Chapter 13: The Fierce Yet Loving Father

Tang Jiancheng brought his eldest and second daughters to the front hall and found an empty seat to sit down.

“Oh, Tang Jiancheng, so these are your two daughters. Though they’re skinny, they’re quite pretty,” some of the diners who had been drinking began to tease again upon seeing Tang’s daughters.

Tang Jiancheng’s face darkened as he listened.

“I heard there are people in the city who really fancy daughters. Tang Jiancheng, since you have so many girls, why don’t you find a way to sell one or two?” Another voice spoke even more brazenly, “I heard those people buy daughters for themselves, to enjoy their youthful freshness…”

“Luo Dagou, if you don’t want to die, shut your mouth!” Tang Jiancheng could no longer hold back, his eyes sharp and fierce like a leopard’s as he glared coldly at the man speaking.

“What, Tang Jiancheng? You’re just a good-for-nothing who can’t even have a son, a pitiful wretch no one would mourn when you die, and you want to pick a fight with me?” Luo Dago, nicknamed ‘Big Dog Luo,’ emboldened by the liquor, slammed the table and stood up abruptly.

“Luo Dagou, go bite him! Damn it, Tang Jiancheng can have kids himself, but he can’t let others talk?”

“Tang Jiancheng, beat that bastard Luo Dagou to death! Always yapping, even making dirty jokes in front of the kids, deserves to be beaten to death!”

On this snowy day with little entertainment, instead of calming the situation, the diners in the restaurant egged them on noisily.

Tang Jiancheng stepped up in front of Luo Dago and said coldly, “This is your last chance. Apologize to me and my children, or else…”

“Or else what? You still dare to lay a hand on me? Believe me, I’ll beat you…”

Luo Dago gritted his teeth, trying to say something fierce, but before he could finish, Tang Jiancheng’s fist shot out swiftly and powerfully.

The punch was so fast and hard that Luo Dago didn’t have time to react. The blow landed squarely on his cheek, knocking him to the ground. His mouth instantly filled with the metallic taste of blood, and he nearly lost a tooth, the pain excruciating.

“Damn you, Tang Jiancheng! I’ll kill you!” Luo Dago roared in fury.

Tang Jiancheng pressed a foot against his chest, eyes burning with menace. “If you keep running your mouth, I won’t hesitate to sew your mouth shut completely! If you don’t believe me, you can try it!”

Seeing the deadly intent and cruelty in Tang’s gaze, Luo Dago cowered. He realized a man who could flip his temper so utterly was no ordinary person. Such a man was even more terrifying.

At that moment, the other diners fell silent, all glancing at Tang Jiancheng with deep fear. Previously, no matter how outrageous their jokes were, Tang Jiancheng simply drank quietly with his head down, never arguing or defending himself. Everyone thought him a weakling, but now, seeing him unleash such fierce wrath, he was unexpectedly formidable and frightening.

“What’s gotten into him?”

Just then, Huang Tianyue came out from the kitchen carrying two bowls of lotus root soup.

“It’s cold outside. Practice some punches with Big Dog here to warm up,” he said.

The fierce look in Tang Jiancheng’s eyes vanished, replaced by a peaceful smile. He even reached out to help Luo Dago up.

But seeing Tang’s sudden change, Luo Dago was even more afraid. A man who could change his expression so quickly and completely was definitely no ordinary person. Such people were far more terrifying.

“Come on, kids, have some lotus root soup,” Huang Tianyue said as he placed the bowls in front of the eldest and second daughters.

“Thank you, Uncle Huang,” the two girls said politely, which made Huang Tianyue like them even more. He couldn’t help but stroke their hair. “Eat quickly. If it’s not enough, Uncle will get you more.”

Yet the girls didn’t start eating right away.

Tang Jiancheng smiled warmly and said, “Eat up. It’ll warm you right up.”

Only then did the two girls begin to eat eagerly, their eyes shining with delight. Clearly, the lotus root soup was delicious, a delicacy they had never tasted before.

As they ate, they furtively watched their father. Earlier, he had been fierce and frightening, but now his face softened with a loving smile, warm and kind—a feeling they had never experienced before. Their hearts immediately felt joyful.

Happiness brought relaxation, and they began to forget previous unpleasant memories.

Summoning courage, the eldest daughter picked up a piece of lotus root and offered it to Tang Jiancheng. “Dad, you eat some too.”

“All right, thank you, eldest,” Tang said without hesitation, opening his mouth to eat it.

“Dad, I want to feed you too,” the second daughter said, bringing a piece of lotus root to his lips.

Tang Jiancheng smiled so broadly his eyes disappeared. “Good, so sweet! Delicious!”

“Dad, have another piece,” the eldest daughter insisted, picking up another slice.

Tang Jiancheng quickly said, “You eat, I’ve had enough.”

But the eldest daughter insisted on feeding him the lotus root, then the second daughter did too. Tang tried to dodge, but the second daughter persisted, and the three of them laughed together.

This scene made all the diners envious.

Damn, is this the advantage of having daughters?

Huang Tianyue was also filled with envy. He had three sons and was always the one chasing them to feed them. He had never experienced the warmth of being fed by his children.

After the lotus root soup warmed them up, Tang Jiancheng bid farewell to Huang Tianyue and took his two daughters to the supply and marketing cooperative.

Nowadays, buying things at the cooperative still required various ration coupons. Of course, without coupons, one could still purchase items, but at a much higher price.

Tang Jiancheng searched at home but found only a few coupons for miscellaneous grains; there were none for oil, sugar, or cloth. He would have to pay more.

“Comrade, what do you need?”

The cooperative clerk, sitting by the stove, barely stood up when Tang Jiancheng entered. He just raised his chin coldly and asked.

Tang wasn’t bothered; he knew cooperative clerks had this kind of attitude these days.

Back when it was called a commune, these people were even more arrogant. Now that it reverted to the township system, they somewhat realized changes were coming, so their attitude had improved slightly—at least they would ask a question now.

“Give me three jin of miscellaneous grains, three jin of refined grains, half a jin of sugar, one bolt of cotton cloth, ten jin of cotton, eight pairs of cotton shoes for kids, two pairs for adults, a bag of salt, a bar of soap…” Tang Jiancheng rattled off a long list.

“Wait a moment. You’re buying so much. Do you have coupons? If not, why are you yelling like that?” The clerk said impatiently.

Tang replied, “I don’t have coupons, but I have money!” He then pulled out a handful of bills from his pocket.

The clerk’s eyes widened in surprise.

In this era, urban workers earned only twenty or thirty yuan a month. Those working as cooperative clerks in remote areas made just over ten yuan a month. Yet Tang casually pulled out a large sum—at least twenty or thirty yuan!

“Money, big deal!” The clerk said sourly, but obediently stood up to fetch the goods for Tang Jiancheng.