Once the first day of the Lunar New Year was over, Xia Ning was about to go home. Zhong Songbai took out the things he had prepared in advance for Xia Ning one by one.
Xia Ning looked at the contents of the two large suitcases and said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry:
"I just went home for a quick look, and you've already moved the whole house back for me? It's so heavy, how am I supposed to carry it all!"
Zhong Songbai carried the things onto the tractor and onto the road:
“I’ve already arranged with Director Wei to borrow a tractor to take you. When we get to the train station, I’ll buy you a platform ticket and put your things directly on the train. After you get off, call home and have your brother pick you up.”
"Although they're not anything particularly valuable, they're all local specialties. Even if you could buy them in Beijing, they might not be as good quality as the ones we carefully select!"
This was Zhong Songbai's intention; how could Xia Ning not feel it?
The fact that Zhong Songbai prepared so much in such a short time shows how much effort he put into it.
Xia Ning nodded warmly and said:
"Okay, thank you on behalf of my parents!"
Zhong Wanwan and Xiao Baiyang waited at the gate of the compound without coming in. As soon as the tractor left the compound, Zhong Wanwan and Xiao Baiyang waved goodbye to Xia Ning.
There's nothing particularly special to say. We're usually together every day, and Xia Ning doesn't stay home for very long; she comes back after half a month.
The train rattled along for a day and a half, and Xia Ning got off the train on the evening of the third day of the Lunar New Year.
Zhong Songbai's preparations were indeed too heavy. Xia Ning originally didn't want to trouble her third brother, Xia Weiqing, but she gave up when she mentioned the train station entrance.
These things must weigh 80 pounds, and it took her a lot of effort just to get them to the train station entrance. She should just give herself a break!
Xia Weiqing was quite surprised to receive his younger sister's call. He exclaimed loudly:
"What did you say? You can't carry these things and you want me to come pick you up? No, are you still my tough little sister Xia Ning? Have you been possessed?"
Xia Ning said irritably:
"Hurry up, there's too much stuff, I really can't carry it all. I'll wait for you at the train station!"
Although Xia Weiqing was quite surprised, he acted quickly because his sister had told him. He put on his military overcoat, went out, and rode his bicycle straight to the train station.
When I arrived at the train station, I saw Xia Ning standing by the roadside with a sack of things at her feet, but I didn't know what it was.
Xia Weiqing clicked his tongue and said:
"Xia Ning, are you having trouble adjusting to rural life? You've come back with your luggage?"
Xia Ning rolled her eyes and said:
"Do you think everyone is like you, hiding under the covers and crying at the slightest hardship, wishing they could desert on the spot?"
Xia Weiqing, having his shortcomings exposed, jumped up and down, saying:
"My feet were blistered from training, and I didn't cry at all, and I certainly didn't desert!"
Xia Ning pouted, stubborn as a mule. She heard her pillow was all wet, but she hadn't cried yet!
Xia Ning pointed to the sack at his feet and said:
"Hurry up, load the bicycles up. Dragging them to the train station entrance is my limit, they're too heavy!"
In order to win back his sister's favor and show off the results of his recent training, Xia Weiqing said to Xia Ning with a flourish:
"Xia Ning, can you help me with this? I'm going to tie the sack to the car."
Seeing Xia Weiqing's ignorant and fearless attitude, Xia Ning had a wicked idea. She deliberately used all her strength to put the sack on the back seat of the bicycle.
Xia Weiqing hadn't anticipated the weight of the sack, and his grip on the bicycle wasn't strong enough. The sudden force caused the bicycle to lurch off course.
Xia Weiqing suddenly jerked off, wobbling as he rode off. Had Xia Ning not had a change of heart and pulled the bicycle back in time, Xia Weiqing would have surely fallen.
Seeing Xia Weiqing's disheveled appearance, Xia Ning burst into laughter:
"Third Brother, have you been training lately? I see you're getting worse!"
Xia Weiqing, annoyed that his sister had tricked him, said:
"Did you bring back the farm weight? It's so heavy!"
Xia Ning shrugged and said:
"It's just a little bit of local specialty, I never expected that my third brother would be in such a state!"
Xia Weiqing muttered to himself:
"What kind of local specialty is so heavy? It's like moving house!"
Xia Ning sat on the front bar of the bicycle, with a burlap sack tied to the back seat. Xia Weiguo pedaled the bicycle, taking his younger sister home.
Exhausted like a dead dog, Xia Weiqing had just arrived home when he heard his father complaining:
"Why are you so slow? It's only a short distance, and you've already ridden back. You really need to exercise more!"
Seeing Xia Weiqing's daughter Xia Ning following behind, she smiled like a flower, as if changing faces in Sichuan opera:
"Xiao Ning, hurry up and change your shoes and come inside. Your third brother rides his bike slowly, you must be cold. Next time, let Dad go, he'll definitely be much better than your third brother!"
Xia Weiqing was speechless. He was like that woman, always getting all the hard work and no reward. Only his daughter, Xia Ning, was his biological daughter.
As long as Xia Ning comes back, his father will only have eyes for his sister.
Xia's mother also came out of the kitchen. She looked at her daughter whom she hadn't seen for several months and was about to show her maternal love by saying that she had lost weight. However, looking at her daughter's obviously rounder face, she couldn't bring herself to say such a thing.
Ultimately, reason prevailed over maternal love. Xia's mother wondered:
"Xiao Ning, do you educated youth eat very well? How come you've gained a little weight?"
The food for the educated youth was quite poor. Even though Xia Ning could occasionally have a good meal while eating at the educated youth compound, she still lost a lot of weight.
It wasn't until she started dating Zhong Songbai that she started eating at his house almost all the time. Especially after she was hospitalized recently, the food became even more expensive, and she unknowingly gained some weight.
Xia Ning subconsciously pinched her cheek and said:
"Have you gained a lot of weight? You're not too bad!"
Now that there's a chance to complain, Xia Weiqing belittled Xia Ning, saying:
"If you remove the 'ma' part, you've just gained a lot of weight. I'm exhausted from riding back here!"
Xia's father glared at Xia Weiqing, then squeezed next to his daughter and said:
"What do you mean by fat? I'm not fat at all, I'm just right!"
Xia Ning remembered what Zhong Songbai had brought back and quickly dragged the sack into the house:
"Mom, these are some local specialties I brought home. How many would you like to send to my eldest and second eldest brothers' families?"
Xia Weiguo and Xia Weimin are both married and have their own houses; they do not live with their parents.
Only Xia Weiqing, who was unmarried, and Xia Ning lived with Xia's parents.
Xia's parents had said before that once Xia Weiqing got married, they would apply for housing together with his wife, so he shouldn't try to stay at home.
That bag of stuff is so big? This isn't like Xia Ning at all!
Other people's daughters are all sweet and caring, but Xia Ning grew up with her maternal grandfather and maternal uncle.
If it comes to fighting, even her third brother Xia Weiqing can't beat her. If it comes to being meticulous, well, she's not even as good as her three brothers!
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