"It's so infuriating." Song Wen clenched his fist.
Tang Yung put down the chopsticks in her hand and said, "Let's go, we can't eat this al anymore."
"Yeah, let's go. We had enough laughs today." Xiao Xue, pulling a few sisters, said, "Let's take the chance during lunch break to quickly go shopping."
"Agreed." The others responded in unison.
Tang Yung turned her head to glance at Lin Chuan and asked, "What about you? Do you have plans for lunch?"
"Nope." Lin Chuan shook his head.
"If you've got nothing, then co out and walk with ." Tang Yung smiled.
"Sure." Lin Chuan nodded, saying, "I just worry about people getting the wrong idea."
"I'm not scared, what are you scared of?" Tang Yung glared at Lin Chuan.
Lin Chuan smiled awkwardly and did not say anything else. Subsequently, the two of them walked outside. Not far from the City Committee was Jiangbei City's People's Square. The square was quite close to a park, and during noon, with the bright sunshine, it cast a warm feeling that dispelled the chill of the early winter.
When Tang Yung left the house, she wore a long burgundy wool coat that enhanced her noble temperant, and her long legs in a pair of over-the-knee boots made her figure even more statuesque and fashionable. Bathed in the sunlight, however, Tang Yung's heart was shrouded in darkness.
The two walked in silence along the way.
They continued until they reached the park, where there were quite a number of people, with many elderly basking in the sun on park benches, enjoying these precious monts of good tis. Most of these senior citizens had lived through the era of wars and famines, but fortunately, heaven had bestowed upon them a peaceful and prosperous age in their twilight years.
"Sister, you... didn't co here because sothing's bothering you, right?" Lin Chuan asked curiously.
"Nothing's wrong, just wanted to go for a walk," Tang Yung smiled and said, "I haven't been out to enjoy the sun for a long ti. So I wanted to co out and bask in the sun."
"That's nice," Lin Chuan smiled and said, "Get so sun, kill so germs."
Tang Yung found a chair and sat down. Lin Chuan sat close to Tang Yung. The two leaned back on the chairs, with Tang Yung looking up at the clear blue sky, her eyes betraying a touch of sadness and despair.
"Sotis, I really want to leave this world," Tang Yung said with sorrow, "I always feel that it was supposed to be who should've gone."
Lin Chuan beca anxious, could this be a sign of terminal psychological withdrawal? He hurriedly said, "Sister, you can't think like that. If you left, many people would be heartbroken over you."
"But I can't find any reason to keep living," Tang Yung said with a bitter smile, "It's better to die than to live like a walking corpse."
Lin Chuan beca even more anxious. He glanced around quickly and imdiately pulled Tang Yung to her feet.
"What are you doing?" Tang Yung asked urgently.
"Co with ," Lin Chuan said hurriedly.
Tang Yung could only follow Lin Chuan, walking towards a nearby place. Lin Chuan held Tang Yung's hand, and she allowed him to pull her along, hand in hand. Tang Yung felt shy inside and wanted to break free, but she did not, feeling a slight conflict within her heart.
However, what Tang Yung did not expect was that Lin Chuan didn't take her far and instead ran straight to the group of old n and won. He pulled Tang Yung down to sit among the elderly who were chatting.
"Old man, how old are you?" Lin Chuan asked with curiosity.
"I'm eighty-three now," one of the old n opened his eyes and looked at Lin Chuan with a puzzled face.
Upon hearing that, Lin Chuan thought there might be a chance and smiled hastily, "Old man, this is my girlfriend, she has a great admiration for revolutionary predecessors, and she wants to hear so tragic stories from the warti and the ***** period, as a way to pay tribute to the revolutionary martyrs."
"Warti?" Hearing this, the old man gave a bitter smile and said, "Young man, you both were born at the right ti, to be able to live in such a peaceful, such a prosperous era. I was born at the beginning of last century. When I grew up, I encountered the Nationalist Party conscripting the able-bodied. All three of my brothers were taken by the Nationalist Party to beco soldiers. In the end, they all died on the battlefield. Once New China was liberated, people beca the masters of our country, but then we were hit by the ************. By goodness, my mother starved to death. Later on, we encountered the Gang of Four, and entered China's ten-year dark period..."
"Sa here," an old lady next to him spoke with a smile, "In our family of three siblings, the oldest was taken by the Nationalist Party to be a soldier, and Old Two joined the New Fourth Army. The brothers even t on the battlefield..."
As these old n and won started talking about that era, it was undoubtedly a dark, tragic ti—a ti that people could never forget.
Tang Yung, upon hearing them, instantly felt that her own suffering was nothing compared to theirs.
Tang Yung looked at them in surprise and asked, "So... don't you feel the pain?"
"Pain, of course it's painful," the eighty-three-year-old elder nods and says, "But we still have to live through the pain. In life, one encounters countless setbacks, both big and small. Yet compared to life and death, they're all trivial. Child, there are only two major events in life: the first is birth, the second is death. Birth is the beginning of life, death is the end of it. Only by facing it calmly, when you grow old, will you find that all the storms you've experienced in your lifeti really aren't much at all."
"So losing loved ones doesn't count as a major event?" Tang Yung asks doubtfully.
"Child, life is just like a play," the elder laughs, "On this stage, there's always soone going on and others coming off. No one is the permanent protagonist. Everyone has their own destiny, and their departure might just be fated. Isn't that so?"
"Fated?" Tang Yung mutters to herself, "Could it really be... fated?"
"Child, so things are not what you imagine them to be," the elder looks at Tang Yung and says, "All three of my brothers died on the battlefield, and they did so serving Old Jiang for the Nationalist Party. As a result, when the New Fourth Army was ****, my parents were implicated; they were paraded through the streets. And ? Because of an unclear background, I failed the political review when I applied to join the party. When it cos down to it, is there anyone more unlucky than ?"
Lin Chuan laughs, "Elderly sir, what you said is true. Life is like a play, and a play is like life; take it lightly, and that's all there is to it. Really, even life and death aren't such big deals. Every day in this world, there are so many new lives being born, and just as many passing away. Right?"
"Young man, you've got a grasp on it," the elder chuckles heartily, "Having lived over eighty years, I've lived a worthwhile life, and even if I kick the bucket suddenly one day, I'll be chuckling all the way to the afterlife."
Tang Yung lowers her head; she seems to understand sothing, yet she's still shrouded in confusion.
"Elder, we need to get going. We've been chatting for a while," Lin Chuan, having spent over half an hour with Tang Yung, is ready to leave the place.
Tang Yung lets Lin Chuan pull her along as the two do so aimless wandering in the park.
"Lin Chuan, do you think the sa way?" Tang Yung asks curiously.
"Think what?" Lin Chuan stops in his tracks and lights a cigarette.
"About life being like a play," Tang Yung says with a puzzled look as she stares at Lin Chuan.
"Indeed," Lin Chuan nods and says, "I know you don't quite believe it in your heart, but once you get used to seeing life and death, it seems insignificant."
Pfft...
Tang Yung suddenly covers her mouth, laughing and says, "You make it sound as if you're an enlightened monk who's seen it all, accustod to life and death. Where did you see it? In the birthing room? At the crematorium?"
"Haha..." Lin Chuan laughs heartily.
"However, what you said does make so sense," Tang Yung nods and says, "It seems I really should forget so things."
"Mhm," Lin Chuan nods and says, "Work hard, and you'll definitely be able to forget those things."
After briefly consoling Tang Yung, the two return to the City Committee. Tang Yung has a eting to attend that afternoon, so Lin Chuan can leave with peace of mind. etings at the City Committee usually last over two hours, with lengthy speeches by the leaders, followed by discussion. It's expected that the entire afternoon will be spent this way.
As they near the City Committee, Tang Yung suddenly stops walking.
"Why stop?" Lin Chuan turns to look at Tang Yung.
"Lin Chuan, thank you for today," Tang Yung smiles at Lin Chuan.
"Silly girl, no need to thank ," Lin Chuan says with a beaming smile, flashing eight neat and white teeth.
Tang Yung's face turns slightly red as she retorts, "Who allowed you to call that? I'm your elder sister."
"Yes, yes, elder sister," Lin Chuan chuckles.
"That's more like it," Tang Yung snorts lightly, then turns and walks into the City Committee building.
The smoking security guards at the door quickly extinguish their cigarettes and stand up straight, looking very alert. Little do they know that Tang Yung has already seen their hurried actions. What puzzles her, though, is why other people smoking seems so irritating to her, while she never minds Lin Chuan smoking?
Furthermore, when Lin Chuan called her 'silly girl' earlier, she didn't feel much resistance in her heart; instead, it felt rather warm. Tang Yung even begins to wonder why she has such strange feelings. What could be the cause of these feelings?
Lin Chuan stands at the entrance, watching Tang Yung's charming figure enter the City Committee building before turning to leave the City Committee.
Lin Chuan's mind is still preoccupied with money matters; if he doesn't co up with 110,000 yuan, it could be difficult to face the consequences. In any case, he's also promised to help Nuo Xiaoxi. Moreover, Nuo Xiaoxi not only trusted him but also agreed to go back to school to strive for a good university in next year's college entrance examination.
With Nuo Xiaoxi's exams approaching, failing to assist her now might ruin her life.
"Chuan, not working again today?" Zhou Kai, wearing a pair of white knitted gloves stained with black oil, holds a wrench and laughs, "Bro, you really live a carefree life."
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