Chapter 160

The calendar on the wall turned to December.

December 1989.

In the hometown where Chen Lanjun grew up, there is a newly built villa on the wilderness.

The children in the village would rather take a detour just to come and take a look.

Twitter says:

"It's time to put up the beam."

"The roof is sealed, and the walls are painted."

“What a beautiful big glass window!”

“Let’s plant flowers!”

Amid the surprised voices of little children and the envy of adults who said "the Chen family has given birth to a good girl", the villa was completed bit by bit and eventually became what everyone called "Chen Family Garden".

It is three stories high, with sycamore and magnolia planted in the front yard, and a large area of ​​flowers, forsythia, rose, jasmine, plum blossom...there is fragrance of flowers all year round.

Chen Lanjun and her family returned to their hometown on a very sunny day.

The mayor sent a car to pick them up in person, introducing the development of his hometown along the way and praising the village-run enterprises where Zheng Mei and Chen Zhisheng had worked, which were also developing very well. The conversation was warm, as if the previous unpleasantness had never happened.

The younger sister was young, and she snorted. Zheng Mei glared at her lightly, so she didn't know how to say anything. She had to pull Chen Lanjun to look at the scenery outside the window.

"Sis, the further you go into the countryside, the less things seem to change."

Feng Jun said: "You are just used to living in Pengcheng City. You see people building a building every few months, so you think the whole world is like this."

Chen Lanjun pulled her braids and said, "Comrade Xiaozhu, your thinking must not slip. Stop trying to show off."

The younger sister laughed and said, "I know, sister, look, that must be our house!"

From a long distance away, someone was setting off firecrackers, and there was a crackling sound in the white smoke.

Walking forward on the red debris from the firecrackers, relatives and friends who hadn't seen each other for a long time pushed their children and came forward, one calling her grandma, the other calling her aunt, it was very lively.

On the happy day of returning home in glory, Zheng Mei and Chen Zhisheng never stopped smiling, and they threw out many red envelopes, one or two yuan each, and the children took them, shouting with joy and saying a string of auspicious words.

Chen Lanjun exchanged greetings with relatives and friends, then turned around to greet Ajing who had returned with her.

"Ajing, you and grandma can live here. There are plenty of houses here."

She still remembered the looks on Ajing's family's faces at that time, and was worried that Ajing would be unhappy when she returned.

Ah Jing and her husband supported grandma on both sides, repeating Chen Lanjun's words loudly into her ear. Grandma shook her head and said, "Thank you, Ah Lan. I still want to go back and have a look."

Ah Jing said, "Thank you, Sister Lan. I'll take grandma back to see her."

"I'll go with you and take a look."

Chen Lanjun lowered her voice and said, "It's too noisy here. My head hurts."

Grandma Ajing is over 80 years old and has difficulty walking. She has to use a wheelchair to go in and out. However, the narrow ridge of the field is too narrow for a wheelchair to pass through. Ajing's husband volunteered to carry his grandmother on his back and walk forward, while Ajing and Chen Lanjun led the way.

It was still the same path. When they reached the bend, Chen Lanjun smiled and said to Ah Jing, "I still remember when Hongyao, Liu Li and I came to visit you in high school, but we couldn't ride a bicycle here."

Talking about the past, Ah Jing also laughed softly: "I was really shocked at that time. It seems that from that moment on, the fate of my grandmother and I was different."

Chen Lanjun became alert and said, "Hey, you are here again..."

Ah Jing smiled and said, "Why, even though I said thank you many times, I meant it sincerely every time."

As they were talking, a few figures appeared on the ridge of the field ahead, coming to greet them with smiles on their faces. They were Ajing's brother and sister-in-law.

The politeness and caution in his conversation were far from what I had imagined.

When Chen Lanjun looked up and saw Ajing's newly renovated house, she curled her lips.

As expected, the economic base determines the superstructure.

Just like Chen's parents, Ajing's grandmother was obviously a little excited when she returned to her old house. She didn't want anyone to help her, so she held on to the wall and slowly looked around the house inside and out.

"My home is so beautiful."

As soon as the old man was happy, he began to tell stories, speaking in a thick voice with unclear speech: "I don't know a single word, so I want our Ah Jing to go to school. Others say I am wasting money, but look, how good my Ah Jing is!"

"Of course!" Chen Lanjun replied with a smile.

Grandma Ajing held her hand and shook it vigorously: "You are also fine, everything is fine."

After the old man calmed down a little and was willing to sit down and drink some water, Chen Lanjun stood up and said goodbye.

It was almost time for dinner, and her peaceful escape was almost over.

Ajing walked her all the way to the intersection.

"Okay, go back now." Chen Lanjun reminded, "The day after tomorrow, remember to come to my house for a drink. I called all my classmates before, and everyone who can come will come."

Ajing thought of something and smiled.

"why are you laughing?"

"It's okay," Ah Jing shook her head, "I just thought of the song we all sang when we graduated. Although it hasn't been 20 years, it seems to be 'Young friends, let's meet again'."

"That's right," Chen Lanjun said, "Okay, I'll play this song then. Haha, I've prepared two tape recorders."

Holding a banquet in the countryside is a unique and lively scene.

Chen's parents were also working hard to show off their success in returning home, so they ordered a lot of food and sent baskets of it here. People from the same village also rolled up their sleeves to help, building the stove outside, picking side dishes, carrying bamboo steamers, and the children also ran around happily to join in the fun, as if it was the New Year's Day in advance.

On the day of the banquet, the sound of firecrackers to welcome guests never stopped. Fortunately, it was a buffet, so everyone was welcomed and they started eating as soon as they sat down. After one round of eating, there was another round, and the dogs from the two neighboring villages ate meat and bones as if they were dreaming.

The parents’ generation has their own happiness.

What made Chen Lanjun happiest was that all her good classmates had come.

"Boss, give me some money." As soon as they met, Liu Li jokingly stretched out his hand, but was hit by Cao Hongyao who was following closely behind him.

"You are a leader but you still behave like this."

"What kind of leader am I? How can I compare to a great scientist like you?"

After graduation, Liu Li worked in a company in Beijing. When Chen Lanjun heard about it, she took the initiative to lend her money and urged her to buy a house. Although it was strange, Liu Li listened to her advice. Cao Hongyao studied on campus all the way until she got a doctorate, and now she is preparing to go abroad for visiting studies.

Everyone has their own growth.

However, when they get together, they still act like little kids who quarrel with each other.

Chen Lanjun watched them bickering with a smile, and pulled one of them with each hand: "Okay, why don't you sit down and eat first."

"Let's go together." Liu Li was surprised to see Chen Lanjun looking at her watch. "Why, who are you waiting for?"

Cao Hongyao snickered: "Look around, who else can you wait for?"

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. A car stopped in front of the gate of Chen's Garden. As the door opened, people around let out a small exclamation.

Shao Qinghe lowered his head slightly, his leather shoes stepped on the ground. He was wearing a camel-colored wool coat with a suit underneath, and his hair was combed back, which made him look even more handsome.

Chen Lanjun introduced him with a smile and a proud tone: "Here, my boyfriend."

Shao Qinghe came two days late because he had to spend Christmas at home.

He greeted Chen Lanjun's classmates and relatives politely: "This is my first visit as a potential son-in-law. I brought some small gifts with me. It's not a sign of respect."

Everyone looked back and saw that there was a small truck following behind them, which was filled with "small gifts".

Chen Lanjun held her forehead and whispered to Shao Qinghe: "You... are too surprised."

"Surprised? That's right." Shao Qinghe held her hand with a smile on his face. "I know it's a bit ostentatious, but if I'm not, others won't completely realize that I'm your partner."

Chen Lanjun smiled and said, "Okay, okay, now everyone in the surrounding area knows that you are mine."

She took Shao Qinghe and sat down together. Everyone started to make a fuss, asking them to say a few words as a family.

Zheng Mei said a few words like "Thank you everyone for coming" and "Thank you era", and couldn't say anything else. She looked at Chen Lanjun eagerly.

Receiving her mother's gaze, Chen Lanjun raised her glass of rice wine and stood up: "Thank you all for coming. Today is December 30th. In the final days of the 1980s, which are about to end, we can be together again. This is a very meaningful thing in itself."

She held the wine glass, looking at the smiling faces, with mixed emotions.

Including the time before her rebirth, this was her second time experiencing the 1980s.

I can say without hesitation that no matter which life it is, this is her golden age.

The country's east wind blew across the country, and a person, a family, and a city were all changed dramatically.

Such passion, such enthusiasm, such confusion, such hope, this is the 1980s.

Chen Lanjun said: "Without further ado, let us raise our glasses together to toast the 1980s that are about to pass."

“Cheers to the passing eighties.”

“And to the upcoming 90s!”

"cheers!"

All the guests were happy.

Out of joy, Chen Lanjun drank several glasses of wine and felt a little dizzy.

Liu Li was also drunk. He put his hand on her shoulder and said, "A new era has begun. Classmate Chen Lanjun, what are your prospects?"

"You must have gone crazy writing the five-year plan draft." Cao Hongyao pointed at her and laughed.

Chen Lanjun raised her eyes, thought for a moment, and then shook her head, "I don't know."

At the beginning of her rebirth, she wanted to make up for her past regrets, go to college, seize the opportunity of the times to get rich, and be better to her family.

It seems that all these thoughts have been realized, and I have also gained a new family member, who is also my lover.

She lowered her head and looked at her reflection in the wine glass, feeling a little dazed.

What else should you do after you have everything you have been pursuing?

"Oh, there's no hurry. The road ahead is long and arduous." Cao Hongyao filled up her glass again. "One more drink!"

"What are you paying tribute to now? You've already paid tribute to the leader, the era, and the policies." Liu Li complained.

Cao Hongyao thought about it, her brain was a little out of sorts, and she poked Chen Lanjun with her elbow: "Sister Lan, what do you think this toast is for?"

Chen Lanjun raised her glass, thought for a moment, and said, "Cheers—Long live youth!"

"Okay, long live youth."

"Long live youth!"

In the last days of the 1980s, Chen Lanjun spent the last days of the 1980s toasting with her family and friends.