Street Stories: A True Account of a Group of Blind Men in the Underworld

Just as Qiao Yang traveled to Tangshan to consult fortune tellers for the daughter of the manager of Wanxin Trading Company, Su Yue in Tianjin finally made up her mind to formally confront her family.

In early summer, Tianjin is as sweltering as a stuffy, airtight steamer, and even the cicadas' chirping sounds somewhat restless.

But the atmosphere in the Su family's living room was as cold as the dead of winter, making it hard to breathe.

Su Yue slightly raised her head, her usually gentle face now calm, but her eyes were surprisingly bright.

She took a deep breath, and each word, clear and firm, struck the hearts of everyone present:

"Dad, Mom, I want to marry Qiao Yang."

The moment those words were spoken, the entire room fell into a deathly silence.

Qiao Yang is a blind rural youth who makes a living by storytelling and fortune telling, while Su Yue is a pretty middle school student who grew up in a big city.

Such a combination would be an astonishing anomaly in any era or place.

Mother Liu Lianfeng's face turned deathly pale. She rushed forward and placed her trembling hand on Su Yue's forehead:

"Yueyue, tell Mom the truth, are you scared? Or are you delirious from the fever? Why are you talking nonsense!"

Su Yue gently pushed her mother's hand away, her eyes showing no hesitation:

"Mom, I'm not sick, and I'm not confused. I'm serious."

Every time she closes her eyes, she thinks of Qiao Yang.

I recall that although he was blind, he had a straight back and spoke with composure;

I remember how he used his literary and martial skills to save people from danger without asking for anything in return.

Others saw his unseen eyes, but she saw his heart, brighter than anyone else's.

One is a handsome high school student from a big city, and the other is a blind fortune teller from the countryside.

How could such a wedding not shock people to death?

Father Su Zhenfu frowned deeply. Having lived and worked in the countryside as a child, he knew best the hardships involved.

"Yueyue, Dad isn't trying to stop you. But life in the countryside isn't as simple as you think. The food, the housing, the dry goods, and the social interactions are all completely different from those in the city. You're a girl who grew up in the city; you can't handle it."

Su Yue met her father's gaze, her voice soft but firm:

"I'm not afraid of hardship. What I'm after is Qiao Yang himself. Don't you always tell me that no matter how hard life is, think of the Red Army's Long March? Do you think marrying him and living with him is harder than the Long March?"

Su Zhenfu was speechless for a moment.

From that day on, Su Yue stopped making a fuss and stayed by her parents' side every day, pleading and begging them.

In the stillness of the night, she would often touch her chest, recalling Qiao Yang's tone of voice and his words, "Though I am blind, my heart is not," which would give her a greater sense of certainty.

Her persistence, like a fine needle, gradually pierced through her family's defenses.

Su Zhenfu sighed deeply to his wife:

"I really admire Qiao Yang. If he hadn't saved Wen Jing back then, that girl's life would have been ruined."

Whether the divination was accurate or not is another matter, but his character and kindness are beyond reproach.

Liu Lianfeng wiped her eyes, her heart aching:

"It's not that I think he's poor, or that he's blind. I'm afraid our daughter will act impulsively and regret it later!"

Taking this step meant not only enduring hardship, but also facing the scorn of others, her own future, and her lifelong reputation... she was gambling it all on!

Liu Lianfeng held Su Yue's hand, her words dripping with anguish:

"Yueyue, remember this: there are all kinds of medicines for sale in this world, but there is no medicine for regret."

Once you marry him, you'll have to bear his children, care for his elderly parents, and spend your whole life with him. There's no turning back!

Su Yue smiled softly, a smile that held a resolute determination, a willingness to burn one's bridges.

"Mom, I understand everything you're saying. There's no turning back once the arrow is drawn; since I promised him, I will never go back on my word."

If you really force me... I'll jump into the Haihe River and end it all!

Upon hearing this, Liu Lianfeng's body went limp, and she could no longer hold on.

Su Zhenfu and Liu Lianfeng exchanged a bitter glance, but finally relented:

"Never mind, the child is grown up and has her own ideas... Let her be."

But the storm at home had only just begun to unfold.

"No! I absolutely disagree!"

The eldest sister, Su Xing, slammed her hand on the table, her face turning ashen.

"You're pushing my sister into a fire pit! Even if his family brings in a mountain of gold, I won't agree to this marriage!"

The second sister, Su Hong, was so angry that her eyes turned red and her voice was shrill:

"I don't want a blind man as my brother-in-law! What will the neighbors think of our family if word gets out? How will I ever be able to go out in public again?"

The two sisters, singing in unison, brought in a bunch of relatives to take turns joining in.

"There are so many able-bodied young men in the city, educated, with jobs and promising futures, why did you choose a blind man from the countryside?"

"You're ruining your future; you'll never be able to hold your head up high again!"

Everyone was against it, except for the elderly grandfather, who, after hearing what Qiao Yang had done, sighed deeply:

"Good! What an ambitious child! Physical disability with strong will is not uncommon throughout history! Sun Bin suffered the punishment of having his kneecaps removed, yet he helped the state of Qi become a hegemon; Sima Qian suffered the punishment of castration, yet he wrote the Records of the Grand Historian; even the current President of the United States has a leg disability."

Qiao Yang is virtuous, conscientious, and responsible; he may very well achieve great things in the future!

Grandpa became more and more excited as he spoke, as if he could already see Qiao Yang make a name for himself.

Su Hong grew impatient and reached out to cover her grandfather's mouth:

"Grandpa, please stop! It's getting more and more absurd!"

Su Xing curled her lip, her face full of disdain:

"What great things can a blind man achieve? He's just trying to make a living!"

The word "blind" pierced Su Yue's heart.

She stood up abruptly, her usually gentle face flushed red, her eyes chillingly cold:

"That's enough!"

Everyone was silenced by her shout.

Su Yue, panting, spoke slowly and deliberately, her voice trembling yet incredibly firm:

"I married Qiao Yang because I admire his character and his abilities. I'm willing to endure hardship and take care of him; I don't want money, fame, or anything else!"

She looked around, her gaze sweeping over everyone:

"I'll only say one thing—from this day forward, no one in this family is allowed to mention the word 'blind' again. If anyone does, don't blame me for turning against you!"

The room was deathly silent; no one dared to speak.

The older brother, Su Chen, who had been silent all along, finally spoke softly:

"Everyone has their own ambitions. She chose her own path, so let her go."

No amount of persuasion can stop someone who has made up their mind.

Su Yue picked up her pen to write a letter to Qiao Yang, and her heart softened as the pen touched the paper.

She longed to tell him: No matter how difficult things are at home, I'll bear it all and wait for you to come to me.

But after waiting day after day, there was still no response.

She knew in her heart that Qiao Yang must have packed his bags again and gone out to make a living.

He couldn't see the road, yet he had to walk the longest distance. Thinking of this, Su Yue felt both proud and heartbroken.

No letter arrived, no farewell was expected.

She packed her luggage quickly, and with a determined heart, she went alone to the Northeast Corner Bus Station in Tianjin and boarded a long-distance bus bound for Baodi.

Qiao Yang, since you're not here, I'll come looking for you.

Wherever you are, that's my home.