The closer it came to parting, the less Xia Dabao knew what to say to Tian Xiaobei. She was a lady who wore her heart on her sleeve and didn’t know how to hide her feelings. The thought that after Xiaobei left, aside from family, there would be few people left to talk to, filled her with a sense of dreary dispiritedness.
Xiaobei’s excitement had already begun to fade, and seeing Xia Dabao’s demeanor, he felt equally pained.
He thought that in the future, he must take good care of this lady.
…
After dinner, Tian Xiaobei went to Auntie Zhao’s to say goodbye.
He had already retrieved the jade pendant, so the only attachment he had left there was Auntie Zhao.
But Auntie Zhao was a soft-hearted and shy person, and she hadn’t developed much of a bond with Tian Xiaobei during this time, so their parting words seemed rather insipid. Auntie Zhao merely urged Xiaobei to be careful on the road, to be more filial to his parents, and other such polite remarks. She also said that she felt guilty for not being able to help Xiaobei much while he was here, asking him to apologize to his brother and sister-in-law.
Toward the end, it was Tian Xiaobei who ended up forting Auntie Zhao. After doing so, he stepped out of her room.
It wasn’t until Xiaobei reached the door that he realized Auntie Zhao had been eavesdropping from around the corner. Xiaobei didn’t want to make a big deal of it with Auntie Zhao. He just nodded his head and was about to walk past when Auntie Zhao said in a sour tone, “Oh, leaving now, are you? Does that mean you’ll never e back?”
“Not necessarily, but I don’t see how that’s any of your concern, Auntie Zhao?” For the first time since he had known her, Xiaobei spoke to Auntie Zhao with such righteous indignation.
“Of course, it’s not my concern, but your aunt is still here. She took you in when you were at your lowest; don’t forget where you came from, okay? After all, you lived in our house for a while, didn’t you? Don’t forget to bring something back for your aunt when you have food and drink—that’s the least you can do as a decent person,” thought Auntie Zhao. After all, since the family hadn’t split yet, whatever Xiaobei, the Provincial City fellow, brought back in the future, she figured she’d get her share too.
Xiaobei paused, feeling suddenly furious inside, yet his rational mind told him it was best not to stoop to arguing with such a village woman.
How to be a person was his business, who needed Auntie Zhao to teach him?
After a moment’s thought, Xiaobei couldn’t help but laugh, “Auntie Zhao, has your illness gotten better?”
“…” Outside the house, Axiang was washing dishes by the well, Uncle Zhao was gnawing on the leftover pork bones from dinner, and Datu had somehow e over without anyone noticing. Naturally, Auntie Zhao didn’t want to reveal her illness to others.
Her condition was a pain in the abdomen during intercourse, an ailment Xiaobei hadn’t treated before, but after some reading, he picked some herbs for Auntie Zhao and retrieved the jade pendant. After that, he didn’t see her ing by again, so she must have recovered.
Auntie Zhao didn’t want others to know about her condition, and now that it was a thing of the past and she no longer felt the pain, there was no need to bring it up again. So she changed the subject, “Forget it, you’re leaving tomorrow, you won’t be staying here tonight, will you? Then you’d better get going, eh?”
Auntie Zhao’s final words were overheard by Datu, who couldn’t help but e closer and ask, “Mom, where is Xiaobei going?”
“Datu, you don’t know yet? Xiaobei’s parents have been released, and they’re about to go back to the city to enjoy their lives. He probably won’t e back to the village again,” Auntie Zhao said mockingly, but upon hearing this, Datu hurriedly followed after Xiaobei.
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