After Lu Yongan left, the family of three simply found a place to eat.

  Right after sitting down, Song Tingshen explained to Ruan Xia, “The Teacher Wang that he mentioned is a teacher that I greatly respect. I lived on campus in high school, and I didn’t have much money for living expenses. Teacher Wang frequently brought food for me to supplement my nutrition. Later on, when I was admitted to college and I didn’t have enough for tuition, Teacher Wang was the one that recommended me for a part-time tutoring job. The salary they paid me was higher than normal because they were giving him face. When I went to college, he made a special trip to the capital city to see me. It’s very cold in the capital city in winter. He would buy and mail me a down-filled coat every year.

  “Teacher Wang’s health isn’t very good. I invited him to the capital city several times, and each time, he said it would be inconvenient. When we got married, he originally said he would come to the wedding, but his mom was sick when the time came, and he couldn’t leave.” There was a rarely seen warmth in Song Tingshen’s eyes. “Although I’ve sent him a lot of things over the years, it’s not enough compared to how well he treated me. Ruan Xia, Teacher Wang has always wanted to see you and Little Wang. If you don’t mind, how about coming with me to celebrate his birthday and wish him well?”


  Ruan Xia didn’t even have to think about it. She nodded and asked, “Sure. Should we get him a gift?”


  Song Tingshen irresolutely said, “We should. You’re more thoughtful than me. What do you think would be a suitable gift?”


  “You’re clearly the more thoughtful one.” Ruan Xia was saying the truth. Song Tingshen was much more thoughtful than her. “He’s 60 years old and has no children. Is his wife still alive?”


  Song Tingshen was startled for a moment. He shook his head. “He’s unmarried.”


  Ruan Xia found it difficult to hide her surprise. “Unmarried?”


  He wasn’t widowed. He was unmarried at 60 years old. That was very rare for a person of his generation.

  Song Tingshen: “En, I shouldn’t talk about my teacher’s personal affairs, but since you’re so interested, I’ll tell you a little. Teacher Wang had a girlfriend when he was young, but her health wasn’t good. She died before her 22nd birthday, and Teacher Wang never got married.”


  Ruan Xia rested her hand on her chin. Looking very touched, she said, “He loves her that deeply?”


  Most of the men she had seen and heard about were big pig trotters, and this was the first time she heard something like this, a man that loved a woman so deeply.

  (T/N: Big pig trotters is a catch-all phrase used to describe men that are fickle and don’t keep their word as well as men that are too inflexible and too straightforward. It’s from a Chinese internet meme.)

  “I later asked him why he didn’t get married. After all, staying single is a very lonely life. He said that he wasn’t interested and that he had promised that girl he would only have her in his heart.”


  “So, he’s using the rest of his life to keep a promise? Even though the other party is no longer alive?”


  Ruan Xia was comparatively more sentimental than Song Tingshen. She wasn’t that girl, but she was moved. What girl wouldn’t want such an unwavering love?

  Song Tingshen glanced at her. “Teacher Wang is a very responsible person. Besides, not all men are fickle people that can’t keep promises.”


  Ruan Xia retorted, “He’s a rare exception. Most men are big pig trotters.”
……

  Big pig trotters? What’s with that description?

  “Anyways, do you have any good ideas on what gift to buy?” Song Tingshen knew that it was meaningless to continue discussing this topic with Ruan Xia, so he quickly changed the topic.

  Little Wang, who had been eating an egg roll, raised his hand. “Give him a toy car! A remote control plane!”


  Ruan Xia pinched his earlobe. “Eat your egg roll. Adults are talking.”


  Little Wang sighed. In the past few days, he had learned to sigh like adults. “Mom, you don’t act like an adult at all.”


  “Stop saying nonsense.”