Chapter 16: This person is really annoying
Chapter 16: This person is really annoying
After finishing her meal, Fang Yuenian went back to her room to do her homework.
Wang Jing came in midway and asked a few questions about the bicycle. She said that if it couldn't be fixed by tomorrow, his father would take him to school on his motorcycle and pick him up again on Friday night. Fang Wu was frivolous; that motorcycle had fallen in fields and rivers, and Fang Yuenian thought it was completely unreliable. However, he didn't object, since the motorcycle would most likely be fixed anyway.
After Wang Jing finished speaking, she stood beside him for a long time without leaving. She wanted to say a few words to comfort her son and tell him not to worry about family matters, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.
Fang Yuenian turned around and saw that the red marks on her face had subsided considerably, and she had applied two more layers of ointment, so it seemed like there was nothing seriously wrong.
"Mom, is there anything else? I'm doing my homework."
“Go ahead and write,” Wang Jing said hurriedly, “I’m fine.”
Fang Yuenian then turned her attention back to her book, and Wang Jing left.
A burst of laughter came from next door; it was Fang Wu and Grandma Fang watching TV. I could also faintly hear the sound of water washing dishes in the kitchen, followed by the sound of sweeping; it was Wang Jing busy at work.
The next morning, Fang Yuenian woke up at around 8 a.m. It was quite strange that Wang Jing didn't urge him to get up, probably because she knew he had stayed up late doing his homework the night before.
The sun was shining brightly, and Wang Jing was washing bedding again, drying it all over the yard. Old Mrs. Fang also became diligent, taking down the moldy chair cushions and TV cover from her own room, filling a large basin with them, and soaking them in soapy water. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were unusually harmonious.
Fang Yuenian was brushing his teeth and washing his face in a flurry of activity when Wang Jing saw him and said, "There are steamed buns in the pot, just bought this morning."
"Understood," Fang Yuenian replied.
Grandma Fang muttered to herself, "If you ask me, wouldn't it be better to eat some noodles in the morning? They went all the way to the village to buy steamed buns, and the fillings were so small. Vegetable fillings cost 50 cents, and meat fillings cost 60 cents. They really know how to make money."
Without looking up, Wang Jing said, "Where would I buy this for someone else to eat? It's not for your grandson!"
Fang Yuenian spat out the toothpaste foam from her mouth, quickly rinsed her mouth, washed her face, and went to the kitchen to find something to eat.
Cheng Bing also woke up late today.
To save Fang Yuenian's diary, he tried many methods. When he looked at it in the morning, it was almost dry, but the water stains on it still couldn't be completely removed. Holding it in his hand, it stubbornly throbbed. He found a thick dictionary and pressed it on top, trying to flatten it as much as possible.
Including this one, Fang Yuenian has placed seven notebooks here, occupying a separate shelf in Cheng Bing's bookcase. The one at the very bottom dates back to their third grade. Back then, Fang Yuenian's handwriting was practically nonexistent, like gibberish. Even though Cheng Bing was quite familiar with his handwriting, it took a lot of effort to read it.
Cheng Bing took out the book again and easily turned to the page she wanted to read:
Heavy rain on July 22, 200X
Today, I am very happy because Cheng Bing told me that Sister Xiaoxiao was admitted to the No. 2 Middle School in the city.
The Second Middle School is a high school, which is a place you can go to after finishing elementary school and junior high school. You have to be very good at academics to get in.
But Grandma was very unhappy because Old Hui's grandma came to our house again.
Every time Grandma Lao Huizi comes, Grandma is unhappy, but then Grandma Lao Huizi herself becomes very happy. It seems that as long as others are unhappy, she is happy.
She said to her grandmother, "Little sister! You're so naive! Xiaoxiao is your daughter anyway! No. 2 Middle School isn't as good as No. 1 Middle School, and it's not easy to get into it!"
I understand now. No. 2 Middle School is not as good as No. 1 Middle School, but I think Sister Xiaoxiao is better than everyone else.
After Grandma passed away, Grandma was very angry and argued with Mom. Mom said that it was none of her business if the eldest child was her older sister, Xiaoxiao. Is the eldest child Xiaoxiao? It should be.
I stood on the table and told them to stop arguing, saying that I would not take the exam for No. 2 Middle School, but would go straight to No. 1 Middle School!
They laughed.
The argument is over for today.
I think I'll really take the entrance exam for the top high school in the future.
After reading it, Cheng Bing chuckled softly.
"The argument is over for today" is the closing line of every diary entry, but below this entry, it is clearly stated that I want to get into the top high school. How can this not be considered setting a grand ambition from a young age?
Cheng Qiuyan cooked porridge early in the morning using millet sent by Grandma Lin. It wasn't anything special, but it wasn't common in Shuibiwan, so she specially cooked it for Cheng Bing when he came back.
After Cheng Bing finished washing up, she saw her mother-in-law, Cheng, come in happily at the gate of the courtyard and called out, "Mother-in-law, did you go out this morning?"
"Ah, yes," Grandma Cheng said, still carrying a basket of bright green vegetables. "Today is the first day of the lunar month. I went to the temple with your great-aunt. On the way back, I ran into your Aunt Dong. Her vegetables were growing beautifully, and she insisted that I pick a bunch. How about I make you some meatball soup for lunch?"
Upon hearing this, Cheng Qiuyan came out to take the vegetables. After looking at them, she praised, "They're really beautiful! I'll ask for some seedlings sometime. These are perfect for adding to the meatball soup at noon; they'll be fresh and delicious."
Cheng Bing smiled.
A little while later, he went into the kitchen to drink porridge. Cheng Qiuyan had already served it to him. Seeing that he didn't seem to have had enough sleep, she asked, "Did you stay up late again last night?"
“Yes,” Cheng Bing nodded, holding her bowl. “I was delayed by going out yesterday and didn’t finish the test paper. I caught up on it last night.”
Cheng Qiuyan picked out some side dishes for him, smiled gently, and asked, "Are you going to the carpenter's shop again today?"
Cheng Bing nodded: "Mm."
Cheng Qiuyan remained silent for a while.
Yesterday, the Fang family was in complete chaos. This morning, the village was still laughing about it, saying that Fang Wu had been hit on the head with an ashtray by Wang Jing and, out of shame, refused to leave his room. With such unrest at home, she wondered if Xiao Yuenian would still be in the mood to work with the wood. But she wouldn't tell her son any of this, only saying, "Take it slow. You're busy with your studies. It's okay if you don't do well; you can do it properly after the exams. Anyway, summer vacation is long."
Just as Cheng Bing was about to speak, someone outside the kitchen window suddenly laughed and said, "Oh, eating breakfast at this hour?"
He was Aunt Dong's husband, and his daughter was named Qinqin. Children of similar age in the village called him Qinqin's father. Cheng Bing also called him that as a greeting.
Cheng Qiuyan didn't like this man, finding him gossipy and malicious. However, his wife, Dong Mei, was a very kind person. Besides, they lived in the village and couldn't very well lay a hand on a guest. So she greeted him, saying, "Hmm, we just ate. Have you eaten at your house? Come in and sit down."
A polite remark was taken seriously. Qinqin's father walked in with a smile and his hands behind his back. He first praised the house for being clean, the fruit trees in front of the door for growing well, and the vegetable garden behind the door for growing well. He also praised Cheng Bing, a young man, for being refined and neat. In short, he said all the right things.
Cheng Qiuyan could only smile and say, "Oh right, Dong Mei gave my mom a bunch of pretty little green vegetables this morning. I think they're really nice. Thank you, thank you."
"No need to thank me. There are plenty in the field, so feel free to eat them all." Qinqin's father was very polite. "Why don't you eat them quickly, and after a few days, they will all bloom."
No sooner had he finished speaking than he turned sharply to Cheng Bing and asked, "Little Bingbing, I heard your school held a mobilization meeting a couple of days ago?"
Cheng Bing: "Yes."
"You're definitely aiming for the top high school," Qinqin's father said excitedly, clearly this was what he really wanted to talk about. "Qiuyan, I'm not just saying this, your kids are all promising, their grades are getting better and better!"
That's true. Cheng Xiaoxiao was the first child from Shuibiwan to be admitted to a top-tier university, and Cheng Junjun's grades were also among the best at No. 2 Middle School. Everyone in the surrounding area knew that the Cheng family's children were good at studying, but Cheng Qiuyan never liked to show off. She just smiled and said, "Your Qinqin is good too."
“How can they compare? This year, only your little Bingbing and his little Niannian are taking the high school entrance exam in the village.” When he mentioned “his family,” Qinqin’s father added a gesture—he casually tossed his head, twisted his eyebrows strangely, and clicked his tongue as if he had something to say. “I reckon he won’t even get into Shuibiwei No. 1 High School.”
Cheng Qiuyan didn't want to respond to that, and stopped smiling: "These days, even young kids have a hard time studying."
Qinqin's father shrugged: "Your little Bingbing must be having a tough time. Little Niannian is much worse off. I saw him catching snails in the ditch just a couple of days ago. People who are studying are nothing like him."
Cheng Qiuyan actually knew about this. Last Sunday, Fang Yuenian brought over a bowl, and she cleaned it up and cooked it for Cheng Bing. Both children were quite happy. It's just a little treat, what's the big deal about being a scholar?
As she was thinking this, she turned around and saw that her son wasn't drinking his porridge, but looking at the guests with a displeased expression. So she changed the subject: "I'd like to buy some vegetable seedlings, Sister Dong..."
Fang Yuenian is going to take the entrance exam for the No. 1 Middle School in the city.
"No need for further words," Cheng Bing interjected unhurriedly.
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