Chapter 36

"Gu Family business? Gu Yinxing, let me ask you: did you take two months of my daughter's wages?"

Song Mei hid behind Huang Xirong, dabbing at her tears and sniffling, looking thoroughly pitiful.

Some of the young men felt sorry for Song Mei. "Why would you take two months of her wages? Yinxing, that's not right."

Gu Yinxing shot them a glare and rose to her feet, ready to let loose. He Chunlian held her back, then stood with a smile. "We don't know anything about wages. Our Yinxing did bring some money home today, but her supervisor gave it to her to make up for the trouble someone nearly caused her. Whether it was Song Mei's wages, we couldn't say. Song Mei, why don't you tell everyone what happened and let them judge for themselves?"

He Chunlian had right on her side and wasn't afraid.

Song Mei's eyes darted about. She lowered her head and didn't dare speak.

Widow An took one look and understood. Song Mei must have tried something and had it backfire on her. Slapping her thigh, she laughed. "Well, Song Mei? Tell us what happened. If you're in the right, don't be afraid. We aunties will stand up for you."

Song Mei gritted her teeth in anger. Widow An was plainly enjoying the spectacle.

She tugged at Huang Xirong's sleeve. "Mom, let's go. Forget it. I'll just pretend the money went to the dogs."

"Hey, don't leave yet. If you've got the nerve, let's lay it all out. Our Yinxing hasn't done anything shameful." He Chunlian wasn't one to be pushed around. If they didn't clear this up, people might think the Gu family had taken advantage of its position.

The Gu family might not have the best reputation, but that didn't mean others could trample it at will.

"Exactly. Whoever did something shameful knows it."

With her mother backing her up, Gu Yinxing grew bold. She lifted her chin and looked at Song Mei with disdain.

Song Mei was so embarrassed she wished the ground would swallow her.

She turned, covered her face, and ran.

Huang Xirong called after her several times, furious, but Song Mei never looked back. He Chunlian gave the flour on her hands a flick and sneered. "Huang Xirong, your daughter's too ashamed to show her face. Do you really want us to tell everyone what happened?"

"You... just you wait!"

Huang Xirong glared at He Chunlian and her daughter, then turned and left, looking very much like she was fleeing.

He Chunlian snorted and waved everyone off. "All right, show's over. They came looking for trouble today, nothing more. Don't take it seriously. And don't take what I said earlier to heart."

"Of course, of course."

Everyone agreed aloud, though their glances flew in every direction.

He Chunlian had been vague, which only made her words more intriguing. What shameful thing had happened? Clearly Song Mei had done something wrong. Otherwise, she and her mother wouldn't have let He Chunlian and Gu Yinxing leave them unable to hold their heads up.

"Trying to set my daughter up? They must think I'm a pushover!"

Having spoken her mind, He Chunlian felt much better.

Gu Yinxing was full of admiration for her mother. She'd thought taking the money meant she had to swallow the insult in silence. Who knew there was another way?

The Forty-First Day of Being Overheard

For several days afterward, the Song family avoided everyone.

The Compound Courtyard was still buzzing about it when Saturday arrived and He Chunlian was due to perform at the school. She made a point of telling Gu Yinxing, "No matter what, you have to bring that boyfriend of yours so we can have a look. We need to see what he's made of."

"Mom, there's no hurry, is there?"

Gu Yinxing poked at the roasted sweet potato in her bowl, her voice lazy. She plainly wasn't keen on the idea.

She'd liked Zhao Donglai well enough at first, but the more time they spent together, the less interested she felt. There was something odd about him, though she couldn't put her finger on it.

Lately, Gu Yinxing hadn't been in any rush to see Zhao Donglai. He, on the other hand, seemed eager to settle things as soon as possible.

"Hurry or not, we need to meet him and help you decide. If he's no good, find someone else." He Chunlian was quite open-minded about that.

Gu Jinshui laughed. "Mom, that's a bit harsh."

"What's harsh about it? If he's no good, find someone else. You'd have to be out of your mind to keep seeing someone you knew was bad for you." He Chunlian shot her son a look. "Eat your food and stay out of it!"

Gu Jinshui mimed zipping his mouth shut, then gave Gu Yinxing a look that said he couldn't help her.

Gu Yinxing could only sigh. "Fine. I think he should be free this afternoon."

Zhao Donglai was enthusiastic. Gu Yinxing called him, and he agreed at once.

At one that afternoon, the Gu family met Zhao Donglai outside the school.

Zhao Donglai was fair-skinned and neat-looking, though his hair was slicked down so thoroughly it looked as if a cow had licked it. In his suit jacket and leather shoes, he looked carefully put together.

Surprise flickered across his face when he saw Gu Jinshui. Then he hurriedly held out his hand. "You must be Brother Jinshui. It's good to meet you."

Gu Jinshui shook his hand and replied politely, "Good to meet you too. I hear you work at the department store. What do you do there?"

"I'm an accountant in the accounting department." Zhao Donglai adjusted his glasses with a hint of pride and waited for the Gu family's praise.

Whenever he mentioned his job, people usually looked at him with envy.

This time, the Gu family merely nodded. No one said a word.

Liang Ying even checked her watch. "Jinshui, it's nearly time. We'd better go in before we miss the start."

"Oh, right. Nearly forgot. I'll carry our daughter." Gu Jinshui looked at the crowd inside the school. Goodness, there were a lot of people. There were even vendors selling sunflower seeds, peanuts, and sweets.

Gu Jinshui bought a packet of peanut candy and a packet of puffed rice cakes.

In all honesty, the production of "Qin Xianglian" that He Chunlian and her colleagues put on was quite good. Plenty of people in the audience called out their approval. He Chunlian moved gracefully, and her singing was clear, without any of the hoarseness someone her age might have worried about.

After the performance, she came out from backstage and the Gu family went to meet her. Gu Jinshui said, "Mom, have some water. I steeped Sterculia Seed in it. You were really good today."

"Not bad, was I?" He Chunlian said, rather pleased with herself. Her gaze shifted to Zhao Donglai.

Zhao Donglai stood there without moving. Gu Yinxing had to introduce him. "Mom, this is Zhao Donglai, the man Mrs. Xu introduced me to."

"Oh."

He Chunlian drew out the word. Though she still wore her stage makeup, she looked dignified and elegant, like the matriarch of a wealthy family. "First time seeing an opera, young man? What did you think?"

Zhao Donglai's lips moved. Deep down, he'd hated it.

He liked modern plays such as "Teahouse" and "Thunderstorm," and he watched films too. But he looked down on Peking opera from the bottom of his heart, especially the sight of the old woman's heavily painted face. He couldn't say that, though, so he forced a smile. "I don't know much about it."

He Chunlian nodded. "That's all right. No one does the first time."

She said nothing more.

Zhao Donglai felt uncomfortable all over. "Auntie, I was thinking of taking Yinxing out for a meal. Would that be all right?"

Liang Ying paused and exchanged a glance with Gu Jinshui. Neither of them spoke.

He Chunlian smiled. "Of course. Go on, Yinxing. Come back early."

Gu Yinxing gave a startled "Ah?" But when she met He Chunlian's eyes, she could only purse her lips and agree.

After the two had gone.

Gu Jinshui put earmuffs on the child in his arms and said to He Chunlian, "Mom, that man's no good. I can tell."

"As if I needed you to tell me." He Chunlian shot him a look.

She was an old hand; what hadn't she seen? That young man was arrogant to the bone. He hadn't given her family a second thought.

And he'd looked down on her opera performance. What was wrong with opera? It had been handed down by their ancestors. The young man had no manners.

The area around the school was lively, and the restaurants were doing brisk business even at that hour.

Gu Yinxing went in and found a table. Once they sat down, Zhao Donglai ordered and returned. "I got two bowls of dumplings, some sliced boiled mutton, and smashed cucumber. Will that be enough?"

"Isn't that too much? I can't eat all that," Gu Yinxing said with a frown.

Zhao Donglai waved a hand. "It's fine. This place isn't expensive. I've paid already—just two yuan and eighty cents."

Gu Yinxing: "..."

That was another reason she didn't like seeing Zhao Donglai.

It was as if the man couldn't understand a word she said.

She'd said she couldn't eat that much, and he'd answered that it wasn't expensive.

What did one have to do with the other?

"Yinxing, what are you doing here?"

Song Mei's delighted voice came from behind her.

Gu Yinxing looked up, and her face darkened. How did she keep running into her everywhere?

"Yinxing, who's this?" Zhao Donglai caught sight of Song Mei, and a flash of admiration crossed his eyes. Song Mei was dressed fashionably today, in a gray wool coat over a red dress that ended at her knees, with leather shoes below.

Zhao Donglai was hardly the only one looking at Song Mei. Every man who passed her in the restaurant took a glance. A skirt that short was still a rare sight.

Song Mei sat down beside Gu Yinxing as if they were old friends and smiled at Zhao Donglai. "I'm Yinxing's friend, Song Mei. I work at the hospital too. You're her boyfriend, aren't you? You look just like Ken Takakura."

Ken Takakura was the actor who played the male lead in the Japanese film "Manhunt." Though he was Japanese, countless young women had idolized him these past few years.

So telling a man he looked like Ken Takakura was as good as calling him handsome and dashing!

Gu Yinxing glanced at Zhao Donglai and nearly blurted out, Are you blind?

Zhao Donglai was decent-looking, but he was so smooth-faced he didn't even have a beard. Ken Takakura? He looked more like Mayumi.

"Thank you. Since you're Yinxing's friend, join us. Our food should be here soon."

Zhao Donglai couldn't keep the smile off his face, and his manner toward Song Mei grew warmer.

Song Mei smiled. "Oh, I couldn't impose. I just ordered a bowl of noodles. We can eat together when it comes. What do you say, Yinxing?"

She smiled at Gu Yinxing on purpose, waiting for her to lose her temper.

Little did she know Gu Yinxing was already fed up with Zhao Donglai. Seeing Song Mei pull this stunt, she found it rather amusing.

"Why not? I'm not the one paying. Suit yourself."

"Yinxing?" Song Mei widened her eyes as though shocked. "How can you make a man pay for everything? You're taking him for granted."

???

Gu Yinxing stared at Song Mei as if she'd seen a ghost. "What's it to you? He insisted on treating me. I didn't make him."

"But you still shouldn't take it for granted. Men and women are equal now. Even when you're dating, you can't expect the man to pay for everything. You're wrong about this, Yinxing."

Song Mei frowned at Gu Yinxing as if she were terribly inconsiderate.

Gu Yinxing raised an eyebrow. So that was the game Song Mei was playing.

Her eyes flickered, and she said, "You're absolutely right, Song Mei. Why don't you pay for this meal, then? You're so generous."

Song Mei was instantly at a loss for words.

She had no money. She'd only brought a few cents, which she'd spent on a bowl of plain noodles. Since her wages had been docked, Huang Xirong had been angry with her and refused to give her any spending money.

Gu Yinxing scoffed. "What's wrong? So you're all talk? You have plenty to say, but you won't spend a cent."

"I... I..." Song Mei's face burned.

Biting her lower lip, she looked pitifully at Zhao Donglai.

Zhao Donglai's heart went out to her at once.

Song Mei was such a good, understanding woman. Gu Yinxing was being rather mean. Why did she have to put Song Mei on the spot?

He hurriedly said, "It's all right. I'm treating today. I'd feel bad if either of you paid. What matters is that we enjoy the meal."

Only then did Song Mei smile through her tears. "Thank you. May I ask your name?"

"I'm Zhao Donglai. Donglai, as in the auspicious clouds coming from the east." Zhao Donglai straightened his back, hardly daring to look at her.

Song Mei had filled in her brows and painted her lips a vivid red. She blinked up at him. "Zhao Donglai... Comrade Zhao, what a lovely name..."

A trace of flirtation seemed woven into her voice, sweet enough to make his heart itch.

Gu Yinxing: "..."

Why did this scene feel so familiar?

It was like when Chen Deng Deng gave her