The 1970s: Married First, Fell in Love Later-Chapter 173 - 172: Letting Daya Go Home for the New Year
A few days before the Lunar New Year, He Yun and Liu Jian Country suddenly returned.
Xue Yue was at home making some holiday treats when she heard Ruanruan come running back.
"Mom, Mom, you have to go see Big Sister Daya! Her parents want to take her back. Big Sister Daya doesn’t want to go. She’s even crying!"
Xue Yue froze for a moment, dropped what she was doing, and hurried over to the old family house.
When she got there, she saw He Yun dragging Daya toward the door.
With her face streaked with tears, Daya pulled back reluctantly. "I’m not going back."
"So you’re rebelling now, are you? You think just because you’ve been away for a year, we can’t control you anymore?"
"What do you think you’re doing?"
At Xue Yue’s shout, Daya broke free from He Yun’s grasp and ran to her. "Auntie, I don’t want to go back. Please let me stay."
Xue Yue wiped the tears from Daya’s face.
Then she looked at He Yun. Liu Jian Country stood silently to one side.
Mrs. He stood in the doorway, looking a little helpless.
The other children were standing in the courtyard. Little Chen was holding Shiyi, who was still sobbing, "Don’t go, Big Sister Daya."
Xue Yue asked irritably, "What is all this? Can’t you talk things over properly?"
He Yun glanced at Daya, who was hiding behind Xue Yue, and said angrily, "I’m taking Daya home for the New Year. Is there something wrong with that? She’s been gone for a year, and her family misses her. We’re her parents. Do we need to ask someone’s permission to take our own daughter home?"
Xue Yue retorted, "If you wanted to take her home for the New Year, why are you acting like you’re abducting her?"
He Yun pointed at Daya. "This damned girl! I tried talking to her nicely, but she just wouldn’t listen."
Xue Yue turned to look at Daya. "Daya, your parents want to take you home for the New Year. Don’t you want to go?"
Daya shook her head. "I don’t want to go back. Auntie, can I please just stay here? I don’t want to leave you."
He Yun glared at Daya. "We’re your parents! You came back from Beijing City, but you don’t come home. What are you doing here all day? What do you think we’ll do to you, eat you?"
Mrs. He walked over and tried to persuade Daya as well. "Daya, why don’t you go home with your parents for the New Year for now? After the holiday, we’ll have your Third Uncle come and get you, okay?"
"The New Year is almost here. Stop bothering other people and hurry home. There’s a pile of chores to do," He Yun said impatiently.
Xue Yue patted Daya’s shoulder. "Daya, how about you go spend the New Year with your parents? As soon as the holiday is over, we’ll come get you, okay?"
Daya lowered her head and nodded, and was promptly dragged away by He Yun.
Xue Yue frowned, watching them until they were out of sight.
Shiyi was still crying. "Don’t take Big Sister Daya away... WAAAH—"
Xue Yue picked Shiyi up and wiped his tears. "Big Sister Daya is just going home with her parents for the New Year. As soon as the holiday is over, we’ll go get her and bring her right back to keep you company, okay?"
After much coaxing, Shiyi was still unhappy.
When He Lang and Mr. He returned from Eldest Uncle’s house, they weren’t surprised to hear that Daya had been taken away by He Yun and her husband.
"It’s only for a few days. We’ll bring her back then."
Xue Yue said with a sigh, "You’d better go cheer up your son. He’s still upset."
He Lang picked Shiyi up and gave him a little bounce. "Didn’t your mom just tell you? Big Sister Daya will be back in a few days."
Shiyi pouted unhappily. "That’s not what’s going to happen! Big Sister Daya told me her parents don’t like her and she didn’t want to go back. She said if they took her, they won’t let her return."
Xue Yue and He Lang exchanged a look. ’That probably won’t happen,’ they thought. ’After all, it’s six yuan a month.’
The day before New Year’s Eve, Xue Xingjun came running over, a fish dangling from his hand.
"Dad sent me to bring this over. The production team was fishing in the river, and our family got two."
Xue Yue invited him to stay for a meal. "I can’t. Dad told me to head right home after dropping it off."
Xue Yue stuffed Xue Xingjun’s pockets full of treats and also gave him some meatballs she’d fried a few days earlier. "Alright, you can head back now."
Clutching the food and feeling his stuffed pockets, Xue Xingjun ran off, looking a little sheepish.
New Year’s Eve was also spent together at the old family house.
But surprisingly, He Ze and his daughter made a rare appearance that evening.
The little girl looked to be two or three years old. She was very timid, constantly hiding behind He Ze and peeking out at everyone.
Gao Cuiyun and Xue Yue were busy in the kitchen. When she heard He Ze had come alone, Gao Cuiyun couldn’t really say anything. Mrs. He stole a glance at Gao Cuiyun, and only breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that she didn’t seem angry.
Inside, however, Little Chen was glaring at He Ze and his daughter. He Lang put an arm around Little Chen’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Though no words were spoken, Little Chen understood his uncle’s meaning: just pretend they weren’t there.
He Ze, it turned out, had come with something to say.
"Third Brother, I hear you’re doing business in Beijing City? How’s it going?"
He Lang leisurely cracked a melon seed. "It’s alright."
"They’re allowing private entrepreneurs to do business in Beijing City now?"
"No one’s cracking down on it."
"So you’re taking Little Chen? What for?"
"I’m taking him with me to make money."
He Lang answered every one of He Ze’s questions, his replies short and to the point.
He Ze, on the other hand, grew increasingly agitated after a few questions.
"You’re taking Little Chen so far away. What if something happens to him? Can you take responsibility for that?"
He Lang lazily raised his eyes to meet He Ze’s. "What could possibly happen? And how do you know I can’t handle it?"
"I’m his father," He Ze said, his voice rising.
He Lang let out a short laugh. "And?"
"You should find someone else. I’m not going to let Little Chen go with you again."
"I’m going! What gives you the right to control me?" Little Chen glared at He Ze.
He Ze ignored Little Chen, his eyes fixed on He Lang.
He Lang’s expression remained unchanged. "Little Chen is an adult. He has a mind of his own. If you don’t want him to go with me, give me a reason. I’m listening."
He Ze’s eyes darted around. "It’s so far away, and he has no family there. Wouldn’t it be better to stay home and live a stable life? Besides, we don’t even know if your business is legitimate. If you get into trouble someday, you’ll just drag others down with you."
He Nan frowned. "Second Brother, what kind of talk is that? How is Little Chen without family? Aren’t Third Brother and his wife there? Besides, Third Brother is just trying to help. He’s only selling clothes, what could possibly happen? Little Chen’s mother agreed to it, too. Why are you trying to start trouble with Third Brother now?"
He Lang finished his melon seeds, dusted off his hands, and said languidly, "Eldest Brother, there’s no need to tell him all that. He just doesn’t want to have anything to do with me, isn’t that right... Second Brother?"
He Lang dragged out the words "Second Brother," and everyone else understood the implication.
Mr. He’s expression darkened as he looked at He Ze. "Your third brother wants to give the boy a helping hand, and you won’t allow it. What are you trying to pull? Fine, don’t let Little Chen go. In that case, you, his own father, can step up and support them. Do you have the means for that?"
He Ze looked helplessly at his father. "Dad, is this really about money?"
Mr. He snorted. "If it’s not about money, then what is it about? Isn’t the boy leaving to earn a living? If he didn’t lack for food or clothing, would he even need to go?"
"I just feel it isn’t safe. You know what happened a few years ago, how many people ended up in prison. Things seem to have eased up now, but what if those policies make a comeback? Have you thought about those consequences?"
