"Comrade Xiao Song, you've arrived?"
Ever since their stall's business took off, whenever Song Qing came to the department store, the manager would greet her with an incredibly warm smile. This young girl, despite her young age, was full of ideas.
Not only was she the one who researched the fabric, but she was also the one who first proposed the business. She's a real talent. If she weren't from the military region, he might have even tried to poach her from the department store.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, I handed over the things that Director Zhang had instructed me to the person in charge.
"It's so cold, and you're in such a hurry to go back? Your Director Zhang is really something."
After saying that, he stuffed a roasted sweet potato into her hand. He had roasted it himself in the oven. Song Qing was both amused and exasperated. The person in charge had been trying to sow discord in her ear all this time.
"Then I'll be going now, I'll come again next time."
After going downstairs, I also took a look at the stalls. Now that it's snowing, the number of people in the department store is much less than before, except for the day the factory is closed each week.
Xu Ting was there today too, and Song Qing shared a roasted sweet potato with her.
"I have something else to do, so I'll leave first."
She stayed in the department store for more than an hour, and she didn't know if Sister Guan had picked up the person by then, but she heard that the train ticket was for noon, so the train should not have arrived yet.
Sure enough, when Song Qing arrived, Guan Lian was sitting on a bench.
"Sister Guan?"
After waiting with Guan Lian for a while, I went to the window to inquire about the train schedule for noon.
"Sister Guan, the train is not delayed."
"Thank you for today, Xiaoqing."
Song Qing chuckled to herself. Sister Guan was always so polite, but now she addressed her as Xiao Song instead of Xiao Qing.
Guan Lian was truly grateful to her. She could have easily gone home after finishing her work at the department store; there was no need for her to wait here with her in such cold weather.
Taking advantage of this time, Song Qing asked Guan Lian about other things. She remembered that Guan Lian had mentioned that her son was starting high school this year.
"Sister Guan, since it's snowing and schools are closed, the next semester will be the second semester. Is he going to go straight to the first year of high school?"
Guan Lian understood Song Qing's meaning. No. 1 High School was the best high school in the city, and she was worried that if the teaching of the two schools could not be connected, her child would have some difficulty in directly attending the second semester.
She smiled and didn't feel offended.
"So it still depends on the grades. If you can pass the teachers' test, you can get in. If you can't, you have to find another way."
The teaching pace varies from school to school, especially for top-tier schools like these. Guan Lian was able to get into No. 1 High School this time because of the textile factory.
The train was delayed by several tens of minutes. When Guan Lian heard the familiar arrival sound, she quickly stood up and craned her neck to look inside.
This was Chen Junliang's first time traveling far from home, and he was alone. He couldn't sleep well the whole way. Following his grandparents' advice, he put all his important belongings in his underwear and kept a wary eye on everyone around him.
The food on the train was very expensive, and he couldn't bear to eat it. Fortunately, Guan Lian's mother had collected a lot of dry food for him and even brought a lunchbox.
When they were hungry, they ate dry rations; when they were thirsty, they drank the hot water provided on the train.
Most of the time I kept my eyes open, looking out the window at the scene outside. It was snowing, and everything was white.
Hearing the ticket seller announce the station, I knew we had arrived. I took a deep breath and struggled to squeeze out with my luggage.
He thought he would have to find his mother's workplace himself, but not long after he dragged his things out, he heard a familiar voice calling him.
"A Liang?"
It's been almost half a year since I last saw her. She's grown so much in the last six months. She didn't have time to take care of herself on the train and looked a bit haggard.
Guan Lian's eyes filled with tears as soon as she saw him.
Chen Junliang looked in the direction of the voice and, sure enough, it was his mother.
The mother was wearing what appeared to be her work uniform, with a thick cotton-padded coat over it. Although her eyes were red, it was clear that she had been doing well lately, unlike when she was at home.
Chen Junliang bit down hard on the meat in his mouth to stop crying, and Guan Lian squeezed next to her son and hugged him tightly.
She has only left this child once since she was ten months pregnant. Now, seeing him again, all sorts of emotions welled up in her heart. What mother wouldn't feel heartache?
Chen Junliang initially tried to hold back his tears, but upon hearing his mother's sobs, he secretly reached out and wiped the corners of his eyes.
Seeing the mother and son crying so bitterly at their parting, Song Qing, who was standing to the side, quickly stepped forward and took the package from Chen Junliang's hands.
Guan Lian wiped away her tears after a while and pulled Chen Junliang over.
"This is Mom's good friend, you..."
Song Qing was eleven years younger than Guan Lian and eight years older than Chen Junliang. Guan Lian was momentarily at a loss as to how to address her son.
"Just call me Auntie, Little Auntie."
She looks about the same age as Liu Jiandong, but Liu Jiandong calls her "sister." Maybe it's better to call her "aunt," at least it sounds more acceptable.
"...Auntie"
Song Qing smiled, genuinely surprised by the title.
"Sister Guan's car is still waiting outside. I guess Ah Liang didn't eat well on the train. Shall we go back first?"
Guan Lian held her son's hand, while Song Qing carried their luggage.
She sat in the front with the driver, leaving the back seat for the mother and son she hadn't seen in a long time.
Back at the textile factory, Guan Lian wanted Song Qing to go home with them for dinner.
"No, Sister Guan, you've only just met today. Maybe next time."
"Okay, please come to my house next time."
Song Qing was happy for them too. After returning home, without the chattering little one, the three of them made a simple lunch.
The neighbors in the dormitory building were surprised to see Guan Lian leading a big boy, while others recognized him as her eldest son.
"You received it too?"
Guan Lian greeted them with a smile and then led Chen Junliang upstairs. After turning on the light, she put her son's things on a stool.
"You sleep on the top bunk. Mom has packed everything. Put your things away and I'll go cook for you. Your brother will be back soon."
As soon as she put her things down, she quickly took out some food to cook outside, worried that her son would go hungry.
Chen Junliang put his things down and looked around the room. It was very tidy. Originally, it was a large open room, but it had been divided into an inner and outer room by a cabinet, with a curtain in the middle.
He glanced at the lower bunk; the blankets were neatly folded, and there was a desk where the curtains hung, with his younger brother's textbooks on it.
Guan Lian brought in a piece of red-hot coal and threw it into the stove, then saw that he was still standing there.
"You and your brother can share that table from now on, one side each. Leave your clothes outside for now, I'll put them in the closet later."
After saying that, he hurriedly walked out.
School had let out in the military region, and Chen Junsheng ran back home with his schoolbag on his back. Unexpectedly, he found his mother cooking in the hallway as soon as he got upstairs.
"Your brother is here!"
Seeing her youngest son return, Guan Lian quickly told him with a smile that Chen Junsheng stopped in his tracks.
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