The family stayed in Jiang Province for almost five days, with Lin Shu acting like a tour guide, showing them around and eating. Chen Xiahua also came along. Although she lived here, she hadn't really been out much before. Being with Chen Chunhua and the others, while exchanging sisterly feelings, also broadened her horizons.
In the end, it was really because the New Year was approaching and I had to go back, so I helped pack my luggage.
They set out from Sihe Village with large and small bags, and had to carry large and small bags back.
Before leaving, Liang Shengdi carried the big bags she had carried all the way from Xihe Village to Shanghai, and then from Shanghai to Jiangxi Province, and she rushed them all to Lin Shu's dormitory.
"You can't go home for the New Year, so these things can be eaten as New Year's Eve dinner." Liang Shengdi kept nagging.
"If you can't finish the dried fish, you can share it with your comrades. Don't share the pickled duck and sausage. I bought the first batch of pickled duck from Master Jia's shop. It's very fatty and tastes great. It's not salty at all. You can eat it all by yourself."
"And these two cans of malted milk. Drink one cup every morning. I'll buy you more milk after you finish it. These two boxes of biscuits can also fill your stomach when you're hungry. Oh, and this bottle of fermented bean curd. I specially bought the largest one. It should last you a long time. You guys sweat a lot during training in the army, so this is just right."
"Look, these shoes are so warm, and this cotton-padded jacket. We bought them in Shanghai. They're really expensive, and your mom paid for them. Wear them well. If you must wear a military uniform, you can wrap this cotton-padded jacket inside to keep you warm!"
"This oil! Hey, remember to apply it! I see you guys on duty standing outside in the wind, your skin will definitely crack. This oil is good, your dad bought me this kind, and it never cracks when I apply it on the boat."
…
In fact, when Lin Shugan met them on the first day, he didn't really feel much. He had only been away from home for less than half a year, which was almost like living in a boarding school. The moment he saw his family, he was just happy, that's all.
But now, sitting on the bed and watching his grandmother taking out things for him and instructing him this and that, he realized that he seemed so far away from home.
It was so far away that my grandma couldn't row a small boat to pick me up, and it was so far away that they had to carry large and small bags to deliver things to me.
"Hey, why are you crying? You're just like that girl Shuying!"
Liang Shengdi muttered as she took out a handkerchief from her pocket and wanted to wipe his face, but then she suddenly remembered that she had just blown her nose with it that morning and hadn't washed it yet...
She then randomly wiped her second grandson's face with her sleeve.
"Don't cry! You are an adult, why are you still crying?" Although Liang Shengdi said this, her eyes were a little red.
"Here, take this."
She took out a small piece of cloth folded neatly and handed it over.
"What is this?" Lin Shugan took it with a nasal tone.
Liang Shengdi introduced it simply and neatly—"Money."
"I also gave it to your sister when she was in college, but I gave her 50 yuan at the time, and she later refused to take it back."
The main reason was that Lin Shuying's living expenses were enough and she really didn't need money, so Liang Shengdi didn't give her any more.
"Originally, you should have been 50 as well." Liang Shengdi sat next to him, scratching her head. "But your dad said there's inflation. Things are more expensive now than before. It's been more than five years since your sister started college. I guess a hundred now is about the same as fifty before."
In fact, it’s not that exaggerated, but Liang Shengdi is also lazy. She likes to make money in whole numbers of five or ten. She saves the whole amount of money she earns from selling things in a day, and spends the remaining small amounts... on it.
So the money she gave to Lin Shuchao was also an integer, one hundred yuan.
Lin Shugan held the small square of cloth in both hands, staring blankly at the stack of small change inside. There were 5 yuan, 10 yuan, one yuan, fifty cents, and even five cents.
All of this money was earned from Liang Shengdi selling fish and bamboo shoots.
She didn't know how to save money in the bank, but kept it in a tin can under her bed. Even though there were hundred-yuan bills on the market, the money in her can was still the old version of Mao Zedong's banknotes.
Lin Shugan cried even harder.
Chen Chunhua also gave him money, all in the latest hundred-yuan bills. It wasn't that he thought it was hard for his grandmother to make money, but easy for his mother.
But he really couldn't accept the stack of banknotes happily.
"grandmother……"
"Oh, you are so old, you are almost 19 in the new year. In the old days, you would have been the father of several children, and you are still crying." Liang Shengdi hugged Lin Shugan, who was half a head taller than her when he was sitting, and patted his back with red eyes.
"Second brother...you still want to take the military academy entrance exam. Will you be in the army forever and won't be able to go home much?"
"Your sister works in Shanghai, and she's also dating someone in Shanghai. We just met before we got here, and we'll both be living in Shanghai from now on... Are you going to get married here too?"
"Then call home more often when you have time. If you've moved, tell me right away. I'll come visit you more often while I can still walk. And you can also take me out for some delicious food."
"Grandma..." Lin Shugan felt that he was extremely unfilial and conflicted.
If he wanted to be filial to his parents and take care of the elderly, he had to give up the military academy entrance exam and return home after his service time was up. But this was also his last chance to go to college.
"It's okay, it's okay, you're still young!" Liang Shengdi grinned and patted his back.
"If you have a partner, remember to bring him back for me to see when you have time. Your sister's partner is pretty good. They'll probably get engaged next year, and get married in two years. I'm going to be the wife, too."
…
Lin Shugan's entire face was red from eyebrows, eyes, nose and mouth. When he walked out of the dormitory door, he scared Lin Shuchao and Lin Shumei who were squatting outside.
To be honest, they have seen their eldest sister cry, their parents cry, and their grandmother cry, but they have never seen their second brother cry.
Lin Shugan had always been a gentle older brother, his emotions incredibly stable. No matter how much they raged, he never lost his temper. Even after failing a grade twice, he never cried. But today...
"elder brother……"
"Third brother, Dad said you want to open a hardware store in town?"
Lin Shuchao nodded, thinking that his brother was also accustomed to doubting his reliability, and patted his chest to assure him,
"Yes, don't worry! I will definitely work hard and try not to lose money!"
Lin Shu patted his shoulder and took a long time to organize his words before speaking.
"I will try to make more contributions and send you my salary. You, you take good care of grandma and mom and dad for me."
Lin Shuchao was stunned for a long time before he reacted. He was a little unhappy and slapped the hand on his shoulder away.
"Brother, what do you take me for?! I'm just a loser, not an unfilial son!"
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