Chapter 99 It’s the Little Sun

Yan Lingling was a little reserved at first. She was arranged to sit with Yang Guofeng. Teachers have high status and are respected. The village secretary is an official after all. For a teacher to sit with an official, it can be said that the teacher values ​​her very much.

Afraid that she, a girl, would feel embarrassed, Yang Mingyuan sat next to her and kept giving her skewers and dishes: "Teacher, try this quickly, it's good stuff, delicious!"

"Teacher, do you want some more Coke? I'll fill it up for you!"

"Teacher! Crayfish!"

"Teacher! Cold dishes!"

Yan Lingling gradually forgot her identity as a teacher and immersed herself in the rare delicacy.

When she was in her early twenties, she loved to eat and enjoy life. But after she went to the countryside to be a teacher, it was like being exiled, and all the delicious food became a distant dream.

At this moment, looking at the smiling faces of the people around me, everyone was laughing and talking freely without any reservations. The night breeze blew through the courtyard, blowing the fire not far away, and the air was filled with the aroma of barbecued fruit wood.

It was an intoxicating night.

He didn't know how many skewers of meat he had eaten, the leftovers in front of him were almost full. Yang Mingyuan burped, sighed deeply, and patted his bloated stomach: "Comfortable!"

Yan Lingling, who was standing by, was a little amused. "No wonder you were in such a hurry to go home after school. Did you enjoy your meal?"

Yang Mingyuan chuckled, "Teacher, let's not mention this here. If my mom hears it, I'll definitely get beaten."

"Okay, since you brought me here to eat delicious food, let's put this matter behind us."

"Okay! Don't worry! I will be obedient from now on!"

"You just said the same thing to your sister, right?"

"Hey, you have to listen to the teacher and the sister too."

"You're so cunning." Naughty children like Yang Mingyuan are usually very clever. Yan Lingling lost her temper. She just felt amused and a little curious. She moved closer to Yang Mingyuan and asked quietly, "Who treated us to this meal? Why are there so many people? Is there some happy event?"

Yang Mingyuan looked around, everyone was chatting and laughing, no one paid attention to them.

He also imitated the teacher and lowered his voice, pretending to be an adult: "My sister treated us. This mountain is hers. She treated us if she wanted to. It's not a happy occasion."

"Your sister's mountain?" Yan Lingling was a little surprised. She didn't expect that Yang Mingyuan's family was quite rich.

"Yes, she's not my biological sister. My sister is in middle school in town. Sister Xia Wu is Uncle Yang's daughter. She came back last year and started growing strawberries in the village. Later, she took over the village's hills. Many people in the village work for her. My mother used to work outside, but after the New Year, she'll work for her too, so she doesn't have to go out anymore."

"It would be great if she were my biological sister. But even though she's not my biological sister, she's very kind to us. The elderly in the village can eat at her place if they do some small jobs for her. She also has many guests, such as the grandfather who cooks, who comes from outside and is a great cook."

When Yan Lingling heard what Yang Mingyuan said, she felt like she was listening to a fairy tale. She didn't know how a girl like Xia Wu could do it. Looking around the yard, there were so many old people, and some young people who didn't look like they were from the village. Were they all attracted by her?

Xia Wu sat not far away across the street, sitting with guests who had come from afar. No one knew what they were talking about, but she was smiling with her eyes narrowed. Everyone around her was looking at her. In the crowd, she was the most dazzling star, surrounded by people like the moon surrounded by stars.

It’s really great. Yan Lingling watched from afar and didn’t feel envious, but just felt that it was really great.

When she looked at Xia Wu, she couldn't help but want to get closer.

Xia Wu seemed to exude a special charm that made people want to get close to her, walk into her life, and become friends with her.

Maybe this is personal charm.

Yang Guofeng, who was sitting to the right of Yan Lingling, suddenly came over and interrupted: "Teacher, are you new here?"

"Yes, I was just assigned this semester."

"It's not easy. There aren't many young girls like you willing to come to a place like ours these days. You've worked so hard. Come, let me toast you a glass to express my respect and welcome." Yang Guofeng filled Yan Lingling's cola. He drank plum wine himself. Although the alcohol content was low, he was clearly a little embarrassed. "It's because of young people like you that our country will have more and more hope."

Yan Lingling was flattered and quickly picked up the cup, feeling a little guilty. She was not an ambitious young person, she was just trying to stabilize her employment and save the country in a roundabout way. If she could get a job in the city, who would come to such a place?

"Secretary Yang, you are too kind. I don't deserve these compliments. I should be the one showing my respect to you."

"Hey, Teacher Yan, you don't know how difficult it is for us. Look at how many villages are here. When there were more people, our village had a primary school. Now, children from more than a dozen villages all go to Dongkeng Primary School. The other village primary schools have been cancelled. The grass in the school is taller than the children. There are no students and no teachers, especially good teachers like you who are young, educated, have ideals, and are responsible. There are too few people willing to come to our school."

"I heard from the kids in the village that Lao Wang has been rehired as a teacher, right?"

The Old Wang he mentioned was Yang Mingyuan’s previous Chinese and English teacher.

Yan Lingling has met Teacher Wang. He is quite old and looks gentle. His dress is no different from the old farmers in the village. His eyes are blurry and he has to wear reading glasses to write on the blackboard. He only cares about his own teaching in class and does not interact with students because he cannot see their faces at all.

"No, no, Teacher Wang has retired and no longer teaches in the school." Yan Lingling explained quickly. She had heard many teachers in the school talk about Lao Wang. It was said that several teachers had been Lao Wang's students.

Yang Guofeng looked relieved. "That's great. Lao Wang is a good man, but he's not really suited to being a teacher. When he taught us before, it was really hard to say whether we could even get into junior high school."

Yan Lingling was amused by him, "Teacher Wang was also your teacher?"

"Well, that's terrifying. Before, finishing junior high school was considered highly educated, but now kids are considered dropouts. An old man like Wang is teaching several generations of us from all over the place. What level can he possibly reach? It's terrifying!"

Yang Guofeng became worried as he spoke, so worried that he drank the plum wine in one gulp. How could this stuff taste so good? He touched the bottle to pour another glass, but in just a short while, the bottle was empty!

He stood up and looked around. Yang Shuhua, who had a keen eye, ran over and said, "Secretary, are you looking for some wine?"

"Don't call me secretary. There's no secretary here. Do you have any wine?"

"No, we've already finished three bottles. I went to ask Xiao Wu for more, but she refused, saying that there wasn't much left and it wasn't fully brewed yet. If we asked her again, we'd have finished it all!"

Yang Shuhua also looked unsatisfied and seemed to enjoy drinking plum wine.

"Okay, okay, I'll have a Coke," Yang Guofeng sat back down and refilled the cup in front of Yan Lingling. "I just like young people. I'm happy to see them. Young people are great. They are the sun at eight or nine o'clock. They are the hope of the motherland. This saying is so true."

"Look at Xia Wu from our village. Ever since she came back and took over this hill, I feel like I'm getting younger and younger. After she came, there are more and more young people in the village. Everyone can find work at their doorstep. Not to mention making tens of thousands a month, they can also support themselves. Maybe in the future it won't be a problem to make over ten thousand a month," Yang Guofeng became more and more excited as he spoke. He had been holding these words in his heart for too long, and today, under the influence of alcohol, he wanted to get them out.

"And you, you're a great guy too. No matter what, let's have another drink!"

Yan Lingling listened with deep emotion. She felt that she was unworthy of Yang Guofeng's praise, but she didn't know how to explain that her motives were not simple.

Suddenly, a lively voice erupted not far away. Looking up, Yang Mingkai was standing on a stool, holding a Coke bottle in his hand. He shouted, "Everyone, pay attention! Mr. Zhao San is going to play a song to liven up the atmosphere. Do you want to listen?"

Uncle Zhao Sanye is a five-guarantee household in the village. When he was young, he begged for a living and traveled all over the country. He has learned many skills.

He was seventy-three years old. In his early years, he injured his knees while begging. His right leg was deformed, making walking difficult. Before Xia Wu sent him up the mountain to work and eat, he would crawl to the doorway every day to sit and bask in the sun. Since he was able to come to the courtyard, Yang Guofeng would bring him there every day and take him back in the evening. He saw that the old man looked much more energetic.

Everyone applauded and asked Uncle Zhao San to sing a song. This was the first time the old man played a song for someone other than a tip. He felt a little embarrassed by so many people staring at him, and his teeth chattered as he spoke. "Let me, old man, perform a song called 'Mother's Kiss' for you all."

The instrument in his hand looked like an erhu and a sanxian, which he made by hand and had been with him for decades. When Uncle Zhao Sanye moved his hand, an ancient and dull sound rang out.

The courtyard gradually became quiet. The rustling sound of the evening breeze could be heard, and occasionally someone was talking in a low voice or coughing. This not only did not affect Mr. Zhao Sanye's performance, but instead added a sense of reality to the scene.

In that remote little village, that little village

My dear mother, her hair is already white

…

How many kisses did my mother give me?

Kiss the tears off my face

Warm my little heart

Mother's kiss, warm kiss

Makes me miss you till now]

The old man sang with a hoarse voice, almost at the top of his lungs, and his voice penetrated people's souls.

In today's society, it is rare to hear music that touches the soul so much. The delicious food on the table soothes people's internal organs, and the music in the ears comforts her heart.

Like being washed.

Gray, backward, inconvenient, disgusting, the countryside that originally had so many bad names now unveiled its contemptuous veil in front of her and revealed its true appearance.

Yes, Yan Lingling had never liked being a teacher in a place like this. She missed home every day, and even cried at night. She simply did what she was supposed to do for her students, nothing more. As for high-sounding titles like gardener or waterer, she never considered herself one.

So when faced with Yang Guofeng's praise, she felt at a loss and didn't know how to respond, and could only drink her drink awkwardly.

She was pushed to a height she didn't deserve, and only she knew how despicable a person she actually was.

Uncle Zhao sang one song after another, and the sound of cheers and applause was endless. After he finished singing, the villagers still felt unsatisfied, so a few more good voices came and sang the old and popular songs.

Yan Lingling held her face, the blush of shame still lingering. She wondered if she had to stay here for two more years. Should she continue to act like an ostrich, waiting to be transferred back to the city?

Even if it was only three years, couldn't she do something for these lovely, poor people?

Maybe she could really try.

An intoxicating night.

Whether it was delicious food, the lovely person in front of him, or the unexpectedly beautiful song, every person and every thing together made Xia Wu happy.

She couldn't help but relax her body, leaning on Ji Yunzhou's wheelchair, and lazily became a bystander.

It was late at night, with the village leaning against the dark mountains, and looking down from above, only this little spot in the village was as bright as day. From afar, the mountains seemed like a deep and reliable mother, gently embracing the mountain people who believed in her and carefully protecting them.

The laughter and joy drifted far away on the wind.

Dashan also seemed to like this lively atmosphere. Xia Wu seemed to have sensed something and felt that the spiritual spring water was gurgling and seeping much faster than usual.

"Are you tired?" Xia Wu and Ji Yunzhou were very close to each other. She turned her face slightly to see his expression.

Ji Yunzhou was watching the villagers singing attentively, with a smile on his face, and he seemed to be in a good mood.

"Not bad," he looked down at Xia Wu and responded to her. His gentle eyes seemed to be filled with mist, just like the mountains tonight.

Xia Wu curled her lips, "Do you like this atmosphere? I like it very much."

“It feels good.”

Ji Yunzhou spoke his true thoughts.

The reason why he chose to cultivate himself here was initially because he was attracted by the beautiful scenery and the simple people, and he would not be disturbed by anyone.

But after Xia Wu came, everything changed and this place became better than before.

He didn't feel it was noisy at all, instead he felt warm as if he was basking in the sun.

It’s all because of Xia Wu.

She is the sun.

Who doesn't love the sun?

Xia Zhi looked at the two people who were whispering, and the flash of sarcasm in his eyes was directed at himself.

Xia Wu has always been a good person, but some people in the past mistook her for her own good and failed to see her good side.

Now everyone knows that she is good, but he came too late.

That's it, that's it.

Xia Zhi told himself in his heart with an expressionless face.

Xu Li had finished grilling skewers long ago, and it was Wang Yuexia's turn. He sat down next to the chef and drank a glass of plum wine without saying a word. He stared at the wine in surprise. It tasted so good.

The chef has the right to open a small kitchen for himself. Ma Xueqing and Xu Li occupied a small table alone, and left some of the dishes for them. The uncle and nephew drank wine and ate barbecue, and they were so happy that they couldn't say anything more.

Soon, the crowd became quiet. When the chaotic and ancient tune sounded, Ma Xueqing closed his eyes and gently shook the wine in the glass. He didn't know whether he was drunk because of the wine or because of the scene.

Xu Li was also drunk, and it was rare for him to feel that the trip was worthwhile.

No wonder my uncle likes to come here.

He liked it too.