Chapter 21: Blazing Sun and Wild Union

  Fatso said: "Dry mother, I'm twenty years old. Don't be embarrassed, I have a predestined relationship with Yu Xiao's younger brother. As your adopted son, I'm a bit older, but in ancient times, it wasn't a big deal..."

  The people eating next to him burst out laughing, and someone shouted, "Admit it, admit it, you've got a big son out of thin air."

  Although the month didn't make sense, it was clear that this fatty wasn't like those thoroughly rotten rascals. So he lectured: "From now on, you can't do things like bullying and cheating ordinary people anymore. My son is going to do great things in the future, so if you study hard, I won't object to him hanging out with you. But if you don't study hard, I absolutely won't let my son learn from your bad example, did you hear me?"

  Fat boy Qian En Wan Xie: "Dry mother, rest assured, I'm not a mixed person, and I've never done anything that hurts the sky and reason. From now on, I'll follow Yu Xiao Di together, learn real skills from Yu Da Ye Yu Er Da Ye, and open a proper big restaurant with them, absolutely no more messing around."

  "Alright, if you really walk the right path, when you encounter festivals and holidays in the future and have nowhere to go, you can come to Yu's village. When you encounter difficulties, you can also come to Yu's village, we are one big family, and we will definitely help you resolve them." Yu Yue said sincerely.

  She casually said that, but unexpectedly, from then on, Zhuang Hu became a member of the Yu family. A few years later, Zhuang Hu really opened up a big restaurant, and the Yu family all became major shareholders.

  ……

  Zhuang Ba left and lunch was finished. There were still over ten kilometers of road to rush, Yu Yueyue and Yu Songyuan had to leave.

  Who would have thought that this father and daughter duo were reluctant to part ways. The girl's father insisted on riding a tricycle to send them off, so Yu Yueyue had no choice but to agree. The girl then affectionately held onto Yu Songyuan's hand and asked: "Little brother, next time you come to the county town, come to sister's place for dinner, okay? Every time, sister will make the most delicious food for you."

  The people eating next to them started teasing again, suggesting that Yu Songyuan become a live-in son-in-law. Yu Songyuan's face turned red, but the girl spoke loudly and confidently: "If he's willing, I'd be more than happy, what's wrong with that?"

  Qin Hong asked Yu Songyuan: "My name is Qin Hong, little brother what's your name?" Yu Songyuan awkwardly lowered his head and said, my name is Yu Songyuan. Qin Hong saw Yu Songyuan was shy, then smiled and asked Yu Yuyue, "Auntie, are we fated to meet? I'll come visit you guys later, okay?"

  Yuè pulled her hand, looking left and right, the more she looked, the more she liked it, saying: "Welcome, Auntie will take good care of you."

  Only when the car had gone far away, Qin Hong was still waving his hand there. Master Qin wore a big straw hat, riding a tricycle and chatting with Yu Yueyue, "Big sister, is your son going to school? Does he have a girlfriend?"

  Yu Yu poked the nose of Yu Songyuan, who was sitting on one side, and said: "You're only in your second year of high school, you're only 14 or 15 years old, what do you have to worry about? Your daughter is also studying, right?"

  Master Qin said: "Really? Sophomore year is coming. I heard that the college entrance examination will be restored soon, and my daughter's studies are going well. I think she can pass the exam."

  While talking, Qin Master didn't forget to pedal hard, his sweat had already soaked through his clothes, like water had been poured on him, tightly clinging to his back. Yu Yueyue and Yu Songyuan were also wearing straw hats, both with big drops of sweat on their foreheads, feeling suffocated while sitting in the cart. When they arrived at the Erdaoqu River dike, there was a steep slope ahead, Qin Master jumped off the cart and pushed it up the hill.

  Yu Yueyue held onto the car and wouldn't let it go: "Brother Qin, there are only a few kilometers ahead, after crossing this bridge, we'll be home soon. Please don't send us off again, you should hurry back before dark, and also take care of your business."

  Master Qin was not satisfied and insisted on sending them, Yu Songyuan also said, "Uncle Qin, Qin Hong is alone in the store and may be busy, don't be polite. It's just a few kilometers, we'll walk ahead and chat, and we'll arrive home soon."

  Master Qin finally gave up and said to Yu Songyuan: "Then I won't be polite, Brother Yu, you're working too hard. It's too hot outside, don't let your mom carry things." He also whispered to Yueyue: "Big sister, when you have time, ask Brother Yu to come visit me more often, okay?"

  After Yu Songyuan loudly agreed, Master Qin happily walked away. As expected, Yu Songyuan carried all the things on his back by himself, and the two of them panted as they climbed to the top of the slope. It was windy here, a bit cooler, and on the ridge were planted many tall and lush paulownia trees.

  Yu Yu said: "Carrying these few steps is tiring, otherwise I'll carry it, and use up all my strength when fighting. It's cool here, let's take a break." As she spoke, she took off her grass hat and sat down in the shade under the big tree. The wind blew over in waves, and her body quickly cooled down a lot.

  Yu Yu suddenly laughed alone after a while. Yu Song Yuan was puzzled and asked, "Aunt, what are you laughing at?"

  "What do you think of Qin Hong? The girl seems to have a crush on you." Yu Songyuan's face turned bright red, and he was at a loss for words. Yu Yuer said with a puzzled expression, "I'm asking you, why the red face?"

  "I was just in second year of junior high, she was already in second year of senior high, only a little younger than my elder sister Yuqin, but so much older than me."

  "It's nothing for a woman to be two or three years older than a man. Haven't you heard the saying 'a woman at thirty is like a golden brick'?"

  Yu Songyuan was defeated by her and almost went crazy, "Auntie, I beg of you, please don't tell anyone at home about what happened today. If you go back and say the same thing, my mom will definitely make a big deal out of it, I'm done for, how can I still show my face at school?"

  Yu Yue poked his forehead and said, "Don't use your youth as an excuse, you little rascal's small worries, do I not know?" As he spoke, he turned his head and smiled, his face secretly turning red. Yu Songyuan was caught off guard by his aunt, his small face couldn't hold up, and immediately turned into a big red paper.

  After resting for a while, Yu Songyuan was about to leave when Yu Yuer looked around and saw no one, suddenly stood up and said: "Help me watch out." Then walked a few steps away to the back of several large trees, quickly pulled down his pants and squatted down to pee.

  Yu Songyuan's heart "thumped" and his mind went blank. He quickly turned around, looking at the road. Suddenly, Yu Yueyue urgently called out to him, "Songyuan, Songyuan, come quick, how did a car end up here!"

  Yu Songyuan, whose brain had already short-circuited, heard Yu Yueyue's slightly panicked voice and hurriedly walked over, only to see a large wet stain on the ground. Yu Yueyue pointed at his forehead and said: "What are you looking at? Look this way, how is there a bicycle?"

  Yu Songyuan looked in the direction of her pointing finger and saw that behind a row of trees, next to some shrubs, was indeed a bicycle leaning against them. He immediately put down his things and walked towards the bike, only to see that it was extremely familiar. From the red nylon rope tied around the back seat, he recognized that this was the ride of Zhou Kun, the political team leader, an 80% new Shanghai Forever brand bicycle.

  In the village, there were only two new Yongjiu brand bicycles. The new bikes cost 145 yuan each. Yu Songyuan fondled the saddle and handlebars lovingly, then walked along the canal dike downstream for about a hundred meters.

  Here by the canal, only on both sides of the embankment, are densely covered with reeds. In the dense reed forest, there is actually a small flat land, covered with reeds. A man is doing pile driving movements in a state of abandon, and the woman under him makes "uh" "hmm" sounds that seem to be painful and desperate cries like those when dying.

  Yu Songyuan quietly retreated and pushed his bicycle back to Yu Yuemonth's side. Yu Yuemonth was still tensely looking around, saw him pushing the bike over, and asked: "No one? Who put the bike here? Oh, it's new."

  Yu Songyuan said in a low voice, "Auntie, keep your voice down, it's that damned Zhou Kun and Yu San Kui's wife who are eavesdropping." Zhou Kun was one generation older than Yu Songyuan, while Yu San Kui was of the same generation as Yu Songyuan, so Yu Songyuan said they were eavesdropping.

  She opened her eyes wide with surprise, mouth agape, and a flush of red clouding her face. Then she muttered under her breath in hatred: "A pair of damned fools, two dog-like men and women! In broad daylight, running so far just to do this thieving and sneaking around, they deserve to be struck by lightning."

  After scolding him, he looked at the bicycle and said, "What are you going to do with this bike?"

  Yu Songyuan said: "We picked them up, didn't see anyone." He glanced at a distance and then whispered with a mischievous tone, "Auntie, let these two bastards enjoy themselves enough, and have them walk a few more kilometers under the scorching sun...let them learn a lesson..."

  "Little rascal, you're really despicable!" Yu Yue happily patted his head and smiled sweetly. "Although it's a bit venomous, let's do it this way and teach that scoundrel Zhou Kun a lesson!"

  Yu Songyuan tied the things to the side of the car frame and pushed the car with Yu Yuemonthey quietly walked over the cement bridge. Then, he rode the car carrying Yu Yuemonthey to the village, Yu Yuemonthey sat comfortably in the back seat, humming Suzhou Pingtan. Along the way, the gentle breeze blew, the soft and sweet Wu dialect, what a pleasant journey.

  "Fragrant lotus and green water stir the breeze, making summer days long. On a long summer day, the fragrant lotus blooms, and there's that Miss Yu summoning the matchmaker. The matchmaker says, 'Sitting idly in the orchid chamber is too lonely, why not dispel your worries and enter the garden? The flower street winds and turns, with silk fans lightly held up to block the sun..."

  "Auntie, why did you stop singing? It sounded so good! What's the name of that last piece?"

  "It's a tune from the beginning of 'Yingying Plays the Zither'. Is it nice? If you want to hear more, I'll sing another segment." Yu Yuqing cleared her throat and sang:

  At the foot of Tiger Hill, I met a beautiful woman, as if Chang'e had come out of the vast cold. With a smile and a hint of shyness, she was a lovely maiden, charming to gentlemen. The beauty prayed to Buddha, I asked for heaven's blessing, wishing for a thousand-mile-long thread of fate to tie us together, our boats side by side, arriving at Liang Creek in the misty waves...

  "Auntie, why did you stop again?" Yu Songyuan was just getting into it and saw Yu Yuemonth suddenly stop, so he urged her on.

  Yu Yu raised her hand and slapped him heavily on the buttocks, "It's so hot outside, with a mouthful of hot air, fiery and scorching, do you want to kill me?"

  "Okay, okay, auntie, don't sing anymore, rest your throat." Yu Songyuan's heart ached upon hearing her mention a dry throat. He curiously asked: "Suzhou pingtan is really nice to listen to, why don't you usually sing?"

  "I don't dare to sing. Auntie is wearing a 'hat' on her head, now everyone has to sing model operas, singing pingtan will get you caught and struggled. Can you fully understand Suzhou dialect?"

  "I can only understand most of it. Wang Feng's aunt also sang this and explained it to us, 'Yingying Plays the Zither' has the simplicity and rusticity of folk songs and ballads, and the elegance and remoteness of classical poetry. 'Laughing Fate' should be singing about the story of Tang Bohu and Qiuxiang, right?"

  Yu Yuexin said with a smile, "The pingtan 'Laughing at the Fate' tells the love story of Tang Bohu, a talented young man from Suzhou, and Qiuxiang's three smiles. The lyrics are elegant and subtle, and the melody is rich in musical rhythm. This is my specialty, but unfortunately, such good things passed down from our ancestors are about to be lost!"

  "Auntie, don't be disappointed, there will definitely be another chance for you to perform on stage!"

  "It's no use, my skills have been abandoned for a long time and I'm already unable to perform on stage. Besides, Auntie isn't the main Pipa player, my major is actually folk dance. You don't know, when Auntie first went on stage, she was only 16 years old, that little girl was so tender. Unfortunately, all the photos from those performances were burned during the house search..."