A widower's entertainment

Chapter 317 [Marriage and Family] (Please Subscribe)
Did the husband kill his wife with his own hands?
Undoubtedly, when Lin Youcheng uttered those words, everyone was shocked. No one expected such a terrifying story, especially since it was titled "Love." How could Wang Xiaobo and the others not be dumbfounded?

It's important to know that even the love story in "The Reader" ultimately ends in disappointment, with Yang Ju choosing to commit suicide.

This is completely different from a husband killing his wife with his own hands; they are not even comparable!
How utterly depraved must a husband be to kill his own wife with his own hands?
Clearly, Lin Youcheng's simple statement had a tremendous impact.

Although readers jokingly call Lin Youcheng, the widower writer, a master of love and also an executioner of love, if they heard Lin Youcheng say that his novels about love and marriage actually feature husbands killing their wives with their own hands, then this executioner of love would truly be too ruthless.

Wang Xiaobo swallowed, picked up the cup of tea on the table, took a sip, and said, "Youcheng, what you're saying is quite shocking."

Lin Youcheng naturally noticed the shock in Wang Xiaobo and the others' eyes. He raised an eyebrow, smiled, and said, "It's just a casual remark; I might not even write it down."

Although Lin Youcheng's words were horrifying, they also piqued the curiosity of others. What kind of "love" could lead to a husband killing his wife with his own hands? There must be a reason for such an ending. It's rare for the protagonist to kill someone in Lin Youcheng's romance novels. The most unusual one is Shi Hong in "The Devotion of Suspect X," where he kills an unrelated person to save the one he loves, devising an unbelievable crime.

Cha Haisheng looked at Lin Youcheng and asked, "Why? Brother Lin, why would a husband kill his wife?"

Seeing the same surprised and doubtful expressions on everyone else's faces, Lin Youcheng smiled and said, "Don't take it so seriously. It's just an idea. Even if I tell you, I might not write this story."

Clearly, Wang Xiaobo and the others realized that Lin Youcheng was not really sure he wanted to write this novel.

However, Yu Hua said quite directly, "I think that maybe one day in the future we will be able to see your novel 'Love'."

Cheng Hong nodded and said, "I think so too, just like how readers suddenly discover the foreshadowing hidden in 'Strange Tales of the Human World'."

Cha Haisheng was aware of this as well, and did not press Lin Youcheng further about the unwritten novel "Love." He simply sighed, "However, I really didn't expect this. It's just like when I read 'Strange Tales of the Human World.' If someone hadn't mentioned it later, I probably wouldn't have discovered it at all."

"This is still quite impressive, well written!"

"You guys should stop saying things like that."

Lin Youcheng waved his hand and said with a smile, "Do you really want me to join in praising how well you, Wang Xiaobo, wrote 'The Golden Age'?"

Wang Xiaobo chuckled, shook his head, and said, "Don't be like that."

As these people chatted about literature, time passed by unnoticed, and the children all returned home from school. Even Lin Zhaoxi, who was at Yenching University Affiliated High School, rode his bicycle back home.

Since they had come to discuss literature, Wang Xiaobo and his group hadn't planned to stay for dinner. Besides, it was getting late, and Lin Youcheng's children had all come home from school, so Yu Hua and the others naturally took their leave.

Wang Xiaobo said goodbye and left. Watching Lin Youcheng's daughter, Lin Zhaoxi, helping to tidy up the tables and chairs in the yard, she was very sensible. He smiled and said, "Zhaoxi, study hard, and I hope you can get into Peking University in the future."

Wang Xiaobo knew that Lin Zhaoxi was a high school student at Yenching University Affiliated High School, and that he was now a lecturer in the Institute of Sociology at Yenching University.

Lin Zhaoxi smiled and said, "Uncle Wang, I want to apply to Capital Medical University in the future."

Wang Xiaobo was somewhat surprised that Lin Zhaoxi was thinking of applying to Capital Medical University, but he was also pleased that Lin Zhaoxi had a clear ideal university in mind. He said with a smile, "I was thinking that I might see Zhaoxi at Yenching University in the future, but I didn't expect that Zhaoxi would want to go to medical school and become a doctor."

"From now on, we might all have to see Zhaoxi for treatment."

Lin Zhaoxi was a little embarrassed; she didn't mention that she wanted to be an obstetrician-gynecologist.

Lin Youcheng knew what Lin Zhaoxi was thinking. He glanced at Wang Xiaobo and suddenly remembered that Wang Xiaobo would die of a sudden heart attack a few years later. He couldn't help but say, "Don't talk about seeing a doctor. Just take care of your health and go to the hospital for a check-up when you have time."

Wang Xiaobo smiled and nodded, saying, "Yes, I should learn from you. Look at how energetic you are, you're getting better and better."

"Uncle Wang, I...I—"

Lin Zhaohuan, standing to the side, raised her little hand and said enthusiastically, "I want to go to Yenching University in the future!"

Seeing Lin Zhaohuan's enthusiastic attitude, Wang Xiaobo couldn't help but smile, patted Lin Zhaohuan's head, and said, "Then I'll wait for you to take the entrance exam for Peking University in the future."

Upon hearing Lin Zhaohuan's words, Cha Haisheng smiled and said, "You have ambition. You must study hard. You can definitely do it."

Cha Hai-sheng himself graduated from the Department of Law at Yenching University, and he was admitted to the Department of Law at the age of fifteen.

Lin Youcheng didn't pay much attention to Lin Zhaohuan's statement about wanting to apply to Yenching University. After all, Lin Zhaohuan was still young, and it was unnecessary for him to be thinking about Yenching or Tsinghua University at this age. Lin Zhaoqing had said he wanted to be a scientist at Lin Zhaohuan's age, but he hadn't mentioned that ideal since.

In a few years, the answer to whether Lin Zhaohuan will be able to go to high school or vocational school will be clear.

Cheng Hong noticed that Lin Youcheng's children were all very well-behaved. She glanced at Xie Shuhua, who was still talking to Lin Zhaole and Lin Zhaoman, and thought to herself that if Xie Shuhua really still wanted to be with Lin Youcheng, then she would have to deal with these children. It seemed that Xie Shuhua had already been spending time with Lin Youcheng's children for a while. After all, Xie Shuhua had previously been Lin Zhaoxi's English tutor and had given Lin Zhaoxi extra English lessons for a period of time.

Just as Yu Hua and the others were about to leave, Aunt Zhao, the director of the neighborhood office, arrived. Seeing so many people in Lin Youcheng's family, her face immediately lit up with a smile, and she said, "Youcheng, there are so many people in your family, why don't you help carry the vegetables?"

Lin Youcheng glanced at Wang Xiaobo and Cha Haisheng and said, "They're about to leave, I'll do it."

Now, when Aunt Zhao, the director of the neighborhood office, comes over, she asks Lin Youcheng to move cabbages, or rather, to move patriotic vegetables.

Because the 11th Asian Games are being held in Beijing, in addition to donations, various vegetable companies are selling vegetables under a unified purchase and distribution system, including Chinese cabbage, also known as "patriotic cabbage." This matter has been given great importance by higher authorities, affecting both vegetable companies and transportation companies; it's considered a crucial political task. Long ago, the local street offices held large mobilization meetings, with red flags waving and drums beating loudly—a project dubbed the "vegetable basket project for Beijing citizens." Now, this is a new batch, requiring every household to carry the vegetables. After all, each family needs a considerable amount, given the various vegetables advertised in newspapers, news programs, and television programs, all with storage and other planning in mind.

In addition to patriotic vegetables, we also need to prepare Guoguang apples, usually in baskets or more. If we can't eat them all, we'll give them away, and we'll give away a basket at a time.

The Asian Games were held under limited conditions, but within those limitations, everyone was united and worked incredibly hard. They found solutions to even the most difficult problems, demonstrating the strong sense of participation, pride, and collective honor among the entire nation.

In fact, Lin Zhaoqing's school had previously encouraged students to buy a Tetra Pak packaged soy milk, with each box purchased being equivalent to a donation of one yuan to the Asian Games. Since Lin had the means to give his children pocket money, they were naturally very active in contributing to the Asian Games.

You know, newspapers have been reporting news from time to time for a long time: how many more floors the Jingguang building has been built, when the China World Trade Center will be completed, and whether the houses in the Asian Games Village have been renovated. In short, everyone is celebrating and eagerly awaiting the successful opening of the Asian Games.

Clearly, Wang Xiaobo knew what was going on and said with a smile, "It's only a short while, so I should definitely help you move it."

Yu Hua and the others naturally had no objections; it was a minor matter.

Lin Youcheng and his group followed Aunt Zhao to move vegetables. Lin Zhaoxi and the others also ran out. Lin Zhaoqing even said, "Dad, the school is organizing us to clean the roadside and wipe the iron railings tomorrow."

"Then be careful."

Seeing Lin Zhaoqing's proud expression, as if he wanted to contribute to the Asian Games, Lin Youcheng couldn't help but laugh. He wondered how he could let his child clean the streets in the future.

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhaoxi also said, "Everyone in our school should also bring a rag to clean the Shijingshan Gymnasium."

Lin Youcheng nodded. Although he felt that it was still a long time before the Asian Games started, he wondered how many rounds of cleaning would be required so early. Of course, Lin Youcheng didn't say much. He knew that this was because the city of Beijing attached great importance to the appearance of the city for the Asian Games.

Furthermore, labor is honorable. He himself used to be a street sweeper, so he didn't think it was wrong to make his children do cleaning work.

The truck was unloading at the entrance of the grocery store at the entrance of Xinghua Hutong, which had been temporarily converted into a vegetable market. By the time Lin Youcheng and the others arrived, they were already buying and moving vegetables.

People living near Xinghua Hutong also came out to carry vegetables. Some even brought modified box carts. Apart from very young children who were pushing carts, carrying hula hoops, or playing with small balls, everyone else was actively buying vegetables and transporting them with great enthusiasm.

However, Lin Youcheng's family didn't need any transportation before. After all, there were many people in the family, and several children were in school. Doing these kinds of work was nothing to them. They just dispersed and moved the vegetables. After all, they still had to consider the actual storage situation. If there were too many vegetables, they would spoil and be a waste.

"By the way, why don't you just take the food with you and bring it home?"

Lin Youcheng simply told Cha Haisheng and the others to take the vegetables away, saving them the trouble of carrying them back to the courtyard house.

Yu Hua and Cheng Hong naturally wouldn't bring it. They were still living in the dormitory at the Lu Xun Academy of Literature, which meant they were still attending school and eating in the cafeteria. There was no use for these dishes if they took them back.

Since Wang Xiaobo was married, he didn't refuse and took the vegetables with him. Cha Haisheng also took the vegetables with him.

Cheng Hong and Yu Hua helped carry the vegetables back to the courtyard house in Xinghua Hutong. Seeing Xie Shuhua still talking to Lin Youcheng, they couldn't help but say, "Shuhua, Yu Hua and I will go back first."

Xie Shuhua naturally understood what Cheng Hong meant, but she didn't intend to stay. She also remembered Lin Youcheng saying that they should wait until she graduated from the Lu Xun Academy of Literature's graduate program before making a decision, so she said, "Wait a minute, I'll go back together."

When Xie Shuhua was leaving, she asked Lin Youcheng, "Youcheng, I'm still very curious, why might you not write that novel 'Love'?"

This year, Lin Youcheng no longer has any classes at the Lu Xun Academy of Literature. Yu Hua knew Lin Youcheng before entering the Lu Xun Academy of Literature but never called him "Teacher Lin." Xie Shuhua also stopped calling Lin Youcheng "Teacher Lin" a long time ago.

Upon hearing Xie Shuhua's words and seeing the curious look in the young Xie Shuhua's eyes, Lin Youcheng suddenly smiled and said, "He might write it too."

"Maybe you'll find out the answer when you read it later after I write it down."

Upon hearing Lin Youcheng's words, Xie Shuhua knew that she wouldn't get the real answer from him, and said with a smile, "Then I look forward to seeing your novel 'Love' in the future."

"I believe that no matter what happens in a marriage, it is because of love. Even if a husband kills his wife with his own hands, it must be because of love."

Xie Shuhua said this with absolute certainty; in her opinion, the novel's title was "Love."

Lin Youcheng was somewhat surprised to hear Xie Shuhua's words, but he was even more surprised by Xie Shuhua's expression. He smiled and nodded.

When Xie Shuhua saw Lin Youcheng nod, her smile deepened.

When Aunt Zhao, the director of the neighborhood office, returned from notifying other people's homes, she saw that Lin Youcheng had already brought the vegetables back. She also saw Lin Youcheng seeing Xie Shuhua and her group off at the gate of the yard. She couldn't help but smile and say, "Youcheng, it really is your whole family! There's no doubt that many hands make light work. You finished moving everything so quickly."

"Youcheng, with so many dishes, why don't you invite them to stay for dinner? I think that Teacher Xie is quite nice."

Hearing Aunt Zhao's words, Lin Youcheng couldn't help but smile and said, "That's very good."

Clearly, Aunt Zhao's subsequent words were quite meaningful, and she probably realized that Teacher Xie Shuhua, who frequently visited Xinghua Hutong, was not simply Lin Zhaoxi's English tutor.

Xie Shuhua, who hadn't gone far, seemed to have heard them, and with a smile on her face, she quickly caught up with Yu Hua and Cheng Hong.

(End of this chapter)