Free Web NovelChapter 640: Chapter 640: Opera Turmoil
The arrival of the opera troupe stirred up excitement in Qinghe Bay.
In the evening, the children from each family were sent out by the adults to save seats.
Mrs. Zhao and Aunt Qin came over to ask Tong Huaqiong to join them for the opera, but Tong Huaqiong said she wanted to rest at home. The two were surprised that the opera enthusiast seemed to have changed, but they understood—as Tong Huaqiong had been busy with her shop and Weaving Workshop business all year, and only during the New Year could she truly rest.
The two ladies chatted with Tong Huaqiong briefly before leaving for the opera site, afraid that the good seats would be taken if they arrived late.
Seeing Tong Huaqiong didn’t want to go, Mrs. Hong stayed behind, sitting with Tong Huaqiong to keep warm, roasting sweet potatoes and peanuts over the charcoal fire.
The maids came up to attend to them, but Tong Huaqiong waved them away, instructing them to take Granny Chen and Granny Lei to enjoy the opera.
Having worked hard all year, the maids and grannies deserved a good rest.
Once everyone left, the room emptied out.
The lamp wick crackled and popped.
Mrs. Hong took a pair of scissors to cut the burnt tip of the wick, smiling as she said, "When the lamp blooms, good things come—Sister Tong, you’re in for another stroke of luck."
Tong Huaqiong replied, "Indeed, a good thing is happening. Jingzhe is getting married after the New Year."
The two were chatting when Xiao Long walked in.
Tong Huaqiong asked with a smile, "Xiao Long, why aren’t you with them listening to the opera? Where are Man Er and Yan Hong and Yaozu?"
Xiao Long replied with a sullen face, "Nothing worth listening to."
When he was a crown prince, he heard all kinds of operas, so he naturally wasn’t interested in rural opera troupes.
Finishing his sentence, he sat opposite Tong Huaqiong, fiddling with the peanuts with a tongs, his delicate little face showing displeasure.
Tong Huaqiong twitched her mouth; the young male protagonist was showing his mischievous air early on.
Seeing Xiao Long’s expression, Tong Huaqiong thought something was amiss. This child usually liked to follow Man Er around like a little shadow; since Man Er went to see the opera, he shouldn’t be at home.
Tong Huaqiong pinched Xiao Long’s cool cheek and asked, "What’s wrong? Not happy? Did someone bully you? Tell Grandma, and I’ll help you get back at them."
Xiao Long rubbed his face, lowered his head, and said nothing as he peeled open the roasted peanuts and arranged them on Tong Huaqiong’s plate.
Mrs. Hong laughed, "Who could bully Xiao Long?"
Tong Huaqiong thought that was true; he could suppress Chun Wang in a fight and managed to persuade him to go to the border. Indeed, only this cunning and powerful child bullied others.
"Sister Man Er bullied me."
Xiao Long frowned, looking very aggrieved.
Tong Huaqiong asked, "How did Man Er bully you?"
It turned out to be a child’s conflict.
Tong Huaqiong had thought Xiao Long was missing Su Chengmin especially during the holiday.
Xiao Long peeled another peanut and stuffed it into his mouth, saying, "Sister Man Er took Hua Er to listen to the opera with Chun Ni, not letting me follow and making me sit with Yaozu and Liu Yanhong. Yaozu always has a runny nose and likes to rub against others—disgusting. Who wants to sit with him? And Liu Yanhong, whose mouth never stops nattering—it’s so annoying."
Xiao Long usually didn’t talk much, but tonight he chattered away.
It showed he really felt wronged.
Tong Huaqiong laughed; at Man Er’s age, she was just at the age to enjoy playing with older sisters, naturally sticking close to Chun Ni and escaping the two annoying kids at home.
Since coming to the house, Xiao Long had been inseparable from Man Er, so he naturally felt neglected.
Feeling aggrieved, he simply returned home.
"Such childishness," Tong Huaqiong rubbed Xiao Long’s head and said, "Man Er also needs her own good friends. Should I take you to Man Er’s place?"
After all, Xiao Long was still a child, and his eyes lit up instantly upon hearing Tong Huaqiong’s words.
Tong Huaqiong and Mrs. Hong took Xiao Long to the opera stage at the village entrance.
From afar, they could see the stage brightly lit and hear the clamor.
Apparently, the performance hadn’t started yet.
Opera enthusiast Tong Pandi appeared under the stage, holding her young daughter Hua Er.
Hua Er had been asleep earlier, so Tong Pandi stayed with her and couldn’t arrive early to save seats. At last, Hua Er woke up, and they reached the stage, only to find it was already full.
"Come over here, I’ve saved a spot for you and the child."
Mr. Su squeezed through the crowd to take Hua Er from Tong Pandi and pointed ahead.
In front of the entire village, Tong Pandi kept a distance from Mr. Su, though she truly loved listening to opera. Plus, she had decided that if Mr. Su confessed again, she’d agree, so she followed Mr. Su forward.
The seat was specifically reserved for Tong Pandi by Mr. Su.
Mr. Su was the most respected person in Qinghe Bay; even if he left, someone would watch his seat to prevent it from being taken.
Tong Pandi followed Mr. Su to the seat and found it occupied, with unfriendly eyes shooting at her from the sitter.
It wasn’t anyone else; it was her former sister-in-law Wu Na.
Since marrying Gu Ruinian, Wu Na often saw Tong Pandi in Qinghe Bay.
Tong Pandi was no longer the bullied image of the past, managing a large pig farm and seeming to live a very comfortable life.
Conversely, Wu Na fought daily with the elder mother-in-law over an extra bowl of rice or spoon of oil, turning from the carefree daughter of the village chief’s family to a frugal village daughter-in-law in a mere two months after marriage.
Because she found Tong Pandi utterly infuriating.
Why should a divorced woman live so well?
She also heard Mr. Su adored Tong Pandi, which angered her even more; could a divorced woman actually be liked by a man—is there any justice?
"Mr. Su, I’m sorry I couldn’t keep your seat. Why don’t you take mine?"
Liu Qingsong stood up, clasping his hands towards Mr. Su, muttering afterward, "Using pregnancy to take someone else’s seat—the family isn’t lacking men; couldn’t one come to save a seat, instead of sticking around stubbornly?"
Liu Qingsong was young and impulsive.
Earlier, he was saving a seat for Mr. Su, but Wu Na spotted the empty seat and sat down without budging no matter how Liu Qingsong argued it was taken, even threatening that if he insisted, she’d miscarry, causing trouble.
Liu Qingsong thought indeed birds of a feather flock together, acting just as unreasonable as Mrs. Gu and Mrs. Jia.
Wu Na rolled her eyes, saying adamantly, "When I arrived, it was empty, and there’s no name written on it. Why can’t I sit?"
Mr. Su shook his head at Liu Qingsong, calmly saying to Wu Na, "Rui Nian’s family, this is my seat. Please return it to me."
Wu Na considered Mr. Su holding Hua Er and thought about the rumors that Mr. Su liked Tong Pandi; she stuck out her belly and sneered, "I said earlier, this seat lacks a name on it—it’s for whoever takes it."
If it were any other day, Mr. Su might avoid confrontation with Wu Na.
But since this was the seat he reserved for Tong Pandi and because Wu Na’s unfriendly words annoyed Mr. Su, he would never give up the seat.
Wu Na raised her eyebrows at the former sister-in-law next to Mr. Su.
She saw through it—the seat was reserved for Tong Pandi by Mr. Su.
Tong Pandi was truly shameless, divorced and not keeping herself quietly, instead drawing men in.
Well, she wouldn’t allow it!
