Scholars have been romantic since ancient times. Of the three women in Lin Yutang's love life, the one she loved the most failed to enter his life in the end.
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When I was young, I didn't guess because of the geographical reasons.
1895 10 June10, a priest in Zhangzhou, Fujian welcomed his seventh child. The happy couple were just happy at that time, but they didn't know how much surprise and achievement this child would bring them in the future.
They named the child He Le, and he was Lin Yutang.
Lin Yutang's father, Lin Zhicheng, is just an ordinary priest in Banzai Village. His salary is meager, but he has eight children at home. Although his family is not well-off, his father's optimism, his mother's generosity and the care of his brothers and sisters have deeply influenced Lin Yutang's character and made him grow into an optimistic and cheerful person in the future.
When he was a teenager, Lin Yutang liked to catch fish in a stream. There is a girl, nicknamed Olive, who is the daughter of an adopted daughter adopted by Lin Yutang's mother and should be called "uncle".
Two people often catch minnows and touch crayfish together. When she was squatting in the stream to catch fish, a butterfly landed on the tip of her hair. When she walked slowly, the butterfly did not fly away.
The scene here is so clear that Lin Yutang remembered it until he was 80 years old.
Although Olive is a thin girl, her eyes are always melancholy and she seems preoccupied, but she is a stubborn girl with ideas in her bones.
Olives usually have to work and often wear black clothes. But on Sunday, she changed into a light blue cheongsam with a small oval face and warm eyebrows, which was very charming.
When he was young, Lin Yutang was addicted to natural love. Until the eve of going to St. John's University in Shanghai, Lin Yutang proposed to Olive and wanted to take her to Shanghai. I didn't expect Olive to say no simply.
Because olive has a blind grandfather who needs her help and care at any time; Because she believes that her hometown has the best fruits, fish, fruits and vegetables, and charming landscapes, she doesn't want to live far from her hometown.
Faced with different choices, the two young people finally parted ways.
On the day when Lin Yutang left his hometown, he saw Auliffe standing on the edge of the cliff, looking at himself. Thin girl, blue cheongsam and hair dancing with the wind are fixed in Lin Yutang's mind.
Probably the affection of youth always makes people miss a lot, especially with the growth of age and more knowledge of the world, I miss the simplicity at that time even more.
Later, Lin Yutang wrote a semi-autobiographical novel Lai Baiying to describe this lush past.
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Two young people of the same kind stopped at the door.
Lin Yutang went to St. John's University in Shanghai. He is not only outstanding in literature, but also the captain of the school debate team and the school rowing team. He is also proficient in baseball and tennis, and set a new long-distance running record in the sports meeting.
Such an excellent and gentle young man has become a man of the hour in the school.
Lin Yutang has two very good classmates: Chen Xizuo and Chen Xiqing, so he often goes to the Chen family to play. In the long run, I noticed Chen Jinduan, the younger sister of the Chen brothers.
The first time I saw Chen Jinduan, Lin Yutang froze. Although he is the captain of the debate team, he can't say a word because "she is born with beauty."
Chen Jinduan studied painting at St. Mary's Girls' School, which is separated by a wall. Naturally, he also heard about Lin Yutang's deeds.
The two young people love each other, but the two brothers can see clearly. They also appreciate Lin Yutang's talent, and always walk away on the pretext of giving them more space to get along with each other.
Together, they talk not only about literature, but also about ideals, just like love is not only in front of us, but also dreams and distances.
"I want to write a book and let the whole world know that I am Lin Yutang!"
"Tell me, what is your ideal woman like?" Chen Jinduan gentle eyes stared at him and asked.
"The perfect woman in my heart is my mother. She can chat with Shen Fu about painting and calligraphy; The woman I admire is Li. I admire her stupidity and love her beauty. Of course, my favorite girl is you in front of me. "
I have to say that this eloquent scholar is really sweet and greasy, and it will really make women look good.
But soon, Chen Jinduan's father found out the truth and flew into a rage.
Chen Jinduan's father, Chen Tianen, is a returned overseas Chinese and a Christian. He practices medicine and runs a local enterprise, which is very prestigious. Moreover, he had a lot of financial support for Sun Yat-sen in his early days, and he was a noble family.
The Lins are so ordinary that even Lin Yutang's tuition in Shanghai is raised by selling a house in Zhangzhou.
For the sake of her daughter's future, Chen Tianen resolutely opposes their marriage.
Chen Jinduan's numerous excuses prove that Lin Yutang is a reliable person, but he still can't convince his father to put her under house arrest.
Since my daughter can't handle it, I have to start with Lin Yutang.
Chen Tianen found Lin Yutang and told him bluntly: "You don't deserve my family. I already have the right person, the son of a noble family. You should die. "
Lin Yutang was almost stunned after hearing this, and he lingered outside the courtyard wall of the Chen family courtyard until the evening.
At home, the second sister noticed that Lin Yutang was in a bad mood and asked him what was going on. I never thought that this seven-foot man would cry and be extremely sad.
Chen Jinduan is Lin Yutang's beloved woman, but in the end she can't join hands in marriage. Although parents' orders and matchmakers' words were very important at that time, if two people were brave, maybe the future would be different.
03
Most of my life depends on perseverance.
Although Chen Tianen opposed Lin Yutang as his son-in-law, he also appreciated his talent and made up for it. So, the next day, I called Lin Yutang and introduced him to Liao Jia, the richest man in Gulangyu next door, saying that Miss Liao Jia was very suitable for him.
Lin Yutang has not recovered from the blow of lovelorn love, and he is very indifferent to this marriage.
But the Lins' parents are very satisfied. Lin Yutang's sister Lin, who is studying in Yude Girls' School, happens to be a classmate with her second young lady Liao Cuifeng.
She told Lin Yutang that Miss Er was very knowledgeable. Although she was born rich, she is not arrogant. She is a typical lady. It would be great to marry her.
Liao Cuifeng's cousins, Liao Zhaoqian and Lin Yutang, are from the same school, and have told her sister that Lin Yutang won four awards at the graduation ceremony of her sophomore year.
When Lin Yutang was asked by his parents to propose marriage, his gentle appearance touched Liao Cuifeng's heart. When Lin Yutang stayed for dinner, Liao Cuifeng frequently peeked at him.
Lin Yutang was left behind that night. After he fell asleep, Liao Cuifeng sneaked in, took out his dirty clothes, washed them quietly and sent them back the next day.
Although Liao Cuifeng is so determined to get engaged to Lin Yutang, Liao's mother is still worried. Chen Jia is afraid that her daughter will suffer with Lin Yutang, and Liao Jia loves her children!
In the face of her mother's worries, Liao Cuifeng took a firm attitude: "What happened to poverty? I have a crush on him. "
Lin Yutang later learned Liao Cuifeng's mind and was very grateful, but he didn't mean to get married immediately. Because he still can't let go of his feelings for Chen Jinduan.
Four years have passed quickly, and Lin Yutang is going to study at Harvard University. At this time, marriage is imperative.
On the night of the wedding, Lin Yutang has been preoccupied. Liao Cuifeng thought he didn't want to marry himself. He was thinking of asking him, but Lin Yutang said, "Let's burn the marriage certificate!"
Liao Cuifeng froze on the spot. I thought to myself: you are thinking about Chen Jinduan, and now you have to burn your marriage certificate. Do you like me so much?
However, Lin Yutang went on to say, "The marriage certificate is only used when you want a divorce. For me, no need. "
It turns out that Lin Yutang is making an end of the past. Since Liao Cuifeng is not afraid of poverty and chose herself, this life is her.
Liao Cuifeng has been moved to tears. Where can he manage to obey the rules? Now she nodded tearfully and did the most shocking thing in her life.
This is Lin Yutang's responsibility as a man. Since a woman has entrusted her life to herself, how can she make a mistake in giving her life?
04
The two most unlike people have been working together for half a century.
Although Lin Yutang didn't marry the woman he loved, since Liao Cuifeng was recognized as his wife, he accepted his mind and lived wholeheartedly. The love between them is actually cultivated bit by bit after marriage.
On the ship bound for America, Liao Cuifeng got appendicitis, and the doctor said to have an operation as soon as possible. But considering that he only has one thousand silver dollars on him, the tuition fee for Lin Yutang's operation is not enough.
Liao Cuifeng gritted her teeth and refused surgery, relying only on simple drugs. Lin Yutang was grateful and distressed to see her blanched with pain.
In the later days, Liao Cuifeng kept their lives in good order with the cleverness of businessmen. Although she was once so poor that she could only live by selling jewelry and dowry, she still funded Lin Yutang to finish her doctorate.
Lin Yutang's second daughter, Lin Taiyi, once said, "No two people are more unlike my parents."
Lin Yutang hates all forms of bondage, such as ties, belts and shoelaces. Liao Cuifeng must be dressed neatly when she goes out, and brooches, watches, earrings and even the corners of clothes should be ironed.
When eating, Lin Yutang likes to eat chicken wings, chicken necks and other things that gourmets love to eat; Liao Cuifeng only eats square pieces of meat such as chicken breast or chicken leg.
Lin Yutang has a sentimental feeling of scholars. When they visited the Acropolis, they looked at the solemn ancient city walls and the blue and quiet Aegean Sea. Lin Yutang said that this wonderful nature should really live and enjoy here.
Liao Cuifeng knocked on the sore calf and disagreed: "I don't live here. It's inconvenient to buy a bar of soap down the mountain. " Lin Yutang couldn't help heart.
Two people so different, though inevitably stumbling, have been walking hand in hand for half a century.
1969, on their golden wedding anniversary, Lin Yutang gave his wife a gold brooch engraved with Lin Yutang's translation of Old Lover:
Care about each other with one heart, a wisp of affection.
Time flies, silver hair and thin temples.
If the ghost is on another road, Xianfu should be sad.
If you want to laugh, it's only after a brief encounter.
At that time, a reporter asked them the secret of marriage. Liao Cuifeng summed up several points: "Don't say your husband's fault in front of friends; Don't form the bad habit of scolding your husband in person; Don't think you are smart; Don't talk big at ordinary times and don't stand by when difficulties come. "
Lin Yutang, on the other hand, said with deep affection: "Marriage is like crossing the sea, and it is bound to be choppy. Marriage requires two different people to live the same life. The beauty of a woman is not in her face, but in her heart. When you fail, she encourages you; You were framed, and she still believes you. At that time, she was really beautiful When you see her nurturing and supervision of her daughter and her sacrifice, gentleness, understanding, handling and patience, you can call her an angel. "
Lin Yutang not only said so, but also did so. When Xu Zhimo, Liu Haili, Guo Moruo and other talented people who returned from studying abroad abandoned their wives in old-fashioned marriages and married young and beautiful trendy women without exception, Liao Cuifeng once teased Lin Yutang why he didn't follow suit, but Lin Yutang answered her seriously: "I can't live without you."
Just like Su Dongpo's biography of Lin Yutang: "How can Lingnan be bad? This peace of mind is my hometown. " This sentence is the voice of Su Dongpo and his wife. Isn't that the voice of Lin Yutang and Liao Cuifeng?
"The problem with us modern people is that we eat love as a meal, treat marriage as a snack, and eat marriage in love as a meal. No failure. " It is with a grateful heart that Lin Yutang looked at his wife who stayed with him day and night and devoted her love to trivial matters, thus "turning an old-fashioned marriage into a beautiful love".
Start with looks, end with family background, and be loyal to the soul. Love is also a kind of practice on the long road of life. Marriage needs not only tolerance, but also management, appreciation and gratitude.
We cherish what we meet and let go of what we lose. In the spirit of reverence for life, piety for marriage and love for family, we can go further hand in hand.