Chapter 24 (Combined)
To be honest, Luo Yan and Li Jianhong didn't have a very close relationship in the past.
Li Jianhong was aware of this, so she took the morning's "Come visit another day" as just a polite remark and didn't take it to heart.
But Luo Yan took it seriously.
Having finished her shower and with nothing to do, she was drying her half-dry hair in the alley when she remembered what had happened that morning. Thinking that there was no time like the present, she took the huge sum of twenty yuan and set off.
The Third Prince's Mansion is very close to Fengshou Hutong. It is said that the Ye family in courtyard number 56 are descendants of the Third Prince who lived outside the capital. There are too many such "royal relatives" in Beijing. Luo Yan knows of several families who are descendants of the last emperor.
She didn't know who was telling the truth and who was lying, but it was a certainty that all these royal palaces and noble residences had now been confiscated.
The Third Prince's Mansion has been converted into a primary school, and it's currently summer vacation, so the people in the neighborhood have simply opened up the playground for use. Dozens of stalls of all sizes are set up there right now.
Luo Yan found Li Jianhong's stall without much effort. Seeing the Zhou sisters whispering to each other, she first greeted the familiar one: "Sister Jianhong."
Li Jianhong was actually feeling a bit drowsy from sitting for so long, but when she saw someone stand up, she said, "Yanzi's here."
Luo Yan: "Mm."
Then came some polite opening remarks: "It's so lively here."
Li Jianhong sighed, "It hasn't gotten lively here."
Seeing that business wasn't doing too well, Luo Yan skipped the greeting and said instead, "Then I'm the first customer today."
Money from acquaintances is sometimes hard to earn.
Li Jianhong didn't have much experience and was wondering whether to accept the money or not, and how much to accept.
Luo Yan was also preparing to put the money down later. There was an inexplicable tension between the two sides, and they looked away when their eyes met.
The Zhou sisters also saw her and came over to say, "Yanzi, pick whatever you like, we'll give it to you at cost price."
That's not appropriate, Luo Yan said: "I'll pay whatever it is, otherwise I'll feel embarrassed to buy it."
She picked up a shirt and held it up to herself, feeling the fabric; it felt quite comfortable. She then examined the loose threads in the sunlight, looking quite professional.
For some reason, Li Jianhong recalled the times when they all played house together as children.
She said, "This is the most popular style in Hong Kong right now; many big stars wear it."
People can't really name which celebrities it is.
Luo Yan was even more confused, and smiled, "No wonder it looks good."
As they were talking, Zhou Weifang returned with popsicles.
He counted the number of people he bought the food for, thinking to himself how lucky it was that it wasn't opened and eaten on the way. He said, "Yanzi, you eat some too."
As Zhou Yuying said, this old story no longer matters to Luo Yan.
She hoped the topic wouldn't be brought up again, and that she wouldn't be pestered for forgiveness, so she generously said, "Thank you."
See? I told you she wouldn't feel embarrassed at all.
What else could Zhou Weifang do but say, "You're welcome."
This is a good attitude; it saves face for everyone.
Luo Yan, in high spirits, munched on her popsicle: "I'll take this one. How much?"
Li Jianhong almost mouthed, "Eight pieces."
Luo Yan thought this was probably the cost price, so she didn't say anything. When it was time to exchange money for goods, she left ten yuan and ran away.
"Chasing after him wouldn't be a good idea either," Li Jianhong stammered, "This child."
The Zhou sisters suggested, "Why don't we return it to her when we get home tonight?"
"How can you do business like this?" Zhou Weifang said. "If they give it to us, we'll accept it. One thing at a time."
When it comes to opening a shop, they are the veterans.
The three exchanged glances, noted the transaction down in the ledger, and all their morning frustration vanished.
Zhou Weifang looked around and thought that he had nothing to do here, so he simply went back to the shop to repair cars.
On the other side, Luo Yan ran about a hundred meters, and seeing that no one was following, she stopped to catch her breath and slowly strolled home.
As she passed the phone booth at the entrance of the alley, she remembered something and turned to go to Wu Huifang's house.
Wu Huifang was just about to leave when she said, "Yanyan, I'm going to Grandma's house. I'll come visit you again tomorrow."
Luo Yan: "Let me ask you a question first, when are you free to go to the movies? Hmm... with Wang Tongguang and Zhang Zongming."
With whom? Wu Huifang suddenly felt that whether it was her maternal grandmother or not was no longer important, and she perked up: "When will you two be close enough to go to the movies together?"
Luo Yan: "It's a long story, let's talk about it tomorrow."
That's great! Wu Huifang loves hearing these kinds of things.
Knowing he'd get scolded if he didn't go out soon, he hurriedly said, "Okay, I'll go first thing tomorrow morning."
Luo Yan was so excited that she wondered if it was before dawn.
As she pondered these random thoughts, she walked out of the Wu family's courtyard and happened to run into Bai Ru.
Since the exams ended, Luo Yan hadn't seen her, so she took the initiative to ask, "How did you feel about the exams?"
Bai Ru sighed, "I can't say for sure."
Her foundation was already weak, and she couldn't match the effort of others. Every part of the test paper was difficult.
Luo Yan comforted her, "You'll have good luck."
Bai Ru knew she wasn't lucky enough to rely solely on divine intervention to make a living.
It seems like nothing in her life has gone smoothly, and she resigned herself to her fate: "I definitely won't pass the exam, it's just a pity that it has taken up your and Qianyun's time."
Luo Yan said that she was not good at comforting people and could not think of anything more to say, so she could only repeat the same thing: "Don't be so pessimistic."
Finally, Bai Ru said she needed to buy something, and the two parted ways.
When Luo Yan got home, she was completely exhausted.
She rarely does so much in a single day. Her legs belatedly gave in and she sat crookedly in the rocking chair in the living room, her feet slightly apart.
Liu Yinfeng patted her daughter: "Sit properly, put your legs up straight."
Luo Yan calmed down a little and asked, "Where's my dad?"
Liu Yinfeng: "In the main room."
He lowered his voice again: "The old man is not well."
Old Master Chen is getting on in years, and he said several times last winter that he was no longer able to make it.
Everyone knows it's only a matter of time, but bringing it up still brings a sense of melancholy.
Luo Yan, unable to comprehend life and death, sighed sadly along with them.
Liu Yinfeng adheres to old traditions and believes that children should not inquire too much about funerals. A vague answer is enough. She continues to do handicrafts—jobs she got from the street, which can earn her a few cents a day if she works hard.
Luo Yan hadn't seen these things when she went out, and asked, "Mom, I haven't seen you doing odd jobs in a long time."
Liu Yinfeng: "Your dad said there are many unemployed people this year, and since our family is better off, he won't let me work."
Luo Yan: "Then why all of a sudden?"
Liu Yinfeng: "The neighborhood committee said this batch of goods had to be delivered in two days, and urged everyone who had free time to do some work. I thought it wouldn't be considered a way to make a living, and I was at home taking care of your father, so I took it."
She's quick and efficient, earning about three to five cents a day. Even if she can't support anyone, she can at least supplement the family income.
Luo Yan was unaware that her parents had discussed this matter. For the past six months, she had focused almost all her attention on the college entrance examination. Suddenly, she said, "I don't know if the results will be released tomorrow or the day after."
Liu Yinfeng: "What did the newspaper say?"
She doesn't look at that stuff.
Luo Yan: "They said it's planned to be released on the 28th or 29th of this month."
Liu Yinfeng: "Can't you just give us a definite answer? It keeps people on tenterhooks."
Luo Yan touched her chest: "Mine doesn't beat fast."
My daughter ate well, slept well, and had a good time after her exams.
Liu Yinfeng wasn't afraid to ask, "Are you sure about it yourself?"
Luo Yan: "I will definitely have to commute to schools in the city. Our home is closest to the Normal University, so it's convenient to go to class, but I'm a little scared of becoming a teacher. The University of Science and Technology and Jiaotong University are not far away either, but I don't understand what many of the majors are about. Anyway, I filled in all the options."
In the third year since the resumption of the college entrance examination, there was not much information available for reference. Even the teachers in the school were confused, let alone Liu Yinfeng and her husband.
They were unable to help their daughter, leaving her to fend for herself almost entirely, mainly because they were optimistic about her future.
She said, "After graduating from university, you'll always find a job."
Future allocations will also prioritize those based on household registration.
Luo Yan thought so too: "As long as it's not foreign trade, it's fine."
Dormitories at all schools are in high demand, and priority is given to students from other places. Families like hers, with few members, are unlikely to get a place. She'll have to cycle an hour to school every day, and just thinking about it makes her breathless.
Of course, she herself didn't want to stay overnight.
I heard the conditions weren't great, with more than a dozen people sleeping in one room. Luo Yan's only experience with communal living was staying temporarily at a villager's house during field training and university farming seasons.
It's no exaggeration to say that wherever there's enough room to put your feet down, someone has to lie down.
She felt like dough, molded into various shapes by the outside world; waking up with only a stiff neck was nothing compared to her condition.
Liu Yinfeng was also reluctant to part with her daughter: "It's better to stay closer."
As the mother and daughter were talking, Li Hongyu chased the puppy in.
Almost all the children her age in the alley were in the after-school program. She was bored and had nothing to do all day, so she was closest to Wangcai and Laifu, and they were always chasing each other.
Luo Yan found her rosy cheeks adorable and hugged her tightly, saying, "Auntie will give you some candy."
Li Hongyu opened her mouth with difficulty: "I'm ci."
A huge piece of candy stuck to both her upper and lower teeth.
Luo Yan chuckled and asked, "Who gave it to you?"
Li Hongyu drawled, "Grandma~"
The child was indeed well taken care of by her grandmother; it was worth it for her mother to send her all the way to Beijing.
But the separation of mother and daughter is another kind of suffering, and it is unknown when they will be reunited.
Fortunately, children forget things easily, unlike the days when their mothers first left when they cried and looked lost.
Sometimes Luo Yan felt as if she was born and raised in this place, except for the occasional burst of dialect.
According to the child's father, those were all swear words.
Li Jianjun also cares deeply for his daughter, searching for her everywhere in the yard as soon as he gets off work every day.
Today, after wandering around to the east wing, I breathed a sigh of relief: "Yuyu, why didn't you answer when Dad called you?"
Li Hongyu tried her best to hide, feeling like she was playing hide-and-seek with her father, but he picked her up and lifted her high into the air, making her laugh heartily.
Luo Yan greeted him, "Brother Jianjun, you're off work?"
Li Jianjun: "I'm off work, hasn't your brother come back yet?"
Luo Yan: "He'll be here until midnight today."
Li Jianjun: "Is your dad feeling any better?"
Luo Yan: "Much better."
"Okay, that's enough for now," Li Jianjun said, carrying his daughter away.
Aunt Li was cooking when she saw them come back and said, "Go and take your sister's food first, then come back to eat."
Ever since Li Jianjun got a job, he has had no standing in front of his sister.
He said, "What pleasant looks do I expect to see if I go there?"
Aunt Li: "If you keep holding Hongyu like this, I might scold you to your face!"
She knew she was wronging her daughter, but what could she do? She was a girl.
Li Jianjun pinched his daughter's cheek: "Our Yuyu is a treasure, everyone loves her, right?"
Li Hongyu rubbed her round little face against her father's shoulder, showing nothing but affection and dependence.
At times like these, Li Jianjun felt helpless; he had a wife and children to support.
We'll just have to read their expressions, that's all.
He said, "Okay, I'll deliver it."
As people get older, they always want to reconcile their children, but they don't realize that some things are irreversible.
Luo Yan was unaware of what happened in the back room.
But she knew everything that happened in the main room.
During dinner, Luo Xinmin mentioned at the table: "The main wife is going to separate from the family."
In the afternoon, he was asked to give a testimony.
The life of the old patriarch of the Chen family was quite legendary. He passed the imperial examination in the late Qing Dynasty, served as a minor official under the puppet government, and later joined the revolutionary ranks. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, he served as the deputy director of the No. 8 State-owned Cotton Mill.
However, the complexity of his experiences led to the Chen family's turbulent years, and they eventually moved to the main house in courtyard number 13.
There are rumors that he has many valuable things in his possession.
Even Luo Yan was curious: "What will you share?"
Luo Xinmin: "These are the five rooms. We can't tell other families about them."
There was no gold or silver treasure, so Luo Yan gave up on asking further questions. After finishing her meal, she announced, "I'm going to sleep now."
It was only a few minutes past the hour. Liu Yinfeng glanced at the clock and asked, "Are you feeling unwell?"
Luo Yan: "I did a whole month's worth of work today."
Liu Yinfeng couldn't help but laugh: "It's not even as much as some people earn in a day."
Luo Yan didn't feel embarrassed at all. After washing up, she simply took a shower at home and went back to her room.
In her dazed state, she seemed to hear someone speaking loudly, but she couldn't open her eyes at all.
Luo Hong, unaware that his younger sister was sleeping so soundly, banged on the door to wake her: "Want some pig's trotters?"
Upon hearing that it was food, Luo Yan's eyes, which had been half-closed, widened: "Why are you buying pig's trotters so late at night?"
Luo Hong: "These are the only two stalls left at the factory gate, so I'll sell them to you cheaply."
Luo Xinmin had just undergone surgery, and Liu Yinfeng had suffered from hunger in her early years, damaging her spleen and stomach. So, only the two siblings could share this greasy late-night snack.
Luo Yan washed her hands, picked it up and started eating, then took a sip of soda: "So icy! Where did you buy this?"
At this time, the supply and marketing cooperative's doors are definitely closed.
Luo Hong: "Old Chen's family opened a window on the wall facing the street, which they called a small shop."
Luo Yan: "That will make it more convenient to buy things at night."
At night? Luo Hong: "I've hardly ever seen you go out after sunset."
Luo Yan: "It's pitch black. Did you think everyone was like you, never home?"
Luo Hong snapped his fingers: "Try talking like Mom again."
Luo Yan waved her greasy paws: "Be careful, I'll smear it on your face."
Luo Hong leaned his shoulder towards her and said, "Go ahead and wipe it. I'm not afraid of my clothes getting dirty."
Welders can't have a single inch of skin exposed. He wears long-sleeved work clothes when he's at work, and when he gets off work, he wishes he could take off all his clothes except for a tattered vest.
Just by looking at it, this outfit looks almost as old as Luo Yan.
She said, "Oh, right, let me show you the new shirt I bought today."
My younger sister doesn't actually care much about dressing up; she usually wears the same three outfits in rotation.
Luo Hong was quite clever; he asked, "Where did you buy it from Jian Hong?"
Luo Yan snapped her fingers: "That's right."
Then she told him how she gave him ten yuan.
Luo Hong found it amusing to imagine her running away, and said, "Anyone who didn't know better would think you were robbing someone."
Luo Yan: "I'm just afraid she'll push me away."
"Pushing is a given," Luo Hong said. "Everyone does it this way; it'll be fine after a few rounds."
He added, "Haven't you learned it all?"
Luo Yan didn't learn this when she was little, so if someone invited her to stay for a meal, she would actually sit down; if someone offered her candy, she would actually grab a handful. She couldn't distinguish between good and bad words at all.
She has now fully digested the rules of the world, but that doesn't mean she can completely conform to them. She pouted and said, "But it's really annoying."
Luo Hong sighed deeply: "There's nothing I can do about it, even if I hate it."
Luo Yan knew her brother's personality best. She glanced at her parents' bedroom door and said, "Has Wang Tu Mao gone mad again?"
My younger sister really dislikes calling people by their nicknames. She always calls them by their full names, and you can tell how much she hates them just by calling them "Wang Bald Hair".
Luo Hong laughed: "No, I'm just exhausted from working too long today."
The workshop is all physical labor, the air is not circulating, and you can sweat three pounds of sweat in a day.
Luo Yan: "Then go to sleep early."
Luo Hong felt sleepy after eating, took a shower, and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
Luo Yan, however, didn't sleep well during her second nap and even had a nightmare about failing her college entrance exam.
Even in her dreams, she firmly repeated, "I can't possibly fail the exam," and she frantically searched for evidence that her exam paper had been marked wrong, like a fighting cock.
She was exhausted after a whole night and was still groggy when she woke up.
Liu Yinfeng hadn't earned any money in a long time, so she stayed up late with great enthusiasm. Seeing that her daughter was up early, she said, "I'll buy something to eat this morning."
"I don't even earn enough to buy breakfast," Luo Yan said. "Then I'll go make some soy milk."
Liu Yinfeng: "Give him less, your dad can't drink."
The doctor didn't give me this kind of dietary restriction after the surgery, but my mother's "folk doctor" gave me a lot of inside information.
Luo Yan: "My dad can't eat this or that, he's gotten so thin from hunger."
Liu Yinfeng: "Don't worry, I'll make him some soup today, and I'll give him chicken legs too."
These days, anything with oil and fat is considered highly nutritious.
Luo Yan: "Okay, then it doesn't count as his."
She got herself ready before going out, and while waiting in line at the breakfast shop, she was pushed to the back by other people.
Luckily, Aunt Chen at the window was an old acquaintance of her mother; otherwise, she would have gone hungry by the time she was out of breath.
Luo Yan sometimes felt too weak, and mentally rehearsed how to deal with it next time as she walked home.
She's always been someone who thinks things but can't do them. Once she got home, she put the matter aside and sat down to eat breakfast while reading the newspaper.
She had just seen the headline and exclaimed, "I can check my grades today!"
Liu Yinfeng leaned over to look: "Then you should hurry up and finish eating so you can go to school and line up."
It's not like the beef is in limited supply, so checking it or not won't affect the final admission.
Luo Yan said calmly, "The scores have just been released, so they definitely haven't reached the school yet."
Liu Yinfeng: "You, the emperor, may not be in a hurry, but I, the eunuch, am! Hurry up, hurry up!"
Luo Yan was pushed along by her mother, and could only swallow the fried dough sticks whole. She choked and pounded her chest, and still had to huff and puff while riding her bike.
When she arrived at Wu Huifang's house, she stopped to catch her breath before going in and calling the person out.
Wu Huifang was abruptly woken up, only having time to brush her teeth and wash her face, water still dripping down her cheeks.
She muttered, "How come the results came out so quickly? I'm doomed."
Luo Yan: "It's not that bad, it's not that bad."
Then he remembered: "Let's invite Bai Ru too."
The Bai family lives close to the Wu family, but her family said she has already left home.
Luo Yan thought to herself that there were people even more anxious than her mother, and when she arrived at the school, it was even more crowded.
The classroom had been empty for several days and was covered in a layer of dust.
The teachers who were checking the scores hadn't returned from the Education Bureau yet, so everyone had to stand in twos and threes on the playground and in the corridors, chatting and waiting.
Luo Yan whispered to Wu Huifang about something she hadn't mentioned yesterday, which made Wu Huifang beam with excitement.
Luo Yanqi asked, "Why are you so excited?"
Wu Huifang: "Just thinking about you and Wang Tongguang standing together makes me feel that you are a perfect match."
Luo Yan: "It's not even close to happening yet."
Wu Huifang: "I know you too well. If it were impossible, would you agree to go to the movies?"
Luo Yan: "I just think he's a decent person."
He's good-looking, academically excellent, and has a pleasant temperament. To be honest, he's a standout in our high school, where talent abounds, and few would immediately reject a guy like that.
Wu Huifang: "That's true. There was only one class in our elementary school. He wasn't like other boys who would pull girls' braids."
From this small example, Luo Yan said, "He seems like the kind of person who's easy to get along with."
Wu Huifang nudged her friend's shoulder knowingly: "He's here, he's here, the good guy is here."
Her eyes were also teasing, making Wang Tongguang feel embarrassed. He still mustered up his courage and asked, "Luo Yan, are you here to check your scores too?"
When asked this question, Luo Yan could only hum in response and signal to her friend to stop laughing.
Wu Huifang had known Wang Tongguang for many years, but she never expected him to be so clumsy. She couldn't help but feel embarrassed.
Wang Tongguang, who was already fair-skinned, blushed even more now and tried to make conversation: "I wonder what time the teacher will arrive."
Luo Yan: "It shouldn't be that fast."
Wang Tongguang: "I hope it comes soon."
They've been dawdling here, and nothing they've said has been of any use.
Unable to stand it any longer, Zhang Zongming kicked his cousin openly, gritting his teeth: "Go ahead and ask."
Seeing that her intentions were too obvious, Wu Huifang decided to play the good guy and asked, "What do you want to ask?"
Wang Tongguang: "I asked if you were free to come see a movie another day."
He spoke so quickly that if Luo Yan hadn't already known, she probably wouldn't have been able to understand him.
She said, "I can."
Wu Huifang loves watching the excitement, but reality may not allow it: "Pray for me, if I can get into a four-year university, I can do it tomorrow. If it's a junior college, I'll have to stay home for half a month first."
Wang Tongguang's heart tightened: "You will definitely pass the exam."
Wu Huifang clicked her tongue and shook her head: "That's hard to say."
Luo Yan couldn't help but tug at her: "Say something auspicious, ancestor."
Wu Huifang was very self-aware; whatever score she got was within her acceptable range. She smiled and said, "At this point, there's no time to watch what I eat."
Whether to call her cheerful or optimistic, Luo Yan shook her head helplessly. Hearing the commotion in the crowd, she said, "They're here."
Everyone lined up at the classroom door, waiting for the teacher to announce the names one by one.
Caught in the middle, Luo Yan felt that the school was her favorite place.
No one pushed or shoved anyone; everyone stood respectfully in their own place. Anyone who tried to rush forward would be attacked by the rest of the group.
Soon, it was Luo Yan's turn to ask about the grades.
The homeroom teacher flipped through the report cards and pulled one out: "Yours, not bad, 369."
That's quite a lot, pretty much as Luo Yan estimated—significantly higher than the undergraduate cutoff score, but still a bit far from Tsinghua and Peking University.
She bowed deeply and said, "Thank you, teacher!"
The homeroom teacher, beaming, said, "You're welcome, you're welcome."
It seems the school has achieved good results this year, and the expansion approval is expected soon, with the new staff housing expected to be available soon.
Luo Yan smiled inwardly, looking at the report card repeatedly, while keeping an ear out for her friend's comments.
Wu Huifang scored 298, only 10 points above the science undergraduate admission line.
She said, "Now it's even harder to say. Let my mom wait for the acceptance letter with hope."
The acceptance letters will take at least another two weeks to be sent out, and no one knows which school they will be accepted into yet.
Even Luo Yan couldn't estimate it. She glanced at the line and said, "Bai Ru is so far back. I won't wait for her results. I'll go home first. My mom is probably getting anxious."
Wu Huifang grabbed her: "You haven't set a time with them yet."
Luo Yan first discussed it with her: "How about tomorrow?"
Wu Huifang: "Okay."
The two girls told the boys about the result, and they agreed to meet at the movie theater entrance at 10 a.m. the next morning before going home.
Luo Yan was eager for her parents to know, so she stomped her feet with great enthusiasm.
Liu Yinfeng and her husband couldn't sit still at home. They waited and waited until they reached the alley entrance, then stopped their daughter like bandits: "How is it?"
Luo Yan: "369, normal performance."
Just hearing the score, Liu Yinfeng didn't understand: "What does it mean that I can get into which school?"
Luo Yan shrugged: "I don't know yet, I have to wait for the admission notice."
Well, Liu Yinfeng could only put her mind at ease for the time being, and said, "I'll call my brother."
Luo Hong was at work when he heard someone was looking for him. He ran over and finished the call, beaming with joy. Before even returning to the workshop, he had already told a hundred people about it.
Getting into university completely changes one's life, and everyone who hears it should congratulate them.
Wang Tu Mao, who usually didn't get along with him, said sarcastically, "Then Luo Hong will definitely treat everyone to a meal at noon, right?"
They planted rice seedlings again.
On this joyous day, Luo Hong was too lazy to care and simply pretended not to hear it.
Undeterred, Wang Tumao started making a fuss again.
"Things shouldn't happen more than three times," Luo Hong said, his eyes narrowing slightly, revealing his thuggish nature.
The two had a fight last time, and Wang Tu Mao still remembered the feeling of his fist hitting someone. He said awkwardly, "It was just a joke, why did you take it seriously?"
Anyway, everyone knew the two didn't get along, so Luo Hong didn't hold back: "What a load of crap."
Turning around, he revealed a different side: "I'll treat everyone to popsicles."
With food available, everyone covered up the incident.
But Luo Hong still felt uncomfortable, like stepping in dog poop on the street.
But today, his younger sister was the most important thing, so Luo Hong rushed home as soon as he got off work.
Today, Liu Yinfeng spent a lot of money to prepare three meat dishes, with only one cucumber salad as a green garnish.
Once all the dishes were served, she said regretfully, "Your dad has a bottle of good wine, but we can't even drink this."
Luo Hong bounced around, saying, "I'll drink, I can drink."
Liu Yinfeng slapped his hand: "Go away, that's enough with your Yanjing beer."
Yanjing beer is better than draft beer. Luo Hong stood up and raised his glass: "Let me say a few words."
She even spoke up, Liu Yinfeng: "No manners, let Dad speak first."
Luo Xinmin, sitting down, waved his hand and said, "Let him talk, let him talk."
Luo Hong then cleared his throat: "First of all, Mom has worked hard and taken good care of Yan Yan. Secondly, Dad has given her plenty of money. Finally, I deserve the greatest credit."
No, he didn't do anything to deserve the credit.
Luo Yan stepped on her brother's foot: "I don't agree."
Luo Hong patted his sister's head: "Just kidding. You definitely deserve the credit. Without your studying day and night, where would our bright future come from?"
That's more like it. Luo Yan, the leader, summarized: "Everyone deserves credit."
The daughter was practically wagging her tail, and the parents laughed heartily, "Enough with the small talk, hurry up and eat."
At times like these, people don't eat very fast, but they do fill the table with conversation.
Luo Hong didn't mention the unpleasant things at the factory, but only said, "By the time the notice arrives home, Dad should be back to normal, and then we'll go out to eat."
Speaking of eating out, Luo Yan remembered: "You said you would take me to the Beijing Restaurant."
This is the one she remembers best. Luo Hong: "Wait until next month when I get paid."
Luo Yan: "As long as you don't renege on your debt."
Luo Hong tugged at her face: "When have I ever cheated you?"
He also stated beforehand: "Those before going to the countryside don't count."
What else could Luo Yan say? She squeezed her nose and said, "You are the best brother in the whole world."
Luo Hong replied with five words: "It would be impolite to refuse."
As if it were something he was reluctantly doing, Luo Yan grabbed a handful of hair from his head and said, "This sign can be given to someone else."
Luo Hong, unusually, didn't tease her: "No, no, please give it to me."
Luo Yan snorted, adopting a haughty attitude: "Here you go."
The brother and sister kept talking back and forth, but their parents only found them noisy, so they ate even faster so they could stroll around the alley and show off their food as soon as possible.
Even by the afternoon, the neighbors had already heard the good news.
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Author's note: Here's a contest to guess which major Yan Yan is studying.
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