Chapter 138, first update on 138.
The car dealership did quite well in the evening, and Luo Hong was busy until after nine o'clock before he could finish work.
Luo Yan stuffed her textbooks into her schoolbag, thinking that she wouldn't look at them again when she got home tonight, so she simply left them at her brother's shop and went home empty-handed.
But at this hour, no one was home.
The brother and sister looked at the tightly closed door and stared at each other in bewilderment. Luo Yan took out her key and opened the door, muttering, "Where are Mom and Dad?"
Luo Hong had no idea that after entering the house and not finding the note left behind, he scratched his head and said, "Maybe I'll be back in a bit."
Since your parents are adults, there's no need to worry too much.
Luo Yan was even more anxious because the bathhouse was about to close, so she went back to her room to get her clothes and urged her brother to leave quickly.
When they came back after taking a shower, they saw their parents pacing around the door.
Luo Yan asked curiously, "Mom, why aren't you going inside?"
Mentioning Liu Yinfeng makes me laugh: "I didn't bring my keys today, and neither did your dad."
She went out in the afternoon but couldn't get back in. She wandered around looking for her husband, but when he checked his pockets, they were empty too. The couple weren't in a hurry, so they went out for dinner together and strolled around the streets until just now.
As Luo Yan opened the door, she said, "Why didn't you call? I came back right after school."
Liu Yinfeng: "There's no rush to do anything. And to be honest, the streets are quite lively at night now."
It's a beautiful time of year with clear skies and crisp air, and people like to spend more time outside at night.
Luo Yan: "What did you eat for dinner? Was it good?"
The four of them walked home one after the other. Liu Yinfeng said, "The beef noodles were too dry. I won't eat them next time."
It would be such a shame if it didn't taste good.
Luo Yan: "Next time we'll go to that place in Liuer Hutong, it's especially delicious."
This girl has an uncanny knack for finding good food.
Liu Yinfeng: "Okay, it's been a long time since our family has eaten out together."
It turns out that Luo Hong used to have a day off when he worked at the bicycle factory, but since he opened the shop, he has hardly stopped for a moment.
He said, "I'll also take a day off for National Day. Yan Yan wants to take the subway."
Speaking of the subway, Liu Yinfeng stomped her feet twice: "I've never seen what it looks like."
Luo Xinmin: "Let's all go and join in the fun then."
Although Luo Yan wanted to go, she had to shake her head: "I hope you don't step on me and turn me into a meat patty."
Luo Hong tugged at his sister's braid: "Then you're just the meat sandwiched in the middle, and we're the pancake."
It always sounds like something bloody and gory. Luo Yan rubbed her hands together and said, "Don't always scare me like that."
She took advantage of her brother's momentary lapse in attention, shoved him, and ran back to her room, slamming the door shut behind her.
Luo Hong barely managed to stand firm: "Mom, aren't you and Dad going to do anything about this?"
"Go ahead and fight with your sister," Liu Yinfeng said.
Luo Hong: "Why are there still people stirring up trouble?"
If anyone was stirring up trouble, Liu Yinfeng would slap them: "You deserve a beating."
Luo Hong rubbed his elbow and shouted, "It's broken! It's broken!" before being chased back to his room by slippers thrown at him by his mother.
Luo Xinmin went over and picked it up for her, laughing, "I'll beat him up again tomorrow."
Liu Yinfeng also knew two old sayings: "If a son is not taught, it is the father's fault; it is more right to beat you."
Luo Xinmin thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll call him out again."
Liu Yinfeng playfully patted him, and the couple tidied up and went to bed. However, Luo Yan, who had entered the room first, was the last to fall asleep.
She was inexplicably energetic that night, tossing and turning in bed, wondering if it was because of her run. That wouldn't do. She decided to move her run to the morning and loudly announce it at breakfast the next day.
It's good for my daughter to exercise; at least it will help her stay healthy. Liu Yinfeng strongly supports this: "Make breakfast early tomorrow."
That would be too much trouble. Luo Yan said, "I'll just buy what I need."
Liu Yinfeng didn't insist, and only looked at her son: "What about you?"
Luo Hong: "I'd better sleep a little longer."
Don't think the adults don't know, kid.
Liu Yinfeng: "If you want to sleep, don't stay up all night reading novels."
Luo Hong muttered to himself, "If this TV station broadcasts until midnight, you can watch it too."
Liu Yinfeng: "I don't have the energy for that. Don't you even know how old your mother is?"
Luo Hong complimented her, saying she "looks like she's in her early thirties," and then, with a grin, picked up the last steamed bun: "Come on, if we hurry up today, we can run another lap."
"Let's finish eating and go, why are you in such a hurry?" Liu Yinfeng shouted, "Be careful not to choke again."
The brother and sister had long since disappeared, disappearing in a flash to the entrance of Jiaotong University.
Luo Hong went to open the shop, and Luo Yan parked her bicycle and jogged slowly on the playground.
But she ate a lot for breakfast, and felt a little uncomfortable after running a few steps, so she had to work slowly and half-heartedly.
When Luo Hong came to visit his sister, he saw this scene and laughed at her, saying, "Tsk tsk, your ambitions remain unfulfilled."
Luo Yan subconsciously touched her pocket: "I didn't forget anything today."
Luo Hong pursed his lips: "I'm asking if you want to go to Silihe for seafood at noon."
Judging from his tone of voice, it wasn't him who asked the question.
Today is Tuesday, and Luo Yan's class doesn't start until 3 PM, so her lunch break is exceptionally long. She said, "I can go eat by myself."
Luo Hong crossed his arms: "Did I say I wasn't going?"
Luo Yan smiled, her eyes crinkling: "Then let's go together."
Who's so clueless? Luo Hong: "I'm busy, I don't have time. Go by yourself."
He probably wanted to prove this point, and then he left after saying it.
Luo Yan is someone who believes in making progress little by little, thinking that even taking small steps will have some effect. Therefore, she insisted on completing the last half lap around the playground before entering the classroom.
She arrived early; there were only two students in the class. They smiled at her as she came in and then loudly read the words aloud.
This semester, everyone has really started to pay attention to English, and Luo Yan is no exception.
She took out the China Daily that had just been delivered that morning and was stunned by the large amount of English text, reading it word by word without noticing the occasional glances from her classmates.
After a while, she stopped to sort out the grammar before making eye contact with the other person.
The other person smiled and asked shyly, "Luo Yan, could I borrow this after you've finished reading it?"
There are too few original English books available for further reading on the market now. Students who want to learn end up reading the same two books over and over again, so they have to spend a lot of effort memorizing vocabulary.
But a newspaper has several pages, so Luo Yan pulled one out and said, "Take this and read it."
"It's okay, it's okay, you can borrow it after you finish reading it."
At times like this, Luo Yan would be a little more careful with her words, saying, "It's okay, I can't finish reading it, there are too many new words."
She has always been a very generous person, especially when it comes to things related to studying, but a few times her nonchalant attitude has been seen as offensive, leaving her often unsure of what to do.
Fortunately, the student didn't think much of it and said, "Thank you! I'll look at it quickly and return it to you tomorrow."
Upon hearing this, another classmate who was memorizing words with her quickly nudged her, signaling her to shut up.
Luo Yan didn't see it; she just rushed to read the article before the class bell rang, and squeezed out time during the break to study the meaning of each word in detail.
That's all she could see in the morning. As soon as the school bell rang, she packed up her things and hurried out, leaving her schoolbag at her brother's shop first.
The times for going to and from school are when there are the most cars and pedestrians. Luo Hong didn't have time to tease his younger sister, and just said, "Ride slowly."
Luo Yan agreed loudly, and stopped to straighten her hair before turning into Silihe, then waited in a shaded spot near the restaurant entrance.
Zhou Weifang arrived a little late and apologized as soon as he saw people: "I'm sorry, it's been busier than I expected."
Luo Yan shook her head slightly and asked him, "Who's watching the shop at noon? I saw that your wife went to work at the factory today."
Zhou Weifang: "I closed the shop directly this afternoon."
"Huh?" Luo Yan asked in surprise, "Will this work?"
Zhou Weifang: "Let's go inside first and then we'll talk."
After the two sat down and ordered their food, Luo Yan urged him to speak quickly.
Zhou Weifang explained, "I've noticed these past two days that some people don't buy fruit in the morning; they all want to wait until I lower the price in the evening before coming."
"But I decide whether to lower the price based on how much is left. If there's a lot left, people can still only buy fruit at the original price when they come in the evening."
“But fresh produce doesn’t look as good by evening if it’s left out for a day, and that increases my spoilage rate. So I just order less stock today and put up the ‘sold out’ signs at noon. That way, people will know that they can’t always find bargains.”
That seems to make sense. Luo Yan nodded: "You're really cunning."
She didn't use the words well, but her meaning was good; she said, "I'm praising you."
Zhou Weifang didn't think being cunning was a bad thing, so he leaned forward a little and said, "Then praise me a few more times."
Luo Yan poked his forehead and pushed him: "Sit properly."
"No, wait," Zhou Weifang said, "I have something to tell you in private."
How quietly? Luo Yan turned her head and put her ear towards him.
Zhou Weifang couldn't resist pinching her cheek: "We'll have pomegranates to eat today."
"What kind of whisper is this?" Luo Yan slapped his hand away. "This isn't dough, you can't knead it every day."
Zhou Weifang leaned closer to her and said, "Then you can pinch it back."
Luo Yan wasn't stupid: "Then you're even happier."
Just then, the dishes were served, and she chose another "punishment": "You peel the shrimp."
Zhou Weifang peeled one and put it in her bowl, saying, "Jianjun's wife will come to work after the Mid-Autumn Festival."
When talking about the Mid-Autumn Festival, there's one thing that can't be ignored.
Luo Yan: "Sister Jianhong is getting married this week."
Zhou Weifang: "Well, we'll have to help Brother Hong then, but you can sit with my second sister."
According to old tradition, his older sister was pregnant and could not attend the wedding.
Luo Yan wasn't exactly a stranger to Zhou Yuying, but for some reason, she felt uneasy and asked, "Does she know?"
Zhou Weifang just wanted to ask her opinion today: "I don't know yet. We don't see each other every day, and we don't talk about everything."
Luo Yan knew that people like her who talked to their families about everything were actually in the minority: "Should we tell her?"
Zhou Weifang wanted the whole world to know, but Luo Yan was still in school, and they hadn't started talking about marriage yet. Besides, he had to respect the Luo family elders' wish to keep things low-key, so he said, "I'll listen to you."
"Should I make the decision?" Luo Yan didn't hesitate much: "I'm quite familiar with Sister Yu Ying, and it would feel like I'm deliberately keeping it from her if I didn't tell her."
Zhou Weifang laughed: "She's my eldest sister's informant. If one knows something, then two people know it, but she won't tell a third person."
"How wonderful," Luo Yan said enviously, "When I was little, I really wanted an older sister or a younger sister."
Zhou Weifang said the opposite: "You've seen how they beat me before, at least Luo Hong held back when he fought you."
Luo Yan: "But the two of them don't fight each other."
Something about that doesn't sound right. Zhou Weifang: "So it's okay to hit me?"
"Hmm..." Luo Yan said softly, "Sometimes you really deserve a beating."
They're still peeling shrimp for her; it's not good to dismantle the bridge before she's even crossed the river.
Zhou Weifang: "Yanyan, now we're on the same side."
One faction after another, of course they are one faction.
Luo Yan comforted him, "If they hit you now, I'll definitely help you."
Given her physique, Zhou Weifang said, "Then you should probably stay away. I'd be more worried if you got hurt."
How could he utter such words without any shame? Luo Yan raised a finger and shushed him.
Zhou Weifang obediently pursed his lips, then opened them again after a while: "How's your running practice going?"
Luo Yan's face crumpled: "Barely, probably, never mind, there's just no progress at all."
Zhou Weifang reassured her: "It's okay. Sports aren't your strong suit anyway. We'll just do our best."
Luo Yan: "That's what I told myself too, but to be honest, the thought of coming in last place is kind of embarrassing."
"It's not shameful at all," Zhou Weifang said. "I'll be your bottom line then."
What kind of idea is this? Luo Yan: "Separate the men and women for the competition."
Zhou Weifang: "I'll wear a skirt and just make do."
Putting aside the fact that no one runs in a skirt, how could someone as tall and strong as him possibly be fooled?
Luo Yan knew he was joking, so she pretended to be disgusted: "It would be even more embarrassing if people found out you were my boyfriend."
Listen to this, we're a couple.
Zhou Weifang didn't know who he was showing off to, but he was all smiles: "That's right, we can't let Yanyan down."
Luo Yan felt that the emphasis he placed on her name was different from others, so she let her hair down to cover her ears and said, "I don't like fish bones."
Zhou Weifang meticulously picked out every flaw, making the meal a slow and careful affair.
Fortunately, Luo Yan's class started late, so they could digest their food in the nearby park after they finished eating.
The afternoon breeze was particularly pleasant that day.
Luo Yan didn't avoid the sun; she specifically sought out places where she could get some sun, but her eyes were always a little hard to open.
Zhou Weifang reached out to shield her, but Luo Yan took a few big steps and bumped her forehead, laughing to herself.
Zhou Weifang leaned closer to look: "Are you alright? Does it hurt?"
How much pain could it hurt? Luo Yan: "I'm not made of glass."
Although Zhou Weifang didn't speak, his eyes said it all.
Luo Yan: "Do you believe I'll cry right now?"
If this had happened when she was a child, she would have already shed two strings of tears.
Zhou Weifang said repeatedly, "Believe me, believe me, I've always been most afraid of you crying since I was little."
When Luo Yan was little, she didn't understand and thought he always gave in to her because he thought she was noisy. But now she understands that this kind of crying and fussing only works on some people.
She said, "That's why I sometimes pretend to cry."
Zhou Weifang wasn't stupid: "I know."
Luo Yan slightly raised her chin: "I know you know."
It's almost become a tongue twister, Zhou Weifang: "What do you want to eat next Tuesday?"
This is indeed a difficult problem. Luo Yan stroked her chin and pondered, completely unaware that Zhou Weifang was leading her toward the artificial hill.
At a turning point where no one was around, Zhou Weifang called her name.
Luo Yan snapped out of her daze and looked at him. Her gaze slowly drifted down to their hands, which had somehow become clasped together. For the first time, she realized that one could describe a person's hands as strong and resilient.
Zhou Weifang felt that she was soft, as if he were holding a ball of cotton. He dared not exert any force and could only remain frozen in place.
Neither of them spoke; they just stood there in that stance.
Luo Yan's hand was getting tired, so she poked him with her other hand: "I'll be late if we're any later."
Holding hands is not allowed in the park, so Zhou Weifang had to let go, muttering, "What a stupid rule."
Luo Yan looked at her empty palm and felt the same way, but her eagerness to get to school prevailed, and she said, "I'll let you hold my hand as much as you want next time, let's go."
Zhou Weifang whispered, "There's never enough."
He was a man in his early twenties, and this was his first time dating. He wanted nothing more than to chase after her like a tail every day, and he never seemed to get enough of her.
Luo Yan didn't hear her, and quickly darted several steps back, turning around: "Hurry, hurry, hurry!"
Zhou Weifang strode forward to catch up with her, saying, "I'm going to Brother Hong's place later, and I'll bring you dinner when I get back."
Luo Yan knew where Hong Ge lived, and made a request: "I want to eat the brown sugar rice cake from the shop next door."
If there's something sweet, then I'll ask for something salty to balance it out.
Zhou Weifang: "Would it be okay with tofu pudding?"
"That's amazing!" Luo Yan exclaimed. "I've noticed that you always manage to guess what I love to eat."
This is actually not difficult. Zhou Weifang said, "There are very few things you don't like to eat."
Even so, Luo Yan said, "Why does it make me look like I'm greedy?"
Zhou Weifang: "I wish you would love to eat it. I could bring you food six times a day, wouldn't that be great?"
Who can eat six meals a day?
Zhou Weifang actually knew: "It seems like it was similar when you were in the child development class."
Luo Yan's tendency to cry as a child was evident in many ways, especially when it came to going to the aftercare class.
She was three years old at the time, and she was heartbroken every day after suddenly being separated from her mother's embrace. To comfort her, her parents would make her half a cup of milk and a small biscuit in the morning.
The children in the preschool receive breakfast, lunch, and morning snacks. When she gets home in the evening, in addition to her regular meal, she sometimes asks for a little snack before going to bed.
When Zhou Weifang was a child, he would sometimes stay overnight at his childhood friend's house and read comic books with him until midnight. One day, he exclaimed in amazement, "I have never seen anyone who can eat so much."
To be precise, it was because the supply was so tight back then that every family had to tighten their belts to make ends meet. Most of his childhood memories were related to hunger, and sometimes he would get a stomachache just watching people eat.
Speaking of which, Zhou Weifang said, "I used to eat your snacks all the time."
Luo Yan: "So now it's fair that you get me food."
So this is what fate is like. Zhou Weifang: "People say that a drop of water in need is repaid with a spring of water. I'll fight for it for the rest of my life."
Luo Yan pondered, "This is called repaying a debt of gratitude. You seem overjoyed."
Zhou Weifang deliberately pulled down the corners of his mouth: "Really?"
Luo Yan glanced at him sideways: "You know it yourself!"
As they reminisced about the past, they walked out of the park and rode their bikes toward Jiaotong University, stopping in front of Hongtu Motorcycle Shop.
Luo Yan jumped off the bike, grabbed her books, and left, the bicycle gliding into the school.
Zhou Weifang also had things to do, but taking advantage of the fact that there were no customers at the moment, he squatted down next to his childhood friend and said, "I have something to ask for your opinion on."
Seeing his expression, Luo Hong's heart skipped a beat: "Speak quickly."
Zhou Weifang sighed before saying, "Sparrow."
Even if he didn't bring it up, Luo Hong would have asked about it someday. Admittedly, there are different levels of closeness among childhood friends, but they all grew up together.
He asked, "Are you going to tell him?"
Zhou Weifang had been struggling with this for several days: "If I tell him, it'll be like I'm showing off and stabbing him in the back. If I don't tell him, he'll find out sooner or later, and then it'll be even more difficult to handle."
Luo Hong felt a headache for him and reluctantly said, "It's better that he knows, so he can give up on this idea sooner."
He added, "Or I could pretend to have accidentally let him know, so that at least we can save face for everyone."
Being able to get by on the surface doesn't mean you can get by in your heart.
Zhou Weifang: "I'll do it myself and then lead you in."
Luo Hong: "We've already started dating, whether we're dating or not, but don't let Yan Yan know about this. It has nothing to do with her."
Zhou Weifang: "We definitely can't let her know that it was Sparrow and I who made the choice. She shouldn't let this affect her mood."
The two only agreed on keeping the secret from Luo Yan, but they couldn't agree on how to tell Sparrow.
After hesitating for a while, Zhou Weifang said, "I still have some things to take care of. I'll think about it some more."
A guest came in to Luo Hong's place, and Luo Hong patted him on the shoulder, unsure of what to say.
Zhou Weifang comforted him and changed the subject: "We'll have tofu pudding and brown sugar rice cakes for dinner."
Only his younger sister liked this sticky and sweet stuff. Luo Hong said, "I don't want it. Get me some pancakes or steamed buns."
Zhou Weifang said, "It's good enough that there's food to eat, why are you being picky?" He bought the same amount of food that Zhou Weifang had asked for.
Only Luo Yan ate the sweet ones. She took a bite and her teeth almost got stuck together. She opened her mouth with difficulty and asked, "What are you going to do with Brother Hong?"
Zhou Weifang: "He has freight routes, and I want to buy a batch of chestnuts from northern Hebei."
Luo Yan's eyes lit up: "Roasted chestnuts."
All he eats all day long is sugar. Luo Hong: "Don't forget your teeth."
Luo Yan touched her face guiltily and said, "I don't cry when I see the dentist anymore."
Whether or not he cries is another matter. Zhou Weifang said, "I'll cook it and bring it over for you later. Just eat a little to try."
Luo Yan made an "oh" sound and pouted, then stirred the tofu pudding into small pieces.
Luo Hong whispered to his childhood friend, "I thought you would agree with whatever she said."
Zhou Weifang: "That depends on the situation."
The next second he said, "I'll have someone cook extra sugar-free for you."
Luo Hong didn't have any suitable tools at hand right now, otherwise he would have at least hit his son with a brick.
He couldn't bear to watch the two of them exchanging glances through him, so he simply picked up his bowl, kicked the chair, and sat down at the shop entrance to eat.
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Author's note: Didn't manage to stand up today either, goodnight!
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