Chapter 176, Update 1762
Originally, Luo Yan planned to practice driving after get off work the following week, after her driving lesson on Sunday.
However, her plan did not go smoothly from Monday onwards, as the government began a crackdown on various crimes, with hooliganism being the top priority.
Zhou Weifang had come to pick up his girlfriend from get off work, but the two had barely exchanged a word when they were warned by the patrol team.
In this tense situation, he didn't dare to give anyone a ride on his bicycle, so he could only follow slowly behind and let Luo Yan ride her bicycle home.
Before he even reached the intersection, another policeman stopped him and questioned him: "Why are you following that woman!"
Luo Yan noticed what was happening behind him and came back to explain on his behalf.
Zhou Weifang didn't dare to follow anymore and had to go to the Luo family first.
Liu Yinfeng was startled to see him arrive alone: "Didn't Yanyan say she was going out to dinner with you tonight? What happened?"
Zhou Weifang quickly explained, and looking at the kitchen, said, "I'll go buy two more groceries, and we'll eat at home."
Liu Yinfeng prepared dinner according to the number of people, saying, "Okay, don't buy rice. There are steamed buns in the refrigerator, I'll steam them. Don't you all like to eat them?"
Zhou Weifang agreed and walked out. He bumped into Luo Yan at the alley entrance and quickly took three steps back.
Luo Yan couldn't stop laughing: "Where are you going?"
"I'll order two dishes, what would you like to eat?"
Luo Yan specifically requested, "Lots of stir-fried beef."
After saying that, she went home first, happily talking to her mother, and asked in surprise, "Everyone is walking on the same road, there are so many people behind me, why are you only stopping him?"
Why else could it be? Liu Yinfeng wasn't surprised at all: "Even a blind man could see that his eyes were glued to you."
Luo Yan recalled, "It couldn't be that exaggerated, could it?"
Exaggeration? Liu Yinfeng shook her head slightly: "Your mother's education level is just not high enough, so she didn't express herself well enough."
Luo Yan was a little embarrassed. She rolled her eyes as she left the kitchen, then bumped into her brother, startling him so much that she closed her eyes: "You're here, why aren't you making a sound!"
"What kind of talk is that?" Luo Hong said. "It's only natural for me to be here. You're the one who's wondering. Aren't you going on a date?"
From this angle, Luo Yan could see her father just entering the courtyard. She said, "Wait, Dad, I'm tired of saying it twice."
The father and son listened to this together, looked at each other, and burst out laughing.
Having seen it all, Luo Xinmin said, "The three of you are all the same for now. Come home for dinner after get off work and don't go anywhere else."
Luo Hong's greatest joy after becoming a boss was having time to get together with his friends again. Just as he was about to voice his slight objection, he saw Zhou Weifang come in carrying a lunchbox, and suddenly he became more accepting, stroking his chin and grinning slyly.
Why are you laughing like this? Luo Yan kicked her brother: "You're plotting something bad again."
Luo Hong clicked his tongue: "It's more likely that someone can't come up with any bad ideas."
People who are in a relationship naturally want to go on dates outside.
Luo Xinmin rarely said anything like, "They're all like you, destined to remain single."
Luo Hong slumped on the sofa: "The country is starting to advocate for later marriage and later childbirth. Dad, your awareness needs to be improved."
Once he reached a state of enlightenment, Luo Xinmin couldn't say anything else, only saying, "The three parties have arrived, please sit down."
Instead, he stood up and went into the kitchen to work.
Zhou Weifang placed the lunchbox on the dining table and, "when in Rome, do as the Romans do," sat in the living room.
Luo Hong was the first to tell him the "bad news," saying, "Starting today, the three of us are grounded."
Regarding the stay-at-home order, Luo Yan felt that even for one's own sake, one should voluntarily reduce going out, adding, "I did it voluntarily."
He added, "Dad wants you to come over for dinner too."
Luo Hong corrected his sister: "You're missing a modifier."
Luo Yan asked in surprise, "You actually know which one is the attributive?"
Luo Hong said matter-of-factly, "Because I don't know of any other language."
Luo Yan said he was illiterate, and the brother and sister couldn't stand each other, so they fought through Zhou Weifang.
Poor Zhou Weifang was the one who was "injured" the most. There was a shallow fingernail mark on both sides. On the left, it said, "Look what you scratched me with." On the right, it said, "Look what he scratched me with."
No, they're distorting the truth right in front of you.
Luo Hong shouted to the sky, "This room is full of biased people, I can't stay here anymore!"
Luo Yan smiled victoriously and, seeing the dishes were ready, addressed her: "Go and show us what you're capable of."
Zhou Weifang, of course, wanted to show off, so he even offered to wash the dishes after the meal.
Liu Yinfeng pressed him down: "No need, no need, work is tiring enough."
Housework wasn't too much for her, especially with her husband helping out.
Luo Hong teased, "They're having a date in the kitchen, and you're so clueless."
That brat, he says all sorts of things every day.
Liu Yinfeng threw a slipper at him and said, "You're only suited to hanging out with Laishun."
Huang Laishun was eating dinner and completely ignored everyone, burying his face in his bowl as if afraid someone would take it from him.
Luo Hongdu found it dirty and said, "I'd rather read a book."
The older brother was relaxing in the yard reading a book, while the parents were busy in the kitchen. Luo Yan put a bag of peanuts in Zhou Weifang's hand: "I want to eat some."
Zhou Weifang sat on the sofa peeling peanuts, put the peanut kernels in an empty bowl for her, and asked, "Why don't you practice riding your motorcycle in the yard?"
The yard has a woodshed, a carport, and a vegetable garden; there's hardly any space left.
Luo Yan: "My dad finally managed to grow some vegetable seedlings. If he crushes them, is it yours or mine?"
Zhou Weifang lowered his voice and said seriously, "I think it's better to count you, since you're the biological son."
Luo Yan nudged him, saying, "Aren't you the most loyal person around?"
Zhou Weifang had no choice: "I can't stay a future son-in-law forever, can I?"
Luo Yan squinted at him: "Isn't it up to me to decide?"
After counting, Zhou Weifang presented the bowl of peanuts to her, saying, "Please have some."
Luo Yan likes to eat handfuls at a time, and this amount isn't even enough for three of her meals. However, she often gets an upset stomach when she eats too much, so she takes a sip of water and says, "I'm not eating anymore."
Her parents could see everything clearly from the kitchen. Liu Yinfeng lowered her voice and said, "This girl certainly knows how to order people around."
Luo Xinmin said, "I think all three parties are quite willing."
Zhou Weifang was more than willing; he whispered, "I'll come back tomorrow to peel them for you again."
Luo Yan nodded happily and poked him: "I'm only so happy because you came."
The Luo family is great in every way, and Zhou Weifang is very comfortable here. The only drawback is that he can't sit too close to his elders.
He sighed silently, his eyes looking at people with the same expression Huang Laishun had when he was begging for food.
Luo Yan's heart softened, and she tugged at his arm, pointing to the door of her room.
This isn't appropriate, is it? Zhou Weifang's official status hasn't been finalized yet. He subconsciously glanced at the kitchen, only to meet the eyes of an elder, making him feel even more guilty, and he coughed uncomfortably.
"What's wrong?" Luo Yan looked at her parents and confidently led her partner into the room.
The couple exchanged a glance but said nothing, and sat down to watch TV.
Aside from the time they moved, Zhou Weifang never entered Luo Yan's room.
He sensed a faint fragrance and inexplicably began to swallow.
Luo Yan wanted to laugh when she saw him like this: "What are you so nervous about?"
Zhou Weifang's gaze fell on the bed, his mind wandering. He didn't feel comfortable looking at the chair either, so he turned his attention to the full bookshelf and asked, "Is this cabinet suitable for you?"
Luo Yan followed his gaze and pulled a book down from the top: "It would be great if it could be wider."
Zhou Weifang gestured and roughly understood what was going on, saying, "I'll talk to my master about it later."
Luo Yan gave him a quick kiss: "Okay, let's go out."
Zhou Weifang reached out and hugged her: "Ten seconds."
Luo Yan pressed her face against his shoulder, drawing out the numbers, and then laughed out loud after she finished counting: "If life were to be lived like this, it would indeed feel like an eternity."
Zhou Weifang was completely disoriented by her slight indulgence, and couldn't even suppress her smile in front of her elders.
Young people, they can stick together if they want.
The couple weren't so rigid. They knew their daughter wouldn't agree to anything outrageous, so they simply said, "Come over for ribs tomorrow, don't you love them?"
Zhou Weifang said "okay" and took his leave, then returned the next day with a bag of fruit.
The five people sat down to eat and chat.
Liu Yinfeng, having gathered news all day, said, "Wang Laowu has been taken away, but he's already been dealt with for theft before. We don't know if there's anything else people don't know. Today, the neighborhood committee came to spread the word, telling everyone with guns to hand them over. Li Laosi has one, but he said he absolutely refuses to hand it over. And the guy from the next alley..."
Luo Yan had no idea before and asked in surprise, "Are there really so many lawbreakers in our alley?"
Indeed, even Liu Yinfeng was surprised: "Er Lengzi actually stole things; we found quite a few stolen goods in his house."
It seems that the door-to-door registration a while ago was to get a sense of the situation. Luo Hong said, "It's true that a barking dog doesn't bite. He usually looks honest and unassuming."
Who can argue with that? Liu Yinfeng talked about everyone from inside the alley to outside, and everyone thought the crackdown would end quickly, like autumn leaves being swept away by the wind. But more than a month has passed and there's still no sign of it stopping. It even gives people the feeling that a storm is brewing.
But for most people, life continued as usual, and Zhou Weifang's long-awaited Mid-Autumn Festival arrived in this atmosphere.
--
The Mid-Autumn Festival is a statutory holiday, and all work units are given a day off. Following old tradition, Zhou Weifang, along with his parents, sister, and brother-in-law, went to the Luo family to propose marriage.
They were all longtime neighbors, seeing each other all the time. So, they naturally had a lot to talk about when they sat down. They all sighed that it was a match made in heaven, as if the two of them had been childhood sweethearts who were a perfect match since they were little. They had cut out many parts of their memories and pieced together a perfect couple.
After hearing it so many times, even Luo Yan almost believed it. She turned her head and nudged Zhou Weifang, asking him with her eyes: Is that true?
Even the shameless Zhou Weifang was too embarrassed to admit it, so he mouthed: "It wasn't me who said it."
The young people are chatting and joking around here, so of course everyone has to make a few jokes.
Yu Shuilang said, "Our third son has never listened to anyone since he was a child. Only Yanzi can keep him in check."
Luo Yan admitted this, because her tears flowed like water, but everyone knew that this trick only worked on people she cared about.
Thinking about it from this perspective, she suddenly had a bizarre idea, her eyes widened, and she snapped back to reality when she heard her own name called.
Yu Shuilang held up a small wooden box: "This is for you."
Luo Yan knew about this part and what was inside, so she took it and said, "Thank you, Auntie."
Realizing there was another person nearby who hadn't said much, he added, "Thank you, Uncle."
That pretty much concludes the morning's tasks; all that's left is lunch.
Luo Hong booked a table of food at a restaurant in advance and had it delivered right on time.
We arrived at just the right time; the adults had already run out of things to say, and we all breathed a sigh of relief when we sat down.
Luo Yan was sitting next to Zhou Yuyao when she suddenly remembered to ask, "Why didn't Hu Tou come?"
The moment her son was mentioned, Zhou Yuyao's face was full of disgust: "He's so annoying, it would be terrible if he came."
Perhaps it's because Luo Yan likes children; she found most of the kids adorable and said, "They're all like that. I'll bring him to my house to play next time."
Today's marriage is a done deal, so it's considered a legitimate relationship.
Zhou Yuyao finally managed to tease him, saying, "He likes you, his aunt, the most."
Aunt? Luo Yan's ears turned a little red, and she smiled with her lips pursed, ultimately not denying it.
Zhou Yuyao was just joking, how could it make anyone feel awkward? Her younger brother stepped in to smooth things over, saying, "Sanfang, shouldn't you call Luo Hong 'Big Brother' now?"
Luo Hong got excited as soon as he heard this, and started egging him on as if he wasn't even involved: "That's right, it's not too much to call out, is it? I've prepared a big red envelope for you."
"Not going too far, not going too far," Zhou Weifang had already prepared himself. He filled his glass to the brim and raised it up, saying, "Brother, I'll toast you."
Luo Hong then took the opportunity to act like an older brother, patting his childhood friend on the shoulder: "I only have one younger sister. If you dare to treat her badly, then we have no friendship left to discuss."
Even though everything seemed fine, Luo Yan felt a lump in her throat, biting her lip to hold it back, and looked at her brother with pleading eyes. This girl really has been a crybaby since she was little.
Luo Hong teased her, "Oh, are you crying tears of joy?"
As expected, Luo Yan immediately became angry and stopped crying. She continued talking to Zhou Yuyao, and the meal was enjoyed by both host and guest.
Zhou Weifang didn't treat himself as a guest. After the meal, he only let his parents, sister and brother-in-law go home first, while he stayed behind, ostensibly to help clean up.
Liu Yinfeng wouldn't let him do anything: "Just sit still."
Luo Yan pulled him to sit on the sofa and said, "You've been drinking."
Zhou Weifang drank three cups of wine at noon, which he felt was no different from drinking water. Nevertheless, he sat down and excitedly rubbed his legs.
Luo Hong was about to return the empty plate to the restaurant when he saw him ask, "Do you have lice on your feet?"
Zhou Weifang showed no respect for his brother-in-law, saying, "You're a bachelor, you wouldn't understand."
Luo Hong worked tirelessly for them every day: "Just to have you at my beck and call, I'll definitely get married in the future."
Zhou Weifang: "It's as if you're not ordering me around as much anymore."
That's true, but Luo Hong didn't even know how to write the word "embarrassment," and walked away with a basket of empty plates, completely self-righteous.
The parents also made room for them, saying they needed to go out to throw out the trash.
With only the two of them left in the living room, Luo Yan suddenly remembered something: "Have you ever secretly harbored feelings for me since we were little?"
Huh? Zhou Weifang twirled her hair with his fingers: "When Luo Hongyi gets into an argument and you pounce on him, I really wish you were my sister."
After saying that, seeing the little girl's tears welling up, he added, "If I cry, I think I'll just let it go."
Zhou Weifang gently wiped his girlfriend's eyes twice with his fingertips: "I was thinking, if I can't even handle you crying like this, I'll have you completely under my thumb if you really become mine. See, wasn't I right?"
Luo Yan burst into laughter through her tears, leaning on Zhou Weifang's shoulder: "I'm even better now, I can handle things without crying."
Yes, yes, Zhou Weifang: "No need for a big fuss. Just give me a look and I'll do as you say. Crying is bad for your health."
Then he noticed the wooden box on the coffee table, picked it up and said, "Let me help you put it on."
The groom's family is to give a gold ring as part of the engagement. Luo Yan and Zhou Weifang picked out the design together. She held out her hand and said, "I can only wear it at home to enjoy it."
Zhou Weifang slipped the ring onto her finger and leaned in to kiss her.
People say that the ten fingers are connected to the heart, and Luo Yan felt the touch was particularly strong, as if her own heart was beating very fast. She stared at him intently.
Zhou Weifang wanted to kiss her, but then remembered that he had been drinking, so his lips could only touch her forehead. He said, "No wonder people say that drinking leads to trouble."
Luo Yan pushed him with one finger: "What do you want to do in broad daylight?"
Zhou Weifang held her hand tightly and said, "We can start building cabinets soon after the tiles are laid. The house should be renovated by the end of next month."
He didn't expect that over the next two months, the wedding room would be constantly renovated under his high demands, until December when the light of victory finally appeared.
--
In December, the wind blew incessantly in Beijing. On her rare day off, even Luo Yan just wanted to stay in bed and not get out of bed.
Liu Yinfeng got up as early as ever.
When she woke up, she opened the door and told Huang Laishun to go to the toilet in the yard. Seeing him jumping around outside, she said, "This long-haired one is really different."
But Huang Laishun was also afraid of the cold. After a while, he tugged at the door, indicating that he wanted to come in, and whimpered softly.
Liu Yinfeng was in the kitchen and didn't hear it at first. It was Luo Yan who noticed the noise and got up to bring it in.
The puppy threw a tantrum as soon as it came in, rushing into the kitchen and barking twice.
Liu Yinfeng couldn't understand its words either, and thought it wanted food. She spat out the foam in her mouth and said, "I haven't made breakfast yet, wait a while."
Then, puzzled, he asked, "How did you get in?"
Luo Yan yawned and said, "I let it in. Didn't you hear it scratching at the door?"
"I really didn't hear it."
Huang Laishun had been living with the family for over two years, spending the most time with Liu Yinfeng. She said, "The dog is being mistreated, Shun'er. I'll get you some meat later."
Huang Laishun understood this perfectly, and his tail started spinning like a whirlwind again.
Luo Yan said to it, "You're really quite the flatterer."
Huang Laishun didn't understand these advanced terms, but he still shook the rocking enthusiastically.
Liu Yinfeng looked at Zhi Le and said, "This weather is perfect for eating mutton. Are you going out with Sanfang today?"
Luo Yan nodded: "He said he's going to set up the furniture today and asked me to come over and take a look."
In most households, women tend to take on more of the responsibility when it comes to home renovations.
My daughter, on the other hand, hasn't been visited much at all.
Liu Yinfeng thought this would save her trouble, and said, "Now that the furniture is ready, he should come and discuss the date."
Luo Yan now knows some of the procedures.
According to custom, after the man proposes marriage, the woman should also visit the man's home. However, Zhou Weifang's house is not yet renovated, so this step has not been possible. Fortunately, their wedding date is expected to be around May of next year, so there is still plenty of time.
Zhou Weifang was anxious and wanted to provide Luo Yan with a good house, so he found many faults in the renovation and dragged it out until now.
Luo Yan said, "Actually, there's no rush."
The crackdown hasn't ended yet, and my daughter, being cautious by nature, doesn't like to go out. The two young people rarely go on dates, and when they do meet, it's usually at home. However, they inevitably feel awkward and restrained in front of their family.
Liu Yinfeng could easily see through it, and deliberately said, "If you're not in a hurry, then let's postpone it for another year."
"Huh?" Luo Yan stared at her mother with wide eyes, and stammered, "It's mainly Zhou Weifang, he's the one who's in a hurry."
Everyone has been young once, Liu Yinfeng stopped teasing her daughter and said, "Let's pick a good day in the spring and get married, okay?"
Luo Yan was still saying, "I'm fine with anything, I'll listen to you," but under her mother's gaze, she finally couldn't hold back and started to whine and act coquettishly.
Sometimes you see her as that little girl by her parents' side, but in the blink of an eye she's a grown woman about to get married.
Liu Yinfeng was overwhelmed with emotions. She looked up and saw that her husband had gotten up sometime earlier and had been standing there for who knows how long. The two of them instantly understood the emotions in each other's eyes.
Luo Yan's gaze swept over her parents, and she thought of Zhou Weifang, hoping that decades later, they too would have such a heartwarming moment.
-----------------------
Author's note: It's the middle of the night, I'm so sleepy, goodnight!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com