During the New Year's Day holiday in 1998, compared to Cheng Ran's busyness, Qin Xizhen actually had a rather bad time.
Her family urged her to go on a blind date again. This time, the location of the blind date was the famous Yishou Hotpot Restaurant in Shanhai City. The hotpot restaurant was a two-story stand-alone building located on Binhai Road, which was known as the "Corruption Street" in Shanhai City at that time. It was also the leading hotpot restaurant in the entire small city.
The shop is decorated magnificently, with floor-to-ceiling windows that provide a great view. Looking down from the second floor, this street is frequented by dignitaries, and at night you can see the best cars in Shanhai City gathered on the street, giving a sense of prosperity.
The lights here are bright at night, and it is no less lively than the brothels in big cities.
The man I went on a blind date with today was a civil servant, a 30-year-old man named Wang Wenhua, a powerful director of a certain bureau, and a promising young man. His family was also in business, and his mother was Zhao Haihua, the female owner of the famous "Jinfu Shengyan" chain of Chinese restaurants in Shanhai. She was adorned with jewels and looked like she was inspecting a product when she came to Qin Xizhen. He was quite satisfied with Qin Xizhen's impeccable appearance, but his eyes kept scanning Qin Xizhen's waist and buttocks without any scruples, and in order to cover up, he deliberately said, "Your little Qin is too thin, you should eat more, a plump woman is a blessing..." and so on.
What Qin Xizhen heard were all the words of Zhao Haihua. "I told our Wenhua the conditions for marrying a wife before. She should be either a doctor or a teacher. It would be best if she was a little older than him and could take care of people..."
"I don't require the woman's income or position to be high. After all, you know, my family is not short of money, and Wenhua is also the director of their bureau... His prospects are not bad... Of course, there are requirements for the woman's education..."
Qin Xizhen only saw his mother Luo Xin agreeing with him, but her smile was awkward. However, the woman next to him did not notice anything and continued to say, "Of course, we are very optimistic about your family, Professor Qin... After all, Professor Qin Keguang has a great reputation. He is a director of the Provincial Music Association and a professor and vice president of the Sichuan Conservatory of Music branch. Our Wang Wenhua also admires you very much."
Wang Wenhua was quite attentive, cooperating with Zhao Haihua and constantly pouring wine for Qin Keguang. He had also flattered Qin Keguang before. He was eloquent, but he always had a slick air. His eyes would glance at Qin Xizhen from time to time. It was obvious that all his attentiveness came from his coveting for her.
Qin Xizhen suddenly smiled, pointed at his father, and said to Wang Wenhua, "Since you admire him so much, then tell me, in which year did he compose the piece "Three Pools Mirroring the Moon"? "
Wang Wenhua was stunned. He had memorized some of Zeng Keguang's resume before coming here. It was only in the introduction of the music college, but it was very superficial. If Qin Xizhen asked about famous works, he could immediately say it out after doing his homework, but if it was some unknown works, how would he know. He could only say, "Oh, I really can't remember this time, it's my fault... But I like this piece very much, the master is the master..."
Qin Xizhen burst into laughter, "This is not a song he composed!"
The situation suddenly became awkward.
Qin Keguang put his glass on the table with a "thump". However, Zhao Haihua's family was also business people, so they immediately changed the topic. They chatted with Qin Xizhen's mother Luo Xindong and forced the awkward blind date dinner to go on.
Qin Xizhen just ignored him throughout the whole process and fiddled with his own things, but he made Wang Wenhua feel like she was burning with joy.
After the dinner, Zhao Haihua privately pulled Luo Xin over and said with satisfaction, "I think it's good for Xiao Qin to marry into my family... She also gets along well with Wang Wenhua. I haven't seen him treat that girl like this in a long time... You know, there is no shortage of women pursuing Wang Wenhua, but he has a good character and doesn't do anything reckless... Go home and do some work for your Xiao Qin. After all, she's going to marry into my family, and I won't treat her badly in the future..."
…
That being said, Wang Wenhua was attracted by Qin Xizhen's appearance, and Zhao Haihua probably wanted this girl instead of her family's money. She was different from those voluptuous girls he had seen before... So Zhao Haihua had the idea of treating her as his daughter-in-law. As for her temper, as long as she entered his house and followed his husband, he would turn her around and make her submit, she would be just a little girl... The strong woman Zhao Haihua felt that she had plenty of ways to deal with it.
But from the perspective of Qin Keguang and Luo Xin, Qin Xizhen's behavior was really disgraceful. After Luo Xin returned home, he closed the door and stared at Qin Xizhen, "Where is my well-behaved and sensible daughter... Do you know that you look so embarrassing today? You have embarrassed both of us! Is this our family tradition and education?"
"Family tradition and education?" Qin Xizhen looked at her mother. "Mom, you are a teacher of ancient musical instruments. How can you stay with someone like Zhao Haihua? You listen to her bragging and you agree with her! Why? Is it because their family is rich? I really can't believe it... Where is the old teacher Luo?"
"Is money that important?!"
Luo Xin was wearing clothes that were not fashionable but were kept very clean. His face was pale. After a moment, he stammered, "As parents, we just want you to be well..."
"How do you talk to your mother?" Qin Keguang couldn't help shouting, "I've tolerated you for a long time! Look at what you look like now?"
"What am I like? I am better than you anyway." Qin Xizhen raised his head stubbornly, "Aren't you just like my mother, vulgar? You are very famous, but what's the use? You will stay in this small city all your life, not making progress, living on your past reputation. But fame can't be eaten! Now that you are going to retire, you start thinking about a way out, but you still want to lock me in this small city like you! Studying music, finding connections, going directly to art colleges, learning piano, learning dancing, but in the end, you just stay in Shanhai and become a music teacher in high school..."
Qin Xizhen sneered as she spoke. It was the first time she even realized how cold she was in front of the two of them.
"Make arrangements... You even want to make arrangements for my second half of life! My friends and classmates have all left, so what will become of me in the end? Will I spend my whole life raising a husband and children in the mountains and seas, and just grow old like this? Just like you, in the end I will be submissive to life and have no ambitions. I only think about how to plan for my child and keep her in captivity. Just as cowardly as you! But you will never know how much the people you keep in captivity hate you!"
Luo Xin had already burst into tears, and Zeng Keguang was shaking with anger. But Qin Xizhen found that he could be so calm and indifferent, pouring out those sharp words like a knife.
"You know, I liked trains when I was a kid. You said I was ambitious. But not really. I liked the sight of those green trains speeding by. I was just thinking that one day I could take a train and get away from here completely..."
"Get rid of you."
Qin Xizhen said this as she picked up her bag and was about to go out. Qin Keguang tried to stop her, but she pushed her away.
The door was slammed shut, shutting out Luo Xin's sobs and Qin Keguang's angry scolding.
Qin Xizhen went out and wandered aimlessly.
Finally, I was tired from walking and sat down next to a flower bed, and then... the stubborn coldness that I had shown before collapsed completely, and I held my face with my hands and cried out loud.
(2018, Happy New Year! This month's update is not ideal due to various problems, but everyone's tolerance and patience sometimes make me blush, especially Xiaodai's constant encouragement... I can't repay everyone's company, so I can only work harder in the coming year to contribute better content.
Shake hands, bow.)