Chapter 92 Awareness
The guests only mentioned the newlyweds' expenses briefly; what everyone really cared about was the delicious food.
This was Luo Yan's first time attending a wedding banquet at this restaurant. Halfway through the meal, she told her brother, "You should hold your wedding here too, it's delicious."
No, Luo Hong: "Will you even have time to eat when I get married?"
That seems to be true. Luo Yan glanced at Zhou Weifang, who was standing in front of her sister and brother-in-law with a wine glass in hand, and said, "I can't help you avoid drinking."
With her pathetic attitude, Luo Hong said, "What can I expect from you?"
Luo Yan thought for a moment and said, "I have money."
Wow, that's a powerful statement.
Luo Hong held out his hand: "Give me some first."
Luo Yan slapped him, and seeing that the toasting team was almost here, she nudged her brother with her elbow.
Luo Hong filled the cups with tea, and when everyone at the table arrived, they all stood up to offer their congratulations.
The groom, Wang Delin, raised his glass and emphasized, "Radish, your sincerity isn't enough."
Luo Hong switched to a bottle of wine: "Brother, without further ado, I'll drink this."
Some onlookers shouted, some clapped, and some even helped to prop up the rice seedlings.
After all, they all grew up in this alley, and the group of young men knew each other. One of them teased, "Radish, have another one!"
Luo Hong: "I'm not the main character today. Let's do it again when I get married."
With a total of fifty tables of guests, they couldn't linger too long. After a few words of conversation, the newlyweds moved on to the next table.
The procession was grand, with the younger brothers of the newlyweds leading the way.
It seems that the woman has a slight edge in alcohol tolerance, as Zhou Weifang is still able to walk in a straight line.
Luo Yan was carrying the money and keys for the other person, and subconsciously rummaged through her bag looking for them.
Luo Hong: "What's lost?"
Luo Yan had already touched it, and shook her head: "Zhou Weifang was afraid of getting drunk, so he asked me to watch over his money and keys. I'm just checking if they're still there."
Who's drunk? Luo Hong gave him a complicated look: "Don't worry, he's still alive and kicking even though all these people are passed out."
Luo Yan: "I'm not worried about him, I'm just afraid that someone might lose something."
"This is something my childhood friend should hear," Luo Hong suddenly thought, looking at his sister with a hint of hesitation.
Luo Yan: What are you doing?
Just then, the next dish was served, and Luo Hong picked up a piece of stewed mutton for her: "Eat up, have more."
Luo Yan's life is so easily distracted, especially when it comes to food.
She blew on it gently and ate quite a lot in one go.
After the party, Luo Hong went back to the shop, said goodbye to the newlyweds, and left. Before leaving, he didn't forget to ask his sister, "What about you?"
Luo Yan patted her bag: "I have to return his things to him."
Luo Hong suspected that his childhood friend was taking advantage of his sister's responsible nature, and said with a half-smile, "Alright, just wait and see, I'm leaving."
Luo Yan had books in her bag; she had originally planned to go to the school library in the afternoon.
She was tired of carrying him on her back, so she held him in her arms and said goodbye to her brother. After a while, she was probably tired of even holding him, and her shoulders slumped down.
Zhou Weifang had seen most of the guests off when he turned to her and asked, "Tired of waiting?"
Luo Yan: "It's just right for digestion."
He then took his belongings out of his bag and handed them over, saying, "Returning the jade intact to its rightful owner."
Zhou Weifang said thank you, and then asked, "Where are you going to play this afternoon?"
Luo Yan: "Reading a book."
"Then it should be fine to watch it anywhere?" Zhou Weifang's legs suddenly went weak, but he steadied himself and said, "Okay, then take it slow."
Who knows who'll be slower? Luo Yan looked around and realized there were only a few people left. She asked, "Are you going home by yourself?"
Zhou Weifang: "I have to go back to the store and keep an eye on things."
The shop is much farther away than the alley. Luo Yan rolled her eyes and saw him swaying from side to side. She said, "Then I'll take you back."
Zhou Weifang: "No need, no need, I'm not drunk, I won't disturb your studies."
He said he wasn't drunk, but then he started swaying even more violently.
Luo Yan thought to herself that men really have mouths to hold up the sky when it falls, and clicked her tongue twice: "It won't delay, I was free today anyway."
Zhou Weifang had no choice but to say, "Thank you for your kind offer."
It was troublesome, but pushing the cart along the road in this weather left Luo Yan's face sunburned.
Zhou Weifang thought to himself that he was indeed a little drunk and not very clear-headed, and said, "Actually, I can still ride a bike, it's just too hot today."
"How can that be?" Luo Yan said. "It's too dangerous. Not to mention you might fall, what if you bump into a passerby?"
Zhou Weifang sensed something was off: "I feel like you're saying it's okay for me to fall, but the passersby are more important."
Luo Yan changed the subject: "Uh, the sky is really blue."
The main reason was that Zhou Weifang was so tough and resilient in her memory that it was nothing unusual for him to be dangling from the ground yet still move as lightly as a swallow.
Zhou Weifang: "Yes, the clouds are very white."
He looked up, then looked back and noticed a stall by the roadside. He said, "Perfect."
"What a perfect match!" Luo Yan followed his gaze and knew what he meant. She urged, "No, no, let's go."
She couldn't get him to move, so Zhou Weifang picked up his hat himself: "Wear a pink one?"
"What pink? Can't he tell what color it is?" Luo Yan couldn't openly criticize the stall owner, so she leaned closer and whispered, "None of them look good. I don't want them."
As he uttered the last three words, his eyes widened, conveying the message, "Try disobeying me if you dare."
She was a very well-behaved girl from a young age, and the unanimous praise she received in the alley was for her politeness. But Zhou Weifang knew that she was actually the most bossy person in front of those close to her. This was understandable, since her whole family doted on her and would give her anything she wanted.
If the closeness or distance between people could be graded, Zhou Weifang felt that he was now above average.
He said, "Fine, I won't buy it."
Luo Yan had initially thought it would take some time to persuade him, but seeing this, her dissatisfaction subsided, and she even gave him a way out: "Have an ice pop, it'll cool you down."
Then she thought about it again: "Can you eat this after you just drank alcohol?"
Zhou Weifang: "Then I'll have yogurt."
The yogurt and popsicles were placed in the same styrofoam box by the owner, wrapped in a thick cotton quilt. A layer of cold air rushed out the moment it was opened, but it wasn't actually that cold when you held it in your hand.
The two of them ate under the eaves at the entrance of the supply and marketing cooperative.
Luo Yan took a bite and found it soft; the dissolved sugar water dripped down her hand. She was so eager that she ate it in big mouthfuls, her mouth almost unable to close, chewing with her head tilted back.
Zhou Weifang: "Slow down, be careful not to choke."
Luo Yan mumbled something unintelligible, realizing she couldn't explain herself clearly, and waved her hand.
Zhou Weifang: "Let's talk after we finish eating."
Luo Yan chewed even faster, and finally managed to swallow the last bite. The coolness cleared her mind—was Zhou Weifang really such a considerate and caring person?
But she was still a little confused, blinking her eyes and asking, "Are we leaving?"
Zhou Weifang: "Wait a moment."
He asked the people at the supply and marketing cooperative for a ladle of water: "Stretch out your hand."
She had completely forgotten to wash up. Luo Yan spread her hands, leaned her upper body slightly forward, and looked down.
From Zhou Weifang's perspective, nothing seemed amiss. After pouring the water, he said, "Let's go."
For the rest of the journey, Luo Yan walked somewhat absentmindedly.
Zhou Weifang tried to start a conversation a few times, but seeing that she didn't really respond, he asked, "Are you too tired to walk? If you're really worried, you can wait for me at the store. I'll definitely be there in half an hour."
Luo Yan's mind was a bit of a mess right now. She also suspected it was from the sun. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and said, "Then, then slow down."
Zhou Weifang: "Okay, you can read a book for a while. There's a novel under your pillow upstairs, it's quite good."
Luo Yan casually agreed, but after getting on her bike, she looked back with unease.
She has a strong sense of responsibility and felt that since she had offered to take him back to the store, she should see it through to the end.
Zhou Weifang waved to urge her forward, staring at her retreating figure with annoyance: "I should have known better than to bother her while walking."
Luo Yan hadn't expected it to take so long to walk there. She parked her car in front of the store.
Zhang Hongmin was eagerly awaiting a customer to come in so he could put his skills to good use. He greeted her, "Hello, are you here to buy..."
Before he could finish speaking, his eldest apprentice interrupted him: "Master has a happy occasion at home today, so he probably won't be back so soon."
Oh, it's someone I know.
Zhang Hongmin felt it was a pity and went to the door to look around again.
Luo Yan didn't recognize him either, and thinking it would be easier not to greet him, she said, "I know, he's right behind me. I'll wait for him. Thank you!"
"You're welcome, you're welcome," the eldest apprentice said, taking off his gloves to pour her water and then offering her snacks.
Luo Yan felt a little embarrassed to sit down, clutching the hem of her trousers.
The eldest apprentice noticed this and said, "Then you sit down, I'm going to get back to work."
Luo Yan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and inexplicably became somewhat lost in thought.
To be honest, she has never been very sensitive to other people's affections. Just like the rising and setting of the sun, who would be surprised by something so commonplace?
However, the thought that this person might be Zhou Weifang made her subconsciously reject the idea—it had nothing to do with whether the person was good or bad, it was purely a denial of the fact.
If she were to follow her usual practice, she would probably adopt a stance of refusal after realizing the situation. A little indifference would be enough to deter most people.
But does Zhou Weifang know how to write the character for "difficult"? Luo Yan doesn't think so.
The thought of this gave her a headache, and when she thought about her brother even more, her face scrunched up in a bitter expression.
When Zhou Weifang entered the store, he saw her looking worried and took two steps forward to ask, "Are you feeling unwell? You might have heatstroke."
Luo Yan was still trying to figure out what expression to use when she was startled: "Didn't you say half an hour? You rode your bike?"
Zhou Weifang: "No, I came from the No. 4 Middle School staff quarters, I took a shortcut."
Luo Yan used to occasionally go to the staff quarters to find the teachers and ask, "Isn't there only one gate?"
Zhou Weifang: "The side gate that was newly opened this year."
Once you graduate, things that were once familiar at your alma mater will become unfamiliar.
Luo Yan looked enlightened and stood up: "You rest, I'm going to the library."
Zhou Weifang naturally wanted her to stay: "It's so hot outside, and you don't look too well." He was really worried and felt guilty, so he added, "If you get heatstroke, how am I supposed to explain it to your brother?"
Is it just because of her brother? Perhaps it's because the clouds have parted and the fog has cleared, but Luo Yan can now deduce many meanings from every expression on his face.
She said, "I'm not that weak. I was also at the forefront during the large-scale training exercise."
It was during a major training exercise when Zhou Weifang noticed something was off about her and said, "Sit down for a bit, and you can help me with a couple of questions."
Having said all that, it wouldn't be reasonable to leave now, but Luo Yan still decided to try: "I saw you drank quite a lot at noon, don't you really need to rest first?"
Zhou Weifang opened the book and joked, "How about I explain a couple of problems to you?"
There seemed to be nothing wrong, and Luo Yan couldn't find any other reason, so she resigned herself to her fate and asked, "What don't you understand?"
Zhou Weifang pointed: "Here."
Luo Yan's mind was clear as soon as she started reading. She took a deep breath and began to speak, but somehow half of her attention was on Zhou Weifang's hand as he waved the fan.
Stop shaking her! She's on pins and needles. She said, "I'm not hot, don't bother."
Zhou Weifang: It's okay, I'm hot too, I'll just fan myself to cool down.
What else could Luo Yan say? After all, every word the other person said sounded reasonable at first glance, and she couldn't even win an argument where she was on the right track, let alone in this situation. So she could only speed up her speech.
Even though it was fast, Zhou Weifang could still hear every word clearly. He didn't realize that the other person was in a hurry, and after explaining this point of knowledge, he turned to the next page.
But perhaps because she was doing something familiar, Luo Yan's initial bewilderment eased somewhat.
But she was clearly aware that this was not something that could be ignored, and she seemed to be experiencing some dizziness and lightheadedness.
But she didn't realize that this caution also meant that Zhou Weifang wasn't just some random passerby in her heart.
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Author's note: Only one update today, I'm feeling a bit unwell, see you tomorrow!
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