Chapter 30: Xu Nian Sends Dumplings
Two days later
According to the agreed time, they set out for Lingshan together with Wang Liaohu, and Wang Liaohu's brother-in-law Zhao Bo also went with them.
Because they would pass by the county school on the way to Lingshan, Xu Nian prepared some food for the three brothers in the next two days.
Lingshan is located in the southwest of Wanying Village, farther away from Wanying Village than the county seat.
It took the group of four more than half an hour to reach the county school at the foot of Lingshan Mountain.
Xu Fugui carried the backpack and went to the gate of the county school with Xu Nian.
There was an old gatekeeper taking a nap at the porch. Xu Nian walked over and whispered:
"Uncle, excuse me for disturbing you."
The old man opened his eyes and saw that it was a girl. He guessed that she was visiting students.
"Who are you looking for, girl?"
"Uncle, I'm looking for my brother Xu Ji. Can you please call him for me?"
"Do you know which class it is?"
Xu Nian was stunned. She really didn’t know this. Was her trip today in vain?
"Uncle, they are new students. I really don't know where they were assigned."
The old man was also very kind-hearted, "Do you know what his classmate's name is?"
How could Xu Nian know this? He had no choice but to ask, "Do you know old men Xu Kang and Xu Jian?"
The old man thought about it and suddenly his eyes lit up.
"Yes, yes, Xu Jian is from Class Ding, and this kid has often swept the yard for me.
Wait, I'll go call him."
Xu Fugui looked at the old man walking away and said with relief: "It's not easy to find Jianer, but he's diligent and knows how to help the old man."
Xu Nian looked at her second uncle who was grinning from ear to ear, thought about it but still didn't say anything. Why did she feel that her second uncle was overthinking?
The two waited outside the door for about a quarter of an hour before they saw Xu Jian walking slowly towards them.
"It's really you, elder sister. Dad, you're here too."
Xu Fugui nodded, and apart from smiling at his son, he didn't know what to ask.
Xu Nian still inquired about the three people's admission to the county school, and was relieved after learning that everything was fine.
Xu Nian took out the things he had prepared.
"This is the meat sauce that grandma made for you. These are the dumplings that my second and third aunts and I made for you. They are raw. You can spend some money and ask the kitchen to cook them for you."
Xu Jian responded one by one like a well-behaved child.
When Xu Nian learned that the three brothers were not going back for the holiday, he took out a piece of silver from his purse and gave it to Xu Jian.
"You are growing up now, so don't be reluctant to spend money. Use this money to buy some delicious food."
"Sister, we haven't done anything with the money you gave us before."
"Then it's better to be prepared. Hurry back, we are leaving too."
It was a very cold day, and Wang Liaohu and the other man were still waiting in the car, so Xu Nian didn't say much.
Xu Fugui and Xu Nian had just taken two steps when they heard voices coming from the yard.
"Xu Jian, you have violated Article 8 of the County School Regulations. You will be punished to sweep the front yard after lunch."
All that was heard was Xu Jian wailing.
"Coach Zhou, I know I was wrong. My father and elder sister came to see me, and I was so happy that I forgot my gentlemanly manners. Can you please stop sweeping the yard?"
“…”
The two of them walked far away and their voices could not be heard clearly, so Xu Nian and the other person started walking again, but Xu Fugui's smile could no longer rise.
However, Xu Nian thought that this was nothing. When she was a child, she was punished by her teacher to clean the blackboard during breaks because she was naughty.
"Uncle, you should be happy. Xiao Si can still be active while sweeping the yard in such weather, which means his body is no different from that of ordinary people.
It would be nice if Kang Er could be as lively as this."
If Xu Nian hadn't told Xu Fugui, he wouldn't have realized it. That's right. It's been such a long time and his two sons haven't even had a cold.
Xu Nian looked at his second uncle who had a smile on his face again and couldn't help but complain inwardly: He's quite easy to coax.
Xu Jian was caught red-handed by Coach Zhou because he got carried away with his success, and his originally happy mood suddenly fell to the bottom.
Xu Kang watched Xu Jian, who was looking down and thinking, carrying a bag back to the classroom. He didn't know what had happened. The teacher on the stage was giving a lecture, so he didn't dare to ask.
Finally, it was time to go downstairs. Xu Kang walked over to Xu Jian and asked him what happened.
He was very happy to know that his elder sister had come to see them, but unfortunately he didn't see her.
But I was also wondering why Xu Jian was not happy after seeing his elder sister.
Xu Jian wanted to say it but didn't want to say it, but then he thought that even if he didn't say it, they would still find out in the end, so he gritted his teeth and told them about the punishment.
Xu Kang was really speechless. He really didn't know whether Xu Jian had a lucky or unlucky physique. How come he always ran into Coach Zhou?
In fact, it is not the case that students in county schools are always perfect in their work, but when others make mistakes, they are not caught.
Xu Kang shook his head, clicked his tongue twice and returned to his seat. He was also unable to help.
At noon, the Xu Kang brothers went directly to Ding Gongshang to find Xu Ji to go to Ziyuan together, and of course Fan Wensi was also indispensable.
On the way, Xu Jian repeated what his elder sister had told him and handed the silver coin to Xu Ji.
Fan Wensi, on the other hand, focused his attention on the bag in Xu Jian's hand.
"Here is the meat sauce made by grandma and the dumplings made by my eldest sister, my mother, and my third aunt, although I don't know what dumplings are either."
Xu Ji and Xu Kang didn't understand either, as they had never eaten it before in Dahe Village.
As a native of northern Xinjiang, Fan Wensi knows it.
"I know this. It's a kind of food that is unique to our northern Xinjiang. It's made of dough on the outside and stuffing on the inside. It's called jiao'er because it looks like an ear when wrapped."
As he spoke, Fan Wensi could even smell the aroma of dumpling ears.
When they arrived at Ziyuan, before the three brothers could make a move, Fan Wensi took the dumplings and went to the kitchen. Looking at the stunned Xu Jian, he smiled and said, "I can save a few cents by delivering them."
Xu Jian: “…”
When Fan Wensi brought the cooked dumplings over, many classmates in the courtyard looked over. When the jar of meat sauce was opened, their eyes became even more eager.
It was true that the food in Ziyuan was a bit bland, and the taste was too tempting. Xu Ji could not stand the vague gaze, so he had to invite a few classmates who were relatively familiar with him to have dinner together.
When the few people bit into the dumplings and saw the fillings, they were surprised that there were still vegetables to eat at this time of year!
Xu Nianbao’s dumplings use two kinds of fillings, one is pork and amaranth, the other is pork and leek.
By the end of the meal, even Xu Ji, who was usually the calmest, picked up his chopsticks a little faster. It was really that this group of people were big eaters, especially Fan Wensi, who ate one bite at a time like a glutton.
Xu Jian saw that others were about to put their chopsticks into his bowl, so he quickly blocked them with his hands.
"I saved this for Uncle Chen. Put away your chopsticks."
Fan Wensi put down his chopsticks with a hint of excitement and asked curiously, "Why did you think of sending food to Uncle Chen?"
Xu Jian said confidently, "I am sensible. Uncle Chen took the trouble to ask me to come here, so I have to thank him."
Xu Kang chuckled, "Isn't it so that Uncle Chen can cover for you?"
Xu Jian ignored his third brother and walked away angrily with the dumpling in his hand.
At this time, everyone knew that Xu Jian was punished by Zhou Xun again.