Chapter 23: Snatched Away

When Zhang Yang heard the words "train delayed", he was about to ask something, but he heard Pei Juanjuan scream.

Zhang Yang subconsciously thought that something had happened to his mother in the kitchen, maybe she was injured or something, and he rushed out without thinking.

The moment the boy rushed out of the room, Zhang Liangpeng was standing at the kitchen door looking inside, holding a large suitcase in his hand.

His eyes were full of love, and he looked at it with relief. After a few seconds, he advised, "Alright, alright, hurry up and cook. Our son is hungry."

Pei Juanjuan finally released Zhang Mao's hand, wiped away her tears, and said, "I bought some fish and made you some fish soup. It's so cold out here, and some fish soup will warm you up."

Zhang Mao nodded and smiled, "I like fish soup the best."

Pei Juanjuan added, "The kitchen is full of smoke. Hurry up and follow Dad into the house. I'll be right there."

Zhang Mao nodded and came out of the kitchen. Pei Juanjuan followed him out and stood at the kitchen door. "Your dad knew you were coming back, so he rushed to buy a color TV. He's installing it in the living room right now. Say hello to your uncle when you see him."

Zhang Mao is already a college student. Normally, Pei Juanjuan wouldn't need to remind him of such courtesy, but she always treats Zhang Mao like a child and does every stitch for him.

Zhang Mao heard this and couldn't help but smile.

When Zhang Mao came out of the kitchen, he saw Zhang Yang.

He was slightly stunned for a moment, then smiled and opened his arms. "Good boy, it's been a while since we last met, and you've grown taller?"

Zhang Yang also walked towards Zhang Mao with a smile. When he got to Zhang Mao, he looked at his open arms and paused. Before he could decide whether to hug his brother or not, Zhang Mao had already pulled him into his arms.

"Come here!" Zhang Mao said, "You've grown up and you're still shy. You don't even want to be hugged?"

The two brothers Zhang Mao and Zhang Yang were raised by the same parents, but they have completely different personalities.

Zhang Mao is still willing to hug those close to him. He has been like this since he was a child, and he likes to bring love and kindness to everyone.

But Zhang Yang is different. He has grown up so big that he can only be hugged by his brother. If others want to touch him, he will immediately get angry, shake his hands and run away.

"Come on, let's see what I brought you." After Zhang Mao let go of Zhang Yang, he pulled him inside.

Pei Juanjuan stood at the kitchen door, sighed, and said to Zhang Liangpeng: "Look, Zhang Mao is kissing Zhang Yang!"

"On the way back, I asked him all the way, how Zhang Yang was doing in his studies, whether he had grown taller... The two brothers have a good relationship." Zhang Liangpeng said.

"Okay, go in and greet everyone. We'll eat soon." Pei Juanjuan said, "I just made fish soup. The other dishes were all from the cafeteria."

"Ah?" Zhang Liangpeng took a look inside and sure enough, there were several lunch boxes on the table, and the dishes on the plates were poured directly out of the lunch boxes.

He was a little unhappy. After all, they ate in the cafeteria every day, invited people to help at home, and had to eat in the cafeteria.

There is no sincerity.

Pei Juanjuan saw through it and guessed what Zhang Liangpeng was thinking, so she explained, "I just got off work too. How can I have the time to cook a whole table of dishes for you? How about I add some peanuts?"

Zhang Liangpeng could only say, "Okay, add some peanuts. Oh, and open two cans of the canned food I brought back from the meeting last time."

Pei Juanjuan hesitated, and Zhang Liangpeng said, "Zhang Mao likes to eat."

"Then open the can of luncheon meat. Zhang Mao likes it." Pei Juanjuan agreed readily.

When Zhang Mao came back from vacation, the Zhang family was overjoyed.

But some are happy while others are sad, Yuan Dabao is listening to the lecture at home.

Yuan Gaoyi, Yuan's father, rushed home excitedly. He had originally planned to spend the Lunar New Year on the train, but a colleague was getting married before the Lunar New Year and needed someone to take over his shift, so he quickly swapped shifts with the other person.

I worked non-stop for almost a month, and the train to the Northeast took three days and three nights. I finally got home before the New Year, and this time I could celebrate the New Year at home.

But the first thing I saw when I got home was that Yuan Dabao was also on vacation and had brought back his report card.

Wang Qinghua originally wanted to hide it from Yuan Gaoyi, but Yuan Gaoyi saw it anyway.

This achievement shows comprehensive development and great balance.

Numbers sixty-first and sixty-second went back and forth, but never left their homes.

Yuan Gaoyi lit a cigarette, sat at the door, and smoked it continuously facing the wall facing the courtyard.

The high school entrance exam was coming up soon after the Lunar New Year, and he had already informed his employer that his child would be enrolled in a railway school. Upon graduation, Yuan Dabao would be assigned to work on the railway.

It's a bit tiring, but I can take turns to rest, the salary is high, there are subsidies, and various benefits.

The country is now vigorously developing transportation, and no country can be without railways.

Yuan Gaoyi was worried about what to do if he failed the exam.

Taking another look at Yuan Dabao's transcript, it's not that he failed the exam, he definitely failed the exam.

Wang Qinghua sat on the sofa, holding Yuan Gaoyi's enamel pot, blowing the tea foam for him while secretly watching Yuan Gaoyi's expression.

When Wang Qinghua noticed Yuan Dabao poking his head out of the bedroom again, he almost spilled his tea. He quickly signaled Yuan Dabao to go inside and not come out.

Yuan Gaoyi finished smoking a cigarette in silence, then flicked his index finger and the cigarette butt flew out and landed in the yard outside.

Seeing this, Wang Qinghua quickly handed over the enamel pot and said, "It's all cooled down, perfect for drinking."

Yuan Gaoyi glanced at Wang Qinghua quietly without even a smile. He took the tea, took a few sips, and then handed it back.

Wang Qinghua quickly took it and placed it on the coffee table, then smiled apologetically, "You know, when Dabao was a kid, he had a fever so high. I wondered if that fever had spread to this place..."

Wang Qinghua pointed to his head and continued, "Did you burn this place? You just got back, don't be so angry. Don't worry, I will definitely keep a close eye on him and make sure he studies hard."

"No." Yuan Gaoyi said: "Look at him, does he look like his brain is burned out? If he really is stupid, I will support him for the rest of his life. But he is not. Apart from studying, how is he stupid?"

Wang Qinghua immediately said, "Yes, yes!"

"Also, you can't always spoil him like that. He's a grown boy, how could you let him get spoiled like that? I've already told the company that Dabao must apply to the Railway School, and after graduation, our company will directly recruit him. That way, he'll have a job and won't have to worry about anything."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Wang Qinghua nodded vigorously. "I will definitely ensure that he studies well."

"So, whose son is Liangpeng? How are his grades?" Yuan Gaoyi asked. "Don't they play together every day?"

Yuan Dabao had been listening intently inside. When he heard Zhang Yang's question, he immediately perked up and rushed out of his bedroom door, shouting, "Dad, he's the same age as me, either sixty-one or sixty-two!"

"Good fellow, you two are tied. Even though you are good brothers holding hands, your grades still have to be the worst?" Yuan Gaoyi became even angrier when he saw that Yuan Dabao didn't feel ashamed of his grades at all, and he stood up suddenly.

"Don't always compare yourself to the bad guys. Compare yourself to the good guys," Yuan Gaoyi said. "You play with Zhang Yang, and you also play with Wei Ran. Look at Wei Ran, he's top of every subject, top of every discipline. Why don't you say anything?"

Faced with this topic, Yuan Dabao had more to say. He immediately retorted, "Wei Ran doesn't always rank first in every subject! This time, he's not the best in Chinese or English!"

Wang Qinghua perked up immediately upon hearing this and called out to Yuan Dabao, "Come here and tell me what's going on. Isn't Wei Ran always the top student in your class?"

Yuan Dabao walked over with a grin on his face. He pinched a piece of peach cake his father had just brought back and stuffed it into his mouth. Then he said slowly, "It won't be the case this time. Someone else took the first place."

"Who is so powerful?" Yuan Gaoyi was also quite interested.

"My deskmate!" Yuan Dabao said proudly, "Xin Tianyi!"