Chapter 3 — The Day My Father Remarried

When my mother was still alive, my father regularly transferred twenty-eight hundred yuan to me every single month. Back then, I had never truly understood how precious money could be. But now… Standing behind the counter the entire day, my legs would swell up by evening. Only then did I finally comprehend just how arduous it is to earn a single coin.

That night, upon returning to the dormitory, Wen had already bought a box of fried rice for me, insisting that it was her treat. Unable to refuse her kindness, I sat down and ate, smiling and chatting between bites.

“Once I have enough money of my own, I will treat you to a massive feast.”

She shot me a sidelong glance.

“Stop talking nonsense. Hurry up and eat, then go straight to bed. We have an early class tomorrow morning.”

Life continued on like this, day after monotonous day. Exhausting. Truly exhausting. My academic workload was already heavy, and my part-time job consumed nearly all of my remaining free time. There were nights when I returned to the dormitory so drained that the moment my head touched the pillow, I fell into a deep sleep. Yet, at the very least… I no longer had to ask my family for a single penny.

During that period, my father called me just once. He asked how I had been lately, and I replied that I was doing very well, working part-time, and fully capable of supporting myself. He merely let out a vague hum. It seemed as though he wanted to say something more, but in the background, the voice of Mei Ling rang out. He hastily muttered a reminder for me to take good care of myself before abruptly hanging up the phone.

I did not dwell on it much, yet there were solitary nights when I would lie awake in the dark, aching for my mother. The year she passed away… I had just finished taking the college entrance examinations. The day my university acceptance letter arrived… my mother was already lying in the intensive care unit. I brought the letter and showed it to her. Wearing an oxygen mask, she could not utter a single word, her eyes resting upon me in heavy, tearful silence. If only she were still alive… If she could see how my father treated me now… Her heart would surely shatter.

One afternoon during the spring semester of my sophomore year, a male customer walked into the milk tea shop. He was dressed in tailored trousers and a crisply ironed shirt, looking very much like an office worker who had just stepped off the clock. He ordered a glass of lemonade and sat down in a quiet corner to take a phone call, his voice fraught with anxious urgency.

“Manager Zhang, that approval document truly cannot be delayed any longer. Our factory is waiting for it so we can commence production…”

“...I am well aware that dealing with Wei Guo is difficult, but please try to think of another workaround...”

My hand froze in place, nearly causing me to drop the cup. Wei Guo. My eldest uncle.

When I brought the glass of lemonade to his table, I could not help taking a few extra glances at him. The man had just hung up the phone, his expression etched with deep worry. Placing the straw into the cup, I hesitated for two full seconds before speaking up.

“Excuse me… I happened to overhear you mention the name Wei Guo just now. Is he the owner of the automotive parts workshop?”

He lifted his head, gazing at me in surprise.

“Do you know him?”

“He is my eldest uncle.”

The man’s eyes instantly lit up.

“Is that true?”

“That is wonderful!”

“Young lady, would you be willing to pass along a message for me?”

“I work at the Chengdong Precision Machinery Company. We have been hoping to negotiate a partnership for a batch of components with your uncle, but despite scheduling several appointments, I have never been able to meet him.”

“Given how close your relationship is, do you think you might be able to…”

I hurriedly waved my hands in denial.

“I am merely a student, and in truth, I rarely have contact with my uncle.”

“However, I can take down your contact information. If an appropriate opportunity arises, I can always ask on your behalf.”

He thanked me profusely, left a business card behind, and even tried to give me a ten-yuan tip for the lemonade. I chased after him to return it, but he adamantly refused to take it back.

That very evening, I called my eldest uncle and recounted the entire incident to him. The other end of the line fell silent for a long moment. Suddenly, my uncle asked, “Wan, where are you currently working part-time?”

“At the milk tea shop right outside the university gates.”

“Is it tiring?”

“It is quite alright. I am still keeping up with my studies.”

He lapsed into silence once more for a few seconds.

“Wan. If you are short on living expenses, simply tell your uncle. Do not go taking on menial service jobs like that, lest it interfere with your education.”

I laughed softly. “It is truly fine, Uncle. I can manage on my own.”

He did not try to persuade me further. Instead, he simply instructed me to send over the man’s phone number so that he could initiate contact the very next day.