Back to the prime of life

Chapter 18 Going to the countryside
The next day, Lu Changge did not go to practice driving.

Coach Meng was no longer surprised by this. He even had an idea in his mind: try a few more times. If this kid still didn't give him face, he would just let him take the test without any guidance. He couldn't blame him if he failed.

If all else fails, wait until things here are over and there's no contact between them, then think of other solutions.

But he couldn't make Lu Changge fail the exam. It was too blatant.

For Lu Changge, he had already put this guy behind him. He originally wanted to do some superficial work and deal with it. At least he could get along with others normally without any conflicts.

But there is a bottom line. If you still take this coach seriously, then there is something wrong with your brain. It's just a driver's license, and you can pass it anywhere.

So he didn't want to go even more.

In mid-July, Lu Changge received a call from his grandfather, asking him to go to the countryside.

This had been agreed upon beforehand, so he got up early and went to the county bus station to catch a bus.

These days, the minibuses that run in county towns and rural areas are characterized by a large raised bump on the main driver's side. I remember that it was very warm to sit on it in winter.

Of course, forget about it in the summer. After checking his ticket, he looked for a single seat next to the door.

Huaishui County is a plain county, with farmlands and villages on both sides of the county road. Even if you drive for dozens of kilometers, it is still the same, the only difference is the name of the village is different.

When cars were not popular, their family seldom went to the countryside because it was inconvenient. The minibus did not go to the village, but only stopped on the county road, but the drop-off point was four or five miles away from my grandfather's house.

Grandpa told him to call after he got off the bus and come to pick him up.

But before he could fight, he saw a girl with a ponytail riding a three-wheeled motorcycle coming over on the cement road that passed through the farmland and stretched into the village.

To be honest, he had never seen high-end business person Xu Qiuxue ride a three-wheeled motorcycle in his previous life.

He stood at the end of the road and watched for a while, then laughed out loud when no one was around. When the people got closer, he suppressed his laughter and walked forward. Xu Qiuxue also noticed him and stopped on her three-wheeled motorcycle.

Lu Changge looked up and squinted his eyes, feeling the hot summer sun, then put on the straw hat that Lu's mother had prepared for him.

"Girls, please pay attention to sun protection."

No wonder Yin Anyan looks whiter than her. It turns out Xu Qiuxue is working in the village.

"Is your hat clean?" Xu Qiuxue was startled by his action.

"It's clean. My mom always washes it. I don't like wearing it. I haven't worn it today. Did grandpa ask you to pick me up?"

"Yes. What are you laughing about?"

"Nothing, nothing."

Xu Qiuxue didn't bother to ask further questions. She adjusted her hat, clenched her right fist, and pointed her thumb backwards. "Get in the car."

Okay, let’s get on the three-wheeled motorcycle.

Maybe it had been a long time since he sat down, so Lu Changge forgot a crucial step. As soon as he sat down, he jumped up from the spot, "Ah!"

Xu Qiuxue turned around hurriedly, thinking something big had happened, "What's wrong?!"

"Fuck, it's so hot! My butt is cooked!"

what?
"Hahaha!" The girl was stunned for a moment, but couldn't help but burst into laughter. She said, "This seems to have been exposed to the sun all day. I told you to be happy for no reason, but now you're too happy and it turns into sorrow, right?"

After she finished speaking, she was still laughing, not caring about her image at all.

"Human happiness is indeed built on the suffering of others."

"Okay, okay, I won't laugh anymore. You can just squat down, we'll be there soon anyway."

"What did you say?!"

I'm a tycoon worth over a hundred thousand, about to dominate the stock market, and you want me to sit on the back of a three-wheeled motorcycle? What kind of picture would that be?
"Well, if you want to sit, I have no objection."

After saying that, she held back her laughter and turned away.

Lu Changge reached out and touched the large iron sheet again, and decided to... squat for a while.

But after riding for ten minutes and seeing no sign of arriving, he complained, "You talk fast, you're really fast."

Xu Qiuxue ignored her, perhaps because she felt a little embarrassed for her failure in controlling her facial expression just now. She was originally quite quiet and reserved.

My grandfather's house is a two-story building with a red brick house next to it for cooking.

Lu Changge was squatting on the three-wheeled motorcycle and his body was unstable. He felt a little dizzy when he got down.

Xu Qiuxue wanted to laugh again, but held it back.

Afterwards, she saw this guy frowning in the sun one second, and then shouting with joy the next second, "Grandpa, Grandma! I'm here!"

This was the first time she saw Lu Changge so enthusiastic towards these two old people, and she couldn't help but silently complain, "I didn't realize he was still a flatterer."

Especially her grandmother, who was obviously his step-grandmother, but this guy didn't care at all. He rushed over to hug her and said, "Grandma, are you feeling well recently?"

"Okay, okay, everything is fine recently."

"I brought an old hen to give grandma some nutrition!"

At this time, Mr. He also came out of the room. He had silver hair and a thin figure, but his eyes were bright and his smile was kind.

Grandma said to the old man, "Look, Changge brought something again. I told you not to bother the child."

The old man waved his hand indifferently and said, "Don't be polite, we're family. Changge, you must be hot, sit under the fan and get some cool air." There was an old-fashioned three-blade ceiling fan in the room, and Lu Changge was always afraid that it would fall down.

While they were talking, Xu Qiuxue had already quietly poured the water, and then went to collect firewood behind the stove.

In rural areas, people cook by using a fire on a stove.

This way of cooking is very comfortable in winter, and even kittens know to hide in it to keep warm.

But it’s more difficult in summer.

Lu Changge saw it first, but didn't say much. Instead, he chatted with the old man for a few words.

He shared his idea of studying computer science and chose Jiangzhou Institute of Technology as his university choice.

The old man still felt a little sorry after hearing this, "Your grades, although not as good as Xiaoxue's, are still top-notch. What a pity."

Lu Changge said, "Failure is also an asset in life. I will always remember this defeat. Knowing shame will lead to courage."

Grandma said, "Children have their own ideas. It's not impossible to go to a lesser university. Everyone wants to get Xiaoxue's grades, but how can it be that easy?"

These words have a bit of the flavor of showing off one's own children and granddaughter, and at least they don't sound like what a real grandmother would say.

Lu Changge knew it, but he had already figured out the family matters.

He didn't expect Xu Qiuxue to open her defense and say, "Grandma, Lu Changge's grades are good enough for him to get into a good university."

"I know. I didn't say Changge went to a bad university."

My grandfather is a smart man, but he gets annoyed when he hears such arguments.

After observing her expression for a while, Lu Changge dropped the topic and went behind the stove to pull Xu Qiuxue up. "Let me do the cooking."

Lu Changge didn't come here often, so he was considered a half-guest. Grandma wouldn't be so obvious about this kind of thing, so she still said politely, "No need for you, no need for you, you've never done this. Xiaoxue, don't do that."

"Oh, I know. I'll do that."

Lu Changge ignored them and used his hands to pull Xu Qiuxue up. Seeing beads of sweat on her forehead, cheeks and chin, he felt a little uncomfortable. He didn't want to say anything and just sat down.

Xu Qiuxue was a little at a loss when faced with this scene, but she was not stupid and naturally knew why Lu Changge did this.

But she really didn't know how to express herself well, so she went to help her grandmother. She wanted to finish cooking the dishes as soon as possible so that Lu Changge could finish her work earlier.

At noon, Lu Changge drank two taels of wine with Mr. He.

Anyway, he still got into a university, so it wasn't a big deal, so the old man was in a good mood. He just kept talking to him about social knowledge, how it's not enough to just study, that you have to know how to be a good person, have emotional intelligence, etc.

Xu Qiuxue had to listen for a long time as well, but after listening carefully, she felt that Lu Changge understood it all. After all, every time he responded, he could hit the core of what the old man was saying.

Later the old man went to take a nap.
Xu Qiuxue was finally free. She said to Lu Changge, "It's amazing that you had the patience to listen to such a long speech and even discussed it so enthusiastically."

"I think what grandpa said makes sense. Social knowledge is indeed necessary."

"But I feel like you understand what he's talking about emotional intelligence."

Lu Changge thought for a moment and said, "Pretending not to know at this time is also part of emotional intelligence."

Xu Qiuxue seemed to be lost in thought. She felt that Lu Changge seemed to have some truth in what he said.

"You, what are you doing lately?"

"I'm learning to drive. What about you?"

"I don't have anything to do. I'm just helping my grandparents with their work."

"So sensible?"

"Children from poor families have to grow up early."

Lu Changge, still a little drunk, said, "They say children from poor families grow up early... But in fact, many children from ordinary families only learn survival skills and don't grasp the logic of how society works."

After saying that, he turned to look at Xu Qiuxue and found that the girl seemed to be thinking about something again.

At this moment, he suddenly realized that Xu Qiuxue rarely refuted him like other high school students. Most of the time, she would think about what he said.

"If, and I mean if, you really think I understand those so-called emotional intelligences. When you leave this village and go to a big city and encounter problems other than studying, don't be embarrassed to come to me."

The top student nodded obediently, "Okay, I'll call you."

"That's right. How about it, are you willing to call me brother now?"

Xu Qiuxue's originally somewhat touched emotions instantly collapsed, "Call you the head!"

Lu Changge stopped joking with her. He came here today because his grandfather wanted to chat with him and also to bring an old hen with him. This was arranged by his mother.

Actually, there is one more thing.

Now that grandpa had gone for lunch, he took out five hundred yuan from his pocket and gave it to grandma, saying that his parents had asked him to bring it.

According to the old lady's personality, she would secretly sniff it out and save it for Xu Qiuxue.

She is so old, her son is not doing well, and her daughter-in-law ran away. She has to find a way to raise her granddaughter.

(End of this chapter)