The Vanishing Beauty - Chapter 6 - 3

Chapter 6 - 3

Kanglong didn't live with Yu Shuang, but he came over almost every day. His relationship with Chun'er was even better than Chun'er's relationship with Yu Shuang. In the mornings when Yu Shuang dropped Chun'er off, Kanglong would try his best to take on the task of picking her up, and he would occasionally help Chun'er with her homework.

Yu Shuang's burden was lightened.

Yet she felt uneasy.

From cleaning up the mess left by her younger brother's family to taking in Chun'er, Kanglong's performance had been stellar. But the more he behaved this way, the more Yu Shuang felt she could never repay him. She would rather he draw a clear boundary. She said as much to Chun'er, "I am not your mother. If there's something I haven't thought of, you can bring it up and we can discuss it. Remember, you are equal to me. I'm your friend." Chun'er whispered, "Aunty, I'll pay you back in the future..." Yu Shuang said anxiously, "Oh child, that's not what I meant..." Before leaving, her mother and maternal grandmother had instructed Chun'er that since her aunt had money, they all had to rely on her. In Chun'er's eyes, money was something that had oppressed her from childhood.

"Do you hate money?" Yu Shuang asked.

Chun'er stared blankly; no one had ever asked her that question before.

"Lu Xun hated money, so he put money under the insoles of his shoes and stepped on it," Yu Shuang continued. "If you hate money, you can do the same." Pausing for a moment, she added, "But I don't want you to hate money. Money has no inherent attributes; it all depends on how you use it. Don't be afraid of it. Study hard, master your skills, and in the future, you can be just like your aunt."

Like her aunt in what way? Yu Shuang didn't specify. What she meant was mastering and controlling money just like her aunt. But Chun'er didn't understand; she only knew that her mom and dad used to talk about her aunt frequently—saying she was unmarried, selfish, and only cared for herself. She didn't want to be like her aunt. "Chun'er," Yu Shuang said very seriously, "what is your ideal?"

"An ideal," Chun'er repeated.

"It means what you want to do most in the future, what you want to achieve most."

"I want to get married," Chun'er replied without hesitation. "Have my own home and a child."

Goodness gracious! What kind of values were these! How badly had Yu Qing and his wife poisoned the child's mind! Yu Shuang felt a surge of anger! Yet the young tree was already growing; how was she supposed to straighten it out? Yu Shuang deeply realized that her eldest niece was definitely not her successor! Yet she couldn't bring herself to say "no," either. Getting married, having a family, and bearing children—millions upon millions of people did this, so what was wrong with it? She herself was the anomaly.

Yu Shuang had no choice but to change the subject. "Don't call him uncle in the future."

Chun'er blinked. She remained silent.

"Call him Teacher Kang."

"I'm scared of teachers..." Chun'er said timidly. Teachers and she had a relationship like cats and mice.

"Call him Uncle. Uncle Kang. Remember that." Yu Shuang issued an order.

Chun'er nodded.

Kanglong had brought chestnuts along, planning to make sugar buns with chestnut filling. Chun'er wanted to help too, but Yu Shuang was afraid she would just add to the chaos and sent her off to do her homework. Yu Shuang stood by the kitchen counter and watched Kanglong work.

"Were you a woman in your past life? Have you ever had it calculated?" she asked.

He didn't answer, keeping busy with what was in his hands.

"Otherwise, you're just tricking me."

"What am I tricking you about?"

"Have you ever been married and had family life?"

"Not really."

"You're too nimble with housework." She smiled.

"Isn't that because you trained me?"

Yu Shuang clicked her tongue twice. "Blame me for corrupting a great intellectual into a househusband."

Kanglong replied, "No corruption yet; I haven't entered the besieged fortress." Kanglong had told her before that he used to be too focused on academia, and planned to take a break once he secured his professorship. Yu Qing's death had also been a direct shock to him.

Life was short.

Yu Shuang switched to a gentler tone. "Don't come over so often."

"Find me annoying?" he said. "I get along quite well with the child."

"It wastes your time. I'm troubling you too much."

"Are you at it again?"

"What?"

"Afraid of owing me."

Right on target. Yu Shuang hurriedly denied it, saying she wasn't.

Kanglong added, "Even if I wanted to come right away, I couldn't."

"Going for another visiting scholar program?"

"No, going back home."

"What's the situation?"

"My dad's business."

Yu Shuang was startled. "What happened to him?"

Kanglong said, "That auntie passed away."

Yu Shuang's brain turned a few corners before she figured out that the deceased was the current wife of Kanglong's father. She put on a ritualistic expression of sorrow. She knew Kanglong didn't like this auntie. He had only mentioned this person to her once, and it was a negative review—he called her snobbish. Birth, old age, sickness, and death were the great hurdles of life, and Yu Shuang thought this might perhaps be an opportunity for her. When Yu Qing passed away, Kanglong had bustled about helping out; now it was her turn to lend a hand. Yu Shuang said with grand generosity, "If there's anything you need help with, just say the word." Kanglong gave a low hum of acknowledgment and left. A few days later, he was back—before the first seven days of mourning had even passed.

When Yu Shuang asked about the situation, Kanglong said everything that needed to be done had been done, and the auntie had her own children.

"Where's your dad?" she asked.

"He's mentally prepared." She hadn't been sick for just a day or two. Kanglong had calculated for his old man that he was fated to outlive his wives.

"What's he going to do from now on?" Yu Shuang asked with concern.

"There's a chance he might remarry."

Yu Shuang was astonished. Was getting married really that addictive? Twice wasn't enough? At his age, he wanted to have another spring time? It was mind-boggling.

"Before that happens?" Yu Shuang was anxious to repay her favor.

"Let's not talk about this."

"You only have one dad." Yu Shuang tried to guide him step by step. "I didn't feel it before, but when Mom left, I was heartbroken, and when little brother left, I felt despair, as if I were the only person left under the heavens."

"Don't you still have Chun'er? Your own niece."

"It's not the same."

Kanglong looked blank. "He and I simply cannot live under the same roof; we find each other an eyesore."

Yu Shuang immediately said, "Have him come over to my place! Let your dad come to my place; my space is big."

Kanglong was both touched and moved to lament. "Don't be silly. What relationship do you have to him? If he asks who you are, how are you going to answer?"

"Girlfriend."

"Why would a girlfriend go to such lengths?"

"Then we'll say we're unmarried partners. Anyway, we'll fool him first." Yu Shuang racked her brain for a solution. "I'm telling you, this is a dangerous period. He's an elderly man, too lonely, and if things go wrong..." She had thought about committing suicide back then, starving herself to death—though in the end, her instincts made her want to eat, and she hadn't died. "Show filial piety to your dad early on; don't regret it later." Yu Shuang's expression was solemn and earnest.

A wave of softness washed over Kanglong's heart. What a truly kind-hearted woman. Yet he also understood that Yu Shuang's actions conformed to the law of conservation between them—fairness. It was similar to the idea that good deeds are rewarded with good. Thus, under Yu Shuang's urging, Kanglong expressed to his father—a retired cadre from a power generation enterprise—his wish to take him in to live together. Kang Father refused on the spot.

"I'm not yet at the point where I can't move or walk around! If you want to show filial piety, get married sooner!" Kang Father urged. Kanglong was extremely displeased. When he recounted this to Yu Shuang, she found it equally horrifying. The son kept delaying marriage while the father had already been through two marriages; they were truly two different kinds of people. It was better not to put them together.

"My dad thinks I'm a kind of pollution."

"Pollution of what?" Yu Shuang didn't understand what he meant.

Kanglong gave a bitter laugh. "When I used to live with my mom, he said I was polluted by my mom. People who get married look at those who don't and feel it's a form of pollution—polluting society and polluting his perfect family life."

"Then I'm pollution, too."

"You are." Kanglong stroked her head.

"In the past, white people viewed black people as pollution, and men viewed women as pollution."

"Even now they do—there's discrimination against women."

"Aren't you quite self-reliant?"

"The rich view the poor as pollution." Kanglong sighed. "In the eyes of the rich, the poor are inherently sloppy, impolite, lacking in upbringing, and unsuited for mental labor."

"The rich seized the advantage first."

"That's right. Education, industries... all kinds of resources," Kanglong said.

"No wonder Harry Potter couldn't master magic until the seventh book," Yu Shuang said.

"What do you mean?"

"His parents died early, he was adopted by others, and he had no resources."

She really knew how to draw inferences from one instance. Kanglong laughed. "Raise Chun'er well."

With her husband heading off across the mountains and her daughter going across the sea, Yu Jia's schedule suddenly opened up a lot. During the off-season, the publishing house also had fewer tasks, and many colleagues were on vacation. Yu Jia didn't take a leave; she planned to save her days off to visit her daughter in one go. She didn't dare mention going to see Liren. After Liren left, he would call once a week to ask about the situation at home and briefly talk about his own condition; he no longer brought up leaving with nothing, divorce, or anything of the sort. Yu Jia figured he had calmed down. She had given him freedom; what difference did it make whether they divorced or not? Even though they were already estranged in heart while maintaining a facade of togetherness, maintaining that facade was equally important!

She was still Di Liren's wife, holding onto that title. Don't underestimate a title—it was useful. People were snobs; as long as she was still an "official's wife," those around her couldn't help but treat her with a bit more respect.

As soon as Liren arrived at his local posting, he accomplished a meritorious deed, reportedly saving a herdsman's child—it was entirely a coincidence. The organizational system commended him. The people at the publishing house reacted immediately; Director Zhang smiled broadly at Yu Jia, her workload was significantly reduced, and when she occasionally didn't show up, nobody asked.

Yu Jia also sensed that Liren was truly determined to achieve some results down there this time.

He had that ability.

Before superiors, he was forbearing and thorough; before the common people, he possessed boundless love; before his daughter, he was magnanimous and imposing; before his relatives, his word was law.

Liren was a good actor, but he simply refused to act in front of her! Then again, if he had to act even with her, living would be far too tiring! But wasn't she tired and suffering, too?!

There was actually some good news at home. Yu义 had successfully entered his doctoral program and also found a girlfriend, which meant solving two major issues in one go. Yu Jia asked her younger brother to bring the person over for a meal.

A Ph.D. student from a prestigious university studying physics, two years older than Yu义, hailing from Linqu, Shandong, and loving mutton above all else. Yu Jia cooked a massive pot of it. Upon meeting the person in the flesh, Yu Jia was even more disappointed than her brother. The Yu family clan had always relied on their looks to get by, but the girlfriend Yu义 brought back possessed a square face, wore heavy-rimmed glasses, sported dental braces, and had rough skin—she could play an unglamorous plain-Jane villain without even needing makeup. Yet, since her younger brother had taken a fancy to her, Yu Jia had no choice but to pinch her nose and swallow her pride. She just couldn't understand why Yu义 had swung from one extreme to the other; in the past, he had eyes only for Yu Rui, but now he chose a wife like this. She felt a bit worried about the future descendants of the Yu family.

However, over the course of the meal, Yu Jia noticed the female Ph.D. spoke naturally, with confidence and poise; although her table manners were uninhibited, she seemed like a decent girl. She asked the female Ph.D. what she liked about Xiaoyi. The doctoral student put down her lamb chop and, in the spirit of seeking truth from facts, replied, "He's honest and looks good."

Opposites attract.

Yu Jia pondered carefully and figured that perhaps this girl possessed a genuine confidence that Yu义 was desperately lacking.

Liren had gone far away. Yu Jia needed friends and was willing to care for her friends. She went to look up Yu Shuang, cared for Shuang and Chun'er, and asked about her situation with Kanglong. She hosted another table at home, calling Meng, Rui, and Shuang over. It was a pure sisters' gathering, with no men present. Yu Meng knew Yu Jia's state of mind and advised her over the meal, "Elder Sister, look how carefree you are right now; it's the exact right time to do something."

Yu Jia forced a smile. "What can I do? Go to work, get off work, and muddle through waiting to die." It was a bit pessimistic, but that was the reality.

"Start a business, find something to do." Meng was full of spirit; she was running her beauty salon, holding a social position, and would soon be able to break into a certain federation. Liang Cai was working behind the scenes, having already issued invitations and taking the federation chairman out to dinner.

The future was infinitely bright.

Yu Meng had the illusion that her life was just beginning—she felt she had been delayed by Luan Chengyun in the past, wasting the best years of her youth.

Then there was Yu Rui, whose state was also quite good: a new job, a new life. Everything was new. Yu Jia's life was also new, except that this kind of newness felt like encountering an overcast day. She couldn't summon any energy.

Once the medicinal effect wore off, her face changed back, beginning its slow recovery to its "original appearance." Wrinkles were wrinkles, cheeks were cheeks; when the glitz faded, true simplicity was revealed—anything fake could not withstand scrutiny. Just like her relationship with Liren.