Chapter 160, Chapter 160 (First Update)

Perhaps it's because it's December now and the weather is cold, but there are especially many people eating hot pot at lunchtime.

When Luo Yan came last month, she hadn't seen this kind of situation yet, saying, "It feels like winter is here and the New Year is just around the corner."

The concept of "year" is truly magical.

Even though there are still two months until the Spring Festival, it seems that everyone is already using "let's talk about it after the New Year" as a common phrase when discussing anything.

Luo Yan was different; she said, "Wait until I finish my exam."

Zhou Weifang sighed as he listened, "I feel like that donkey being dangled on a carrot."

Luo Yan chuckled: "You're still a bit better than a donkey. It might not even be able to eat the carrot. Would I lie to you?"

Zhou Weifang dared not doubt: "I was afraid that you, a distinguished person, might forget things."

I confirmed with her again: "It's a promise, after the exams we'll go see a movie, go to a dance hall, and eat at an old Mosque restaurant..."

The count was so detailed, but Luo Yan felt that there were one or two things she had never heard of mixed in. She glanced up and down at the person across the table.

Feeling guilty, Zhou Weifang said in a low voice, "Well, it would be alright if Xin agreed."

Luo Yan gently kicked him: "I didn't say no."

She snorted again, "I see you're quite good at manipulating me now."

Zhou Weifang said, "Does the ox leading the way mean it's leading the person? I'm not someone you can mold or manipulate at will."

Flatten and mold? Luo Yan: "Looks like you're a little wronged?"

Zhou Weifang: "I couldn't be happier, I..."

Luo Yan could tell from his expression that he was about to say something that was best left unsaid in public, so she took the meat out and put it in his bowl: "Shut your mouth."

Zhou Weifang obediently agreed, his forehead practically screaming, "See? I listen to you."

But he was too quiet and Luo Yan wasn't used to it, so she gestured for him to speak quickly.

Zhou Weifang actually had something to tell her: "Do you remember the good buddy I mentioned to you when we were cutting in line?"

Luo Yan naturally remembered it and nodded, waiting for him to continue.

Zhou Weifang continued, "I just received a letter saying that he doesn't want to stay in the Production and Construction Corps anymore and plans to take the college entrance exam. You know how it is in the frontier, the conditions are definitely not good, and I don't know much about review materials. Could you help me find something suitable for him?"

This job is perfect for Luo Yan. She asked, "How much schooling has he received? What's his background like?"

Zhou Weifang: "We are the same age and our levels are about the same, so it would probably take a lot of effort for us to take the exam."

It's already this month, so there's definitely no time to prepare for next year's exams. But with a year or two of dedicated effort, and the determination to study diligently, getting into a vocational school isn't impossible.

Luo Yan has always believed that good results will not let you down, but there is one problem. She said, "I need to hurry up, I'm getting too old."

In the first two years after the resumption of the college entrance examination, the age limit for candidates was relaxed, and there were many students from the "Old Three Classes" who did not enter university until their late thirties.

By Luo Yan's year, the rules had become even stricter, and there had been rumors in the city that only current year graduates would be allowed to take the exams from then on.

Zhou Weifang really didn't know much about these things, saying, "I can only send him a few more books and bring him some other things."

Luo Yan agreed: "The scope of this year's exam seems to be different from what we had back then. I'll find out more and then go buy the books, and I'll give them to you later."

Zhou Weifang: "Don't waste your time. Just give me a list and I'll go buy it."

"Okay," Luo Yan said, "I'll write it to you in a few days."

The two chatted about everyday things, and after dinner, they took a stroll in the small park.

But the weather gradually became unclear in the afternoon. The clouds on the horizon looked very hazy, and Luo Yan felt a cold wind rushing up her neck as she walked.

Seeing this, Zhou Weifang said, "It would be great if a place like the Beijing Hotel could be built near your school."

Their heating is on full blast, and the environment is nice and quiet.

Luo Yan: "Even if it were built now, it wouldn't be in time for me to graduate."

She couldn't stand the wind and hid behind Zhou Weifang.

But there's no way to escape from all sides.

Zhou Weifang: "How about I take you back to school?"

Luo Yan had the same idea. The two rode their bikes to the intersection. Zhou Weifang turned right to run some errands, while she went to her brother's shop to wait for class to start.

Luo Hong looked at his sister and said sarcastically, "Oh ho, who do we have here? It's you, esteemed guest."

Luo Yan rushed over and hit him, saying, "Can't you speak properly?"

Okay, speak properly.

Luo Hong asked, "Why are you here so early today?"

Luo Yan sniffed: "It's so cold outside, and there's nowhere to go. He said he's going to collect a few cars."

How many? That's all capital tied up in those cars; looks like they've made a good profit. I'd better hurry, otherwise, when my sister gets married...

Luo Hong's gaze was deep, as if he were pondering something very important.

Seeing her brother's serious expression, Luo Yan became a little nervous and tugged at him, asking, "What's wrong?"

Luo Hong used his chin to order people around: "Write down a sign for hiring laborers and post it outside."

Huh? So suddenly? Luo Yan: "Didn't you say you wanted to save some money?"

Luo Hong: "Even if I wanted to cut corners, it wouldn't allow it. Today, three vehicles were taken away because I didn't have time to deal with them."

He originally planned to extend the service for a while longer, which would save him one person's salary, but constantly turning away customers was not a good thing.

Luo Yan had no idea what was going on in the shop. Anyway, she completed the tasks assigned to her obediently, even carefully crafting the wording of job postings.

Luo Hong chuckled, rubbing his forehead. "No, which great writer are you planning to write this for? Don't nitpick over the words. Do you think someone who knows a lot of characters can do odd jobs?"

That seemed to make sense. Luo Yan erased the pencil draft she had written and rewrote it in the most concise way possible—"Hiring a mechanic! Hiring a mechanic!!! Hiring a mechanic!!!"

The exclamation mark was written with a round dot underneath.

Luo Hong looked at his big eyes, which always reminded him of his younger sister, and couldn't help but smile whenever he saw them while strolling outside in the afternoon when he had nothing to do.

However, his leisurely time only lasted a few seconds before more guests arrived.

The customer, bored while waiting, looked up and asked, "Master, are you hiring?"

Hearing this, Luo Hong replied, "Yes, do you have any friends looking for work recently?"

Guest: "I don't think so, but my second aunt's husband works at the bicycle factory, he..."

There's only one bicycle factory in Beijing, with hundreds or even thousands of workers. How could Luo Hong possibly know them all? He couldn't even establish any connection with them.

But running a business isn't like making friends; he just needs to stand by and say things like "Really?" or "Oh, I see."

After finishing repairing the car, he felt extremely tired, so he leaned back in the recliner, yawned, and actually fell asleep.

Luo Yan only had two classes in the afternoon. When she came home from school, she saw her brother resting, so she walked quietly.

But Luo Hong was a light sleeper; the slightest noise would wake him up. He rubbed his hair and said, "What time is it?"

He added, "Now that I've had some free time, I'm thinking of tearing that paper up again."

Being an individual is not something everyone can do. At least when he worked in the factory, he had days off and only worked eight hours a day.

Luo Yan urged him, "Hire one more, and look, we've already lost three customers today."

Luo Hong's thoughts kept changing. He stood up and said, "Go and get me a couple of dishes. I'm starving."

All she does all day is order people around. Luo Yan took her lunchbox out, got food from a small restaurant across the street, and came back saying, "I'll go home after I eat. Our teacher asked for leave tonight."

Seeing her regretful expression, Luo Hong laughed, "If it were me, I would set off firecrackers when I got home."

Luo Yanxie's brother didn't say anything, but he said, "Go home and take a shower first. Don't dawdle. You've been restless lately."

There have been quite a few cases in Beijing these past few days. Luo Yan lowered her voice and said, "The latest rumor is that we won't be scheduling classes in the evenings next semester."

The security situation was so dire that Luo Hong urged her, "Eat quickly, and then we'll leave."

Luo Yan raised her wrist to show him her watch: "It's not even six o'clock yet, look how many people are on the street."

If there weren't so many people around, she wouldn't have dared to say she wanted to go home by herself.

Luo Hong dared not take anything concerning his sister lightly.

He said, "It's a good thing you applied to a school that's nearby."

Jiaotong University is located just outside the Second Ring Road. Although everyone calls this area outside the city, it's still quite crowded because it's next to the zoo.

Luo Yan raised an eyebrow: "I just reported the distance, wasn't that clever?"

Luo Hong gave her a perfunctory compliment, and after she finished eating, he said, "Let's go, leave the dishes here and I'll wash them."

Luo Yan loudly said she understood, then turned her head and snapped, "You need to speak properly next time. You're acting like you're kicking me out!"

Luo Hong patted his mouth and said, "I know, I know, I'll be more careful next time. I'll bring you something delicious tonight to make up for it, okay?"

Luo Yan was finally satisfied, but when she got home she still had to "complain" to her parents.

Liu Yinfeng chuckled and said, "Alright, I'll criticize him when we get back. How could he talk to his sister like that?"

"That's right," Luo Yan said, patting Huang Laishun's head. "When Luo Hong comes back, bite him."

Huang Laishun probably only understood "bite," and used his mouth to pull on her trouser leg.

Luo Yan patted it: "Be good, I'll beat you up later."

Huang Laishun thought it was a joke, and when he saw her going out to take a bath, he wanted to follow her, but he couldn't. He started sobbing.

Look at its pitiful state! Liu Yinfeng called her daughter back and gave her some advice: "Take a rope and tie it to the entrance of the bathhouse, so Old Liu can take a look. It's still a dog, it can protect you."

Luo Yan clicked her tongue and said, "Mom, even dogs can be spoiled."

Liu Yinfeng laughed: "Let it play around. It gets bored staying at home all day."

Huang Laishun seemed to understand. He didn't struggle at all when he was put on the rope, and he walked steadily while being led around, unlike his usual reckless behavior at home.

Luo Yan praised it as "very well-behaved" and made several requests to Old Liu, the person in charge of collecting fees, before entering the bathhouse.

However, since it was her first time taking the puppy out, she was still worried. She only breathed a sigh of relief when she came out and saw that it was safe and sound in the same spot: "Lai Shun, let's go home."

Huang Laishun obediently followed along, but when they were almost at the door, he ran in and tried to break down the gate, ending up with a head full of bumps.

Luo Yan had to push her hard to get her to eat properly, saying, "Eat well, and you'll have more strength when you grow taller and bigger."

Huang Laishun only understood the word "eat," and as soon as he entered the door, he bit his own bowl and begged for food.

Luo Yan washed an apple, shared some with it, ate her half, and went back to her room to read.

Huang Laishun still wanted to follow, but this time Liu Yinfeng wouldn't let him have his way.

She patted the sofa: "Come here, Yanyan needs to study."

Huang Laishun doesn't understand studying, but he knows that jumping onto the sofa is fun. With a burst of energy, he leaps up and squeezes between the couple to watch TV, barking twice for no apparent reason.

In dog language, it probably means: I'm so happy.

-----------------------

Author's note: Good night!