Chapter 23 It Doesn't Matter
Luo Yan first went to Zhou Weifang's car repair shop.
She usually took this road to school, and out of habit, she pedaled past the gate. Only when she saw the locked gate did she realize what was happening, and she started pedaling back, panting and groaning.
Zhou Weifang was talking to someone when she noticed him pause and asked, "Is the car broken?"
Luo Yan thought to herself, "If my car broke down, I wouldn't have come here," and said, "My mom made dumplings."
Zhou Weifang: "Auntie, you're too kind."
He added, "The lunchbox is on the table, could you pour it in for me?"
He had guests with him, so Luo Yan didn't mind doing such a small favor. However, she didn't know why Zhou Weifang's eyes seemed to be darting around. She glanced at the person standing opposite him—a man with a full head of white hair and a hunched back, but dressed very well, like some kind of refined old professor.
The other person happened to be looking at her too: "This child looks familiar to me."
Zhou Weifang prompted: "Luo Bu's sister."
Looking into Luo Yan's bewildered eyes, he added, "Dr. Wu."
"I see," Luo Yan said, ignoring Zhou Weifang's strange expression, and greeted him, "Hello."
Wu Jinsheng had only lived in Fengshou Hutong for a short time, and most of the people he had seen were those naughty, mischievous children who were jumping around. He had almost no impression of Luo Yan, but he still touched his cane and said, "No wonder I felt like I had seen her before."
The elderly person was kind to the young people, but couldn't help but add a few more words such as "How old are you?"
Luo Yan answered truthfully, her expression showing no impatience, but her hand unconsciously rested on her wrist.
Zhou Weifang figured it out.
Although there was no right or wrong in what happened back then, he subconsciously felt that Luo Yan would be uncomfortable here, so he asked to ease the tension, "Is there something else?"
Luo Yan: "Yes, I also need to go to my brother's factory."
Zhou Weifang: "Go quickly, be careful on the road."
Luo Yan always felt that he couldn't wait to get rid of her, as if she should keep a low profile in front of Dr. Wu.
She wanted to say something, but felt it wasn't the right time, so she gave a soft hum.
The old man could clearly see the children's subtle competition in their expressions.
After everyone left, Wu Jinsheng said, "You should talk to girls properly. Look at your stubborn temper."
Zhou Weifang: "People say I have a very good temper now."
Wu Jinsheng: "Who are they? Does that include this child?"
He muttered to himself, "No, no, I feel like I've seen her somewhere before."
Zhou Weifang dismissed it: "Everyone says she's Luo Bu's sister, you must have seen her."
Wu Jinsheng: "No, no, it has nothing to do with Luo Hong. Where was it again?"
As people get older, their memories fade. The more he tries to remember, the less he can recall, and he keeps saying "Oh dear, oh dear."
Zhou Weifang didn't take it seriously, and then some guests arrived.
He moved the chair over: "Please sit down and think it over. I'll fix the car."
Wu Jinsheng is nearly seventy years old and can't stay idle anytime.
Having witnessed too much of the fickleness of human relationships, he didn't associate with anyone much after his rehabilitation and liked to wander aimlessly in the streets. He just happened to be passing by and waved his hand, saying, "You're busy, you're busy, I'll just walk around a bit more."
Zhou Weifang knew his habit: "Okay, take your time."
Instead, he asked the customer, "What's wrong?"
Wu Jinsheng slowly walked out.
His legs were getting old and not working well; he had also developed some minor problems when he was sent to the countryside, and he couldn't walk more than a few steps in half a day.
Luo Yan had to pass by the repair shop on her way home from the bicycle factory. Seeing the old man walking unsteadily, she stopped and said, "Where are you going, Dr. Wu? I can give you a ride."
The brakes screeched and screech. Wu Jinsheng said, "No need, no need, I just like to drive by myself."
Luo Yan was just asking and didn't insist: "Then please take your time, I'll go home first."
Wu Jinsheng: "Okay, you slow down too."
Luo Yan responded crisply, and was about to set off when she was called back.
Wu Jinsheng: "I remember now, you're the kid who climbed the wall."
Luo Yan was surprised that he could still remember, and laughed, "It's a pity I didn't climb up."
Sure enough, even after trying to pull myself up the wall for a long time, I still couldn't manage it.
Wu Jinsheng: "At the time, I kept wondering which family you belonged to, but I never expected you to be Luo Hong's sister."
He then remarked with emotion, "You are all good children."
Luo Yan actually felt that she wasn't that good; the reason she went to deliver things late at night back then was more out of a sense of unease.
But she didn't think she was a bad person either, saying to the old man, "You are a good person too."
Whether it's good or bad, it doesn't matter anymore.
Life expectancy of seventy years is rare since ancient times; looking around, life truly seems to drift away like clouds in the wind.
Wu Jinsheng: "Let's not talk about those old things. Are you at work now or...?"
An old man and a young boy stood by the roadside and talked for a while before dispersing.
It was almost dark when Luo Yan got home. Liu Yinfeng and her husband were eating and looking around when they saw their daughter. They asked, "Why did it take you so long?"
Luo Yan: "I ran into an acquaintance and chatted for a few minutes."
Liu Yinfeng didn't ask any further questions; her mind was still on her husband. She only asked, "Yanyan, if I ask you to go to Baijiazhuang to buy chickens tomorrow, can you manage?"
The husband's wound hasn't healed much yet, and he needs help going to the toilet.
Leaving my daughter at home is always inconvenient.
To be honest, Luo Yan had never been to Baijiazhuang before; the old Beijingers called it the outskirts of the city.
But she's twenty years old, perfectly capable, and if there's anything she can't do, she'll say, "Of course I can."
Liu Yinfeng: "I originally planned to have your Aunt Xiujuan take you there."
Luo Yan shook her head vigorously: "I'll do it myself."
Knowing she was like this, Liu Yinfeng imparted her chicken-selection skills: "You have to look at the feather color, those red ones..."
She attended to every little detail, to the point that Luo Yan dreamt of a hundred chickens clucking incessantly.
She felt like she could hear it when she woke up early in the morning, and kept pinching her ears.
Seeing this, Luo Hong asked, "Are your ears infested with worms?"
Luo Yan countered, "What time did you get back yesterday?"
She didn't hear a sound.
Luo Hong: "It's past midnight, and you were snoring away."
"Nonsense!" Luo Yan clenched her fist and waved it around. "I never snore."
Luo Hong replied matter-of-factly, "How could you know if you were asleep?"
Luo Yan couldn't really refute it for a while, so she could only glare at him angrily.
Luo Hong laughed even more heartily; judging from his expression alone, no one would know that he was eating pickled vegetables, not delicacies.
Luo Yan stepped on her brother's foot under the table, finished her porridge in one gulp, and said, "I'm leaving."
The market in Baijiazhuang opens early and closes early; in the past, it took more than an hour to get there by bicycle.
Liu Yinfeng gave her daughter money, and then gave her one last instruction: "Take your time, pick out the good stuff."
Luo Yan carefully put the money away, pushed her bicycle out, but after turning around the screen wall, she realized she wouldn't go out for the time being.
A tricycle was parked at the gate of the courtyard, with burlap sacks piled high on it, almost flattening the tires.
Li Jianhong and the Zhou sisters had just finished loading the goods and were running around tying ropes to them.
The three of them were discussing what to do when they saw Luo Yan come out and said, "Yanzi, wait a moment, we'll be done in a minute."
Luo Yan: "I'm not in a hurry. Do you need any help?"
Li Jianhong: "The three of us are enough."
Luo Yan: "Okay. But what's this all about?"
While making money isn't shameful, setting up a street stall isn't exactly a glorious thing these days.
Li Jianhong said awkwardly, "I brought in some clothes to sell."
Oh, no wonder I've been seeing the three of them talking together a lot lately.
Luo Yan suddenly realized: "Then I wish you booming business!"
Li Jianhong: "Thank you for your kind words."
He added, "It's located in the Third Prince's residence. Come and visit when you have time."
Luo Yan made a note of this and continued on her way after they left. She felt light on the way there, but heavy on the way back, panting and almost unable to exert any strength. She stopped by the roadside to buy a watermelon to quench her thirst.
The woman selling watermelons gave her a kind reminder: "The city doesn't allow selling live watermelons casually."
Luo Yan had a bamboo basket tied to each side of her car, containing six chickens as her mother had arranged. It was a generous gesture that certainly didn't seem like something for their own consumption.
She said, "I'm not selling it; I'm buying it for someone else."
Sister-in-law: "I knew it. Who would be stupid enough to walk right into the line of fire with the police?"
Luo Yan echoed, threw the melon rinds she had finished eating into the bamboo basket, poured some water from the kettle to wash her hands briefly, and then continued on her way.
The sun was blazing, making her dizzy, so she quickly turned on the fan when she got home.
Liu Yinfeng first fed the chickens water and rice, then checked their appearance one by one before saying, "You picked some good ones."
Actually, she felt uneasy, but she also knew that the child hadn't been to the market many times and wouldn't be able to distinguish between good and bad.
Luo Yan didn't doubt it, after all, she had carefully selected each one, and she still smelled of chicken feathers.
She couldn't stand the smell herself, and jumped up: "I'm going to the public bathhouse."
Liu Yinfeng: "I haven't eaten yet."
Luo Yan: "I ate sesame seed cakes at the market."
As long as they weren't hungry, Liu Yinfeng stopped talking and squatted down to stare at the chickens.
Luo Yan carried a washbasin and clothes out the door, and after walking a few steps, she met Aunt Wu.
Aunt Wu: "Did Yanzi get into university?"
Judging from the tone, it's like they're hoping the other person fails the exam.
Luo Yan was a little uncomfortable, but she wasn't good at arguing, so she just said calmly, "The results aren't out yet."
Aunt Wu: "Impossible, I heard that they've already received their acceptance letters."
What does this mean? Luo Yan rolled several words in her mouth, unable to decide which one to use, and secretly cursed herself for being so useless.
Fortunately, someone spoke up for her the next second: "I think you're old and your hearing isn't good, you must have misheard."
These words were satisfying, but Luo Yan wasn't particularly happy, since she turned around and saw Zhou Weifang.
But one thing at a time, she still smiled and expressed her gratitude.
The other person was very magnanimous, which made Zhou Weifang even more uncomfortable. He racked his brains trying to figure out how to talk to her later.
Aunt Wu targeted anyone who came: "Sanfang's back? Is the shop closing down?"
This guy can offend everyone in the alley with just one word.
Zhou Weifang was too lazy to talk to her, and only said, "Yes, I can't open my mouth because of your curse."
"How can you call it a curse?" Aunt Wu pouted, then, remembering his unruly temper, she finally shook her head and left.
Luo Yan also wanted to leave, but Zhou Weifang stopped her.
He stammered and couldn't speak, which attracted the attention of the neighbors who peeked around.
Good heavens, Luo Yan doesn't want to become someone else's news.
She asked, "Is there something you need?"
Whether you stick your neck out or not, you'll still get stabbed.
Zhou Weifang: "Dr. Wu came to my shop this morning."
The old man would pass by every few days, and if he saw that there was no one in the shop, he would stop and chat with them.
Zhou Weifang initially responded half-heartedly, but only reacted when Luo Yan's name was mentioned, and then his expression gradually turned sour—no wonder, he hadn't expected that Luo Yan was actually quite helpful behind the scenes.
This whole thing had been making him uneasy all morning. After finishing his work, he thought he'd go check on his sister's first day at her stall, but as soon as he passed through the alley, he spotted Luo Yan.
Luo Yan, unaware that it was a coincidence, assumed he had come specifically to apologize and said, "Oh."
Caught off guard, Zhou Weifang forced a smile and said, "He told me that you had brought him food."
Luo Yan: "Mm."
Even if the other person is cold, Zhou Weifang still has to keep going: "I don't know, I'm sorry."
In terms of faults, he didn't actually make many.
After all, it's only natural to make judgments based on what you know, especially since so much time has passed.
Luo Yan: "It's okay, you said you didn't know."
Zhou Weifang seemed to have regained some confidence: "You should have asked me to go. I'm good at climbing walls."
He's not only good at climbing walls, but he's also a master at getting into trouble.
Luo Yan looked at him with complete distrust and thought to herself, "Forget it."
Zhou Weifang understood: "I'm not that unreliable."
Luo Yan just chuckled.
Zhou Weifang was still trying to explain: "At least I admit my mistakes and correct them. If you had said something last time, I would have apologized to you immediately."
Does that mean I'm to blame for this? Luo Yan didn't even want to talk to him, and said curtly, "That's all for now, goodbye."
Zhou Weifang stepped in front of her again: "No, I think you're still angry."
The sun is so strong, it's already annoying.
Luo Yan: "I'm not angry."
The calmer the tone, the more uneasy Zhou Weifang became: "Tell me, how can you forgive me? I'll do it."
A true man can bend and stretch.
Luo Yan disliked arguing with people the most, so she said perfunctorily, "Just let me through now."
Zhou Weifang was speechless, and stepped aside to make way without saying a word.
Luo Yan breathed a sigh of relief, only to find that he had actually followed.
Her eyebrows were almost furrowed together as she ran forward.
Zhou Weifang could neither follow her into the women's bathroom nor wait outside.
Unable to come up with a good idea, he decided to go to his sister's place first.
The Zhou sisters were setting up their stall for the first time and had little business experience, so they had to be very bold in their calls.
Li Jianhong wasn't much better than the other two; the three of them failed to close a single deal.
When Zhou Weifang arrived, he saw the three of them looking dejected and asked, "What's wrong?"
Zhou Yuyao: "Not open for business yet."
Zhou Weifang thought it was perfectly normal; who makes a fortune right from the start?
He said, "Take your time, there's no rush."
With all the money already invested, how could I not be anxious?
Zhou Yuyao felt like she had blisters in her mouth, so she skipped the topic and asked, "Why are you here?"
Zhou Weifang: "I came over to see if there's anything I can help with."
Zhou Yuyao knew his shop was doing well, so she said, "No need, you go ahead with your work."
Zhou Weifang joked on purpose: "What, are you afraid you'll feed me tonight?"
He's never been serious since he was little. Zhou Yuyao rolled her eyes at him and said, "We're already overcrowded here."
Zhou Weifang: "Then I'll go take a look around and check the enemy situation for you."
This stall just opened, and it was his first time here. After walking around, he realized that everyone basically got their goods from the same vendor.
He returned to report the situation and asked, "Aren't there any other funds for the second batch?"
Zhou Yuyao: "Yes, we do, but these sell the best."
“Selling well doesn’t mean you can sell them,” Zhou Weifang pointed, “I saw eight people selling this shirt alone, ranging from twelve to eighteen yuan.”
Zhou Yuying rarely interjected, "Then should we sell it for twelve?"
The key is not to sell at a low price. Zhou Yuyao, being more astute than her sister, said, "We need to pick some other styles."
Li Jianhong understood, but hesitated, saying, "We might not be able to pick what others want."
Liking something is one thing, selling it is another.
Zhou Weifang knows even less about clothes, saying, "Even if you asked me to pick them out, I wouldn't be able to."
He shrugged, looking every bit the scoundrel.
Zhou Yuyao wanted to praise him but didn't know where to begin, so she said helplessly, "Be serious."
Zhou Weifang thought he was being quite proper, so he moved closer to his older sister and said, "I have something to ask you."
"What's the matter?" Zhou Yuyao asked mysteriously.
Zhou Weifang: "What if I ignore you for something, and then find out it was a misunderstanding?"
Everyone likes to hear these things.
Zhou Yuyao perked up: "Which family's daughter is she?"
Zhou Weifang: "That's not important. Just tell me what to do."
They all forgot to deny that they weren't girls.
Zhou Yuyao: "Apologize properly, don't talk like that."
Zhou Weifang thought to himself that he had just been quite serious: "What's the use of apologizing?"
Zhou Yuyao: "Then that proves you're not sincere."
Zhou Weifang hurriedly defended himself: "I was so sincere, but she completely ignored me after I finished speaking."
That seems difficult to say. Zhou Yuyao said, "Ask your second sister."
Second sister? Zhou Weifang didn't think she could offer any effective advice, but since she was already here, she might as well try anything and repeat the problem again.
Zhou Yuying thought for a moment: "What was your relationship with this girl before?"
"So that's how it is?" Zhou Weifang asked cautiously, "We're friends, I guess."
He felt reluctant after he finished speaking, since he and Luo Yan were indeed incompatible according to their birth charts since childhood.
Zhou Yuying is usually quiet and reserved, like her older sister's shadow.
But she is actually very perceptive of various emotions: "Then it isn't."
Zhou Weifang found it a bit irritating and remained silent.
Zhou Yuying continued her analysis: "It's probably not that they don't want to talk to you, it's just that there's no need. Anyway, you're not even friends, and this incident will only make it worse for you to become friends."
Zhou Weifang swore that this was the most he had ever heard his second sister say in the six months since he returned to the city, and every word pierced his heart.
He said, "I didn't say I wanted to be friends with her. We see each other all the time, so it would be awkward if we didn't talk about it."
Zhou Yuying: "Was she embarrassed too?"
Very good, now Zhou Weifang knows why his second sister doesn't talk much.
He recalled his several encounters with Luo Yan: "No."
Zhou Yuying: "Then that's settled. It won't affect your relationship or hinder future developments. Why do you have to make up?"
Zhou Weifang was stumped by the question, and in desperation, he said, "Fine, I won't beg her anymore."
That made him even angrier, so Zhou Yuyao gestured for her sister to calm down.
Zhou Yuying immediately pursed her lips, as if she hadn't said those words.
Zhou Weifang also looked at his second sister with new respect, wondering if all women have two faces.
He couldn't figure it out anyway, so he looked at the sun and said, "I'll go buy some popsicles."
Her younger brother's back seemed to be burning with fire. Zhou Yuyao was a little confused: "So angry?"
Zhou Yuying: "If there's something you think is very important, but others think it's completely unimportant, you'll get angry too."
Zhou Yuyao was quite angry after thinking about it, and clicked her tongue: "But you should put it more tactfully. We only have this one brother left." Zhou Yuying: "I'll pay attention next time."
"Where did this 'next time' come from?" Zhou Yuyao shook her head helplessly, but she also became curious about which family's daughter she was.
Quite by chance, the girl she didn't know was standing in front of the stall at that moment.
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Author's note: I will be updating more frequently starting tomorrow. My biggest wish for 2025 is to achieve perfect attendance in July.
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