The literary era since 1979

Chapter 7: Get Preventive Vaccinations (Two in One)

"elder brother!"

"Iwako!"

Hearing the noise at the door, Yang Xia, Fang Hong and Fang Yan, who were eating, looked up and saw Fang Yan's face appear in front of them. They shouted out at once.

The screams immediately echoed in the house.

"I am back."

Fangyan's face was full of excitement.

Especially when I heard the nickname "Yan Zi", I felt very close to it.

Originally, Fang Yuanjun named him "Fang Yan", which, like "Fang Hong", was taken from the book "Red Rock". But later this book became a banned book, and in order to avoid complications, "Yan" had to be changed to "Yan". However, the catchy nickname "Yan Zi" was retained.

"I'm back, I'm finally back."

Yang Xia was struck by lightning. She stood there in a daze, staring at her son who suddenly appeared without blinking. A dark shadow flashed in her peripheral vision.

Fang Yan was the first one who couldn't hold back any longer. She rushed into Fang Yan's arms and cried:
"elder brother!"

"Oh, Xiaoyanzi has grown so tall. When I left, you just arrived at my place."

Fangyan looked at the little girl who looked more and more like a Beijing girl, and smiled as he gestured a few times between her head and his waist.

"Brother~"

Fang Yan pouted: "I am not a child anymore, I am already in the first grade of junior high school. I am not Xiaoyanzi, I am Yanzi!"

"Hey, is that so? But the things I brought are specially for Xiaoyanzi." Fang Yan raised his hand and shook it slightly.

"Ah, malted milk!!"

Fang Yan's eyes lit up, "Mom, sister, malted milk!"

"So are you a little swallow or a swallow?"

Fangyan teased the little girl playfully.

"Okay, stop making fun of my little sister when you just got back."

Seeing Fang Yan in a dilemma and blushing, Fang Hong came over, her smile and tears intertwined, "It must be tiring to carry so many things, put them down quickly."

"hey-hey."

Fangyan placed the gift in his hand on the dining table, and then took out a notebook from his bag, "Sister, this is for you. It contains many illustrations of the scenery of northern Shaanxi."

"Come back if you want, bring anything else with you."

Fang Hong was happy at first, but then felt resentful.

"Yes, it's good to be back, it's good to be back."

Yang Xia looked at Fang Yan from top to bottom, from left to right, inside and out, and couldn't help but scold him: "We're already home, why are you still spending money recklessly? How much do all these things cost?"

"Mom, it doesn't cost much. I've saved a lot these years in the countryside." Fangyan saw them eating cabbage and millet porridge, which was thin, watery and bland, and hurriedly untied the bag, "Look, this is 10 kilograms of white flour, and this is 15 kilograms of cornmeal."

"Why are you saving this money? If you don't have money, just tell your family. Look at you, you've become so thin."

Yang Xia said this with sobs, her eyes slightly red.

"How can I be thin? I'm even fatter. I'm enjoying a good life in the brigade. I just caught a snake a few days ago and made snake soup."

Fang Yan felt a little sad when he saw Yang Xia and Fang Hong wiping their tears.

"Gu, gu, brother, is the snake soup delicious?"

Fang Yan swallowed helplessly.

"Pfft."

Her naivety made Yang Xia and Fang Hong burst into laughter.

"How can you say 'very delicious'? It was really delicious!" Fangyan laughed. "In the end, we used the snake bones to make soup. The taste is so delicious that it will kill you, little greedy cat."

"Gulu."

Fang Yan drooled and quickly licked it with her tongue.

"Hahaha!"

In an instant, there was a burst of laughter, which spread to every corner of the room, and the originally sad atmosphere suddenly became cheerful.

"Have you eaten yet?"

Yang Xia said with concern: "Sit down for a while, I'll go cook for you. Yaya, go to my room and get the meat coupons. Since Yanzi brought white flour, why don't we just make dumplings today."

"Mom, the supply and marketing cooperative is closed now. You have to wait until tomorrow if you want to buy anything." Fang Hong reminded her.

"No, no, don't buy it, I've already eaten it."

Fangyan was chewing on a steamed bun on the road to fill his stomach. "You should keep the meat coupons. If you use them now, what will you do during the New Year?"

"Then let's have some noodles. We still have some left at home."

Fang Hong glanced sideways, "Mom, what do you think?"

"No, really,"

Fangyan blocked the door and waved his hands repeatedly.

These days, dried noodles are as valuable as pork dumplings.

The ones available on the market had to be bought with grain coupons, but the workmanship was rather crude, and the appearance was black and ugly. The better dragon beard noodles were basically brought back by people on business trips to Yanjing, and each strand was smooth, fine and white.

I usually can’t bear to eat it. I will only cook a bowl of it when I’m sick or when important guests come to my house.

"This noodle was originally prepared for you when you come back."

Yang Xia smiled and said, "Don't worry about eating. We have more after you finish eating. Your sister is a model worker and advanced worker in the noodle factory. She will be given noodles every year and festival. She can get at least one more before the end of the year."

"Then you guys should eat first, the porridge is getting cold."

Fangyan sat down with everyone else and watched them eat.

We chatted for a while, talking about our experiences in the countryside over the years, and using humor to express our fun.

"Sit down, mom will cook noodles for you now."

Yang Xia didn't bother to collect the bowls. She rummaged through the drawers and took out some noodles from the cupboard and walked straight to the small kitchen outside.

"Yanzi, why didn't you send a letter home before returning to the city so that we could pick you up at the station?" Fang Hong frowned.

"That's right, that's right!" Fang Yan replied.

"Sister, I'm not actually returning to the city this time. I just have something to do in Yanjing. After a while, I have to go back to northern Shaanxi."

Fangyan opened the kettle and took a sip of water.

"What, you want to go back?"

Fang Hong's shout startled Yang Xia who was outside the house.

Facing a pair of worried and puzzled eyes, Fang Yan explained: "I am here to revise the manuscript, and I have to go back after I finish it."

"Revise the draft?!" Fang Hong said in surprise.

"Yenching Literature and Art is going to publish two of my novels. One of them has a minor problem, so the editor asked me to come and revise it."

Fang Yan smiled and said, "Now I have a chance to go home and visit."

"What is Yenching Literature and Art?"

Yang Xia looked at her son and then at her daughters.

Fang Hong said: "It is the best literary magazine in Yenching University, not inferior to Harvest, Contemporary, and People's Literature. The first editors-in-chief were Lao She and Zhao Shuli."

"Oh my, does that mean our Yanzi is going to be a writer?" Yang Xia stood outside the door, feeling both surprised and happy.

"Not yet."

Fang Yan patted his chest and said, "But maybe I will become a great writer in the future. No matter if the director of the noodle factory or the emperor invites me to give a lecture in the factory, it depends on whether I have time. Unless my sister asks me to go, I must go no matter what!"

"Virtue!"

Fang Hong pursed her lips and said, "You've only written two novels, but you're already so proud of yourself that even our factory director can't hire you?"

"Hey, who can say for sure what will happen in the future?"

Fangyan was also giving a shot of precaution, so that when the matchmaker came to match my sister, Yang Xia and Fang Hong would not be easily persuaded and just agree to it. Of course, follow-up ideological work still needed to be done. "The noodles are ready!"

At this moment, Yang Xia walked back into the house carrying a pot of noodles.

Clear soup noodles, with sesame oil and chopped green onions, as well as cabbage leaves and poached eggs, are the most delicious dish these days.

Fang Yan's throat moved and she licked her lips.

"Mom, this is too much. I can't eat it all by myself."

Fang Yan glanced at him and said, "You guys should share some too."

"I'll just give it to Yaya and Yan Zi."

Yang Xia looked at her sensible son with eyes full of satisfaction.

"How can this be possible? If we want to share, let everyone share."

Fang Hong thought so, and so did Fang Yan, who continued, "Yeah, if you don't want to eat it, I won't be able to eat it."

At the insistence of the children, the pot of noodles was divided into four portions, and the only poached egg fell into Fangyan's bowl.

"Slurp, slurp."

Watching the whole family reunited and eating the noodles she cooked, Yang Xia couldn't help but glance at the portrait of Fang Yuanjun hanging on the wall. "Mom has been cleaning your room. Yaya, take out the pillow and quilt for Yanzi later, make the bed and go to bed early."

"Eh."

Fang Hong agreed, and as soon as she finished her noodles, she and Fang Yan went to his room and took out sheets, quilts, etc. from the closet.

Fangyan looked at the familiar room, the desk, chairs, cabinets, and earthen kang, and swept his eyes over them one by one, feeling a mixture of emotion.

"Is this quilt enough?"

"Enough, enough, sister, I can do it myself."

"Row."

Fang Hong lent a hand and said as she worked, "You must have suffered a lot in northern Shaanxi these years." She looked up and stared at her brother, "You wrote to me before saying that you failed the college entrance examination and couldn't return to the city. Mom and I have been trying to find a way for you, but we never thought you would be so successful that your novel was published in Yanjing Literature and Art."

Fang Yan smiled and said, "Sister, you and mom don't have to worry about me. I think I will be able to return to Beijing soon."

Fang Hong was stunned. "Really?"

"Of course, the editor of Yenching Literature and Art told me that the general trend now is for educated youth to return to the city. Some want to stay, while others cannot leave. The rest will go back to where they came from."

Fangyan was willing to use all means to persuade his sister to give up the idea of ​​"recruitment quota" to prevent her from sacrificing herself like she did in her previous life to get the quota for the noodle factory for him.

"That's great."

Fang Hong was very excited. "How long can you stay in Yanjing this time? Is there any rule about when you can go back?"

"No, the people at Yanjing Literature and Art are very nice. They let me stay in Yanjing for a few more days. I want to stay for ten days or half a month, no problem." Fang Yan smoothed out the wrinkles on the bed sheet. "That's what I thought. I will at least wait until the latest issue is published before I go back."

"Okay. When the time comes, I must buy a few more copies."

There was a hint of anticipation in Fang Hong's tone.

"No need, sister. Yanjing Literature and Art will send you a sample copy. You don't have to pay for it yourself."

Fangyan knew very well that his sister was very passionate about anything related to culture. After all, her original dream was to go to college.

"That's daring."

Fang Hong patted the pillow.

"Sister, is that Lu Dacheng still pestering you?"

Fangyan mentioned it suddenly.

"Why are you talking about this all of a sudden?"

Seeing her brother's extremely serious look, Fang Hong blushed and said, "It's not called 'entanglement', after all, he and I were high school classmates, and now we work in the same factory, so we see each other every day."

"Then your current relationship with him..."

Fangyan couldn't help feeling anxious, fearing that he was one step late.

"What kind of relationship do you mean? He and I are just ordinary co-workers. Don't let me have any wild thoughts."

Fang Hong warned.

"Has no one approached you to act as a matchmaker for him?"

"How do you know?"

"That's right."

"The union comrades came only once."

Fang Hong coughed a few times to hide her embarrassment.

really!

Just like in his previous life, Lu Dacheng has asked someone to act as a matchmaker!
Fang Yan asked anxiously, "What's Mom's attitude towards you?"

"I haven't agreed yet." Fang Hong shook her head.

"Where's mom?" Fangyan asked.

"Mom didn't say anything. She just looked at his photo, asked me about my impression of him, and chatted with them."

Fang Hong looked at her brother strangely.

"call."

Fangyan let out a long breath and caught up!
"Why do you suddenly care about me?"

Fang Hong frowned.

"How can I not care? You are my sister. Whether you are dating or getting married, if I don't care, you are still my brother. Besides, I am the only man in the family after all."

Fangyan sat on the earthen kang.

"That's true, but don't forget that women also hold up half the sky." Fang Hong retorted: "When you are not at home, it is my mother and I who support this family."

"No, thank you for your hard work."

"You, you, forget it, wash your face and feet and go to bed, the washbasin and towel are here, and the kettle is still in the usual place."

"Okay! Now!"

Fangyan picked up the washbasin with a playful smile and walked out of the room, feeling relieved. It was still in time! Everything was still in time!
Lu Dacheng is a useless person who relies on his literary talent and ability to copy poems to package himself as a "literary youth" and even calls himself a poet.

In fact, it’s nothing!
He is a mama's boy who relies entirely on his father. He is obedient to his arrogant and scheming father and his picky and mean mother, and has no opinion of his own. He is just a giant baby who just sits there and does everything for him, and won't even help if the oil bottle falls over.

In her previous life, Fang Hong married him partly for her brother's recruitment quota and partly because she and Yang Xia were deceived by Lu Dacheng's disguise. He deceived and coaxed his sister, who loved culture and poetry, by "borrowing" from Misty Poetry.

As soon as she got married, she had to face the difficulties posed by her evil mother-in-law.

After I had a daughter, it became even worse. It wasn't just every now and then, and it wasn't just the wicked mother-in-law, there was also the wicked father-in-law.

What is Lu Dacheng doing at this time?

Not only did he not help his wife, he actually fully supported his parents and even fought for them. He was so angry at Fang Hong that he was about to start a fight.

Later, Lu's father retired, the noodle factory closed down, and there was a wave of layoffs. The Lu family fell from power and the family lost its source of income. It was with his own help that his sister rented a shop to sell women's clothing.

Gradually, the business grew bigger and stronger, and even opened a clothing stall.

As a result, the Lu family took advantage of my sister and sucked her blood. Not only did they spend her money, but they also took over her shop. Lu Dacheng even cheated on her.

Just to have a son and carry on the family line.

The sister who was the "class beauty" in school and the "factory beauty" in the factory aged abnormally and almost withered when she got divorced.

It was not until she met her second husband, Han Yuemin, who was also her sister's former suitor, that she finally felt like she was reborn after all the hard work.

But at that time, Fang Hong was already 46 years old.

I suffered for 24 years.

No matter what, I must ruin it!
And right now there is a way, the contract workers of "Yenching Literature and Art".

As long as we can get this indicator, the indicator of the noodle factory will be nothing!
　There will be one update of the big chapter today, and two updates tomorrow.

　　During the new book period, I hope to read, collect and invest in it.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)