Chapter 101 Elementary School
Xiaomei and her colleagues ordered a total of twelve dishes, while there were only seven of them in total.
Logically speaking, when eating at a restaurant, you should order as many dishes as there are people, and then add a soup at the end. However, everyone had extremely high expectations for Song Ji's dishes, and looking at the menu, they felt like they wanted to try everything.
These twelve dishes were ordered only after careful consideration and several rounds of selection.
After the menu was brought out, my colleague Xiao Zhao was filled with anticipation. She wondered how Song Ji's "Di San Xian" (a Sichuan dish) would taste. If it was good, she would bring her grandmother to try it next time.
The first dish served was stir-fried vegetables. The aroma preceded the dish, and it was different from the stir-fried dishes in ordinary restaurants. The general flavor was still spicy and numbing, but it didn't have that pungent smell. It was simply enticing.
My colleagues swallowed hard. As soon as the dishes were placed on the table, chopsticks reached out eagerly. Everyone had good eyesight and picked up all the meat, without accidentally picking up any of the seasonings.
The pork belly in the pan-fried pork belly is cut into small rectangular pieces and first fried in oil in a pan until the skin is crispy and has a very caramelized flavor.
The green or red chili pepper pieces only serve as a seasoning in the dish and don't taste spicy.
Xiaomei nodded repeatedly as she ate; it was her first time trying this dish, and she fell in love with it at first bite.
The seven people at the table quickly finished the pork belly, each taking turns eating with their chopsticks. Fortunately, the second dish was served.
The stir-fried pork kidneys are visually appealing, with a glistening red chili oil coating the surface, making them incredibly tempting. The kidneys are curled into a beautiful phoenix tail shape, showcasing the chef's knife skills. Even more attractive than the visual appeal is the aroma. The spiciness of pickled peppers, ginger, and garlic hits the nose directly, carrying the unique hot and spicy flavor of Sichuan cuisine, instantly awakening one's appetite.
Everyone at the table quickly shifted their attention from the pork belly to the kidney. Xiao Zhao was the first to take a bite. His first impression was that it was crisp and tender, and when he chewed it, he was full of the firm meaty aroma. The sour and spicy flavor of the pickled peppers spread on his tongue, and he also unexpectedly tasted a refreshing taste.
As for the fishy smell, there wasn't a trace of it!
Xiao Zhao was incredulous and quickly took another bite, savoring it carefully. Generally speaking, restaurants use white wine to remove the fishy smell when stir-frying pork kidneys, and add vinegar to mask the fishy smell. However, this requires a lot of skill from the chef. Many times, the fishy smell is not completely removed, and the wine flavor is also left behind. It can be said that the chef tried to steal a chicken but lost the rice instead.
But no matter how much Xiao Zhao tasted Song Ji's pork kidneys, he couldn't detect any wine or fishy smell. They were only crisp and tender, with a fresh meat flavor. The balance of spiciness and saltiness was just right, making them more and more appetizing.
Xiao Zhao thought to himself, "Song Ji's chef really has some skills!"
Yes, "two brushes" is not enough to describe it.
She picked up her chopsticks, ready to savor the taste again, but as soon as she dug into the dish, Xiao Zhao froze.
Where's the pork kidney? It's all gone! She only ate two pieces!
Looking at my colleagues, they all had satisfied expressions on their faces, clearly having eaten very well.
Xiao Zhao: ……
They usually get along so well in the office, slacking off together, working together, and even fooling the boss with great tacit understanding. So why do they suddenly become so discordant and unfriendly at the dinner table, and start competing with each other in silence?
Xiao Zhao thought to herself, "When the next dish comes out, I can't afford to think about anything else. My first priority is to grab the food and eat it!"
The third dish arrived quickly. As soon as Xiao Zhao smelled the familiar aroma of potatoes and eggplant, followed by the savory fragrance of soy sauce, she knew it was her "Three Treasures of the Earth"!
Sure enough, when the waiter appeared, Xiao Zhao saw the golden-brown potato chunks with slightly charred edges, the glossy purple-red eggplant soaked in sauce, and the bright green bell pepper pieces scattered among them, and knew that he hadn't guessed wrong.
The three colors are vibrant yet harmonious, making this dish of three delicacies absolutely authentic!
After the dishes were served, Xiao Zhao couldn't wait to eat a piece of potato. The skin, coated with sauce, was salty, savory, and slightly sweet. With a gentle bite, her teeth sank into the soft and fluffy potato. Although it was a little hot, Xiao Zhao kept exhaling, unwilling to spit it out.
After swallowing the potato whole, Xiao Zhao had a piece of eggplant. The eggplant dish he had eaten before was very oily. Although it was still soft and tender, it became greasy after a few bites, and his chest felt tight.
Eggplant is a vegetable that easily absorbs oil, but if you use too little oil, it will lack flavor. Making it oily but not greasy requires a lot of skill, but the eggplant in this dish of Three Treasures of the Earth is just like that. It is glossy and plump, melts in your mouth, and is soft and tender with a touch of smoothness, making it simply irresistible.
Green bell peppers add a refreshing and crisp texture, with a delicate aroma, balancing the overall greasiness.
Xiao Zhao almost cried while eating. She had accompanied her grandmother to her maternal home two years ago and had also eaten "Di San Xian" (a dish of potatoes, green peppers, and eggplant). Her grandmother praised it highly, and Xiao Zhao's mouth was glistening with oil as she ate.
Food that is too delicious seems to have the ability to transcend time, and Xiao Zhao felt as if he was tasting that taste again.
At that moment, Xiao Zhao had only one thought in her mind: her grandmother must like this restaurant.
In the end, the seven people actually finished all twelve dishes, and each of them ate until their stomachs were full and their faces were full of satisfaction.
The silent battle of grabbing food at the table had vanished, replaced by a harmonious atmosphere. A colleague remarked, "I haven't eaten this much in ages. I'll probably gain a few pounds when I weigh myself at home."
Another colleague joked, "It seems Xiaomei's weight loss plan is going to come to nothing. How can she resist living next to Song's restaurant?"
Xiaomei was happily eating when she heard this, and her expression turned serious. She finally remembered what she had said before: "I... I'll exercise more to make sure I have a calorie deficit, and I can lose weight too."
“That won’t do,” a colleague said. “I have experience; to lose weight, you have to eat less and keep yourself in a state of hunger.”
Xiaomei: "I can eat less too."
Colleague A: "Can you stand living next to Song's Restaurant?"
At the same time, B chimed in, "Did you eat less today?"
Xiao Mei: Died.
Why is it so hard to lose weight? There are obstacles everywhere!
*
Xiao Zhao is very proactive; the next day after get off work, he brought his grandmother to Song Ji.
Grandma is seventy years old this year and in good health. After hearing her granddaughter's words, she smiled and said, "There's no need to eat out. It's too much trouble. You should go home and rest after get off work."
Xiao Zhao usually lies on the sofa and watches TV after get off work, looking like he's exhausted from work. But today, he wanted to take his grandmother out as soon as he got home.
Xiao Zhao enthusiastically recommended: "Grandma, it's no trouble at all. Song Ji's Northeastern cuisine is really authentic. Yesterday, my colleagues and I had a dish called 'Three Treasures of the Earth,' and it amazed me!"
Grandma said, "If you want to eat it, I'll make it for you at home."
Little Zhao linked arms with her grandmother as they walked outside, saying, "It's really delicious, Grandma, you should try some."
Grandma finally agreed, but she couldn't bear to refuse her granddaughter's kindness. Grandma had eaten a lot of Northeastern food in the city, but it always lacked a certain flavor. She also combined it with local cuisine, making it more in line with the local people's taste.
Grandma stopped going there to eat it. If she missed the taste, she would make it at home. However, Grandma's cooking skills were not very good, and she could never make it taste exactly like the original.
Once on the bus to Song's Restaurant, Grandma looked out the window and felt something was off: "Isn't this the city center?"
"No, it's a private restaurant downstairs in the apartment complex," Xiao Zhao explained.
Grandma hadn't had any expectations to begin with, but now those expectations have completely vanished. Like most people, she thinks: what delicious food could possibly be found near the neighborhood? If she really had the means, she would definitely go to the city center.
Furthermore, since it's a private restaurant, it means they offer a wide variety of dishes, which in a sense implies a lack of expertise.
When they arrived at Songji Restaurant, Xiao Zhao helped his grandmother out of the car. The grandmother looked up and saw that the decor looked high-end and elegant.
Looking inside again, there were quite a few people, and there were no seats available. The waiter said it would take about ten minutes, so Xiao Zhao and her grandmother sat on the benches outside to wait.
Grandma asked in surprise, "Why is there a queue at this store?"
Xiao Zhao said, "Business is good, and it's getting better and better. My colleagues and I didn't have this many customers at this time yesterday."
Xiao Zhao exclaimed, "Sure enough, everyone is very well-informed. As soon as they know where there's good food, they all rush over."
Grandma shook her head, feeling that with so many restaurants outside, queuing up would be a waste of time unless it was absolutely necessary to eat there.
Before ten minutes had passed, the waiter led them inside.
As soon as Grandma entered the restaurant, she smelled the local spicy and savory aroma. Her eyes swept over the other tables, which were mostly filled with local home-style dishes. There was none of the authentic Northeastern dishes that her granddaughter had mentioned.
Xiao Zhao was very excited. He sat down with his grandmother and checked off all the Northeastern dishes on the menu.
Three Treasures of the Earth (a dish of potatoes, eggplant, and green peppers), and stewed pork and cabbage with glass noodles.
There are only two dishes in total; Song Ji mainly serves local cuisine.
Xiao Zhao added another dish, tomato and egg soup. Yesterday's meal was spicy, so today he wanted something lighter.
"Grandma, Song Ji's food is really delicious!" Xiao Zhao told her grandma about the fun she had with her colleagues at the dinner party yesterday. Whether they said they were on a diet or that they didn't eat spicy food, they all ate very happily.
Grandma listened from the side with a kind smile on her face. She wasn't really interested in the food; she was more concerned about her granddaughter's work. Her granddaughter was so filial that she would bring her along whenever she ate something good, so as an elder, she certainly couldn't spoil the fun.
Grandma was thinking that even if the food wasn't good, she would still say it was delicious so as not to disappoint her granddaughter.
Northeastern cuisine takes a lot of time to prepare, so the first dish served was tomato and egg soup. Golden egg slices floated on the thick, orange-red soup, and it had a strong tomato aroma.
Xiao Zhao served a bowl of soup to his grandmother and himself, took a sip, and couldn't help but close his eyes: "So delicious."
In winter, a sip of this steaming hot, sweet and sour, thick and fragrant tomato soup would warm your whole body.
Grandma also took a sip, and upon tasting it, her expression subtly relaxed. The egg pieces were soaked with tomato sauce, and with one bite, the flavor was incredibly rich and delicious.
Grandma thought the soup at this shop tasted pretty good.
Xiao Zhao was a little hungry, so she scooped a spoonful of rice into her bowl to make rice soup. After shoveling it in, her eyes lit up, and she grunted twice, "Grandma, this is so appetizing!"
As expected of Song Ji's food, even the rice soaked in soup is better than many restaurants' special stir-fried dishes.
Seeing her granddaughter's actions, Grandma couldn't help but say, "Why are the dishes taking so long to arrive here?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the waiter placed the "Three Delicacies of the Earth" on the table.
Grandma's reaction at this moment was almost the same as Xiao Zhao's expression yesterday. The color, the aroma, the shape—it looked authentic no matter how you looked at it!
Xiao Zhao quickly picked up a piece of eggplant for his grandma: "Grandma, eat this! It's so delicious, not oily at all, and it practically melts in your mouth!"
Grandma's thoughts changed quietly at that moment. At first, she was thinking of not being a spoilsport and would agree to whatever she wanted to eat. But as soon as she saw the dishes on the table, she was satisfied. They looked pretty good, so she was asked to try them.
The moment it enters my mouth, my thoughts from a few seconds ago change completely.
The thought of trying it first turned into, "How can Yongyan make such authentic Northeastern cuisine?"
Authenticity is one aspect, and deliciousness is another.
Grandma thought that even if this dish of local delicacies were in her hometown, it would be a very famous dish!
Grandma didn't need her granddaughter to help her pick up food; she started eating on her own and enjoyed the meal very much. She never expected there to be such a place in Yongyan.
The pork and cabbage stew with glass noodles arrived rather late. The casserole was placed on the table, and the amber-colored broth was bubbling away. The pork belly was stewed until it was glossy and tender, the cabbage had absorbed all the meat broth, and the glass noodles had been stewed until they were translucent. The hot steam carrying the aroma of meat filled the air.
Grandma scooped a bowlful and carefully fed it into her mouth. Her tongue tasted the familiar flavor. The food seemed to have a magical power, suddenly switching back the clock, and Grandma was reminded of her childhood.
The snow in the north was heavy and dense. My mother put an iron pot on the stove to stew vegetables. In those days, it was not easy to have meat. She would walk around the stove when she smelled the aroma, watching the cabbage and vermicelli in the pot simmering and bubbling.
Finally, her mother would fill her bowl to the brim, more than any of her siblings. Her mother loved her, her youngest daughter, the most.
That bowl of pork and cabbage stew with glass noodles was so delicious! The pork belly melted in my mouth, and I slurped up the glass noodles, even licking the bottom of the bowl clean. After eating, I felt warm and cozy, like I had a little stove inside me.
"Grandma, is it delicious?" Her granddaughter's voice brought her back to reality.
Xiao Zhao took another bowl, filled it with cabbage and vermicelli, and set it aside to cool so that Grandma could continue eating later.
Grandma smiled and nodded: "Delicious."
She felt a warmth in her eyes; across decades, some feelings had never faded.
Xiao Zhao asked, "Grandma, do you often make pork and cabbage stew with glass noodles where you live?"
"It wasn't often. When I was a child, my family was poor, and meat was very precious..." Grandma recounted the past.
This pork and cabbage stew with glass noodles tastes just like my grandma remembers. I never expected it to evoke those memories so far away in another city.
Grandma was satisfied not only physically but also mentally after finishing her meal. She asked, "Can I meet the chef? I want to thank her on the spot for letting me taste such delicious food."
Grandma thought the chef might be from her hometown.
The waiter said, "Hello, I'll go ask. Please wait a moment."
The restaurant's peak hours have passed now, and if Manager Song is on break, he might be willing to meet with us.
Song Xinran had one last dish to prepare. Upon hearing Pang Ru's words and learning that the other party was a kind-looking old man, Song Xinran readily agreed: "Wait for me for ten minutes."
Pang Ru relayed this to Xiao Zhao and his grandmother.
Grandma happily said, "Okay, I'll wait for her."
Xiao Zhao couldn't hide her excitement. She had eaten at Song Ji twice and was extremely satisfied each time. She was also very curious about the chef, wondering what kind of chef could make such delicious food. He must be very experienced.
Xiao Zhao conjured up a picture in his mind: a slightly chubby man in his forties with a little belly, a round face, and wearing a chef's hat. After all, most of the chefs who participated in the cooking competition on TV looked pretty much like that.
When Song Xinran appeared, Xiao Zhao and her grandmother were both stunned.
Pang Ru said, "This is our store manager, Song, who is also the only chef in our store."
Song Xinran's lips curved slightly, her smile faint.
Xiao Zhao was stunned: "Huh? Is this the chef who made us stir-fried eggplant, potatoes, and green peppers, and stewed pork and cabbage with glass noodles?"
She was young and not very good at hiding her surprise, but her grandmother was very worldly-wise. Her surprise lasted only a moment before she exclaimed, "Manager Song is really young and promising. Not only has she opened such a successful store, but her cooking skills are also so good."
"Eating Manager Song's cooking reminds me of my childhood. I'm from Northeast China, and my home is in Huaxian County," Grandma said. "Manager Song, did you also live there? Your cooking tastes so authentic."
In her previous life, Song Xinran had been to Northeast China to see the snow in winter and almost froze to death. However, the original owner of this body had never been there. She said, "Grandma, I've never been there. I figured out how to cook these dishes myself."
Grandma was surprised again; she could learn so well on her own!
"Manager Song is truly gifted."
Song Xinran's face flushed slightly as her grandmother praised her earnestly, saying, "You flatter me."
"I'm telling the truth. I've eaten a lot of Northeastern cuisine in Yongyan, and the food here is the most authentic. It's even better than many local restaurants back home," Grandma said earnestly.
Song Xinran: "Thank you for your approval, Grandma."
Xiao Zhao couldn't help but speak up and loudly declare, "Manager Song, I absolutely love every single dish you make!"
Song Xinran couldn't help but chuckle: "Thank you."
After leaving Song's Restaurant, Xiao Zhao was still a little incredulous: "Grandma, how come Manager Song is so young and beautiful, and her skin is so good! Aren't chefs supposed to have rough skin?"
This is also the conclusion Xiao Zhao drew from watching the Chef King Competition. The chefs said that working in this industry involves a lot of contact with oil fumes, which leads to rough skin and greasy hair. It's not that they are unhygienic, but that they are forced by life to do so.
However, when Xiao Zhao looked at Manager Song just now, he saw that she had fair and clean skin and jet-black hair, and did not look like a chef on TV at all.
Grandma said, "Everyone is different. Manager Song looks like a very clean person."
Xiao Zhao: "I want to come back to eat here again next time! Grandma, come with me."
Grandma smiled and agreed. She wasn't thinking about whether it would spoil the mood; she was just happy that the food was so good and she wanted to eat there as many times as she could.
*
Song Ji's business was better than Song Xinran had expected. It turned out that there were so many wealthy people in Yongyan that some even drove here specifically to eat.
After implementing the reservation system, the restaurant became much more organized, and customers could go directly into the restaurant to dine without having to wait.
The staff worked together very well, and after only two weeks, everyone noticed they had gained two pounds.
Pang Ru called her former colleague, now a friend, to chat: "Xiao Lian, you have no idea how much weight I've gained. I don't even dare to look at the scale."
Xiang Lian's voice on the other end of the phone was tinged with sarcasm: "The food is so good, what can you do?"
Although Pang Ru was distressed about her weight gain, she laughed again when she thought about how every piece of fat on her body was from her own eating: "The food at our restaurant is truly exceptional. You must know that if you've eaten there before. How could a mere mortal like me resist it?"
Xiang Lian was even more jealous: "Don't even mention it, what you're saying is making me hungry!"
“Then come and eat,” Pang Ru said. “I work here now, I can help you get in through connections.”
Xiang Lian perked up: "Can you give me a discount?"
"That won't do."
Xiang Lian: "Can we add more dishes?"
"That won't work either."
Xiang Lian: "...Then what kind of back door can we use?"
Pang Ru said, "Our store now operates on an appointment system. I can help you queue up and make an appointment, so you don't have to waste your phone bill by making a call."
Xiang Lian: "..."
What's the difference between going through the back door and not going through at all?
However, she then thought of the stir-fried vegetables and boiled beef she had eaten with Pang Ru that noon, and her mouth immediately started to saliva uncontrollably.
"Okay, please make a reservation for the nearest one for me. I definitely want to come and eat here!"
"good!"
Pang Ru hung up the phone, and called back a little while later: "Xiao Lian, I've made an appointment for you, this Friday afternoon at six o'clock."
"So late?!"
Pang Ru: "This is already the earliest time."
Xiang Lian was still a little dazed. She knew that Pang Ru had gone to work at Song Ji's, and she was so envious. Not only was the salary high, but she could also eat so much delicious food every day. What an amazing job!
The business is still so good, it's obviously a stable and good job.
Xiang Lian felt that she was starting to feel envious and even a little jealous.
On Friday afternoon, Xiang Lian came to Song Ji after get off work. She had prepared thirty yuan for a bowl of fried rice because Pang Ru strongly recommended the egg fried rice there, saying it was just as good as the dishes.
This time, Song Ji was a completely different scene from when Xiang Lian last came. There were two cars parked outside, the owner was eating in the restaurant, and the once deserted shop was now full of customers.
Just as Xiang Lian was about to go in, she saw a man in his thirties or forties arguing with a waiter at the door: "There are still seats inside, why can't I go in?"
The waiter's smile remained unchanged: "Sir, these are reserved for customers with reservations. You can also make a reservation if you wish to dine here."
"Why are you keeping customers here when none have come? Do you even know how to do business?" The man was very unhappy. Behind him stood a woman with a good figure wearing a long dress and a child of about six or seven years old.
It's clear they're a family having dinner.
The man said, "I came all the way from the west side of the city, and this is how you treat your customers?"
The waiter said, "I'm so sorry, sir, but our restaurant prioritizes the interests of customers who have made reservations."
No matter what the man said, the waiter didn't get angry. He kept repeating the same few sentences until the man lost his temper and waved his hand, saying, "Forget it, forget it, I won't eat anymore. This kind of attitude will ruin us sooner or later!"
Xiang Lian: ...
She really wanted to say, what was wrong with the waiter's attitude? It was clearly the man being unreasonable.
She walked inside and bumped into a man who was coming out. The man said sarcastically, "Don't go in, they need to make a reservation."
Xiang Lian: "I have an appointment."
The man was taken aback.
Xiang Lian felt a surge of joy, but was stopped by the man in the next instant.
Xiang Lian looked at the man warily, but the man smiled and said, "Little girl, can you sell me your spot?"
"Look, I brought my wife and kids all this way to eat here. The kids have been looking forward to it for so long."
Xiang Lian sneered inwardly. What did it matter to her if they had been looking forward to it for so long? She turned to leave.
The man quoted a price: "Fifty for your spot, is that okay?"
Xiang Lian paused slightly. Fifty... she was tempted, but then she remembered how unreasonable the man had been earlier and shook her head: "No way."
"one hundred."
Xiang Lian: How come the price has increased so quickly, and even doubled?
"One hundred and twenty is the highest," the man said.
Xiang Lian turned her head, her expression serious: "Add another twenty, it wasn't easy for me to queue up and make an appointment."
"Um... okay."
Xiang Lian earned 140 yuan without any pain. Although she really wanted to eat fried rice, she decided to wait until next time. 140 yuan could buy her several bowls of fried rice.
Xiang Lian led the man to the entrance of Song Ji Restaurant and gave the waiter her name and phone number.
The man was a little embarrassed; he had said he wouldn't eat it earlier, but now he was asking again because his wife and kids really wanted to eat it.
However, the waiter showed no extra emotion and still led the three inside.
Xiang Lian immediately told Pang Ru about it: "Song Ji's business is really good now! My reservation slot sold for 140 yuan! Pang Ru, could you please make a reservation for the nearest one for me? I want to come back for fried rice!"
Pang Ru remained silent for a few seconds before slowly saying, "I don't think this is a good idea."
Pang Ru frowned. She could understand Xiang Lian. After all, Xiang Lian only earned nine hundred a month. She would definitely not be able to resist the temptation of one hundred and forty. However, Song Ji was the shop where Pang Ru worked. She liked it very much. She felt that this was not right. As for why it was not right, Pang Ru herself could not explain it.
Xiang Lian said, "This is 140 yuan, we might as well take it."
Pang Ru said, "I'll book another one for you. You can't keep doing this."
"Okay, I'll treat you to dinner then."
Pang Ru couldn't get this matter out of her mind, and after much hesitation, she finally told Song Xinran.
Song Xinran was shocked. Wasn't this the prototype of scalpers? She didn't want her shop to become like this, but she also knew that people are profit-driven, and the emergence of scalpers due to supply shortages was a market choice. The best solution was to increase supply.
However, the restaurant has limited seating, and the reservation system effectively ensures a good dining experience for customers, so no further action can be taken.
Suddenly, an idea popped into Song Xinran's mind: she could do takeout.
Although the major food delivery platforms that will be fiercely competing in the future have not yet been launched, she can hire two riders to deliver the food herself.
Song Xinran thought this was a good idea, but she would first see how much demand customers needed.
Equally important as the store's development is the upcoming September, when Song Yu will be starting elementary school.
While the store was closed on Monday, Song Xinran took Song Yu to buy a series of new stationery.
Song Yu's schoolbag and some stationery for kindergarten were also bought in the city. In just three years, many changes have taken place in the city, and a new central shopping mall has been built in the city center.
The variety of stationery inside was dazzling. Song Yu was so engrossed in this sea of stationery that he finally managed to choose the right items after a very difficult selection process.
His appreciation level has changed and improved considerably since kindergarten. After buying stationery, he insisted on carrying it himself, looked up at her and smiled, "Mom, I really hope to go to school soon!"
"Why is that?" Song Xinran had always found it quite amazing. Many children didn't like going to school, especially at the beginning of each school year, when many children in the kindergarten class would cry until their eyes were red, but Song Yu had never cried.
Even though Song Yu was studying in an unfamiliar city and place, he was not afraid or timid.
Song Yu said, "I can see new classmates and new teachers, and I can grow up quickly."
Song Xinran suddenly felt a sense of melancholy, as if her own child had grown up, even though Song Yu was only six years old.
On the day of registration, Song Xinran closed the restaurant again for a day.
She had visited Shuangqiao Elementary School with Song Yu before, but they had only strolled around the outside. Song Yu had already liked it then, and today, upon entering, he became even more excited. Holding Song Xinran's hand, his slightly round eyes looked around, seeing many children with mournful faces, and even an adult raising their hand high...
Song Yu thought to herself, "There are so many people in the primary school, many, many times more than in the kindergarten."
Song Xinran took Song Yu to the bulletin board to find the class assignment list for the new first grade. Song Yu was the best at recognizing his own name and found it even faster than Song Xinran: "Mom, I'm here!"
Song Xinran looked at the list he was pointing to: Class 5, Grade 1.
Song Yu looked at the other people on the list again, then suddenly her gaze fixed on them. She looked up in surprise and pointed to a name on the list: "Mom, Fufu is there!"
When Song Xinran took a look, it was indeed Fu Fu's real name, Yang Sifu.
"How did Xiao Yu know this was Fufu?"
Song Yu blinked, but still explained earnestly, "Fu Fu told me about it, and even wrote it down for me to see."
Song Xinran: ...
I realized I seemed to have asked an unnecessary question.
"So Fufu is also at Shuangqiao Elementary School." Song Yu was very happy. She hadn't even arrived at her new class yet, but she had already met one of her classmates.
"Little friend, are you also a student in Class 5 of Grade 1?" an old man's voice asked.
Song Yu turned his head and saw a grandmother with slightly graying temples. He answered seriously, "Grandma, I am in Class 5 of Grade 1."
Grandma smiled and said, "What a coincidence, my grandson is also in Class 5, his name is Wang Yuhao."
Song Yu said, "I saw his name on the list."
"Really? Hahaha." Grandma laughed kindly. "Little one, you know so many words."
Turning to her grandson, she said, "Yuhao, do you see the other children? All you do at home is play. You can't even learn a few more words. Look how excellent your classmates are."
Song Yu pursed his lips slightly, unsure of what to do, but he didn't like what his grandmother said.
The little boy standing next to his grandmother looked Song Yu up and down, then turned his head away: "So what? Mom said she'll hire a teacher for me."
Grandma was a little displeased: "You child!"
Song Yu held Song Xinran's hand and glanced to the side. Song Xinran said, "Grandma Yuhao, we have other things to do, so we'll be leaving now."
After walking a distance, Song Yu whispered, "Mom, I don't like what that grandma said."
Song Yu should be happy to be praised, but he didn't like it when the grandmother praised him and then said that her grandson was not good.
Song Xinran patted his head: "If you don't like it, we can just walk away."
"Song Yu!" Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out from not far away; the little girl's voice was as clear and melodious as a nightingale's.
Song Yu turned his head, a smile appearing on his face: "Fu Fu!"
Fu Fu ran over quickly, chattering away: "I saw you just now and ran over right away, it really is you! Song Yu, are you also at Shuangqiao Elementary School? That's great! What class are you in?"
Song Yu said, "I'm in Class 5."
"Fufu, you're in Class 5 too! I saw your name."
He was met with a warm hug from Fufu.
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