Chapter 34 Brother, it’s been more than a week, go...
"Mom, look what I received?"
Because Liuping is very close to Qingshui Village, Chen Pan's letter reached Yang Xiaomei the next day after it was sent.
Holding the letter she got from the village committee, Yang Xiaomei, who had just finished school, was beaming with joy.
"Hey, it was actually written to you by Chen Pan. It's amazing that she hasn't forgotten you yet."
Yang Xiaomei's mother was a rare example of someone of her age in her village who had actually received an education. She glanced at the large words on the envelope and jokingly spoke to her eldest child while making dinner.
"She hasn't forgotten me. She even said I'm her best friend, the one she cares about the most. She also told me to study hard and go to high school and college with her in the future."
After carefully looking at her mother, Yang Xiaomei immediately unfolded the envelope and placed it in front of her mother.
Because she was so happy, she opened the letter as soon as the village chief called her and gave her the envelope. Now she just wanted her mother to take a good look at the contents.
The page that Yang Xiaomei handed to Fang Qinghua was exactly the one where Chen Pan said that No. 6 Middle School was better than No. 4 Middle School, and that as long as high school students there studied well and ranked in the top three in their grade, the school would waive all tuition and accommodation fees. Chen Pan hoped that Yang Xiaomei would study hard, and that they would go to high school together and take the college entrance examination together in the future.
"She just wrote something and you really believed it? Who knows if it's true? And are you really that good at studying?"
"Panpan wouldn't lie about something like this. Lying won't do her any good. As for my studies, I'm only in the second year of junior high. As long as you promise to let me continue, I can work very hard."
Yang Xiaomei, ever so cautious, quickly collected the letter. Then, she leaned against the edge of the kang, staring motionlessly at her mother.
"Then it depends on your studies. If you can do very well in all the upcoming exams, and you can successfully get into No. 6 Middle School in the third year of junior high school, and even get their admission scholarship, then why should your father and I object?" Fang Qinghua understood her eldest daughter's thoughts very well. Seeing her leaning her body cautiously, she gave a promise after thinking for a while.
"Mom, are you serious?" Yang Xiaomei, who had always known her parents' plan, stood up straight, but she quickly thought of the key point: "What about my brother and sister? If I go to school, my sister will not be able to go to school? And my brother's future marriage money--"
"Since you've decided to study, don't worry about them anymore. And if they really have a talent for studying, they can work hard to get into No. 6 Middle School like you did in the future. Once you both get in and get that free tuition spot, all the other problems will naturally be solved. Anyway, the key is your academic performance. As long as you study well, your father and I will do everything we can to support you. But if you don't study well, mess around at school at a young age, or if you're just mediocre no matter how hard you study, then there's no point in saying this now."
Seeing her daughter's reaction, Fang Qinghua felt very complicated and a little angry at her for not fighting back. She shook the noodles she had been kneading in her hands vigorously, and finally she could only say this.
"Then Mom, you have to keep your word. Don't let me get into No. 6 Middle School and get a scholarship from them in the future, and you and Dad still won't let me go to school."
This was the first time her mother agreed to let her go to high school in the future. Feeling a little excited, the fifteen-year-old Yang Xiaomei approached her mother and couldn't help but say another sentence.
"Okay, Mom promises that as long as your academic performance is good in the third year of junior high school and you can get the help provided by that school, Mom will help you with everything else." Looking at the eldest brother who was not as delicate as the second brother but had a very good personality and was actually very sensible, Fang Qinghua's heart softened again.
"Mom, you are so kind. As long as you say this, I will study hard."
It seemed that her younger brothers and sisters were not at home. She didn't know if they hadn't come back yet or had just left their schoolbags. Looking at her mother who was particularly talkative today, Yang Xiaomei couldn't help but hug her from behind and acted coquettishly.
"I'm not being nice, I just want to be as fair as possible to you all. After all, whether you can continue your studies in the future depends on you. If you strive for excellence, I'll do my best to support you. But if you don't, you'll end up like everyone else, getting married right after graduating from junior high school or going to work in other provinces."
Even when being held by her daughter, Fang Qinghua did not stop kneading the dough.
But even so, she took the opportunity to tell her eldest daughter what was in her heart sincerely.
"Yes, Mom, I know. I will try my best. I will try very, very hard."
Thinking of her academic performance up to grade 15, Yang Xiaomei answered very seriously.
That night, after dinner, cleaning the kitchen with her mother, and feeding the pigs, Yang Xiaomei went into her bedroom early.
In that bedroom, her sister Yang Xiaofang was already there, sitting on a bench and leaning on the edge of the bed, doing her homework.
Yang Xiaomei, who usually puts down her schoolbag silently when she sees her sister studying, put her schoolbag on the edge of the bed tonight and went out to the living room to move a stool.
"Hey, big sister, are you going to study hard tonight like the second sister?"
Seeing her move the stool, their brother, who was several years younger than them, immediately sat on the sofa and started yelling in a sarcastic tone.
Fang Qinghua, sitting on the kang, watching TV and sewing, said nothing. Yang Dawei, who had worked in the fields the previous day and then done odd jobs at the Li family cement factory today, stared at the TV in front of him, beer bottle in hand, without blinking, not even a glance at Yang Xiaokang, and certainly not at their eldest daughter, who had suddenly come into the living room and moved a stool.
"You're such a snitch, what do you care?" I hate my noisy brother so much.
She spat at the other person lightly, then Yang Xiaomei moved a stool and quickly went into the small room where she and her sister lived.
After entering and placing the stools, Yang Xiaomei immediately took out the letter from Chen Pan from her schoolbag and carefully handed it to her sister beside her again.
"What is this?" Seeing her handing something over, her sister, who was one year younger than her, took it subconsciously.
"This is the letter Panpan wrote to me in Liuping. She explained to me why she suddenly transferred schools and told me about the situation in No. 6 Middle School. She said that as long as you have good academic performance there, the top three students in the grade can get their tuition and accommodation fees waived. She also made an agreement with me that we would go to high school together and take the college entrance examination together in the future—"
Looking at her younger sister, who had better academic performance than her but had very dark skin but beautiful facial features, Yang Xiaomei lowered her voice and told her about the special conversation she had with her mother after returning home today.
Yang Xiaofang, who was younger than her but more mature than her, couldn't help but curl her lips after carefully examining the item in her hand. "If that's the case, then we should all work hard to get into No. 6 Middle School. If we earn enough for tuition and accommodation, then my parents should cover the last bit of food and travel expenses, right?"
"Mom said that even if Dad doesn't give us the money, she will find a way to pay for it. Anyway, as long as Mom has this guarantee, we should all be able to go to No. 6 Middle School."
Yang Xiaomei, who used to put down her books when she saw her sister studying, took out all her textbooks for the first time today.
"Well, then, let's work hard together." Yang Xiaofang, who had only known that No. 4 Middle School would give a certain amount of tuition waiver to the top three students in the grade, took the letter in her hand and read it carefully again.
After confirming that it said that No. 6 Middle School would not only waive tuition fees for the top three students in the grade, but also waive accommodation fees for the top three students in the grade, Yang Xiaofang suddenly thought of studying at No. 6 Middle School in the future.
"What are you whispering about? If you two girls want to chat, just turn off the lights. I pay the electricity bill so you can study at night, not so you can turn on the lights and chat."
Just as the two were chatting in low voices, a rough voice came in angrily from outside.
The two sisters subconsciously tensed up when they heard the voice, but fortunately the other party just cursed and then turned around and stumbled out.
They knew that the other party was just verbally scolding them and didn't mean to hit them.
The two sisters then slowly relaxed their tense bodies, quickly put away the letter, and each took their books and exercise books and began to study quickly and quietly.
Yang Xiaomei is used to finishing all her homework at school. She had originally planned to memorize some English words today.
But after reciting for a while, she confirmed that her father had just gone out and would not be back early tonight. She thought for a moment, took out a notebook and pen, and began to write a reply to Chen Pan on the edge of the bed. She planned to wait until she finished writing the reply before reciting the words.
*
When Yang Xiaomei wrote the letter, her father Yang Dawei had already successfully entered the casino at the foot of the village.
Just as Yang Dawei was clutching the five yuan he had worked so hard to earn today, planning to make a good return on his investment and win back all the money he had lost in the past few days, Li Chengcai, who had returned to the village for the first time today, accompanied by his cousin, had just finished inspecting the small underground casino he had invested in.
"Great, great! Hang up the sign for the Workers' Chess and Card Room outside properly and arrange for a few people to stand guard outside. If you see any signs of trouble, send someone over to tip me off immediately. Besides watching out for any strange strangers outside, be sure not to let my parents know. Anyway, this is my first time starting my own business, and once it's successful, I'm going to open one like this in the city. Don't hold me back!"
Not long after returning home, Li Chengcai discovered a "business opportunity" and quickly started a "business". He straightened his neck, hung his right hand, and quickly arranged everything with the people around him.
"Okay, I understand, I understand! I will definitely arrange for someone to help me, and I will definitely not let my uncle and aunt find out. Don't worry, brother Chengcai."
The person helping him run this new business was a brother from the same clan. He'd previously opened a chess and card room for fun. It was Li Chengcai who discovered the secrets of this business when he sat in his room the last time he came back. He then gave him money to expand the place and the business.
Anyway, at this moment, after facing this cousin who was younger than him, the other party kept nodding and bowing.
"Okay, that's it, brother, you go in and continue working."
Li Chengcai, always ambitious, quickly waved the man away. After he cautiously turned around, Li Chengcai, limping, started to ask as he made his way to his father's car, "Brother, it's been over a week. Has the news of me giving Chen Panpan a gift spread around here? I feel like nothing's changed since I came back, and no one seems to be gossiping with me about anything."
Although his father asked Li Chengcai to stay in the village, rural life was boring and inconvenient. So when his father went to study outside with the county leaders last time, Li Chengcai immediately went back to his home in the city.
Now, when he heard the news that his father would be back tomorrow, he quickly asked Li Ashan to pick him up today.
Anyway, it had been seven or eight days since he left Qingshui Village, and Li Chengcai was still very curious and looking forward to what he had done before. As soon as he came back to check on his business, he immediately thought of this matter.
"Well, I don't know what that old man Chen said to his granddaughter on the school bus that day. Afterwards, everyone said that you were very grateful, and also said that the Chen family was right to save you that time."
Li Ashan said this carefully after he saw that he was sitting firmly and then returned to the driver's seat.
And when he finished speaking, the entire black Santana fell into deathly silence.
Time passed by little by little, and just when Li Ashan in front couldn't help but look back.
A red hard Zhonghua gun was hitting his head from behind without mercy.
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