Chapter 170 Hongdou's Choice (1)
Fan Heng slowly looked at everyone in the Bai family.
Bai Zhenggan's hair has turned gray, but he has thick eyebrows and big eyes, and looks righteous; Tang Liren is also old, but her facial features are pretty, although she is very thin.
Bai Dongsheng has been immersed in officialdom for many years and has the aura of a superior; Tan Fenghui has a gentle and virtuous temperament and a beautiful appearance, but she is skinny and looks sickly.
Bai Taotao is so beautiful that one dares not look directly at her, and Song Zhi's aura is also very strong. However, because his attention is always on Bai Taotao and his children, he will not release the pressure on others.
Look at Bai Xingxing, Song Sui, Huang Dou, Mung Bean, and Tu Dou... they are all handsome men and pretty women, and each of them has a positive temperament.
Fan Heng had heard Hongdou talk about her family situation more than once.
So he knew that everyone in the Bai family worked very hard.
The same is true for Hongdou's three generations. Everyone has his or her own dream: Hongdou wants to be a writer, Huangdou wants to be admitted to Beijing Film Academy to become an actor, and Ludou wants to join the army. Potato is still young and has no idea what he wants to do when he grows up. He is very anxious about this and has even cried.
Hongdou once told this to Fan Heng as a joke.
What did Fan Heng say at that time?
Oh, yes, he told Hongdou, his dream is to own a beautiful house, preferably with a yard, where he and his beloved girl can live, with flowers and plants in full bloom, washed sheets and quilts drying in the sun, the sun gently shrouding their yard, the fragrance of soap mixed with the fragrance of flowers wafting through the yard...
When Hongdou heard this, she was intoxicated and said yearningly: "Your dream is so beautiful, and it is a dream with color and fragrance!"
But it was not until now that Fan Heng realized that his dream, everything he wanted, and what he was preparing to work hard for his whole life could only be obtained...
Red Bean already has it.
Fan Heng looked at Hongdou.
He felt like quitting.
However, Hongdou looked at him with a smile, her eyes full of encouragement, "Fan Heng, my fourth aunt said that it was only your past, not your present and future!"
"The past is in the past. What we value is the present and the future!" As she said this, she winked at him.
Fan Heng: ...
Tao Tao also smiled and asked Fan Heng, "Xiao Fan, what are your plans for the future?"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the Bai family sat up straight and stared at Fan Heng with a serious face.
Fan Heng looked at Hongdou again.
Hongdou gave him a very encouraging look.
Fan Heng opened his mouth.
Just tell him the dream he once told Hongdou...
Say it again to her family?
Just... a house, a yard, and two people living together?
Will the Bai family look down on him?
Put yourself in his shoes - if Xiuxiu finds someone who is poorer than him, he wouldn't want his sister to marry him and suffer!
Fan Heng's mouth opened and closed.
After a long time, he couldn't utter a word.
Hongdou also kept looking at him.
Seeing that he didn't answer for a long time, she quickly said to Taotao: "Fourth Aunt, maybe Fan Heng is too nervous, let me tell you... We don't have big ambitions, we just want to have a home, a beautiful house, and a yard full of flowers and plants..."
Fan Heng's face turned pale.
He could almost foresee that the Bai family would ridicule him!
Unexpectedly——
Taotao smiled, "Okay! Do you want to buy a small yard like your uncle and I have, or a big one like your second uncle's?"
Hongdou's expression was shy and yearning. "The smaller one, right? The smaller one is good. Cleaning is not that tiring! We have even discussed that we will bring Xiuxiu over to live with us!"
Fan Heng carefully observed the expressions of everyone in the Bai family.
No one looked at him with disdain. On the contrary, the elders' expressions softened a bit?
Fan Heng felt inexplicably relieved.
At this time, Tan Fenghui spoke up, "You want a small courtyard, that's great! This is a down-to-earth dream. But I want to ask you, have you ever thought about how to buy a house with a small courtyard?"
Fan Heng and Hong Dou looked at each other.
Tang Liren also said: "It's not easy to buy a house with a yard! Look, your fourth aunt and fourth uncle can afford it, but your fifth aunt can't!"
Taotao held back her laughter.
Xing Xing refused to give in, "Mom! Can you please stop bringing up irrelevant issues?"
Song Sui whispered, "...we can afford it too."
"What's your business!" Xing Xing yelled at him.
Tang Liren rolled her eyes at Xingxing and continued to ask Hongdou, "When we bought your second uncle's yard, it was quite dilapidated and the asking price was fair, but we still had a hard time and had to borrow money from everywhere. The most important point is that we had to pool the efforts of our entire family to buy that yard..."
"...You two want to buy a yard to live in, which is of course a good thing. But how do you plan to make money? How much do you earn a month? How much do you earn a year? When can you buy a yard?" Tang Liren asked several soul-searching questions in a row.
Fan Heng and Hong Dou opened their mouths in surprise.
Tao Tao smiled and said, "Don't worry, you two are still young, think about this problem slowly, and we will solve it slowly."
Fan Heng finally spoke, "I can do carpentry and masonry work... I can take on jobs, and do some business when I'm free. My sister Xiuxiu can make dumplings and wontons, and we can sell them on a cart..."
Tao Tao nodded, "Come on, let's do the math... My little yard cost me 950 yuan, so let's set our goal at 1,000 yuan! When do you want to live in this yard?"
Fan Heng and Hong Dou looked at each other.
Hongdou blushed and said hesitantly, "...when we get married?"
——Where will you live after you get married?
Tao Tao said, "Okay, Xiao Fan is nineteen this year, and Hong Dou is sixteen... Now the country advocates late marriage and good childbearing, so let's respond to the call and use Hong Dou's age as the limit. Women can get married at the age of twenty-three, so you still have seven years."
"You two need to save up one thousand yuan in seven years, and you have to be prepared that housing prices will not go up... Potato, come on, do the math for Fourth Aunt. If you want to save up one thousand yuan in seven years, how much do you need to save in one year?" Taotao asked again.
Tu Dou memorized the formula and quickly gave the answer, "Aunt, then my sister must earn 142.85 yuan a year!"
Tao Tao said: "Then consider it as saving 150 yuan a year! How about spreading that 150 yuan evenly every month?"
Potato, "You have to save 12.5 yuan a month!"
Tao Tao nodded in satisfaction and said to Fan Heng, "That doesn't seem like much."
Hongdou lowered her head with a red face.
Fan Heng's mouth was full of bitterness.
Saving 12.5 yuan a month? In seven years, he was able to save up 1,000 yuan, enough to buy a small yard?
Well said.
He can’t even earn 12.5 yuan a month now!
Hongdou noticed Fan Heng's disappointment, raised her head and looked at him with concern, and whispered: "I will fight with you."
Taotao asked Hongdou, "Are you planning to go to work too?"
Hongdou was a little hesitant.
Taotao said to Hongdou, "I should be the one with the lowest salary in the family. I get a fixed allowance of 15 yuan a month, plus 20 kilograms of flour. The lecturer's allowance is a bit higher, so I get 200 yuan a year. If you spread it out... if you don't count the flour, I can get 31.5 yuan a month..."
Tao Tao pointed at Song Zhi and said to Hong Dou, "Your fourth uncle is a popular person. He is knowledgeable and technically savvy. He has invented many things and overcome many technical difficulties. I won't mention his specific salary, but it's 300 yuan as the base, and he can go up... He has even made 500 yuan a month."
Taotao looked at Xingxing.
Xing Xing immediately said, "I don't have any income now, I've been admitted to university. But when I was a temporary worker in a canteen, the competition was fierce. I had to do inventory accounting and draw promotional posters every month... I was able to work there because of my ability. From 20 yuan a month at the beginning, my monthly salary increased to 28 yuan last year!"
"Now, as soon as I graduate from university, the government will arrange a job for me. No matter which unit I go to as a college student, I can earn a minimum of 35 yuan a month!" Xing Xing said.
Song Sui said: "My monthly salary is 36 yuan."
He was smart enough not to tell Fan Heng that he was earning extra money outside, and that he earned at least two to three hundred yuan a month.
Tan Fenghui, "I work in a bank. I have been a regular employee for three years and have been promoted to deputy section-level cadre. My monthly salary is 42 yuan."
Bai Dongsheng, "I get 56 yuan a month..."
Tang Liren: "I can get 67.7 yuan a month."
Bai Zhenggan said, "I'll give you one hundred and one."
Taotao said to Hongdou, "We are farmers too. Your grandparents stayed in Ruyi Village until they were fifty years old before they made it... It was because of their good family background, hard work, and knowledge and culture. Otherwise, with so many people in Ruyi Village, why did our family move to the city?"
Tan Fenghui said in a tearful voice, "...Hongdou, your fourth aunt is right. I don't want to talk about the big principles, but it is definitely better to study hard and have a stable job, right? At least it's decent and you can get a stable income! Yes, you can be a bricklayer or carpenter, or you can push a cart to sell dumplings and wontons on the black market... But that is not allowed by the country after all. What if it is confiscated?"
Fan Heng and Hong Dou remained silent.
This time, even Hongdou hesitated.
After all, she was only sixteen years old, and had been quarreling with her family for the past two years... She really didn't think too far ahead.
Fan Heng was sweating even more.
Tan Fenghui looked at her daughter and continued, "Hongdou, let me ask you another question - if everything goes well, and you buy a house with a yard with your own efforts when you are 23 years old, and you marry him... then what?"
Hongdou was completely stunned, "...and then?"
What's next?
Tan Fenghui stared at her daughter for a long time, making sure that she really had no idea. She was disappointed and said, "Is it enough for you to just have a house? Your father, your grandfather, including your uncle, your aunt and your uncle...their ideals are so lofty, and their goals are so far away. To put it bluntly, even if they work hard all their lives, they may not be able to enjoy any results!"
"But they still choose to fight for it! What for? To change the fate of the next generation! Not only to help our own family get out of poverty, but also to lead more people... to live a good life like us!" said Tan Fenghui.
Anko bit her lower lip.
Tan Fenghui suddenly became excited, "Hongdou, you really disappoint me..."
Hongdou's face turned pale, and she said softly, "I am not a person with any lofty ideals. Maybe I... am not worthy of being your daughter at all!"
Tan Fenghui held her chest with a look of pain on her face.
Bai Dongsheng supported his wife.
Tang Liren said anxiously, "What's going on? Hui'er, calm down. Didn't we agree that we should solve the problem today and no one should be angry?"
Tan Fenghui's tears rolled down her cheeks. She said weakly, "I don't blame her for not being ambitious. If she really didn't want to do anything, she would still be my little girl... But I can't bear to see her go with a poor boy!"
Bai Zhenggan frowned, "Hui Er, you can't say that. We were poor before."
Tan Fenghui sobbed, "It's because our family was poor before... I know too well how hard it is for a mistress in a poor family! That's why I don't want her to suffer this! Dad, Mom, the children are naive, but you know how serious this is. Why do I force these children to study hard?"
"Because... now is a good time. As long as you are willing to study and enter university, you can have enough food to eat and wear decent clothes... I am a mother who loves my daughter. What have I done wrong?"
"Am I working so hard now for myself? I am racking my brains to make a name for myself in the company, so that the leaders can see my ability and give me a promotion and a raise! I am doing this for their sake... I am working with this salary so that I can at least help them a little. In the future, when Dongsheng and I are old, we will have a pension and we will not add burden to our children..."
"Hongdou, you used to be very considerate of your elders and caring for your younger brothers. Why have you changed since you met him?" By the time she finished speaking, Tan Fenghui was a little out of breath.
Taotao hurried over to support her sister-in-law and passed some spiritual power to her.
Hongdou started to cry, "Has anyone of you ever... understood me?"
Bai Dongsheng asked: "Then what do you want us to understand about you?"
Hongdou burst into tears, "I don't want to stand out! I'm just an ordinary girl... I like an ordinary boy, living an ordinary life, even if he's a little poor, I don't care! Besides, didn't my grandma always say 'women can hold up half the sky'?"
"So he's not the only one struggling! There's also me. I'll always be with him! If we end up poor in the future, it's because we're both incompetent, so we'll live a poor life. If we're capable of making money, then we'll live a rich life!"
"Dad, Mom! Grandpa and grandma, fourth aunt, fourth uncle, fifth aunt... I am the oldest child in our generation. I remember very clearly the days when we ate wild vegetables and bean rice every day in Ruyi Village! But I didn't think those days were hard at all... because we are a family that loves each other, even if we have to endure hardships... I think it is sweet!"
Speaking of this, Hongdou burst into tears.
Everyone was stunned.
Fan Heng suddenly stood up...
He looked at the Bai family in panic and walked towards the door.
Hongdou quickly called out to him, "Fan Heng!"
He had already reached the door, and when he heard Hongdou calling him, he was stunned for a moment, then turned around and bowed to everyone.
"sorry!"
Fan Heng threw down three words and wanted to leave.
Hongdou realized something and her face turned pale.
"Wait a minute!" Tao Tao called out to him, "Xiao Fan, you are here to solve the problem today, right?"
Fan Heng turned around, looked at Tao Tao, and whispered, "I'm really sorry! In the past, I always thought...you were prejudiced against me. It wasn't until today that I realized...you are all very good family members. The reason you opposed me and Hong Dou being together is not because you dislike me, but because you love her too much..."
As he said that, he looked at Hongdou, "Hongdou, I'm sorry... I can understand your family's thoughts. For me, if Xiuxiu finds a partner who is poorer than me, I will not agree. So..."
"No!" Anko screamed, "That's different!"
Fan Heng whispered, "It's actually true."
He turned to look at Taotao, "... Fourth Aunt, thank you. I, I'm leaving!"
Hongdou screamed, "Fan Heng! I'll follow you wherever you go!"
Tan Fenghui was anxious, and stepped forward to grab Hongdou, "Can you calm down a little?"
Seeing that the situation was about to get out of control, Tao Tao yelled, "Stop making noise!"
The scene was silent.
Only Hongdou was still struggling desperately, trying to break free from her mother's grip.
Taotao winked at Xingxing.
Xingxing understood and stepped forward to help Tan Fenghui aside.
As soon as Hongdou was free, she ran to Fan Heng and hugged his arm.
Tan Fenghui was so sad that she couldn't even stand. Fortunately, Dongsheng came over and let her lean on him. Her tears flowed down her face like beads that had broken off the string.
Hongdou turned her head away, unwilling to look at Tan Fenghui.
Bai Dongsheng glared at Hongdou, veins bulging on his forehead!
Taotao held her forehead with her hand.
She made her decision quickly.
"Brother and sister-in-law, the child is grown up and will always have her own ideas. The current situation is already the worst. Let me handle this matter, okay?" Taotao asked.
Tan Fenghui didn't want to look at Hongdou anymore, and whispered, "Taotao, you decide, I'll just pretend... that I don't have a daughter like her!"
Hongdou's tears also flowed down, and she bit her lips tightly and refused to look up at her parents.
Taotao took a deep breath, "How about this! Xiaofan, Hongdou... I'll give you two a test. If you can complete it successfully, then... not only will we no longer ask about your affairs, we can even give you some help when you buy a house, okay?"
After all, Hongdou didn't want to give up, so she whispered, "What test question?"
Tao Tao said: "Didn't you two always say that you wanted to go out and wander around?"
Hongdou mustered up the courage to correct him: "It's not that I'm wandering... I just want to go out and see what the world is like. What if there are other places that are more suitable for us to fight for?"
Taotao smiled and said, "It's great that you have such an idea!"
Hongdou and Fan Heng looked at each other.
"Fourth aunt, just say it straight!" Hongdou said.
Tao Tao said, "The test I'm going to give you is to go on a long journey, but you must go separately, each in a different direction. The destination will be determined by me, and I will also circle a few cities that you must go to... When you arrive, send me a postcard back. It must be sent from the local post office and stamped with the post office stamp, only then will I approve it! This is the first test..."
"There is another test question. I will give each of you 100 yuan as start-up capital, and you have to plan how to spend the money...how much does it cost to take a bus, how much does it cost to stay in a hotel, how much does it cost to eat...and then, when you come back, you must bring back 100 yuan! The deadline is three months, do you understand?" Taotao said with a smile.
Her bright and beautiful smile and relaxed tone slowly calmed the emotions of the whole family.
Bai Zhenggan, Tang Liren, Bai Dongsheng and Tan Fenghui looked at each other and began to understand a little - Taotao meant to make these two children suffer a little? But over the years, the family's financial situation has improved, and Hongdou has been grown into a flower in a greenhouse. How could we let a sixteen-year-old girl travel far away alone? Isn’t this too dangerous?
Taotao began to announce the rules:
"First, you can choose not to go out and stay in Song City for three months, and then pay me one hundred dollars, which will count as you completing the mission!"
——If they really do this, it proves that they are both honest and well-behaved children. They don’t have much adventurous spirit, but they are obedient and stable. If this is the case, there is nothing wrong with the two of them living an ordinary life under the protection of the Bai family.
"Secondly, you can choose not to go out, and use this one hundred yuan as capital to start a small business. With two hundred yuan for two people, you might be able to earn enough to buy a yard in three months!"
——If they really do this, it would be great if they can make money. Even though Hongdou can't make any money, he can still understand how hard it is to make money. Most importantly, Taotao wanted to know how Fan Heng would behave after he had money.
After all, since ancient times, money has been the touchstone for measuring human nature!
"Third, you are going on a long journey with this hundred yuan. If you don't make back the hundred yuan, that's okay. Just explain to me what happened. As long as you can come back safely, you have completed the test! However, don't do anything illegal while traveling, okay?"
——This is actually the riskiest point. But Taotao thinks that it is actually beneficial for a boy to travel far away alone. It not only exercises one's ability to respond, but also broadens one's horizons.
At least as for Hongdou, Taotao certainly wouldn't let a young girl go out... She had other ways.
Tan Fenghui couldn't help but said, "That won't do!" Her daughter was as beautiful as a flower, how could she let her go on a long journey alone?
Hongdou immediately turned her head away.
Bai Dongsheng hugged his wife's waist tightly and signaled her not to speak anymore.
Tan Fenghui trembled all over and closed her eyes.
Tao Tao said, "Hongdou, Xiaofan, I don't need you to answer me right away. You can discuss it first and answer after you have thought it over. I will give you three days to consider."
"It's getting late now. Hongdou, you can take Xiaofan downstairs... You can take him to the gate of the family compound, but don't go out. It's too late! Also, it's 8pm now. You have to come back before 9pm, understand?"
Hongdou subconsciously looked at Tan Fenghui.
Tan Fenghui turned her head away, not wanting to look at her.
Anko was a little disappointed, but nodded anyway.
Tao Tao continued, "Xiao Fan, you can come to see Hong Dou during the day. If you feel uncomfortable coming to my house, Hong Dou can go downstairs... But you two can only move around in the family compound, understand?"
Hongdou was very happy, "Really?"
Tao Tao, "Of course it's true! Well, there's one more thing! If you two don't want to stay at home, and don't want to stay in the family compound... then you can also go to my small yard. We should all stay here during the day!"
Hongdou nodded happily.
Tao Tao smiled, "Then you take Xiao Fan downstairs. Remember, bring back the things I packed for him!"
Hongdou hesitated for a moment and whispered, "Fourth Aunt, can I give Xiuxiu a melon?"
"Of course you can!" Tao Tao said, "Go get them! There are so many things, prepare some more for Xiu Xiu... Xiao Fan, if Xiu Xiu wants to come over to play, you can also bring her over, okay?"
Fan Heng looked at Taotao and was very grateful. "Thank you, Fourth Aunt. I, I will go back and ask Xiuxiu..."
Hongdou went to pack her things. Taotao was afraid that Fan Heng would feel uncomfortable, so she asked him some homely questions like where he lived now, whether Xiuxiu had food to eat at home alone, etc.
After Hongdou had packed up her things and came over, she accompanied Fan Heng downstairs.
Huang Dou couldn't hold his temper. Not long after his sister left, he said, "Mom, Dad, Grandpa, and Grandma, let's go for a walk downstairs!"
In fact, everyone understood that he was pretending to want to take a walk, but actually wanted to follow him because he was afraid that Hongdou would run away with Fan Heng again!
Tao Tao smiled and said, "You can take Fei Fei and Mo Mo with you... Be careful not to let Hong Dou see you! Oh, Song Zhi, you can give them some pocket money and buy them some snacks."
Song Zhi took out a big unity from his pocket and handed it over.
Tan Fenghui said angrily, "How can you give so much money to a child?"
Song Zhi thought for a moment, "I haven't seen you for two years, doesn't seem like a lot?"
Huang Dou was happy. He took the money handed to him by Song Zhi, shouted loudly, "Thank you, Fourth Uncle," and then went out with his brothers.
Tan Fenghui couldn't help but talk about taking good care of her brothers, especially Feifei and Momo...
Huangdou picked up Momo, and Ludou took Feifei by the hand, and they ran downstairs laughing.
Only the adults were left at home.
Tang Liren was even more nervous than Tan Fenghui, and asked Taotao directly, "It's fine to let Xiaofan go on a long journey, just as a training exercise! Why did you let Hongdou go out as well? How dare you let a girl like a delicate flower go on a long journey?"
"I dare not!" Taotao said honestly.
Tang Liren: ...
Tao Tao continued, "So didn't I give them three days? I'll go to the post office tomorrow morning and call my second brother to ask him to come back! Ask him to disguise himself and protect Hongdou all the way!"
Parents, brother and sister-in-law looked at each other.
Bai Dongsheng frowned and said, "It's not a big deal. He's busy with work. Why do you have to..."
Tao Tao said seriously, "If this is not a big deal, then what is a big deal? If we don't even tell our second brother about such a big deal, he will feel so sad!"
Everyone was silent.
Tang Liren felt a little sad for some reason. "I haven't seen Lao Er for several years. I don't know what he looks like now!"
"Mom, it's okay. I'll call him and ask him to come back tomorrow." Taotao said.
Then the family started discussing what to do with Taotao.
Bai Zhenggan, "Taotao's method is not bad!"
Bai Dongsheng, "When we can't break the situation, we set up a situation for them to break... This trick is really great!"
Tang Liren frowned, "I'm worried about Hongdou! It would be fine if she didn't go out, but what if she is brave enough to go out?"
Tan Fenghui, "Why don't I take a leave and go with her!"
Tang Liren sighed, "You two were just like fighting cocks! You even went with her... What if they get into another fight outside? Will you let the second child accommodate you or accommodate her?"
Tan Fenghui: …
Xing Xing made a bold guess, "Will Xiao Fan use the 100 yuan my sister gave him to do something illegal just to make some quick money?"
Song Sui whispered, "No, he's not that stupid. He already has a criminal record. If he does something illegal again, not only will he and Hongdou be finished, but his entire life will be finished too..."
Xing Xing glared at him, "Did I ask you?"
Song Sui: ...
Song Zhi, "Taotao, where do you want them to go? Do you have any specific ideas?"
Tao Tao nodded. "Didn't I promise Jiang Hongzhi to help him with the correspondence course at the Agricultural University? I will call the teacher tomorrow and ask him to help with this matter. Then I will send Xiao Fan to Kyoto to get the registration form and exam materials and have them send them to Lingxi for Jiang Hongzhi..."
"I'll circle a few more cities along the way for Xiao Fan and give him the contact information of our contacts in those cities. If he gets into trouble, don't force it and ask for help. If everything goes well for him, then we can send a postcard and he can come back... Mom, Dad, brother, and sister-in-law, what do you think?"
After hearing this, everyone nodded.
——This is not considered to be difficult, it can even be said to be very caring.
Song Zhi asked Tao Tao again, "Then where do you plan to let Hong Dou go?"
Tao Tao pondered for a moment, "Then don't blame me for being partial. Hongdou is my niece, and I always favor her. Let her go to Nanling Island!"
Nanling Island? ? ?
Everyone looked at each other.
Tao Tao said, "To get to Nanling Island from here, you need to change trains twice, one in the provincial capital and one in Zhaocheng in the neighboring province... The public security in these places is relatively good. After arriving at Nanling Island, my college classmate Sun Ximei is from there. I heard that the scenery there is beautiful, warm in winter and cool in summer, and it is an island surrounded by the sea..."
"Doesn't Hongdou like to write novels or stories? Let her stay with Sun Ximei for a while, see the sea more, see more different scenery than usual, see more of the customs and practices of people in other places, so that her horizons can be broadened." Taotao said.
Everyone nodded.
The next morning, Hongdou brought Fan Heng to Taotao's house and said they wanted to play.
Taotao understood and left with the children together with Song Zhi. She first asked Song Zhi to send the children to her mother's home, and then go to the post office to find her; she then went to the post office to make a phone call.
The first call was to Professor Fu, who told him that Jiang Hongzhi wanted to study by correspondence at the Agricultural University, and asked the teacher to help find books and get the registration form.
Professor Fu agreed readily.
Then Taotao called Bai Nansheng again.
Of course, she first left a message for the military switchboard and said she would call back at noon. Then she went shopping with Song Zhi. At noon, she went to the post office and made a phone call to the company. This time, after many twists and turns on the phone, Taotao finally got through to Bai Nansheng.
Tao Tao went straight to the point, "Brother, something happened at home!"
Bai Nansheng was stunned, "What?"
Taotao told the story of Hongdou and Fan Heng.
Bai Nansheng was stunned for a long time, "What? Taozi, you mean... Hongdou, Hongdou? Is she dating someone?"
"Brother! You really don't care about our family," Taotao scolded, "Hongdou is already sixteen years old!"
Bai Nansheng let out a hiss, as if lamenting the fleeting time.
"Is that boy poor?" he asked.
Tao Tao, "It's hard to say. Can you get away recently? If you can get away, why don't you come and see him yourself?"
Bai Nansheng, "Okay! I don't have anything to do recently. I'll report to my superiors later and go to the train station in the evening! If Hongdou wants to go far away, don't worry, I will take good care of her!"
After a pause, he asked cautiously, "By the way, Taotao, have Feifei and Momo learned to call you uncle?"
"Yes!" Taotao said with a smile, "When we came back from the Northwest, whenever they saw someone in military uniform on the road, they would call him uncle! I don't know how many cheap brothers they recognized for me!"
Bai Nansheng laughed, "Then I'll take a set of military uniform back with me!"
Taotao giggled.
The brother and sister chatted for a while and then hung up.
Taotao was relieved then, and went back to her parents' home with Song Zhi. She reported the content of her phone call with her second brother to her parents, brothers and sisters-in-law, and then took the key to the upstairs floor of the convenience store and went to clean it with Xingxing and Song Zhi.
Late at night the next day, Bai Nansheng rushed back exhausted.
Hongdou's mind is entirely on Fan Heng. She doesn't want to stay at home because she is afraid that Tang Liren and Tan Fenghui will nag her.
So after Hongdou and Fan Heng went to Taotao's yard, Bai Nansheng sneaked into their house and met the family.
Tang Liren hugged Nansheng and cried for a long time, almost dying.
What is magical is that the family has been separated for several years, and the faces, figures and temperaments of the other members have been more or less tainted by the vicissitudes of time, but only Bai Nansheng remains the same as before.
He had a short haircut, was energetic, had sharp eyes, a fierce temperament, and a bit of a gangster vibe...
No, it should carry some murderous intent.
Tang Liren was originally smiling at her son, but she became worried again. She pulled Nansheng aside and asked, "Son, have you not gotten into trouble in the army these years?"
Bai Nansheng was stunned.
He took out his epaulettes from his pocket and handed them to his mother, "Look at this, Mom!"
Tang Liren took it and looked at it over and over again, but she couldn't understand it at all, so she asked, "What is this?"
Bai Dongsheng recognized him immediately and said with a smile, "Mom! Congratulations! Your son has been promoted to battalion commander! And a captain at that!"
Bai Nansheng looked very proud.
"What kind of rank is captain?" asked Tang Liren.
Bai Dongsheng thought about it and said, "Should he be able to manage about 500 people?"
Bai Nansheng said proudly: "Mom, your son is in charge of a reinforced battalion with 2,000 people!"
Tang Liren was extremely happy, but when she looked at her son, who was dressed in plain clothes (clearly dressed in elegant army green pants and a snow-white shirt, with shiny leather shoes on his feet), he looked... just a little frightening.
"You've made it! Mom is proud of you!" Tang Liren gave her son full praise and affirmation, and then continued to ask, "But, have you ever gotten into trouble in the company?"
Tao Tao immediately revealed her mother's doubts, "Second brother, I actually feel like you carry murderous intent all over you..."
Bai Nansheng looked at his mother, somewhat helpless, "Murderous intent? If he doesn't go to the battlefield and get some enemy heads, how can your son earn military merit?"
Tang Liren's expression suddenly changed, "You, you went to the battlefield?"
Tan Fenghui was also a little scared, "Were we still fighting these years?"
Bai Nansheng hummed, "The border is not peaceful. There are no major wars, but small wars are constant... In order not to cause panic among the people, we have never reported it."
Tang Liren's eyes instantly turned red, "Son, why don't you retire from the army? Look, your family has earned you such a big house..."
"Mom, I won't retire!" Bai Nansheng said, "Don't mention this matter again. If you mention it, I will only come back after I die and let the country cover me with the national flag..."
Tang Liren sighed sadly.
On the third day, Hongdou took Fan Heng to find Taotao.
"Fourth aunt, Fan Heng and I have already discussed it. We have decided to go out and see the world." Hongdou said.
Taotao smiled, "Okay! Then you two can pack your bags! The first train ticket will be sponsored by your fourth uncle, so it won't be included in the 100 yuan! In addition, I have to spend some time writing down some notes for you.
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