Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Perfect Coordination (VII)

As Yu Manyi had summed up, the news from the school would take at least three days to spread to the Yu family, which gave Song Qi a three-day window to maneuver. He wasn’t fully confident in what he was about to do, so he didn’t tell anyone else. He simply made several calls at the town’s post office, finished handling the matters at the school, and then rushed overnight to the county seat.

The calls were to Huo Shiwen, the reporter who had previously interviewed him over the scandal involving the You family’s concubine. Since Song Qi also ran a newspaper, he understood very well that journalists always looked for follow-ups—just like readers craving extra chapters after a novel. This incident, involving yet another uproar at the literacy class after the concubine’s escape, combined with a female student secretly learning painting—was practically the perfect blend of “oppressed women seeking knowledge in the old society” and “feudal women bravely resisting”—a powerful dual narrative. And to top it off, it tied back to the report from a year ago. A perfect story.

Sure enough, Reporter Huo bought a train ticket immediately after hanging up and arrived in Shaoxing County within two days.

As for Director He, he’d previously had conflicts with Song Qi’s teacher, which initially made Song Qi unsure about approaching him. But after making a few inquiries with a friend about the man’s background, he understood—

This Director He was a seconded official transferred from Shanghai to Shaoxing County. This term of office was a major test on his climb up the bureaucratic ladder.

If he performed well, he’d return to Shanghai and rise to the ranks of the elite; if he performed poorly, he’d better be ready to spend the rest of his career drinking tea and reading newspapers in obscurity.

Last year’s scandal involving the You family had already embarrassed him in front of his superiors just after he took office. And now this year, Song Qi’s literacy class wasn’t cooperating either—Director He was at his wits’ end.

Yet, it was precisely under these circumstances that Director He desperately needed a political achievement to showcase himself—preferably something that could land him in the newspaper. In that sense, Yu Manyi’s appearance at the literacy class was the best proof of his successful governance during his term—

Look at this: last year’s You family scandal had nothing to do with me. Now, this literacy class is thriving, not a single female student missing. Yes, the You family has stirred up more trouble, but Miss Yu—the second young lady of the Yu family—acted heroically and even took the opportunity to study painting in her spare time—

Well, well, well! Though I may not have intentionally guided this progressive trend, it is indeed after my arrival that the local customs suddenly became enlightened and flourishing. The prospects are bright—this is all thanks to the cooperation between the people and me!

And besides, I didn’t even solicit this interview. It was that young student who rescued the You family’s concubine last year who took the initiative to contact the newspaper and gave me such high praise. When the streets and alleys of Shanghai are abuzz with talk of my political achievements in the literacy class—ah, I’ll be so embarrassed, truly flattered by such praise!

And so, Director He urgently arranged for a car, had his secretary drive, and took Song Qi along with Reporter Huo—who had just arrived in Shaoxing County—to the town where Yu Manyi was. Song Qi and the secretary sat in the front, while Director He and the reporter sat in the back. On the way there, they completed an eloquent and heartfelt discussion on rural cultural governance—every word a gem—just waiting for Reporter Huo to return to Shanghai and turn it into an article.

Song Qi had truly timed everything down to the minute. Almost at the exact moment the car pulled up outside the Yu family residence, Third Madam Yu Shen was urging Third Uncle to report to Old Master Yu about Yu Manyi secretly learning to paint. At first, Third Uncle was so shocked upon hearing it that he nearly fell out of his chair—How did Yu Manyi dare? Secretly learning painting behind the family’s back, showing her face in public and getting into a dispute with the You family, and then hiding everything from them for three days after it happened! She really was the daughter of his fourth younger brother—doing things just as rebellious and hateful as that wayward brother of his. He was so nervous, terrified that Master Yu would find out before he did, and then blame him too, labeling him as someone who failed to raise his daughter properly.

He paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, finally thinking through what words he would use to accuse her to their father. He intended to thoroughly cut ties with Yu Manyi, not even wanting to raise her anymore. If the second household was good to her, then let them take care of her; after all, she would be married off in another year anyway. As for himself—if he tried for another year and still had no son, then perhaps he really would have to take a concubine to carry on the family line. Of course, this last thought he did not share with Madam Yu Shen. It was just something he mulled over in his own mind.

With such anxious thoughts, he left the room. Who would’ve thought that as soon as he came downstairs, he would run into the head steward calling for him—grinning ear to ear, saying that an esteemed guest among esteemed guests had arrived, and he should quickly go to the main hall to greet them.

And then, everything became clear.

At first, Master Yu was surprised when he heard about Yu Manyi’s incident, but then—this was Director He they were talking about. Master Yu wasn’t particularly concerned with big figures from Shanghai or Beiping, but if the guest held a post within the Shaoxing county government, that was directly tied to social ties with the local gentry. Since Director He believed Yu Manyi’s behavior was in line with the current trend, then it was in line with the current trend.

Come to think of it, Master Yu also felt somewhat confused at that moment. When Song Qi first visited the Yu family, he had declared that everything happening in the cities was fleeting, and only the rice fields and wheat of the countryside endured. But this time, it seemed that the wind from the city had been blowing for a long while, and showed signs of becoming stronger. The wind was swift and forceful, compelling even him to shed some of his old thinking, and to accept that Yu Manyi learning to paint was a glorious thing that brought honor to the ancestors. Otherwise, why would government officials and a Shanghai reporter come all this way?

Of course, all this only happened inside Master Yu’s mind. In front of others, he had to maintain the composure and authority of a family patriarch, putting on an expression of just finding out and not being surprised.

However, his good-for-nothing third son didn’t have this level of insight. When called, he came in all timid and nervous; after figuring out the situation, he then turned proud and gleeful, saying that he had always been an enlightened father, so raising a daughter like Yu Manyi wasn’t surprising at all.

After he said that, he realized Master Yu was still nearby, and quickly added that ultimately it was all thanks to the wise guidance of the family head. Yu Manyi’s father—Master Yu’s fourth son, his younger brother—had also been such an outstanding young man, only he died too early. What a pity.

At this point, he felt a mocking gaze fall on him, as if from Song Qi’s direction. But when he turned his head, that gaze had vanished.

In any case, the people in the main hall chatted away joyfully for more than half an hour, waiting for Yu Manyi to return. As the sky began to darken, Master Yu wanted to show the guests the beauty of the garden before sunset, so everyone moved locations.

All of this, Yu Manyi pieced together after listening to the pleasantries and small talk exchanged between Reporter Huo, Director He, Master Yu, Song Qi, and her third uncle. Some motives and intentions were never stated outright, but she seemed to understand the subtext. She felt she had made a lot of progress. It turned out those rules that had governed her since childhood weren’t iron laws. The real rules of those in power were “reputation, wealth, and authority.” When rules clashed with these things, then the rules didn’t matter. They had been deceiving Yu Manyi from the beginning—and Third Madam believed in that lie even more deeply than she did, voluntarily taking up the role of its enforcer.

She also felt that Song Qi was far more complicated than she had imagined. He clearly understood this system of rules, and used them with great skill, yet he had always avoided being drawn into such matters. If not for Yu Manyi this time, it was clear he much preferred his daily life of running the newspaper, teaching, and joking around with classmates.When dealing with these people, Song Qi didn’t seem very happy, although on the surface he appeared perfectly polite. After several rounds of social pleasantries, the reporter wearing gold-rimmed glasses, Huo Shiwen, finally turned her gaze to the true main character, Yu Manyi. She waved the camera in her hand at her and said in a light tone, “Then can I have a little chat with you alone, okay?”

She had a kind of beauty that couldn't simply be described as "pretty"—as if a person’s attractiveness was a feeling rather than a visual experience. Yu Manyi nodded, thinking this woman was different from all the other women in the Yu family, even different from the unconventional Fang Qian she had previously met. A new sense of admiration rose in her heart.

But just after taking two steps, she caught a glimpse of Song Qi moving away from the crowd the moment she had done so. She turned to Huo Shiwen and said, “Sister, can I say a few words to Song Qi first?”

“Sure,” Huo Shiwen adjusted her camera. “But the sun’s about to set. Photos look better in good light, so come back soon.”

Yu Manyi nodded. The two separated under the Chinese trumpet vine. She slipped away from the crowd’s view and quickly found Song Qi sitting alone in a corner. He had found a chair, elbows resting on his knees, eyes closed as he slowly massaged his temples. Yu Manyi watched him for a moment, then quietly walked over and handed him a piece of fruit candy gifted to her during recess by a little mail courier.

Song Qi heard someone approaching and opened his eyes slightly, accepting the candy she offered. After unwrapping it, Yu Manyi said, “Give me back the wrapper. I want to use it for a sketch.”

“So diligent,” Song Qi smiled as he handed the candy wrapper back to her.

The wrapper was soft, slightly greasy, and already damp with sweat. Yu Manyi folded and unfolded it repeatedly, and by the time she realized it, it was already unsuitable for reference. If this were any other day, Song Qi would surely laugh at her, but today he had no extra energy to focus on her. He simply closed his eyes again and continued to rub his temples.

Yu Manyi mentally calculated the time and remembered Fang Qian had told her Song Qi left a substitute teaching notice today. But that note might not have been left today—it could have been put there after yesterday’s class, and he might have found a ride to Shaoxing County overnight.

Suddenly, she reached out her hand and brushed his aside, pressing her own fingertip to his temple and gently massaging it.

Song Qi raised his head in surprise and found that since Yu Manyi’s back was turned to the others and they were tucked away in a corner, no one could see the hand she had extended.

“Your third aunt and third uncle…” Song Qi reminded her.

“If they see, they see,” Yu Manyi said, then recalled her earlier realization about them. Her tone carried a hint of contempt. “A bunch of big liars.”

Such a strange insult.

Song Qi held back a laugh, not daring to move too much for fear the Yu family really might see. Yu Manyi’s fingertips were cool to the touch, easing the dizziness and fatigue from his two sleepless days and nights.There were footsteps approaching. Yu Manyi eventually withdrew her hand and hid it behind her back. When she turned around, she saw Huo Shiwen holding a camera, searching for a composition, and telling Song Qi she was heading over. But after taking only a few steps, she circled back.

“Song Qi, is the film they use for taking photos expensive?”

Why was she suddenly interested in film again? Song Qi thought for a moment and answered, “If it’s just one shot, it’s not too bad. The camera holds a whole roll. Once it’s used for your photo, it still needs to take many more, then they’re all developed together.”

Yu Manyi nodded, pondered briefly, then asked, “Then can I take a photo with you?”