Twenty, unscramble
"Man is born free, but everywhere he is in chains."
So, people from ancient times to the present have tried every means to get rid of these "imposed" "persecutions". In class, they dislike the teacher's nagging, and after school, they avoid their parents' anxious calls; as soon as they grow up a bit, they enter the rebellious period of youth, and when they can finally stand on their own, they complain about their boss's exploitation and their supervisor's harshness. When dating, they don't want their partner to make too many demands on them, and after experiencing the hardships of life, they often lament that marriage is a grave; there are elderly people in need of care in hospital beds, and children in kindergarten waiting for them to pick them up; earning little money can't buy flowers or romance, and having a high position inevitably means shouldering more pressure... Not to mention those unbearable human relationships, overt and covert attacks, trivial matters, and household chores.
But what happens when you can really get rid of these entanglements? Astronauts in a state of weightlessness have to face endless troubles even when going to the toilet, and if you happen to be a female hero, it's even more unbearable; When sleeping, you have to tie yourself to the wall, and it's said that no matter what posture you maintain, you feel like your head is facing down; If you're not careful, you'll bump into something, and if you don't move around, you'll easily get muscle atrophy and decreased resistance... In fact, children who can break free from Mother Earth's arms are not necessarily lucky ones. I'd rather believe that Yang Liwei had a strong yearning for the vast universe before being launched, but their desire to return home while traveling in space must be stronger than the former. The two words "purse" and "burden", which seem to be worlds apart, share the same root word, and it's not coincidental.
According to the Bible, human ancestors were expelled from the Garden of Eden by God for eating forbidden fruit and have been living a life of wandering ever since. However, materialists firmly believe that this is completely a rumor fabricated by the apostles of Christ to deceive everyone. In fact, at the bottom of human consciousness, there is a mysterious feeling of being abandoned, which cannot be explained by any civilization. We do not know where we come from, where we are going, and why we need to experience this worldly life. Even Darwin only had an incomplete map in his hand, knowing that Tiananmen was the previous stop before Xidan has little practical significance, because what we need is a subway that can save our souls.
As Bishop John Tillotson once said, "If God did not exist, it would be necessary for humans to invent him." Since no one can clearly define what truth is, we might as well reduce unnecessary disputes and become puppets of the devil rather than being a kite without strings that appears free but has no support. On the night of Qingming Festival in 1975, Chiang Kai-shek, a legendary hero, passed away in Taipei, and ten days later when his body was moved to Daxi, hundreds of millions of people lined up along the 62-kilometer route to mourn him, with many old soldiers who followed him through battles kneeling down and crying until they fainted. History will judge one's merits and demerits, and everyone will eventually face a fair trial, but human life is fleeting, and the lack of faith can be more terrifying than mistakes. Since the earth is round, going south or north can both lead to the destination as long as you persevere, and light will always be in front of you, even if you end up with nothing, it's still a life worth living with dreams, which might be the mystery left by God before abandoning us.
Of course, this principle is easy to say, but in the specific operation process, it may not be so smooth. After all, as a pressure aspect, Li Yi Lian Chi often has to appear more direct. For example, when Lu Yuanhang considers whether to "abandon the dark and turn to the bright" and create a new situation with Cheng Yi, the thing he worries about most is whether his past with Wei Yicheng will become an obstacle to his "beautiful future". Although this kind of teacher-student romance "mother topic" in the campus is not as popular as in society, it's no wonder that there are many classic reunions such as "Xu Guangping vs. Lu Xun", and just like the principle of leverage, when supply is greater than demand, consumers who are used to seeing things will not rush to them; but in the calm research institute, Lu Yuanhang's little romantic affair was also hyped up for a while, and it's unknown whether it will become a hidden disease in Cheng Yi's heart. In fact, Lu Yuanhang had been thinking about changing his mind for a long time, and when he extended an olive branch to Lin Feng, it was just in case of need; so why did he drag it until after the "Yuan Fen event" to really take action? It's because of the above concerns. After all, unlike those who are used to having many affairs and don't feel ashamed, such as the "seven-pot head" or "eight-pot head", in Lu Yuanhang's heart, there is still some "feudal concept" that "a good woman doesn't serve two husbands".
The horse's strength is known from afar, and a person's heart is seen after a long time. After repeated tests by the organization, Lu Yuanhang found that Cheng Yi was indeed nonchalant about her "past tense", and could be called a broad-minded big man. In fact, since Cheng Yi's high school days, his father, who had already made a name for himself in the business world of Hubei and Hunan provinces, intentionally took his only son on trips south and north to cultivate him as a successor. As a result, Cheng Yi gradually developed a "market-oriented" personality that looked forward to everything under the influence of liberalism. For businessmen, living in the present is more important than anything else, and doing business is all about being practical, without interest in looking back; moreover, in today's high society dominated by nouveau riche, there is an unwritten rule of "not asking about one's background", and if one were to scrutinize it carefully, everyone would be embarrassed. From this perspective, the fashionable women with stories who choose to devote themselves to big bosses are not just looking at their bank accounts, but have a far-sighted vision. Unfortunately, among those who got rich first, there are more and more Confucian merchants who know etiquette when they have food in store, and businesspeople also begin to understand that "history can serve as a mirror, and one can know the rise and fall of things". Even a spicy girl who has made a Category III film cannot participate in the Miss Hong Kong pageant. It seems that anti-feudalism and cultural revolution still have a long way to go.
Now that she had landed a golden tortoise who didn't hold grudges, Lu Yuanhang should have been content. However, after the initial excitement and joy, the girl couldn't shake off the feeling that this rekindled romance was missing something from the start. Indeed, those petty-minded boys who kept bringing up past grievances were annoying. On the surface, it seemed that since they were in love, they should tolerate each other's everything. But on the other hand, still dwelling on the past during their honeymoon phase precisely showed that he cared about her entirely. Compared to those "impulsive" ones who didn't care about anything else for the sake of a brief pleasure, didn't the seemingly narrow-minded former seem more like the true face of love? Cheng Yi indeed hadn't taken Lu Yuanhang's "flaws" to heart, but by the same token, when their passionate "today" became "yesterday", this new "past" wouldn't become someone else's burden either. The evidence was Cheng Yi's earlier decision to retreat in the face of difficulty with Gu Shuang.
However, Luyu Hang seems to be not very concerned about this "trivial" flaw. At least, he was just complaining to Zhenniu in the afternoon when they went to class together, and when Xiaopang accompanied Wu Yu to go shopping at the mall, he saw her holding hands with Cheng Yi on the shopping street, laughing and chatting. In fact, the pursuit of perfection is often like this. It's inevitable that lovers will be nitpicky about each other, always worried that their promises to each other don't conform to the truth of love. After a few times, they'll become numb and won't care anymore. If the handkerchief has already become a rag, there's no need to pursue perfection anymore. Usually, people call this change "maturity".
"Let's go take a look over there," Wu Yu suddenly pulled Xu Zhongliu back as he was about to greet someone.
"Huh?" The boy followed closely with a puzzled expression: "Just now...". He had long wanted to introduce his close friends to Wu Yu, thinking that it was better to take advantage of the opportunity, but found out...
"I knew it," said Teacher Xiao Wu, her pace gradually returning to its usual elegant and composed state after turning to the other side where there were relatively fewer customers: "It seems that those two have really gotten together."
"Yes, a distant voyage...huh?" Zhen Liu suddenly realized that he had never mentioned this matter at home.
"What's the point of this again," she slowly and gently shook her head.
"Who?" The boy was even more bewildered: "What's going on?"
It wasn't until I heard Wu Yu mention it this time that I realized the various things that had been happening around Yuan Hang over the past two months, which seemed to be a natural progression of events, were actually not coincidental.
In fact, since Wei Yicheng and Zhao Ranyi, who came from a famous family, got married, they discovered that these two "talented men and beautiful women" with vastly different family backgrounds actually had many unspeakable and inexplicable differences. Although both were high-level intellectuals and tried their best to get along harmoniously, the subtle cracks between them were like dust that eroded the surface of their seemingly well-functioning marriage engine. More importantly, Wei Yicheng was clear in his mind that he had left his long-time girlfriend and chosen Zhao Ranyi, who didn't have much emotional foundation with him, for reasons that weren't entirely pure; as the saying goes, "it's hard to deceive others, but even harder to deceive oneself." Looking at his innocent-looking wife, Wei Yicheng's complicated emotions were palpable, just like what was said in "Confessions": a sinner's conscience will always avenge the innocent.
Suddenly looking back, that person was in the dimly lit place. In this situation, Wei Yicheng naturally thought of Yuan Feng, with whom he had shared his youthful years. According to romantic conventions, this pair of first loves should have rekindled their romance; unfortunately, people's faces are unknown, and peach blossoms still smile at the east wind. In Yuan Feng's heart, who was already a married woman, Wei Shixiong (Wei Yicheng) had an uncomparable position, but that happiness which was once within reach had long been lost. Actually, she had reluctantly agreed to marry that persistent pursuer back then largely because of the traditional custom "a daughter is too old to stay at home". However, their later married life proved that although Yuan Feng and her husband were not like-minded, they still couldn't find any reason to be dissatisfied with each other; if there was a problem, it was that she shouldn't have jumped into this warm water that didn't belong to her in the first place.
The psychoanalytic school believes that there is a certain compensation mechanism in people's hearts, also known as "dam inside loss dam outside supplement". For example, children who lack parental love in their childhood will be overly dependent on the opposite sex when they grow up. Of course, this approach of robbing Peter to pay Paul is often a bottomless pit, like drinking seawater, the more you drink, the thirstier you get; therefore, some things are lost forever once they are gone, and even if you spend your entire life chasing after them, it will be in vain. Psychologists call this "emotional entanglement". In fact, Wei Yicheng's uncontrollable love for Lu Yuanhang can also be explained by the above principle. To be honest, although Wei Laoshi's moral integrity is not without flaws, he is still basically passable, especially in today's declining social morality, he is even more outstanding; this can be seen from the good reputation he has among his students and colleagues, it's not easy to achieve this in the intimidating circle of intellectuals, let alone after experiencing the seven-year itch of marriage and family, Old Wei had long lost interest in building harmonious interpersonal relationships.
One misstep leads to eternal regret, and looking back is already a hundred years old. The biggest weakness of bookworms is indecision, even if they have the intelligence to tell them that their future with Farhao is uncertain, but Wei Yicheng still instinctively continues to grope in the dark in his extramarital affair. It wasn't until Wei Dan's "early love affair" was exposed that he began to change his mind. As the saying goes, "When I was young, others were also young", putting himself in their shoes, Lu Yuanhao, who is also a treasure of his parents, cannot help but make Wei Yicheng feel guilty.
"Actually," Wu Yu hung his head, as if recalling a past of his own: "He was also very painful when he made this decision."
It seems that Zhao Rang's initial departure to Nanjing to prepare for the "Xin Ze You" seminar was not a high-profile move, nor was it to avoid trouble. Instead, she wanted to give Old Wei some space to make his own decision. Even wild boars huddled together for warmth in the cold winter months know how to maintain a proper distance from each other while still sharing body heat. As Laozi said, "Non-being is used as utility." Perhaps this is what he meant. Indeed, after careful consideration, Wei Yicheng finally made the "correct" decision. And when he learned through his daughter that Cheng Yi was quite taken with Far Voyage's plans for a long journey, he felt even more resolute in his choice. In fact, the anonymous phone call that Far Voyage's parents received at the beginning of the school year was actually made by Teacher Wei himself. No wonder Zhao Rang could remain so calm and composed during the "Tea Seat Summit". Needless to say, the email that later led to Lu Yuanhang's "breakthrough" had also been part of the plan all along. Furthermore, Old Wei had even arranged for a research project on loanwords in modern Chinese to be given to Lu and Cheng, allowing them to work together and fuel their growing feelings for each other. And so, when everything was ready, things fell into place naturally.
"Don't you dare tell anyone about this," Wu Yu fiddled with her clothes like a little girl: "Old Wei hopes that Far Chor can hate herself, so she won't have any emotional burdens in her future life."
Xu Zhēnliú nodded slightly, seemingly not feeling too much surprise, yet couldn't quite put his finger on the taste in his heart; perhaps this matter shouldn't be let known to Yuǎn Háng, and even bystanders would sigh at the feeling, so there was no reason to make those in charge bear it. "Let's go upstairs for a bit," Zhēnliú seemed to have heard Yuǎn Háng's approaching laughter, but it was like a dream, indistinguishable from reality.
When Wu Yu was going up the escalator, her high heels stumbled a bit, so she took advantage of the situation and grasped Xiao Pangzi's arm.
The pillow flowed and remembered a sentence read in the father's notebook: "Beauty is true, but truth is often not beautiful." Indeed, since the limited life can't see all the mysteries of the universe, why bother to disturb one's originally simple and happy life with various troubles? Perhaps those who use excuses to find true love and turn emotions into games or transactions think so. It's strange to say that since Wu Yu came back and cleaned up, the father's lost notebook, which was almost forgotten by Zhu Li, "miraculously" returned and quietly lay in the bottom drawer of the desk, where a stack of Yuan Lai's entrusted and seemingly mysterious dark green notebooks were originally stored.
When you open your heart to others, they no longer have a reason to hide anything from you.
In Buddhism, there is a technique called "he xin tong", which refers to the ability to guess what others are thinking. Although it has been dismissed as nonsense by vulgar materialists, modern cutting-edge medicine has developed instruments that can roughly identify human brain waves based on this principle. In fact, we all possess some degree of "mind-reading skills", especially among acquaintances. For example, when I was chatting with my father on the other side of the ocean during a busy workday, Wu Yu beside me seemed to have been affected by some kind of intuition: "What did your dad say on the phone this afternoon?"
"Then I asked about my situation," the boy didn't seem to feel any surprise at the sudden change in topic, perhaps this was a kind of tacit understanding that outsiders couldn't easily grasp: "He seems to have started some sort of study abroad agency with his friends."
It's quite strange to recall the whole story of how I came to know about this matter. This afternoon, after finishing class at school, Zhao Ruan invited Zhuo Liu to his office. Apart from asking him about his recent studies, thesis progress and next steps in scientific research, they just chatted aimlessly, from talking about his grandmother's school in Hong Kong to gossiping about the Department of Linguistics. As usual, the conversation went around in circles and eventually turned back to Zhuo Liu's father: "How is that intermediary company he set up doing?"
"Intermediary company?" In fact, Xu Zhongliu had received news from Australia more than half a month ago. His parents didn't often contact him anyway, and after his grandmother went to Hong Kong, the boy became even more isolated: "What intermediary company?"
"Don't you know?" At first, Teacher Zhao was also stunned, but soon she calmly found an excuse to change the subject.
Actually, at that time, Zhěn Liú didn't take it to heart; when his father was working in the hospital, he was a "stormy figure", always getting into trouble here and there, but never sticking with anything for long, like a summer rain shower or a child's tantrum, coming and going quickly. This time, he thought of taking advantage of the study abroad craze to make some money on the side, which seemed reasonable enough, and in the eyes of his son, it was nothing out of the ordinary. But what happened later was somewhat unexpected; as soon as Zhěn Liú got home and hadn't even had a chance to sit down, he received a call from his father, who asked as soon as he picked up: "Are you back?" It was as if he could sense his son's whereabouts from afar. What followed was a detailed report of how he had rallied a few friends to "take up the banner" and start something new; at first, it seemed like he was reciting lines, but before long, he got into character.
Although Zhen Liu had little contact with his father since childhood, he was already accustomed to his unpredictable behavior. The boy wanted to stir up some emotions to make his dad happy, but he just couldn't muster the enthusiasm. It's worth noting that in a mature market like Australia, unlike China where "100 million people have 90 million merchants", those who plan to start their own business are mostly from low- to middle-income backgrounds. Truly capable individuals often follow established organizations rather than becoming bosses themselves, which isn't something to be proud of. Take Xu's mother, for example - her salary alone could sustain four or five small leather goods companies for two or three years.
"The sun is rising from the west today," thinking back to what happened in the afternoon, Zhen Liu couldn't help but smile: "It's rare for him to call me back even after half a year." Indeed, like most families, it was often the busier mom who would occasionally remember to ask about her son's recent situation.
"You're also grown up, you should care more about him," For some reason, Wu Yu has been looking worried and preoccupied lately: "It's not easy for anyone."
"Yes, yes," Zhen Liu also felt that his tone was somewhat too casual: "I still..."
"Do you know why he went to Australia in the first place?" For some reason, Wu Yu gazed into the distance and suddenly blurted out this sentence.
Like the vast majority of those who went abroad, Xu's father was not like others. In his more than a decade there, he neither studied hard nor worked to death; to be honest, Zhen Liu didn't know what he was after. The boy had also discussed this issue with uncles and aunts familiar with the hospital, but found that everyone seemed to be hiding something from him, every time they talked about it, they just smiled meaningfully. After a long time, Zhen Liu no longer paid attention to it.
"You see," said Little Wu, drawing closer to the boy with a low tone, "when reason and emotion conflict, how do we choose between them?"
"Huh?" This time, Xu Zhongliu couldn't keep up with the increasingly absurd topic, but as a philosophy of language major, he instinctively played with concepts: "Actually, the two are not contradictory, the real..."
"I'm afraid I still have to follow the call of emotions," Apparently, what she said just now was a rhetorical question that didn't need anyone else's answer: "Betraying reason can be made up for later; but betraying emotions..." She shook her head, and her clear eyes seemed to be shrouded in a layer of mist, looking like an old man who had experienced many vicissitudes.
He walked a long way, and Wu Yu still couldn't get over the taste. He squeezed him into a Beon specialty store next to him. In fact, Little Wu was not the kind of "flower princess" who spent all day wandering around shopping malls. Occasionally, she would take one or two female companions with her, but never Xu Zhenliu. However, recently, things had changed dramatically. She took Xiao Pangzi to a nearby shopping center several times in a row, and this time was no exception. They mainly targeted mid-to-high-end men's casual wear series. Zhenliu, who was self-conceited, originally thought she wanted to give him some "token of love", but found that the types of goods she searched for were mostly T-shirts and trousers that didn't match his age or figure. What made him even more suspicious was that whenever they selected something they liked, Wu Yu would suddenly become hesitant and put the things back on the shelf, exiting the store with a serious expression.
"How's this?" She picked up a blue-and-white striped canvas tote bag, a very casual and natural kind.
"It seems like..."
Before An Qi had a chance to express his opinion, Wu Yu stuffed the bag into his hands and began posing him in various shapes.
"Miss, you have a good eye for this," said the salesperson, standing aside professionally: "This is yesterday's new arrival, selling very well, and it also suits your husband's temperament, making him look refined and elegant."
"Right?" Wu Yu's face broke into a sweet smile: "I think so too," she said, curling up her sleeves and frolicking about like a child.
Recently, Teacher Xiao Wu seems to be exceptionally enthusiastic towards Xu Zhongliu, and no longer treats him as a child who will never grow up. Instead, they often discuss profound and almost solemn issues together. However, sensitive Little Fatty still feels that the self in Wu Yu's eyes has not changed fundamentally, or more accurately, the person she is thinking of is not himself. Every time the two are face to face, Wu Yu seems to be whispering with someone behind the boy.
Boastfully speaking, Xu Zhongliu basically falls into the category of being able to attract the opposite sex's favor, at least on the surface. Unlike those standard boyfriends who are pleasing to the eye and evoke a desire to possess or be possessed, in girls' eyes, chubby Zhongliu is like a high-IQ pet toy, and unexpectedly more lovable than the former, even if they were once on opposing sides, it's easy to let bygones be bygones with him. After all, who would hold a grudge against a cute panda that accidentally hurts you when being playful?
It was Saturday noon, and Zhen Liu suddenly received a strange phone call. The familiar female voice on the other end ordered him to immediately go to the entrance of the research institute for an "emergency assembly" before hanging up abruptly. The naive boy hastily cleaned himself up and rushed to the designated location, only to find that the person who had pulled him out of his snack stash was actually Wei Dan.
"What's taking so long?" A girl in a short dress shouted, seemingly yelling at her own servant.
"I haven't even gotten up yet," said Zhen Huan, having no choice but to follow the rhythm of others.
The girl puckered her lips and gazed into the depths of the campus, her broad forehead radiating a full glow under the scorching sun, with an air of preparing for a showdown: "You go get Duan Qing out here for me!"
"Ah?" Xu Zhongliu didn't dare ask more questions and just instinctively froze for a moment.
"Go!" Wei Dan rushed towards him, her bright apricot eyes staring fiercely, her high ponytail shaking heavily on the back of her head, as if cheering for her mistress.
Heaven and earth are just, the poor Zi Liang and that Duan Shixiong who is neither in the same class nor department have not even spoken a word, of course, they don't know each other's whereabouts. The roof leaks on rainy days, when he rushed out in a flurry earlier, he didn't even bring his phone, so he had to go home and call Cheng Yi, but no one answered. Just as the boy was getting anxious, Lu Yuanhang sent him a very brief message, saying that he was visiting the 798 Art District with Cheng Yi, Yong Jia, and of course, Duan Qing, without even inviting Zi Liang to join them, it seems they are having a great time.
In today's increasingly alienated society, many young people who feel helpless and tired are intentionally or unintentionally seeking partners more mature than themselves in their emotional lives, hoping to get the care that is becoming increasingly scarce in the midst of surging desires. Unfortunately, this kind of wishful thinking often ends in disappointment when faced with cruel reality, just like how most countries in the world do not consider abortion as murder, depriving the weak of their interests has become a common practice and is not subject to moral condemnation. To give an example at hand, in Duan Qing's view, Wei Dan was just a little friend to him, even though the girl's purity and romance could make him feel a rare freshness among his peers, but when all this passed, the one who would be hurt was probably still the newcomer who was not familiar with the rules.
"Let him die," Wei Dan cursed, her thin shoulders slightly heaving, although she had not told the truth and only made excuses that she really couldn't find anyone, but the clever girl seemed to understand with just a hint.
Zhenliu was still a bit worried, in case Wei Niang, who was prone to sudden outbursts of anger, would blow up at him in front of the school gate. According to Wu Yu, this girl, who already had a few parts of cold and elegant demeanor, had once thrown a love letter from a classmate onto the podium for everyone to see, making that poor guy hide at home for several days, pretending to be ill. Fortunately, after all, she was a well-bred young lady, and despite being full of grievances, Wei Dan still maintained her basic dignity and composure, which was fundamentally different from those shameless women who would throw tantrums anywhere and think they were triumphant. As the girl walked away, Zhenliu only saw her tightly pursed lips and seemingly perpetually furrowed brow, as well as the sly-looking rabbit on her backpack.
Xu Zhongliu raised his head and gazed at the clear blue sky above, a kind of nauseating yet sweatless heat, indeed, summer had arrived unexpectedly ahead of time.
Young people who have just tasted forbidden fruit always think that love is everything, but after hitting the wall, they have to turn back and doubt everything. As a result, in this world of flowers, you can always see some naive and inexperienced young people opening their mouths and saying: "I don't believe in love", with an old and decrepit look on their faces. In fact, love is not everything, just like "ism" or "faith" to a political party, it should be the goal that you strive for throughout your life, rather than a money tree used to swindle people. Otherwise, the solemn sickle and hammer on the party flag might as well be replaced with knives and forks that harm the common people.
Unfortunately, on the emotional road, past experiences are often difficult to learn from, and despite having read many famous sayings, Wei Dan was still unable to extricate herself. Later, after her "emotional change" with Duan Qing, the usually optimistic Wei girl seemed to suddenly become a nihilist, turning away from Nietzsche and towards Kafka, and applying this pessimistic philosophy to her real life. The once strong and proud Wei Dan was forever sealed in not-so-distant memories, while the lingering affection for the mundane world continued to flow forward with a mocking smile.
History is always amazingly coincidental. More than a decade ago, when Zhao Ruan gradually understood Wei Yicheng's original intention to be with her and his lingering memories of his old lover, she had also experienced everything that her daughter was facing today. The clever and calm Wei Yicheng seemed more like the choice of Zhao Ruan's father rather than the bride herself. Just like Wu Yu back then, Zhao Ruan, who was not yet deeply involved in the world, did not consider her parents' orders as a burden. In her opinion at that time, marriage was no different from studying, taking exams, and filling out college applications. Not listening to the elderly would lead to immediate losses.
It is often said that "not raising children does not know the kindness of parents", but here it only uses the word "raise" without saying "give birth to". At first glance, it seems casual, but after careful consideration, it is found to be profound. The Chinese version of the United Nations' six working languages publication is often the thinnest, and indeed, it lives up to its reputation for being concise and accurate.
Zhao Ruan, who has been working and studying in the US for many years, may not have been able to raise her daughter personally, but she can deeply empathize with Wei Dan's current "emotional crisis" and is particularly concerned about it. She thinks of all sorts of ways to minimize the loss caused by the disaster. For example, just a few days after the girl ran to the research institute to ask for justice but failed, Zhao Ruan somehow got wind of it and took the opportunity to ask Xu Zhen about the "latest developments". She also repeatedly reminded the boy not to leak the news or alert the enemy, truly showing the kindness of parents.
Sun Fei sang in one of her songs, "The love between us is as light as air, but I still can't bear it." In fact, no matter how light or heavy, thick or thin, love is just love. There's only right and wrong, no more or less. Even if we're separated by thousands of miles, or even life and death, it can "last forever, a diamond that flows through eternity". Unfortunately, this kind of love that's so evident in the love between parents and children has become rare in romantic relationships. Nowadays, having children is no longer for the sake of having someone to rely on in old age, but finding a partner has become more like doing business. Stories like "Bitter Guarding the Cold Kiln" and "Third Lady Teaches Her Son" from Peking Opera will probably disappear along with the fading traditional culture in this flashy world...
When it comes to Zhao Ran, the sensitive Xu Zhongliu can't help but notice that this mentor seems to be particularly meticulous in her approach, being both sincere and passionate, yet natural and effortless, without making people feel pressured. In fact, we all yearn for warmth, even the most pampered lucky ones are no exception; although Grandma had warned Xu Zhongliu several times not to get too close to the mentor during phone calls, when facing Zhao Laoshi, who could talk about anything with him, Xu Zhongliu, who was never good at polite chit-chat, would often run to the office to chat with her for a few sentences or help with something. This is probably what they mean by "heart-to-heart" and "people's hearts are connected".
Unlike those tutors who grandly exploit students' cheap labor, Zhao Rang never wanted to occupy Xu's spare time for her own use. Even when she occasionally did some small things in passing, they were mostly leisurely tasks that taught while entertaining. For example, the Language Use Lab is currently organizing its annual "Frontiers of Sociolinguistics Forum", and Teacher Zhao had the idle boy "invited" to write the conference banner in her office. In fact, relying on her childhood skills, her traditional Dong script was far more impressive than Xu's mediocre calligraphy.
"I was going to give it to you last time, but I got busy and forgot," Zhao Ruan pulled out a bucket of Huizhou fruit juice from under the desk: "You pour yourself a drink," she said, but still filled a cup for the boy and placed it on the table.
"Good," over time, Xu Zhènliú and Zhao had grown so familiar with each other that they'd even stopped saying "thank you." To outsiders, they seemed more like mother and son than the increasingly commercialized teacher-student relationship of today. Xu Zhènliú himself couldn't quite put his finger on it, but whenever he was with Teacher Zhao, he always felt a sense of familiarity and harmony: "You're drinking too," the boy picked up his cup and took a sip - sure enough, it was his favorite pineapple flavor, made with real juice and spices. For some reason, Zhao seemed especially familiar with many of his daily habits.
"May I come in?" Dr. Cao, the new member of the Chinese Character Research Room, poked her head out from behind the half-closed door. She seemed a bit hesitant, no wonder, the scene inside was indeed puzzling - Zhāo was standing at the desk, brush in hand, while Professor Zhao sat beside him, looking like an apprentice.
"Come in, come in," they chimed in unison.
"Ah, that's right," Dr. Cao handed over a document he was holding to Zhao Ran, his eyes kept glancing at Xu Chen: "Teacher Chen asked me..."
Here is the translation:
It's said that this Chinese character research room is the most prestigious department in the Institute of Linguistics. No wonder, they were one of the key planners of the Chinese character simplification project back in the day. Although it was half a century ago, such an unprecedented achievement still makes later generations look up to them with admiration. However, as time has passed, the academic community today has mixed opinions about this "great event" from that ultra-left era: if they had known that computer keyboard input would become so widespread, it's worth discussing whether it was necessary to cut off history for the sake of writing convenience; not to mention that this man-made change created an objective difference in the use of characters between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, and has been used by "Taiwan independence" activists as a cultural excuse for "two Chinas". As for whether it's worth it or not, it's hard to say. This disagreement is especially evident within the Institute of Linguistics. Last month, at the Chinese Character Academic Conference, Wei Yicheng openly supported "recognizing complex characters while writing simplified ones" (referring to "having the ability to recognize complex characters on the basis of using simplified characters in daily writing"), which led to a fierce debate with Professor Chen. Now, even though Chen is old and has a big temper, he still remembers past grudges and hates the whole family of those who have been labeled as "capitalist roaders", including Zhao Ran, who was also classified as an enemy of the class. Even sending materials had to be done through someone else to avoid being seen as trying to curry favor.
In fact, "knowing without speaking, and speaking without guilt" should be the basic demeanor and magnanimity of intellectuals. However, some academic tyrants who are used to wielding power under the guise of "proletarian dictatorship" do not see it this way. If anyone dares to question their views, they will be slapped with big hats like "denying the achievements of New China's language and writing work" and "turning back the wheels of history". What's more, some even take out the Language Law to intimidate others, as if they want to trample on those who hold different political views. As everyone knows, theoretical research is not the basis for formulating national policies. How can past decisions be used to obstruct future freedom of speech? In the end, it's all about personal interests. Simplified characters represent a significant part of people's academic ideals and historical status. Once they are re-promoted, it would be unpalatable both emotionally and financially.
As a scholar, Wei Yicheng is neither a wallflower nor a "literary rascal" who does things for the sake of fame. He can be considered a man of principle and conviction, willing to stand up for his academic beliefs. However, this kind of romantic and idealistic scholar often tends to get emotional, such as during the last meeting when Professor Wei got carried away and vehemently denounced the Simplified Chinese character movement as "digging one's own ancestors' graves" and "selling out one's heritage without any qualms". He even predicted that those "cultural traitors" would eventually be nailed to the pillar of historical shame, forever cursed by future generations... If he hadn't gone that far, he wouldn't have enraged Professor Chen, who is normally easy-going.
She politely sent off Dr. Cao, and then Zhao Ruan walked back to Xu Zhongliu's side as if nothing had happened, continuing to "appreciate" the boy's mediocre but confident work. She seemed to enjoy gazing at Zhongliu quietly, as if she could see a warm and inviting scene through him: "This handwriting is obviously taught by his grandmother, it has depth, unlike your father, who is handsome, elegant, and unrestrained."
The Chinese believe that one's handwriting is a reflection of their character, and they treat calligraphy as a "visiting card". Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many street vendors specializing in custom-made signatures. In fact, the kind of handwriting that truly reflects one's education and temperament can only be honed through life experiences and cannot be achieved overnight like some advertisements claim. Take my father, for example. He was originally trained in a style with a hint of imperial flair, but after weathering many storms, his writing gradually evolved into something as free-flowing as clouds and flying geese - I suppose you could say that even if the family fortunes decline, one's writing can still flourish.
That was a generation that had experienced too many twists and turns, and Xu's father, who was slightly younger, hadn't been sent to the countryside or mountains, but the pressure and burden brought by his family background of "three highs" were also imaginable. As the only child, he should have been a promising seedling, but fate liked to play tricks on people. A lazybones, a thug, or a big shot who would have become a commander, general, or revolutionary in wartime, while those intellectuals who had experienced ups and downs would often become like wild horses on the grasslands, untamed and carefree. Unfortunately, Xu's father belonged to the latter category. Others might find it hard to imagine that the son of the deputy director of the Language Research Institute hadn't even attended college, or more accurately, hadn't taken the entrance exam. However, when it came to learning, Xu's father had basically read all the books on the shelves at home, or rather, had browsed through them. In those tumultuous yet desolate "red years", he spent his time either wandering around or reading books at home, and didn't have a chance to do anything else; of course, without these skills, it would have been impossible for him to get a job in the institute later on. Naturally, in China where academic work was seen as "standardized production", someone like Xu's father who hadn't received professional training could only do administrative work and fill a quota.
In modern society, there is an important feature that social needs are deviating from human nature. In simple terms, those who "mix well" are not necessarily "good people". Although he has been doing nothing for most of his life, Xu's father's interpersonal relationships are quite good. In the eyes of friends, this free and easy-going, straightforward and talented big man is indeed a worthwhile person to interact with. Therefore, the remaining memories of childhood related to his father are mostly related to mutual friends, poetry, wine, and singing...
Anyone with a basic understanding of the history of science knows that, unlike Chinese intellectuals who "write books for rice", many early European scientists came from noble families. It was this carefree and comfortable life that fostered their spirit of exploration and innovation; in this sense, the various "school selection fees" and "sponsorship fees" that have emerged in recent years are not entirely unreasonable - without a certain level of economic security, one cannot truly pursue knowledge and culture. The same logic applies to Xu's father, who has been able to live a carefree life for over 20 years, thanks to the financial support of his wife, who serves as the "golden mastermind" behind him. However, it is also true that economic foundation alone cannot replace cultural and intellectual pursuits - for example, the profound and passionate words written by Xu's father in his notebook are likely beyond the understanding of his practical and pragmatic mother...
"When you were little, there was a time when you were too lazy to write your winter holiday calligraphy homework, and I helped you with it," Zhao Ruan said with a faint smile as she flattened out the boy's newly completed "round" character: "Do you remember?"
