Chapter 114 (Updated 1141)

Zhou Weifang had given instructions to everyone in the shop before he left, so when Luo Hongyi arrived, Zhang Hongmin handed over today's accounts to him.

Even if you're not the boss, you still have to keep clear accounts with your brothers.

Luo Hong kept the people a little longer, counted them clearly, and had them sign to confirm.

This is good for Zhang Hongmin, after all, you can never be too careful when it comes to money.

Luo Hong, on the other hand, felt a little embarrassed and said, "I'm sorry for keeping you from getting off work."

Zhang Hongmin: "It's alright, it's alright. My home is nearby, just a few steps away."

At this hour, Luo Hong didn't bother with any more pleasantries. After waiting for him to walk away and locking the shop door, he climbed up to the attic, lay on the bed, and read some leisurely books.

Not long after, someone downstairs started knocking on the door.

Zhou Weifang's car repair shop has been open for over a year, and its reputation for being able to repair cars 24 hours a day has spread. Every night, a few customers come in.

Although Luo Hong knew what was going on, he was still startled by the thumping sound, and his heart started pounding. He shouted back, "Coming!"

The customer was getting his tire repaired. After finishing the job, he looked at himself and thought to himself that he should have brought a spare set of clothes.

Fortunately, it was summer, and he was able to sleep soundly after taking off his clothes. However, he was still half asleep when he heard a knock on the door. He forgot to put his clothes back on before opening the door.

Luckily, the person who needed the car repaired was a man, who said, "Strange, why isn't it Xiao Zhou today?"

Zhou Weifang has quite a few acquaintances. Luo Hong explained, "The boss had something to do, so I'm filling in."

The customer nodded knowingly, offered him another cigarette, and started talking: "My old car needs to be repaired three times a month."

It was the middle of the night, and even without chatting, I was still sleepy. Luo Hong chatted with him casually, and finally managed to get this old car from before the founding of the People's Republic of China sorted out. As I lay down, I thought to myself: God help me, I must make Zhou Weifang lose sleep tonight.

The "curse" has come true to some extent, because Zhou Weifang didn't sleep tonight either.

Although there are fewer people in the sleeper carriages, it's obvious to everyone that those who can afford it are more likely to be thieves.

Zhu Tianhong always carried a lot of cash with him when he went out, and every time he took the train at night, someone had to take turns guarding him.

This time, the first night was with Zhou Weifang.

He could stay awake for the first half of the night, but he couldn't help feeling sleepy in the second half. He took out a serious book that Luo Yan had given him and turned on his flashlight. After flipping through a couple of pages, his eyes were almost too heavy to keep open, so he quickly switched to the martial arts novel he had brought with him.

Once I looked at it, I was energized until dawn.

Zhu Tianhong was awakened by the shouts of the food cart attendants and said, "It's still you young people who can handle it."

He's actually only in his early thirties, but he always talks about his seniority.

Zhou Weifang thought to himself, no wonder Luo Yan always called him uncle before. He yawned, grabbed something to use as a bookmark, and put the book aside: "I was just forcing myself to stay awake."

Not sleeping all night is not a good feeling, Zhu Tianhong rubbed his face: "Have some breakfast and then go to sleep."

He peeked out and stopped the flight attendant, asking, "Comrade, what's on the menu this morning?"

Flight attendant: "Steamed buns, steamed bread, and corn porridge."

Zhu Tianhong took two of them first, then took out some pickled vegetables he had brought from home and said, "These were made by Jianhong, have a taste."

Zhou Weifang could tell that there was a lot of salt in the food, but he forced himself to say a few words of praise.

Zhu Tianhong laughed and said, "Is it too salty? Let me tell you, her cooking skills are really bad."

Zhou Weifang took two sips of water and said sarcastically, "I think you're enjoying your sweets."

Zhu Tianhong gave a knowing look: "You'll know when you get married."

Even if it's salty, it's made especially for him.

Indeed, even if Luo Yan put arsenic in the pickled vegetables, Zhou Weifang felt he could swallow it: "I don't know how long I'll be a bachelor."

Zhu Tianhong: "Finding a wife won't be difficult for you. I've heard that quite a few girls are chasing after you."

Zhou Weifang: "Nonsense, I've never seen it myself."

He doesn't even know more than two girls.

Seeing that he was such a blockhead, Zhu Tianhong clicked his tongue and said, "I wonder how many great opportunities you've missed out on."

Can a missed opportunity truly be considered a perfect match? Zhou Weifang was skeptical, so he finished his porridge and lay down for a nap.

Before going to sleep, he glanced at his watch and thought: Luo Yan should be at school by now.

As he expected, Luo Yan had just arrived at the school.

She didn't have classes in the morning, so she went straight to the library to find a seat as soon as she entered the school.

It was the crucial time for final exam review, and after looking around, she couldn't find a seat, so she could only borrow two books to read at her brother's shop.

Luo Hong was sweeping the floor when he saw her and said, "Move a little further out, or you'll be kicking up dust and getting a mouthful of ash."

Luo Yan took two steps back and said, feigning concern, "Do you need any help?"

Luo Hong saw through her "hypocrisy": "All talk and no action."

Luo Yan showed him her skirt: "This is a new dress. Do I look like I can do housework?"

Luo Hong didn't expect anything from her. He just swung the broom even more vigorously, pursed his lips tightly, and splashed some water on the ground to press it down.

He was working hard here, while Luo Yan was outside fanning herself with a small handkerchief, looking quite carefree.

Luo Hong, disapproving of the situation, leaned on his broom and said, "Don't just stand around, go buy some popsicles."

Luo Yan was quite the boss. She didn't want an ice pop early in the morning, so she just bought one and headed back. She didn't pay much attention to the little girl running around in front of the store, but when she got closer, she realized it was Li Hongyu.

Li Hongyu saw her too, rushed over and hugged her leg, tilting her head back and calling out repeatedly, "Auntie, auntie, auntie, auntie, auntie~"

This kid has a beautiful voice.

Luo Yan patted her head and handed her the popsicle as well.

Li Jianjun had heard them talking earlier and stopped them when he saw what they were doing: "Yanzi, don't give it to her, the baby has an upset stomach."

Then don't eat it. Luo Yan snatched the popsicle back from the child. Seeing that she was about to cry, she couldn't bear it and said, "Don't cry, don't cry, Auntie will give you candy."

Li Hongyu then held back her tears and pretended to touch her face.

This girl is clearly faking her tears.

Luo Yan herself was quite skilled at crying. She bent down, pinched the little girl's cheek, and said, "Naughty."

Li Hongyu kept giggling as her aunt led her inside.

Luo Yan greeted Li Jianjun, but felt a little lost holding the popsicle, thinking that she should have bought an extra one.

But Luo Hong didn't feel awkward at all. He simply took it from his sister's hand, relieving her of her immediate crisis.

Luo Yan was no longer in a difficult position. She took a snack from the shelf and said, "You can only have one."

Milk candy was a good thing; a few years ago, you needed nutrition coupons to buy it.

Li Jianjun naturally didn't say anything, only telling his daughter to thank her aunt.

Li Hongyu had a sweet tongue and said things like "I like Auntie the most," which made Luo Hong laugh: "She's even better at sweet-talking than Yan Yan was when she was little."

Li Jianjun exclaimed dramatically, "If she grows up to be like Yanzi, I'll be incredibly grateful."

Even one has to be modest about their own child.

Luo Hong was no exception; he took a bite of his popsicle and secretly gave his sister a wink.

Luo Yan understood, put down her schoolbag and said, "Hongyu, come here, Auntie will take you to play at school."

She carried the child out, wondering what Li Jianjun wanted to talk to his brother about.

But soon, Li Hongyu cleared up her doubts and happily shared, "Auntie, my mom is coming!"

How could that be? This year, the management of population movement in the capital is even stricter. If Zheng Sanmei didn't have a daughter in Beijing, she wouldn't even be able to get a permit to visit relatives in Beijing during the Spring Festival.

Luo Yan couldn't figure out what method Zheng Sanmei was going to use, but she felt that Li Hongyu's words were not without reason. She guessed a bit about Li Jianjun's purpose in coming—money and connections were both indispensable for getting things done.

Her guess was right; Li Jianjun had come to borrow money, saying, "The factory is hiring short-term workers."

Each factory has a specific role, and when they are too busy, they will hire a batch of short-term workers to fill in for a while.

Luo Hong understood immediately with just one sentence: "How much difference?"

Li Jianjun said embarrassedly, "It's thirty short."

He hasn't been officially hired yet, and his daughter's household registration isn't in Beijing. Although the rationing isn't strictly controlled now, it's not difficult to raise a child from his quota, but the expenses are huge, and he doesn't have much savings at all.

Luo Hong's shop also buys used bicycles, and he always keeps a couple hundred yuan in his pocket as a spare. He took out fifty yuan, counted it out, and handed it over without asking "when will you return it?" or anything like that. He just said, "Looks like the factory got a big order."

Li Jianjun: "It's a big project, and I'll be busy working on it until the Chinese New Year. I'll definitely pay you back before the New Year."

The short-term workers are paid by the day, earning about 80 cents a day. The couple tries their best to save up, and they can manage to scrape together 30 cents.

Luo Hong: "It's okay, I'm fine with just myself, I'm not in a hurry. You can give it to me whenever it's convenient for you."

Li Jianjun knew he didn't like hearing thanks, so he simply patted his shoulder, saying nothing, and then explained, "What you can save in six months is about the same amount of money you'd need for this. My mom thinks it's unnecessary, but my daughter really misses her mom, and I..."

He can't bring himself to say sentimental things, but who doesn't miss their wife?

Luo Hong could understand: "It's always worth it for the whole family to be together."

Li Jianjun thought so too, and suddenly slammed his fist on the table: "Just wait another year, and I'll be officially hired."

My salary will double.

Seeing his bitter and resentful look, Luo Hong said, "My table just collapsed, don't break it again."

"It collapsed?" Li Jianjun bent down to look: "If you just nail it back in like that, it will collapse again even if it doesn't collapse today."

It turned out to be a substandard project. Luo Hong said, "It was done by three parties. I thought there wouldn't be any problems because he seemed so confident."

So he was just putting on an act in front of his sister.

Childhood friends are just there to sabotage you, Li Jianjun said: "He doesn't know anything. Give me your hammer and I'll fix it for you."

Luo Hong handed him the tools, then noticed someone peeking in from the shop entrance and said, "Go ahead and do it, someone's coming."

Li Jianjun nodded to indicate that he understood, and busied himself removing the nails that had been driven in earlier.

Luo Yan and Li Hongyu were playing at school and were covered in sweat. Luo Yan thought of bringing Li Hongyu back for a drink of water, but seeing her like this, she subconsciously said, "The table collapsed again?"

He was thinking to himself: Zhou Weifang is not doing a good job.

Li Jianjun: "No, but the repairs we did before were enough to last for a while."

Oh, so Zhou Weifang's work is still not up to par.

As Luo Yan thought this, she couldn't help but smile.

Li Hongyu was waiting for her aunt to pour water. Seeing that her aunt wasn't moving, she tugged at the hem of her clothes and asked, "Auntie, what are you laughing at?"

Did you laugh? Luo Yan touched her face, feeling inexplicably hot, perhaps because of the sun.

She shook her head slightly to clear away the jumbled thoughts, picked up the cup, rinsed it clean, poured in warm water, and said, "Drink slowly."

Li Hongyu was very thirsty. In her haste, she raised the cup too high, soaking part of her clothes. She cried out, "Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy!"

Li Jianjun glanced at his daughter and knew what was going on. He said, "Yanzi, I packed some clothes for her in my bag. Could you help her change?"

I brought everything I needed.

Although Hongyu was only a few years old, and there were many young girls of that age on the street with their shirts off, Luo Yan still found a corner with two sides blocked off, quickly changed her clothes, and hung up the wet clothes to dry.

Li Hongyu, with her small pregnant belly, showed her aunt the little rabbit embroidered on her clothes: "Grandma sewed it."

Luo Yan exclaimed exaggeratedly, "So cute!"

After saying that, he took her outside to run and jump around.

Li Jianjun clattered and banged as he repaired the table again, dusted off his hands, and took his leave.

Luo Hong tried to stop him, saying, "It's almost lunchtime, why are you leaving?"

Li Jianjun repeated the same thing: "Hongyu has an upset stomach."

"Alright," Luo Hong casually wiped his hands on his pants, "then I won't see you off. Take your time."

Li Jianjun waved his hand and picked up his daughter as he walked out.

Li Hongyu struggled and said she didn't want to go home, but her father still took her away.

The poor little girl, you could hear her howling from far away on the bike.

Luo Yan laughed.

She waved her hands to give herself a breeze, went into the store, picked up a fan and shook it vigorously, and kindly fanned her brother as well.

Luo Hong's back was soaked with sweat. He said, "It's hot enough. I'll go buy a fan this afternoon."

He originally planned to go in a couple of days when he had some free time.

The shop should have a fan. Luo Yan knew he was busy these past few days, so she said, "How about I go?"

A fan is quite heavy. Luo Hong: "Can you carry it back?"

The department store is not far from the store. Luo Yan said, "I was also a model soldier in field training back then."

She has said this at least eight hundred times, which shows that she has no other "past glories".

Luo Hong: "Forget it, I'll go. Don't you have an exam tomorrow?"

Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no! Luo Yan: "I didn't review this morning again."

She was having a good time playing with the child, but now that she remembered something important, she couldn't keep up with chatting with her brother.

Luo Hong knew she cared about her studies, so he went across the street to buy some lunch, and the two siblings just ate whatever they could find.

After finishing her meal, Luo Yan reached out to her brother for money: "I'll go buy something, I'll go buy something."

Luo Hong looked at the sun and said, "Let's go later."

If we wait, it's like we didn't get to use it today. Although Luo Yan was also afraid of the sun, she felt that the sooner she used it, the sooner she could enjoy it, so she said, "No dawdling."

"Alright, alright," Luo Hong emptied his pockets. "I was worried you'd get heatstroke."

Luo Yan nudged her brother: "You're the one who cursed me for getting heatstroke."

She was scared herself, so she rode her bike in the shade of trees the whole way. When she stopped at the entrance of the department store, she drank all the water she had brought, wiped her mouth, and walked inside.

In the sweltering summer heat, the room was completely stuffy, with only a few small fans running. Every few steps you could see a large bucket of water, and a few pieces of floating ice.

Even so, Luo Yan was covered in sweat after walking just a few steps.

That's why there weren't many people queuing at the appliance counter.

Luo Yan quickly paid the bill and laboriously carried the new fan out, stumbling as she went down the stairs, afraid of falling.

At first glance, she was the target group for the pedicab drivers, and the uncles and aunties swarmed around her, wishing they could press her and the fan onto their own vehicles.

Luo Yan was least adept at dealing with this situation, and could only helplessly repeat "No need, no need" as she strapped the fan to the back of her bicycle.

Only after this point did the uncles and aunties give up and disperse.

Luo Yan breathed a sigh of relief, tied the rope tightly, and huffed and puffed as she rode back to the shop.

Luo Hong looked around as he worked, and when he saw his sister come back to take over the rest of the work, he said, "Alright, go read your book."

Luo Yan was so tired that she couldn't muster any energy. She sat down to rest for a while before slowly opening the book. After reading a few pages, she started to feel sleepy and thought to herself, "Oh no, could I really have heatstroke?"

Luo Hong assembled the fan, plugged it in, and pointed it at his sister. He noticed her eyes were almost closed and asked, "What's wrong?"

Luo Yan felt that she was not sick and said, "Hongyu is so energetic. I'm exhausted just chasing after her."

Luo Hong joked, "Your younger sister has always been very patient with children. Who knows, you might have a daughter who's even more lively than her in the future."

"That can't be right," Luo Yan said. "A daughter resembles her mother."

But then she thought that her personality was more like her father's, and the image of Zhou Weifang being naughty and mischievous as a child vaguely popped into her mind. She suddenly froze and murmured, "I must be like my mother."

Luo Hong, unaware of what his sister was thinking, said, "You're the best. Practice makes perfect."

Luo Yan did grow up following her older brother, but she was also quite critical of him: "You used to complain about me a lot."

Luo Hong felt he was quite right and said, "You'll understand when you have a daughter who cries a lot."

Luo Yan: "Then my daughter and I will probably have to hug each other and cry."

Good heavens, a duet? I wonder which lucky hero is fortunate enough to enjoy such a mother and daughter. Luo Hong thought his childhood friend probably never imagined such a scene when he liked the younger sister, and for some reason, he found it quite amusing.

Luo Yan only saw her brother's sinister smile and said, "What mischief are you up to now?"

Luo Hong said irritably, "Is that the kind of person you think I am?"

Luo Yan nodded emphatically: "I'm all too familiar with that expression on your faces."

I'm all alone here, so there's no "others" here.

Luo Hong muttered to himself, "I can tell you still care about him quite a bit."

Luo Yan pretended not to hear and said loudly, "Don't bother me, I really need to study!"

Little did he know that such a volume was a clear case of protesting too much. Luo Hong didn't expose him, but just thought: perhaps many things will be different this time Zhou Weifang comes back.

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Author's note: I'm working on a second update, and I'm sure I'll write 10,000 words today!