Chapter 27 — The Old Father’s Tears

Su Dahai had been feeding mosquitoes by the roadside at the county town gate for over an hour, his body covered with several itchy bites.

But no matter how long he waited, no one showed up. By now, he was starting to worry, constantly glancing toward the direction where Li Xiangbei and Shen Dongxu had disappeared.

Li Xiangbei was pushing the flatbed cart, turning the corner, and from a distance he saw his father-in-law looking around this way. He quickened his pace and headed toward him.

Su Dahai approached with furrowed brows and concern in his eyes. “Why have you been gone so long? Where are your mother and uncle?” As he spoke, he expertly harnessed the cart back to the ox.

Li Xiangbei held up the cloth bag in his hand and explained, “Mom, uncle, and Yueyue are eating at the state-run restaurant. I packed two meals — just the two of us.”

Su Dahai nodded, “Later we’ll need your uncle to help move the furniture, so we should treat him to a meal.”

Since Li Xiangbei wasn’t skilled at harnessing the ox to the cart, he just put the lunchboxes on the ox cart. Seeing his father-in-law almost done, he opened the lunchbox.

“Dad, I didn’t have many meat coupons left, so I only bought buns and dumplings. Next month, I’ll save the meat coupons to buy you some braised pork,” Li Xiangbei said earnestly, a hint of apology in his tone.

Su Dahai was very satisfied with Li Xiangbei’s sincerity and waved his hand with a smile. “Who needs braised pork? Yueyue’s braised pork is much better than the state-run restaurant’s!”

Li Xiangbei laughed and nodded, “That’s true, Dad.” Then he took out some chopsticks from the bag and handed them to Su Dahai.

Su Dahai took the chopsticks, and father and son began to eat heartily.

Old men eat fast — in less than ten minutes, they had finished every last bite.

Li Xiangbei put the lunchboxes and chopsticks back into the cloth bag.

Seeing his father-in-law pull out a cigarette, Li Xiangbei immediately took out a match and helped him light it.

Su Dahai took a puff, then handed the cigarette pack toward Li Xiangbei. Li Xiangbei hurriedly waved him off, “Dad, I don’t smoke. Yueyue doesn’t like the smell.”

Su Dahai had noticed the cigarettes in Li Xiangbei’s pocket before, and now smiled, asking, “If you don’t smoke, why carry cigarettes and matches?”

Li Xiangbei opened his bag and showed him inside. Su Dahai was surprised at how full the pack was. “Why do you carry so many cigarettes?”

Li Xiangbei explained with a smile, “In my job, I deal with a lot of people. There’s an art to it — the most important thing is to know what to offer different people, giving them different cigarettes.”

After hearing this, Su Dahai patted Li Xiangbei’s shoulder, “Not bad, not bad.”

Taking another puff, Su Dahai sighed lightly, “My daughter just left school and hasn’t met many men. I advised her not to rush into marriage. But she’s made up her mind on you, Xiangbei, and is determined to be with you. Don’t let her down.”

Hearing this, Li Xiangbei immediately straightened up and solemnly said, “Dad, rest assured! I, Li Xiangbei, swear I will only be with Yueyue in this life and will never let her down!”

A look of relief flashed in Su Dahai’s eyes as he nodded heavily. “Xiangbei, I believe you.”

Li Xiangbei grinned sheepishly.

The sunset dyed the horizon orange red as father and son sat on the flatbed cart chatting.

Li Xiangbei briefly told Su Dahai about the temperaments of his two brothers-in-law.

After all, their families would be frequently in contact in the future, and it was better to lay a “preventative groundwork” than hide things.

Su Dahai didn’t mind. After all, once they married, they would move out, and what mattered most was Li Xiangbei’s character and attitude. Their eyes occasionally glanced toward the street corner.

Suddenly, Li Xiangbei’s eyes lit up, and he smiled, “Dad, Mom, Uncle, and Yueyue are coming. I’ll go greet them.” With that, he hurried off.

After a brief chat, Su Yue looked at her watch — it was 6:30. “Ah, it’s already half past six! If we dawdle, it’ll be completely dark soon. Dad, Mom, Uncle, you should head back.” She handed the house key of Li Xiangbei’s family to Su Dahai.

“You’ll have to trouble Dad and Uncle,” she said.

Shen Qiuxia smiled and replied, “If it’s to help you, your dad and uncle are more than happy. It’s getting late, so let’s go.” Saying that, she clumsily climbed onto the ox cart.

As a farmer, Su Dahai was an expert at driving oxen. With a light flick of his whip, a sharp “crack” echoed, and the old ox began to walk steadily toward the village.

The Shen siblings had been close since childhood, with endless things to talk about.

After more than ten minutes, Shen Dongxu finally noticed that his brother-in-law hadn’t said a word the entire way.

Just then, the siblings had a disagreement, and Shen Dongxu asked, “Brother-in-law, you judge for me — between me and my sister, who was right just now?”

Su Dahai’s voice was hoarse and muffled as he said quietly, “Your sister was right.”

This unusual voice startled Shen Dongxu, who thought to himself: Is brother-in-law crying?

Thinking this, Shen Dongxu quickly climbed to the front of the cart—and was stunned to see his brother-in-law’s face already streaming with tears.

“Brother-in-law, what’s wrong?” Shen Dongxu asked in surprise.

Su Dahai quickly turned his head away, pretending to be calm: “Nothing, just the wind was too strong, and sand got into my eyes.”

Shen Qiuxia couldn’t help but chuckle softly, “Look at you, such a poor spirit, and your daughter hasn’t even gotten married yet!”

“That’s right!” Su Dahai slapped his thigh in frustration. “It’s all that brat calling me ‘Daddy’ over and over, making me feel like my daughter’s already married off.”

Hearing this, Shen Dongxu laughed heartily.

“No, my daughter hasn’t married him yet. Who told him to call me like that? Dad and Mom can’t be called that casually either!”

The more Su Dahai thought about it, the more depressed he became. Thinking of the daughter he’d raised with care, soon to become someone else’s wife, he couldn’t hold back anymore and burst into loud sobs: “My daughter! I’ve held her in my mouth for fear of biting her, held her in my palms for fear of dropping her…”

“Slap!” Shen Qiuxia raised her hand and slapped Su Dahai’s back, exasperated. “What nonsense are you crying about? If others hear, they’ll think something happened to our daughter! If you must cry, keep it quiet.”

After Shen Qiuxia’s scolding, Su Dahai could only sniffle quietly.

When the ox cart reached the corner between the village and the Hekou team, Su Dahai stopped the ox cart.

Shen Dongxu smiled and suggested, “Sister, brother-in-law, the ox cart is fast. I’ll take you back first.”

Shen Qiuxia smiled, “No need, we’ll walk a few steps and be there. Hurry and return the ox though — it’s borrowed.”

Only then did Su Dahai remember and pointed to a bag of mung bean cakes hanging on the ox cart. “Oh, right, that bag of mung bean cakes is from that boy who snatched my daughter. You take it back for the kids to eat.” Saying this, he didn’t look back and left.
Shen Qiuxia gave Su Dahai’s back a sharp look, then turned to Shen Dongxu: “You go ahead.”

Shen Dongxu was a bit worried and reminded, “Sister, comfort brother-in-law more.”

Shen Qiuxia replied tiredly, “I’m hurting inside too. You go quickly, or your sister-in-law and the kids will get worried.”

Shen Dongxu responded and flicked the whip, slowly driving the ox cart away.

Turning around, Shen Qiuxia saw Su Dahai waiting ahead. His shoulders were shaking—he was clearly still crying.

She sighed and walked over.

Before she could say a word, tears streamed down her face, and the couple simply embraced and wept together.

“Who’s there? Crying so loudly this late at night?”

The couple didn’t even have time to wipe their tears before they hurried home.