An Moxue and Wu Sicheng unloaded the things from the car, said goodbye to Old Ma and his wife, and then drove to the street to buy things.
Sitting in the car, An Moxue looked at the passersby outside and said with emotion, "This policy change isn't very noticeable in rural areas like Anle Village, but it's very obvious in Kyoto. Don't you see how relaxed people are? Before, they were all very cautious when walking on the street, but now they're less reserved. Even women's clothes are more colorful, and there are more people wearing skirts, aren't there?"
Wu Sicheng drove, looking ahead, and said to her, "Yes, it's generally moving in a positive direction, and it will only get better."
The two of them went and bought all the necessary kitchen utensils, including pots, pans, rice, flour, and cooking oil.
Wu Sicheng then drove An Moxue around the school area to familiarize her with the surroundings.
Back home, as the two carried things into the house, Wu Sicheng explained, "There aren't any troublesome residents around here, but it's inevitable to encounter people who like to take advantage of others or who are gossipy, no matter where you are. Our neighbors on the east and west sides are all professors teaching at Kyoto University. Tomorrow, take the pastries we bought today and deliver some to each of the nearby residents. It's a small token of our appreciation, and it will make it easier to communicate in the future."
An Moxue smiled slyly, "Alright, leave this to Uncle Ma and Aunt Ma. Once they have acquaintances and people to chat with to pass the time, they won't be lonely and won't be thinking about going back to Anle Village."
"You're so full of tricks!" He vaguely felt that the three of them must have some kind of relationship that couldn't be told to outsiders. Otherwise, how could the old couple, who were not related by blood and had several children, have come to the capital with An Moxue?
They even called it "accompanying her to study," because An Moxue loved the food cooked by Aunt Ma.
Look, what a fresh perspective!
In the afternoon, the group gradually woke up, and Wu Wu Sicheng drove the car with An Moxue and the other two to have lunch.
When they arrived at the restaurant, it was already quite crowded. The group found a table and sat down, while Wu Sicheng went to order.
An Moxue looked at the elderly couple and said, "Uncle Ma, Auntie, we're having roast duck today. You should eat as much as you like, don't skimp on it."
Aunt Ma sat next to An Moxue, looking at the restaurant's environment and the diners' attire. She moved closer to An Moxue and whispered, "Moxue, we're staying in Comrade Wu's house now, is it inappropriate for him to treat us?"
An Moxue smiled and whispered to Aunt Ma, "Auntie, we'll stay in that house for now. When you and Uncle Ma have some free time, you can go look around the school area to see if there are any houses for sale. Don't worry about the price, we can buy one, renovate it, and move in. As for this meal, it's not expensive, we can afford it, and we're not afraid of owing anyone a favor. It's just a meal, I'll treat you back later."
Aunt Ma breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. We're not short of money. Let's not let rumors spread that we're taking advantage of them or eating their food. Even though you two have confirmed your relationship, you're not married yet! To put it bluntly, you have to uphold your moral principles, and a woman's reputation is extremely important."
"I know, don't worry."
At this moment, Wu Sicheng returned from ordering food, and the two ended the conversation. Aunt Ma turned around and asked about something else.
"Mo Xue, I see cars on the main road. Can we take one of those cars to go somewhere further away?"
"Yes, there are stations and the station names are announced. Just look at the station and take the train. Some places don't have direct trains and you need to transfer."
Are there any nearby?
"Yes, but there's no need. It's much more convenient for you and Uncle Ma to drive."
"Wouldn't that be too flashy? Would it cause you trouble?" Aunt Ma thought very carefully.
An Moxue smiled and replied, "No. This is Kyoto, a place where powerful and wealthy people roam freely. Unlike our Anping County, which attracts attention."
"Oh! That's good." Although Aunt Ma said that, she was still determined in her heart that unless necessary, she would never let the old man drive the car when Mo Xue was not around.
That's just how people are; those who care about you are always afraid of causing you any trouble, not even in the slightest.
Soon, the sliced roast duck, the rolled pancakes, the duck carcass, and the other ordered dishes were served one after another.
Looking at the large table of dishes, Old Ma couldn't stop eating, and Aunt Ma also enjoyed her meal very much.
Aunt Ma would ponder the ingredients of a dish before eating it, even something as simple as the sweet bean sauce for the rolled pancakes. She would carefully consider what ingredients were in it.
Old Ma sighed, "If you have the ability, you should travel more and see more. The scenery is different, the people are different, and your mood is different."
Seeing that Old Ma clearly liked it, An Moxue joked, "Uncle Ma, when the situation allows, I'll provide the funding, you provide the manpower, and you can go wherever you want!"
"Okay!" Old Ma readily agreed, truly living up to the saying—old in years but young at heart.
After finishing their meal, the group drove to the street office and police station where Wu Sicheng lived, carrying An Moxue's, Old Ma's, and Aunt Ma's household registration books and identification documents, to register and obtain temporary residence permits.
Old Ma sighed, "When the country was first established, you could go anywhere with just an ID card; then during the Cultural Revolution, you had to have a certificate of your registered residence, and you had to write it down for several days with a valid reason; now it's much better, you just need to take your household registration book and register at the place you're going. Policies are always changing, but I believe they will get better and better, and our country will get better and better too."
After dinner, it wasn't dark yet, so An Moxue suggested, "It's still early, let's take a stroll around the neighborhood!"
None of the three objected.
The four of them drove casually along the main road, with An Moxue and Wu Sicheng pointing out the buildings on both sides of the road.
The four of them unknowingly drove to the main gate of Kyoto University.
An Moxue said to the old couple, "We've arrived at the gate of Kyoto University. Uncle Ma, Aunt Ma, look, that's the main gate of Kyoto University. Go through that alley and you'll find our home. It's very close, only a ten-minute walk."
"Is that the famous Kyoto University? Why is the entrance so dilapidated, but the stone tablet at the entrance still has a certain grandeur?"
It's no wonder Aunt Ma had such doubts. In the minds of ordinary people, such a famous university in China is so prestigious and high-class, but the reality is that it is so dilapidated. It is inevitable that people who see it for the first time will be disappointed.
It can only be said that there is a gap between reality and ideals.
An Moxue didn't expect Aunt Ma to have such a question. If it were an ordinary person, they would say something else when they first saw their dream university, but Aunt Ma asked such a question.
She thought for a moment and said, "Auntie, this university suffered severe damage during the Cultural Revolution, including the main gate. You only see it as old, and don't you feel anything else?"
Aunt Ma asked, "How does it feel?"
"The weight and vicissitudes of history."
"Yeah! I was completely confused until you explained it to me, but now I'm starting to understand."
So, the group spent half a day studying the gate of Kyoto University.
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