Five years of marriage, always separated [1970s]

Yesterday morning Ye Fan cleaned up the guest room. In the afternoon he drove the three-wheeled motorcycle borrowed from the army to the carpenter's house on the island to buy a set of tables and chairs.

In the past, whoever found a carpenter would make a table. But since four people from one island passed the exam last year, excluding educated youth and children of military personnel, the islanders seemed to see hope, and many people found carpenters to make tables and chairs to create a good study environment for their children.

As more and more people buy tables and chairs, the carpenter is not afraid of not being able to sell them, so he makes a few when he has free time.

The tables and chairs that Ye Fan bought were made in advance by the carpenter.

The carpenter's home is in the northern brigade of the Five-Star Brigade. Ye Fan had to cross most of the island to get from his home to the military family area at the southernmost end. The islanders liked Ye Fan very much and greeted her when they saw her halfway. Ye Fan slowed down and replied, and the islanders thought Ye Fan was chatting with them, so they asked Ye Fan if she bought it for Dabao.

Ye Fan said she bought it for her sister-in-law - the island was quiet and her sister-in-law came to her house to prepare for the exam.

The islanders automatically understood that Accountant Ye's sister-in-law didn't pass the exam last year. So it was normal for their children to fail. If they worked hard for another half a year and enrolled in agronomy like the Shanxi brigade members, they might be able to become farmers with wages in the future.

Although the exam preparation delayed their efforts to fight for work points, they were rich now, and the money from selling duck and goose feathers could support their children to work hard for another half a year. Even if their efforts were in vain, at least they had experienced it, and when their grandchildren grew up and took the college entrance examination, their children would not be as helpless as they were.

So those who didn’t have desks at home went to the carpenter to buy desks and chairs.

Ye Fan knew nothing about this matter.

Noticing that his sister-in-law looked unhappy, Ye Fan asked, "Didn't you sleep in the car?"

Geng Zhiqin nodded: "My mother is really generous. She goes to bed as soon as it gets dark and sleeps all the way through the night. She's not afraid of being thrown out of the car if she falls asleep."

Ye Fan wanted to laugh: "There are railway police on the train. Besides, an old lady has no money and no sex, what is she afraid of? Do you want to take a shower or sleep for a while? The room is ready." Pointing to the guest room, "Aunt Yu and my mother stayed here last time. But the sheets and pillowcases were changed yesterday afternoon."

Geng Zhiqin felt that her hair and body were smelly, so she wanted to wash her hair first.

Dabao immediately said, "Auntie, I'll press the water. I know how to press the water now." After saying that, he glanced at his mother.

Didn't he say before that he didn't pump the water well high enough? Ye Fan glared at his son, a vengeful kid! Then Ye Fan asked his sister-in-law to take the wash basin and basin stand to the yard, and she went to the kitchen to get the kettle. The kettle was full of water, enough for Geng Zhiqin to wash his hair.

Ye Fan put the kettle next to the basin rack, went to the kitchen to pour clean water into the steel pot, and turned on the stove to boil water for his sister-in-law to take a bath.

The stove was slow to boil water, so Ye Fan went to the living room to wait. Seeing three large bags on the coffee table, Ye Fan went to the yard and asked, "Xiao Qin, what's in the bag? Do you want to take it out?"

"Take it out. A bag of books, a bag of clothes, and a rice cooker for cooking porridge and steaming rice."

Ye Fan was very surprised: "What are you doing with the pot?"

Geng Zhiqin: "My second brother didn't agree with me coming to the island to prepare for the exam at first, saying that you have to go to work and take care of Dabao and Erbao, so you can't take care of me. I said I don't need you to take care of me. My second brother said that I was tired of studying and needed to eat something good. When I came, you would have to cook for every meal. My second sister-in-law asked me to bring the rice cooker over to save you some trouble. She went back to buy another one from the Friendship Store in her father's name."

Ye Fan was speechless but wanted to laugh: "It's about adding a set of bowls and chopsticks."

"My second brother probably thought that there was nothing on the island and that he had to leave the island to buy a bottle of ink, so he didn't want to cause you any trouble. Mom said there was a supply and marketing cooperative on the island, so my second brother asked where it was. My mother was really something, and she was hiding something when she should have told me the truth. When it wasn't necessary to tell me so clearly, she said that the supply and marketing cooperative was ten miles away from your home." Geng Zhiqin was speechless when he thought of this. "When my second brother heard that it was so inconvenient, he asked my second sister-in-law to take me to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a toothbrush, toothpaste and so on. Oh, they're all in the pot. There's also a bag of candy in the pot. Dabao, Erbao, grandma bought it for you. Go back to the house and eat the candy."

Dabao shook his head: "I'll press the water for Auntie. I'll go after Auntie finishes washing."

Ye Fan noticed something: "Take you to the supply and marketing cooperative? You resigned?"

Geng Zhiqin was washing his hair, not daring to make any big movements. He nodded his chin slightly, "I resigned at the end of November last year. I told the director that if I passed the exam, I would go to college next year, and if I didn't, I would concentrate on preparing for the exam. The director also hoped that I would pass, and arranged for someone to hand over to me the next day. By the way, your mother asked Chen Xiaohui to resign to prepare for the exam, but Chen Xiaohui said she didn't need it. I estimate that it won't be long before Aunt Tao doesn't write to you, and your sister-in-law will have to write to you, asking you to persuade her."

Ye Fan: "How is sister-in-law's health?"

Geng Zhiqin thought for a moment and understood what she wanted to ask: "It seems to be more than four months. I forgot who told me that the due date is the end of April in the lunar calendar. It was either my mother or Chen Xiaohui. I was so focused on waiting for the admission letter a few days ago that I didn't pay attention to this."

Ye Fan: "Didn't you say you couldn't pass the exam better than others?"

"What if I get lucky?" Geng Zhiqin had no interest in studying at home, she just wanted to take advantage of the opportunity. She knew her own strengths and weaknesses, and she applied for a major that everyone was eager to study, so her chances of passing were very small. She couldn't go on like this, so she proposed to temporarily move away from the capital.

Ye Fan chuckled, "Let's wash our hair first." He suddenly thought that studying alone might be lonely and boring, "Xiao Qin, my neighbor's daughter, who is also your brother's political commissar's daughter, is in a similar situation as you. Can you two study together later?"

"Okay." Geng Zhiqin agreed without thinking, "I told Chen Xiaohui before that we should both quit our jobs and study together and work hard. She said no, too. No! People who don't know her would think she's a good student. Also, she said that studying with two people is not as good as studying alone. She'd better pass the exam. Otherwise, I'll laugh at her every day!"

Dabao and Erbao are often naughty, but they often take Ye Fan and Geng Zhiye's words as imperial decrees. So they rarely talk about other people's faults in front of their children. They may forget what they said to vent their anger, but the two children may remember it in their hearts.

For example, when Dabao said that Yu Wentao was immature, it was not Ye Fan and Geng Zhiye who said that. Last summer, Yu Wentao brought her four children back to her parents' home, and the four children were so tired that they all agreed that she was immature.

It's a good thing that Chen Xiaohui is confident. She is not yet 30 years old, which is the requirement for the exam. She belongs to the third batch, and the exam regulations are very lenient to them. If she fails this year, she can take the exam again next year. So there is no need for her to cooperate with her sister-in-law in scolding Chen Xiaohui for being stupid.

Geng Zhiqin didn't need Ye Fan to agree with her. She just wanted to complain to Ye Fan and the matter would be over after she complained.

Ye Fan asked: "Did she apply for archaeology or history?"

Geng Zhiqin recalled: "It seemed to be archaeology. Yes, it was archaeology! I was wondering at the time if archaeology and history were not the same major. She explained to me that history is history and archaeology is archaeology, and the main directions of study are different."

Ye Fan: "Does she know what archaeology means?"

Geng Zhiqin was stunned by the question and forgot that there was still foam on her head. Dabao reminded her to rinse, and Geng Zhiqin poured out the dirty water, collected some cold water from the well, and added some hot water. "It seems she doesn't know. I don't know either. If she knew, she would definitely tell me since she has no friends and can only talk to me."

Erbao asked innocently, "Why don't you have any friends?"

Geng Zhiqin choked and paused for a moment before answering: "Good question! Unfortunately, I don't know either. Ask her yourself when you see her later."

Ye Fan stopped him: "Don't teach me nonsense. Erbao, Chen Xiaohui is busy with work, even busier than her mother. She has no time to make friends."

Dabao: "Doesn't she have any colleagues?"

Ye Fan: "Are all your classmates your good friends?"

Dabao shook his head: "No! There are a few classmates who always say bad things about mom. I want to beat them up!"

Ye Fan: "Is she Liu Qing's daughter?"

Dabao was very surprised: "Mom knows that too?"

"My mother guessed it." Ye Fan helped the fishermen make money, so it was impossible for the fishermen's children to say bad things about her. There were many children in the family quarters, but few were around Dabao's age. "They don't really know what it means. They learned it from their mother. If a dog bites you, you don't have to bite the dog back."

Geng Zhiqin disagreed: "Sister-in-law, good people are often bullied. You can't teach Dabao like this."

Ye Fan laughed: "I haven't finished yet. Dabao, let's wait for the right time. When the time comes, we'll give her a fair beating."

Dabao couldn't help but ask: "Is it like Auntie Xiaohui pushing Liu Qing into the shit pit?"

Ye Fan was surprised: "How do you know?"

Dabao shook his head: "Don't worry about how I know. It's enough for you to know that I know. Erbao, let's go eat candy."

Erbao followed his brother.

Ye Fan looked at Geng Zhiqin and asked, "What did you say?"
Geng Zhiqin wiped his hair and shook his head, "There is nothing in the world that is impenetrable. Just because you didn't say it and Chen Xiaohui didn't say it doesn't mean that others don't know. It will spread from one person to ten people, and from ten to a hundred people. It's normal for it to reach Dabao's ears. I saw it on the way here just now. The family quarters are not very big."

"Let me see if the water in the pot is ready." Ye Fan went into the house and told Dabao not to tell anyone about Liu Qing being pushed into the shit pit by Chen Xiaohui. Dabao nodded obediently, and Ye Fan went to the kitchen.

The fire came on and the water in the pot became hot, but not scalding. Ye Fan waited in the kitchen for a while, and when it started to smoke a little, she brought the water to the guest room. Geng Zhiqin was taking a bath in the guest room, and Ye Fan put the kettle on the stove to boil water while she prepared the seafood.

Last year, when Ye Fan was at her mother-in-law's house, Geng Zhiqin asked her if there were really as many seafood on the island as her mother said. Ye Fan said that she could go over to see it during her winter and summer vacations after she passed the entrance exam. Geng Zhiqin was very happy at that time.

Ye Fan had received a telegram the day before yesterday and wanted to treat his sister-in-law who was visiting the island for the first time with seafood.

This morning I bought a bunch of crabs, two fishes and a few pounds of small seafood. The two fishes were cooked into soup and braised, the crabs were steamed, and the small seafood was blanched and made into small seafood sauce.

Ye Fan prepared the seafood and set it aside, then washed a bowl of rice and steamed it in the rice cooker.

Geng Zhiqin came out of the shower, and Ye Fan asked Dabao to light the fire while she cooked. Geng Zhiqin heard what Ye Fan said and said she would light the fire. Dabao waved her hand and said, "Auntie, you've worked hard, take a rest. My mother cooks quickly, it will be ready in a while. Erbao, accompany auntie."

Erbao brought a small stool and planned to accompany her brother to make a fire. When she heard this, she looked at her aunt and asked, "Do you want me to accompany you?"

Geng Zhiqin looked at the bag that was opened by his nephew and niece: "Help aunt pack?"

Erbao put down the stool and ran to the coffee table: "How do we clean up?"

Geng Zhiqin took out the books first and asked Erbao to put them on the bench. After arranging the books and stationery, Geng Zhiqin threw the bag under the eaves because it was not needed for the time being, and would clean it and put it away tomorrow. In the bag for the pot, in addition to her daily necessities, the candies she bought for Dabao and Erbao, there were also food prepared by her second sister-in-law. It was Geng Zhiqin's first time riding a train, and she was not used to the smell on the train, so she didn't eat much. Yu Wentao ate the cakes she made herself. Yu Wentao went back to take the express and could reach the capital at noon tomorrow, so she gave the food to Geng Zhiqin, saying that she would leave it for Dabao and Erbao.

Geng Zhiqin put everything in his bag on the coffee table and threw the bag out. When he returned to the room and saw Erbao looking at the things on the coffee table, Geng Zhiqin peeled a hawthorn slice and stuffed it into her mouth: "Is it delicious?"

The hawthorn slices were rolled into a roll, sour, sweet and chewy. It was the first time for Erbao to eat it. He was fresh and liked it: "Auntie, did grandma buy it for me?"

"Your stepmother bought them. Two for your brother." Geng Zhiqin gave three to Erbao, who ran to the kitchen to give two to Dabao. He peeled the remaining one in his hand and waved to his mother.

Ye Fan opened her mouth, Erbao stuffed it into her mouth and ran out: "Aunt, I gave mine to mom."

Geng Zhiqin said to them: "Erbao is really sensible."

Erbao smiled, not surprised at all. Geng Zhiqin didn't notice that her niece looked as if she had expected it. She found a small bamboo basket for fruits on the coffee table and put the food in it. Erbao followed her movements and saw the oranges in the basket, so he stuffed the hawthorn roll into his pocket and took an orange and broke it in half: "Aunt, you take half and I take half."

Geng Zhiqin took it and asked towards the kitchen, "Sister-in-law, are there still oranges at this time?

Ye Fan fished out the small seafood from the pot and tilted his head to answer, "Yes. But there are too few, not worth taking to the capital. This orange looks big, and the skin is thick, not as thin as the October orange, which is small and easy to peel, but this orange is seedless."

When Geng Zhiqin heard that it was seedless, he couldn't help but peel the orange and taste it.

Erbao stared at Xiaogu: "Is it delicious?"

Geng Zhiqin nodded, but saw a mosquito on his leg. Geng Zhiqin almost jumped up and screamed: "Sister-in-law, there is a mosquito?!"

Ye Fan was startled and hurried out to ask, "What's wrong?"

"Mosquitoes? There are mosquitoes in winter?" Geng Zhiqin looked incredulous.

Ye Fan wanted to laugh at her, but then he thought of himself. He used to think he was hallucinating when he heard mosquitoes buzzing in the winter. "It's warm here, it's normal to have mosquitoes in winter. Didn't you notice that you're not cold even without a cotton jacket?"

Geng Zhiqin wanted to say that she wasn't cold because she had just taken a shower, but her hair was almost dry and her body was no longer warm: "I don't think she's cold?"

Ye Fan: "It's just damp and cold. You didn't feel it when you first arrived, but you will find your legs and feet frozen tomorrow. By the way, are you done packing? It's time to eat."

Geng Zhiqin's bag of clothes was still on the coffee table. Hearing this, he put the bag in the bedroom, moved the books to the living room, put the toothbrush and toothpaste on the table under the eaves, wiped the coffee table clean, and took Erbao to wash his hands.

Geng Zhiqin couldn't help swallowing when he saw the fish soup, braised fish, a pot of small seafood and a plate of big red crabs.

Ye Fan not only saw the movement of his sister-in-law's throat, but also heard it. He held back his laughter and broke open the crab: "Drink some soup to warm your stomach."

Geng Zhiqin nodded and served himself a bowl of soup. Just as he was about to drink, he found that the bowls of his sister-in-law and nephews and nieces were empty, so he served them half a bowl of soup.

Dabao frowned: "Aunt, it's too much."

Geng Zhiqin poured it into his own bowl: "There are still two mouthfuls left, not much left, right?"

Dabao passed his sister's bowl to him again. Geng Zhiqin poured half for himself, and returned the bowl to his niece, who couldn't wait to taste it.

The rich aroma passed through his throat, and Geng Zhiqin suddenly felt comfortable all over, as if a warm current was flowing through his body: "Sister-in-law, this soup is so delicious. How did you cook it?"

Ye Fan: "Sea fish doesn't have an earthy smell. The fish here is fresher than the ones bought in the capital's vegetable market. I put a little garlic and a piece of tofu, and cooked the fish meat and bones separately." Dabao nodded: "Mom first boiled the soup on the stove, and then asked me to light the fire and stew the fish. Mom took the soup off the stove after the crabs were steamed."

Geng Zhiqin calculated the time: "How long does it take to cook?"

"Put the fish meat in when the bones are almost cooked." Ye Fan handed over the cleaned crab. Geng Zhiqin was embarrassed, "Sister-in-law, eat it yourself. I can peel it."

Ye Fan took another one: "There are still a lot." He opened one for Dabao, then opened one for Erbao, and then Ye Fan opened one for himself.

Geng Zhiqin saw that she was very fast at disassembling crabs. Three crabs came out in the blink of an eye. He immediately forgot to be embarrassed and said, "Sister-in-law is really fast at disassembling crabs."

Dabao is laughing.

Ye Fan glared at him.

Geng Zhiqin was confused: "What is Dabao laughing at?"

Ye Fan: "Laughing, I just arrived on the island and I don't know anything. I don't know how to use a pot or a carrying pole. I even need your brother to teach me how to wash hairtail."

Dabao nodded vigorously, that’s right!
Geng Zhiqin thought to himself, I have never seen hairtail before, "Dabao, can you do it?"

Dabao shook his head: "I'm still young. The big hairtail is taller than me. I will learn it when I grow up."

Ye Fan: "Eat!"

Dabao eats crabs.

Geng Zhiqin felt uncomfortable on his hand, looked down, and saw another mosquito: "Sister-in-law, why are there so many mosquitoes?"

Ye Fan: "It's warm during the day and cold at night. Oh, by the way, be sure to fill a hot water bottle before going to bed."

Dabao asked: "Do you sleep after eating?"

Ye Fan and Geng Zhiqin returned home and lunch was already past. Geng Zhiye was not at home, so Ye Fan asked Liu Guihua to look after the children for half a day. Dabao and Erbao also had lunch at her house. Ye Fan asked, "What time did you have lunch?"

Dabao: "About twelve o'clock."

It's past four o'clock now. Usually at this time, Dabao and Erbao eat something to fill their stomachs, and then have dinner around six o'clock. After dinner, they go out to play for a while, come back to do homework for a while, and go to bed after washing up.

Ye Fan: "Then eat slowly until about five o'clock."

Dabao thought this was a good idea: "Mom, I'll eat rice last."

Ye Fan nodded: "It's okay if you don't want to eat it. Save it for making fried rice tomorrow."

Geng Zhiqin had heard her mother talk about shrimp fried rice, but she had never eaten it. Geng Zhiqin decided to eat more vegetables and drink more soup, and stir-fry the leftover rice tomorrow.

The next morning, Ye Fan took his sister-in-law to familiarize herself with the surrounding environment and made fried rice at noon.

After dinner, Ye Fan asked Geng Zhiqin whether he wanted to read or take a nap. Geng Zhiqin was too full and had no mood to read, so he decided to take a nap.

Erbao and Geng Zhiqin went back to the house. Dabao also went back to the house to take a nap because it was too windy outside. Seeing this, Ye Fan planned to close the gate and go back to the house to rest for a while. Su Yuanhang came over on his bike.

Su Yuanhang smiled whenever he saw Ye Fan, and it was obvious that he was in high spirits because of the good news.

Ye Fan invited him in: "Why are you looking for me before the New Year is over? What's the matter?"

Su Yuanhang sat down and said, "I plan to send in my resignation letter in two days. There are still ten days before the school starts, which is enough time for them to arrange a new factory director. But I feel a little uneasy when I think about the new factory director. I don't know if I am overthinking it."

Ye Fan: "Our food factory is just a makeshift team. Those who are planning to make a big splash here will definitely be dissatisfied. But as long as it does not harm the interests of the fishermen and does not require me to invest money, he can do whatever he wants. Apart from me, he is the only one in this factory, so no matter how he does it, it is only his own fault."

Su Yuanhang couldn't help but say: "How could I forget that there are only two regular workers in our factory. Now the temporary workers in the packaging workshop can raise more chickens and ducks, make preserved eggs and sell duck eggs, and also sell duck feathers and goose feathers. If he dares to make things difficult for them, they will dare to quit their jobs.

"I gave all my books to Yuncheng. Yuncheng said he worked hard for half a year and would apply to the Provincial Agricultural University. Su Duofu's family has been rehabilitated, and the higher authorities will return the fishing boat to him. Although he is still in the brigade, he has hope now. If he dares to turn his face away, Su Duofu will not serve him."

Ye Fan: "I'm not afraid of him either, am I?"

Su Yuanhang nodded: "I am finally relieved. I will write my resignation report tomorrow. I will send it over the day after tomorrow, Monday. By the way, there is only one person who passed the exam in the military family area, and it is Sister Liu's son Xiaoshan? What about Miaomiao?"

Miaomiao and Liu Guihua used to go to the factory to help out. Su Yuanhang knew them well. Before the exam last year, Su Yuanhang went to the food factory to teach Miaomiao, Xiaoshan, and several men and women from the Shanxi team math problems.

Ye Fan was not surprised to hear that Su Yuanhang cared so much about Miao Miao. Ye Fan did not want others to misunderstand that Miao Miao was pretending to work hard, so he told her everything that Zhuang Qiuyue had done.

Su Yuanhang was stunned.

After a long while, Su Yuanhang came back to his senses and sighed for a long time. Ye Fan felt that Dabao had woken up. Su Yuanhang asked with a complicated expression: "Why is she like this?"

"She was worried that Miaomiao would have a hard time studying agriculture. Maybe she thought Miaomiao did well in the exam and that the Agricultural University was not worthy of her daughter." Ye Fan also said that Miaomiao was so angry that she committed suicide. Su Yuanhang was stunned and it took him a long time to come back to his senses.

Su Yuanhang didn't want to ask Zhuang Qiuyue what she thought: "I'll go see Miaomiao?"

Ye Fan: "No need. She's not in the mood to interact with people. I asked her brothers and sisters, and she's been too lazy to talk or eat lately. Have you met Aunt Dabao?"

Su Yuanhang was shocked: "Didn't pass the exam either?!"

Geng Zhiqin woke up and said she had been rejected. Su Yuanhang didn't know whether to tell her to take the exam again in July or to sympathize with her - such a rare thing as rejection had happened to her.

Ye Fan added: "Tell Aunt Dabao to review with her later."

Geng Zhiqin was actually awakened by the word "suicide". Geng Zhiqin immediately felt that her parents were okay: "Sister-in-law, you still say that our situations are similar?"

Ye Fan: "I didn't even get to study."

Geng Zhiqin was speechless.

Ye Fan: "It's all because my parents didn't go to school."

Geng Zhiqin stood up: "Erbao is awake, I'll go put on his coat." Seeing that Dabao's door was closed, she knocked.

Dabao: “I’m awake.” Then he opened the door, “Mom, I heard it. Sister Miaomiao is not sick.”

Ye Fan: "Do you want to ask Miao Miao why she committed suicide?"

Dabao shook his head: "No! Sister Miaomiao must be very sad. Mom, I want to pretend I don't know. I want to tell Erbao."

Erbao came out with his aunt: "Mom, I didn't hear anything."

Ye Fan was happy: "You two are my mother's treasures. Do you want to go out and play?"

The brother and sister had just woken up and didn't want to go out, so they pulled their sister-in-law to sit on the bench.

Su Yuanhang sighed, "Every family has its own problems." But he couldn't help but say, "Miao Miao's mother is usually very reasonable. Didn't you say that you gave her duck and goose feathers from your family, and she sold them and gave you two fish?"

Ye Fan: "Everyone has a dark side. Isn't your dad the same? I asked him to run a food factory, but he looked down on me. He also said you were fooling around with me. He also thought you were fooling around when you wanted to prepare for the exam. After you passed the exam, it was as if nothing had happened. If I didn't know what kind of person your dad is, I would think that your dad unconditionally supports you in preparing for the exam."

Su Yuanhang thought, luckily you don't know, before I even registered at school, my dad already thought I was more capable than you. At that time, Su Yuanhang really wanted to remind his dad that he couldn't even meet Brother Ye Fan after graduating from college, let alone Ye Fan's father.

With Ye Fan's intelligence, if she wanted to, she could do better than him in the future just by using the Geng family's connections.

Let's not talk about the future, let's talk about the present. Before Ye Fan came, many members of each brigade had foreign debts. Ye Fan has been here for three and a half years, and even the poorest families have some extra money. Ye Fan is just an accountant in a makeshift food factory, and his father is the secretary of the commune. In terms of position, power, social status and experience, he is better than Ye Fan in every way. Why can't his father make the islanders rich?

Su Yuanhang agreed with Ye Fan's words. The older his father got, the duller his mind became. As he aged, his eyelids drooped, blocking his vision and making him unable to see far away.

Su Yuanhang shook his head and smiled bitterly: "Before I even went, he told me to study hard. I'm already 32 years old. Do I need him to remind me? If he hadn't made such a blind arrangement, I might have already benefited the people."

Ye Fan said, "Let's not talk about him. Are you coming to me to resign?"

Su Yuanhang thought about it and said, "This is the main thing. Secondly, Xiaoshan, or the other three who passed the exam, our schools are all in Hangzhou. I am the oldest among the five of us, and their parents asked them to go to Hangzhou with me. I have to check their registration time. If it is similar to mine, I will come according to my time. I also need the team leader to issue a certificate to buy tickets. I may have to send them to school one by one."

Ye Fan: "Don't bring too many things. The university is very big, and your legs will be tired after walking around the campus. If you need anything, send a telegram home, or send it by mail or deliver it. If you don't have classes on Saturday afternoon, you can come back on Saturday and leave on Sunday afternoon."

Su Yuanhang looked at the sky and said, "It's getting late."

"Then go ahead." Ye Fan sent him out, and Geng Zhiqin couldn't help but follow him. When he arrived at Xiaoshan's house, Geng Zhiqin asked in a low voice: "From the tone of his voice, did he do well in the exam?"

Ye Fan: "The best school in Hangzhou."

Geng Zhiqin was shocked: "National key?"

"A school led by the Academy of Sciences, what do you think?" Ye Fan said, "But it's a bit late for him to do research at his age. He also has two children, who are similar to Dabao and Erbao, so he can't concentrate on research. Maybe he will become a politician or work in a public institution in the future."

Geng Zhiqin envied: "He is really amazing."

Ye Fan: "He graduated from high school. His grades are pretty good."

Geng Zhiqin felt much better: "No wonder."

Ye Fan shook his head and laughed: "Let's go——" He couldn't help but stop, "Your brother?"

"Where?" Geng Zhiqin ran out of the yard.

Geng Zhiye, who was coming this way, stopped for a moment and then ran over: "Xiao Qin? Why are you here? Fan Fan, the day before yesterday the logistics department told me that you were borrowing the three-wheeled vehicle to pick up Xiao Qin?"

Ye Fan: "You are confused. We are on the island, and she has to take a boat to get here. I lent her my three-wheeled motorcycle to buy her a table and chairs." Then he explained that he had received a telegram a few days ago saying that Xiaoqin had been on the island for the past six months preparing for the exam.

Geng Zhiqin asked: "Third brother, is it okay?"

Geng Zhiye smiled and said, "Why not? It's fine on the island. Aunt Yu has a lot of things to do at home, Dad has to go to the hospital for checkups frequently, and Huihui and Benben are making a fuss. When my second brother and sister-in-law come back, the whole family will be like having a tea party."

Geng Zhiqin nodded: "I think it's noisy too. Third brother, why are you back at this time?"

Geng Zhiye explained that he hadn't been home for several days. Geng Zhiye winked at Ye Fan as he remembered something. Ye Fan pulled Geng Zhiqin and followed Geng Zhiye into the house. Ye Fan asked, "What happened?"

"Didn't Lao Liao stay at home these days because of Miaomiao's matter? He just went to the army and said that I had worked hard these days and asked me to come back. I saw that he looked strange. He either quarreled with Miaomiao or Zhuang Qiuyue." Geng Zhiye asked, "Have you seen Miaomiao these days?"

Ye Fan shook his head: "My eldest brother said his sister told her to live well. I also reminded him that Miaomiao was hopeless. He wouldn't dare to erupt at this time even if he was a volcano. I guess he told Zhuang Qiuyue about Miaomiao, but Zhuang Qiuyue didn't take it seriously, which made him angry."

Geng Zhiqin: "Is it so serious?"

Ye Fan: "Are you going to review until 10 o'clock to eat?"

Geng Zhiqin nodded: "Eat. We usually eat at 6 or 7 o'clock at home. I go to bed after 11 o'clock, so I can't bear not to eat."

Ye Fan: "Who will do it for you?"

"Your mother-in-law. You can't let me do it myself." Geng Zhiqin understood instantly, "That little girl is hungry and she cooks for herself, and her parents don't care? He——" Seeing that Dabao and Erbao are eavesdropping seriously, he quickly swallowed the second half of the sentence. He must not teach his nephew and niece bad things. "Sister-in-law, I've decided. Even if I continue to fail this year, I will help her pass the exam!"

(End of this chapter)