"This is century egg and lean meat porridge. If Aunt Xu likes it, I can tell you how to make it." Qi Xinlan replied with a smile.
"Really? Thank you so much, Lan Zi. Oh, Zhao Lan, how come you are so good at giving birth? Look how sensible Lan Zi is!" Aunt Xu said happily.
"No, no..." Zhao Lan said politely.
Everyone was very happy throughout the meal. Aunt Xu also said that she had asked Xu Minghao to come back and he was probably on his way back. If he came back, she would ask him to come over and spend time with Qi Xinlan.
Upon hearing this, Qi Xinlan's face immediately turned red. Seeing this, everyone teased her a few more times, causing Qi Xinlan to eat with her head down the whole time. It was so embarrassing.
Soon after Aunt Xu returned, she heard the village chief calling the Qi family to the ancestral hall. The Qi family was confused, wondering what was going on. Qi Xinlan, however, remained calm. If she was right, it must be the acceptance letter. Because the village was so remote, many letters couldn't be delivered. Therefore, the village chief would go to the town on the 15th of every month to pick up all the village mail, then notify the recipients to pick it up at the village chief's house.
As for why they went to the ancestral hall this time, it was because Qi Xinlan was the only person in the village who was admitted to university and brought honor to the village, so the village chief wanted to praise Qi Xinlan in public.
In her previous life, Qi Xinlan was indeed very excited when she received the admission letter. In addition, people around her said a lot of flattering words, which made her more and more arrogant. However, Qi Guohui no longer supported her studies and asked her to get married, so she developed a rebellious heart.
In this life, Qi Xinlan will face it calmly. If she has to choose between studying and Xu Minghao, she will choose Xu Minghao without hesitation.
"Village chief, what's the matter with you calling us here?" Qi Guohui saw many people standing in the ancestral hall as he entered. Almost the entire village had been summoned. His heart skipped a beat. Did the village chief find out that he had secretly smoked his cigarette? But he had only smoked one. Would he be so stingy as to call a meeting to criticize him?
"You're here, come, sit down quickly." The village chief enthusiastically led Qi Guohui to sit down, while others stood, which made Qi Guohui feel a little nervous.
"Ahem, Qi Guohui!" The village chief coughed and suddenly shouted very seriously.
"What's wrong?" Qi Guohui was startled and almost fell off the stool.
"Don't be so nervous. First of all, thank you..." Did the village chief hit his head? Thank him for what? Thank him for stealing his cigarette?
"Village chief, I know I was wrong. I admit that I stole a cigarette you imported." Qi Guohui admitted it directly. The village chief was so horrible.
"Who told you this!? Wait, you stole my cigarettes, no wonder I have less cigarettes. Do you know how expensive those cigarettes are? I had to use a lot of connections to get them. I can't even bear to smoke them myself. You...you really make me so mad." The village chief immediately said angrily with his beard puffed and eyes glared.
"Didn't you tell me this? Then what did you tell me?" Qi Guohui wanted to slap himself twice, confessing his mistake and regretting it so much.
"Let me tell you, your daughter Lan Zi has been admitted to a prestigious university. This is her admission letter. You also wanted to gather everyone to praise you for your good teaching, but I think that's not necessary now." The village chief threw the letter in his hand to Qi Guohui and left angrily.
"Hey, hey, village chief, I really didn't mean it, I apologize..." Seeing that the village chief was angry, Qi Guohui immediately threw the letter to Zhao Lan and went to chase the village chief with his crutches.
"Hey, don't learn from your dad, he's just a smoker." Seeing her husband like this, Zhao Lan immediately said to Qi Guohui.
"Mom, I don't smoke, don't worry, open it and see what school it is?" Qi Xinwei asked excitedly.
"Yes, Zhao Lan, open it and see which school it is from? Our village has never had a college student. You can be proud of it when you tell others about it."
"Yes, yes. Open it and see. Is it Zhongda? Or Huada?"
Zhao Lan couldn't stand everyone's enthusiasm, so she opened it and saw that it was from Peking University.
Everyone exclaimed and congratulated the Qi family. Some asked what kind of food Zhao Lan ate when she was pregnant with Qi Xinlan, some asked how Zhao Lan usually taught her children, and so on.
Zhao Lan answered modestly, but she was very happy in her heart. She didn't expect her daughter to be so hardworking and get admitted to a famous school in the capital.
Qi Xinwei felt even more proud. Such a wonderful person was his sister. He could be proud of himself every time he went out in the future.
In the evening, the family sat around the table in a serious atmosphere.
"Lan Zi, I asked, the tuition fee is 300 yuan. Kyoto is so far away that Lan Zi can't come back to live here, so she must need accommodation. Let me take a look at the list, the cheapest one costs more than 100 yuan per year. The prices over there must be very expensive, and the living expenses are at least 100 yuan per year. In addition to these, there are also book fees, material fees, etc., which add up to at least 600 to 700 yuan a year." Qi Guohui was the first to break the silence.
After Qi Guohui finished speaking, there was deep helplessness in his eyes. If he had not broken his leg two years ago and was unable to do heavy work, the burden of the family would not have been placed entirely on his eldest son.
"Dad, why don't I go out to work and support Lan Zi's schooling." Qi Xinwei couldn't help but suggest.
"How much money can you earn by working outside? And you are already 25 or 26, why don't you get married?" Qi Guohui said with a gloomy face.
"Is Guohui really out of options?" Zhao Lan couldn't help asking. She also knew the family's situation. Although the family had fields and land, they could still make ends meet. In addition, the recent harvest was good, and they had saved some money. However, the money was intended for the old man's medical treatment and medicine, and for Qi Xinwei to marry a wife. Now Lan Zi's tuition was so expensive, all the family's belongings combined were not enough to pay for Lan Zi's tuition. Alas!
"Dad, Mom, Brother, I don't plan to go to school." Qi Xinlan stated.
"Why Lan Zi? This is such a good opportunity? Is it because of your brother? I won't get married. I will go out to work to support your studies." Qi Xinwei said excitedly.
"Brother, I appreciate your kindness, but I can't be so selfish and let you sacrifice your own happiness for me. I remember that I promised Sister Taozi that I would marry her next year. You can't go back on your word! And I also know the situation at home. I don't want to increase the burden on the family. My parents are already old! And studying is not the only way out. With a skill, you can travel the world~" Qi Xinlan said mischievously.
"Lan Zi, Dad, I'm sorry!" Qi Guohui said with bitter eyes. How incompetent he was to not be able to support his own children's education!
"Dad, you haven't done anything wrong to me. I should thank you. At least you paid for my education until I reached high school, right? There are very few people in the village who have attended high school, and I'm not considered an educated person, am I? ~" Qi Xinlan pulled Qi Guohui's arm and said coquettishly.
"Yes, Lan Zi is right! Our Lan Zi is also a cultured person!" Qi Guohui said with red eyes, feeling moved.
"Lan Zi, are you sure?" Zhao Lan touched Qi Xinlan's head with heartache.
"Mom, I'm sure." Qi Xinlan said firmly.
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