Chapter 6.1 - 6th Stop: Hua Tian Village Survivor (1)
Six years later
We see a clear blue sky with white, fluffy clouds and birds flying across the little alleys in the village. There, in the distance, we see a sea of flowers. In the midst of it, a slender female figure is working busily. She has walked from one end of the sea to another. She’s like a fatherly figure, picking out her children’s shortcomings to ensure their proper growth. She’s also like a mother, giving the flowers the tender loving care they need. She works from dawn till the evening and her greatest pleasure comes from seeing the flowers blossom with pride.
Suddenly, she felt an itch on her hands. She took the gloves off and scratched her hands a little. Then she stared at her hands. This pair of hands has moved even further away from her dreams of playing the piano. It seems like she has lost her childhood ambition but now, she has another treasure that she can keep and love…
She smiled and muttered to herself, “Therefore, I’m very happy now. What about you then?”
The breeze blew onto the flowers and they allowed for her to lift her face up and enjoy this peaceful and fragrant moment. Is this a response from nature to tell her that he is very happy now too?
***
“He has changed.”
A man walks into an office and he throws a magazine onto the desk in front of a woman. The woman picks up the magazine and reads the headlines on the cover and looks at the picture of an expressionless young man on the cover. This young man, in a suit, has a sharp expression on his face with his thin lips giving off the feeling of brutality and cruelty.
“He’s actually defending a rapist. Is this really what you want?” The man asked.
“The accused isn’t just any rapist. He’s a minister.”
“Derong…”
“That’s enough. I know what you want to say.” Fang Derong said. “I’ve already told you umpteen of times; this is how Guangxi should really be living. His choice is right. If he wins this case, he will be more popular in future. By then, all the politicians, businessmen and aristocrats would seek his service when they need legal advice and help.”
“You’re right about him being popular and famous. But is this really a choice that he really wants?”
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
Xiaolin signed and said, “You do. You were the one who constructed this life for him. You were the one who convinced him that he was like this in the very beginning. All you wanted was for him to follow whatever you wanted.”
Derong became upset on hearing this remark. “I’m his mother. This is all for his own good! Moreover, I don’t see why Guangxi would be against this. He is on such good terms with me now.”
“That’s because he obeys every command from you now.” Xiaolin frowned. He wanted to continue but Derong’s upset expression made him stopped immediately.
“If you have time for all these, why don’t you try to help me persuade Guangxi and Yiqian to get married soon? The two of them keep emphasizing that they are still young and they want to pursue their careers first. When am I going to see them get married then?”
Xiaolin smiled upon listening to her. He guessed she was more anxious than the prospective bride and groom. He wanted to reply when his phone rang. He picked it up and his expression changed immediately.
“What’s the matter?” Derong asked out of curiosity.
Xiaolin hung up and hesitated before telling her. “My friend who’s a judge just called. He said Guangxi has just beaten up his client in court.”
“What!?” Derong exclaimed angrily.
***
“It’s nothing at all. The judge just sentenced me to 300 hours of C.W.O.” Guangxi replied impatiently.
He felt really upset that he couldn’t enjoy his meal properly. Everyone at the dinner table, including his mother, Yiqian, Uncle He and Xiaolin couldn’t stop asking him why he had done that to his client.
Yiqian even made a remark that she really hated people who resort to violence.
Fang Derong said, “Do you know who you’ve just beaten up? He’s a minister.”
Guangxi replied as though it was none of his business. “So what? We won the case. He should be thanking me instead.”
“Guangxi, you…”
Director He thought that it was enough and decided to try to clear up the tense atmosphere. “It’s alright. Anyway, it’s a good thing that Guangxi is going to Huatian Village to do his C.W.O. He can do a favour for me then.”
“What is it?” Guangxi raised a brow.
“It’s a case about the ownership of the land. The villagers have already agreed to sell the land to Huanyu Constructions but some of them have decided to back out now. Can you please persuade and negotiate with them on my behalf?” Director He decided that he should let his prospective son-in-law help him with this.
Guangxi decided to do Director He the favour. “No problem. It’d be a piece of cake. It’s just some ignorant villagers. I‘m sure I can settle everything very quickly, Uncle He.”
“I know I could rely on you.” Director He smiled. He looked at his daughter and said, “Yiqian, don’t be angry anymore. Pour some wine for Guangxi then.”
Yiqian replied, “I can pour him some wine. But he must promise me not to beat anyone up again. I don’t wish to marry a violent guy."
Guangxi smiled and pinched his fiancee's face. “I got you, darling.” Yiqian gave him another look before pouring him some wine. He raised his glass and smiled but his heart suddenly felt really heavy. His eyes landed on the leather wristband that he was wearing.
“Frankly speaking, the woman owes me in the very first place. I wonder why she’s so agitated about me taking advantage of her. Thank goodness I have you to help me settle and clear up this mess.”
It was this very sentence that caused Guangxi to be really upset and beat up that shameless minister.
He wondered why he was so upset but he couldn’t seem to find the answer…
**********
***
“So what is it now? Is it a must that we sell our land?”
The villagers of Huatian Village have all gathered at Aunt Hua’s karaoke shop to discuss about the case of selling their land to Huanyu Constructions.
“It’s all because of the grandson of the village heard, Bin!” A villager cursed. “He actually stole the deed and sold it off to others. Even though the land belongs to the village head, we all rely on it to earn our keep. He should seek our agreement before selling it off to others!”
“Indeed.” Other villager said. “We must write in to the government to let them send someone over to clear this up for us… I thought someone mentioned that they’d be sending a public defender over? Why isn’t he here yet?”
Then the village head said, “The people in charge just called me. They are sending him over tomorrow.”
“That’s wonderful. Huatian Village can be saved now!” The innocent villagers roared with joy once they heard the news that someone would be coming over to save Huatian Village.
“Aunt Hua, are you comforted now?” The village’s matchmaker came up and grabbed Aunt Hua. “After the case is over, we can look for a bride for your son. Do you need me to arrange any blind dates for your son?”
“Blind dates, you say?” Another villager interrupted. “You don’t have to do anything. Aunt Hua’s son already has someone in mind.”
“Who says so?” Aunt Hua rebutted. “My Tuoye is very innocent. How is it possible for him to have someone in mind?”
“Aunt Hua, are you serious that you don’t know? Everyone knows that Tuoye sticks around that Liang Mucheng every day.”
“They are just friends!” Aunt Hua replied angrily, banging her fist onto the table. “The Hua family’s daughter-in-law must be someone who’s chaste. How can that kind of unwed mother be our daughter-in-law then?”
Speaking of the devil; Hua Tuoye appeared with a bag of fertilizer. “Mum! What are you talking about? Please don’t insult Mucheng.”
“Mucheng… Mucheng… She’s all you have to say every day!” Aunt Hua became really upset. “I wonder what that shameless woman fed you with that you are so taken in by her.”
“Mum! She’s not a shameless woman, she’s my good friend.” Hua Tuoye decided to speak up for Mucheng. “I’d not care about our ties anymore if you speak of Mucheng in this way again.”
“You! You’re such an unfilial son!"
Hua Tuoye decided that he didn’t want to continue the conversation with his mother and provoke her further. He turned and walked away. “I’d be sending some fertilizer over to Mucheng.”
