Grandma Yu was a meticulous person.
Such people might fall into hardship, but certain habits were ingrained in their bones.
For instance, when taking Xia Xiaolan to buy coal, how would two females – one old, one young – carry back the dark, sooty coal? Grandma Yu naturally suggested spending a little money to have it delivered.
While whole coal stones were best, this raw coal was expensive and generated excessive heat – too wasteful for just cooking, and many households couldn’t afford it. The wisdom of working people was boundless – they would crush whole coal into powder, and mix it with yellow clay in certain proportions to press into coal cakes, which could both heat and cook!
With holes in the middle of these coal cakes to aid combustion, they became ‘honeycomb coal.’
When Grandma Yu had no money, she could eat chaff and vegetables, but when she had means, she was quite generous.
If she hadn’t insisted on coming to Beijing, Xia Xiaolan wouldn’t have bought an extra plane ticket. Grandma Yu insisted on paying for several hundred jin of coal, and she bought whole coal stones.
“Don’t get the clay-mixed kind. The floor heating hasn’t been used for many years – we need to heat the blue bricks thoroughly. You get what you pay for.”
This showed different consumer perspectives.
If it were Liu Fen and Li Fengmei, they would buy the cheaper option. But Grandma Yu, within her means, chose the best possible option.
They used to burn charcoal – the best charcoal produced very little smoke. Now with industrial development, coal was the best choice.
That afternoon, the three women of different generations busied themselves arranging the house.
With the warmth of a fire, cooking a meal gave the place a homey feeling.
The floor had grown warm, making the whole house cozy. When Tang Hong’en sent a car to pick up Xia Xiaolan and Liu Fen, none of them wanted to leave.
The driver was Little Wang, an old acquaintance of Xia Xiaolan.
Seeing an old lady squeeze into the car, Little Wang hesitated.
“Brother Wang, this is my grandmother. She’s coming with us.”
Little Wang quickly called out “Grandmother Xia,” but Grandma Yu calmly corrected him: “My surname is Yu.”
Little Wang immediately straightened his back.
This old lady had quite an air about her – she didn’t seem like a simple person, much less a rural grandmother.
Xia Xiaolan knew Little Wang was confused but didn’t explain, letting him make his assumptions.
At least Grandma Yu cared about her mother, coming to Beijing to see what was happening. If it were Old Lady Xia, she would have rejoiced in Liu Fen and Xia Xiaolan’s misfortune. Xia Xiaolan hadn’t thought about the Xia family for a long time. She wasn’t kind enough to return evil with good – she felt relieved when the Xia family wasn’t doing well.
Little Wang drove the three of them to the Pengcheng Beijing Office.
This was Tang Hong’en’s territory – if the Ji family wanted reconciliation, they’d have to come to his turf.
A large room had been cleared out. When Tang Hong’en saw Grandma Yu, he was startled.
“Ma’am, are you surnamed Yu?”
Grandma Yu nodded, “I didn’t expect Mayor Tang would remember this old woman. Yes, it’s me.”
How could he not remember?
Tang Hong’en was sent for reform later – people like Grandma Yu were among the first to suffer misfortune, labeled as “capitalists” and paraded through the streets.
The Yu family had been prominent in southern Henan, and at their peak, they owned nearly half the land in Shangdu.
After public-private joint ownership was implemented, the Yu family donated their enterprises to the state, though they still had some assets, including antiques, jewels, gold, and properties. These things later brought disaster to the Yu family. Grandma Yu’s husband didn’t survive it, but she endured. Tang Hong’en had a deep impression of her.
“You’re still in good health?”
“Can’t die just yet – life is getting better and better, I’m not ready to die!”
Grandma Yu’s words made Tang Hong’en smile. They had both survived that period – Grandma Yu had come to terms with it. If they’d endured the suffering times, why should they die when good times were coming?
“You’re right!”
So, the house Xia Xiaolan and Liu Fen rented in Shangdu belonged to Grandma Yu.
Tang Hong’en didn’t mind the old lady coming to such an occasion. Having someone like Grandma Yu willing to “meddle” was a blessing for Liu Fen and Xia Xiaolan – the old lady kept them in her thoughts, worried they might be taken advantage of.
Tang Hong’en felt very apologetic:
“Comrade Liu Fen, I’m sorry for dragging you into my family matters.”
Liu Fen had only learned the reason before coming. She felt anxious yet strange.
Never mind just verbal insults – the Xia family hadn’t held back when bullying her before. Old Lady Xia’s abuse, her sisters-in-law’s exclusion, Xia Dajun’s drunken fists… no one had ever apologized for these things.
Except for Xia Xiaolan and Liu Yong standing up for her, no outsider had ever spoken up for justice on her behalf.
It was as if she deserved the Xia family’s bullying.
Now, just because someone else had insulted her, a high-ranking official like Tang Hong’en had formally invited her from Shangdu for a face-to-face apology. Liu Fen didn’t have a young girl’s thoughts, nor was she as perceptive as Grandma Yu – how could a high official have feelings for her? She was just deeply moved by this feeling of being “respected.”
Besides her closest family, others care about her dignity too.
Liu Fen was different from before – now she could manage the store, and through continuous learning, she knew how to recommend clothes to customers.
She was no longer timid, having gained considerable confidence.
Tang Hong’en’s actions further fueled this, helping Liu Fen better understand herself – if even a high official thought she wasn’t someone to be casually disrespected, perhaps she was different from before!
“Mr. Tang, this isn’t your fault – you weren’t the one who insulted me.”
The actions of an ex-wife couldn’t be blamed on Tang Hong’en – Liu Fen could distinguish that much. She was divorced from Xia Dajun too – she couldn’t be held responsible for whatever bad things he might do now!
Liu Fen seemed genuinely unconcerned.
With a clear conscience, how could she associate herself with Tang Hong’en? Ji Ya’s suggestions about her and Tang Hong’en weren’t what angered her most.
What angered her most was Ji Ya harassing her daughter Xiaolan at school.
Xiaolan only shared the good news, never the bad – who knew what else she was hiding from her family?
Liu Fen just felt useless as a mother, unable to help.
Grandma Yu said when children are bullied outside, others’ help is help, but the family still needs to stand up. Before coming today, Liu Fen had decided Ji Ya must apologize – not so much to her, but to Xiaolan, and explain things clearly at the school. They couldn’t let the teachers and students at Huaqing think badly!
As for Xia Xiaolan, she was most familiar with Tang Hong’en. While he attended to Liu Fen and Grandma Yu, Xia Xiaolan sat to the side. At 7 o’clock, Little Wang brought in the Ji family.
Ji Lin walked in front, Ji Jiangyuan in the middle, and Ji Ya, pale-faced and supported by her sister-in-law, came last.
The Ji family was startled – they had agreed to reconcile with Tang Hong’en and discuss Ji Jiangyuan’s future, but entering, they found not just Tang Hong’en but also Xia Xiaolan and two others.
Except for Mrs. Ji Lin, they all knew Xia Xiaolan.
They didn’t know Liu Fen and Grandma Yu.
Ji Ya seemed to think of something, her gaze falling on Liu Fen, burning so intensely as if trying to bore holes through her!