Chapter 78 (Second Update)
After receiving his resignation certificate, Luo Hong went to apply for a business license.
He brought all the necessary documents to the Industry and Commerce Bureau to complete the procedures, and his heart pounded when the clerk checked and found that they were incomplete.
Perhaps God was kind to him, because he escaped this ordeal unscathed. They gave him a receipt to pick up his license and said, "Come back next week to collect it."
Luo Hong breathed a sigh of relief and went back to the shop to get busy.
He was painting the walls today, and after wearing a mask for a while, he was sweating profusely. He went to the roadside to breathe some fresh air.
When Luo Yan arrived, she saw her brother panting heavily and said, "You look like a puppy."
Even in summer, Wangcai Laifu is like this.
Luo Hong rolled his eyes at his sister: "Don't you have class?"
Luo Yan: "It's eleven o'clock, school's over."
Then, in a rather irritated tone, she said, "I'm here to help you, so be nicer!"
Luo Hong put on his mask: "It's unbearably hot and dirty, you'd better not."
Luo Yan doesn't come when cleaning because she thinks snakes, insects, and rodents might scurry out from some corner, but she feels confident she can handle just painting the walls: "I'm not that delicate."
Luo Hong waved her off, saying, "Alright, go back to your book."
However, she was still given a task: "Bring me food at 12:30."
Before Luo Yan could say anything more, her brother pushed her away.
She had no choice but to go to the library to do her homework. Suddenly, she smelled a familiar scent and looked up.
Zhou Xiuhe was sitting diagonally opposite her, and when no one was looking, he tossed her a note.
Luo Yan opened the package and saw a note that read: "Have you had lunch yet?"
Luo Yan felt that dropping notes was too attention-grabbing and shook her head slightly.
Zhou Xiuhe mouthed "Let's go together later" and started reading after receiving consent.
Although they said they would walk together, they kept a distance between them, even eating at separate tables, only occasionally exchanging glances—and even then, it had to be done in a seemingly casual way.
Luo Yan sometimes finds this quite amusing and can't help but chuckle to herself.
But the feelings of young people are sincere and passionate, and Zhou Xiuhe often felt that he could no longer hide them, sighing in his heart.
Luo Yan, unaware of his thoughts, finished eating first and passed by his table, saying in a low voice, "I'm leaving."
She brought a portion for her brother, but after delivering it, she was "chased away." People who didn't know better would think she was someone who deliberately caused trouble.
Luo Yan refused to leave, saying, "Only he can come."
This "he" refers to Zhou Weifang, who had only been there a short time ago.
Holding the brush in his hand, he had a premonition that it might affect him, so he quietly took two steps back.
Little did he know that it was precisely because of his presence that Luo Hongcai wanted his sister to leave.
However, he also found that the more he tried to separate the two of them, the more counterproductive it became, and he gave up and said, "Fine, you do it."
Luo Yan was finally satisfied.
But she had classes in the afternoon, so she could only help out for a short while before heading to the classroom, scratching at the paint on the hem of her clothes with her fingernails as she walked.
I almost bumped into someone because I wasn't paying attention.
Zhou Xiuhe had thought she might lose control and was ready to support her, saying, "Be careful."
How dare you turn the tables on me? Luo Yan: "If you weren't standing here, I wouldn't have bumped into you."
Zhou Xiuhe: "Yes, it was my fault."
Good to know. Luo Yan didn't say anything more to him and walked towards the classroom on her own.
Zhou Xiuhe thought to herself that it was a good thing there was no one in the corridor, otherwise she wouldn't have said those two sentences.
Admittedly, Luo Yan had told him frankly from the beginning that they should pretend not to know each other at school, but Zhou Xiuhe really didn't expect her to be so thorough. He pinched the bridge of his nose and cautiously suggested when he took her home that night, "Actually, it's not a problem for us to say a few words to each other at school occasionally."
The boundaries between male and female students are indeed not so strict, and it's okay for classmates to chat and laugh together, but Luo Yan felt guilty and said very seriously, "We made a promise."
Feeling that it was too stiff, she pouted and said, "It was a promise, wasn't it?"
Who could withstand this move? Zhou Xiuhe said helplessly, "Fine, I'll do whatever you say."
Reach out and touch the head of your beloved.
Luo Yan tucked her hair behind her ear, subtly drawing closer to him.
Zhou Xiuhe momentarily forgot about those strangers he had met at school, but considering they were almost at the alley entrance, he withdrew his hand: "Let's go back, see you tomorrow."
Luo Yan was also afraid of running into acquaintances if she stayed too long, so she rode her bike very fast, letting the May breeze blow away the blush on her face. When she got home, no one could tell that she hadn't done anything wrong.
But the pounding of her heart could not be hidden from her.
--
Seven days later, Luo Hong received his sole proprietorship license and solemnly announced during breakfast: "I'll be opening for business tomorrow."
Liu Yinfeng still has some old-fashioned traditions in her bones, saying, "We should at least pick an auspicious day from the old almanac."
Luo Hong: "What if the auspicious day is next month? Wouldn't I be delayed again? Mom, time is money."
Liu Yinfeng rolled her eyes at him: "I may not have been to school, but I know that's not what you mean."
Luo Hong: "We can just understand it literally; analysis is something that intellectuals do."
After he explained it, it seemed to make sense. Unable to argue further, Liu Yinfeng glanced at the calendar and said, "Tomorrow is the 18th."
Luo Yan read it aloud: "May 18th, it sounds pretty good too."
If you pronounce it quickly, it becomes a homophone for "I want to get rich," and Liu Yinfeng was immediately satisfied, saying, "This is a good day given by God."
Luo Hong ran around inside and outside every day, feeling that he should be able to overcome nature, but he didn't dare to talk back when he glanced at his mother.
The news of his resignation has spread throughout the alley these past two days. Everyone thinks that Luo's parents have spoiled their child rotten, and there are some unpleasant things being said about him.
When she ran up to Liu Yinfeng, she got into an argument with someone, but she didn't mention it to her son.
Luo Hong pretended not to know and said, "Then it's settled."
Liu Yinfeng: "You're the boss, you make the decisions."
Boss Luo struck a pose and swaggered out the door.
Luo Yan called out to him, "Wait for me!"
Luo Hong: "I had some errands to run in the morning, so I went to the store in the afternoon."
Luo Yan was almost late, so she didn't have time to ask him what was going on.
She rushed to school and only after sitting down to catch her breath did the class monitor move in front of her and ask, "Luo Yan, I need to ask you for a favor."
The class monitor is a good person and always takes good care of Luo Yan.
She said, "Don't ask me for anything. I'll definitely help you as much as I can if I can."
Class monitor: "Can you be our class's lead singer for the July 1st patriotic song competition?"
Lead singer? Then you have to stand at the very front.
Luo Yan's lifelong wish is to integrate with the crowd in such activities, but she says with a touch of embarrassment, "I'm not a very good singer."
In a large chorus, who can distinguish one person's voice?
The class monitor honestly said, "Just by standing there, our class gets extra points."
Luo Yan had been praised by many boys, but it was rare to see such an appreciative look in her eyes, without any ulterior motives.
She found it hard to refuse, and said, "Then shall I give it a try?"
The class monitor slammed his hand on the table: "Alright, let's start rehearsing at noon."
The competition was just announced, and the song chosen by Class 2 of the Transportation Management Department is "I Love the Great Grassland of My Motherland".
Luo Yan wasn't very good at singing, so she would practice in a corner during breaks to make the most of every minute.
She was too embarrassed to sing in front of everyone, but she had to sing during the rehearsal at noon, so she closed her eyes and just went for it.
But actually, when you're in a crowd, who can hear you clearly?
The class monitor couldn't find anything wrong with it, since there were just too many problems.
He called out by name: "xxx, if you're not in tune, keep your voice down. xxx, stand up straight, stop acting like a hooligan. And xxx, we only asked you to sing, not dance, so why are you making so many small movements?"
After one round of practice, new problems arose in the next. After a whole day of rest, no progress was made, and everyone's voices were already hoarse.
Luo Yan sang with great enthusiasm, but when she talked to Zhou Xiuhe on her way home that night, she couldn't muster any energy.
Zhou Xiuhe said with concern, "You should hold back a bit during practice and save your energy for the competition."
Luo Yan always completed the tasks assigned to her diligently. She said, "I just didn't bring enough water today; I'll drink more tomorrow."
The school cafeteria provides hot water, but she always suspected that the elderly people used cooking pots to boil the water, and she felt that it tasted strange, so she only drank the water she brought from home every day.
Zhou Xiuhe knew this, of course, and said, "It's not that you don't like the hot water in the cafeteria."
Luo Yan shared the good news with him: "My brother is opening his business tomorrow, so I can get water from him from now on."
Zhou Xiuhe now checks the location of the store every day as he passes by, so he is very familiar with the progress of the renovation.
He said, "Isn't tomorrow Sunday?"
Luo Yan remembered something and said awkwardly, "I'm going to see Huifang tomorrow morning, and I have to come to rehearsal this afternoon."
She had originally planned to meet a friend in the morning and then go to the city library with him in the afternoon.
Zhou Xiuhe smiled wryly: "It's okay, our class has to practice all day."
Their class monitor, Chen Jinhong, always strives for excellence, either by not doing anything at all or by doing it to the best of her ability.
Luo Yan's personality is also similar, but she always sets high standards for herself, and she would only remind herself, "Then you should drink more water."
Zhou Xiuhe agreed, and the two chatted about other things before parting ways when they were almost at Fengshou Hutong.
The first thing Luo Yan did when she got home was to find water to drink. She gulped down a large glass, wiped her mouth, and told her parents what had happened at school that day.
Liu Yinfeng: "A choir competition? That would take all day."
Luo Yan: "It was only freshmen who participated, I think there were 27 classes."
The number of students admitted this year is less than four figures.
Liu Yinfeng calculated for her: "Even if a class is only worth ten minutes, it will still take half a day."
Luo Yan: "They haven't announced what time it will start yet, but it will definitely be at night. During the day, the playground is so hot that people can get heatstroke."
"Open-air is good," Liu Yinfeng said. "I'll go with your dad to watch the fun then."
Luo Yan: "Okay, I'll let you know when we're almost there."
As soon as he finished speaking, Luo Hong pushed open the door and entered the house. He asked his sister, catching the last syllable of her voice, "What did you say?"
Luo Yan repeated herself, then, seeing her brother carrying two strings of whips, stepped back and said, "The weather is dry; be careful with fire."
She said this because her brother had a "criminal record." One year, he somehow set off firecrackers in the house, and that night his buttocks were redder than firecracker debris.
When his sister brought up old grievances, Luo Hong immediately realized he was in the wrong: "Be careful, I'll definitely be careful."
Luo Yan left with a "I hope so," grabbed the washbasin, and ran off.
Luo Hong, still "furious," muttered, "I'll put it under your bed later and scare you to death."
Why are you talking about death so late at night?
Liu Yinfeng: "Don't let me hear that again, okay? Let's wish for good luck."
Luo Hong put the things down, patted his mouth, and said, "I was wrong."
"It's good that you admit your mistake," Liu Yinfeng said, raising her chin. "Everything you wanted is right there."
Luo Hong didn't have much capital, so he saved money wherever he could, and he resolutely refused to buy anything he already had at home.
He glanced at it and said, "Mom, I don't want the blanket."
Liu Yinfeng: "What if I get cold while taking a nap one day?"
"This weather?" Luo Hong glanced out the window. "I think it's unlikely."
Liu Yinfeng: "Just take it when I tell you to."
Luo Hong had no choice but to obey, and carried the quilt out the next day.
Zhou Weifang came early in the morning to help him move his things and asked, "No, why are you bringing blankets for your business opening?"
Luo Hong's parents had already gone to the alley entrance to catch the bus, and he loudly complained, "My mom thinks I'll be cold."
As soon as he finished speaking, his sister stomped on his foot hard, making him wince in pain. However, this reminded Luo Hong of something—he had given his childhood friend a quilt during the first month of the lunar year, at his sister's suggestion.
Luo Yan said at the time, "Didn't his parents go to his shop? They could tell at a glance that his blankets weren't thick enough."
My younger sister was raised with all her parents' love and care, so they naturally assumed that parents would take care of everything for their children. Little did they know that with so many children in every family, it was common to not be able to attend to everyone. Even Luo Hong wasn't as observant as she was.
He said, "Your brother only has one life, so be careful with your footing."
Luo Yan glanced at him sideways, feeling apologetic towards Zhou Weifang for some reason.
Only she would think so much.
Zhou Weifang himself didn't feel stung, saying, "This looks similar to the one I was given."
Luo Hong: "They're all from our Luo family, so of course they're the same."
As he spoke, he strapped all his things to the back seat, and Zhou Weifang did the same.
The two of them rode along, panting, while Luo Yan followed behind with ease, arriving without breaking a sweat.
Luo Hong couldn't just be the one in a sorry state; he rubbed his sister's hair a couple of times to "feel better."
Luo Yan let her hair down and tied it back up, while thinking of kicking him.
Luo Hong reminded her, "Someone is watching you, be mindful of your image."
Who is it? Luo Yan looked around and spotted Zhou Xiuhe standing by the roadside. Although it was Sunday, it was still at the school gate, so she hesitated and only waved quietly.
Luo Hong also saw it. He glanced at his childhood friend, who was pretending to be busy, hesitated for a moment, and finally called out, "Xiao Zhou is here."
Zhou Xiuhe then stepped forward confidently: "Congratulations, Brother Luo. I'm here to show my support and see if there's anything I can do to help."
Luo Hong politely thanked him.
He's actually a very open person, but he felt particularly uncomfortable here, touching the back of his neck: "No need, I'm almost done with this."
Seeing that they were about to launch into another long string of polite words, Luo Yan stopped them: "Aren't you supposed to have rehearsal at eight o'clock? You'll be late."
No matter what time he had something to do, Zhou Xiuhe felt he had to show up. He glanced at his watch and said, "I'm almost late, so I'll go first."
He left first, and the Luo couple got off the bus immediately afterward.
They crossed the street and arrived at their son's shop. They both looked up and exclaimed, "There's a name too!"
Luo Hong hung up the signboard of Hongtu Auto Dealership, which not only fit his name but also implied great ambitions. Feeling quite cultured, he said, "How about it, not bad, right?"
His place isn't big; it's only big enough to display six new cars at the entrance, along with a wooden sign that says "Bicycle Repair, Tire Repair" for passersby to see.
Liu Yinfeng naturally praised, "It looks very professional."
Luo Hong was quite satisfied and said, "I'm going to set off firecrackers now, so be careful."
Amidst the smell of gunpowder, he clapped for himself, as if he could see a thriving future for his business.
Luo Yan was busy pinching her nose and covering her ears, but the corners of her lips were slightly upturned, indicating that she was in a good mood.
Zhou Weifang glanced at her furtively, then casually took a step to the right, blocking any debris that might fly towards him.
Luo Yan assumed he just wanted to stand there, and considerately made room for him.
What a kind and good girl, Zhou Weifang thought to himself, the look in her eyes indescribable.
Luo Hong, lacking the literary talent, waved his hand to clear away the lingering taste and began promoting the message to the onlookers.
Everyone loves to join in the fun, but car dealerships don't sell cabbages; you might just glance at one at most.
At first glance, with so many people, it seems like business isn't easy.
Liu Yinfeng was afraid of saying something unpleasant, and she couldn't help but hope for business while sitting there. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Your dad and I will go back first."
Luo Yan also said, "I made an appointment with Fang to bring you lunch at noon."
The family of three had all left. Luo Hong turned around and asked, "Aren't you leaving?"
Zhou Weifang pulled up a chair and sat down: "I'm here today as a senior to set the tone for you."
Wow, she's not as focused on romance as I thought.
Luo Hong: "Okay, if it gets crowded in the morning, you can help me out."
There were only two customers that morning, one to get a tire repaired and the other because his chain broke. But Luo Hong has many friends, and everyone comes in for a quick visit, so his shop was never empty all morning. He kept boiling water for tea and his mouth was never idle.
Meanwhile, Luo Yan was also sharing her recent situation with her friends.
She had only met Wu Huifang once since the start of the semester, but now she had a lot to say, with the most mention of Zhou Xiuhe.
Wu Huifang had been curious about Zhou Xiuhe since the last time she heard him mentioned him, and this time she couldn't help but stroke her chin and ask, "When can I meet this Zhou student?"
Luo Yan has few friends, and she considers meeting her parents and meeting her friends to be on the same level.
She said, "In two more years."
Wu Huifang nudged her shoulder and joked, "So, you'll be getting married then, right?"
Luo Yan couldn't help but imagine what her wedding with Zhou Xiuhe would be like, and pinching her burning ears, she didn't deny it.
It seems this Zhou student is quite charming. Wu Huifang was rather envious: "Why are there so few good boys in our school?"
There were very few boys in the language institute, so she had no chance to meet anyone. Unfortunately, this was the age when girls' hearts were just beginning to flutter, which made her quite depressed at times.
Luo Yan wasn't good at playing matchmaker, but she was good at saying positive things: "Then hurry up and study hard. Didn't you almost fail your course?"
Only if she said those words would they not sound offensive.
Wu Huifang said with a mournful face, "Why do perfectly normal Chinese people have to learn foreign languages?"
Luo Yan is also learning English now, but the intensity is definitely not comparable to that of English majors like her. She said, "I also find it very difficult."
Before the college entrance exam, she only grasped the basics, which was far from sufficient for the subject.
Wu Huifang found a kindred spirit and poured out her grievances, also mentioning the grudges and feuds among her classmates.
The two chatted happily in the park, and their mouths didn't stop even during lunch.
After Luo Yan finished eating, she brought a portion for her brother.
When ordering, she thought Zhou Weifang was probably still there, so she doubled the number of dishes.
Wu Huifang asked in surprise, "Your brother can eat so much?"
Luo Yan explained, "His childhood friend was also there."
When it comes to childhood friends, Wu Huifang immediately knows: "That handsome guy who fixes bicycles?"
Zhou Weifang's car dealership was located right next to the Fourth Middle School, and his face had been the subject of some discussion among the girls in that year's class.
Luo Yan had just taught her those two words, and she laughed, "You're quite good at applying what you've learned."
Wu Huifang chuckled: "I know a lot of dialects now, but they're all swear words."
She didn't want to showcase it, lest she "tarnish" her friend's high standards.
Luo Yan: "The only two phrases I know in southern Anhui dialect are also swear words."
Her mother rarely spoke in dialect, only when she was particularly angry would she speak in long strings, and there were a few words that best expressed her feelings, spoken in an intense tone, which her children naturally remembered.
Wu Huifang thought to herself that she probably would never have the chance to hear her speak in her lifetime, and wondered if there was any classmate in the class who was also from southern Anhui.
Luo Yan had no idea that she was so "eager to learn" about this kind of thing. Carrying a lunchbox full of food, she said, "Let's go."
The two went their separate ways.
Luo Yan went to deliver food to her brother and saw Zhou Weifang, saying, "I knew you'd be here, so I specially brought extra food."
Zhou Weifang took it as a sign of special concern: "Then I'll have to eat more."
It's a good thing that the guests are stuffed, Luo Yan said with a smile: "Eat, eat as much as you like."
Luo Hong couldn't stand it anymore and urged, "Don't you have rehearsal this afternoon?"
At midday, under the blazing sun, Luo Yan resolutely refused to arrive too early. She didn't understand her brother's implied meaning and instead sat down to wait for the appointed time.
Zhou Weifang glanced at his childhood friend and chuckled, then asked, "What are we rehearsing?"
There's nothing wrong with saying this; Luo Yan answered his question immediately.
Luo Hong, standing to the side, didn't know what to say. He could only keep checking his watch, trying to end the conversation.
After this happened several times, Luo Yan began to suspect something and asked suspiciously, "What are you two up to by sending me away again?"
Zhou Weifang quickly distanced himself: "I have nothing to do with this."
The faster she denied it, the more suspicious Luo Yan felt. She slammed her hand on the table and said, "Tell me the truth."
Luo Hong shouted that he was innocent, but unfortunately, he had a long criminal record, and his sister was only half-convinced no matter what he said.
Seeing that the two of them looked like they were about to step on a landmine, Luo Yan gave them a stern warning before taking her water bottle and heading into the school when she saw that it was almost time.
With her departure, the childhood friendship between Zhou Weifang and Luo Hong also came to an end, but neither of them spoke first, even though they both knew the truth in their hearts.
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Author's note: Goodnight~
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