Chapter 16 is about to begin.
Luo Yan usually arrives at school right on time, as if she wants to blow in like a gust of wind.
But remembering what her brother had said at noon that day, she stopped at the school gate to look.
Looking around, I couldn't see Zhou Weifang or any place that looked like he was going to open a shop.
Luo Yan thought that perhaps her brother was referring to Ximen, but still felt that going around for about a hundred meters was a waste of time, so she stepped on the pedal hard to make the wheels spin.
These days, bicycles are the main mode of transportation for most people.
The bicycle sheds at No. 4 Middle School cover a considerable area, and are arranged haphazardly, densely packed together like a beehive.
Luo Yan has a peculiar habit: the sight of a large, dense mass of such things gives her goosebumps, and she always runs to park or retrieve her car.
Even just running those few steps to the classroom made her breathing uneven, and she had to catch her breath after sitting down.
Wang Qianyun comforted her, "Don't worry, the teacher hasn't arrived yet."
Luo Yan smiled and said, "I'm just anxious."
She was a good student, and it didn't matter if she was caught being late occasionally, but she followed the rules and always kept herself within a set of principles.
The two were deskmates since high school and had many similarities in personality, but they seemed to lack the fate to be friends and had always been just nodding acquaintances.
Wang Qianyun said only one sentence, then stopped talking and started reading her book.
Luo Yan remained silent and continued attending class as usual.
When school was over, Wu Huifang asked, "Yanyan, are you hungry?"
Luo Yan stood packing her schoolbag: "I'm hungry, but I can eat as soon as I get home."
Wu Huifang ignored the second half of the sentence: "Then let's go buy some sugar-coated sesame cakes."
Luo Yan: "I didn't bring any food coupons."
He patted his pockets and added, "I don't have any money either."
Wu Huifang: "It's okay, I brought some. You take half and I'll take half."
The food was expensive, and Luo Yan felt it wasn't appropriate, so she said, "I'm not eating. My brother will bring me something delicious tonight."
Wu Huifang took her hand and said, "Then come with me to buy it."
Luo Yan nodded, then suddenly thought, "That shop near the West Gate?" It's the only one selling sugar-coated sesame cakes nearby. Wu Huifang replied, "Yes, what's wrong?"
Luo Yan: "It's alright, let's go."
The Fourth Middle School originally only had a west gate, but because it was next to a hospital and two other schools, and the road was not very wide, it was often crowded. So the Fourth Middle School knocked on a new entrance on the other side of the outer wall, which is the east gate that Luo Yan often used.
She couldn't remember the last time she left through the West Gate, so she craned her neck to look around.
Wu Huifang: "What are you looking for?"
Luo Yan: "One of my brother's childhood friends wants to open a car repair shop near our school gate. I didn't see one at the east gate, so I think it should be at the west gate."
A car repair shop? Wu Huifang: "What audacity! I heard from my dad that there aren't many people who dare to apply for a license these days."
See? These days, everyone would think it's incredibly audacious.
Luo Yan agreed, saying, "He's always been very bold."
Curious, Wu Huifang looked around and pointed, "Is it that one?"
Luo Yan's eyesight wasn't as good as hers, so she squinted for a while and said, "It seems so."
Don't be so naive! Wu Huifang had forgotten that she came to buy sugar-coated sesame cakes. She said with great interest, "Why don't we go over and take a look?"
Luo Yan could only follow her, pretending to pass by casually, her eyes glancing into what appeared to be a car repair shop, where she spotted Zhou Weifang painting the walls.
Zhou Weifang didn't see anyone and worked while mentally calculating: the monthly rent was five yuan, the cost of building the loft would be at least fifty yuan, and he wouldn't have to live in the living room anymore, but he would still need to buy some equipment, which would add up to a considerable sum. Fortunately, he could save some money on spare parts by using Luo Hong's connections, but the favor was still a debt.
He had been in Xinjiang for almost ten years. The Production and Construction Corps paid the educated youth a salary, but the treatment was not as good as that of regular employees. He had saved up a total of about five hundred yuan, but now he had almost nothing left.
To be honest, if he doesn't make money after opening, he'll be starving next month.
Thinking of this, Zhou Weifang actually laughed out loud—that's just how he is; he doesn't dwell on troubles and is very confident in his own judgment.
But Zhou Yuyao and Zhou Yuying, who had come to help their younger brother, heard this. The two sisters exchanged a glance, thinking that he must have really lost his mind, and said, "How can you still laugh?"
Zhou Weifang: "Why are you two here? Didn't you say there was an exam today?"
The educated youth office has been posting several job advertisements lately. The selection process is extremely competitive, with only one in ten thousand people being accepted. But no matter how difficult it is, everyone has to give it a try.
Zhou Yuyao rolled up her sleeves: "The exam is over."
Zhou Yuying didn't say anything, but squatted down and stirred the cement on the ground.
Zhou Weifang didn't mind that his second sister was never one for many words, and simply asked, "How did the exam go?"
The Zhou sisters are only one year apart in age and were raised as twins by their parents. They even started school in the same year.
After graduating from elementary school, they were caught in a major school closure. After classes resumed, it was time for them to go to the countryside. The two of them went to the Northeast together to work in the countryside.
His level of education was practically nonexistent.
Zhou Yuyao: "I can only answer with my name."
Zhou Weifang himself was only half-baked, and said, "I saw that there are night schools in the neighborhood, so why don't I go and catch up on my studies?"
Zhou Yuyao: "Even if I make up for it, can I compare to the three graduating classes of the 1960s?"
The reality is that the jobs the city can offer are just a drop in the bucket, especially since the central government has recently clarified its policy on educated youth returning to the city. It is said that 20,000 to 30,000 people from Yunnan province alone will be returning soon.
Zhou Yuyao felt a headache just thinking about it: "Let's not talk about me, let's talk about you instead."
She lowered her voice: "We have a hundred yuan left, do you want it?"
Life in the Great Northern Wilderness was tough; one work point was only worth three cents.
Zhou Weifang could imagine how her two older sisters had painstakingly earned the money, hoe by hoe, and said, "No need, I still have more."
The two sisters didn't have much savings together, and Zhou Yuyao wasn't being generous: "If we don't have any, you can ask for it."
Zhou Weifang nodded and watched his second sister skillfully patch up the hole in the ground, saying, "Second sister can also lay cement."
The three siblings have been living apart for many years and know very little about each other.
Zhou Yuyao: "She might get more than you."
Zhou Weifang didn't underestimate him: "Who knows, he might be able to open a shop in the future."
"Are you kidding me?" Zhou Yuyao turned her head slightly. "You must have spent several hundred on this, right?"
Before Zhou Weifang could decide whether to answer truthfully, he heard his eldest sister say, "Isn't that Luo Bu's sister?"
Zhou Weifang followed her gaze and could only see Luo Yan's profile. She was talking to her classmate, laughing so hard her shoulders were shaking.
He said, "Yes, he's a sophomore at No. 4 High School."
Luo Yan rarely went out, and even though they lived in the same alley, Zhou Yuyao only saw her once from afar after returning to Beijing.
She said, "This child is really beautiful."
Zhou Weifang: "You're only a few years older than her."
Zhou Yuyao: "Girls are different from boys. Twenty-seven is already quite old."
If she had gotten married when she was sent to the countryside, she might be a mother of three now.
Zhou Weifang: "Look at you, your ideological education is inadequate. Didn't you see the slogan that says 'Boys and girls are the same'?"
Zhou Yuyao: "What's the use of just writing without doing anything?"
Zhou Weifang knew that she had given the job to her second brother for the sake of the family, but she had no room to argue with her parents, after all, unfair is unfair.
But he seemed unable to bring himself to make the accusations, so he awkwardly raised his shoulder and wiped his face.
Zhou Yuyao glanced at her younger brother and said, "If you hadn't come back and still gotten away with it, would we still be paying attention to you?"
Zhou Weifang's parents were completely against him opening a shop, so naturally they couldn't offer any help.
He said, "Alright, we're on the same side now."
As he spoke, he glanced at his watch and said, "Let's eat dinner first, then we'll get back to work."
Eating out required both money and tickets, and Zhou Yuyao kept making excuses, but she couldn't persuade her younger brother in the end, so she said, "I saw that there are steamed buns for sale over there."
Zhou Weifang took off his gloves: "We don't have enough food coupons, let's have stir-fried dishes."
He just got his household registration settled and hasn't received his rations for this month yet, so he's still getting food from various sources.
Before Zhou Yuyao could say anything more, she saw her younger brother walk out first and followed him.
There's nothing valuable in the house, and the shop we're going to isn't far away.
Zhou Weifang left the door ajar, his gaze drifting towards where Luo Yan had just stood—only to find that she was already gone.
Luo Yan accompanying Wu Huifang to buy a sugar-coated sesame seed cake wouldn't take much time; they would be home in the time it takes for them to exchange a few words.
She sat in the living room, ate a biscuit to tide her over, and kept glancing towards the door: "Why isn't my brother back yet?"
Liu Yinfeng was also watching: "They said they'd bring back food, but now I don't know how many dishes I'll have to cook."
The leftovers certainly won't be wasted, but the kids aren't happy eating them.
The mother and daughter both craned their necks in anticipation, making Luo Xinmin think they were waiting for him to eat, so he quickened his pace.
As soon as he entered, he asked, "Haven't you cooked yet?"
Liu Yinfeng: "Waiting for your son."
Luo Xinmin laughed: "You talk like he's not your son."
He hung his bag by the door, dusted himself off, washed his hair, and sat down to join the waiting line.
Luo Hong arrived late after finishing his work at his master's house. He raised his left hand, which was carrying two aluminum lunch boxes, and said, "Dad, there are pig ears. Do you want to have a drink tonight?"
For the sake of his health, Luo Xinmin usually abstains from smoking and drinking.
But there's nothing wrong with doing it occasionally, he said. "Okay, just a little bit."
Liu Yinfeng didn't stop her, and stood up: "I'll stir-fry another vegetarian dish."
She heated the pan and added oil, and the dish was on the table in just a few minutes.
Luo Hong poured a glass for his mother as well, saying, "Mom, you should have some too."
Of the four family members, only Luo Yan cannot drink alcohol.
She carefully tasted it with her chopsticks, then grimaced in disgust: "Why turn perfectly good grains into alcohol?"
Luo Hong: "Your child wouldn't understand."
Luo Yan: "You adults are the ones who just say 'You'll understand when you grow up' when you can't explain it."
In reality, you won't know anything when you grow up; you just learn to use that phrase to brush people off.
Luo Hong distanced himself: "I haven't said that much."
"Only the one who talks the most knows," Liu Yinfeng said, giving her son a gentle glare. "You talk too much now."
"It's me again?" Luo Hong sighed and raised his glass. "Fine, I won't say anymore. It's all in the wine."
The family of three clinked glasses, and Luo Yan, holding her teacup, insisted on joining in.
The clanging and banging sounds were drowned out by the fireworks outside.
A note from the author:
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