Chapter 13: The Lovely Visitor
Chapter 13: The Lovely Visitor
To get to the No. 2 Middle School from the rural minibus stop, you need to transfer to two buses. Fang Yuenian and Cheng Bing had visited Cheng Junjun several times before and were very familiar with the route. Today was Saturday, and it was early in the morning. There weren't many people on each bus, so they got off at the bus stop in front of the No. 2 Middle School without any trouble or crowding.
Fang Yuenian looked a little dejected.
He hated stuffy environments and the smell of gasoline. When his uncle bought a car, he always refused to ride in it when visiting relatives during the holidays. He preferred to ride a bicycle or walk, even in the cold winds and heat waves. But going to the city was too far.
Thinking about this, he felt an extra layer of inexplicable anxiety about going to high school in the city.
The two walked side by side toward the school gate. Cheng Bing noticed that his face was pale, so she took out a piece of hawthorn candy that she had prepared beforehand and handed it to him: "Here."
Fang Yuenian laughed and took it, saying, "I'm not eating this anymore, my teeth are so sensitive."
Despite saying that, I didn't hesitate at all. I tore open the packaging, took a big bite, and the sweet and sour taste quickly dispelled most of the buzzing dizziness in my head.
He asked, "Where did you buy this? They don't sell it near the school gate anymore."
“These were left at home,” Cheng Bing said. “There are still some left from the last purchase.”
The last time I caught up with it was during the winter break before the Lunar New Year, and it was Cheng's father who bought it.
Grandpa Cheng doted on the children, but Cheng Xiaoxiao and Junjun had grown up. These two girls didn't like snacks, and Junjun was too busy studying, usually locking herself in her room to work, with no one daring to disturb her. Only Cheng Bing and Fang Yuenian usually stayed together doing their homework, and when they had free time, they would squeeze into the carpenter's shop to make small pieces of furniture. Therefore, any small snacks or trinkets were given to them. Although hawthorn candy had lost its market appeal in recent years and was no longer a fashionable snack, Grandpa Cheng remembered that Fang Yuenian loved it when she was little, so he bought some whenever he saw it.
"Grandpa Cheng and Uncle Lin have been away for more than half a month," Fang Yuenian said, chewing on a hawthorn candy. "When are they coming home?"
"They said next week, but who knows?" Cheng Bing replied, glancing sideways at Fang Yuenian who had almost finished the fruit leather, and asked, "Want one more?"
"Anything else?"
"No, I only brought one. The convenience store near the No. 2 Middle School should sell them."
"I don't want to eat anymore," Fang Yuenian mumbled as she swallowed the last bit. "I feel much better now. Let's buy something for Sister Jun first."
The south gate of No. 2 Middle School enjoys a prime location, facing an alley. Turning out from the gate leads to the main street, and the bus stop is nearby. This not-so-short alley forms a natural commercial street, with dozens of small shops lining the street. To the east are small restaurants with a constant flow of smoke and fragrant aromas, selling everything from fried rice and noodles to pancakes and rice balls. To the west are colorful stationery, household goods, and fruit shops. The shops on one side are close together, while the other two sides face each other across the alley, which is three or four meters apart. At mealtimes, students flock out, and the sounds of people calling out and hawking their wares blend together, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.
The two bought a carton of milk and a large bag of small breads at the shop at the end of the alley, and some apples and oranges next door. Cheng Bing paid most of the money, and Fang Yuenian paid for the breads, leaving him with five yuan instead of spending all his savings.
“Hey, let’s take the stuff to Sister Jun first. If she’s free, we can invite her out to eat with us. It’s already past ten o’clock,” Fang Yue Nian thought to herself, then looked up at her eagerly. “If she’s not free, then let’s go eat at that ramen place under the overpass, then cross the street and we’ll be at the bookstore.”
Cheng Bing had no doubt about which was more attractive, the ramen or the bookstore. He took everything and carried it in his hands, gesturing, "Let's go find the security guard."
Fang Yuenian usually handled the talking. As he walked forward, he turned back and smiled smugly: "I think the security guard definitely remembers us—" He turned around and called out enthusiastically: "Hello, Uncle! Yes, yes, it's us again. We're here to find Cheng Junjun from Class 9 of Senior Three. She's in Girls' Dormitory Building 2."
The old man at the gatehouse did indeed remember them. He smiled and, while making the call, said, "You're here to see your sister again?"
"Yes, that's right." Fang Yuenian chuckled and struck up a conversation with the other person, acting as if she knew the place well.
The call connected to the dormitory manager of the girls' dormitory. The aunt on the other end had a particularly loud voice, probably calling Cheng Junjun's name from downstairs. After a while, the security guard answered and hung up the phone, saying, "Go in, your sister is in the dormitory, she'll be down in a minute."
“Okay,” Fang Yuenian agreed, “Thank you, Uncle. We’ll go in now.”
There is a winding shortcut from the South Gate to the student dormitory, which also passes through a faculty and staff residence surrounded by a small wall. Many osmanthus trees are planted inside the wall, and in autumn, you can smell the rich and intoxicating fragrance of the flowers through the wall, but there is none now.
The two walked one after the other, and just as they crossed the path, they saw Cheng Junjun standing in front of the dormitory's large iron gate in the distance.
Cheng Junjun's appearance is not like Wang Jing's, but her eyes are somewhat like Fang Wu's. However, her temperament is completely different. She has a cold and aloof look. She is very thin, with little baby fat on her face, a prominent jaw, and a tall stature. Because she has short hair, she looks heroic and neat.
Fang Yuenian quickly waved: "Sister Jun—"
When Cheng Junjun saw the two of them, a smile appeared on her face.
These two younger brothers had followed her around since they were little, and hadn't gone astray at all. She walked over and saw that they were carrying a lot of things, so she reached out to take them and asked, "Why are you here so early? Did you get up early this morning?"
Cheng Bing called out "Second Sister," and placed the milk and food on the ground, saying, "Let's put them here for now."
Cheng Junjun said, "I bought too much."
"Eat slowly," Fang Yuenian stared at her face. "Sister Jun, you seem to have lost weight again. You haven't been home since the start of the semester. Are you very tired?"
"Not bad. You guys must be busy too. What brings you here so early?"
Fang Yuenian said, "The sooner you come, the sooner you should go back. We still have exam papers to do, and we're planning to go to the bookstore to buy some study materials later. Sister Jun, can you come with us for dinner?"
"You came without having eaten breakfast?" Cheng Junjun frowned.
"Oh no, we just didn't eat because we were afraid of getting carsick on the morning trip," Fang Yuenian quickly smiled and leaned closer, "Sister Jun—"
Just as she was acting cute, a few girls walked over side by side, carrying sausages and several bags of snacks. Seeing Cheng Junjun's situation, they asked with smiles, "Cheng Junjun, is your little brother here again?"
Fang Yue Nian immediately stood up straight.
Cheng Junjun nodded: "Mm."
One of the girls laughed loudly and said, "Your family has really good genes."
The two younger brothers were seen by their classmates when they first came here. They were both very handsome and unforgettable.
Cheng Junjun, being a quiet and uninhibited person, didn't join in the classmates' laughter and joking. She just smiled at them and turned to Cheng Bing, saying, "I'm going to class to study right away. Can you two buy the study materials yourselves?"
Fang Yuenian had long wanted to avoid being observed, so she quickly said, "Okay, Sister Jun, then we'll be going now, we won't keep you any longer."
Cheng Junjun nodded and didn't say anything more. She told them to go out for dinner quickly and then let them leave.
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