Five years of marriage, always separated [1970s]

Chen Xiaohui's face turned red with anger.

Ye Fan laughed out loud when he saw this.

Chen Xiaohui said unhappily, "Just bully me, the two of you."

Dabao, who was lying on the bench, sat up and said, "Auntie, are you being reasonable? You came to our house and complained that my mom was stingy, but my mom didn't say anything. Is it okay for you to just smile?"

Erbao pulled his brother's clothes and said, "Auntie has no one to teach her, so we won't bother with her."

Chen Xiaohui was so angry that she glared at Erbao: "What did you say?"

"The guest should follow the host's wishes!" Erbao doesn't often express his opinions, unlike Dabao who keeps talking, but that doesn't mean Erbao is not good at speaking. Ye Fan and Geng Zhiye have carefully observed that Erbao is more patient than Dabao. Sometimes she looks more naive than Dabao, because she is a few years younger than Dabao, and she has seen, heard and understood more than him. Because Chen Xiaohui was next to Erbao, Erbao tilted his head and asked, "Didn't the person who stole you and raised you teach you?"

Chen Xiaohui was stunned.

Ye Fan was worried about making someone cry, "Xiao Hui, Er Bao doesn't mean to look down on you."

Chen Xiaohui sneered: "I shouldn't have come!"

Then what are you doing here? Ye Fan wanted to say: "Remember the day when we discussed filling out the application last summer, I told Dabao and Erbao that you grew up in the Ye family. They both thought that the Chen family only raised you but not disciplined you."

Dabao couldn't help but ask: "Isn't it?"

Ye Fan nodded.

Erbao looked at Chen Xiaohui very confusedly, and almost said it clearly, "Then I was right."

Chen Xiaohui was speechless for a moment and wanted to beat the brat Erbao, but in front of Ye Fan, she really didn't dare to hit Ye Fan's child. She could only persuade herself, children should not restrain their words, children should not restrain their words!

Chen Xiaohui asked: "Do you know that this sounds like cursing?"

Erbao shook his head: "Which sentence?"

Chen Xiaohui choked.

Geng Zhiqin smiled and answered for her: "Someone is raising them but no one is teaching them!"

Chen Xiaohui glared at her: "What else?"

Geng Zhiqin: "If you dare to use this tone to challenge Chen Kuanren and Zhao Ruping, they won't dare to ask you to go to Shanghai for a blind date."

Chen Xiaohui was suddenly speechless.

Ye Fan carried the fish and crabs to the kitchen.

Geng Zhiqin followed with a smile: "Sister-in-law, let me clean up."

Ye Fan shook his head: "It will only take a while to pack up such a small amount of things."

"Give it to me." Geng Zhiqin took the fish and crab away. "Last year, you cooked every day because I had to prepare for the exam. This year, I have nothing to do and I still ask you to serve me. When my third brother comes back, I will have to pack my luggage immediately. Besides, I should learn to pack these things. What if I am assigned to Dongcheng after graduation, which is half a city away from home, and I need to live in the school dormitory. I can't just eat steamed buns and noodles every day."

Ye Fan handed her the trash can: "Throw the fish scales in there."

Geng Zhiqin looked at the trash can, which contained rotten vegetable leaves: "Is this trash still useful?"

Ye Fan nodded: "Pour it over to the public toilet, and the people who clean the public toilet will take away the rotten feces."

Geng Zhiqin first cleaned the crabs and poured the dirty water into the slop bucket. Then he cleaned the fish, removed the scales, gills and internal organs, leaving only the belly, and then took it to the water press to rinse.

After washing, Geng Zhiqin went back to the kitchen to ask Ye Fan what to do. Ye Fan sat in front of the stove and instructed her to cut the fish into pieces and marinate them for later use. "How are you going to eat the crabs?"

Geng Zhiqin missed the crab meat buns made by her sister-in-law very much, but she didn't dare to say it. When her brother came back and found out that the crab meat was picked out by her sister-in-law, his expression was so glaring that if he wasn't her own brother, he would have told her to get out.

"What does sister-in-law usually eat?"

Ye Fan: "Different crabs have different ways of eating. For example, river crabs are best steamed. The ones I bought today can be cooked into noodles. How about braised fish and crab rice noodles tonight?"

Geng Zhiqin likes rice noodles very much: "Then let's make rice noodles?"

Ye Fan: "The rice and flour are in the cupboard."

Geng Zhiqin opened the cupboard and found only one handful of taro, less than a pound: "Are these enough?"

Ye Fan: "That's enough. Fry a few eggs, add some vegetables, and a fish. I may not be able to finish it."

Geng Zhiqin took five more eggs from the cupboard. Considering that hot water can cook noodles quickly, Geng Zhiqin cooked the fish first, and then put the fish in the steel pot on the stove to warm it. Geng Zhiqin cleaned the pot, fried the eggs, added hot water, and put in the swimming crab, noodles and vegetables.

Geng Zhiqin only remembered to ask when he got to know her face: "Sister-in-law, did I do anything wrong?"

Ye Fan laughed: "Why should we be so particular when eating at home? It's fine as long as it's cooked." Then he shouted to Dabao and Erbao outside to wash their hands.

Dabao saw Chen Xiaohui go to the kitchen and said: "You don't wash your hands? Mom, Auntie is not hygienic."

Chen Xiaohui was so angry that she followed him out to fetch water: "I will never come to your house again."

Dabao thought to himself, who welcomes you?

Dabao used to welcome her because when someone came to the house, his mother would have no time to keep an eye on him and Erbao. However, Chen Xiaohui actually dared to dislike his mother. Dabao decided to hate her.

On the evening of the fifth day, Geng Zhiye came back and Dabao pulled his father out by the arm.

Geng Zhiye was about to ask why Chen Xiaohui was here. However, he was dragged by his son and staggered. He could only leave first: "What for?"

"Let me tell you something." Dabao waved at his father.

Geng Zhiye lowered his head: "It would be better if there is something wrong."

Dabao nodded, and first whispered that Chen Xiaohui disliked his mother for only buying a fish and a few crabs the afternoon before yesterday, and then couldn't help muttering: "I should have known not to leave meat buns for my aunt."

"What's wrong with the meat buns?" Geng Zhiye was confused. Was it fish or meat buns?

Dabao: "Mom made a lot of meat buns on New Year's Eve. Erbao and I left four for my sister-in-law. Unexpectedly, she came too, so Mom asked me and Erbao to give her one."

Geng Zhiye: "Only four?"

Dabao nodded: "Yes. I heated it up and ate it yesterday morning. If I had known that she and my sister-in-law would come the day before yesterday, I would have asked mom to heat it up and eat it the day before yesterday morning."

Geng Zhiye patted his son's head and said, "She will be gone in a few days. Don't bother with her."

"But she doesn't even know how to help her mother with work." Dabao frowned and said, "It wasn't like this last time she came."

Geng Zhiye: "Let me see what's wrong with her. You should stop talking. Don't make your mother feel awkward."

"What's wrong with mom?" Dabao didn't understand.

Geng Zhiye: "She is your grandmother's daughter. If you bully her and she cries, will your grandmother suspect your mother of bullying her? It's like when you and Erbao have a fight, should my mother and I help you or Erbao?"

Dabao wanted to say that they were different, but Chen Xiaohui and Ye Fan were both grandma’s daughters, so there was no difference. “Okay, okay, I’ll listen to you.”

It just so happened that Geng Zhiye would be back for dinner for the next week, so he might as well use this week to observe Chen Xiaohui.

A week later, it was time for Chen Xiaohui and Geng Zhiqin to go back, but Geng Zhiye switched shifts with Political Commissar Liao and was still able to go home for dinner.

On the night of the thirteenth day of the first lunar month, Dabao and Erbao fell asleep. Geng Zhiye closed the doors and windows and went to the bedroom to see Ye Fan knitting a sweater: "Mine?"

"Yours!" Ye Fan rolled his eyes at him. "It's Erbao's sweater. Wear it in the morning and evening when it's cool, and take it off when it gets hot in the afternoon."

Geng Zhiye took it and put it on the bedside table: "I'll weave it tomorrow. I don't have anything to do recently, so why stay up late?"

"Is there something wrong?" Ye Fan asked. Geng Zhiye nodded and took out the family planning supplies from the drawer. Ye Fan held his hand and said, "Let's talk about it first. Don't try to play tricks on me later."

Geng Zhiye threw it back: "Fanfan, do you want to go to college?"

Ye Fan touched his head and said, "Who said anything?"

"No one said anything. I just thought that if someone of Chen Xiaohui's character could get into Renmin University, my Ye Fanfan could definitely get into Peking University if she wanted to."

Ye Fan sighed helplessly: "Why are you arguing with her? She didn't provoke you."

Geng Zhiye suspected that Chen Xiaohui dared to complain about Ye Fan buying only a fish and a few crabs because she thought she was different from before and deserved a generous hospitality. Maybe Chen Xiaohui herself didn't realize it, but she was indeed more comfortable this time than last time, and seemed more confident and calm.

He and Ye Fan haven't changed. The only change Chen Xiaohui has made is going to college. "I'm not competing with her. I will leave Hengshan Island sooner or later. If you can go back to the headquarters, you can find a job in the city to kill time. If I'm transferred to the border, you and Dabao and Erbao will have to go back to the capital. Dabao goes to middle school and Erbao goes to elementary school. Your mother and Aunt Yu can pick them up. What are you doing? Working as a temporary worker?"

Ye Fan: "So you thought of letting me take the college entrance exam after seeing Chen Xiaohui taking it?"

Geng Zhiye nodded: "Take two months to review English and mathematics, and the rest of the time to memorize Chinese, politics, history and geography."

"But it's too late." Ye Fan couldn't help but frown.

It’s not that Ye Fan doesn’t want to go to college, it’s just that she thinks it’s unnecessary. Secondly, Geng Zhiye brought this up suddenly and she was not mentally prepared, so she was a little annoyed.

Geng Zhiye was speechless but wanted to laugh: "Accountant Ye, Ye Fanfan, you are so bold. It's less than half a year before the college entrance examination this year, and you want to go to Beijing University after hastily reviewing? I said next year!"

"Ah?" Ye Fan felt relieved when he said that. "It's still in time for next year."

Geng Zhiye: "I'm not stupid. How busy are you going to be preparing for the college entrance exam this year?"

"Then I'll give it a try?" Ye Fan didn't want to trouble her family to arrange a job for her. But as Geng Zhiye said, in two years, Dabao and Erbao wouldn't need her to pick them up, and she didn't want to work as a laborer in an unfamiliar department. There was really nothing to do at home.

Geng Zhiye: "Ask Xiaoqin to send the book over later?"

Ye Fan: "No need. Everyone on the island who wants to go to college plans to go to high school in the city in the fall - every household can afford it now. No one uses Su Yuanhang's books, so I want to come over and take a look first. If new textbooks are printed in the fall, I will ask students on the island who are going to high school to buy me a set."

"Use the stove to cook from now on."

Ye Fan smiled and said, "Don't be so nervous. If you are tired of reading, go out and pick up some firewood to change your mind. Before, Xiaoqin was at our house preparing for the exam. Didn't you remind me to ask her to cook?"

"Don't tell your mother yet. Otherwise, she will come with a lot of bags to serve you." Geng Zhiye was on guard against Chen Xiaohui.

Chen Xiaohui seemed to be stupid, and that was why Geng Zhiye was afraid that her good intentions would ruin Ye Fan's plans.

Ye Fan was speechless: "Is it necessary to dislike your mother-in-law so much?"

"Who said I dislike her? I'm just afraid of tiring her out."

Ye Fan turned to him and asked, "Do you think I believe it?"

Geng Zhiye held her head and kissed her on the lips: "What do you think?"

Ye Fan pushed him away and pulled up the quilt: "Sleep."

Although Geng Zhiqin helped Ye Fan cook and wash clothes with her these days, there were two more people in the family after all, and Ye Fan certainly couldn't do whatever she wanted.

Considering that Ye Fan was not physically or mentally tired, Geng Zhiye turned off the lights and did not put his arm around her, fearing that she would not be able to sleep and would feel uncomfortable.

Ye Fan slept until dawn and woke up feeling relaxed both physically and mentally.

After breakfast, Ye Fan went to the vegetable market and called the supply and marketing cooperative, asking the people there to find Su Yuanhang.

Su Yuanhang hadn't gone to school yet, but when he received a call from Ye Fan asking for high school textbooks, he rode his bike to deliver them. Su Yuanhang was fast, and arrived at Ye Fan's house around 10 o'clock.

Ye Fan checked Dabao and Erbao's winter vacation homework in the living room, and after confirming that there was no problem, he let them go and play. Dabao and Erbao ran into Su Yuanhang in the yard.

The brother and sister looked at each other and thought that Su Yuanhang must have something wrong when he came here suddenly, so they decided to listen to what it was. It had nothing to do with the children, so it wouldn't be too late for them to leave later.

When Dabao and Erbao came into the room and heard their mother say that they had nothing to do at home every day, they borrowed the book to study harder. Then they pouted and ran out.

The brother and sister believed this, but Su Yuanhang didn't: "You are not so free today. Accountant Ye, let's be frank."

Ye Fan: "I do plan to try. But it will be next year. The policies are changing so fast now, I may not be able to take the exam next year, because I will be 31 next year. So, let's wait and see."

Su Yuanhang: "It's still not too late this year."

Ye Fan: "It's definitely in time to take the entrance exam for Hangzhou Normal University."

Su Yuanhang was stunned for a moment, then came to his senses and couldn't believe it: "You, you, you want to apply to Beijing University?!"

Ye Fan smiled and nodded.

Su Yuanhang took a deep breath and held it in for a long time before uttering, "As expected of Accountant Ye!"

Ye Fan laughed: "Keep it a secret for me first. Otherwise, if I fail the exam next year, it will be so embarrassing if the news gets out."

"sure."

Su Yuanhang came out of Ye Fan's house and thought of one thing: if she was admitted to Beijing University, what would happen to Dabao and Erbao? Ye Fan would definitely be reluctant to part with her children, so there was only one possibility, that Captain Geng was leaving.

Su Yuanhang wanted to go back, so he turned the car around and came back. Captain Geng had been in Hengshan Island for five years, and it was time for him to move, whether he was promoted or demoted.

Ye Fan is not sure whether he will take the exam next year, which actually means he is not sure where Captain Geng will go next year.

Su Yuanhang thought he had guessed the truth, so he hoped that Geng Zhiye could be transferred to the headquarters. The headquarters was not far from Hengshan Island, and if the food factory encountered difficulties, they could ask Ye Fan for advice.

But he didn't tell anyone. When his father asked him where he had been, Su Yuanhang made up an excuse - there was a child who couldn't afford to buy textbooks, so he gave the textbooks to the child, and he got away with it.

Since he had agreed to prepare for the exam, Ye Fan couldn't say one thing and do another. So on the night he got the textbook, Ye Fan read until ten o'clock.

The next morning, Ye Fan woke up at around five o'clock, recited a book for a while, got up at around six o'clock, turned on the stove, washed up, and then went to the market to buy meat.

After breakfast, Ye Fan picked up the geography textbook and continued reading.

Dabao and Erbao wanted to go out and play. When they saw their mother reading a book, they looked over to her, one on each side, to see what she was reading.

Ye Fan: "Study with mom?"

Dabao and Erbao don’t want to learn, so they pretend to be pitiful.

Ye Fan: "When it's half past ten, you two can go out and play for an hour and then come back to help mom cook?"

Dabao and Erbao looked at their mother's watch. It was nine o'clock. They only needed to study for an hour and a half. The two children reluctantly accepted it.

After finishing their winter vacation homework, they knew everything the teacher taught, but they didn’t know what to learn. The eldest wanted to teach the second oldest English, and the second oldest wanted to teach the eldest Russian.

Seeing that they were about to quarrel, Ye Fan quickly put down the book and said, "Erbao, brother can't flick his tongue, don't deliberately embarrass him. Dabao, teach your sister English words. Erbao, brother's spoken English is not as good as yours, you can chat with him in English."

Dabao: "Erbao's spoken English is not as good as mine."

Ye Fan nodded: "Is that because I stutter every time?"

"You can read the book by yourself." Dabao was so angry that he pulled his sister up, "Let's go!"

A few minutes later, Dabao's halting English voice came from the bedroom, answering his sister's question about what she had eaten for breakfast.

Ye Fan shook his head and laughed, what a face-saving little brat!

(End of this chapter)