Chapter 25 Ordinary People Can Be Great
The whole ward echoed with Wang Xianzhong's voice. Dajiang was so scared that his legs went limp, and he knelt down again.
"How long are you going to keep this from me if your aunt didn't get hurt?" Wang Xianzhong frowned deeply. He had been holding back his anger recently.
"Dajiang, how can you be so unkind? Tell me, did you let Gao Yuan run to school these two years?" Although Lin Qingmei loved her son, what Dajiang did had embarrassed her.
What made her more infuriated was that Dajiang had been lying to himself. Every day when he went to school, Dajiang would tell Lin Qingmei that he would go to the soil slope in the east of the village to pick Gao Yuan up. The two families would not have known what had happened had it not been for the Liu family, who planted a peach orchard on the east side of the soil slope, telling Ma Junlan that Gao Yuan ran to school every day.
But Junlan did not care about that and still treated Lin Qingmei as nicely as before. She worked hard on the land and wanted to sell more grains to earn more money so that she could offer a bike for Gao Yuan.
What had happened made the two women feel embarrassed, especially Lin Qingmei. She thought she had been nice to the Gao family, and she felt smug when her neighbors praised her kindness.
"How would I have such a cold-hearted son? Xianzhong, give him a lesson. He's too wild. If we just let him go, he will be out of our control!" The more Lin Qingmei said, the angrier she felt. If she didn't care about her child, she would have beat him personally.
"Don't do that!" Ma Junlan, holding her waist, rushed to Dajiang and protected him. Gao Yuan also limped to protect Dajiang.
No one saw that Dajiang, who was hiding behind them, was in tears. He once insulted and ridiculed the Gao family, but now, the family didn't pursue the past and even pretect him.
Dajiang felt so moved. He would never feel this kind of warmth from his evil friends. Nor could he get it by being naughty. The close connection between the neighbors was softening Dajiang's heart, which made him feel so heartened.
"I'm sorry! I don't know what to do now," Dajiang said, dropping to his knees and pounding his head. "I feel terrible. I really want to study well and want to be good. How can I prove to you that I really want to change myself?"
Dajiang's words made Wang Xianzhong's nose sore. He had long wanted to hear Dajiang saying that he wanted to change himself.
"Get up quickly. I'm injured, and I can't help you up. Everyone will make mistakes. Good boy. Things will be all right." Ma Junlan reached out to help Dajiang up, and Dajiang got up quickly, but he still felt bad.
The estrangement between the two families had been erased. Although Wang Xianzhong was still mad at Dajiang, he had begun to believe that his child would change.
Wang Xianzhong went to get some food for the children. Gao Yuan was still worried about his mother and kept asking her how she was.
That night, the stars were shining brightly. Gao Yuan could still study, and things seemed not too bad for him. That night, Gao Yuan slept with his once sworn enemy, Dajiang, whose feet were smelly.
Wang Xianzhong had to leave the next morning as he still had work to do. Dajiang's mother would stay with Ma Junlan.
Gao Yuan and Dajiang also left. Gao Yuan didn't stay with his mother for long, but he had known his mother's condition and was relieved. His mother was not disabled, and she even had a new job.
Gao Yuan's feet were hurt, so Wang Xianzhong got a van. Before Gao Yuan left, his mother gave him back the 600 yuan. "You earn it. You should keep the money yourself. Buy a pair of shoes and pants for yourself. Don't bring lunch to school. Just eat outside the school."
Ma Junlan felt so distressed when she said so. She didn't let Gao Yuan live a good life. She wanted to buy a bike for Gao Yuan not just for his convenience. She didn't want her son to be looked down upon by his classmates.
That was the end of the short city tour. Looking at the tall buildings behind him, Gao Yuan felt that he had just had a short and reassuring dream.
Wang Xianzhong got out of the car after arriving at his office. He was now working for Huanglong Transportation Company.
He turned to Dajiang and said kindly, "Your mother is not at home. Take Gao Yuan to your grandma's house for dinner."
"I can cook. Let Dajiang eat with me," Gao Yuan said quickly.
"Dad, I'm with Gao Yuan."
Wang Xianzhong kept a straight face all the time. When he left and couldn't see the van, he smiled contentedly.
Dajiang and Gao Yuan had grown up. When Dajiang couldn't rely on his parents, he would be more sensible and mature.
The driver took the boys back to their village, but he couldn't get them home. The main road of the village was blocked by caterers.
Gao Yuan and Dajiang got out of the car and helped each other on the road, but Gao Yuan didn't want to take this way.
He hardly attended any feasts because his family was too poor to pay for them. And no one would invite his family.
He envied those who could attend the feasts, which made him feel inferior to others. Gao Yuan was isolated whenever people around him talked about the banquet and discussed which dishes were delicious.
He wanted to join in and pretended to pass by to see what they were eating. However, he was mocked by a group of children, saying that the fool came to sponge off. Gao Yuan was so ashamed that he ran away. From then on, he had a deep fear of banquets.
But today, Gao Yuan and Dajiang were noticed by the host. Zhang Fuchun immediately ran over and said, "Dajiang, your grandmother is looking for you. Where have you been? Come and join us."
"I went to the city to see Gao Yuan's mother," Dajiang smiled, scratching his head.
Gao Yuan, however, was embarrassed. The Zhang family and the Gao family were relatives, but the Zhang family didn't invite the Gao family to attend the banquet, nor did the Gao family pay the fees. So Gao Yuan felt pretty embarrassed now. When it came to banquets, Gao Yuan would feel that he was redundant.
When Gao Yuan was about to leave, Zhang Fuchun immediately asked, "Gao Yuan, how is your mother?"
Gao Yuan forced a smile and said, "Grandpa, she is fine, and she will be discharged next week."
Zhang Fuchun was happy that Gao Yuan greeted him. Although Gao Yuan was introverted, every time he spoke to the elders or seniors, he would show them respect. How would others not love sensible children?
"Come and join us. You can sit with Dajiang," Zhang Fuchun said hurriedly.
"Grandpa, I... I'll eat at home." Gao Yuan was at a loss.
"Your mother is in the hospital. Who will cook for you? Your father is here as well. Just join us. You'll have to come tonight. We will have a banquet," Zhang Fuchun said. Then he went to greet other guests.
Gao Yuan felt so moved. Wang Xianzhong was right. No matter how poor his family was, he was also a member of Gaowang Village. The villagers would take care of him when his family were away.
The villagers were not someone achieving something great. But with pure and natural affection, the descendants here were always kind-hearted.
Ordinary people could be great as well.