A Lai and his grandfather arrived at Li Xiuqin's upscale villa. Grandpa Lei lightly knocked on the large iron gate and called out, "Fangfang's mom, are you home?"
There was no response.
A Lai clearly heard movement inside the villa, so he knocked harder.
"What's all the knocking about?"
The door opened, and there stood Li Xiuqin, wearing a nightgown. She seemed surprised to see A Lai and his grandfather, hesitating for a moment before sneering, "Well, well, what brings the old principal here?" She glanced down at their shoes, clearly not intending to invite them in.
A Lai, who had seen a bit of the world, understood that she found their rural shoes dirty and smelly. Noticing the shoe covers by the door, he said, "There are shoe covers here. We won't take our shoes off."
Grandpa Lei added, "We'll just sit for a bit, say what we need to, and be on our way. We won't take up much of your time."
Reluctantly, Li Xiuqin handed them the shoe covers, and once they had put them on, she stepped aside to let them into the living room. A Lai followed, bringing in the large bags of gifts and fruit, which he placed in a corner.
"Oh, you shouldn't have. Buying all this fruit, wasting money," Li Xiuqin said with a twist of her body, making a show of preparing tea.
A Lai quickly stopped her. "No need to fuss. We're on a tight schedule and will be leaving soon to catch the bus."
"Why have you come?" Li Xiuqin asked suspiciously, sitting down on the sofa. She adjusted her pink nightgown, revealing more of her thigh and exuding a jasmine-scented perfume.
Grandpa Lei got straight to the point. "We've come to ask if you could give A Lai Fangfang's phone number."
Li Xiuqin's face darkened. Coldly, she replied, "If Fangfang didn't give it to him before she left, then I certainly won't give it now."
Grandpa Lei, feeling awkward, explained, "A Lai has a phone now."
Li Xiuqin's expression turned frosty. "Old principal, I advise you not to bother Fangfang anymore. Let her focus on her studies abroad. She already did her best in tutoring A Lai…"
Grandpa Lei continued, "Even though A Lai had some trouble with the exams, he still has options. With his scores, he can get into a decent college. And if he retakes the exams, I'm sure he'll get into a prestigious university."
"Is that so?" Li Xiuqin responded with a sarcastic tone.
Grandpa Lei nodded confidently.
Li Xiuqin looked at A Lai with disdain and said coldly, "You were a repeat student. Even if you get into an average college, it's all thanks to Fangfang. Without her, you wouldn't even be in school. Kid, take care of yourself."
Grandpa Lei agreed, "Yes, A Lai's progress is largely due to Fangfang's help, and we're here to thank her."
Li Xiuqin sighed and said, "There's no need. Let's be clear: Fangfang and A Lai are not meant for each other. Old principal, I ask you not to play matchmaker or come up with schemes."
Grandpa Lei defended himself, "Fangfang and A Lai's relationship is something you're well aware of. Now that they're older, I haven't interfered with their feelings."
Li Xiuqin grew angry, her words sharp. "Don't think that just because I've been away from the village, I don't know what's going on. Fangfang's relationship with A Lai is all because of your meddling. You've always bragged about Fangfang being your pride, using moral pressure to keep her at your house under the guise of tutoring A Lai. Everyone can see what's going on. Who are you fooling? I've warned you repeatedly, but you and A Lai just ignore me…"
A Lai, unable to hold back any longer, interjected, "I haven't done anything dishonorable with Fangfang."
Li Xiuqin glared at him and snapped, "How dare you interrupt when your elders are talking!"
With a stern look, she continued, "You're full of tricks. You admitted as much in the grove, and now you're denying it? Fangfang has already confirmed it. I'll deal with you later!"
Grandpa Lei quickly intervened, "Tianlai! Don't interrupt. Let her say what she needs to. She's obviously been holding this in for a while."
Li Xiuqin dismissed them with a wave. "Old principal, you've been isolated in that small mountain village for too long. Even if A Lai becomes an ordinary college graduate, so what? There are countless college grads working at factories or street vendors. Unless you get into a top university, there's no future. Only then can you be worth something."
Grandpa Lei smiled. "You sure know a lot living in the city."
Li Xiuqin's anger flared. "Don't try to humor me. Fangfang is destined for great things and will have a good future. She can't spend her life in the mountains with you, struggling in poverty."
"I'm warning you both: stop trying to manipulate Fangfang!"
"Your A Lai is nothing but a useless Ah Dou who can't stand on his own. Don't blame others for his failures!"
Grandpa Lei couldn't take it anymore and retorted, "That's not fair, Xiuqin! You may live in the city now, but you're still from our village. We're still neighbors, and you shouldn't insult A Lai like this!"
"I'm saying he's Ah Dou! He's Ah Dou!"
"What, do you two want to eat me alive right here?"
…
It was unexpected that in trying to get a phone number, Grandpa Lei would endure such a harsh scolding. A Lai had been silently enduring, watching his grandfather's face flush with anger and then pale with shame. His heart ached, a mix of emotions swirling within him, his eyes growing cold.
Impatiently, he said, "Grandpa, let's go."
Just then, A Lai's phone rang. He quickly took it out and saw that it was a call from Han Han.
Li Xiuqin's eyes lit up when she saw the phone, a golden iPhone. Coldly, she mocked, "A toad pretending to be a military jeep, huh? A knock-off phone."
A Lai ignored her, answering the call as he walked out the door. His grandfather followed.
A bag of fruit was thrown out the door after them.
And then they heard a loud "bang" as the gate slammed shut.
Grandpa Lei's heart sank. He never expected that the change in environment could so drastically alter a person, turning a once good neighbor into someone so snobbish.
Meanwhile, A Lai, paying no attention to the incident, was speaking to Han Han on the phone.
Hearing the loud bang, Han Han asked worriedly, "What was that noise?"
A Lai calmly replied, "Nothing, just the wind slamming the door shut."
"Brother, I'll come visit you in a few days. I don't know exactly where you live, so let's meet at Lei Yin Temple. Same place as before."
"Sure, see you there…"
Grandpa Lei, holding the bag of fruit that Li Xiuqin had thrown out, boarded the bus with A Lai, the two of them silent the entire journey back. Grandpa Lei reflected on the visit, feeling frustrated and regretful. He wished he had listened to A Lai's earlier advice and was now determined never to visit Fangfang's home again.
As the bus rumbled along, he tried to console A Lai, telling him to keep his pride and integrity intact, quoting a phrase he'd recently read in a magazine: "In times of trouble, be decisive; in times of peace, be serene. In success, be humble; in failure, be calm. Live a life of calm acceptance."
"Enough, Grandpa, you don't need to comfort me."
"Don't worry! I'll get my chance, and when I do, I'll show her," A Lai said, resolutely.
"Forget it, don't stoop to her level."
"Tonight, you and I will have a drink together, to cheer up."
…
The next morning, A Lai had slept in after staying up late practicing his techniques. It wasn't until nine o'clock that his grandfather woke him up, saying, "A Lai, get up! Listen, the magpies in the tree are calling for you."
Sure enough, two magpies were chirping noisily outside the window in the osmanthus tree.
His grandfather, squinting up at the sky, said, "A Lai, I have a feeling that today will bring good news. The magpies are bringing us luck; something good is on the way."