Chapter 56: Gathering in the First Courtyard

[PS: I’ve noticed quite a few readers in the comments correcting the prototypes for Wenzhou and Huang He. Let me clarify: this is not the real Earth, but a parallel world. Huang He and the Jiangnan Leather Factory have no connection whatsoever to reality. Please don’t project any real-life figures or roles onto the story. Thank you all for your support!]

“There’s boiled water at home. No bottled water for you!” Before Leng Zhi Ting could even taste the wine, the bottle of mineral water was snatched away.

“Mom, that’s mine... That’s my mineral water!” Leng Zhi Ting cried out in misery, but there was nothing she could do. Her mother-in-law had already seized the bottle without mercy, poured her a glass of plain water, and then dragged her back to the dining table.

Harboring endless grievances, Leng Zhi Ting finished the meal with the others. Her mother-in-law glanced at the thoroughly devoured kidney dish, nodded in satisfaction, and was about to go to her room to fetch the movie tickets. Just then, she saw a stack of tickets already placed on the table.

“Mom, you’ve worked so hard these past few days. I got seven tickets for the latest American blockbuster, ‘Pearl Island.’ There’s only one cinema in all of Wenzhou showing it. The screening is at nine tonight. Let’s all go see it together!” Huang He said with a smile.

“We... all of us...?” Her mother-in-law’s mouth hung open. “So many people together?”

“Yes, Mom. You, me, Zhi Ruo, Zhi Wen, Zhi Meng, Zhi Ting, and Zhi Yuan. The seven of us will all go... Oh, wait, I forgot—Zhi Wen has a performance tonight, so I bought one too many. It’ll just be six of us!” Huang He replied.

“But what’s the point of us going? I’m not interested in movies. I’ve never watched one in my life. And Zhi Ting and Zhi Yuan can’t go either—they need to stay home and sleep, and I have to look after them!” Her mother-in-law said, flustered.

“Mom, that’s exactly why you should go—because you’ve never seen one. You can’t go your whole life without ever watching a movie, can you? That would be such a pity, especially since we can afford it!”

“I’m not going!” Her mother-in-law refused firmly. But then came a wailing cry: “No! I want to go! I want to see the movie!”

The sound was heartbreaking—and loud—accompanied by sobs so grievous that neighbors all around opened their windows to see who was beating their child so fiercely.

“Zhi Ting, what are you doing?” her mother-in-law asked helplessly.

“Why do my sisters get to go to the movies with brother-in-law, but I can’t? I’ve never gone to a cinema in my life! If I get run over by a car tomorrow, I’ll have died without ever seeing a movie! Boohoo! I’m just too pitiful!” wailed Leng Zhi Ting.

What could one say to that? The five in the Leng family were all truly something else.

“Mom, I bought all these tickets. If Zhi Ting doesn’t go, wouldn’t that be a waste?” Huang He tried to persuade her.

“But I still have three tickets left over!” Her mother-in-law wailed inwardly, then said, “Hehe, the cinema’s far away, and your little car only seats five. How will we all fit?”

“I thought of that already. I brought the factory’s Iveco van today—there’s plenty of room for everyone!” Huang He grinned.

“Fine, let’s go then!” Her mother-in-law finally relented. After all, Huang He had already brought the van, so her plan to let Huang He and her little sister be left without transport—and thus forced to get a room—was foiled. Now Huang He could just drive everyone home.

Since her plan was a lost cause, there was no point insisting. With Zhi Ting crying so fiercely, her mother-in-law could only agree in the end.

“Zhi Meng, what do we do now?” While tidying up, her mother-in-law pulled Leng Zhi Meng aside.

“Nothing we can do. I didn’t expect brother-in-law to pull this. We’ll just have to try again next time,” Leng Zhi Meng resigned herself. After all, she couldn’t very well have the whole family share a room with Huang He.

“Mom, just forget about it,” Leng Zhi Ruo said hastily, hinting to her mother that, with Zhi Meng present, it wasn’t convenient to explain further.

“Mom? What are you talking about?” Leng Zhi Meng asked curiously.

“It’s nothing,” her mother-in-law said, losing interest in the conversation and instead gathering things for the trip. As they were about to leave, she remembered they might get thirsty on the way and fetched that bottle of mineral water from the fridge, just in case.

---

“Xiao Xiong, tell the teacher I’m heading out first!” At Wenzhou’s Art Theater, Leng Zhi Wen spoke to her best friend, who was dressed in sleek black martial arts attire.

“You’re in such a rush to see a movie?” Xiao Xiong complained mournfully. “And you only bought one ticket? Do you even care about me?”

“Hehe, my mom bought them for us sisters—just one ticket for me!” Leng Zhi Wen laughed. “Just let the teacher know for me. I only have a solo dance today, nothing else. I’m slipping out early!”

With that, Leng Zhi Wen slipped away without ceremony, leaving Xiao Xiong to break the news to the teacher. If Leng Zhi Wen had asked herself, she’d never have been allowed to leave, but by sneaking out early, the teacher couldn’t do anything about it.

If only Xiao Xiong knew that the ticket was originally obtained in her name—who knows what her reaction would have been.

Leaving the art theater, Leng Zhi Wen hopped into a taxi straight to the cinema. She was already running late, and by the time she arrived, there were only three minutes left before the movie started.

“That’s his van—he’s here too!” Leng Zhi Wen’s sharp eyes spotted Huang He’s Iveco parked out front.

Of course, the cinema entrance was nearly deserted, with only two or three cars—nothing like the cinemas of later years—so it was impossible to miss.

“So, Mom had four tickets. I took one. That means the other three are for brother-in-law, Zhi Meng, and Zhi Ruo. They must already be inside,” Leng Zhi Wen muttered, her expression souring.

“No, I can’t let them see me. That would be far too embarrassing. I need to disguise myself!” With that, she hurried to the restroom after passing the ticket check.

She slipped off her outer jacket—don’t get the wrong idea, underneath she wore a light, flowing white costume like a heroine in a period drama. She’d come in costume to avoid arousing her companion’s suspicions, so she’d simply thrown a jacket over her stage outfit and slipped out.

Next, from her backpack, she produced a white veil—don’t ask why she had one; it simply looked better to dance with a sword while veiled.