Five years of marriage, always separated [1970s]

Liu Guihua knew as well as Ye Fan that Zhuang Qiuyue had not been very supportive of Miaomiao's preparation for the exam. Liu Guihua also knew how hard Miaomiao worked. Every time she saw her son slacking off, she would say that Miaomiao had better grades and worked harder than you. Liao Miaomiao also told Liu Guihua that she must pass the exam to make her mother look at her differently.

Is this the result?

Liu Guihua felt suffocated just imagining it, let alone the person involved.

No wonder Miaomiao doesn’t want to live anymore.

Liu Guihua held Ye Fan back and said, "We have to think of a solution. Miaomiao is only sixteen this year. If a child this young—regardless of whether Zhuang Qiuyue will regret it in the future, I will definitely feel guilty if I am asked to do nothing about it."

Ye Fanxin said, who isn't?

A living life.

Ye Fan asked Geng Zhiye: "What do you think?"

Geng Zhiye: "I'll find a way to deal with Lao Liao. Actually, Lao Liao isn't a big problem. When he and Miao Miao have a conflict, I'll ask Lao Niu or the Chief of Staff to take a leave and let Lao Liao take over. It's February now, right? There are still five months until July, so I'll arrange a few more shifts. The main issue is her mother. How can we separate her from her mother?"

Liu Guihua couldn't help but nod: "This is the most important point. Accountant Ye, when you persuaded Miaomiao to have her stomach washed, her mother and I were outside. Zhuang Qiuyue even said that no one would be able to stand her temper at such a young age."

Geng Zhiye asked: "Don't you know why Miaomiao committed suicide?"

Ye Fan: "It's useless to know. She thinks helping Miao Miao change her major is for her own good, and she doesn't want her to go to the countryside to farm after graduation."

Liu Guihua frowned: "But Miaomiao doesn't want to live anymore."

Ye Fan sighed, "Isn't Miao Miao alive? Zhuang Qiuyue might think that Miao Miao was trying to scare her. She might also think that the rat poison on the sweet potato wouldn't kill anyone."

"That's because I didn't use rat poison!" Liu Guihua said frankly, "If it weren't for my two naughty kids, I was worried that they would accidentally touch it and then eat without washing their hands. Miaomiao might have passed away today."

Ye Fan added: "The older generation often told us that I have eaten more salt than you have eaten rice. If Zhuang Qiuyue thinks so, she will think Miaomiao is ungrateful. She lost her temper and went to the hospital, which embarrassed her."

Liu Guihua wanted to curse immediately: "You are right. She really said that she had never been so embarrassed in her life. I - I even advised her not to bother with the child. Fortunately, you persuaded Miaomiao to stop. If there was no evidence, Miaomiao would have been wronged."

Geng Zhiye: "Sister-in-law, I have a solution, but it may require some effort on your part."

"I'm fine!" Liu Guihua said without hesitation, "My Xiaocao can wash clothes and cook. I can go to the Liao family all day long to keep an eye on them."

Geng Zhiye shook his head: "Don't bother. Didn't Miaomiao often go with you to the food factory to help Fanfan? Ask Xiaocao to invite Miaomiao to your house on weekends, and ask her to go with you to the food factory to read books on weekdays. Fanfan is not convenient to come forward for this matter."

Liu Guihua asked Ye Fan: "What's wrong?"

Ye Fan understood why Geng Zhiye said this: "I discovered Miaomiao was poisoned, and I was the one who decided to send her to the hospital. Geng Zhiye knew about it in the army, and our neighbors must also know that Miaomiao was in trouble. Now we don't know if it was suicide, but we will know in the future. Zhuang Qiuyue wants to save face, will she blame me for being nosy? Besides, as for the college entrance examination, even if Miaomiao didn't say anything, Zhuang Qiuyue would have remembered that Miaomiao asked for my opinion. How can all these things add up to make me look good?"

"What's the connection?" Liu Guihua couldn't help but say, "You also hope that Miaomiao can make a name for herself. If that's the case, it was Captain Geng who found the textbooks and materials that Miaomiao and Xiaoshan used for review."

Ye Fan nodded: "Yes. If Geng Zhiye and I didn't support it, Miaomiao wouldn't be able to prepare for the exam, wouldn't this happen today?"

"It's totally unreasonable!" Liu Guihua couldn't help but curse, "Didn't she go to school? How come she's worse than someone like me who never went to school?"

Ye Fan: "If she were you, she wouldn't even be able to write her own name properly, let alone change her choice secretly."

Geng Zhiye nodded: "Just because you know a few words, you think you know everything. Who said that you have to go to the countryside to study agriculture? Ignorance!"

Liu Guihua couldn't help but ask: "Don't you need it?"

Geng Zhiye: "The experts who went to the countryside were just like the experts who were sent to the islands before, giving instructions to the farmers. Have those experts on the islands returned in the past six months? I heard that some of them joined public institutions, some returned to school, and some continued to do scientific research."

Liu Guihua remembered: "He is the expert who taught the members of the Shanxi Brigade to plant trees? He didn't get paid before?"

Geng Zhiye: "The salary has been stopped. But I heard that it will be repaid. My second sister-in-law's mother's salary was stopped for a few years, and she was repaid as soon as she returned to her original unit."

Liu Guihua asked, "More than ordinary workers, right? Isn't that a lot of money in those few years?" After roughly calculating how much money it was, Liu Guihua couldn't help scolding Zhuang Qiuyue again, "Studying agriculture is just a little dirty and hard, why is it bad? What isn't hard? Being a teacher eats chalk every day, and being a doctor requires working the night shift. Which farmer needs to work the night shift every now and then?"

Ye Fan: "Sister-in-law, it's too late to say anything now. How about this for now?"

Liu Guihua thought of her bucket and shoulder pole, and her children were still waiting for her at home: "Go home first. I'll cook some rice porridge for Miaomiao. Accountant Ye, you're close, so it's inconvenient for you to go over there, but you should keep an eye on them. We can't let anything happen to the children under our noses."

Ye Fan nodded: "Captain Geng, do you want to go home or return to the army?"

"Go back to the army and tell Lao Liao." Geng Zhiye said this and turned back to the army.

Liu Guihua pulled Ye Fan in the opposite direction: "How did you find out?"

"Erbao said so."

Liu Guihua paused, then asked as she walked: "Erbao?"

Ye Fan roughly repeated Erbao's "last words" and added: "I was surprised at the time. Zhuang Qiuyue didn't let Miaomiao prepare for the exam. Miaomiao came to my house and cried like Liu Bei, but she didn't even mention death. How could she be so upset when she didn't receive the admission letter?"

Liu Guihua asked hurriedly, "Is it that time? Miaomiao came to me and asked me to talk to her mother? Did you teach her to say that?"

Ye Fan nodded: "In Zhuang Qiuyue's opinion, it is easy for me to get into college. If I come forward, she will say that Miaomiao is not you."

Liu Guihua couldn't help but ask, "If I ask Miaomiao to come to my house later, will she think I'm meddling in her business?"

Ye Fan: "I'll think you're being too cautious. Miaomiao isn't that fragile."

"That's nothing!" Liu Guihua screamed, "It's a matter of a lifetime, and even we adults can't handle it, let alone a child."

Ye Fan: "Sister-in-law, keep your voice down."

The two walked fast, and Liu Guihua looked up and realized that they had reached the intersection of Shanxi Brigade. It was lunchtime, and there were not many people at the intersection. Liu Guihua breathed a sigh of relief, glad that she didn't have to bother fooling around. However, when they arrived at the family area, many people were outside, including Dabao and Erbao.

As soon as Ye Fan arrived at the door of Liao's house, Dabao ran to his mother and asked, "Aunt Wan said you went to the hospital. Mom, why did you go to the hospital? Mom, what's wrong with you?"

"Mom is fine." Ye Fan looked at Wan Siqin, who was at the door of Ye Fan's house. Seeing this, she took a few steps over and explained that she had also heard it from the Shanxi Brigade members. Then Wan Siqin asked Ye Fan what happened.

Ye Fan said half-truthfully: "Miao Miao has been under a lot of pressure recently, and she didn't eat well, so she passed out."

Wan Siqin didn't expect Miaomiao to dare to commit suicide, so she believed it and said, "No wonder you are so anxious. Are you okay?"

Ye Fan: "It's nothing serious. She's receiving glucose infusion in the hospital. Can I ask my eldest brother and youngest sister to make something for her?"

Wan Siqin nodded, then turned around and told everyone that it was no big deal.

Liu Guihua looked towards the entrance of the alley and said, "Dabao, where are my bucket and shoulder pole?"

Dabao: "Brother Xiaoshan and Sister Xiaocao took it home."

Liu Guihua smiled and said, "They are sensible. Accountant Ye, if you have any questions, please..." Seeing Ye Fan winking at her, "Dabao, Erbao, you two go home first. Your mother and I will go make something for Miaomiao."

Dabao nodded: "Mom, hurry up, the buns in the pot are getting cold."

Ye Fan waved to his children and said to the Liao brothers and sisters, "Come in!"

Liao Dadi saw clearly that his sister did not faint, so when he got to the house, he asked, "Aunt Ye, what happened to my sister?"

Ye Fan: "Your sister ate rat poison and doesn't want to live anymore."

The brother and sister were suddenly shocked.

Ye Fan: "Remember what I'm going to say next, you two must not tell anyone."

Liao Dadi nodded subconsciously, looking very uneasy, "You, you talk, I'm listening!"

Ye Fan: "In fact, your sister could have been admitted to university. Your mother secretly changed her choice of major—"

Liao Xiaomei couldn't help but say, "I know. Mom said it was for my sister's good. My sister was so angry that she cried."

Liu Guihua wanted to greet Zhuang Qiuyue's eight generations of ancestors again.

Now that he knew, Ye Fan stopped talking nonsense and asked directly: "Brother, what do you like, to be a doctor or a teacher?"

Liao Dadi: "I want to be an officer who knows everything like Uncle Geng."

Ye Fan: "What do you hate the most?"

"Teacher!" Liao Dadi couldn't stand the teacher saying "If you don't study hard, you will end up doing nothing in your future."

Ye Fan: "If you can get into a military academy, and your mother secretly changes your application to a normal school, and says that being a soldier is dangerous and being a teacher is safe, do you want to die too?"

Liao Dadi put himself in his shoes and couldn't stand it, "I won't eat rat poison!"

Liu Guihua nodded: "Yes! Even if I die, I will take your mother with me!"

Ye Fan paused for a moment and said helplessly, "Sister-in-law, don't say anything. Big brother, killing is against the law, you can't do this. What's more, your mother is gone, what do you want your little sister to do?"

Liao Dadi never thought of dying with his mother. Maybe Zhuang Qiuyue was too powerful, so Liao Dadi didn't have the courage: "Aunt Ye, I won't."

Ye Fan: "Your sister's friends used to hang out with her, but now they don't. Your mom treats her like that, so your sister is very sad. I'm worried that your mom will bully her and she'll want to die again. You two should spend more time with her. Just tell her to live well and stay away from home in the future. Little sister, can you not tell your mom about what I said?"

The younger sister is too timid to lie to her mother.

Seeing that she didn't say anything, Ye Fan asked, "Little sister, do you prefer to be a teacher or a doctor?"

"I like to sing."

Ye Fan laughed and said, "That's it. In your mother's eyes, singing is low-class. It's better than your sister studying agriculture. Even if your mother supports you on the surface, she will secretly change your choice when you apply to the music college."

Liao Dadi couldn't help but ask, "Can singing help you get into college?"

Ye Fan nodded: "Of course. For example, Mr. Xian Xinghai went to a music college."

Liu Guihua asked: "Little sister, if you don't help your sister, your mother will use this method to deal with you. Don't think I'm scaring you."

Nowadays, high schools and middle schools are both two-year programs. Ye Fan calculated the time: "If Miaomiao is admitted to a university in July after the New Year and graduates in four years, it will be the right time for your eldest brother to take the university entrance exam. By then, your mother will say that she will not give you living expenses if you don't listen to me. Big brother, you can ask your sister for it. You can also go to your sister's place during the winter and summer vacations. Little sister, you too. College students are well treated and can be assigned a house as soon as they graduate. You two don't have to worry about becoming beggars if your mother kicks you out."

The older brother and younger sister's eyes lit up, as if they saw hope.

Ye Fan: "So helping your sister is also for your own good." Liu Guihua thought to herself, Accountant Ye is really good at talking.

Ye Fan: "Little sister, can you promise me?"

Liao Xiaomei nodded: "I won't tell mom."

Liao Dadi: "Let's just pretend we don't know what happened to our sister."

Ye Fan smiled and said, "No need to cook for your sister."

Liu Guihua immediately said that she would go home to cook some porridge and send it to the health center later.

Liao Dadi couldn't help but say, "Thank you Aunt Liu. Aunt Ye, thank you for telling us so much."

Ye Fan added, "When your mother comes back, she will definitely say that your sister is ignorant. You two should just pretend you didn't hear anything. Don't agree with her. If you can't stand it, go out, or go back to your room to read or do homework."

Brother Liao and Sister Liao nodded.

Ye Fan asked: "Have you cooked yet?"

Liao Dadi shook his head: "My mom said to cook noodles. The vegetables are washed and the water is boiled, but I don't know how to knead the dough and roll the noodles."

After something like this happened, Ye Fan was also worried that the two children would have wild thoughts at home: "Come to my house to eat."

They were embarrassed and subconsciously looked at Liu Guihua to ask for her opinion. Liu Guihua pulled one in each hand. Ye Fan locked the door at the back and then closed the gate of the Liao family's fence.

Dabao and Erbao were waiting for their mother in the living room and were about to fall asleep. When they heard footsteps, the brother and sister got up and ran out: "Mom?"

Ye Fan: "I'm here. My little sister and big brother will have lunch at our house. You two can help them wash their hands. Mom will go cook."

Ye Fan had been in the hospital for a long time, and the fire in the stove was not very strong, but fortunately the hairtail fish cooked quickly. After Ye Fan cooked the fish, he mashed eggs and garlic together, drizzled sesame oil on them, and went to pick up the steamed buns.

The steamed buns were not cold, but they were not hot either. Ye Fan would heat up the buns even if he came back half an hour late.

Ye Fan carried the dishes and steamed buns to the living room and took out the glass water cup: "Brother, sister, just drink the boiled water. I really don't have the energy to cook soup."

The brother and sister nodded together and thanked Ye Fan again.

After dinner, the brother and sister helped Ye Fan clean up the dishes, wipe the table and sweep the floor. They looked very skilled, as if they had done this a lot at home.

Ye Fanxin said that Zhuang Qiuyue was better at teaching children than I was in this respect. But how could she be so confused when it came to such a big thing as the college entrance examination?

Ye Fan really couldn't understand it and simply stopped thinking about it.

Because the school was on vacation, the eldest brother, the youngest sister, the eldest child and the second child did not have to go to school, so Ye Fan let the four of them play in the house.

The older brother and younger sister were not in the mood to play. Dabao and Erbao thought that they were worried about Liao Miaomiao, so they comforted them and said, "Mom doesn't lie. Mom said Sister Miaomiao is fine, so Sister Miaomiao must be fine."

There was no point in keeping the two spinning tops for the eldest brother, so he gave one to the eldest brother a few days ago. Ye Fan found the spinning tops, moved the tables, chairs and benches to the wall, leaving a large space for the two to play with the spinning tops.

Ye Fan asked Erbao and Xiaomei to go back to the bedroom to read comic books or play twirls. Ye Fan said he was tidying up the vegetable garden, but he was actually staring at the neighbors in the yard. Ye Fan was staring until he was tired. A three-wheeled motorcycle appeared in front of the Liao family. The driver was Liao Zhengwei, and only Liao Miaomiao was in the car.

Liao Miaomiao was so disappointed with her mother that she probably didn't bother to argue with her. If Miaomiao didn't say anything, it meant that Zhuang Qiuyue still felt that Miaomiao was immature and didn't want to ride in the same car with her.

Is it necessary for a mother and daughter to care so much? It's not a special case like her and Zhao Ruping. Ye Fan estimated that Zhuang Qiuyue would take a while to get home, so he put down his hoe and went to the next door to ask: "Political Commissar Liao, how is Miaomiao?"

Political Commissar Liao opened his mouth and said, "I, Accountant Ye, am very grateful for your kindness. If you have any questions in the future, just let me know."

Ye Fan shook his head and didn't respond. Seeing that Miao Miao was not in high spirits, he said, "Miao Miao, you take a rest first. I have something to talk to your dad about."

Liao Miaomiao thought that Ye Fan persuaded her father to let her continue to review for the exam, so she nodded obediently.

Ye Fan and Political Commissar Liao came to the courtyard. Assuming Miao Miao couldn't hear, Ye Fan asked, "Do you think Miao Miao has a bad temper?"

Political Commissar Liao looked embarrassed: "I didn't expect her to be so angry." Political Commissar Liao also didn't expect Geng Zhiye to scold him like a grandson for Miao Miao, and in front of the Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander Niu. He didn't expect the Chief of Staff to say he was too much and Deputy Commander Niu to say he was helping the tyrant.

Ye Fan: "You feel like the sky has fallen when you are suddenly advised to retire. In Miaomiao's eyes, getting into college is her sky. Her sky has fallen, and it was her trusted mother who broke it. This is like you finding out that your comrade-in-arms partner Geng Zhiye was the one who persuaded you to retire."

Political Commissar Liao nodded: "I realize it."

Ye Fan: "You might try to make excuses for yourself, saying that Miaomiao has good grades, and if she studies for another six months until July, she can do even better. What if Miaomiao is sick that day, or has a car accident on the way to the exam, will she still have the energy to take the exam? You are an officer, and you must have heard of 'the first push is the best, the second is weaker, and the third is the worst.'"

Liao Miaomiao had not received the admission letter, so Political Commissar Liao advised her that it would be better next year. Miaomiao asked what if she failed the exam. Zhuang Qiuyue said, how could she fail the exam if she studied hard? Therefore, Political Commissar Liao never thought about the car accident or illness.

Ye Fan: "I heard from Xiaocao that during the time when Xiaoshan was preparing for the exam, her mother served her brother like a living ancestor. She wanted to cook eight meals a day. Political Commissar Liao, how many times has your family made midnight snacks for Miaomiao?"

When Political Commissar Liao was not at home, he did not know. When he was at home, he did not think that Liao Miaomiao would be hungry at ten or eleven o'clock. He did tell Miaomiao several times to take care of her health and go to bed early. Miaomiao did not listen. He was very proud and told Deputy Regimental Commander Niu that his daughter was sensible and hardworking, and might be able to pass the exam.

The reason why I can't make a guarantee is because Liao Miaomiao never went to high school.

Ye Fan: "Miao Miao is completely desperate now. She really needs you. Please talk to her."

Political Commissar Liao nodded: "I'm sorry to trouble you."

Ye Fan added, "You may not know this. Miaomiao was afraid that I would notice, so she didn't dare say goodbye to me, but she said a lot to Dabao and Erbao. If they hadn't said that Miaomiao was weird, I suspect Miaomiao was under a lot of pressure and came to see me. By the time you two found out, Miaomiao might have already died."

On the way here, Political Commissar Liao was still wondering how Ye Fan knew that Miao Miao had taken rat poison. He didn't dare to ask Miao Miao, for fear of irritating her. Hearing this, Political Commissar Liao was immediately scared and didn't dare to have the fluke mentality that she was just impulsive.

When Ye Fan returned home, he told his older brother and younger sister that their sister had returned.

The brother and sister wanted to go home, but Ye Fan reminded them: "Wait in the yard for a while, and go in only if there is nothing wrong in the house."

Dadi: “I know what to do.”

Ye Fan was worried and watched them go by in the yard. Liao Dadi stopped at the door of his house. He probably heard someone talking in the house, so he sat under the eaves with his sister. When Zhuang Qiuyue came back, they got up and went in.

Dabao thought his mother was very strange: "Mom, what's wrong with Sister Miaomiao? You seem to be very worried about Sister Miaomiao."

Ye Fan: “An invisible disease.”

"Forget it if you don't want to talk about it. I'll ask Sister Miaomiao myself."

Ye Fan wanted to say "no", but suddenly thought of "yes". Geng Zhiye scolded Dabao for holding the pen incorrectly, and Dabao would refute him, saying that no one stipulated how to hold the pen. If Dabao knew that Miaomiao's choice was changed, he would only scold Zhuang Qiuyue.

Ye Fan: "Ask. But not today."

"I know. I'll ask after Sister Miaomiao recovers from her illness." Dabao was thinking that he would ask her the day after tomorrow when he went to pay New Year's greetings to Aunt Zhuang.

He was unable to go to Zhuang Qiuyue's house on the first day of the new year. Ye Fan did not allow him to go, saying that Liao Miaomiao's illness had not yet healed.

Even though Dabao felt that his mother was lying to him, he didn't dare to go over and disturb Miaomiao's rest. Dabao thought, I'll go tomorrow.

The next morning, Dabao was ready to go when the postman delivered a telegram.

When Dabao heard the telegram, he immediately forgot about going to visit Miaomiao next door and asked curiously, "Did grandma and grandma miss me?"

Ye Fan rolled his eyes at him: "Can't it be that my mother misses me?"

"Can't we think together?" The telegram was too simple for Dabao to understand. "Mom, what does it mean?"

Ye Fan: "Your aunt and your grandmother came here by train today. Your grandmother asked me to pick them up at the station the day after tomorrow morning. Your grandmother forgot which bus she took and where she got off."

Dabao exclaimed: "Grandma and little aunt are coming? Is grandma coming?"

Ye Fan shook his head: "I didn't mention Chen Xiaohui in the two messages I sent. I guess she didn't pass the exam. Your grandma needs to stay at home to review with her. But why is your aunt coming here instead of studying hard at home?"

Dabao couldn't figure it out either: "Why don't you ask your aunt when she comes?"

On the morning of the fourth day of the first lunar month, Ye Fan picked up her sister-in-law at the station and asked if anything had happened at home.

Yu Wentao answered first: "It's too noisy at home, and Xiaoqin can't concentrate on reviewing." Then she said that she would take the bus back and would not enter the island.

Ye Fan was worried that she would not be able to bear it. Yu Wentao showed off that she came here by sleeper and she would take a sleeper back. She also said that she did not have much money on her and was not afraid of being stolen.

Having said that, Ye Fan did not ask her to go back. Ye Fan first looked at her ticket and saw that there were still two hours before the departure time, so he took her to the city to have a meal and then sent her to the station.

Geng Zhiqin was not used to going out for the first time and was not in high spirits. Ye Fan took her home and asked, "Did you have a fight with your mother?"

Geng Zhiqin touched his face and said, "Is it so obvious?"

Ye Fan wanted to ask, how obvious could it be. "If there was no quarrel, your mother wouldn't be in such a hurry to go back. Second sister-in-law is not busy before and after the New Year, and Dad has her to take care of him, so why would Aunt Yu go back? Don't you miss Dabao and Erbao?"

Dabao and Erbao only saw that Xiaogu was very disappointed. Hearing this, Dabao advised: "Xiaogu, why are you arguing with grandma? She is not sensible. Don't bother with her."

Geng Zhiqin muttered: "Your grandma is really ignorant."

Ye Fan asked: "What's going on?"

Geng Zhiqin sighed, "I didn't want to apply for a normal school, nor did I plan to major in accounting. She insisted that teaching and accounting were stable jobs, and asked me to choose one of the key universities close to home. Don't mention that I didn't go to high school. Even if I did, there are so many educated young people in the capital, I might not pass the exam. She really thinks highly of me!"

Ye Fanxin said, fortunately, she didn't secretly change her choice of major: "Did you listen to her?"

Geng Zhiqin: "Dad also said that a stable job is a good thing. He also said that my second sister-in-law's mother was also respected even though she was sent to a farm. He is so old, how could I dare to let him worry about it. In the end, he was rejected, and the couple stopped giving orders." He snorted, "She didn't have a quarrel with me. She was afraid that you would scold her if you knew about it. By the way, Chen Xiaohui didn't write to you, right? She was also afraid that you would scold her."

Ye Fan: "Don't tell me she applied to the top university in the country - Peking University!"

Geng Zhiqin was shocked. How could her sister-in-law be so powerful?

Ye Fan had a headache: "They are all really - she is studying while working, and she still wants to get into Peking University? It's not that I look down on her, but with such a high IQ, how could she be fooled by Chen Kuanren and Zhao Ruping?"

Geng Zhiqin: "She said she is not as emotionally intelligent as you."

Ye Fan said angrily: "Thank her for thinking so highly of me!!!"

Geng Zhiqin wanted to laugh: "Your mother reminded her to give it a try in the first year. Aunt Tao also wanted to write to tell you what happened. Chen Xiaohui said she would tell you after she passed the exam."

(End of this chapter)