Yu Jihong and Fang Yu rented an old-style dormitory building, which consisted of two rooms, one in front and one in back.
Going up the public staircase, there is a long corridor that connects eight rooms, with a row of clotheslines above the corridor railing.
They lived in the last room at the very end. Everyone used the outer room as their kitchen and dining room, with the gas stove placed next to the window. In the evening, as they walked through the corridor, everyone would open the window and cook on the gas stove inside the window.
Yu Jihong's room was the same. Fang Yu liked this one at the end of the room because no one passed by their window when they were cooking.
Next to the gas stove was a multi-tiered shelf for pots and pans, and a square table was placed against the partition wall in the middle.
At the entrance to the inner room, there is a tall table with a television on it. Next to the table, in the corner of the wall, is a wardrobe. Two beds are placed against the partition wall and the window respectively. A low table separates the two beds and serves as a shared "bedside table".
The floor was made of cement. After sweeping it, Yu Jihong mopped it clean. This was her and Fang Yu's temporary residence in the county town.
After delivering the goods, Yuan Xinkang had dinner at his mother-in-law's house and then returned to the county town with Fang Dongqiang and Yuan Tingting.
After finishing her dinner, Fang Meili came to the wholesale department to wait for them to return. "Meihao, what do you think of Fang Yu?" Fang Meili asked.
“She’s great. I’ve always said she’s good since I was a child.”
"What if she could marry Dongqiang?"
"Huh? They're only a few years old. Dongqiang will be studying for four more years in college. Isn't it too early to talk about this?" Fang Meihao looked at Fang Meili in surprise.
"It's getting late," Fang Damiao immediately leaned over and told Fang Mei why he wanted Fang Dongqiang to marry Fang Yu.
"Of course, it's not entirely because of that. Fang Yu is a good girl, and we like her. If we don't hurry, someone will pursue her and she'll start dating someone else. Dong Qiang might also get together with other female classmates when he goes to school. We should let them date as soon as possible to make sure that no one has any other intentions."
"Hehehe!" Fang Meihao covered her mouth and asked with a laugh, "Second sister, you don't think so too, do you?"
Fang Yu already thought she was quite good, and this reason made her even more suitable.
Fang Meihao looked at Fang Damiao and Fang Meili and said, “You’re thinking really far ahead. It’s good, but they’re only 18. Fang Yu will start working and we don’t know what kind of people she will meet. The same goes for Dong Qiang. He will meet more female classmates after he goes to university. How could they make a decision so early? There are couples who dated from junior high to high school and then got married. But there are still so many years to go. There are too many variables.”
Fang Meili fiddled with the calculator in her hand. "I asked Dongqiang last time, and he said that we haven't studied together for the past few years, so he doesn't know much about us. Should I ask them again if they looked into it during the summer vacation?"
"Don't ask. Fang Yu's father passed away during the summer vacation. He just left not long ago. Do you really want Dong Qiang to talk to her about feelings at this time?"
Fang Meili looked at Fang Damiao, who scratched the back of his head. "It seems like we shouldn't be talking about feelings right now."
“If they have feelings for each other, they can contact each other on their own. However, I always feel that it’s unlikely that people who grew up together will end up together as adults.” Fang Meihao shook her head.
Yuan Xinkang's car arrived at the door, and the children jumped out of the car one by one.
"It seems like everyone has gotten a tan."
"It's so quiet here now that you're all back," Fang Meili and Fang Meihao said, looking at their children who had returned.
Fang Damiao and Yuan Xinkang took down everyone's clothes and the groceries they had brought from home, and a pile of things instantly appeared at the entrance of the shop.
"Meihao, this bag is for you, take it back with you later." Yuan Xinkang took a piece of one of the bags.
"Dongqiang, this is for you. Congratulations on becoming a college student." Fang Meihao took out a red envelope and gave it to Fang Dongqiang.
"Auntie, no need," Fang Dongqiang declined.
"Meihao, you're too kind," Fang Damiao said from the side.
"Here you go, Dongqiang. My aunt and I already agreed that we would both give this to you, and I'm giving this to you now too." Fang Meili went inside, took a red envelope from the drawer of the cashier's table, and stuffed it into Fang Dongqiang's hand.
Fang Dongqiang accepted the red envelope, saying, "Thank you, Second Aunt, thank you, Little Aunt."
"Dongqiang, university is different from high school. No one is watching you study every day. The teachers leave after class, and it all depends on your self-discipline. If you just coast through and play every day, you can get through these four years, but by graduation you won't have learned anything, which is a waste of your education. But if you are willing to put in the effort and study seriously, what you learn will be yours, and no one can take it away. There will be many excellent teachers in university, so don't miss the opportunity to learn," Fang Meili said to Fang Dongqiang.
"Okay, I understand, Auntie."
Fang Meihao took her son home, and Fang Meili packed her things to close the shop.
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