A widower's entertainment

Chapter 306 [A Story of a Special Romance] (Please Subscribe)
Xinghua Hutong, Beijing.

Xie Zelin's appearance at the courtyard house in Xinghua Hutong seemed quiet, but it actually caused quite a stir within the courtyard. The younger children might not have any particular thoughts, but Lin Zhaoxi and Lin Zhaoqing, as the eldest sister and second brother, naturally sensed something was amiss.

"Sis, do you think Dad is really going to be with Teacher Xie?"

Although Lin Zhaoqing didn't understand why Xie Shuhua's father would come to their house, he believed it must be related to Xie Shuhua.

When Lin Zhaoxi heard Lin Zhaoqing ask this question, he shook his head and said, "I don't know."

Lin Zhaoqing didn't expect Lin Zhaoxi to say he didn't know. He was actually feeling a bit complicated. He didn't want his father to find them a stepmother, but just like his uncle kept urging him to do so, he felt that if they really had to find a stepmother, then finding Teacher Xie Shuhua would seem better than finding some other strange woman.

However, Lin Zhaoqing was still somewhat unhappy about it.

"Sister, what do you think?"

When Lin Zhaoxi heard Lin Zhaoqing ask this question, her gaze shifted to the framed photo on her desk. The small black and white photograph inside the frame showed a person who had been gone for a very long time. She always remembered them, and her father always remembered them too. This was why she knew that her father had never found them a stepmother all these years—he still cared for her mother.

But will my father really always be alone?
Lin Zhaoxi's gaze then fell upon the several English books and cassette tapes on the desk, all of which had been given to her by her teacher, Xie Shuhua.

Lin Zhaoxi's feelings were equally complicated. He shook his head and said, "What do my younger siblings think?"

"Zhao Le really likes Teacher Xie."

Although Lin Zhaoqing didn't dislike Teacher Xie Shuhua, he was still somewhat dissatisfied with the close relationship between Lin Zhaole and Xie Shuhua at that time. He even felt that getting too close to Teacher Xie Shuhua was tantamount to being a traitor, betraying their own mother.

However, Lin Zhaoqing also knew that Lin Zhaole had never seen his mother since birth, unlike the others. Even Lin Zhaohuan and Lin Zhaoman's mothers left them when they were very young, and it has been almost seven years now. You should know that Lin Zhaohuan was only two years old at that time, and Lin Zhaoman was only four years old.

Of course, Lin Zhaoqing himself was only eight years old at that time.

Lin Zhaoqing's gaze also fell on the photo frame. The photo frame contained a group photo taken at a photo studio after his family came to the capital. As for the woman in the small black and white photo tucked inside, she seemed to be getting further and further away from his memory. Over the years, he had long since gotten used to not having a mother, because there was no trace of his mother in the world he lived in.

Hearing Lin Zhaoqing's words, Lin Zhaoxi felt a pang of indescribable sadness. She had thought more than once that it would be better if her mother were still alive, but her mother left them because of giving birth to Lin Zhaole. She had resented this before, but in fact, it was only natural that Lin Zhaole, who had lost her mother at such a young age, did not care about her stepmother. So what about her and Lin Zhaoqing?

They both still remember, and Lin Zhaomei may still remember, but as the years have passed, time will gradually fade the memories, and there is still a long time ahead.

Lin Zhaoxi felt a pang of sadness, but she was already grown up and knew that some things had to be looked forward to. Perhaps, as her uncle and aunt had said, her father would eventually have to find someone else.

She remembered that when Lin Zhaohuan asked her father if he was going to find them a stepmother, her father did not deny it.

Rather, it means that if they were to remarry, it wouldn't be to find them a stepmother, but rather that the person would have another identity and become their mother.

My father also said that he and his siblings were his world, but his world might have other people in the future.

Lin Zhaoxi had long understood his father's words and said, "Father said that no matter what happens, he will always be our father, and that will never change."

Lin Zhaoqing nodded when he heard Lin Zhaoxi's words. He naturally remembered that his father had said these words to them. He believed his father's words, even though he still had a little unease about his stepmother. Perhaps that unease was that his stepmother would treat them badly, and that his father would gradually become a stepfather. These thoughts made him unwilling to accept the possible future.

"If we really have a stepmother in the future, will Dad still treat us the same way?"

These words sounded like Lin Zhaoqing was asking his sister, but also like he was asking himself.

Lin Zhaoxi patted Lin Zhaoqing's head and said, "Yes, don't worry."

Lin Zhaoxi's answer was just like what Lin Youcheng had said before, that her father would not change at all. But if, just in the unlikely event, something did change, she would definitely take good care of her brothers and sisters in place of her mother. This was the thought that flashed through Lin Zhaoxi's mind, and it was also her true thought.

"Big sister, second brother, let's not stay inside all the time, let's go out and play."

Lin Zhaoman ran in with a toy gun in his hand and pulled Lin Zhaoxi and Lin Zhaoqing to play in the yard.

Lin Zhaoxi and Lin Zhaoqing naturally followed them to the courtyard.

Lin Youcheng had just seen Chen Aige and his group off in the courtyard, and the matter of translating and publishing "The Time Traveler's Wife" overseas had also been settled.

In fact, the fact that the people from the Times Publishing Company wanted to publish Lin Youcheng's novel "The Time Traveler's Wife" overseas did not cause much of a ripple in his mind, perhaps not even as much as the ripples caused by the appearance of Xie Shuhua's father, Xie Zelin.

Of course, Lin Youcheng was well aware that Time Publishing Company had a considerable influence globally, and his novel "The Time Traveler's Wife" would definitely earn him a substantial amount of foreign exchange royalties. Just this time, Time Publishing Company signed a contract for "The Time Traveler's Wife" with an advance payment of $25,000 and an 8% royalty. Although Lin Youcheng didn't care about the advance payment and cared more about the royalties, $25,000 was enough to prove that Time Publishing Company had high hopes for Lin Youcheng's "The Time Traveler's Wife".

In fact, Chinese literary works have always been published abroad, but they are mostly purchased by overseas Chinese or foreign readers who understand and like Chinese literature.

However, the highest record for the overseas copyright export of Chinese literary works still belongs to that Hugo Award-winning science fiction novel, which was sold for over a million US dollars. But that was in the 21st century. It's worth noting that the three books of that science fiction novel sold over three million copies, exceeding the total export volume of all literary works since the founding of the People's Republic of China. Of course, things are different now. After all, Lin Youcheng's *The Devotion of Suspect X* had a phenomenal sales volume in Japan. Lin Youcheng believes that, barring unforeseen circumstances, the sales of *The Time Traveler's Wife* will likely give publishing companies in the United States a major shock.

"Dad, is something making you happy?"

Seeing the smile on Lin Youcheng's face, as if something happy had happened, Lin Zhaohuan couldn't help but ask with a smile.

Upon hearing Lin Zhaohuan's words, Lin Youcheng couldn't help but smile and pat Lin Zhaohuan's head. He then looked up at Lin Zhaoxi and the others and said with a smile, "Dad has earned you some royalties."

Clearly, Lin Youcheng intentionally didn't boast about his earnings to his children. Even if it wasn't 25,000 US dollars, it was still a considerable sum of money, which could be considered a family fortune.

In reality, what he earned was not just a small amount of royalties. The future royalties might just be enough to buy him another courtyard house, or even a golden one, since bestsellers are known to bring wealth.

Lin Zhaohuan knew that her father was a writer and relied on royalties to support the family. Although she didn't know how much royalties her father was talking about were, she saw that her father's face was full of smiles and he looked very happy. She was also very happy, clapped her hands, and said cheerfully, "Dad is the best!"

Hearing her father, Lin Youcheng, say that he had earned some royalties for them, and seeing the smile on Lin Youcheng's face, Lin Zhaoxi couldn't help but smile as well. Her father had always been working hard to take care of them and give them a better life, whether it was in the early days in Chunfeng Alley in Decheng or in Xinghua Hutong in Beijing.

The other kids were also happy to hear Lin Zhaohuan's words.

Lin Youcheng looked at his children and said with a smile, "This weekend is your eldest sister's birthday. I'll take you to KFC!"

"awesome!"

"That's great, Dad, I love you!"

"Sister, let's go to KFC together this weekend."

Clearly, Lin Youcheng's words instantly made the children extremely happy, and the courtyard was filled with their excited voices and laughter.

Lin Zhaoxi was naturally very happy. Although she didn't particularly want to eat KFC, her father always remembered her birthday, which made her happiest.

Looking at the children's happy expressions and enthusiastic reactions, Lin Youcheng began to wonder if he, as a father, was usually too strict with them. They were so excited about a meal at KFC, even though they had eaten there before.

Of course, Lin Youcheng also knew that no matter when, children would always find fried chicken extremely attractive, and no one could resist it, especially in 1990.

Lin Youcheng didn't disturb the children's good mood. Seeing the children excitedly discussing celebrating their eldest sister Lin Zhaoxi's birthday over the weekend and preparing gifts for her, his smile deepened.

Lin Youcheng returned to his house, looked at the children in the yard, and thought about earning a inheritance for them. As a father, he naturally felt he should write a new novel.

Thinking about it this way, Lin Youcheng naturally thought of the complicated story that came to Xinghua Hutong when Xie Shuhua's father came.

In Lin Youcheng's view, that story is no less than Atonement, and it has even been translated into more than 50 languages ​​and once topped the New York Times bestseller list, with a cumulative global circulation of more than 500 million copies, making it an absolute bestseller.

More importantly, the story was adapted into a movie, which received multiple Academy Award nominations and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for a talented actress.

Lin Youcheng pondered the story, his eyes gleaming. He sat down at his desk, picked up a pen, and wrote the story's title on a lined piece of paper.

The Reader!
That's right, Lin Youcheng's next story is "The Reader," a story about a 15-year-old boy and a 36-year-old woman's unusual romance.

Of course, Lin Youcheng was well aware that the original story had a different background, so he naturally adapted the story accordingly.

The original story tells of 15-year-old Michael, who falls in love with 36-year-old Hannah after an unexpected illness. He becomes infatuated with Hannah's gentle embrace and her body. Hannah, in turn, is captivated by the classic literary works Michael reads aloud, drawing spiritual nourishment from them. During Michael's readings, Hannah, like a child, sometimes weeps and sometimes laughs. That summer was the shortest, happiest, and ultimately most influential period of their lives.

Not long after, Hannah suddenly disappeared without a word. Eight years later, when Michael saw Hannah again, she was an intern observing the proceedings. Hannah was now a convict standing in court; she had been a female guard. Unlike the other convicted criminals, Hannah did not deny her crimes, but instead resolutely confessed everything. It wasn't until she refused to write her own handwriting on a blank sheet of paper for comparison in the dock, and was thus convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, that Michael finally understood why. Hannah was completely illiterate, but she refused to reveal her disability to anyone, even if it meant taking the blame for someone else and being imprisoned for life, she chose to hide her illiteracy.

Michael could have told the truth to lessen her punishment, but ultimately chose to defend this humble secret with his life, just like Hannah. Their story didn't end with Hannah's imprisonment. In the years that followed, Michael gradually came to understand Hannah's feelings. He began sending her various tapes of himself reading aloud, and Hannah began to learn to read and sent him letter after letter, but Michael never replied. Eighteen years later, Hannah, having behaved well in prison, was paroled and finally able to see Michael again. However, faced with this opportunity, Hannah lost her courage and ended her life by hanging.

Lin Youcheng thought about the story and knew very well that if he were to write it, it would naturally need to be adapted, especially the background of the entire story. This was similar to his previous work, "Atonement," but there were also significant differences.

Perhaps the biggest difference is that this is a special relationship, and it's unclear whether it started with love or lust.

After all, the two are too far apart in age.

Of course, Lin Youcheng was also well aware that this story was not just about love.

Lin Youcheng's gaze fell on the three words on the grid paper, his eyes deep.

(End of this chapter)