Tom and Jerry

Bai Ziqing's father is Bai Ningguang, whose ancestral home is Chaohu, Anhui Province. He is a graduate of the Chinese Department of Fudan University.

As an educated youth sent to the countryside to teach in Shanwei, he met Liu Chunxiang, Bai Ziqing's mother. After they fell in love, Ning Guang decided to stay in Shanwei.

For this marriage, he almost broke ties with his family, resigned from his job at the school, and went to work in a foam factory, where he worked for 26 years until he retired due to illness as the workshop director.

His eyes are very similar to Xiao Qi's; both have a quick wit and a boundless energy that never stops. In other words, someone with low emotional intelligence would be a troublemaker.

Jiang Xueming didn't react when he heard his uncle address him that way.

When Bai Ningguang uttered the term "club," Xiao Qi immediately bristled.

"You think you can find this kind of scum at a club?!"

Bai Ningguang scoffed, "I've never been there."

Bai Ziqing: "How about I take you to see some people?"

Bai Ningguang: "Okay."

After saying that, the father and daughter laughed and began tidying up the house.

Xiao Qi cleaned up the seemingly years-old accumulated dust from the floor, which turned out to be some buckwheat flour.

Bai Ningguang carefully put away the shrine, packed up the rotten fruits and vegetables, ran to the kitchen, and threw them out. The heavy plastic bag landed precisely in the large trash can of the Furong Xing Sheng Supermarket downstairs—as if he had done it many times before, as naturally as breathing.

They were busy working, but deliberately didn't let Jiang Xueming do anything. Bai Ziqing cleaned the sofa and immediately pulled Xue Ming aside, asking Xue Ming to sit down.

At the same time, Bai Ningguang had already picked up a large iron plate and brought over snacks, tea, and even Want Want Wangzai, Coca-Cola, and Sprite.

The father and daughter were busy, their hands and mouths never stopping.

"You're dating someone?"

"Not friends, just clients."

"He didn't come from that club, but you are? What do you mean by 'client'? Are you being kept? Did you get new clothes?"

"Can't you watch your mouth?! I'm calling my boss, you wait, say what you just said again—see if my boss yells at you!"

"Don't be angry, hey, where is this boy from?"

"Xiangnan."

"Does he want to eat chili peppers? People in Guangdong can't eat chili peppers; it'll make them feel unwell for days."

Jiang Xueming raised her hand and interjected, "I don't need spicy food."

Xiao Qi immediately glared at her employer. "Don't talk! I'm talking to my dad about serious business! Go drink your milk, little one!"

To be honest, Bai Ziqing was very unsure. If her father didn't like Xue Ming, there was nothing she could do. Her father was always very selfish. He had no demands on his wife or his daughter. He just wanted to live his life the way he pleased. He was a capricious person.

"He's your... customer!" Bai Ningguang grinned and pulled two pieces of ham from the refrigerator. "A customer! Oh!"

Xiao Qi switched to Cantonese to curse; when she got anxious, she would blurt out Cantonese.

Bai Ningguang immediately looked aggrieved, completely unable to understand the underlying meaning of her daughter's reserved demeanor.

"Okay, okay, I won't talk about it anymore. I'll go cook."

"Get out of the way, I'll do it." Xiao Qi snatched the ingredients from her father's hands, rushed into the kitchen, and immediately turned back to point at her father's nose. "You two chat! Chat your hearts out!"

Bai Zining feigned ignorance and asked, "What does 'talk enough' mean? How do you know when you've talked enough?"

Just then, Xue Ming unzipped the Wangzai milk and handed it to Uncle Ningguang.

"It means she's satisfied only when she's satisfied with what she's heard."

The uncle took the milk, turned halfway around, and faced Xue Ming. It only took him a second to go from a playful grin to a calm and solemn expression.

At this moment, Xue Ming finally understood that Bai Qingqing's sudden, personality-switching emotional changes were not due to any kind of Madness Index, but rather inherited from her father.

Bai Ningguang said nothing. He went from being enthusiastic and active to being intellectual and refined. His accent, which originally had a hint of Chaoxian dialect, has now been changed to Mandarin.

"Please sit down, Xiao Jiang."

Jiang Xueming: "Uncle, do you know me?"

Bai Ningguang nodded slightly, exuding an indescribable scholarly air. However, his calloused hands, the sores and white marks caused by chemicals and dust, and the sunburn on his skin were all signs that he was a worker who frequented the factory year-round.

"My daughter often talks about you. Every time she mentions you, she laughs and cries. When she laughs, I'm happy, and when she cries, I'm sad."

Jiang Xueming remained silent, unsure of what to say—what could have possibly upset Xiao Qi?

Bai Ningguang picked up the remote control, turned on the TV, and saw that the DVD had started playing Tom and Jerry.

"Don't think about it. When she laughs, she's happy; when she cries, she's incredibly happy, laughing and crying at the same time. The reason I'm sad is that I saw you today and realized that you really do look like this."

Jiang Xueming: "I'm so sorry that I look like this makes you sad."

Bai Ningguang: "I don't know if Qingqing can keep your heart. This is what makes me sad. I'm sure many girls are heartbroken because of you."

Jiang Xueming thought of Mary Stuart, and of Maggie--

--I'm reminded of the head steward of the Bork Pass, and of the little finger.

So he asked.

Which kind of heartbreak are you referring to?

Bai Ningguang asked in confusion, "Are there many more kinds?"

Jiang Xueming: "No, forget I asked."

He suddenly fell into an industrial mindset, thinking that heartbreak meant shattering the enemy's heart. If that's the case, then not only women, but many men would also experience heartbreak, and it's not just about people.

Bai Ningguang then said, "Qingqing should have told you about my family situation, right?"

Jiang Xueming: "You are a cultured person, as can be seen from Zijing's name—I'm afraid that after she was born, your aunt rarely came home, and you were always looking forward to her coming home."

At this point, Bai Ningguang's eyes dimmed, revealing a sense of resentment.

"You really don't know how to have a conversation; you hit a nerve right off the bat."

Jiang Xueming: "I said three or four sentences, and you only care about that one. I think your defenses are too weak."

Xiao Qi's shouts came from the kitchen.

"Yes! Your defense is too low, hahaha!"

Bai Ningguang immediately called out, "Is Chunxiang's mother alright? Have you gone to see her? Qingqing?"

Xiao Qi immediately replied, "I don't care, I don't care at all. Who cares if she lives or dies?"

Bai Ningguang continued, "That won't do! After all, you were born from my mother's womb. Life has its ups and downs. If she does something wrong, she'll hold a grudge for a long time. She'll want to get revenge and come looking for you, but she won't be able to find you. She'll always have a sullen face and something on her mind. She'll probably die young."

Xiao Qi cursed, "Damn it, you're still defending my mother?"

Bai Ningguang retorted, "Damn it, what's wrong with me speaking up for my ex-wife?"

Seeing that the father and daughter seemed to be vying for the ecological niche in the house, trying to take over each other's territory, and were bickering, Jiang Xueming immediately opened a second can of milk and brought it to her uncle's lips.

"No, no, no, she's just being silly. You're using milk to drown your sorrows."

Bai Ningguang sat back down indignantly and Xue Ming again.

"Xiao Jiang, that's just my daughter's temper. If you want to put up with it, then try it. If you don't want to put up with it, then give up sooner rather than later."

Xue Ming: "Is she your biological daughter?"

Bai Ningguang was surprised.

Xue Ming: "It sounds like they adopted him. When other families go on blind dates, they all praise how wonderful their children are. Why are you saying this, Uncle?"

Bai Ningguang thought for a moment, then rested his forehead on his hand, looking helpless.

"She's been disobedient since she was little, just like me when I was a child, very rebellious. I've never hit her."

Xiao Qi immediately shouted, "We've already fought!"

Bai Ningguang: "Which time?!"

Xiao Qi: "I beat up the teacher! That scumbag tried to lift my skirt! You hit the teacher first, then you hit me, and it ended up at the Taohe Police Station."

Bai Ningguang: "Just once!"

Xiao Qi: "I didn't do anything wrong! Why did you hit me! I'll remember this for the rest of my life!"

Bai Ningguang: "I was so angry at the time, and then I saw you wearing a skirt instead of your school uniform. I'm sorry."

Xiao Qi: "I accept your apology! Good dad!"

Immediately afterwards, Bai Ningguang and Jiang Xueming continued chatting about family matters.

"My family doesn't have much money. Xiao Jiang and Qingqing are big spenders. She helped me renovate my house, bought me toys and a motorcycle. She brought all these things to me, but she wouldn't tell me what she did for a living. She just said she worked for the railway."

Bai Ningguang reached for the melon seeds, but Xue Ming had already handed them to his uncle.

"I thought, Qingqing is so young, there's no such thing as a youth-oriented job on the railway, everyone works their way up step by step, right? I was afraid she might go astray, and I was also afraid I was overthinking things, so I kept asking her to video call me."

He asked curiously while cracking sunflower seeds.

"It's nighttime here, but it's nighttime at her train station; it's daytime here, but it's nighttime at her train station—how can this be?"

Jiang Xueming, without batting an eye, fabricated a story. "It's the Eurasian Land Bridge, a retro train station tourist attraction, a very lucrative profession. Xiao Qi is probably a tour guide at her workplace. It's normal for you to be in a different time zone when you call."

"Oh, is that so?" Bai Ningguang stopped pursuing the matter and instead inquired about Xue Ming's family, "Qingqing hasn't told me anything about your family."

After much deliberation, Jiang Xueming decided to tell her everything; there was nothing she could hide from her uncle.

"I used to work in a battery factory."

Bai Ningguang: "Great, the job is stable."

Jiang Xueming: "The salary was too low, so I went to deliver food."

Bai Ningguang immediately put on a long face. "Is there something you're upset about?"

Jiang Xueming: "My parents were human traffickers; they wanted to sell their daughter, so they sold my sister to the mountains."

Bai Ningguang: "Such a thing exists? I know people in the police force."

"Don't get excited, Uncle," Jiang Xueming continued, "Later, I took my sister and ran away to Hong Kong to work. Now my sister and I are doing well. I found a new job, which was arranged for me by Qingqing's boss. That's how we met."

"Oh, it sounds like..." Bai Ningguang smiled, "You sound like a very good young man—responsible."

Jiang Xueming: "I believe I was just doing my job."

Bai Ningguang continued, "This society is terrible these days. Families fight over inheritance, wishing their parents would die sooner. Everyone wants to live well for themselves, but who thinks about their siblings? Have you ever thought that if your sister went to the mountains, you could go to school and marry a good wife?"

Jiang Xueming interrupted, "I never even considered that."

Bai Ningguang: "So, it's really rare that Qingqing could know you, and that you two could be together. I'm truly touched."

Jiang Xueming: "Not yet."

Bai Ningguang: "Huh?"

Jiang Xueming explained earnestly, "I'm twenty-two years old this year, Uncle. We're not even of legal marriage age yet, so we're not considered to be together."

Bai Ningguang suddenly burst out laughing.

"You're an interesting boy! Who cares about the legal age anymore?"

Jiang Xueming: "I do care."

"Hahahaha! Hahahaha!" Bai Ningguang laughed loudly.

Xiao Qi laughed along in the kitchen.

Bai Ningguang was joking with his daughter again.

"He's so unsophisticated, Qingqing!"

Bai Ziqing immediately replied, "Yes, yes, yes! Ah, yes, yes, I love the rustic!"

After discussing family, the DVD conveniently skipped to the next episode of Tom and Jerry.

But something's off about this episode.

--What was originally an animated film suitable for all ages has been transformed into a sexy and alluring Victoria's Secret fashion show.

Bai Ningguang darted forward to change the disc, then turned back and whispered furtively to Jiang Xueming.

Don't worry about it.

Jiang Xueming looked as if he had seen a ghost. "Uncle, it can't be that bad, can it?"

"I often have guests and kids coming over to play with my toys and mess with my computer. I'd be really embarrassed if they found something weird." Bai Ningguang showed the discs. "I used the CD burner to make some colored discs and hid them in these discs. Like this."

Jiang Xueming asked in surprise, "Can the little kid really handle seeing this, Uncle?"

"It's just a fashion show, nothing shady," Bai Ningguang said dismissively. "Kids like to watch it but can't, but adults love it even more. When I'm drinking with my brothers and sisters in the police force, we play this—Tom and Jerry are happy watching it, but this is even happier."

Jiang Xueming had never seen a family like this before, nor had he ever met such an interesting uncle.

He just smiled and didn't say anything.

Bai Ningguang changed the disc and slipped back like a guilty thief.

"Qingqing told me you guys run a foreign trade business, but you told me you're in the tourism industry. What's going on?"

Jiang Xueming: "That's right, they transport both people and goods."

Bai Ningguang asked in a low voice, "The train travels by land, so there will be guards, right? They definitely will, right?"

Jiang Xueming: "Yes."

Bai Ningguang lowered his voice even further. "Do you have any photos of real guns? I've been thinking about it. From Russia, to Poland, to Germany —you must have seen real guns along the way, right?"

This stumped Xue Ming.

--Asking about guns? Jerry asked Tom about learning musical instruments, he's come to the right person.

But seeing the old man's excited expression, Xue Ming felt that this idea was dangerous. Uncle Ningguang had mentioned before that he had a good relationship with his brothers in the police force, so he should be able to go to the shooting range, right?

He couldn't understand what the old man meant, so he could only tentatively offer his opinion.

"Yes, there are real guns."

Bai Ningguang immediately asked, "Can I touch it?"

Jiang Xueming scratched his head. "Why are you touching that thing? Uncle, given your previous relationship with the police officers, you should have handled real guns before!"

Bai Ningguang immediately said, "I've only ever touched a.22 caliber gun at the shooting range, and it was a really, really old one. Police guns aren't for outsiders to touch; it's illegal, you know? I just wanted to touch it."

"How about we go to Thailand or Malaysia together when we have time off? Guns are legal there, we can get what you want." Jiang Xueming immediately asked, "But why do you want to handle real guns? Aren't these tools for killing?"

"Hey! That's not it!" Bai Ningguang changed to a more romantic way of putting it. "Like the knights-errant of ancient times, who wielded swords to protect the weak, our People's Liberation Army soldiers and our border warriors wield swords—the swords of modern society. I doubt there's a boy in the world who doesn't like swords, right? They protect us from harm, not as tools for killing. They represent a sense of mission to defend our country or protect our loved ones!"

Jiang Xueming nodded. "I understand."

"Hey! It's a deal then! You have to take me with you!" Bai Ningguang's eyes were practically closed with laughter, his expression exactly like Xiao Qi's.

Xiao Qi yelled, "Come in and help me wash and chop the vegetables! Male customer!"

Xue Ming understood; they had talked enough.

He got up and went to the kitchen. Just as he reached the door, he saw Bai Ziqing rush out and hug him tightly.

Bai Ningguang's expression suddenly became very interesting, and he even saw his daughter with one hand on Xiao Jiang's shoulder and the other hand ready to reach for his buttocks.

Xiao Qi rested her chin on Xue Ming's shoulder as she spoke to her father.

"What are you looking at! I saw you and your mom hugging like that when I was little! I've seen it all the time! Now it's just that the roles are reversed!"