Song Tan’s Chronicle - Chapter 52

In distant Jiangzhou, a young man finished the last sip of his vegetable soup with a loud slurp.

An elderly woman beside him asked, “Son, did you really break up?”

The young man paused, then replied, “Yeah, we broke up.”

She grew anxious, “Why did you overreact to such a small matter? Young people argue all the time. Besides, we’re just country folks!”

“But I felt uncomfortable.”

“Mom, I wanted to tell you before. When I went home with Wu Qianqian, her parents were cold towards me. They think I’m just a rural guy with no stable job and not good enough for her.”

“Staying there for a few days felt really awkward.”

The speaker was Wu Qianqian’s ex-boyfriend, Xin Jun.

Mrs. Xin felt a bit uneasy but continued to persuade him, “You’re a man. What’s a little discomfort? That precious daughter is willing to marry you and give you children. Shouldn’t you cherish her more?”

“When your dad married me, he worked on your grandpa’s farm for three years before he agreed.”

“Look at your dad now. Did he lose out? I’m so capable! I cook well. Our agritourism business makes a good living, all thanks to me!”

Xin Jun remained silent.

His dad had been in a car accident and injured his leg, which still hurt occasionally, making it impossible for him to work.

His mom might say these things to him privately, but she always showed care and concern for his dad.

He appreciated their family atmosphere and wanted to find a straightforward girl like Wu Qianqian.

However, once couples start fighting, their relationship often breaks.

“Why don’t you talk things out with Qianqian? Sometimes, it’s just a matter of clearing the air. She was wrong; you should reason with her. Invite her over to our place. Our agritourism farm is big, and I’ve saved over a million yuan for you. You can use it to buy a house and settle down with Qianqian.”

“Your dad and I are still young. We don’t need you to stay with us all the time.”

Some families can’t let go of their sons and daughters, wanting them to be within sight to feel secure.

But Mrs. Xin and Mr. Xin were always easygoing. As long as their son was happy, they didn’t mind where he was.

Raising a son wasn’t just for retirement. It was also for companionship and growth. Besides, they enjoyed running their agritourism business and didn’t want to live with young people.

Though Mrs. Xin couldn’t express these grand ideas well, she felt her son was great, and any girl he fancied couldn’t be too bad.

Everyone says things they don’t mean sometimes. They just needed to change.

Seeing his mother still trying to persuade him, Xin Jun couldn’t hold back anymore and decided to tell the truth:

“Mom, it wasn’t just that! She insulted me as a country bumpkin, and though she apologized later, I still felt hurt.”

Mrs. Xin was puzzled, “Why are you so petty? She apologized, didn’t she?”

Xin Jun smiled bitterly, “After we made up, I took her to dinner, and we bumped into an old classmate.”

They exchanged pleasantries, but Wu Qianqian started gossiping in a particularly hurtful way:

“Remember Song Tan from high school? She’s really pretty now, but her family holds her back.”

“Her family is from the countryside and has a mentally challenged brother. Her parents must be so harsh. I saw her in Ningcheng once, selling vegetables at the market with her brother.”

“The prices were high, obviously playing the sympathy card with her brother.”

“She could easily marry a rich guy if not for her family’s burdens.”

Such gossip, especially when it steps on someone else’s pain, tends to be readily accepted by the public.

The old classmate got into the conversation, and they chatted even more.

As they parted, they even pretended to suggest organizing a reunion and maybe crowdfunding if there was a need, which upset Xin Jun deeply.

He couldn’t explain his feelings, but seeing his girlfriend in high spirits, even humming a tune, he felt increasingly uncomfortable.

On the way home, he expressed his opinion:

“Qianqian, I think it’s wrong to talk about a classmate like that.”

“I saw her with her brother, and she looked very positive, not oppressed by her family.”

“They seem to have a good relationship, and her vegetables were selling well, not out of sympathy.”

“You talked about organizing a donation, but it might be hurtful.”

He thought he made a valid point, but Wu Qianqian’s reaction was explosive.

She thought: [Why are you so observant? Are you falling for her? Why did you insist on buying from her among so many vendors?]

Her expression turned sharp.

“Well, I knew you liked her because she’s pretty! Otherwise, why buy her vegetables? Do you think a rural girl with a mentally challenged brother is easy to control?”

“She might not even ask for a bride price and will happily marry into your poor family to take care of your parents!”

…

Xin Jun finished, sighing:

“Mom, I know she wants me to be emotional and protect her unconditionally, but I can’t.”

“Whenever I think about her saying I want to trick someone into marrying into our poor family, I feel bad.”

“I know how she sees me. She thinks I don’t understand brands, live on a budget, and act rich only to impress her.”

“When I invited her parents to visit our hometown, her mom said in front of everyone: ‘Nowadays, many female college students are tricked into living in the countryside.'”

He felt helpless.

“Mom, what can I do?”

He liked Wu Qianqian, but not to the point of obsession. Eventually, they had to part ways.

Hearing this, Mrs. Xin agreed it was not a good match.

She believed a groom should show sincerity, and enduring some hardship was part of it. But that hardship could be physical or financial, not about losing dignity.

After some thought, she cautiously asked:

“Now that you’ve broken up, can we buy more milk vetch?”

She planned to blanch and freeze it, serving a portion with each guest meal, ensuring a steady income…