Chapter 657 The Great Wall
After working non-stop for almost a month, Zhou Yimin felt exhausted.
He fell into a deep sleep as soon as his head touched the pillow on Saturday night, and only slowly opened his eyes when the sunlight of Sunday morning shone through the window and fell on his face.
The leaves of the locust trees outside the window rustled in the wind, and the shouts of tofu pudding vendors came from the alley. This long-lost feeling of relaxation made him breathe a sigh of relief - he could finally take a day off.
He stretched in bed, and when his fingertips touched his trouser pocket, he felt a stiff piece of paper.
When I took it out, I saw that it was a bicycle ticket awarded by the factory, and the edge still had the fragrance of ink.
After staring at the ticket for a while, Zhou Yimin suddenly thought of Zhang Yan.
The girl is studying at a university in the old city, and the school is three alleys away from her home. She has to wait for half a day to get on the bus every day. When there are a lot of people, she may not be able to get on even after trying several times. The last time we met, she pouted and said that if she had a bicycle, she wouldn't have to suffer this.
"It's just right to send it to her." Zhou Yimin jumped up and smiled at the mirror while washing up.
After a simple breakfast of two steamed buns, he dug out a canvas bag from under the bed, carefully sandwiched the bicycle ticket in a notebook and put it in, and stuffed two packets of fruit candy into the bag - that was a benefit given by the purchasing department a while ago, the child would definitely like it.
When he pushed the motorcycle out, the metal parts sparkled in the sun. He patted the seat. This old friend had accompanied him for many miles and could be used again today.
I started the motorcycle and drove towards the alley where Zhang Yan's house was. The courtyards on both sides of the asphalt road were scattered in an orderly manner, and the pomegranate branches sticking out from the top of the wall were laden with green fruits.
When passing by the grocery store on the corner, Zhou Yimin stopped the car and went in to buy a bag of tiaozi cake, which was the favorite of Zhang Yan's sister Zhang Lu.
The closer you get to the alley where Zhang Yan lives, the livelier the sounds become. There's an old man taking a walk with a birdcage, an old lady sitting on the doorstep picking vegetables, and children chasing and playing.
The motorcycle stopped under the old elm tree at the entrance of the alley. A few little girls who were skipping rubber rope at the door saw him, and one of them with a ponytail immediately shouted, "Sister Yanyan! Your brother Yimin is here!"
Zhou Yimin smiled and waved at them: "Is your sister Yanyan at home?"
"Here! I just finished my homework." The little girl answered crisply and ran to the yard happily.
"Sister Yanyan, come out quickly, Brother Yimin has brought the stuff!"
Zhou Yimin had parked his motorcycle and was hanging a trough cake on the handlebars when he saw Zhang Yan peeking out from the courtyard gate. She was wearing a red scarf on her blue school uniform. When she saw him, her eyes widened and she forgot to put down the rag in her hand. "Brother Yimin, why are you here?"
"What, you're not welcome?" Zhou Yimin untied the canvas bag and shook it.
"I brought you something good."
Zhang Yan blushed and waved her hand quickly: "Of course you are welcome, come in and sit down!"
As he spoke, he reached out to pull Zhou Yimin's arm. The force was not strong, but there was a real warmth in it.
She turned and walked into the yard, her steps as light as a little bird, the corners of her blue school uniform fluttering gently in the wind.
Zhou Yimin smiled and picked up the canvas bag and the trough cake and followed him in. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw a little girl with two braids standing at the door of the main hall. It was Zhang Yan's sister Zhang Lu. She was holding an eraser in her hand. When she saw him, she called out sweetly, "Hello, Brother Yimin."
The sound of a chair being moved came from the inner room, and Aunt Zhang came out carrying an enamel basin. When she saw Zhou Yimin, her eyes lit up and the wrinkles on her face smoothed out: "Yimin, you're here! Come in and sit down. It's too hot outside."
Zhou Yimin looked around and didn't see Zhang Jianshe, so he asked, "Aunt Zhang? Where's my Uncle Zhang?"
Her voice was loud and clear, with a sense of vigor. "Your Uncle Zhang, our research has reached its final stage. He's been working overtime every day lately, and he didn't take a break today either. Otherwise, I would definitely have a couple of drinks with you."
Zhou Yimin put the things on the eight-immortal table and replied with a smile: "You're welcome, Aunt Zhang. I just came to see you and Yan Zi."
"What are you looking at? Just treat this place as your own." Aunt Zhang looked him up and down, and seeing a little sweat on his forehead, she asked hurriedly.
"Yimin, have you eaten?"
Zhou Yimin touched his stomach and answered truthfully, "Not yet. I only ate two steamed buns this morning. I'm a little hungry now."
When Aunt Zhang heard this, she went to the kitchen without saying a word: "No, that won't do. Wait, I'll heat up two steamed buns for you, and add the leftover millet porridge from yesterday and some pickled cucumbers. It will be delicious."
As she spoke, she tied on an apron. The bellows on the stove soon began to whirr, and a faint aroma of rice wafted into the kitchen.
Zhang Yan and Zhang Lu looked at each other and saw some emotions in each other's eyes.
Zhang Lu quietly tugged at the corner of Zhang Yan's clothes and whispered, "Sister, our mother is partial to me. Whenever I say I'm hungry, she always says wait a minute, and as soon as Brother Yimin comes, she immediately goes into the kitchen."
Zhang Yan pursed her lips and said nothing, but couldn't help but glance in the direction of the kitchen.
Last time, she came back late from an exam and said she was hungry, and Aunt Zhang said, "If you're hungry, just eat a piece of dry bread."
How could she deserve such treatment? She rolled her eyes, walked to Zhou Yimin, and pointed at the canvas bag on the table: "Brother Yimin, what good things did you bring?"
Zhou Yimin was staring at the pomegranate tree in the yard. He smiled and pushed the canvas bag in front of them: "Look for yourself."
Zhang Yan and Zhang Lu immediately went over and just as they unzipped the box halfway, they saw two packets of fruit candies with a shiny Sun Wukong pattern on the wrapping paper. The two sisters were stunned.
Zhang Lu reached out to take it, but Zhang Yan gently patted the back of her hand and said, "Pour some water for Brother Yimin first."
Zhou Yimin felt warm in his heart when he looked at the two sisters.
The sound of bellows in the kitchen mingled with Aunt Zhang's calls: "Yimin, the porridge is ready, eat it while it's hot!"
He responded, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Zhang Yan and Zhang Lu secretly curl their lips, and he couldn't help but laugh softly. These two girls are quite interesting.
Zhou Yimin sat at the table, drinking millet porridge with pickled cucumbers. The hot porridge slid into his stomach and he felt comfortable all over.
Aunt Zhang sat by the side, asking him about things at the factory, and reminded him to take care of his health and not to stay up late.
Zhou Yimin responded one by one, and occasionally looked up to see Zhang Yan and Zhang Lu whispering something in the yard, glancing towards him from time to time.
After breakfast, Zhou Yimin wiped his mouth, looked at Zhang Yan, and said with a smile: "Yanzi, we haven't gone out to play for a long time, how about going out to play?"
Zhang Yan's eyes lit up instantly when she heard this, and she nodded vigorously without even thinking: "Okay, okay!"
She felt very happy and had long wanted to spend some time alone with Brother Yimin.
Zhang Lu, who was standing by, heard this and quickly came over, pulling Zhang Yan's clothes, looking up and saying, "Sister, brother-in-law, I want to go too!"
Zhang Yan was immediately in trouble, and the smile on her face froze for a moment.
She secretly glanced at Zhou Yimin and thought to herself, this is such a rare opportunity to be alone with Brother Yimin, it would be so awkward if she brought little Zhang Lu along!
She was like a light bulb. But she couldn't refuse her sister directly, and she was in a dilemma.
Just then, Aunt Zhang came out of the kitchen, a rag in her hand. When she heard Zhang Lu's words, she glared at her, "Zhang Lu, you're not free! Have you finished your homework? I remember you said yesterday that the math problems were difficult and you didn't do many of them."
Zhang Lu was choked by her mother's "tough" attitude. She hung her head and muttered softly, "I...I can do it later."
"Wait a minute? The sun will set if you wait a minute!" Aunt Zhang put the rag on the table.
"Hurry back to your room and do your homework. Don't come out to play after you finish it, or you won't even have dinner."
Zhang Lu knew that her mother would keep her word and that she definitely could not go with her. She could only pout in grievance, nodded silently, and went back to the house, looking back every few steps.
Zhang Yan finally felt relieved and secretly gave Aunt Zhang a grateful look.
Zhou Yimin couldn't help laughing when he saw this scene. He stood up and said to Aunt Zhang, "Aunt Zhang, we'll leave first and come back later."
"Go ahead, go ahead, and be careful." Aunt Zhang waved her hand and reminded Zhang Yan.
"Go out with your brother Yimin, don't play around, and come back early."
"I know, Mom." Zhang Yan responded obediently and walked quickly to Zhou Yimin.
Zhou Yimin pushed the motorcycle out, kicked the kickstand, and started the car.
Zhang Yan sat on the back seat somewhat nervously, hesitated for a moment, and gently grabbed the corner of Zhou Yimin's clothes with her hands.
"Hold on tight." Zhou Yimin said, and the motorcycle made a "whoosh" sound, slowly drove out of the alley and headed towards the outside of the city.
The wind blew across her cheeks, bringing a slight chill, but Zhang Yan felt warm in her heart, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but rise.
The motorcycle was driving on the dirt road outside the city, and the trees on both sides were quickly moving backwards, raising clouds of dust.
Zhou Yimin controlled the handlebars with one hand, turned his head and asked loudly, "Yanzi, is there anywhere you want to go?"
The wind was a bit strong, so Zhang Yan moved closer and answered from behind Zhou Yimin, "I want to go to the Great Wall. I've never been there in my life!"
There was a hint of expectation and yearning in her voice, and her eyes looked into the distance, as if she had already seen the Great Wall.
Zhou Yimin listened, nodded, and responded loudly: "Okay, let's go to the Great Wall!"
After saying that, he stepped on the accelerator and the motorcycle sped up a bit, heading towards the Great Wall.
Along the way, the two would occasionally say a few words, but most of the time they were silent. However, this silence was not awkward, but rather had a kind of quiet beauty.
Zhang Yan leaned on Zhou Yimin's back, feeling the warmth of his body and the vibration of the motorcycle, and her heart was filled with a sense of security.
After about an hour, the majestic Great Wall appeared before our eyes.
Zhou Yimin slowed down and stopped the motorcycle at the foot of the Great Wall.
Zhang Yan jumped out of the back seat, looked up at the Great Wall in front of him, and couldn't help but exclaimed in amazement.
At that time, not many people came to visit the Great Wall. Unlike later generations, it was not crowded with tourists everywhere, with people crowded together.
You should know that there is a saying that has been passed down in later generations, which is that he is not a true man if he has not been to the Great Wall.
Zhou Yimin never thought that he could finally see the Great Wall with his own eyes, even though he had no chance to visit it in his previous life.
The city wall glowed gray in the sunlight, winding its way into the distance like a sleeping dragon.
Occasionally, you can see a few local villagers walking across the city wall carrying firewood, but other than that, it is completely silent.
Zhou Yimin walked up to Zhang Yan and asked with a smile, "How is it? Isn't it spectacular?"
Zhang Yan nodded vigorously, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "It's spectacular! Brother Yimin, let's go up and take a look!"
As she said that, she took Zhou Yimin's hand and ran towards the steps of the Great Wall.
Zhou Yimin was pulled by her and started laughing, quickly following her pace.
The sunlight shone on them, stretching their shadows long, and everything seemed so beautiful and comfortable.
Stepping onto the steps of the Great Wall, Zhang Yan seemed to be injected with endless energy, with excitement gleaming in her eyes and her steps as light as a deer.
She ran to the edge of the parapet, stuck her head out to look down, and exclaimed "Wow".
After a while, he stroked the mottled bricks on the city wall, his fingertips running across the traces left by the years, his face full of curiosity.
"Brother Yimin, look how thick this wall is!"
"Brother Yimin, the scenery from here is so beautiful!"
Zhang Yan's voice was clear and loud, echoing on the silent Great Wall.
She didn't notice her strength was being drained away, instead she climbed with increasing vigor. From time to time, she turned back and waved at Zhou Yimin, urging him, "Brother Yimin, please walk faster! There seems to be a beacon tower ahead!"
Zhou Yimin looked at her jumping figure and shook his head helplessly.
This girl was sitting quietly on the back of the motorcycle just now, but as soon as she arrived at the Great Wall, she became as wild as a wild horse.
He quickened his pace to catch up, and kept reminding her: "Run slowly, the stairs are uneven, be careful not to fall."
Zhang Yan didn't listen at all and just rushed forward. The hem of her skirt was blown up by the wind, like a butterfly spreading its wings.
Zhou Yimin followed behind her, watching her slender figure jumping on the city wall, feeling both amused and a little doting.
But it didn't take long for the momentum to fade. Less than half an hour later, Zhang Yan's pace slowed down, her cheeks flushed, beads of sweat oozed from her forehead, and her breathing became a little rapid.
She held onto the city wall, gasping for breath, her steps felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead, and she could no longer move forward.
"I can't do it anymore...Brother Yimin...I can't walk anymore..." Zhang Yan leaned softly on the bricks, her voice a little nasal.
Zhou Yimin walked over, took out a water bottle from his canvas bag, unscrewed the lid, and handed it to her, his tone teasing: "Who was it that urged me to hurry up just now? Do you feel tired now?"
Zhang Yan stuck out her tongue embarrassedly, took the kettle, and gulped down several mouthfuls.
The cool water slid down my throat, instantly relieving a lot of thirst and fatigue.
She found a relatively flat place to sit down, stretched out her legs, and said weakly, "I didn't expect climbing the Great Wall to be so tiring. I should have gone slower."
Zhou Yimin sat down beside her and looked at her listless appearance. He couldn't help but smile: "It's not too late to know now. Let's rest for a while before leaving. There's no rush."
Zhang Yan no longer had the energy to speak, so he could only nod to show that he understood.
(End of this chapter)
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