After returning to Northeast China, Yun Qing continued working with Engineer Lin to improve engine technology. Whenever he had the opportunity, he would also visit Changbai Mountain and trade with the mountain gatherers for good things such as ginseng and ginseng seeds, all of which he planted in his Space.
He also caught several tigers, black bears, and Chinese monals to raise. They would all be protected animals in the future, and people would have no chance to raise them even if they wanted to.
He brewed tiger-bone wine and tiger-whip wine. Occasionally, he gave Engineer Lin some tiger-bone wine to drink. Once the little old man started working, he seemed to have no regard for his own life. Yun Qing was truly afraid that he would work himself to death one day, so he constantly fed him good things.
Engineer Lin treated Yun Qing well too, genuinely treating him like his own son. His teacher's wife treated him even better than her own son. Whenever she made something delicious, she would have Engineer Lin bring him home to eat with them, claiming it was to “nourish his health.”
The eldest son of the Lin family was named Lin Zhenxing. He was a railway public security officer and three years older than Yun Qing. He found Yun Qing irritating in every way, and every time he saw him, he wanted to spar with him. All he could think about was knocking Yun Qing down, but unfortunately, he had never succeeded even once.
The local specialties Yun Qing had sent to Wang Qiang over the past few years were all delivered by Lin Zhenxing. It saved shipping costs and was safer. Yet this fellow Wang Qiang had actually awakened a business skill and started working as a speculator on a small scale, dealing only along the Northeast China–capital city route.
Naturally, Lin Zhenxing received a share of the money too. All the railway workers did the same. Everyone understood without saying it, and good things were always distributed internally.
After being knocked down by Yun Qing yet again, Lin Zhenxing said indignantly, “Yun Qing, aren't you a cultured man? Are all cultured men this formidable nowadays? I've trained before, so how come I lose every time?”
“That's because you're no good. It has nothing to do with cultured people.” Yun Qing pulled him up as he spoke.
“Just wait. Sooner or later, I'll knock you down. I refuse to believe this. Fine, my studies aren't as good as yours, but how can I lose to you in physical strength too? That makes no sense.”
Lin Zhenxing did not get angry even when he lost. He could learn a great deal by sparring with Yun Qing. His work was dangerous, and every additional skill he learned gave him a little more safety.
“Yun Qing, you're twenty-five this year, right? My mother said she wants to introduce you to someone. You don't seem worried about it, though. What is it? You don't want to get married? Or is it that you can't?”
Lin Zhenxing glanced at Yun Qing's lower body and spoke with ill intent.
“Watch yourself, or I'll beat you up. You're the one who can't.” Yun Qing rolled his eyes at him. His elder brother had spent too long working on the railway; there wasn't a single decent sentence that came out of his mouth.
“Tsk, Qing, if you can't, then hurry up and get treated. You can't avoid seeing a doctor out of embarrassment.” After saying that, Lin Zhenxing ran away.
Yun Qing shook his head with amusement. It was not that he had never considered getting married; he was simply quite busy now. Besides, he had been single for three lifetimes, so it was not as though he had any experience.
In this era, not getting married was impossible. Let alone his teacher's wife, even the Aunties from the workplace union had summoned him for talks. Their words all boiled down to this: getting married and having children was also a contribution. Starting a family would settle his heart, and he could not let making contributions cause him to miss out on the major matter of marriage.
But they never stopped to think about it. In their technical group, every fly that passed through was male. Even if he wanted to find someone, he had no opportunity.
His master was a workaholic who would bury himself in the Laboratory for days and nights at a time. As his apprentice, could Yun Qing not accompany him? The little old man practically treated people like donkeys now. Even the donkeys in the production teams were not worked as hard as he was. At least they had a winter rest period; he worked all year round without a break.
It was now 1972. He was still a technician, yet he was doing an engineer's work. If he did not cooperate with Wang Qiang, how could he earn extra money to support a wife and children?
Actually, being single was rather carefree. The Zhou Family could no longer stir up any trouble. In 1969, Zhou Yunxue and Zhou Yunxi had both been sent to the countryside, one to the Southwest and the other to the south.
Zhou Yunlan had also gotten married. Her husband was a worker at the machinery factory, and she was already the mother of two children. Her life was going well—plain yet warm.
Zhao Hongmei's health had been poor ever since Zhou Hongjun's death. Her two sons had been sent to the countryside, and her only daughter had married, leaving her alone and helpless.
Zhou Yunlan gave her five yuan each month for living expenses in her old age. The neighborhood office also arranged work for her making matchboxes, allowing her to earn a little spending money. Then, last winter, she caught a severe cold and did not survive it. She had gone to reunite with Zhou Hongjun.
Wang Qiang had told him all this in a letter. After learning about it, Yun Qing merely smiled faintly. He had stopped caring about what happened to that family long ago.
“Yun Qing, dinner's ready. Why are you just standing there like an idiot?” His teacher's wife's call instantly brought Yun Qing back to his senses.
“Coming!” Yun Qing answered and hurried into the house.
“You silly boy, you don't even know to come over when it's time to eat. We have to call you.” Engineer Lin rolled his eyes at him.
“Hehe, I was thinking about something.” Yun Qing chuckled and poured wine for his master.
“Drink less. This is medicinal wine, and medicine is still toxic in small amounts. One cup is enough,” his teacher's wife reminded him.
“Yun Qing, pour your teacher's wife a cup too and keep her mouth shut. She's simply craving wine. Watching us men drink makes her uncomfortable.” Engineer Lin instructed Yun Qing.
“Right away. I'll pour your teacher's wife a cup.” Yun Qing filled her cup as he answered. He liked the atmosphere of the Lin family: his master was upright, his teacher's wife was magnanimous, and his brothers and sisters were all kind and harmonious. He had never experienced such a family before, and he was deeply attached to this warmth.
Drinking and chatting together on such a winter day was blissful beyond words.
“Uncle Yun Qing, when I grow up, I'll become your wife.” Five-year-old Lin Nan, Lin Zhenxing's little daughter, said something astonishing.
“Cough, cough, cough!” Yun Qing choked on his wine and nearly coughed his lungs out.
“Do you even know what a wife is?” Lin Zhenxing's wife, Liu Xiaoyun, asked the little girl with a laugh.
“Of course I do. It's eating together and playing together.” The little girl swung her tiny feet as she spoke.
Everyone was amused by her. Children truly spoke without restraint.
His teacher's wife teased her, “Why do you want to marry your Uncle Yun Qing?”
“He's handsome, he buys me candy, and he plays with me.” The little girl answered very seriously.
“Oh no, my daughter has been lured away with candy. How tragic! Yun Qing, you scoundrel, you won't even spare a little girl. Drink a penalty cup! Hurry!” Lin Zhenxing lamented sorrowfully, then turned angry as he spoke.
“Can you be reasonable? Is being handsome my fault?” Yun Qing protested and drained the wine in his cup.
“Being handsome isn't your fault, but never getting married is. You're making people pine for you for nothing.” His teacher's wife rolled her eyes at Yun Qing.
“Little sister, you can't marry Uncle Yun Qing. You belong to different generations.” Seven-year-old Lin Song earnestly instructed his sister.
The little girl's limited capacity for understanding could not make sense of it. She pouted unhappily, but Liu Xiaoyun immediately fed her a piece of meat, and the clouds cleared at once.
Yun Qing finally understood the purpose of his teacher's wife's invitation today. Had her matchmaking addiction flared up again? Did everyone develop this problem once they reached a certain age? They simply loved arranging marriages for others.
After dinner, his teacher's wife pulled Yun Qing away. This was clearly the rhythm of getting to the main topic. He had no idea who she was going to introduce him to this time.