Chapter 90 But regarding this news, obviously...
"Wow, this red envelope is so thick! Juanjuan's mom really spent a lot of money. Panpan, quickly open it and see how much is inside?"
Seeing Wang Xiaohua pull out such a fat red envelope, Chen Xiufen, who had just moved to her previous position, immediately laughed exaggeratedly. Her husband had already given the red envelope to Chen Pan, so she didn't have to worry about it now and could only watch the fun.
"Yes, Panpan, open it quickly and take a look!" In Longcheng, only close friends, the extremely wealthy, or those who are particularly particular would prepare a red envelope when giving gifts. Others like them were generally less particular and simply gave cash directly. And in such occasions, you couldn't embarrass others; you had to let others know exactly how much they gave.
In such occasions, people often encourage recipients to open their red envelopes on the spot, to make the giver feel more honored. So, when Chen Pan took the red envelope from Wang Xiaohua and saw how bulging it was, Grandma Wang, who was sitting on Chen Pan's other side, immediately started to cheer him on.
"Yes, yes, yes, Panpan, quickly open it and see how much money your Aunt Wang has packed."
"It's so thick, it should be over a hundred yuan, right?"
"Yes, yes, Panpan, open it quickly and show it to everyone."
"Panpan, open it and take a look."
The table Chen Pan was currently at consisted mostly of neighbors, mostly women and children. In Longcheng, even women generally drank. So, it was Grandpa Chen himself who brought Chen Pan over to toast everyone in gratitude.
When Chen Pan's hands were grasped by the older women, Chen Aiguo watched with amusement, then urged the others at the table to eat and drink more, clearing away empty plates and serving new dishes. Previously, when Chen Pan spoke to others, he hadn't said much, allowing the future college student to practice communicating with others on his own.
But now, seeing his granddaughter, caught in the middle, seemed hesitant and slow. It felt like this was her first time encountering such a thing, and he wondered if she could open the red envelope directly in such a situation. Chen Aiguo sighed inwardly, "Children will be children after all," and then he spoke up and asked Chen Pan to open it.
"Hmm!" He glanced at Wang Xiaohua beside him, then Chen Pan opened the thick red envelope in his hand. Then, after Chen Pan opened the red envelope and gently pulled the banknotes out, a stack of five-yuan bills appeared inside, about twenty in total.
"So much? About a hundred yuan, right?" Seeing the money inside, Grandma Wang, who was closest to Chen Pan, praised him again.
"It's a hundred yuan. To make it look more, I went to the bank and exchanged it for twenty brand new bills." Wang Xiaohua, who came alone today, pretended to be embarrassed after carefully observing Chen Pan's expression and seeing that she seemed to raise an eyebrow. She felt that she must be shocked.
"This is a lot, and it's so new! You're so thoughtful, Mom." In recent years, everyone's salary has risen from forty or fifty to two or three hundred. Teachers and civil servants are said to have seen their salaries rise to over five hundred. Even so, in Qingshui Village, most of the money for gifts remains the same, with people bringing in just five or ten yuan. For example, Grandma Wang's son gave ten yuan, and Grandma Wang gave another ten yuan to Chen Pan on the spot. The total amount given to them by the family was twenty yuan, a significant amount among the neighbors.
As for the other 30, 50, and 100 yuan gifts, they were all sent by very close relatives. Just like Panpan's great-grandfather and second grandfather, they had just agreed to give Chen Pan 100 yuan each. They were Grandpa Chen's brothers, and the two families had been doing business together for a few years, so this was normal. As for the Wang family, they had lost touch with each other since they started going to Liuping. Later, when they bought the large courtyard in Liuping and used it as both their home and business, they rarely saw each other even during Chinese New Year. Anyway, the Wang family's gift was indeed very large at this time.
Seeing Panpan still trembling with fear after receiving the red envelope, Chen Aiguo, after exchanging a few polite words with Wang Xiaohua, could not help but smile and urge, "Are you shocked, Panpan? Hurry up and thank your aunt." Normally, even Chen Aiguo, with his excellent temper, would have frowned, feeling his granddaughter was being naive. But today was her graduation banquet, after all, and her admission to university was a major contribution to the Chen family. Chen Aiguo subconsciously endured everything and continued to persuade her with a good temper.
This time, Chen Pan finally recovered from his helplessness and headache.
"Thank you, Auntie. How did Sister Juanjuan do in the exam this year? Why didn't she come this time?"
Chen Pan's question was a natural response, and everyone around her followed suit, asking about her eldest daughter. Everyone had heard that Wang Juanjuan had passed the college entrance exam last year and had chosen to repeat her studies instead of going to university, like Chen Sanbao, the eldest daughter of the Chen family. But as for her test results this time, no one knew.
"My daughter Juanjuan did okay in the exam this time. Her score finally passed the first-tier line, but it was still a little lower than Panpan's."
Hearing everyone's questions, Wang Xiaohua smiled and told everyone that Wang Juanjuan's college admission letter had not arrived yet and she didn't know what had happened.
"That should be soon. This time you and Teacher Wang can finally rest assured."
"In recent years, our village has only produced one person, Panpan, who went to a key university. For those of us with children, as long as they can get into university, it doesn't matter whether it's a junior college or a bachelor's degree. As for that stupid kid in my family, I feel he's destined to go to a junior college in the future."
"One is good enough. Some schools are slow in sending out acceptance letters. You should wait a few more days. Maybe Juanjuan's letter will arrive in two days."
"Yes, Juanjuan's mom, please don't be too hard on the kids. These days, it's a big deal if a child can get into college, not to mention that Juanjuan got you into a top university."
"Yeah, yeah, you should be happy if you get into a first-tier university. I heard that this year's college entrance exam was quite difficult. Only fifty out of the more than two hundred candidates in No. 4 Middle School passed, and only seventeen of them got into undergraduate programs."
"That's right, that's right. I heard that out of the 17 undergraduates, only two or three got into key universities. These days, it's so easy to get into key universities."
"Yes, yes, as for Panpan, it was also because the teaching staff of No. 6 Middle School was a little better than that of No. 4 Middle School that Panpan was lucky enough to do a little better in the exam."
After all, Wang Xiaohua's husband, Wang Changqing, was their village's first high school graduate and first high school teacher. He held a particularly high status and reputation throughout Qingshui Village. Seeing Wang Xiaohua being modest, everyone around them, hearing her, almost unanimously offered a smile and flattery. Even Chen Pan's grandfather, as usual, was unusually polite to her.
Chen Pan sat in the crowd and laughed along with everyone else.
She didn't say anything else.
Ever since her family bought the large courtyard behind their house in Liuping Town, they've completely moved there. Aside from occasional visits to visit relatives and attend weddings and funerals, they rarely come to the village. Even when they do come, they usually just wander around the factory and then head back home in a hurry.
As for Wang Qingshan's family, they belonged to No. 4 Middle School in Chenjia Town, which provided them with free teacher housing. For families like him, it was said that the classrooms and dormitories at No. 4 Middle School were two-story, self-built buildings with a small courtyard, completely different from the single dormitories for single teachers. Furthermore, a few years ago, it was said that they had actually been allocated housing. They had always lived in a real building in the No. 4 Middle School staff compound, so like Chen Pan's family, they had completely moved out of Qingshui Village.
They only visited Qingshui Village once or twice when something happened. Because of this, they rarely saw each other over the years, sometimes not even seeing each other for a year. At this moment, knowing everything, Chen Pan treated the situation with the normal attitude he would treat an old neighbor.
These days, teachers are particularly popular.
The government had allocated them a house, and Wang Qingshan had been a teacher for nearly twenty years. In a few years, he would be able to retire and receive his pension. Under these circumstances, they certainly wouldn't take any chances. If anyone knew they had three children, during this period of strict family planning, he might be made an example of by the school and his superiors and immediately fired. Therefore, given their cautious attitude, they certainly wouldn't act rashly.
After figuring everything out, Chen Pan looked up at his grandfather when everyone was chatting most animatedly.
Grandpa Chen understood immediately and immediately stood up and urged Chen Pan to continue toasting.
After they all agreed not to drink, they smiled and went to the next table as if it was their turn.
"The Chen family is completely different now. Who would have thought they were bargaining so hard when they came to our shop to buy pork just a few years ago?"
"Yes, a few years ago, Panpan always followed her grandfather to the mountains and plains to herd cattle and sheep. At that time, I saw that her pants were always patched and her shoes always had a big hole in them. I secretly felt sorry for her. I didn't expect that in just a few years, she would be admitted to university and her family would become so rich."
"Yes, this is what they call a 30-year cycle. The previous 30 years were a time of hardship for Uncle Chen and Aunt Chen, and now it should be called a time of prosperity for them."
"Haha, then I hope my family can also enter a period of enjoyment as soon as possible."
"Haha, Grandma Wang, haven't you noticed that your family is slowly getting better? I heard that your grandson has started to go to school and talk, right?"
"That's true!"
"Aunt, this means your family's hard times are over. From now on, you can enjoy happiness."
"Indeed, indeed. Hey, sister-in-law, why didn't Brother Qingshan come over today?"
"Well, his school enrolled him in some class, and he went to study outside."
"Wow, I thought teachers would have a complete break during winter and summer vacations, but I didn't expect something like this!"
"That's not so good. There are study sessions during the winter and summer holidays. They will have to go to school early when school starts in a few days."
“That’s really hard work.”
"Hey, did Xiaomei, who's so close to Panpan, also take the college entrance exam this year? How did she do? I haven't heard from her recently!"
"She was sick during the two days of the exam and didn't take it. How pitiful!"
"ah!!"
Wang Xiaohua, who was talking to everyone, couldn't help but look back frequently at Chen Pan who was toasting others. Thinking of her eldest daughter who had to repeat a year and just pass the entrance exam to a university, she felt extremely uncomfortable.
As she frequently glanced at Chen Pan behind her, at Grandpa Chen, who was cheerfully bringing Chen Pan to meet the crowd, and at Grandma Chen, who had come over after entertaining other guests; as everyone at their table began to talk about Yang Xiaomei, who unexpectedly didn't take the college entrance examination, Chen Pan, holding a wine glass and tied with many red and green ribbons, subconsciously listened to the conversation behind her while toasting the person in front of her.
After learning that Yang Xiaomei, with whom she had lost contact for three years, had missed the college entrance examination this year due to a cold, Chen Pan, who had been privately speculating about her performance and wondering why her family hadn't come today, began to feel uneasy.
The college entrance examination is such an important matter. Chen Pan didn’t know how she caught a cold during that time.
I feel that at a moment like that, she should have gritted her teeth and endured it even if she had to go to the hospital or clinic to get a strong fever-reducing injection.
No matter what he thought in his heart, that afternoon after finishing his own affairs, Chen Pan still went to the Yang family with his cousin Chen Zhenzhen.
Even though the other party probably doesn't want to see him now, Chen Pan feels that words of comfort and encouragement should still be said in person.
In addition, he would be leaving here for Beijing soon, so before he really left, Chen Pan still wanted to see his former best friend.
"My sister went to my grandma's house with my parents. My grandma has been in poor health recently, and they have been gone for several days."
Chen Pan went over excitedly, and this was the news he got in the end.
"Oh, so when she comes back, can you give this to her? This is a letter I wrote to her, and this star wishing bottle. This is a birthday gift I prepared for her in advance. I folded every star inside by myself, and I wrote a lot of blessings in it. I hope she likes it." Chen Pan saw the boy talking to her, and handed him the letter she had prepared in advance and the palm-sized wishing bottle filled with colorful little stars with some disappointment.
"Okay, I'll definitely give it to her personally when she comes back."
He looked at the clean clothes Chen Pan was wearing, and then at Chen Zhenzhen who was following behind her. Yang Xiaokang, who was holding the door, quickly raised his hand to take the things in Chen Pan's hand, and then slammed the door shut.
"What kind of person is this? He has no manners at all!"
When seventeen-year-old Chen Zhenzhen saw that Yang Xiaokang, who was only a few years younger than her, was so rude, she subconsciously felt sorry for her cousin.
"It's okay, he's still young after all."
Without caring about the other party's attitude, Chen Pan turned around and walked downstairs with Chen Pingping, whom he brought up specially.
"But--"
"Zhenzhen, are these new sandals of yours? They look really nice."
After they walked down a few steps together, Chen Pan stared at the other's pink sandals and suddenly shouted.
"Does it really look good? I actually wanted white, but my mom thought pink looked good, so she was so domineering and bought me pink." Her thoughts were suddenly disrupted. Seventeen-year-old Chen Zhenzhen immediately told Chen Pan about the last time her mother took her to the June 6th shopping festival and spent ten yuan to buy her this pair of pink sandals at the June 6th venue.
"It looks great. Auntie San has excellent taste. This color really suits you, making you look especially fair. Your pants and shirt look great today too. Did you buy them last time?"
He called out to the familiar aunt coming towards him, and then Chen Pan continued to praise Chen Zhenzhen's clothes and shoes.
"The pants are from me, and the clothes were bought for me by grandma when she bought clothes for us last time." Afraid that Chen Pan didn't understand, Chen Zhenzhen talked about how her grandma occasionally bought clothes and pants for all her brothers and sisters in recent years: "Brother Dabao, brother Erbao, brother Sanbao, brother Sibao, sister Pingping, sister Guigui, sister Qingqing, Lanlan from brother Dabao's family, and one-year-old Rongrong from brother Erbao's family.
Whenever my grandmother went out shopping, she would buy something for everyone in the family. She was afraid that if she missed something, everyone would be unhappy. She also bought something for my eldest sister-in-law, my second sister-in-law, and my two daughters-in-law. Anyway, my grandmother earned a lot and spent a lot these years. Besides buying things for us, she also bought things for my two aunts and their children.
Chen Zhenzhen smiled and recounted how her grandmother went shopping for everyone two years ago and forgot to buy something for the youngest, Lanlan. As a result, the little girl burst into tears, and a fight almost broke out at home.
She said this with a smile, her face always smiling.
Chen Pan listened with a smile and said, "So that's how it is."
In fact, the reason why my great-grandmother and great-grandfather are like this now is that they have money after all, and they are willing to use the little money they have to make everyone happy and satisfied.
As for my third uncle and aunt, their family was really in financial difficulty in the past, so they subconsciously ignored the youngest Chen Zhenzhen and subconsciously gave everything to the boys Chen Sibao and others.
Now, the economy can turn around.
They naturally treated their own daughters with no harshness. When buying shoes, pants, socks, or cakes for the eldest and second child, they would also buy some for the youngest.
As for academics, the second son of the eldest branch of the Chen family has a son, Chen Sanbao, who is now a student at a second-tier university. The third son of the Chen family has a son, Chen Sibao, who was admitted to university this year. And Chen Pan, the third son of the Chen family, has also been admitted to a key university.
Under such circumstances, if the family's financial situation allowed, no one in the Chen family would drop out of school due to money. With Chen Pan, a girl who had been admitted to a key university, no one in the family would stop the girls from going to college.
Anyway, Chen Pan is no longer worried about Chen Zhenzhen who is beside him.
"Zhenzhen, when I came here this time, I brought back all my old study notes and all the study materials I bought outside. I'll give them all to you when I get back. You should work hard at home. I hope I can attend your graduation banquet at this time next year. As for your own affairs, whether it's about study or life, you can write or call me to tell me. When I go to Beijing, I will also write you a letter and give you my specific address and phone number."
Regarding Chen Zhenzhen's matter, it's better to be safe than sorry. Although he felt that she should be completely fine, Chen Pan still said some words of assurance and encouragement just in case.
"Sister Panpan, thank you."
Chen Zhenzhen, who had only become truly close to her in the past two years, carefully took her arm with red eyes: "Sister, don't worry about me, my parents are treating me very well now."
Thinking about the current situation at home, Chen Zhenzhen was sincerely happy.
"That's good. Anyway, I'll leave it at that. If you have any problems in the future, you can come to me or my grandparents."
"Yeah, I understand!"
*
Almost immediately after Chen Pan held two graduation banquets, the admission letters for Cai Xiaojing, Qin Yang, and others finally arrived.
As expected, the young couple Cai Xiaojing and Wei Dong were both admitted to their favorite university, Shenyang University of Technology, which was a complete dream come true.
Qin Yang's first choice seemed to be Xi'an Medical College, and his second choice seemed to be Chongqing Medical University. However, the university that ultimately accepted him was Longcheng University in Longcheng. Longcheng University is considered the best university in Longcheng, and its medical department is also very famous in Long County.
But no matter how good this school is, it seems that it is not as good as Qin Yang’s first and second choices.
Knowing that he was admitted to his third choice, Chen Pan couldn't help feeling a little regretful after hearing the news.
But Qin Yang's mother was obviously very satisfied with the news: "Our Longcheng University is also a first-class university. The doctors and nurses there will basically be assigned to our Longcheng Hospital as soon as they graduate. It was me who suggested this school to my Yangyang. He might have been annoyed by my nagging at the time, so he filled in that school as his third choice. I didn't expect that even God would help me in the end. Although this feels a bit unfair to my Yangyang, to be honest, I really hope he can stay in our Longcheng.
Here, I can usually take care of him. If anything happens to me, I can see him immediately with just a phone call and explain everything to him at once. But if he goes to Xi'an or Chongqing, it's a little too far after all. It's been almost five years since my surgery, and I don't know how long I will live. So in this matter, I can only be selfish once more.
Mother Qin, who had come to announce the good news, was originally talking happily to Chen Pan's grandparents. But as she spoke, she lowered her head and wiped away her tears.
Seeing her like this, Grandpa Chen and Grandma Chen subconsciously tried to persuade her, all of them saying, "Our Longda is really good" and "It's not her fault."
Chen Pan was listening normally, but when he heard this, he inexplicably felt like he couldn't go on anymore.
By the time she reacted, Chen Pan had already come out of her grandparents' room.
Just as she was leaving the suite, Chen Pan saw Qin Yang untying his puppy and quietly petting Xiao Hei in the middle of his yard.
I don’t know how long he has been here, and I’m not sure if he heard what his mother said just now. I’m also a little puzzled as to why my little Hei didn’t even cry out when he saw him.
Anyway, after taking a deep breath subconsciously, Chen Pan smiled and quickly walked towards the other person.
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