bayedsolid Chapter 401 Aunt Xing is online again
Chapter 401 Aunt Xing is online again
Song Tingnan dodged Dai Lao's questions with vague answers, pretending to look at other documents, but his heart was not at peace.
"Personal honor and disgrace are insignificant compared to national interests!" This is a phrase that professors and counselors at the school have repeatedly emphasized regarding the importance of national interests, meaning that personal success or failure should be placed after the overall interests of the country.
But people are selfish, aren't they? A childhood dream, so much hard work and struggle, just seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, about to be realized, how could she possibly shatter it with her own hands? Song Tingnan couldn't sleep.
The next day, Song Tingnan asked Elder Dai for permission to go to Yin Teng's house to investigate. Her main goal was to confirm whether it was "Aunt Xing." Bing Lingxiao offered to go with her, wanting to see how well Yin Teng's house was guarded. If all else failed, they would have to steal it if necessary.
They waited from morning till night, and their perseverance paid off; the daughter of the Yin Teng family finally appeared.
Song Tingnan followed, and after walking a while, when no one was around, he whispered twice, "Gao Family Martial Arts School, Master Qingling!"
The woman beside him paused, but Song Tingnan didn't say anything. He turned a few corners and entered a French restaurant.
"You're here too? Tingnan, you're allowed to go abroad now? Did you join the Ministry of Foreign Affairs? Are you married? Are you living in the diplomatic embassy now? How are you all doing?" The woman who followed Song Tingnan into the private room grabbed her and asked several questions before she even sat down.
Looking at the sincere and enthusiastic 'Aunt Xing' in front of her, Ting Nan knew that 'Aunt Xing' was still Aunt Xing; she hadn't changed.
"Aunt Xing, we're all fine!" Song Tingnan answered earnestly, then helped her sit down and asked, "Aunt Xing, are you unhappy since you came back? You look a little haggard. Are you sick?"
Song Tingnan looked at 'Aunt Xing' with concern. She was nearly fifty years old, but her clothes were perfectly matched, and every strand of hair was in the right place. She was very elegant and classy.
But her eyes were vacant, enveloped in an aura of loneliness and despondency. Song Tingnan habitually took her pulse, thus overlooking the word "also" in her first question.
“I’m not sick, Tingnan. My name is now Yinteng Eiko. Although I quite like being your Aunt Xing, the relationship between Japan and China is delicate right now, and you work in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, so you need to be extra careful not to call me by the wrong name in public, lest it implicate you.” Yinteng Eiko’s eyes reddened, and her voice was very low, as if she was about to cry.
She had no physical ailments, but she was deeply troubled. Song Tingnan didn't know how to comfort this woman who had been tormented by fate, so he could only gently put his arm around her shoulder.
Yin Teng Yingzi quickly composed herself, smoothed a strand of curly hair behind her ear, and asked softly, "How is he doing now? Is he married with children now?"
Although he wasn't named, Song Tingnan knew who he was. "My uncle has never married. He is now called Song Yanchu and is my godfather. I just call him uncle."
"Aunt Ying, after you left, my uncle also left the county town. I went to high school in Anxi City, and he stayed there to accompany me for three years. During that time, he worked as a foreign language teacher at our high school until last year when he returned to Shanghai, saying he wanted to revive the family business." Song Tingnan recounted Song Yanchu's story in detail, knowing that Yin Tengyingzi wanted to hear it.
Yin Tengying murmured, "He changed his name too, Yan Chu. What a beautiful name. He's so talented; he shouldn't have been overlooked. If I had left earlier, he would have had a much better career."
"Aunt Ying, my uncle has never blamed you, it's just..."
"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore." Yin Tengyingzi interrupted Song Tingnan. "You are indeed worthy of being taught by him. You know to go to a French restaurant instead of a Chinese one."
When you're in a foreign land, you miss your hometown even more. The restaurant owner is naturally Chinese, and besides, the stomach you've developed in China can't get used to Western food like sashimi and rare steak.
Song Tingnan explained, "I'm afraid someone is watching us. Chinese restaurants are too conspicuous. I heard the owner of this French restaurant has some connections, so it's relatively safer."
Although time was of the essence, Song Tingnan dared not let her guard down. After ten years apart, the environment and circumstances had changed, and people would change too, wouldn't they? She tentatively asked, "Aunt Ying, would you be willing to come back to China with me?"
"Is it okay? Can I go back?" Yin Teng Yingzi's eyes lit up with surprise.
"Of course you can. Our country has opened up a lot now and will fully accept you. I'm on a business trip this time and will be returning home soon. You can come with me."
As for my uncle, he doesn't hate you, but whether he's willing to be with you... Song Tingnan couldn't guarantee that her uncle and Aunt Ying would get together.