Chapter 101: A Blessing in Disguise

Later, the television station continued to follow up on the story. The ancient town had assigned someone specifically to handle communications, and the TV crew, with proper permission, accompanied them for filming.

Chen Xin learned the outcome from the television, of course, but Grandpa Qian also called her. The old man and the young woman talked for over half an hour. Grandpa Qian had no intention of moving in with his eldest grandson’s family. In his words, he could still take care of himself—he wasn’t immobile—so why burden the younger generation? Besides, he had never cared for his son when he was a child; now to have his son look after him, he felt he didn’t deserve it.

As for his mentally troubled son, Grandpa Qian sighed. “When he came home, it seemed like he remembered something. After seeing a photo of his mother, he kept holding it and crying, calling out for her. I plan to keep him here. Both kids are busy. The eldest is a bit of a burden now; it’s better if I can help look after him. I heard from the town that they’re planning to build a nursing home here. When the time comes, I’ll move in with the eldest. My social assistance is almost enough.”

Chen Xin didn’t try to persuade him otherwise. To Grandpa Qian, no matter what became of his son, he was still his child.

A few days after that phone call, a couple surnamed Qian came to see Chen Xin.

“So you’re Grandpa Qian’s grandson and granddaughter-in-law?” Chen Xin poured them tea and chatted under the pergola in her courtyard. “There’s no need to thank me; it was just a small favor. Seeing father and son reunited is the best reward.”

The Qian couple had another request—they wanted Chen Xin’s help persuading Grandpa Qian to move in with them.

“My brother and I have talked it over. We’ll build a small house next to ours for Grandpa and Dad to live in, and we’ll hire someone to help with cooking. We’re both busy with work, and the kids are all in school, so that’s the only way. If Grandpa and Dad live too far away, we really can’t stop worrying. What if they get sick and no one’s there to help?”

There was genuine filial concern, but also the fear of being blamed for sending their ailing father back and making Grandpa take care of him.

“Actually, I think it’s fine if he stays here. You’re both devoted children, so when you’re not busy, you can bring the elders over for visits. When work gets busy again, send them back here. Don’t worry,” Chen Xin said, seeing the granddaughter-in-law getting anxious, and she patted her hand with a smile. “Let me finish.”

Chen Xin told them the story of Grandpa Qian’s lifelong love for his wife. Though they had heard bits and pieces before, hearing it recounted gently by Chen Xin moved the granddaughter-in-law to tears.

“Grandpa Qian loved his wife all his life. It’s fine for him to go out occasionally to visit his grandchildren or great-grandchildren, but he would never agree to leave his wife’s side for good and live elsewhere. Besides, you’re both busy and rarely at home, so even if the elders moved in, they’d spend most of their time alone. The dialect is different there, the customs are unfamiliar, and even the food doesn’t taste like home. Here, the neighbors have known him for decades, and the town officials take good care of the elderly. There’s no risk of him being neglected. This way, you can focus on your work without worrying about the elders being alone. If you’re concerned, just call more often.”

They talked with Chen Xin all afternoon. In the end, instead of changing her mind, she persuaded them—including Qian Er, who was far away and called in to discuss it. They agreed to keep things as they were for now, and if the elders ever truly needed care, they would bring them over.

Before leaving, the Qian family tried to give Chen Xin a red envelope in thanks, but she refused. They left their contact information and insisted she visit their home whenever she was in town.

With their consent, Chen Xin posted a family photo, along with pictures of herself and the Qian couple, on her blog to thank the netizens who had helped. If mailing had been more convenient, she would have sent out small gifts to those who helped find Qian’s son.

Whether people learned of the story from television or from Chen Xin’s blog, they all rejoiced for the Qian family. Of course, there were critics who accused the Qian siblings of abandoning their ailing father to Grandpa Qian, calling them unfilial. But later, the TV station and newspapers clarified the situation, and most viewers and netizens came to understand their actions. Some older people even said this was the true meaning of filial piety.

No one can expect every decision to be universally approved; a clear conscience is enough. Chen Xin was delighted the matter was resolved, and she posted another recipe on her blog themed around family reunion. Many people followed her instructions, sharing in the Qian family’s happiness.

“You really did a wonderful thing!” Grandpa and Grandma Liu came by especially to see Chen Xin. Both were cheerful and praised her, saying they had not misjudged her.

About her guaranteed admission to graduate school, Grandpa Liu only said, “A blessing in disguise may come from a loss.”

The second week after the semester began, her graduate advisor called her to come to the office. Chen Xin followed the instructions and met with Professor Cao.

Professor Cao had just started teaching at their university that year. Because of this, he still had open spots for graduate students, and the school simply assigned Chen Xin to him.

From the look in his eyes, Professor Cao seemed aware of the circumstances. As soon as he saw Chen Xin, he smiled and remarked that they were gifting him a fine piece of jade as a welcome present.

He was about fifty, a refined gentleman deeply engaged in literary research; his field was precisely this. With scholarly grace, he invited Chen Xin into his office but kept the door open, chatting with her across the desk for a while. After learning about her thoughts and plans, he seemed very pleased.

“My son says the Internet is the new frontier for high-tech, but I haven’t done much research on that. If you’re interested, you should focus on it too. And since you’re studying under me, I’ll be giving you some extra assignments. Here’s a reading list—once you’ve finished these, we’ll talk about the next steps.”

Chen Xin glanced at the densely packed list—more than thirty books, all in English, with a few in other foreign languages as well. Clearly, Professor Cao had read her file and knew she was skilled in several languages, including some lesser-known ones. This was both her homework and his first test for her.

“Thank you, Professor. Do I need to submit reading notes?” Though she was new to graduate studies, Chen Xin was already a little nervous.

“No need for that. But if there’s something you don’t understand, write it down and come to me for clarification.” Professor Cao also told her which libraries had reference materials she could use. “I hope you can finish soon. Next semester, I have an exchange program. I’d planned to take a former student, but if you can keep up, I could take you to see the world.”

Chen Xin was practically stunned by her professor’s generosity.