Chapter 33 (First Update)
Zhou Weifang's madness probably stemmed from his ambition and his desire for money.
The burgeoning bicycle shop gave him too much confidence. People inevitably become arrogant after achieving a certain level of success, but due to various restrictions on individual businesses, he could only be restrained from making any effort. Every day, all he could think of were wild and imaginative ideas.
When you can't do anything else, accumulate things that you might need in the future.
His line of thinking is actually quite correct, but it inevitably sends chills down the spines of those who are familiar with it.
A few days later, Zhou Yuying came to bring her younger brother braised pork. Seeing that he was holding a book, she quietly leaned closer and asked, "What are you reading?"
People can scare each other to death.
Zhou Weifang gasped, "Second sister, at least say something!"
Zhou Yuying obediently replied, "Sound."
Zhou Weifang was both amused and exasperated. He put the book aside and asked, "Why are you here? Weren't you setting up your stall today?"
Zhou Yuying: "Since my older sister is here, it's been cold lately and there aren't many people on the streets, so the three of us are taking turns. I made some meat, so I brought some over for you."
Then I glanced at the words on the cover: "It's actually a serious book."
She speaks little, but every word she utters is clear, concise, and to the point.
Zhou Weifang: "What do you mean by 'surprisingly'?"
Zhou Yuying changed her tune: "As expected."
Something seemed even more off. Zhou Weifang and his second sister really couldn't see eye to eye. He touched the still-warm lunchbox and asked, "Have you eaten?"
Zhou Yuying: "No, I wanted to eat here."
Zhou Weifang: "Wait a moment, I'll go buy some food."
Zhou Yuying sat down and waited patiently, taking off her scarf and placing it on the back of the chair. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed two busy apprentices seemingly casually glancing at her, and she smiled.
The other person nodded to her as a greeting, but neither of them exchanged a single word.
With rice in his left hand and vegetables in his right, Zhou Weifang pushed open the curtain and went back into the shop, shouting, "Hot hot hot hot hot hot!"
Zhou Yuying wanted to help him catch it but couldn't find a clean piece of cloth, so she simply pulled up the hem of his clothes and held it up.
Zhou Weifang dodged her: "Don't waste things."
He added, "You two go eat, I'll watch the shop."
The shop provides one lunch, but the apprentices usually eat at the restaurant next door.
They probably realized they had something to say, so they took off their gloves and went outside.
Zhou Weifang put the plates down and pulled two pairs of chopsticks from the drain basket hanging on the wall: "Did you argue with Mom again?"
Zhou Yuying: "No, the eldest son's family came back, and I don't want to give them any food."
Compared to their second brother who got a job, the Zhou sisters were even more resentful of their eldest brother.
Because he was the only child in the family who didn't go to the countryside, he had enjoyed all the benefits of living with his parents for many years. When his younger siblings started fighting for jobs, he immediately moved out of the house to find peace and quiet, and even called it "making room."
Zhou Weifang returned to the city the latest and only knew that her older brothers and sisters had each had several arguments.
He said, "Aren't he and his sister-in-law supposed to be at work today? Why did they suddenly come back?"
Zhou Yuying picked up her chopsticks: "Mom called me back."
They always make sure to provide the eldest son's family of four with the best food and drinks, without even checking who bought the meat.
Even with her own mother, Zhou Weifang sometimes finds it hard to say anything nice.
He shook his head helplessly and asked again, "What will you eat for lunch, sister?"
Zhou Yuying: "I would definitely send it to her first."
Zhou Weifang: "Do you really have to add the word 'definitely'?"
It seemed rather impolite, but Zhou Yuying didn't have the habit of apologizing to her younger brother. She said, "There's one more thing I need to ask you."
Zhou Weifang, thinking he wouldn't be able to keep the money he'd just received, prepared himself mentally: "What's the matter?"
Zhou Yuying: "Do you still remember Wang Delin?"
Zhou Weifang had been running around in the alleys since he was a child, and he knew the area within a ten-mile radius like the back of his hand.
He said, "I remember, he's Lei Zi's older brother."
Zhou Yuying: "He tried to befriend my older sister, but she wasn't sure and wanted you to inquire about it."
What the hell? Zhou Weifang: "No way, that kid looks terrible to me."
In fact, he didn't have much of an impression of the person at all; he just blurted it out.
Zhou Yuying then seriously analyzed to him: "He has a job, there are only two brothers in his family, he is decent-looking, and his parents are also employees. My older sister and I both think he is good."
To be honest, Zhou Weifang's conditions weren't as good as theirs, so it was hard to find fault with him in a short time. He clicked his tongue and said, "Okay, I'll ask about it later."
He added, "Thank goodness it wasn't Lei Zi. The thought of possibly having to call him brother-in-law made me feel really uncomfortable."
Zhou Yuying: "Then you can't look for a boyfriend among your childhood friends' sisters in the future."
She was just about to say something when she noticed her brother's expression stiffen slightly, and asked, "You really looked for him?"
Zhou Weifang: "That's not true."
He just thought that he and his two older sisters had a rather ordinary relationship since childhood, but he still felt a reaction when his eldest sister was getting married, while Luo Hong's relationship with his younger sister was well known.
He finally suppressed the flutter in his heart and ate his meal in silence.
Zhou Yuying had achieved all her goals for today. After finishing her meal and packing her things to leave, she gave one last instruction: "Remember to ask around."
Zhou Weifang: "I will definitely take it to heart."
Zhou Yuying trusted her younger brother and rode her bicycle home.
At the entrance of the alley, she met Luo Yan, who was carrying a washbasin, and nodded to her as a greeting.
Luo Yan liked these unpretentious neighbors the most, and inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief as she continued walking.
As Liu Yinfeng watched her daughter enter the house, she casually touched the ends of her hair: "Why didn't you dry it before coming back?"
Luo Yan: "There are too many people."
This is what public bathhouses are like in winter. Everyone is especially fond of the warmth and stays inside until they turn completely pale.
Liu Yinfeng: "It's a pity that the family has a house, otherwise your father could have been allocated a new apartment too."
The No. 8 State-owned Cotton Mill has just started a new dormitory building project, and it is said that each room will be equipped with a toilet, but none of this has anything to do with the Luo family.
Luo Yan: "I might get a job after I graduate."
Liu Yinfeng: "That was after you got married."
Housing is scarce in all units. Regardless of rank, unmarried people can only live in a dormitory.
Marriage? That's still a long way off.
Luo Yan approached the coal stove, tossing her hair: "I'd better think about my final exams first."
Her daughter was always thinking about the exam, which sometimes made Liu Yinfeng worry.
She is a traditional person who thinks it is perfectly normal for men to marry when they are of age and for women to marry when they are of age. Seeing that her son has not had any thoughts about marriage so far, she is afraid that her younger son will be the same.
This can't go on, Liu Yinfeng thought to herself. That night, she went into her son's room and asked, "Tell me, what kind of person do you want to find in the future?"
Luo Hong is living a carefree life: "I've been busy with my career lately."
Liu Yinfeng: "You've already been promoted, what else is there to be busy about?"
I've never seen a factory fire an employee; their jobs are so stable for life.
Luo Hong: "Anyway, something's come up, so don't worry about it."
After saying that, he pushed his mother away.
If the child didn't want to hear something, Liu Yinfeng would just hold back and not say anything, only muttering to her husband in the living room.
When Luo Xinmin was young, he was also anxious, fearing that he would be lonely and miserable for the rest of his life.
In his old age, he realized that fate is something that can't be rushed, saying, "My child will be like me; it won't happen so soon."
"This kind of thing doesn't come from anyone else," Liu Yinfeng said irritably. "Just keep spoiling me."
Luo Xinmin didn't argue, but simply said, "Yanyan is asleep, let's go to sleep too."
Luo Yan went to bed early to conserve her energy for the advanced mathematics exam the next day.
She left home full of energy, feeling that the clear sky was auspicious, and happily went to school.
This course is a foundational course for all freshmen in the college, so hundreds of students were scattered and assigned to different examination rooms.
Luo Yan met Chen Jinhong in the corridor and called her name first.
Chen Jinghong, who had been frowning as she flipped through a book, smiled when she saw it was her: "Long time no see."
People from different majors rarely see each other more than a few times a month, so what she said isn't wrong.
Luo Yan: "Are you also taking the 303 exam?"
Chen Jinghong nodded and clapped her hands again: "Perfect, can you help me figure out how to do this problem?"
After reading the question, Luo Yan scribbled in the air, but felt it wasn't quite right, so she took out paper and pen and said, "Let me calculate it."
She leaned against the wall, calculating, but the more she wrote, the more uncertain she became, muttering, "Something seems off."
Chen Jinhong: "It's okay, it's okay, I'll ask someone else."
She casually gestured, "Zhou Xiuhe, come and take a look at this question."
The boy named Zhou Xiuhe was probably very afraid of the cold. He was wearing thick clothes, and only his eyes were showing from head to toe.
He said, "My brain isn't working properly right now."
Chen Jinghong listened to his voice and asked, "What's wrong with your throat?"
Zhou Xiuhe: "I've caught a cold."
He wrapped himself up so tightly that he was out of breath after saying a few words, so he pulled his scarf down a bit.
Chen Jinghong was startled: "You look terrible."
Luo Yan peeked out and thought to herself that the fever was indeed quite high.
Zhou Xiuhe, of course, knew his own body better. He pulled the scarf up again and took two steps back, saying, "Don't infect you."
Whether it's spread or not doesn't matter. Chen Jinhong felt she was in good physical condition and, out of concern for her classmate, asked, "Have you been to the hospital?"
Zhou Xiuhe said with difficulty, "I'll go after the exam."
There was no other way. Chen Jinhong was afraid he would faint after saying a few more words, so she said, "I'll find you a chair to sit on."
Quite by chance, Zhou Xiuhe's body tilted to one side.
Luo Yan thought he was about to fall, so she reached out and grabbed him.
Zhou Xiu was almost hallucinating; all he could make out was a girl. He said in a hoarse voice, "Thank you."
Several boys who knew him quickly came over to help him up: "Xiuhe, I think you should tell the teacher that you're skipping the exam."
Zhou Xiuhe: "I, I can take the exam."
Luo Yan thought to herself that she was stubborn enough, but it wasn't her place to speak. Seeing that someone else was taking over, she stepped aside.
Everyone tried to persuade Zhou Xiuhe, but to no avail. After the exam started, they escorted him to his seat.
Luo Yan's seat was right next to Chen Jinghong's, and she couldn't help but say, "How can he do well on the exam like this?"
Chen Jinghong: "It's hard to say, but he usually ranks in the top three in our class in quizzes."
Luo Yan was about to say something when she saw the teacher standing on the podium, pursing her lips, and glancing in Zhou Xiuhe's direction.
The papers were passed around one by one, and Zhou Xiuhe was already hunched over the table looking at the questions, his pen moving slowly.
It's amazing he can still write. Luo Yan subconsciously touched his forehead, shook his head to get rid of these random thoughts, and wrote his class and name on the test paper.
She worked on the questions at a moderate pace, carefully checked her work after finishing, and put down her pen just before the deadline.
As soon as the papers were collected, Chen Jinhong turned around and asked, "What was your answer to the last question?"
After Luo Yan finished speaking, both of them revealed a sense of confidence in their victory.
Chen Jinghong laughed: "I was thinking of having lunch together at the cafeteria, but I'm the class monitor, so it's better to accompany Zhou Xiuhe to the hospital. Most of the boys are from out of town and are not familiar with the city."
Luo Yan: "Next time you eat, please take your time."
Chen Jinghong then directed two male classmates to carry Zhou Xiuhe away, and the group marched off in a grand procession.
This scene left those who didn't know the situation completely baffled. Yu Sisi, a girl in the same class, asked curiously, "Luo Yan, what's going on with them?"
There's nothing wrong with saying this, Luo Yan: "It seems like I've caught a cold."
She was so sick she could barely walk, but Yu Sisi was certain: "It must be because of advanced mathematics."
Luo Yan couldn't help but laugh: "Maybe."
Yu Sisi wailed, "I used to be a liberal arts student, I really can't handle this."
She hadn't even filled in her major, and had no idea how she got accepted. When she received the acceptance letter, she felt like the sky had fallen.
The current admission system is relatively free, and each school's admissions office has a lot of autonomy. There are indeed many things that no one can say for sure.
Luo Yan comforted her, "It's okay, we can improve slowly."
Yu Sisi used to be one of the best students, but after entering university, she felt like she was falling behind in every way. It was as if everyone else was plunging into the ocean of knowledge, while she was still learning how to hold her breath.
She said, "I feel like I'm doomed."
Luo Yan could only repeat those few dry, comforting words over and over again.
After we walked out of the classroom together, she said, "I'm going to the cafeteria, what about you?"
Yu Sisi: "I'll go too."
Naturally, they had lunch together.
Yu Sisi, with her lively personality, chattered on and on, then belatedly realized, "Don't you think I talk too much?"
Luo Yan actually wanted to eat her meal quietly, but she still said, "No."
Yu Sisi: "You're the best person. They all told me to talk less."
After explaining who "they" were, she proceeded to identify them.
Luo Yan regretted it a little, thinking that she should have suggested going to the library.
She hadn't made any friends since the start of the semester, and could only barely recognize everyone in her class. Listening to badmouthing unfamiliar classmates here made her feel like she was sitting on pins and needles.
But Yu Sisi was completely oblivious and continued talking non-stop.
Luo Yan had no choice but to eat faster, and found a respectable excuse: "I need to go review my studies."
The library was clearly not Sisi's domain; she hesitated at the mere mention of it: "Go ahead, I haven't finished eating yet."
Luo Yan was overjoyed, but didn't dare to say anything polite like "How about I wait for you?" and left with her tail between her legs.
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Author's note: The draft has been completed and published, a little early.
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