Free Web NovelChapter 42: Chapter 42: Decision to Visit Family
Su Li had torn open the letter in a state of genuine excitement, but after reading it, she felt utterly dejected. ’What the hell is this letter even about?’
The look of anticipation on Su Li’s face slowly froze, replaced by one of sheer bafflement and resignation.
She scanned the two pages as quickly as she could. When she saw the signature at the end—’Your husband, Tang Yuanxiao’—Su Li’s face twitched violently.
Refusing to give up, Su Li immediately read it all over again, but the contents were exactly the same. She hadn’t missed anything.
"What... what is this?!" Su Li cried out, speechless.
"What is it, Su Li? What did Tangyuan say in his letter? Did he receive everything?" Mrs. Tang asked anxiously from the side.
"He received it. He didn’t say anything important."
Su Li was so exasperated she could die. She answered dismissively, planning to go back to the beginning and read it carefully one more time.
"Then read it to me, Su Li, just like you used to," Mrs. Tang requested eagerly.
Su Li paused, glancing from Mrs. Tang to the letter in her hand.
"Mother-in-law, I won’t read this one to you. This letter... Tang Yuanxiao wrote it to me. It’s not appropriate for me to read it aloud."
"Ah?" Mrs. Tang paused, stunned for a moment. Then, a thought struck her, and she suddenly slapped her thigh.
"Of course, of course! It must be because Tangyuan received your sweater, so he wrote back just for you... Oh, yes, yes. I won’t listen in. You read it carefully and write him a good reply."
Mrs. Tang looked at Su Li with a teasing smile, covering her mouth to stifle a giggle as she turned to go back into the house, still muttering to herself.
"Oh, this is how a young couple should be. Writing letters is good, they should write more often..."
Su Li shook her head at Mrs. Tang’s retreating back, then set down her basket. With a frown, she patiently read the letter one more time, but the result was unchanged.
In his letter, Tang Yuanxiao hadn’t mentioned the divorce at all. Not only was there not a single word about it, but he had also written some nonsense about how he now understood her feelings and would live a good life with her from now on!
’What the—? Why does this sound like he thinks I’m interested in him, and now that he knows, he’s decided to accept me? When was I ever interested in you...’
Su Li’s thoughts came to an abrupt halt. She slapped her forehead and let out a weak groan.
’The sweater! It must be the sweater’s fault!’
’Who knows what exaggerated things Mrs. Tang wrote in her letter!’
Forcing herself to be patient, Su Li widened her eyes and kept reading. Unfortunately, finishing it again changed nothing. Tang Yuanxiao had filled two whole pages with nonsense, but not a single line was about the actual issue.
There was no reply to what she wanted to know—the divorce. There was only this baffling, awkward, confession-like content.
Su Li was so furious she could spit fire, her face twisting in a tearless, frustrated grimace.
’That lunatic! That old peacock! Did you get the divorce letter or not? Why would you send such a bizarre reply? Did you not receive it and misunderstand something, or did you receive it and you’re doing this because you don’t want to divorce?’
Staring at the words ’Awaiting your reply’ at the end, Su Li pursed her lips, wishing she could just rip the letter to shreds.
’What’s the point of replying when you won’t even discuss the important stuff!’
Su Li had been waiting for what felt like an eternity, desperately hoping for Tang Yuanxiao’s letter about the divorce. The long-awaited reply had finally arrived, but its contents were just so disappointing.
Su Li felt utterly cheated, like one of those "I got all hyped up for this?" moments. Her earlier excitement and elation were now matched only by her anger and disappointment.
’He didn’t even say if he received the letter or not. Wouldn’t it have been better to just be straightforward about it?’
Su Li was furious. She really wanted to fly over there right now, talk to him face-to-face, and get the divorce finalized. But alas...
Su Li glanced at the basket by her feet. She had to take her exam and settle the all-important matter of her education. The college entrance exam was only six months away; time was incredibly tight.
Plus, she had to sort out the business with Li Hongqin and the others. She really didn’t have time to go see him right away.
’I’ll just wait a little longer. A few more days. I can go over there in a week at most.’
Su Li had to move heaven and earth to calm herself down. She tossed the letter into her room, leaving it on the side, and paid it no more mind.
As for writing a reply, she couldn’t be bothered and didn’t have the time.
Since writing letters wasn’t solving the problem, why bother corresponding with that old peacock Tang Yuanxiao? In the time it took for a letter to be sent and a reply to arrive, she could have already traveled to him, finalized the divorce, and returned home. freeweɓnovel.cѳm
Su Li’s lack of a reply, however, was driving Tang Yuanxiao mad with frustration.
He anxiously counted the days, waiting for her reply. It was the first time in his life he had ever felt such urgency.
After the tenth day of the new year, he couldn’t stop himself from going to the mailroom to ask if a letter had arrived for him. He asked several times over two days, but though the postman came and went, there was still no reply from Su Li.
His letter seemed to have vanished without a trace, like a stone dropped into the ocean.
As luck would have it, Su Li’s divorce letter had been accidentally left behind during a transfer after the postman’s New Year holiday. And so, it was still lying quietly somewhere, undelivered.
Unaware of Su Li’s true intentions because he had never received that divorce letter, Tang Yuanxiao felt dejected and a little worried by the lack of a reply. He couldn’t help but keep looking at the sweater, checking on it two or three times a day.
When the twelfth day of the first lunar month arrived and there was still no letter, Tang Yuanxiao saw a list being compiled of personnel applying for home leave. After a moment’s thought, he suddenly made a decision and put his name down.
He hadn’t been home for the New Year in several years, and his visits were infrequent. So, he decided to take his annual home leave early.
The main New Year festivities were over, but the fifteenth of the month was still to come.
He could celebrate the Lantern Festival with his family, which also happened to be his birthday.
That night, with his leave approved, Tang Yuanxiao arranged his affairs and boarded an overnight train. He set off on his journey home full of hope. He missed Mrs. Tang and Tang Mo, but even more, he wanted to ask Su Li for her answer to his letter in person...
Tang Yuanxiao’s decision and subsequent actions are, however, a story for later. The busy Su Li knew nothing of this.
「Time rewinds to the eighth day of the new year.」
Su Li finally reached the town around noon and found Teacher Fan. freewēbnoveℓ.com
Teacher Fan wasn’t surprised to see her. "I figured you’d be here in the next day or two."
Teacher Fan had already made all the necessary preparations and contacted the right people. After Su Li had eaten and drunk her fill, he beckoned to her with his hands clasped behind his back.
"Let’s go. Time for your exam."
Su Li stood up. "Teacher, are we going to the study?"
"What study? We’re going to the county seat!"
With a grand wave of his hand, Teacher Fan led Su Li directly to the county seat.
"I’m just a middle school teacher. High school matters have to be decided by high school teachers," Teacher Fan explained on the way, patting Su Li on the shoulder.
"Su Li, I know you’re a good kid. I hope you don’t let me down this time."
Su Li nodded solemnly. "I’ll do my best."
She knew that if she performed too poorly, it would be Teacher Fan who would lose face.
Teacher Fan trusted her and was helping her wholeheartedly, even putting his own reputation on the line to ask for favors on her behalf. How could she possibly let him down?
Su Li sat beside Teacher Fan, her gaze firm as she listened to the CLIP-CLOP of the horse’s hooves on the road.
In those days, the primary mode of transportation was one’s own two feet. Cars were exceedingly rare, even bicycles were a novelty. Horse-drawn carts served as the main form of public transit.
The road from the town to the county seat wasn’t paved with asphalt or even concrete; it was just a path of small stones. The cart traveled smoothly enough, but many people were still reluctant to spend money on the fare.
Compared to vehicles like cars and trains, Su Li preferred the horse-drawn cart. To the rhythmic calls of the driver, the cart rolled into Fengcheng County.
