have a responsibility in this matter. We can't just watch someone starve to death."

  "Hmm," Ding Mei nodded, thinking of the beautiful woman who was living a happy life in Shenzhen. A surge of hatred rose up in her heart: "I really was blind to have considered her a good sister and even helped arrange a marriage for her with Li Shengli. If only I had known..."

  Wen Qing listened to the whispers and suddenly remembered what had happened. Zhao Yaqing, this woman, could be said to be the first woman Wen Qing liked in his previous life. As a timid and slightly introverted young boy, when he first became aware of his sexuality, he would often like women who were beautiful, elegant, and mature. Zhao Yaqing was known as the "factory flower" of the agricultural machinery factory, with a stunning figure and appearance that tempted people, especially her firm breasts, round buttocks, and slender waist that could be grasped in one hand. When she walked, her gentle swaying motion was like a willow tree swaying in the wind, making many men at the factory drool as they watched her from behind. Ding Mei and Zhao Yaqing entered the factory together, one working as an accountant and the other as a cashier, quickly becoming close sisters.

  Zhao Yaqing's parents were suburban farmers, and he didn't have many friends in Qingzhou. The food in the staff canteen was not good, so he often came to Wen Chan's home to grab a meal. The young otaku was quickly captivated by this beautiful aunt. On the night of his first ejaculation, the woman who was pressed under him vaguely resembled Zhao Yaqing.

  Li Shengli is a technician in the third workshop, who is honest and down-to-earth, does not drink or smoke, and is handsome but never flirts with female workers in the factory. He is a well-known gentleman in the agricultural machinery factory. Through Ding Mei's introduction, he eventually got together with Zhao Yaqing, becoming a beautiful topic of conversation for a time.

  But unfortunately, love is just a winning lottery ticket that has expired and is not even worth the paper it's printed on, leaving you with nothing but regret.

  In 1993, Zeng Wucheng, the former second-rate guy from the factory, returned from the south, dressed neatly and spending lavishly. Although he still looked as disgusting and despicable as ever, he had become a legendary big shot. People from the factory went to his house in groups to pay their respects, and when they came back, they all said the same thing: "Zeng Wucheng, that rascal, has now become a rich master." This world is indeed one where the bold get rich and the timid starve.

  Zeng Wucheng's success today is all thanks to Zhao Yaqing. Although Zeng Wucheng was the son of a factory owner, he was uneducated and unmannered. After graduating from junior high school, he spent his days idling around on the streets and often flirted with young women in the factory. However, when he met Zhao Yaqing outside, everyone knew him as a decent person who just wanted to make a living, so they let it go even though they had been taken advantage of. Zeng Wucheng was immediately smitten with Zhao Yaqing, but his repeated attempts at wooing her were met with stern rejections. This scoundrel would not give up, and one night, he attempted to rape Zhao Yaqing when she was walking alone from Wen Xiang's house back to the factory. Fortunately, Li Shengli happened to be passing by and saved her.

  Afterwards, Zeng Wucheng repeatedly threatened to cause trouble for Li Shengli, but it was Ding Mei who asked Wen Huiming to intervene and have the police station's friends teach him a lesson several times before Zeng Wucheng calmed down. However, he still couldn't stay in the farm machinery factory and left for the south with gritted teeth. Unexpectedly, after just a few years, this kid returned home in glory.

  The farm machinery factory had been declining since the early 1990s, and many people were looking for other opportunities. Li Shengli was a bold person who resigned from his "iron rice bowl" job in 1992 to open a small restaurant. His ancestors were chefs, and he had inherited their secret cooking techniques, so it should have been okay. However, doing business depends on one's character, and within a year, he lost all the savings he had worked hard for. The people at the factory laughed at him, saying that he was foolish to give up his stable job, and now he probably didn't even have enough money to buy underwear for his wife.

  Various circumstances came together, and in '93 Zeng returned once more. Within just three months, Zhao Ya-qing abandoned her husband of nine years and their nine-year-old daughter to run off with this former hoodlum turned big shot to Shenzhen.

  Love has become a joke in the face of reality.

  As he thought back on everything, he let out a gentle sigh. In his past life, he had resented Zhao Ya Qing countless times, thinking that she was the worst woman in the world. But after living through two lifetimes, his way of thinking naturally underwent some changes. Perhaps it wasn't this woman who was dirty, but rather this world.

  Ding Mei recovered from her self-reproach and suddenly found that her son was leaning on the sofa, staring straight out of the window with a sorrowful expression on his dark face that was unusual for a young person. Her heart skipped a beat as she sat down beside him, gently stroking his hair and softly asking: "Wen Cheng, what's wrong? Are you unhappy at school?"

  Wen Huiming couldn't bear to see Ding Mei like this, a mother's indulgence can spoil the child. He let out a heavy sigh and went to the bedroom. Ding Mei lazily tidied him up, pulling on Wen Jian's hand and smiling: "Good son, what's wrong, tell Mommy, is it that you don't have any pocket money? Mommy will give you some!"

  "Mom, what did you just say about Li Siqing? Is she not well?" Li Siqing is the daughter of Li Shengli, previously named Li Yi, nicknamed Warmth. After Zhao Yaqing left, Li Shengli changed her name to this one.

  "Alas, I went to his house today, Li Shengli was still drunk, as drunk as a pig, and didn't care about anything at home. Siqing told me that last semester's tuition hadn't been paid yet, and it's almost time for school to start again... The school notified her that if she doesn't pay the money, don't come to school... It's a sin! The little girl is only 11 years old, wearing clothes from when she was 7 or 8, her shirt can't even cover her belly button, her pants are too short and don't even reach her calves, she's dark and skinny, and her small hands are all calloused..."

  After Zhao Ya-qing left in her past life, the two families' interactions also ceased. Ding Mei would occasionally send some money over, but Wen Jian never saw Li's father and daughter again - he was still trapped in his own miserable self-enclosure, where did he have the leisure to care about others' lives or deaths?

  I still vaguely remember the lovely girl who pulled at my hem and called me "brother". Li Siqing, who perfectly inherited her parents' excellent genes, was a beautiful child from a young age. She had big eyes, long eyelashes, skin that was smooth to the touch, and a long ponytail that swished back and forth whenever she moved. When she smiled, two shallow dimples appeared, making her look like a little elf.

  But she didn't expect her life would be so tough now!

  "Mom, if you can help them, just lend a hand. Although Zhao Auntie is gone, Siqing didn't do anything wrong after all..."

  "What's the point of saying anything? But your dad is useless, I'm only earning a meager salary, how long can I keep helping?"

  Wen Lian stood up, and outside the window it had already darkened, a few strands of moonlight creeping along the wall onto the balcony, casting several dappled moon shadows in the corner.

  The darker the sky, the brighter the moon.

  Let's start again, isn't it just to have fewer tragedies in this world and more comedies, less sorrow and anger, and more joy?

  It doesn't matter, everything will change eventually!