Chapter 137: The Mother-in-Law Torn Between Anger, Joy, and Embarrassment; Feng’s Father’s Roar

"Teacher Gu, please don't let me read that novella! I'm afraid I won't be able to bear letting it go once I read it!"

"You should just have Xuemin send it straight to *People's Literature*!"

Liu Xinwu, eavesdropping nearby, felt more and more as though Teacher Gu and Li Qing泉 were putting on a performance just for him during their phone call.

Seeing Teacher Gu wave her hands repeatedly after hanging up the phone, he realized that novella in her hands was something best left unread and relinquished.

Since they wanted to make a big splash, they certainly couldn't do without their northern heavyweight, *People's Literature*!

And since Teacher Gu happened to have such a novella in her hands, it was obvious she should submit it directly to the top!

If *October* held onto it in their own hands and published it in a later issue, Li Qing泉 and the others would inevitably curse him, Liu Xinwu, for being greedy and dropping the ball at a critical moment.

"Huh?! Old Liu, are you really willing to let it go?"

Just after hanging up the phone, Mother Feng's heart had indeed been touched by Li Qing泉's words.

She had been thinking of letting *People's Literature* publish the novella in her hands first, uniting the front and making a big splash right from the start.

Yet, because of her quick tongue earlier, she had already promised it to Old Liu, and she was still pondering how to phrase things to discuss it with him. She never expected that Old Liu must have heard Li Qing泉's words over the phone and immediately stated his position without a second word.

Instead, this left Mother Feng feeling rather embarrassed!

"Precisely because I can't bear to let it go, I simply refuse to read it! That way, I won't be tempted, and I won't really be reluctant to give it to Zhang Guangnian!"

When facing a united front, Liu Xinwu would never hold them back.

Wasn't it just a novella?

As long as Teacher Gu's son-in-law could still write, would her mother-in-law of an editor ever lack good manuscripts in the future?

"Very well, then, Old Liu. Thank you, and I won't stand on ceremony with you!"

"I'll have Xuemin deliver that novella to Old Zhang at *People's Literature* tomorrow!"

Mother Feng wasn't someone who beat around the bush; since Old Liu had yielded, it made no sense for her, as the mother-in-law, to be stingy.

"Very well, very well. Have Xuemin send it over as soon as possible! Old Zhang's side will start finalizing the manuscript in the next few days anyway!"

Liu Xinwu nodded wryly, then asked, unwilling to give up: "Teacher Gu, how is Xuemin's novella written? Can you tell me roughly what it's about?"

"Old Liu, since we've already given it away, it's better for you to know as little about it as possible!"

When it came to the contents of that novella, Mother Feng's face instantly flushed crimson, and she had no idea how to explain it to Old Liu.

Mother Feng had never imagined that the manuscript those two unfilial debtors had stubbornly refused to hand over would be written about this!

What a truly wonderful son-in-law her Gu Xueqing had!

He had actually written about her, his mother-in-law, in such a manner—portraying her through and through!

To tell the truth!

When Mother Feng, the mother-in-law, got off work and headed home, she didn't even know how she ought to face that son-in-law of hers.

She didn't know whether she should criticize and lecture him, or shower him with praise!

In any case, she just felt that since he was writing about his mother-in-law, why hadn't he given her even the slightest hint beforehand? At the very least, he could have consulted her—his own mother-in-law—face-to-face about her opinion on how it should be written!

Those two debtors had locked themselves away and written whatever they imagined behind closed doors, leaving her, the mother-in-law, feeling a complex mix of anger, delight, and embarrassment all at once.

"Ah?! Does that mean it's written exceptionally well?"

Seeing Teacher Gu's shy and modest expression, Liu Xinwu instantly realized that he might have been too generous, giving away a peerless piece of writing.

And it made sense!

Liu Xinwu only now recalled that the manuscripts previously written by Teacher Gu's son-in-law, Cheng Xuemin, had always been completed and submitted at a miraculous speed.

Yet this current novella had been meticulously polished, taking a full month to write.

Just from the time spent on it alone, one could easily tell that this novella was a masterpiece of blood, sweat, and tears by her son-in-law, Cheng Xuemin!

A true masterpiece of painstaking effort!

If manuscripts written casually in the past could produce epoch-making foundational works like *The Wrangler* or *The Director Takes Office*, then what about a masterpiece that took over a month of painstaking toil?

He wouldn't give it up! He wouldn't give it up!

At this thought, Liu Xinwu said ruefully to Mother Feng once again: "How about this, Teacher Gu, Teacher Gu! Let's give this manuscript to Old Zhang, and stick to our original plan to publish Xuemin's other novella instead. What do you think?"

"Xuemin's intention is that he hopes we publish this one first!" Hearing this and not wishing to make things difficult for Liu Xinwu, Mother Feng relayed Cheng Xuemin's original words, then added, "It's fine to give that one to *People's Literature*; we can just publish that other novella according to our original plan!"

It didn't matter which one was published, but Mother Feng couldn't guarantee whether Zhang Guangnian of *People's Literature* would dare to publish the manuscript her son-in-law had rushed to finish overnight last night!

If Old Zhang didn't dare to publish it, their united front would instantly lose its most influential member!

If they let Old Zhang publish that novella, however, there was a hundred percent certainty he would publish it!

The nature of the two manuscripts was completely different.

"Forget it, forget it!"

"Let Old Zhang have the advantage this time as well! We'll do ours next time, next time!"

"Teacher Gu, you must keep a close eye on Xuemin next time and make sure no more manuscripts slip away!"

"Look, even Ba Jin came in person to solicit a manuscript, and yet I knew nothing about it!"

Sensing Teacher Gu's predicament and knowing what they were worried about, Liu Xinwu immediately stopped feeling reluctant and made the final decision—though a settled matter could always be changed back if they wanted!

Still, he really needed to tell Teacher Gu to keep a closer eye on her son-in-law. Living under the same roof, how could manuscripts leak so severely?

Was it because he, the editor-in-chief, hadn't paid a personal visit and lacked sufficient sincerity?

Liu Xinwu hastily added: "Perhaps it was still my discourtesy! Once this issue is behind us, I will personally visit to pay my respects to you and Xuemin for the New Year, and incidentally solicit a manuscript for the next issue!"

After their current issue of *October* was wrapped up, the next one wouldn't appear for a couple of months, leaving them with an abundance of time.

"No, no, no! Old Liu, please don't put us down like that!" Mother Feng shook her head repeatedly and said, "If anyone is paying a New Year's call, it should be Xuemin and me coming to visit you!"

"Really, thank you!"

At the height of her emotion, Teacher Gu's voice grew choked and hoarse.

For Liu Xinwu to make the executive decision to publish her son-in-law's manuscript directly was already an immense favor!

"Hey! Teacher Gu, don't talk like that! Li Qing泉 says his *Beijing Literature* is Xuemin's maternal home, but we are Xuemin's mother-in-law's home!"

"Since Li Qing泉 didn't hesitate to throw his full support behind Xuemin, how could we, his mothers-in-law, possibly lag behind!?"

After another round of polite pleasantries, Mother Feng walked out wiping her tears, leaving Old Wang and the others in the editorial office exchanging bewildered glances.

***

"Xiao Yang, stop proofreading that novella for a moment; I'll take it with me when I get off work later!"

Upon coming out, Mother Feng immediately called out to Xiao Yang, the supervising editor, telling him to suspend his review of that novella and forgo writing the preliminary review notes.

She would take it away when she got off work later and have Xuemin submit it to Old Zhang at *People's Literature* as soon as possible.

"Stop proofreading?!"

"But Xuemin's new manuscript is written simply too well!"

"Teacher Gu, is your son-in-law writing about you?"

Editor Xiao Yang had still been immersed in *Ordinary World*—[Note: keeping the translation natural for the context] when, suddenly hearing Mother Feng speak, he raised his head in a daze, looked at her, and asked in astonishment.

"Stop reviewing it! Old Liu has ceded it to *People's Literature*!"

Hearing Editor Xiao Yang deduce at a glance that her son-in-law was writing about none other than herself, Mother Feng felt her face flush with shyness once again. She hastily stepped forward, snatched the manuscript back, and refused to let him read any more!

"Ah?! You're giving it to *People's Literature* again?" Xiao Yang asked, utterly surprised.

"What do you mean, Teacher Gu?! That novella your son-in-law previously promised to us—Old Liu said we're giving it to *People's Literature* again? What's going on?"

At this, Old Wang, the head of the editorial group, could no longer sit still either. He hurried over and asked urgently: "How is this manuscript written?! I haven't even read it yet!"

"Indeed! Teacher Gu, why are we giving it to *People's Literature* again? Why do they always get first dibs on all the good manuscripts?"

Cao Aiqin was equally indignant upon hearing this. Furthermore, upon hearing Xiao Yang say that Teacher Gu's son-in-law was writing about Teacher Gu herself, her interest was instantly piqued, and she hurried over eager to get a preemptive look.

Had she known it was her son-in-law writing about his mother-in-law, she should have joined in and read it when Xiao Yang was doing the preliminary review earlier.

"Forget it, forget it. You can all read it after *People's Literature* publishes it!"

"I must be heading back first!"

Seeing that it was almost time to get off work, Mother Feng seized the opportunity to make an excuse and hurriedly made her escape.

Old Wang, Cao Aiqin, and the others could only wring their hands in frustration, lamenting that Old Zhang's *People's Literature* was reaping the benefits once more.

"Xiao Yang, what on earth is that novella about?! Why did you say Teacher Gu's son-in-law was writing about her mother-in-law?"

Seeing Mother Feng flee in panic with the manuscript, Cao Aiqin refused to give up and questioned Xiao Yang, the only person who had actually laid eyes on the text.

"Teacher Cao, I only read the opening ten thousand words or so; I don't really know what comes after that!"

"However, the title of the manuscript is called *Parents' Romance*. That's just my guess!"

In truth, Xiao Yang hadn't read much—just the opening and the title.

Yet, based merely on the title and a tiny fraction of the beginning, Xiao Yang had casually made that assumption.

Who could have guessed that Teacher Gu would instantly blush, snatch the manuscript away, refuse to let anyone review it, and then hand it over to *People's Literature* instead?

"*Parents' Romance*?!"

"Good heavens! Could it be that Teacher Gu's son-in-law is writing about those past romantic matters between Teacher Gu and Old Feng?"

Upon hearing the title, Cao Aiqin instantly caught wind of a juicy piece of gossip and chimed in: "Back in the day when Teacher Gu and Old Feng were at Peking University, they truly were a golden couple. There's certainly plenty of material there to write about!"

"Yet what I never, ever expected was that it would be Teacher Gu's son-in-law who ended up writing about them!"

Hearing this, Old Wang, the head of the editorial group, rolled his eyes involuntarily and exclaimed in shock, "You don't say?!"

"What golden couple and 'never expected'? Old Wang, Teacher Cao, Xiao Yang, what on earth are you all talking about?"

Just at that moment, Li Qing泉 walked out holding a manuscript. Hearing Cao Aiqin and the others chattering in astonishment, he couldn't help asking with curiosity.

"Old Liu, did you cede Teacher Gu's son-in-law's *Parents' Romance* to *People's Literature*?"

Seeing Liu Xinwu emerge, Old Wang hurriedly demanded urgently.

"What *Parents' Romance*?" Liu Xinwu didn't process it for a moment and asked with a blank expression.

"It's that novella her son-in-law was going to give us! It's called *Parents' Romance*, and Teacher Gu just took it back with her!"

Old Wang stamped his feet in exasperation. Old Liu hadn't even bothered to take a single look at it before casually giving away the novella *Parents' Romance*—just how generous could a person be?

"Xuemin's novella is called *Parents' Romance*?"

Only then did Liu Xinwu snap back to reality, becoming equally curious as he asked, "Who is it about?! Is it about his own parents? Is it a regionally representative manuscript like his previous *Loess Plateau* for *Yanhe Literature*?"

Since it was about parents' romance, Liu Xinwu naturally assumed at first that Cheng Xuemin was writing about his own parents up in northern Shaanxi!

Liu Xinwu had previously visited northern Shaanxi and held deep affection for the place, knowing full well there was an abundance of material worth writing about there.

Therefore, it made sense for Cheng Xuemin to write about his own parents to reflect the local customs and human sentiments of northern Shaanxi.

"None of us read it!"

"Xiao Yang said it must be about the romance between Teacher Gu and Old Feng!"

Old Wang spread his hands, shook his head, and delivered the fatal blow.

"What the hell! Whose?!"

"Xuemin is writing about Teacher Gu and Old Feng?"

"Where's the manuscript? Where is it? Quick, let me take a look first, let me take a look!"

Liu Xinwu was dumbfounded on the spot. So Cheng Xuemin wasn't writing about his own parents, nor was he writing about the local customs of northern Shaanxi?

He was actually writing about the romantic affairs of his mother-in-law and father-in-law?!

In an instant, Liu Xinwu grew so anxious that he demanded the original manuscript to read at once; he simply had to feast his eyes on this juicy piece of gossip first.

"Teacher Gu took it away! You're the one who said to cede it to *People's Literature*, Old Liu!"

"Don't tell me you didn't even read it yourself, Old Liu, yet you were generous enough to just give it away to them?"

Seeing Liu Xinwu react with such dismay as well, Old Wang, Cao Aiqin, Xiao Yang, and the rest were rendered utterly speechless. What kind of person was this?!

He was short of manuscripts in his own hands, yet he refused to even glance at one before acting like a magnanimous benefactor!

***

Mother Feng had no idea that after she left, all her colleagues in the *October* editorial department were gossiping about her behind her back.

They were gossiping about the period of time back in her youth when she and her husband, Father Feng, were studying at Peking University.

Not long after Peking University had relocated back to Beijing in those years, there was indeed far too much material for her son-in-law to write about.

"You must be starved! I'll make dinner for you right away!"

Upon returning home, Mother Feng caught sight of the two debtors writing busily at the desk through the courtyard window and called out to them.

"Mom, you're back!"

Feng Jiayou raised her head slightly to greet her mother, only to see her mother walk straight into the kitchen without uttering a word in response.

She tilted her head and said to the man beside her: "Xuemin, guess what kind of mood my mom was in after reading *Parents' Romance* that you wrote?"

"Do you suppose your mother-in-law retreated into the kitchen in absolute silence because she's feeling shy?"

Feng Jiayou specialized in turning things completely upside down; even now, she was still teasing her mother.

"Since you gave Mom that manuscript today, you really shouldn't have given her that novella as well!"

Mentioning this, Cheng Xuemin couldn't help but quietly blame the woman beside him.

If he had rushed to finish a manuscript overnight and had his mother-in-law take it to *October* to look over first, and if they had dared to publish it, *Parents' Romance* could have been held back and brought out a little later!

Yet who could have expected this woman to be so bold? Without giving so much as a greeting today, she had produced it with absolute decisiveness!

And look at the situation now!

Her mother hadn't even dared to look him properly in the eye just now, leaving Cheng Xuemin feeling rather ashamed to face anyone.

"So you're blaming me, then?"

Feng Jiayou batted her eyelashes, pouting her lips in a mock display of grievance.

"No, no! My wife, I'm not blaming you, I'm not blaming you!" Cheng Xuemin waved his hands hastily and pointed at her mother's bag, saying, "The manuscript might have been returned! Look at Mom's bag—isn't it bulging?"

"Has it been returned?!"

Feng Jiayou looked over as well and indeed noticed that the bag hanging from the handlebar of her mother's bicycle was visibly bulging!

Clearly, it contained the massive novella they had given her today—over two hundred thousand words, neatly bound in a thick stack!

"Could my mom be feeling too shy and embarrassed to publish a piece written by her own son-in-law about his mother-in-law?"

"No, I'm going to go ask her!"

Unable to sit still any longer, Feng Jiayou hurried to her feet and approached her mother in the kitchen. Before long, the whispers of the mother and daughter could be heard drifting from within.

Since their side room was rather far from the kitchen, ChengXuemin couldn't hear a single word.

He could only see Feng Jiayou occasionally pointing in his direction from inside the kitchen, which made Cheng Xuemin quickly lower his head and pretend to write furiously.

"Xuemin, I've already hired the bricklayer. He'll have the sand and gravel hauled over tomorrow!"

"As for the cement, I've already asked around at a few places as well; there shouldn't be any major problems!"

Her eldest brother, Feng Jiazhao, passed by their window on his way home and called out to Cheng Xuemin.

"Alright, alright, thank you, Big Brother! Here is the money for the bricklayer and for buying the sand, gravel, and cement. Big Brother, take this first, and if it's not enough, let me know later!"

Hearing this, Cheng Xuemin hurried outside and handed two hundred yuan in cash—the sum he and Feng Jiayou had agreed upon earlier—directly to his eldest brother, Feng Jiazhao.

Although Cheng Xuemin wouldn't be returning to northern Shaanxi for the New Year, he couldn't leave because Feng Jiayou was expecting a baby at home.

Therefore, the renovation of the courtyard house near Peking University still required his eldest brother's help to oversee.

Naturally, the everyday wages for hiring the workers and the expenses for purchasing materials had to be given to his eldest brother in advance, knowing that the latter was short on cash.

"No, no! Xuemin, what are you doing?! We're not outsiders; why are you standing on such formal ceremony with me?"

"Take this back, take this back!"

Seeing his brother-in-law directly shove a thick stack of large-denomination bills into his hand—easily twenty notes—Big Brother Feng Jiazhao shook his head repeatedly and refused to accept it.

"Big Brother, buying materials and all sorts of miscellaneous things will require money!"

"Take it, take it! It wouldn't do for Jiayou and me to renovate our house while making you spend your own money, Big Brother!"

Cheng Xuemin insisted on giving it to him, but for the first time in his life, Big Brother Feng Jiazhao stubbornly refused, as if he had completely changed his tune.

"Alright, alright! I'll be honest with you, Xuemin! Mom already gave me three hundred yuan and told me to get it renovated properly. Don't go giving me a second sum of money!"

Realizing he couldn't push it away, Feng Jiazhao had no choice but to confess the truth!

It wasn't that he was reluctant to shell out money to cover the renovation expenses; it was simply that his financial reality didn't allow for it. His mother had long since anticipated this from her son and had given him three hundred yuan ahead of time, telling him to keep an eye on things and renovate the place well.

If it wasn't enough, he could always ask their mother for more later.

Therefore, it wouldn't do to accept a second sum of money from his brother-in-law, so he simply laid the truth out in the open.

"Ah?! Mom already gave you some?!"

Cheng Xuemin was equally surprised and glanced toward the kitchen before lowering his voice to say to his eldest brother, "The amount Mom gave you is probably only enough for routine repairs and touch-ups. My bathroom requires some special materials!"

"Here, Big Brother, just take the money for now. We can settle the difference—whether it's more or less—later on. How's that?"

"Well... alright, then!"

Thinking of that independent indoor bathroom, Big Brother Feng Jiazhao nodded in agreement and quietly accepted the money.

"Oh, right, Xuemin! Old Liu said that novella of yours should still be given to Old Zhang at *People's Literature*!"

At the dinner table, Mother Feng finally brought up the matter of the novella.

"Why is it going to Old Zhang again?!" Before ChengXuemin could express his surprise, Father Feng took the lead and asked in bewilderment.

"For the sake of a united front!"

"This time, our *October*, Li Xiaolin from *Harvest*, and Old Li from *Beijing Literature* have all made arrangements!"

"Coupled with *People's Literature* taking this novella, our united front will exert our strength together..."

"Xueqing, you are making a complete mess of things!"

Before Mother Feng could finish speaking, Father Feng slammed his hand down on the table, his face pale with shock as he interrupted.

In that very instant, Cheng Xuemin, Feng Jiayou, Feng Jiazhao, and the rest of the family seated around the table...

Every single one of them trembled in unison, staring with utter horror at the suddenly enraged Father Feng!

***

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