The literary era since 1979

Chapter 8 Let my sister live for me once

In the early morning, the sunlight shines through the glass onto the kang.

"Brother, wake up!"

"Let your brother sleep a little longer. He just came back yesterday."

Fangyan was awakened by the noisy sound. He opened his eyes, quickly put on his long-sleeved sailor shirt, stepped on the floor, and walked out of the room.

I saw Fang Yan sitting at the dining table, wearing a white shirt and blue pants, with a ponytail, and her coat on the side.

"Hurry up and wash your face and eat."

Fang Hong, who had her hair tied in a pigtail and wore dark blue overalls, reached out to turn the page of the calendar. The date on the latest page was October 10, which was the day of the opening ceremony of the National Congress of Writers and Artists.

Fangyan thought enviously of the scene of Lu Yao, Jia Pingwa and others attending the meeting, picked up the washbasin from the door and walked out casually.

The water used in the slum is all from a public tap, and there is usually a cement pool built around it.

In the morning and evening, people go to the sink to get water for brushing teeth and washing face, washing clothes and cooking. Every family waits for water, and sometimes there is a long queue, so every family has a water tank.

In the past, I and Fang Yuanjun took turns fetching water.

Fortunately, a water pipe was installed in the yard later, and from then on we no longer had to fetch water from the public pool on the street.

As soon as I stood at the sink, I heard a familiar voice behind me.

“Iwako!!”

Liu Jianjun and Su Ya's faces were filled with surprise.

Seeing his two childhood friends, Fangyan had mixed feelings, especially Su Ya, who was his childhood sweetheart and the first girl he fell in love with. Of course, Liu Jianjun liked Su Ya as well.

In their previous life, the two had been jealous of each other since high school, setting traps for each other. When Liu Jianjun was about to go to the countryside to join the production team, he was secretly happy.

They were buddies on the surface, but rivals in love behind the scenes. They even fought over her, causing so much unpleasantness that they ended up not even being friends anymore.

As a result, Su Ya did not choose between them.

He was focused on getting into university, unlike Liu Jianjun. He had taken the college entrance examination for three years since its resumption in 77 and had failed for three years. He was too ambitious and applied to all famous universities.

Unfortunately, I don’t have that ability!

Su Ya did not participate in the first two years. The Su family owed foreign debts and was relying on her salary to pay off the debts. If she went to college, although tuition was waived and there were subsidies, the family's only source of income would be cut off.

Therefore, Su Ya did not start the college entrance examination until she had paid off her foreign debt and saved some money. This year's college entrance examination was her first.

The score was only enough to get into the backup Yenching Normal University.

I didn't go to school and chose to repeat a grade.

The next year, both Liu Jianjun and Su Ya were admitted to Yenching Normal University. After graduation, they were assigned to teach in different high schools. Liu Jianjun was a math teacher and Su Ya was an English teacher.

But at that time, I had accomplished nothing.

He was just a noodle factory worker who was just trying to get by, and was considered a "bad example of backwardness and lack of prospects", so he felt very inferior when facing Su Ya, especially when Liu Jianjun played a trick and exposed the fact that he relied on his sister to get in through the back door, and the story became a hot topic in the alley.

I don't even have the face to pursue Su Ya.

But it was a blessing in disguise. He resigned in a fit of anger and started his own business. Unexpectedly, he caught the trend of the times and became successful.

"When did you come back?"

A trace of fear flashed across Liu Jianjun's eyes, but it disappeared in a flash.

"Just last night."

Fangyan caught it, but pretended not to see it.

"No wonder. I was wondering why there was such a big commotion at your house yesterday. My mom thought some relatives came to your house."

Su Ya cast a scrutinizing look at him.

"You too, you didn't even say hello in advance when you came back. That's too awkward. Even if you didn't tell me, you should at least tell Suya."

Liu Jianjun said sarcastically, "We are still not friends!"

Damn, you are setting a trap for me again!
Fangyan's expression remained unchanged. "Not to mention you, I didn't even tell my mom and sister. I'm not going back to the city this time. I came back because I have something to do. After that, I have to go back to northern Shaanxi."

"No, why do we have to go back?"

Liu Jianjun raised the corners of his mouth, and then quickly pulled them down the next second.

"So when can you come back?"

Su Ya couldn't help but worry.

"I can't say for sure."

Fangyan shrugged and squeezed toothpaste onto the toothbrush.

The three of them reminisced about the past, when suddenly Fang Hong's voice rang out from the yard, interrupting them, "Let's go, Xiaoya, it's time to go to work."

"Hey, Sister Hong!"

"Fangyan, I should go too. I have to go to cram school."

"Mom, brother, I'm going to school!"

Those who should go to work go to work, and those who should go to school go to school. The whole yard suddenly became empty, with only Fangyan left brushing his teeth.

"Gulu, Guru."

After rinsing his mouth and washing his face, he carried the basin back to the house.

On the table, there were two white flour buns, a plate of pickles and a bowl of corn paste. Such a breakfast was quite luxurious!
"Drink some water and eat it while it's hot."

Yang Xia handed over his rice bowl.

Fangyan took it and took a sip, then picked up the chopsticks and sat down.

"Yanzi, Mom has something to tell you." Yang Xia said as she watched him wolf down the food.

"You go on." Fangyan slowed down his eating speed.

"What are your plans after you return to the city?"

Yang Xia asked: "Should I prepare for the college entrance examination like Jianjun did, or should I just find a job?"

"Mom, what do you mean?"

The dialect did not answer but asked instead.

"I've discussed this with your sister. If you want to take the college entrance exam, we will fully support you." Yang Xia pushed the pickles in front of him. "As for work, your sister asked around. Now it's very difficult for educated youth who return to the city to find a job if they can't work as shift workers. Some even ran around the streets for more than half a year and still couldn't find a quota."

Fangyan took a bite of the steamed bun and said, "Mom, this is normal. There are not so many jobs. We were sent to the countryside to find jobs. At least we could have something to eat."

Yang Xia lowered her voice and asked, "If you can go to your sister's noodle factory, would you go?"

coming!

Fangyan's face changed. "Mom, although I am a model worker and an advanced worker, I am not a leader. Can you arrange for me to work in the factory? I won't be a temporary worker, right?"

"What temporary worker? Regular worker!"

Yang Xia rolled her eyes. "Your sister can't do this, but there is someone who can. Do you still remember that Lu Dacheng?"

"I remember. How could I not remember? He was my sister's high school classmate. He looked like a dog and followed my sister like a dog all day long. He often followed her after school. Once, he was almost beaten up by me, Su Ya and Jian Jun as a hooligan. There was another time..."

Dialects are used all the time and are mercilessly derogatory.

"OK OK."

After hearing about Lv Dacheng's bad deeds, Yang Xia's face darkened. "You can't say that in front of him. His father is now the deputy director of your sister's factory, and he is the propaganda officer, which is also considered a cadre. If he helps you, you will probably be able to get the quota."

"Him? Why should he help me?"

Fang Yan pretended to be confused even though he knew the truth. "You don't want me to beg him and then ask him to go find his dad, do you?"

I immediately waved my hands in disdain, "Mom, it's useless. He's like a grandson in front of his parents. If they say go east, he doesn't dare to go west. I want their family to open a back door for me. It's impossible. We are not related at all."

"It's hard to tell!"

Yang Xia shook her head and laughed, "You don't know, this Lu Dacheng sent someone to our house some time ago to persuade me, hoping that I would agree to let your sister date him."

"Mom, you won't agree to it, will you?"

"No, why, you don't seem to like him?"

"Didn't I just tell you what kind of person he is? He is greedy for my body. What a rascal! What a scumbag!"

Seeing that the topic was about Fang Hong, Fang Yan asked, "Mom, you are not going to sell my sister to Lu Dacheng in exchange for this quota for me, right?"

"How can you speak so harshly, kid? Your sister and I are doing this because we want you to return to the city as soon as possible."

“That’s not the way to respond.”

"You just don't like Lu Dacheng, right?"

Yang Xia said unhappily, "After so many years, people always change. I've seen his photos. He's quite gentle and a cadre. With his father's support, he will definitely continue to improve."

Fang Yan said, "Mom, the key is that my sister doesn't like him. Think about it, if my sister really likes him, do you think she would have delayed it until now? Until she had to find someone else to do the work for you?"

"Yes, but..."

Yang Xia hesitated.

"The point is, Mom, I don't want to work in a noodle factory!"

Fang Yan's eyes were firm, and he was determined not to let Fang Hong become a brother-supporting woman.

"You don't want to work in the noodle factory? Why?"

Yang Xia was surprised and suspicious.

"When I think about my father's tragic death in the noodle factory, I feel uncomfortable if I stay in this factory. Besides, it was my sister's sacrifice that brought me this. Do you think I can be a good worker?"

Fangyan used the ultimate move he had prepared long ago.

"Ugh."

As he expected, when Yang Xia heard the name Fang Yuanjun, she fell silent, looked at her husband's photo, and sighed.

"My father always said, 'A man may be poor but his spirit is not poor.' I don't think our family is that poor, and I am not to the point where no one wants me."

Fang Yan advised: "Yenching Literature and Art is about to publish two of my novels. Does anyone else have such an advantage?"

“Yes, my son is also a writer.”

Yang Xia thought it made sense. "Then tell me honestly, what do you think?"

"I've thought about it and decided to focus on my creation and then study. But I can't just stay at home and eat free meals. I plan to take a class to solve my food problem."

Fangyan spoke of his plan with some reservations.

"Temporary worker?"

Yang Xia was shocked and stared at Fangyan. It was at this moment that she realized that her son, who had been working in the countryside for so many years, had become so unfamiliar.

"That's pretty much what it means."

Fangyan nodded.

In fact, no matter whether it is a regular job or a temporary job, in the end, you will definitely have to make money. It’s just that now is not the time. At least during this period of time, just write novels honestly.

　Thanks to Xi Feimao for the 300 starting coins.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)