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Chapter 8: Daddy washes his feet
Can't you be more serious?
─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───
Madam Qian hurriedly grabbed onto the wall. "You— you have guts!" she said, grinding their teeth. "Tomorrow, I’ll go to your superior."
Qin Feng’s mother, Madam Zhou, furrowed her brows, wondering why the two families were quarreling and involving the leader. "Why do you need to go to his superior?"
Madam Qian looked at the child in Qin Feng’s arms, "Unmarried and having children, such an undisciplined lifestyle, and you are qualified to be an engineer?" She glared at Qin Feng. "You wait!" She smugly retreated.
Madam Zhou and Old Qin immediately had a drastic change in expression.
Gu Wuyi and Gu Xiao’er hurriedly turned to Qin Feng.
Qin Feng remained calm, smiling as he said, "Look at how scared you all are."
Madam Zhou grabbed her son’s arm, lowering her voice. "This is a serious matter."
"Mom," Qin Feng shook his head mysteriously.
Seeing her son still so composed, Madam Zhou’s anxious heart calmed down.
Old Qin quietly asked, "Have you reported this to your superior?"
Qin Feng had spent the entire afternoon in the assembly workshop and hadn't had time to talk to his superior.
But if he told the truth, his parents wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight.
Qin Feng nodded. "Such a big thing, I still have to rely on them to give me a certificate for Miaomiao’s household registration. How could I dare delay?"
On the other side of the wall, Madam Qian, who had been eavesdropping, furrowed her brows in disappointment. Just as she was about to leave, she heard Old Qin ask, "What did the leader say?"
Qin Feng replied, "I’ve never been engaged, I don’t have a partner, I’ve never been married, and I haven’t violated family planning policy. What could the leader say? 'Congratulations!'"
Madam Qian spat at the wall and headed into the house.
Old Qin was skeptical. "Did the leader not say your conduct was improper?"
Gu Wuyi and his brother stared at Qin Feng’s face.
Qin Feng smiled and said, "Dad, when people talk about Liu Bang, do they mention how he cruelly kicked his children off the carriage while fleeing? When people discuss Li Shimin, do they care about how he killed his brothers and forced his father?"
Old Qin shook his head.
Madam Zhou was confused by her son’s words, "What do you mean? They’re long gone, what does that have to do with you?"
Gu Wuyi understood, "Grandma, if someone is very capable, no one will care about their personal morals. Besides, Uncle’s morals aren’t lacking."
Qin Feng freed one hand to pinch his little face. "That’s my son."
Gu Wuyi hadn’t been this close to anyone since he was ten in his previous life, so he wasn’t used to it and pushed his hand away.
"Still dare to dislike your father?" Qin Feng glared.
Gu Wuyi was speechless. “Can't you be more serious?”
Qin Feng shrugged. "It’s not something important."
Old Qin reminded his son, "You can’t compare yourself to an emperor."
"The Northern Railway Factory isn’t a country either," Qin Feng reminded his father.
Old Qin subconsciously began thinking about the situation at the Northern Railway Factory.
Qin Feng was the most educated among the younger generation—he had a PhD. The others either had only an undergraduate or a vocational degree.
Because of the ten years of revolution, the youngest among the older generation were now in their forties and couldn’t match Qin Feng’s energy, who was in his prime at twenty-six.
The most important thing was that the Northern Railway Factory, located on the coast, was China’s largest internal combustion locomotive design and manufacturing base. The locomotives it produced occupied at least half of the domestic market.
Now, with the reforms and opening up, the leaders of the Northern Railway Factory wanted export orders. When foreigners came, it would be up to someone like Qin Feng, who knew locomotives, understood foreigners, and was fluent in foreign languages, to handle it.
Old Qin patted his son’s shoulder reassuringly. "Dad understands."
"Then explain it to Mom," Qin Feng said.
Old Qin nodded. "Take your time on the road."
Qin Feng took the child and headed out. "Lock the door."
Old Qin waved his hand, signaling he understood.
Gu Xiao’er whispered, "Uncle, wasn’t that just to comfort Grandpa?"
"Of course not." Qin Feng said confidently and frankly, "You look down on your father too much."
Gu Xiao'er glanced at him. "You're taking advantage of me again."
Qin Feng smirked. "Then tell me, is it or isn’t it?"
Gu Xiao'er couldn't bring himself to say "no."
Qin Feng had fulfilled all of his previous fantasies about a father.
He was knowledgeable but not rigid, witty and humorous yet serious when needed. It seemed like he let them be and didn't care much about them, but in reality, he cared deeply about their education. As an elder, he was also humble enough to listen to the younger generation's opinions. Just this last point made Gu Xiao'er, who has a lifetime of memories, doesn't mind calling him Dad.
But he always felt that nodding would only boost the "enemy’s" arrogance. "For now, maybe. But in a few months, there will be new people at the factory, right? Uncle Qin, the waves of the Yangtze River push forward the waves behind."
Qin Feng raised an eyebrow. "Are the waves in front slapped dead on the beach?"
Gu Xiao'er suddenly turned to him.
—He actually understands?
Qin Feng smiled. "Otherwise, do you think I would say 'newcomers replace the old'? Or maybe 'one wave is followed by another'? Or perhaps 'each wave higher than the last'?"
"You are so frivolous!" Gu Xiao'er couldn't help but glare at him.
Qin Feng tried not to laugh. "Getting mad, huh?"
"Can't you just let me go?" Gu Xiao’er stamped his feet, "I'm your son!"
Qin Feng shook his head slightly. "Only an adopted son."
Gu Xiao'er paused, his breath catching, and when he saw the smile on Qin Feng's face, he realized it was intentional. He couldn’t help but push him.
Qin Feng had expected this and dodged calmly.
Gu Xiao’er pushed in vain, and was hit twice by his schoolbag when he moved, so he couldn't help but look for help: "Brother!"
"Childish!" Gu Wuyi walked ahead, lighting the way.
Gu Xiao'er quickly caught up, throwing his arm around his neck.
Miaomiao grabbed Qin Feng's clothes. "Dad, is my brothers fighting?"
"They're just messing around." Qin Feng patted the child's face, the wind cold against his skin, so he let the child lie in his arms.
The little one thought his dad was being affectionate and happily buried his face into Qin Feng's neck.
Qin Feng shivered from the cold and immediately decided that when he saw his sister tomorrow, he would have her knit a scarf for the child.
In the past, when the child had nowhere to go in the temple, he probably stayed there all day. In the future, he would have to travel between the village and the factory's staff quarters several times a day. Every time, he would have to cross the big road, and the wind on the road was strong. Without proper protection, the child would catch a cold sooner or later.
Thinking of this, Qin Feng also realized that his two older sons didn't have scarves either. "Xiaoda, where's your scarf?"
Gu Wuyi stopped. "Me?"
"Who else is Xiaoda, if not you?"
Gu Xiao'er patted his backpack. "I didn’t lose it, it’s in the bag."
Qin Feng said, "Take it out and put it on."
"Ah?" Gu Xiao'er exclaimed.
Qin Feng glared at him.
In the dark night, with the flashlight shining ahead, Gu Xiao'er couldn't see his adoptive father's expression, but he knew that if he didn’t wear it, he might get punished. "We’ll be home soon."
Without a word, Gu Wuyi took out his scarf and wrapped it around himself, then put it on his younger brother and pulled it up to cover his nose and mouth.
Gu Xiao'er hugged his older brother’s neck and whispered, "Are you still afraid of him?"
"I respect him." Gu Wuyi glanced at his brother. "Just because he is honest doesn't mean he is a pushover. Don't forget that he didn't want to adopt us at the beginning."
Gu Xiao'er remembered. When he expressed his liking for Uncle Qin to his grandfather, Qin Feng had repeatedly declined, saying he was young, had never raised children, and couldn’t take care of a child.
At first, Gu Xiao'er thought he was being truthful, which is why he and his brother told Grandpa Qin that once Qin Feng got married and had kids, they would stay with the old couple.
"Big liar!" Gu Xiao'er looked back. "I haven’t offended him before, right?"
The two brothers didn't originally have memories of their past lives. It was only when their grandfather fell ill at home, and the brothers fainted in fear, that they woke up with memories of a past life.
The memories of the previous life flooded his mind, with decades of memories crowding his thoughts. The events before the age of ten seemed too distant, and only those memories that were vivid and significant remained clear. Everything else was forgotten, wiped away in the passing of time. So, Gu Wuyi didn’t know whether he had offended Qin Feng or even remembered if there had been such a person named Qin Feng.
When his grandfather passed away in his past life, the brothers were too absorbed in their grief to think clearly, even forgetting how they would move to their aunt's house.
Gu Wuyi thought for a moment, "Grandpa said that Uncle often came to ask him questions before. Maybe you really have offended him."
"How old was I back then?" Gu Xiao'er exclaimed.
Qin Feng quickly walked over a few steps, "What's wrong?"
Gu Xiao'er quickly replied, "Nothing." He pinched his brother.
Gu Wuyi said, "Uncle, you go ahead."
Qin Feng passed them and, still concerned, said, "Play when you get home."
"Got it." Gu Wuyi nodded, waiting for Qin Feng to walk a little further ahead, then whispered, "Uncle Qin left in the second half of '79. At that time, we were about two or three years old, the most unruly and mischievous age. Uncle Qin probably found us kids annoying and didn’t want to adopt us."
Gu Xiao'er gestured ahead with his chin, "Why doesn’t he find Miaomiao annoying?"
Gu Wuyi smiled at his younger brother.
Gu Xiao'er fell silent.
It wasn’t just that Miaomiao was Qin Feng’s biological son; even Gu Xiao'er, who had never liked kids, liked Miaomiao.
Gu Xiao'er couldn’t help but say, "Miaomiao is too honest, that’s no good."
Gu Wuyi replied, "A child of that age hasn’t settled on their personality. Just take him out to play more. In a year or so, he’ll change."
Qin Feng stopped and looked back.
Gu Wuyi hurriedly grabbed his brother to catch up.
Once they got home and put down the flashlight, Gu Wuyi went to the kitchen to grab the kettle, pouring water to wash his face and brush his teeth.
He never had this awareness before.
It was Qin Feng who had scared him into being more responsible with his actions when he had used the coal tongs to discipline him.
As the old saying goes, ignorance breeds no fear.
Gu Wuyi understood how painful it was to be hit with coal tongs. Qin Feng wasn’t taking out his anger on them; he just wanted them to develop good habits and stay healthy. Gu Wuyi felt embarrassed to go against him and didn’t want to be punished, so he could only obey.
Qin Feng watched them slowly brush their teeth, wash their faces carefully, and apply snowflake cream before he started cleaning Miaomiao's face and feet.
When the child saw his father heading out, he grabbed his father’s hand.
Qin Feng, confused, asked, "What’s wrong?"
The child slipped on his shoes and pointed at the small chair Qin Feng had been sitting on.
Not understanding, Qin Feng sat down.
The child crouched down and started taking off his shoes.
Qin Feng was startled and quickly pulled him up, "What are you doing?"
"Washing Daddy’s feet," the child said matter-of-factly.
The brothers, who were practicing their handwriting at the small table, turned toward him, one more incredulous than the other. Washing Daddy's feet? they both thought, shocked that a four-year-old could say such a thing.
Qin Feng opened his mouth, suddenly feeling a lump in his throat, and couldn’t help but hug the child. "…Who told you to wash Daddy’s feet?"
"Master," the child blurted out.
Gu Xiao'er couldn’t help but curse, "Is that old monk even human?!"
The child tilted his head and said, "Master is human."
Gu Xiao'er was left speechless.
Qin Feng didn’t believe that the old monk had been mistreating the child. "Did your master say that when Miaomiao grows up, if Daddy washes Miaomiao’s feet, then Miaomiao has to wash Daddy’s feet?"
The child obediently nodded, struggling to get down.
Qin Feng held him tighter. "Your master forgot to say it, but wait until Miaomiao grows taller."
The child looked at him innocently.
—Is that so?
Qin Feng: "If you don't believe me, ask your big brother and second brother."
Gu Wuyi nodded: "Uncle is right. You’re still young, no need to rush washing feet. Right now, the most important thing is for you to obediently stay with your brother while Uncle goes to work."
The child asked curiously, "Daddy, why does Brother call you Uncle instead of Daddy?"
Qin Feng answered without thinking, "They like calling me that."
"I don’t like it!" Gu Xiao'er blurted out.
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