People who have experienced food shortages may cherish food for the rest of their lives, and even if they no longer lack food, they will not be willing to waste a single piece of it.

Knowing An Moxue's decisive nature, the two men ate in silence, occasionally answering Old Ma and Aunt Ma's questions. Whether they had met fellow villagers in Kyoto or simply liked the two men, the old couple were quite talkative, constantly saying, "Eat more vegetables." "Being able to eat is a blessing."

The meal was lively and enjoyable.

The group came out and got into the car to go back. Tiger was still sighing, "Kyoto is really different. The food in the restaurants is much more varied than back home. People who eat here talk about national affairs, unlike back home, where people just gossip about this family and that family, about spring planting and autumn harvest, and what to eat for three meals a day."

Xiao Shanzi said, "That's why they say even the beggars under the imperial city have some sense! They're really different. It's better here than at home. I want to stay here and bring my grandma here someday."

Tiger disagreed, saying, "Xiaoshanzi, whether we stay or go depends on what Comrade An decides. Comrade An, do you have any instructions?"

An Moxue drove the car, looking ahead, and said, "At this stage, focus on your studies and manage our family affairs well. If you have any plans, you can tell me and see if I can create any opportunities for you."

The two brothers exchanged a glance, and Xiaoshanzi said, "No, we need to get to know the school and Kyoto better before making any plans."

An Moxue said, "You'll understand the advantages of Kyoto once you've stayed there long enough. You won't want to go back. But as long as things stay in place there, you can train suitable new people. People should always look forward and not just focus on their own little corner of the world."

Xiao Shanzi felt more at ease. Even if Comrade An didn't object to them staying in Kyoto, could it be understood that Comrade An had made arrangements for them in Kyoto?

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel happy. The accidental theft had unexpectedly cured his grandmother's illness and freed them from hunger. In particular, she had now been admitted to university. All of this was thanks to Comrade An.

He recalled what his grandmother had told the two brothers before they left: "Don't betray Comrade An. Do whatever she tells you to do. Just listen to Comrade An." It seemed that ever since his grandmother met Comrade An, she had blindly trusted him. Why was that?

But then he thought of the mystery surrounding his grandmother. Could it be related to this?

He asked her about her hometown, and she just smiled at him but wouldn't tell him anything, acting all mysterious. That's why he couldn't do anything about her; after all, she was his maternal grandmother.

"Also, during your rest time, why not explore the various parts of Kyoto? You'll discover something new, and I look forward to seeing your changes. If you run out of funds, feel free to contact me."

Both of them were surprised. Comrade An had not kept anything from Old Ma and Aunt Ma when he talked to them. Could it be that they knew that the two of them were doing things for Comrade An?

Especially when the two of them thought about Old Ma's identity, they felt that Old Ma might have known about what they were doing all along, which made them even more cautious about An Moxue's matter.

Tiger said, "That's enough. We each brought a thousand yuan with us when we came! We also have some receipts. The school also provides living expenses, which is enough for basic living."

As they spoke, they arrived near the school. An Moxue stopped the car, and Hu Zi and Xiao Shanzi got out.

Xiao Shanzi asked, "Brother, why didn't you tell Comrade An that you wanted to see the antique market in Kyoto?"

Tiger said, "Let's observe first, and then we can talk to Comrade An after we have a general understanding. Just looking at the car she drove today and the house she stayed in, I feel more and more that Comrade An is not simple. Also, there is no need for you to test Comrade An. If we are capable, Comrade An will not abandon us."

Xiao Shanzi said, "I'm just not sure. You know, Comrade An hasn't seen us for years. She always contacts us through other people. She doesn't care about money at all. Even for something as important as the college entrance exam, she sent us the information through other people. She finally came back to Anle Village, but she didn't even see us. Isn't she afraid that we'll embezzle her money and things?"

Tiger asked, "I just realized today that maybe she knows everything, but our operation is just insignificant to her. Is it possible that she doesn't need it usually, so she just lets it develop and then decides what to do based on the results? Look at the license plate, and that car doesn't look like it was borrowed temporarily. It's parked in the yard. If you don't believe me, quietly ask the neighbors around her house if the car is always there or just occasionally?"

“I’ll go ask her to be more certain of my guesses. Don’t you think she’s afraid we’ll quit? Especially since we both got into Kyoto University and will be assigned jobs in the future.”

"They probably weren't afraid! Otherwise, they wouldn't have just given us five hundred yuan and a piece of paper with their connections written on it, and then let us do whatever we wanted with it. We'll go check out the address that Er Gouzi gave us after class tomorrow and see if we can get a used bicycle, so it'll be more convenient to get around."

"It would be wonderful if we could open up the market for local mountain products here!"

"It's not that simple. What about transportation? In the past, people would come to us to pick it up themselves, but to open up this market, we need dedicated transportation channels and vehicles to deliver it here. Let's take a look!"

The two walked to the vicinity of the school gate as they talked, and then stopped talking about this topic and started talking about other things.

"Brother, what do you think about us buying a house in Kyoto? It doesn't have to be big, just big enough to bring Grandma over and take care of her. Otherwise, we'll be studying for four years, and I'm really worried about leaving Grandma alone at home."

Tiger pondered, "That works, but I wonder how much a house in Kyoto costs? Do we have enough money?"

"Try asking Comrade An tomorrow. She's already bought a house. Besides, she's originally from Kyoto, so she must know very well."

“Okay, I’ll ask tomorrow. Ideally, it should be a separate courtyard. I’ve seen some courtyards in Kyoto where many families live, with seven, eight, or ninety people crammed into a room of just over ten square meters. I really don’t know how they manage to live like that. We can’t let Grandma live in a house like that.”

"If it's really not enough, we can borrow some from Comrade An. I don't think she'll refuse."

"Let's ask first! We're not from Kyoto, so we don't even know if we're allowed to buy a house there."

Xiao Shanzi was not giving up. "There's always a way. If all else fails, we can register it under Comrade An's name. Anyway, I believe she won't covet this house of ours."

Tiger said, "Let's go! Go back and pack your things, class starts tomorrow."

As the sun sets, the evening glow paints half the sky, casting a warm orange hue on people's figures, shimmering with a soft golden light, filled with hope and anticipation.