072 Man, This Time I Truly Have No Choice (Please Vote for Me)

Celebrate, celebrate!

This time, it was Feng Jiayou who took the initiative to suggest a celebration, even though she hadn’t seen the payment slip yet! Her husband had been officially praised as a "timely rain" by those in charge—a great honor that absolutely called for a celebration.

Of course, Feng Jiayou’s idea of celebrating was certainly different from what Cheng Xueming had in mind! She took a detour to Quanjude to buy a large roast duck, a duck carcass for soup, and had two side dishes packed up. Altogether, she spent fifteen yuan.

She then stopped by the pigeon market for a pound of meat, a big grass carp, and some vegetables. With the whole family living under one roof, daily expenses were not small and mostly supported by Mother Feng and Father Feng.

They hadn’t asked Cheng Xueming, their son-in-law, for any contribution to household expenses. When he first arrived, Cheng Xueming had offered to pay a bit for his meals at home. After all, he took breakfast and dinner there, Feng Jiayou’s appetite doubled with pregnancy, and her mother often prepared extra snacks for her.

It wouldn’t be right not to contribute some living expenses; even with his thick skin, Cheng Xueming couldn’t stomach freeloading. So he’d mentioned it, but her parents had flatly refused.

Both were dual-income earners, and their salaries and benefits far outweighed Feng Jiayou’s school subsidy. Father Feng’s salary at the Foreign Language Bureau was over a hundred yuan, and Mother Feng’s at "October" was similarly high—both earning more than a hundred yuan each month. Their combined income exceeded two hundred yuan, so there was no need for their children to pay living expenses.

Even with the son-in-law, they treated everyone equally, but Feng Jiayou received special treatment because of her pregnancy.

Without the need to pay household expenses, Feng Jiayou and Cheng Xueming would buy groceries occasionally to add to the meals. Today’s celebration was no exception—roast duck from Yanjing and big fish and meat were a must.

"Wife, while no one’s home, shall we celebrate ourselves?"

After wheeling the bicycle into the courtyard, Feng Jiayou called out to her parents, brother, and sister-in-law, but got no answer. Cheng Xueming knew the house was empty—so!

He entered their room, locked the door, and grinned.

"No, no!... Xueming, tonight... tonight I’ll help you. Our parents, brother, and sister-in-law are almost home from work!"

Even though they’d left Yanda at three or four o’clock, the detour to Quanjude and the pigeon market meant they arrived home around five or six; the sky was already dark.

Her parents, brother, and sister-in-law were probably at the outer gate already. Did Cheng Xueming forget the lesson from last time, when Feng Jiamei caught him under the table and forced him to hand over ten yuan?

"Hurry up and tidy yourself, while you’re still energized, revise your manuscript!"

"I’ll go pick vegetables and start cooking!"

She really couldn’t be alone with Cheng Xueming—he always wanted something, making Feng Jiayou feel both eager and frustrated.

If only she hadn’t gotten pregnant so soon! But then again, that night was so impulsive and sudden, and after three rounds, it wasn’t as if she could have avoided it. Where was she supposed to get contraceptives at the educated youth station?

"Wife, actually, we could be careful tonight."

At this stage of pregnancy, Feng Jiayou might want it more than he did, but she was afraid of overdoing it and causing trouble, so she’d been holding back.

Now that she was four or five months along and in a stable phase, her needs could be cautiously met.

"No! Don’t mess around. If anything happens, will you take responsibility?!"

Feng Jiayou insisted, glaring at Cheng Xueming, quickly opened the door, and left—she really couldn’t bear to look into his eyes!

"Sis, Old Cheng, Mom bought roast duck, so tonight we’re having extra dishes!"

Soon after, her younger sister Feng Jiamei entered the courtyard, shouting loudly.

---

Mother-in-law bought roast duck, too—what a rare occasion!

Clearly, her mother-in-law was in an exceptionally good mood today; otherwise, with her frugal habits, she seldom brought home Quanjude roast duck.

Cheng Xueming had been in Yanjing for over a month, and apart from the couple buying roast duck themselves, no one else seemed to have bought any.

Mother Feng often secretly prepared extra snacks for Feng Jiayou, her daughter, and sister-in-law Ke Yumei was attentive as well, bringing supplements for her.

Second sister-in-law, perhaps because she had no husband and two children, lived frugally and didn’t show particular care for Feng Jiayou, but just letting them move rooms was enough for Cheng Xueming to remember for life!

Father Feng often slipped five or ten yuan to his daughter—otherwise, Feng Jiayou’s little stash would never last, and where else would she get money for such feasts?

In short, everything comes from the same pot, and it’s happiest when the whole family is together.

"Ah? Mom, you bought roast duck too?!"

"We bought one as well, and some meat, plus a grass carp!"

Feng Jiayou stuck her head out of the kitchen, surprised, as her mother pushed the bike inside.

"Ha! Sis, you two bought roast duck too?! What’s with today—Mom also bought roast duck and two pounds of meat!"

Feng Jiamei tossed her schoolbag on the stone table and rushed into the kitchen.

"Wash your hands! Feng Jiamei, you glutton, slow down! Mom’s happy today, so there’s plenty of braised pork and roast duck!"

"Hehe, sis, tell me—why is Mom so happy? Buying all this meat, fish, and roast duck..."

"Is it because Old Cheng’s manuscript got through?!"

...

Soon, the kitchen was lively with the three women chatting and laughing.

"Xueming, revising your manuscript?"

Father Feng, for the first time, entered the east wing where Cheng Xueming and his daughter lived.

He saw Cheng Xueming at the writing desk, presumably revising today's manuscript, and greeted him.

"Father! Please, come in and sit!"

Cheng Xueming was surprised, quickly turning and inviting him in.

"This room... let’s endure it a bit longer. The Foreign Language Bureau should allot us a house after the New Year."

Father Feng came in, saw there was barely room to stand, and frowned at the piles of books.

Originally, he’d agreed with Old Qian to move all the books to the west wing, but it seemed his son-in-law truly loved reading—he kept them all, making the small wing room even more cramped!

But now, it was clear his son-in-law was genuinely fond of books—otherwise, how could he have launched two major literary satellites in succession?

The "Horseman" of Yanjing literature needed no mention.

Today’s "Director Qiao’s Appointment Chronicle" was even more remarkable. Accompanying his wife back, hearing about the meeting with high leadership, Father Feng could hardly believe his ears.

Wu from the cultural bureau personally received them, accompanied by literary leaders like Old Mao and peer Ding Ling, who assisted with the manuscript revision.

Damn!

Father Feng couldn’t help but curse—such treatment was unheard of!

Later, he heard that even higher-ups had been alerted, and they officially praised him as a "timely rain," exactly the article needed to respond to the meeting’s spirit.

Father Feng was so moved, his blood boiling, eyes brimming with tears, repeatedly telling his wife, "It’s over, it’s really over!"

So, upon returning home, Father Feng couldn’t wait to have a proper talk with his son-in-law.

"Father, we’re actually used to it. Jiayou and I write here; when tired, we lie down, and with all these books at hand, it's not bad at all!"

---

The whole family was waiting for Father Feng's work unit to allocate a house, except for Cheng Xueming and Feng Jiayou.

They were earning their own savings, planning to buy a place and move out on their own.

Still, Cheng Xueming hadn’t mentioned this to Father Feng or Mother Feng. It wouldn’t be too late to bring it up when they’d found the right place.

"Yes, your mother told me on the way home, since this manuscript is getting high-level attention..."

At the dinner table, Father Feng rarely drank a couple of glasses, pulling Cheng Xueming to join him.

Everyone knew about today’s big event, and all were astonished and delighted for their son-in-law and brother-in-law.

Who would have thought, just a month ago, he was a country bumpkin with muddy feet!

"By the way, Xueming, your 'Horseman'—our studio is preparing to make a film, and the director is supposed to be Xie Jin from Shanghai. How about letting me write the script?"

After a few rounds of drinks, the elder brother-in-law brought up business, asking about adapting "Horseman" into a movie.

The director was a rising star—Xie Jin from Shanghai Film Studio. The script hadn’t been decided yet.

But brother-in-law wanted to personally take charge, to help his brother-in-law by writing the script for "Horseman."

After all, he was a teacher at Beijing Film Academy and a scriptwriter at the studio—his profession was screenwriting, and he was well-versed.

So, with his proposal, sister-in-law Ke Yumei, second sister-in-law Sun Juan, and younger sister Feng Jiamei all looked at Cheng Xueming.

"It's fine to let your brother write it. He may not excel elsewhere, but his foundation in screenwriting is solid!"

Mother Feng nodded, giving it little thought. "Horseman" was her son-in-law’s creation; turning it into a movie was inevitable, and whoever wrote the script would write it.

Having her brother adapt the script would let him share in Cheng Xueming’s light and gain credentials at the studio.

After all, this was "Horseman," the literary satellite launched by Li Qingquan in Yanjing. If adapted into a film, it would surely be a hit.

And there was still the atomic bomb to come; her brother could help write that script too! With these two works under his belt, he’d make a name in the screenwriting world!

"Big brother, if 'Horseman' is adapted into a movie, will Xueming get paid for the adaptation?"

It was Feng Jiayou, the family’s shrewd treasurer, who asked a question Cheng Xueming himself was eager to know.

Would he receive a fee for the adaptation of "Horseman"?

"Yes, if our studio adapts your 'Horseman' into a film, you’ll definitely receive a fee!" Brother-in-law Feng Jizhao nodded.

That was great—he could get paid twice for the same work!

Feng Jiayou beamed and pressed, "Big brother, how much will Xueming get?"

Cheng Xueming was equally keen to know.

Even sister-in-law Ke Yumei, second sister-in-law Sun Juan, and younger sister Feng Jiamei were all ears.

Mother and Father Feng, too, though they already knew—there would surely be a fee!

"It’s like this: according to our studio and official regulations, if Xueming only authorizes the adaptation and doesn’t participate in writing the script, he should get three or four hundred yuan. If he, as the original author, participates in the adaptation, the fee will depend on his involvement—if he completes the entire adaptation himself, I estimate it’ll be two thousand yuan!"

With a whoosh, Feng Jiayou stood up and exclaimed, "Xueming, let’s adapt it ourselves! Can you do it?!"

What a joke—three or four hundred if he doesn’t participate, two thousand if he does. How could the family’s little miser pass up such a choice?

...