Chapter 158, first update.
Luo Yan slept very well on her first night in her new home.
After all, there used to be four households in one courtyard, and there were all sorts of situations, such as people going to and from work late, couples arguing and bickering, and children crying every night.
Her room window faces the yard, so it's bright and well-ventilated, but sometimes people get up at three or four in the morning to wash up, and they even clear their throats while brushing their teeth.
Ultimately, it all came down to limited conditions in the past.
But now that I live in a detached house, and the entrance doesn't face the main alley, it's much quieter in the early morning.
When Luo Yan got up and washed up, she even felt that the birds were chirping particularly cheerfully, and she stood with her hands on her hips and looked up at them.
What are you looking at? Liu Yinfeng followed her daughter's gaze and said, "The weather is bad today, and it's going to be windy again."
This is the kind of weather Beijing experiences as soon as winter arrives. Little Huang Laishun was blown around by the wind, stumbling and rolling over.
Luo Yan couldn't help but laugh: "You'll get blown away again later."
But Huang Laishun seemed to really like the wind, and no one knew who he was competing with, as he rushed forward with his short legs.
Luo Yan had never heard of a puppy getting seriously injured by the wind, so she ignored it, washed her face, and went inside to eat breakfast.
The three of them ate breakfast together. Liu Yinfeng asked, "What time did your brother come back yesterday?"
Luo Yan: "I heard the sound but didn't check my watch; it couldn't be early anyway."
Liu Yinfeng: "Then don't wake him, let him sleep."
Without being called by his family, Luo Hong jumped up on his own.
Just like when he used to work at the bicycle factory, grumbling and complaining while receiving awards for being a model worker, he was always on time after opening the shop, as if he had an invisible boss who set a time limit for him.
He ate his breakfast quickly, and seeing that he didn't have time to put two steamed buns in his pocket, he urged, "Let's go, let's go."
Luo Yan was clearly waiting for him, but when he called her, she thought he was the one dawdling, and followed behind him muttering to herself.
Luo Hongguang could tell from her lip movements that she was cursing him, so he patted his sister on the back of the head and said, "What bad things are you saying about me?"
Luo Yan raised her foot to kick him, but her brother quickly dodged it, got on his bike, and chased after him, saying, "You just wait and see."
Listen to those harsh words! They're worse than a three-year-old on the street.
Luo Hong himself grew up in the hutongs and knows how easily children can imitate what they hear. He remembers how dirty his mouth was when he was a kid and got into fights. He feels ashamed to think about it now.
Suddenly, he slammed on the brakes and stopped: "Okay, I'll wait for you."
Luo Yan punched her brother before going to school, feeling satisfied. While sitting in the classroom, she remembered something and said to Ji Ning in the front row, "Sorry, I forgot to bring the newspaper. I was too busy moving over the weekend."
She said she was going to bring someone an English newspaper on Monday after school on Saturday, but she hadn't thought about it at all.
Ji Ning naturally said it was fine, and even asked, "Are you done moving? You go ahead with your work, there's no rush."
Luo Yan took the books out of her bag and put them on the table: "All moved, I'll definitely remember to bring them tomorrow."
Studying is certainly important, but there's something even more fun to do now. Ji Ning shared with her, "Have you heard? The cafeteria is going to install a large color TV."
Color TV? Luo Yan asked in surprise, "Where did the school get the money?"
Ji Ning clicked his tongue and shook his head: "Our school is dirt poor. They said it was donated by an overseas Chinese, and they're even going to replace the tables and chairs in the cafeteria."
Even though Luo Yan rarely goes to the cafeteria, she still thinks it's a good thing, saying, "I've never seen a color TV before."
There were two families in the alley who could afford it, but she wasn't the type to join in the fun, so she's never had the chance to see it.
Ji Ning, a boarding student, was even more excited: "The cafeteria is right outside our dormitory building, so convenient!"
Many boarding students rarely leave campus, partly due to their busy academic schedules and partly because the school provides almost everything they need. Therefore, having a television is a welcome distraction for everyone.
Even Luo Yan said, "I'll go take a look once it's installed."
Ji Ning raised an eyebrow: "I'll keep an eye on the progress. I'll let you know as soon as it's finished."
Luo Yan smiled and said thank you, then fell silent after hearing the school bell ring.
Ji Ning also sat up straight, but during the next break, she asked her, "Do you want to go to the dance and join in the fun?"
Upon hearing the mention of a dance party, Luo Yan remembered that she was going to a dance hall with Zhou Weifang and asked, "Can you dance?"
Who knows how to do this?
Ji Ning: "The student council has a short-term intensive course, do you want to go?"
Luo Yan hesitated for a moment, then said, "I'd better not go."
She could also learn at the National Palace, although it wasn't as convenient as learning at school, but she felt it was actually more convenient for her.
Ji Ning had already guessed that she wouldn't go, and whispered, "Someone asked me to find out, don't be angry."
Luo Yan has always felt that being liked is a perfectly normal thing, and as long as it's not an outrageous disturbance, it can be considered a memory of youth.
She also whispered, "You're not the only one who asked."
Ji Ning wasn't surprised at all, and then brought up who in the class was dating whom.
It's all thanks to her; otherwise, Luo Yan would have known absolutely nothing about her classmates.
Her gaze shifted almost imperceptibly as she went to find her brother after school, her mind filled with news.
The brother and sister chatted while eating. Luo Hong said, "I'll have Sanfang come pick you up tonight. I'll close the shop a little later tonight."
He hadn't been in business for two days, and was thinking of making up for some lost hours.
Luo Yan didn't say anything about me being able to go home by myself, because the weather was cold now, and there were very few people on the streets after 8 p.m., especially as the end of the year approached and various violent incidents occurred frequently.
But she also knew that Zhou Weifang was quite busy, so she said, "I can wait for you to go home together. You don't need to go to the bathhouse every day lately."
Luo Hong scoffed: "As soon as I made the call, they eagerly agreed, saying they'd bring me a late-night snack."
Luo Yan touched her face and smiled, then served her brother some food.
But she didn't pay much attention and picked up mostly shredded ginger, saying as if to take credit, "Please have some."
Luo Hong rarely glared at her: "Where have all those big eyes been looking?"
Luo Yan then looked closely and quickly picked out all the ginger shreds, but still offered some twisted logic: "You should eat some ginger in winter to ward off the cold."
Luo Hong: "Tomorrow I'll put ginger in every dish you make, let's see how you resist then."
Luo Yan reminded him, "Tomorrow is Tuesday."
With someone bringing food, even if the brother had a scheme, he couldn't carry it out.
Okay, for the sake of good food and drinks tomorrow, Luo Hong will let her off the hook for now, but after the meal he said, "You wash the dishes."
It was a cold day. After washing the dishes, Luo Yan rubbed her hands and said, "So, are we still going to buy a washing machine this year? We don't have the money."
Ever since the washing machine was made available for purchase without coupons a few months ago, the brother and sister had been discussing it. However, in addition to the cost, they also had to consider the lack of space to put it in the yard. The yard was a shared space, and the machine needed to be plugged in and connected to a water pipe. It would be inconvenient to carry it out of the house every time they used it.
Now, we have our own yard, and we can connect the water supply from the woodshed to the bicycle shed next door, making it very convenient for both water and sewage.
But when it comes to money, things become less convenient.
Luo Hong couldn't really come up with a thousand or so yuan right away, so he said, "I can only wait another year."
Luo Yan keenly noticed that her brother seemed a little downcast, so she steered the conversation toward herself: "I wish I could have started earning money sooner."
As Luo Hong disassembled the bicycle, he said, "Should I say I wish I hadn't spent so much of my family's money to go back to the city?"
If we can endure this for another two years, then the "Down to the Countryside Movement" will be over.
You can't compare them like that, Luo Yan: "It's definitely better to go back to the city as soon as possible."
The hardships of being sent to the countryside were heavy even just hearing about them, let alone the constant worry her parents had for her.
Luo Hong didn't like to reason with his sister, so he shrugged and said, "That's right."
"I know, I know," Luo Yan nudged her brother's back without saying a word.
Luo Hong turned his head to look at her: "If you have nothing to do, go sweep the floor outside."
The midday sun was shining brightly, and Luo Yan cleaned the entrance to the car dealership and the adjacent security office.
She didn't mind the sun at all. After finishing her work, she moved a small stool outside to read. When she saw her classmates, she greeted them cheerfully, as if afraid that they wouldn't know that her brother was self-employed.
Influenced by the theories of capitalism versus socialism from a few years ago, running a private business is now viewed negatively by the public. Every household takes pride in being part of the working class, especially educated people like my sister, who seem to be born to be on the opposite side of private business owners.
Luo Hong remembers that when he was about to open the store, he occasionally mentioned to people that he had chosen the location at the entrance of Jiaotong University, and five out of ten people advised him: "Why don't you change the location? It will not have a good impact on Luo Yan."
After all, the shadow of class background still lingers, and it's normal for those who have experienced it to have concerns.
Even he himself was hesitant, but his sister kept encouraging him: "Go ahead, go ahead, we can eat together and go together."
Although it sounded like children holding hands when going to the toilet, Luo Hong's heart was still stirred, but there was no need to say anything mushy.
He went about his work without a care, while Luo Yan read her book attentively, waiting until it was almost time to go to school for her lessons.
She didn't get out of school until 8:30 p.m., and as she walked out, she let her hair down and then combed it again.
Zhou Weifang couldn't possibly notice such details, but he could tell that she was in a good mood upon seeing him, and even took a step forward.
He was even happier and said, "I bought some lamb offal, I'll have a bite and then I'll take you back."
On days like these, with the north wind howling, nothing is better than a hot meal.
Luo Yan's soup had extra chili peppers added, and after just a couple of sips, she felt like her whole body was on fire, and she was blowing on it vigorously.
Luo Hong told her, "Slow down, no one's going to take it from you."
Luo Yan loosened her scarf a little: "I'm cold. This classroom is like a ghost town at night, it's so chilly."
After saying that, she became scared and shrank her neck to look at the pitch black outside.
This girl has always been a coward. Luo Hong looked her up and down and said, "You'd rather have a quilt on you, and you're still cold?"
"That's an exaggeration," Luo Yan said, holding up her finger. "I'm only wearing three layers of clothing."
It wasn't much late November, but the two people opposite her were clearly dressed lightly. She smiled and shook her head.
Luo Yan took it as mockery, so she kicked each of them and shouted, "Sitting like this is cold!"
He added, "Our school will be turning on the heating soon."
The warmest university in Beijing right now is Tsinghua University, where the water heaters are said to be warmer than even the hotels in the city. Jiaotong University is also planning to introduce piped heating into its dormitories and teaching buildings, but it's uncertain whether this year's students will be able to keep up.
Zhou Weifang felt that whether it was a horse or not was secondary, and said, "At least we should have a stove in the classroom."
Luo Yan: "They said there would be a new teaching building in the future, and that we should just make do with it."
After that, Zhou Weifang clicked his tongue and said, "That's all bullshit."
Luo Yan didn't say anything uncivilized, because she secretly thought the same thing to herself. Even with many objective reasons, it was ultimately them who were suffering now.
She said, "The classrooms are too big and too empty. The dormitories don't have water heaters, but my classmate said that even the cold air can't get in, so it's not that cold."
It sounded like they were finding joy in hardship. Luo Hong interjected, "I overheard a guy who came in to get his car repaired saying that there were twelve people in the room."
When it came to boys, Luo Yan unusually expressed her prejudice: "Boys' dorms are even scarier. They smell all sorts of things, and you don't dare open the windows when it's cold."
Luo Hong, being a man himself, naturally retorted, "You've never been there, how would you know?"
Luo Yan blurted out, "They told me!"
After saying that, his eyes flickered, and he lowered his head to stir the mutton soup.
This statement was perfectly normal. Even if she wasn't very familiar with the male classmate, they would usually chat for a bit. But she deliberately made it seem like she was trying to cover it up.
Luo Hong wasn't as quick-witted as Zhou Weifang in academics, but at times like this, his mind would race, and he would think of one person at the same time—Zhou Xiuhe.
Zhou Weifang considered himself a carefree person. Although he sometimes envied others, the only person who ever made him jealous was Zhou Xiuhe, because he was the first person Luo Yan liked.
Luo Hong knew without even trying to guess what his childhood friend was thinking, so he found a topic to divert everyone's attention.
Luo Yan echoed her brother's words, glancing uncomfortably at Zhou Weifang, thinking to herself: Why did I react so quickly on my own?
I felt a little wronged: Was he angry with me?
Before she could figure it out, Zhou Weifang quickly suppressed his slight frustration and joined the new topic.
He may appear to be behaving well, but who knows what he's really thinking?
Luo Yan is a person who can't keep things bottled up. She doesn't like to keep too many uncomfortable things to herself, especially in front of people she's close to.
So after having a late-night snack, on the way home she asked, "Are you angry?"
Everyone knew what he meant. Zhou Weifang stopped and looked at her: "Yanyan, I'm angry at myself."
He smiled wryly: "If everyone knew you were with him, they would probably think you were a perfect match. But with me, there would definitely be a lot of people saying we're not a good match. I keep talking to you about the future, but it's like it's all just empty talk."
Luo Yan placed her hand on the back of his hand: "If you only talk the talk but don't walk the walk, that's true, but aren't you working hard to become a millionaire?"
Zhou Weifang held her fingers, eager to prove himself, and said arrogantly, "If I only wanted to be a millionaire, that would be pathetic."
He will be able to achieve these three words before the end of the year.
Luo Yan looked around to make sure no one was there, then mustered up her courage and kissed him, saying, "Suddenly I think you're really good-looking."
Zhou Weifang touched his own face and then hers: "We're at least a perfect match in terms of looks."
Luo Yan laughed, never having heard anyone praise herself like this before. The next second, she said seriously, "If you feel uncomfortable because I dated Zhou Xiuhe, we..."
Zhou Weifang had a feeling that she was about to say something that would scare him to death, so she quickly said, "I'm not uncomfortable. I'm just a little jealous because I was thinking that he was the first person you liked."
Ultimately, those are two very bad words. I'm afraid Luo Yan will think I'm a petty person just for saying them, and I'm feeling dejected.
His interruption made Luo Yan forget what she was going to say, and she continued, "Then, try to be the last person I like?"
"How can you just call it 'striving'?" Zhou Weifang said, "I would rather die than give up this position to anyone else."
It's late at night, why are you talking about dying?
Luo Yan glanced at him sideways: "Speak properly."
Zhou Weifang, being cautious, since it wasn't appropriate to be affectionate on the main road, asked, "What do you want to eat for lunch tomorrow?"
Luo Yan: "I want something hot."
"How about hot pot with mutton?"
In Beijing, this is the warmest place during winter.
Luo Yan nodded in agreement, her eyes glancing at her watch as she said, "Let's go, I haven't memorized my vocabulary words for today."
Ever since she failed to get into the oral English class, her enthusiasm for English has grown day by day.
Zhou Weifang dared not delay her and rushed her to the alley entrance.
Luo Yan turned in by herself, habitually stopping at the entrance of her old family home. A second later, she realized what she had done, pedaled on her bicycle and continued on, sharing this amusing incident with her parents after arriving home.
Her tone was tinged with melancholy, after all, it was a memory from twenty years ago.
-----------------------
Author's note: Good night!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com