Chapter 107: Being a Guest
Sun Yanhong lives in a dormitory building allocated by the county party committee. It has red bricks and green tiles. There is an old locust tree planted outside. Now the leaves of the old locust tree have fallen sparsely to the ground, making a rustling sound when stepped on.
Previously, because Li Mingshuan's family lived in another place, he was only allocated a room in the tube-shaped building. Although his wife Sun Yanhong came back in the past one or two years, he felt that he could live there and did not ask for a new room. The family of three still lives in that tube-shaped building.
As soon as you enter the tube-shaped building, you will see that the corridor is full of pots, pans, and other things. Some people even put small tables and shoe cabinets in the corridor. It is so dazzling that you have to be careful when walking to avoid bumping into things placed in the corridor.
Fubao followed Sun Yanhong into the house and saw that the house was divided into two parts. The inner part should be used as a bedroom, separated by a curtain, and the outer part served as a small living room.
There was an old coffee table and a wooden bench in the small living room.
Sitting on the bench was a boy about his age, fiddling with a wooden pistol.
At a glance, this wooden pistol was well-made and lifelike, much better and more realistic than the ones made by his brothers in the countryside. There was even a large red satin tassel on the handle of the pistol.
Sun Yanhong warmly invited Fubao to sit down and introduced him: "This is my son, Li Jianbai. He used to study in the border area and just came back now."
Then he turned to Li Jianbai, "Jianbai, this is Fubao. Your father mentioned her before. This time, she made great contributions to the grain issue and came to the city to receive a commendation. She is a good student. She attends the primary school in the production brigade and this time she took the first place in their commune's exam."
Sun Yanhong praised Fubao endlessly.
Li Jianbai had already put down the wooden gun in his hand at this time, and stood up. After hearing his mother's introduction, he nodded: "Hello, Fubao."
He had a short flat head, which was neat and clean. He was much better looking than those children in the countryside. His voice was also very polite, but there was a hint of coldness in his eyes.
Fubao sensed it and just nodded and smiled at him politely: "Hello."
Sun Yanhong asked Fubao to sit down. Fubao looked around and saw that there was only a bench and two stools, so she sat on the stool next to them.
At this time, the door opened and Li Mingshuan came in, holding a spoon in his hand and wearing an apron.
Sun Yanhong immediately smiled: "I brought Fubao home and said we should have a meal. I was just thinking about making it quickly when you came back."
The kitchen where they cook is on the other side of the tube building, where many families have their stoves.
Li Mingshuan wiped the sweat from his forehead and said with a smile, "I knew you would bring Fubao home for dinner, so I left work early and took the time to come back and cook."
Then he said to Fubao, "Fubao, sit here first and drink some orange juice. Today I'll let you taste my cooking skills."
Fubao felt a little embarrassed: "Uncle Li, we eat very simply in the countryside, as long as we are full. You don't have to go through so much trouble, I will just eat something casually."
Li Mingshuan: "It's not a big deal. I'll just cook two dishes. Come on, sit down."
At this time, Sun Yanhong poured water from the thermos and took out a bag filled with orange powder: "I'll make you a cup of orange water. It's delicious. Try it."
Fubao looked at Li Jianbai next to him. There was no expression on his face and his eyes were dull.
——This person doesn’t seem easy to get along with.
There is a kind of arrogance that city kids have when they look down on country people.
Fubao thought so in his heart, but since he was a guest, he naturally couldn't say anything, so he still politely declined the orange juice.
Sun Yanhong: "Don't worry about him, he doesn't drink! He's just like that, not very talkative or studious. I don't know what he's thinking about all day long."
Then she turned to Li Jianbai and said, "Jianbai, you will be in the same grade as Fubao from now on. You need to learn from him and see how you can improve your grades."
She pointed at Fubao's floral-patterned schoolbag next to her and said, "Look at how many books Fubao just bought. He lives in the countryside and doesn't have easy access to books, but he loves reading. You have such good conditions, so what do you do all day?"
Li Jianbai's face was tense, and he said stiffly, "I understand."
Fubao was a little embarrassed.
It can be seen that Li Jianbai does not welcome him.
But think about it, no child wants to see the "other people's children" that their parents always talk about.
Fortunately, Li Mingshuan's meal was ready at this time. The food was served on the table. There was a plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, a plate of stir-fried pork with green peppers, and the staple food was noodles made from a mixture of mung bean flour and white flour.
This meal was very sumptuous for Fubao.
Especially at this time when famine is imminent, it is even more abundant.
Fubao knew that even though Li Mingshuan was the secretary, his monthly salary and food coupons were fixed and he couldn't squander them. He was just taking out good things to treat himself.
Li Mingshuan and Sun Yanhong enthusiastically served food to Fubao and asked him to eat. They also asked him about the Pingxi Production Brigade, and Fubao answered them one by one.
The topic quickly returned to Sun Yanhong, and the topic that Sun Yanhong cared about most was of course studying.
After asking about Fubao's exam results, she couldn't help but say, "Hey, Fubao, you'll go to school in the commune, which isn't too far from here. You can come over often. Don't be shy, just treat it like home."
She glanced at her son next to her and said, "Don't take him seriously. He's just like that. He's like that to everyone. Don't pay any attention to him!"
Hearing this, Fubao couldn't help but look at Li Jianbai next to her. She found that Li Jianbai had a dark face and the corner of his mouth twitched.
Of course, Fubao wouldn't bother others all the time, but seeing Li Jianbai like that, she suddenly had a bad intention and deliberately said, "Thank you, Aunt Sun, thank you, Uncle Li. When I go to high school in the future, I will come and bother you two often."
Li Jianbai: “…”
Fubao didn't look at Li Jianbai again, but thinking of his awkward look, he felt in a good mood.
Li Mingshuan and Sun Yanhong were of course delighted and welcomed him. Li Mingshuan even said, "By the way, Fubao, what's your full name?"
Fubao: "What's your full name? My name is Fubao..."
Sun Yanhong was stunned, and after thinking for a while, she said, "Oh, you're already in middle school, so calling me Fubao doesn't seem appropriate."
In fact, the name Fubao sounds very blessed and comfortable to hear, but if the child goes to school, it is not really appropriate to still use this name.
Fu Bao thought about it and said: "Well, then I have to give myself a big name when I get back."
Sun Yanhong nodded: "Yes, yes, yes, pick one."
Li Mingshuan pondered for a moment and said, "I remember your father wasn't very literate, right?"
Fubao: “Yeah.”
Li Mingshuan: "Then I'll get one for you, okay?"
Fubao was very surprised when she heard that. Of course she agreed. After all, her father put all his energy into choosing a name like "Yuejin Yuehua Shengtian" and "Shengjin Shengyin". He went to the commune to find someone who knew how to read to choose a name, but the one that came out was "Jinyin".
Fubao didn’t understand it when she was a child, but now that she has grown up and read more, she feels that using gold and silver in names doesn’t sound good and is too straightforward.
She nodded quickly: "Okay, Uncle Li, then you can give me a name. My parents will be very happy if they know that it was Secretary Li who named me."
Li Mingshuan pondered for a moment, lowered his head, and finally said, "These days, being too literary is not good, but being too straightforward always feels like it lacks some charm. How about we call it Danyang? Dan means a red heart toward revolution, and Danyang represents the sun at seven or eight o'clock in the morning, full of vitality and a promising future."
After hearing this, Fubao silently repeated a few times: "Gu Danyang, Gu Danyang..."
She was very satisfied with herself: "Uncle Li, this is great. My brothers' names are Yuejin, Yuehua, and Shengtian. My name is Danyang. It goes well with the name and it's a girl's name. Besides, Danyang... sounds pretty good in itself!"
The red sun in the morning sounds like a good omen.
Sun Yanhong was also happy to see that Fubao liked it: "I also think Danyang is good, it's grand, better than those Hong and Li or something like that."
Just one word "Dan" sounds better than "Hong".
After giving Fubao a name and having dinner, Sun Yanhong took out all the books on the bookshelf at home and showed them to him one by one to see which ones he liked.
"Don't be shy, just take it and return it after reading it. Just treat this place like a library!"
Fubao was not in a hurry to take it, as she was afraid that it might be damaged if she borrowed it. Anyway, she had bought some books and could read them slowly during the summer vacation.
As they were talking, Li Mingshuan and Sun Yanhong looked around and saw that it was almost time and they had to go to work.
Li Mingshuan has to go to work on time, and Sun Yanhong can come out to do women's work and doesn't have to work in the office, but she has a meeting in the afternoon and has to rush back.
Fubao hurriedly stood up and said goodbye.
Li Mingshuan looked at his son and said, "Jianbai, I won't be going to the county party committee later. I'm going to visit other units directly. You take Fubao to the county party committee gate. There are ox carts there."
Fubao certainly didn't want Li Jianbai to send him: "Uncle Li, no need, I know the way myself. Aunt Sun brought me here and took bus No. 101. I can take that bus."
Sun Yanhong insisted: "Let Jianbai take you. It's your first time taking the bus, so you're not familiar with it. Jianbai is familiar with it."
As he spoke, he gave Li Jianbai some more instructions.
Although Li Jianbai looked reluctant, he did not refuse.
Li Mingshuan and Sun Yanhong hurriedly went about their business. Li Jianbai put his hands in his pockets and said, "Let's go."
Looking at his expression, he seemed reluctant and disgusted with himself.
As it happened, Fubao didn't like Li Jianbai too much: "Uncle Li and Aunt Sun have gone to work, you don't have to send me off. I have money and I know where the 101 bus is waiting. I can just go there by myself."
Li Jianbai insisted: "I said I would give it to you, so I will give it to you."
Fubao: "I don't need you to send me off."
She knew the way, so why would she let someone who was unwilling to take her there? Was she just making things difficult for herself?
Li Jianbai stared at Fubao's persistence.
She was clearly being well-behaved and sweet in front of her parents just now, calling them uncle and aunt all the time. She was as adorable as she could be.
Now that her parents were not around, her expression changed immediately.
She had a cold face, as if he owed her eight hundred yuan.
He suddenly frowned. "No, you can't stop me from delivering it. This is a task my parents assigned to me. How can I report it if I don't complete it?"
Fubao: "Just say you've finished it!"
Li Jianbai: "Why should I lie to my parents to agree to your request?"
Fubao: “…”
Okay, I'll let you deliver it.
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