Road to Revival

After seeing Zhao Qingmin off, Tao Tang went across the street to talk to his daughter, who was already asleep, about the same old topic of urging her to study hard. Xiao He hated this the most; she was chatting with Tang Tian on her phone and, annoyed by her father, went to the bathroom to take a shower.

Tao Tang gave Fang Ke five thousand yuan, telling her to give it to Xiao He as she saw fit. Graduation was approaching, and she knew her daughter would have many expenses. He always verbally restricted her daughter's allowance, but in reality, he couldn't bring himself to be strict.

Fang Ke stuffed the money into the suitcase. "I'll bring Xiao He over after the high school entrance exam. You should spend more time with her. Xiao He is actually quite lonely. I've seen her secretly cry... I'll stay with her during this time, so don't worry," Fang Ke said.

Fang Ke's personality seemed to have changed a lot, and Tao Tang could feel it completely. This made him feel guilty, as he believed that Fang Ke's change was entirely because of him. Since Fang Lan's death, Fang Ke had focused all his attention on himself; these six years were the best years of Fang Ke's life. Although Tao Tang firmly believed that accepting or refusing was his right, the guilt inevitably arose, and it grew stronger and stronger.

Fortunately, when talking about Xiaohe, Fang Lan was a completely responsible elder, which made Tao Tang feel gratified.

"The car is arranged; it will arrive downstairs at 7:40. Breakfast is at 7:00; I'll call you then. I have meetings with a few people tomorrow, so I won't be able to take you to the station."

Aren't you going to ask me anything?

"What do you want to ask you?" Tao Tang's headache returned.

"For example, my art exhibition in Qingdao..."

"Yes, how did the Qingdao art exhibition go?"

"Nine pieces were sold. There was another painting that received a bid of 25,000, which was the highest bid among the paintings I exhibited, but I didn't sell it, and I didn't want to sell it anyway."

"Is it a landscape painting?" Tao Tang knew that Fang Ke's major was Western oil painting. There was a painting hanging in Binjiang's living room. It was a work that Fang Ke had sketched in Guizhou. The colors were bold and unrestrained. The terraced fields that he had seen countless times in photos became exaggerated and vivid under Fang Ke's brush, as if they had come to life.

"No, it's my first self-portrait, and I want to give it to you." With that, Fang Ke took out the scroll from his suitcase and handed it to Tao Tang.

After hesitating for a moment, Tao Tang accepted the scroll, which was at least 80 centimeters long and covered with a dark blue cloth cover.

"Don't open it yet, look at it after I leave. If you don't like it, just destroy it."

Since someone offered 25,000 yuan at the art exhibition, it must be a pretty good piece of work. Tao Tang knew nothing about the market, but he felt that top-notch painters were a very small minority, and that a painting by someone of Fang Ke's caliber should sell for 25,000 yuan.

"You seemed preoccupied during dinner tonight. Did Uncle Xiaohe give you bad news?"

"It's nothing, I'm used to it. It's just a repetition of some stories from Shengdong, things will get better." Tao Tang held the scroll. "It's getting late, you should get some rest." Before Fang Ke could speak, he turned and left the room.

"What's the matter?" Tao Tang had just untied the peach-pink ribbon from the scroll when he saw Fang Ke follow him into the room.

Fang Ke didn't say anything, but suddenly hugged Tao Tang from behind. Her arms were wrapped tightly around Tao Tang, making it hard for him to breathe.

"Don't do this, Xiao Ke..." Tao Tang was a little out of breath.

"Don't move, I just want to hug you for a moment," she whispered.

Tao Tang was particularly afraid that Xiao He would suddenly barge in, and in his agitation, he felt a burning sensation all over his body.

"Don't do this, let's talk this out." Tao Tang struggled to break free from Fang Ke.

"Am I particularly despicable?" Fang Ke buried his face deep in Tao Tang's chest.

"No, don't say that..."

Why won't you accept me?

"Xiao Ke, please open your mouth and speak properly..."

"I know you still care about your sister, but she's gone. Everything she had, I can give you; everything she could do, I can do too..."

"Xiao Ke, please let go and listen to me..."

"No, no need, I know what you're going to say! I don't want to hear it." Fang used all her strength to hold the man tightly, feeling his pounding heartbeat. "I've waited for you for six years, it's okay, I'll keep waiting!" After saying that, she pushed Tao Tang away, turned around and left, the door slamming shut behind her.

Tao Tang seemed to have all his strength drained away. He took two steps back and fell backward onto the bed, the scroll slipping from his hands and falling onto the carpet.

After a long while, Tao Tang fumbled to turn on the lamp, then picked up the scroll, removed the cloth cover, and opened it.

The portrait continues Fang Ke's consistent style—vibrant colors and bold composition. The background is a beach amidst raging winds and turbulent waves, with a woman in a bright red swimsuit and flowing long hair facing the sea. The woman is depicted in full-body portrait, occupying half of the painting. Her bright red swimsuit, fair skin, and full breasts stand out strikingly against the gray waves.

Tao Tang strained to focus his gaze on the woman's face. It was indeed Fang Ke's self-portrait. The profile was remarkably similar to her own, especially the tightly pursed lips and eyes, which were remarkably lifelike.

Why did she choose a background of raging winds and turbulent waves for her self-portrait? Does this foreshadow her wild and passionate inner world that she desperately suppresses? Tao Tang did not find any inscription by Fang Ke on the painting; there is not a single word in the entire work.

Just as music is another language, so too is painting. Every work of art is a language, conveying the artist's thoughts to an audience who can understand it. Fang Ke clearly likes her work; what is she trying to tell herself?

Tao Tang got up, carefully rolled up the portrait, put it back in its cloth cover, and placed it on the bookshelf. Then he quickly took a shower, turned off the lights, and went to sleep.

……

The next morning, both the Tao Jin and Tao Meiling families came to see Fang Ke and Tao Xiaohe off. Both families had prepared a large amount of local produce, which Fang Ke found overwhelming – how could she possibly carry it all? In the end, Fang Ke used the excuse that she couldn't carry it all and each family selected a little.

Tao Tang didn't arrange for a company car; instead, he had Wu Shi'an drive his old Jetta. Tao Xiaohe started to scoff at the sight of the beat-up car, but thankfully didn't say anything. Originally, Tao Tang wasn't planning to take them to the station, but Xiaohe objected, so Tao Tang got in the car. After arriving at the train station, before the car even started moving, he gave Fang Ke and Xiaohe a few instructions and then prepared to return to the factory.

"How's that painting?" Fang Ke asked in a low voice.

"fine."

"I want you to frame it and hang it in your bedroom." Fang Ke glanced at Wu Shi'an, who was talking to Xiao He. "If you want a woman, look at me."

"Hey, what do you take me for?"

"It's normal. Wouldn't it be crazy not to want to? That girl at the guesthouse is quite alluring; I hope you can move her away from you." Before Tao Tang could speak, Fang Ke tugged at Xiao He. "Let's go into the station; I need to use the restroom… Goodbye, Brother Wu."

"Goodbye, have a safe trip." Wu Shian and Fang Ke shook hands and said goodbye.

On the way back, Wu Shi'an brought up Fang Ke, "Second Brother, you should consider Miss Fang. Meiling and I both think she's quite good. At least she's good to Xiao He... You've seen it yourself, she and Xiao He have a pretty good relationship."

"You don't need to worry about this. Besides, I'm the one who's thinking first, not Xiaohe. Xiaohe will grow up and have her own life..."

Since Mei-ling got married, Wu Shi-an and Tao Tang had a good relationship, and in terms of intimacy, Wu Shi-an definitely surpassed Tao Jin. Therefore, Wu Shi-an could freely talk about his brother-in-law's private affairs.

"What you told me yesterday, it seems like you didn't finish." Tao Tang is best at changing the subject.

Yesterday at the Golden Olive New House, Wu Shi'an reported a situation regarding the marketing department to Tao Tang, starting with Tao Youdao's car purchase. Wu Shi'an said that the son of Lian Fuyu, the deputy director of the marketing department, was getting married this month, and his in-laws gave him a Cadillac sedan as a dowry, reportedly worth four or five hundred thousand yuan. Lian Fuyu's in-laws were accountants at the third branch factory where Wu Shi'an worked, and he knew them well enough to know they absolutely couldn't afford a Cadillac, and Wu Shi'an had publicly stated that the money came from the Lian family. Wu Shi'an also mentioned that the marketing department had recently received a large bonus, seemingly from a slush fund. This last piece of information was provided by Wu Shi'an's brother-in-law, Lei Yun. Tao Tang remembered this name; when he first arrived at the factory, he had asked Lü Qi about personnel in the marketing department, and Lü Qi had mentioned this person.

"That's all. It's just hearsay. But you can believe Lei Yun's words."

Lei Yun was a close relative of Wu Shi'an, which connected him to Tao Tang. Tao Tang believed Lei Yun wouldn't fabricate something out of thin air; if he made it up without any basis, he must be out of his mind. Since Lü Qi had mentioned the person's name, Tao Tang could trust him. Deep down, Tao Tang believed Lü Qi more. Firstly, Lü Qi had better judgment than Wu Shi'an, and secondly…

"Lei Yun used to be the section chief of the marketing department, right? Why was he dismissed?"

"It's all because we offended Li Luo. Second brother, Li Luo is too cunning and calculating. You really need to be careful."

"The Cadillac thing you mentioned was actually provided by Ray Yun, right?"

"No, absolutely not. Li Weibao works in the same unit as me, our offices are on the same floor, and that guy's a big mouth, everyone in the Third Factory knows that."

"Just focus on driving, look how anxious you are. Shi'an, I know you're shrewd, and you're doing this for my own good. But your position is different now, so don't get involved in any personnel matters within the company. Understand?"

"Don't worry, Second Brother, Meiling and I won't cause you any trouble."

"I know you and Meiling have issues with the eldest brother. Well, he has his own difficulties. His wife isn't very reasonable; she's over fifty. Can you change her overnight? They say even a wise judge can't settle family disputes, so let's keep things peaceful. Oh, I almost forgot, find an ICBC branch; I need to get Youdao a bank card."

"Youdao is a good boy. Really. Meiling has no complaints about you taking care of Youdao, so I have even less right to say anything. I just hope they will treat the elderly better in the future, then everything will be easier to discuss."

"That's what I meant." Tao Tang noticed an ICBC branch to his right. "Okay, let's pull over."

"Oh, it's an A8. If you're not careful, you'll always mistake it for an A6. This car's design..." Wu Shian carefully parked his Jetta behind an Audi A8.

"Robbery! Robbery!" a shrill scream rang out.

Tao Tang, who had just gotten off the bus, saw a young man running towards him, holding a bag in his hand.

"Stop!" Tao Tang instinctively stretched out his leg, tripping the young man who was rushing over. Tao Tang then stepped on the young man's hand that was holding the bag. The young man screamed in pain and released his grip. Tao Tang picked up the bag.

The whole process happened in the blink of an eye. But Wu Shi'an saw it all clearly, and while laughing heartily, he mentally gave his brother-in-law countless thumbs-ups. Then, Wu Shi'an's laughter stopped.

A security guard rushed out of the branch office, followed by a woman. Two young men suddenly appeared; one punched the security guard to the ground, while the other rushed towards Tao Tang and hugged him from behind.

Wu Shi'an, of course, wouldn't let his brother-in-law suffer a loss, so he jumped out of the car and rushed over.

The branch office had already called 110, and the faint sound of police sirens could be heard.

As Wu Shi'an rushed over, Tao Tang had already been thrown to the ground by the young man who had grabbed him from behind. The young man who had tripped over him then kicked Tao Tang in the head. Wu Shi'an roared and punched the young man who had kicked Tao Tang, knocking him to the ground. Someone shouted, "Run!" and the three thieves took off running. Wu Shi'an, worried about Tao Tang, didn't try to stop them. By the time the police arrived, the three thieves had vanished without a trace.