1985, the year of the great writer, began with Infernal Affairs!

Xie Youshan and Wang Yufen exchanged another glance.

They believed it; based on their understanding of Lawyer Xie, they were certain he wouldn't lie to them.

Moreover, they had all noticed the changes in their son during this period.

From the moment Li Hanwen withheld the notification letter, to the moment he found a way to resolve the issue himself, and then to the moment he went to the county town and returned with the notification letter in his hand.

This all shows that the son has grown up and is more capable than them.

Xie Youshan put down the paper and looked at the stack of money in front of him.

Two hundred yuan.

For rural families, this is a huge sum of money, enough for a family of three to live lavishly for a year or two.

And now, their son has given them this huge sum of money.

"Son, keep this money for yourself."

There are many places in Wuhan where you'll need money.

Living expenses, books, notebooks, and good places all cost money.

As Xie Youshan spoke, he pushed the two hundred yuan back to Xie Lu.

Wang Yufen chimed in, "Yes, you don't need to worry about things at home. We have hands and feet and can do the work."

Take this money. When you get to school, don't skimp on yourself.

Xie shook his head.

"Dad, Mom, please keep this money."

"I can earn money now, and I can earn even more in the future."

This two hundred is my gift to you.

"You raised me for eighteen years, it wasn't easy. Now that I've grown up, it's my turn to repay you."

He paused, then continued, "Moreover, even after I went to Wuhan, I was still able to continue writing."

I get paid for every article I write, so you don't need to worry about me not having money.

Keep this two hundred. Spend it if you need to, don't be stingy. When I come back from my vacation in a few months, I hope you'll all have gained at least ten pounds.

Wang Yufen laughed at Xie Lu's words and lightly slapped him, saying, "You still want to gain ten pounds? If you gain another ten pounds, won't I turn into a pig? Do you want your mother to turn into a pig?!"

Xie Youshan silently watched Xie Lu for a long time.

Wang Yufen started wiping away tears again, but this time they were tears of joy.

"Honey, our son has made something of himself."

Xie Youshan nodded.

He reached out and picked up the wad of money in front of him.

The money was brand new; the ten-yuan bills were light green, and the five-yuan bills were brown. He counted them one by one, very slowly.

Ten, twenty, thirty...one hundred...two hundred.

Exactly twenty.

He carefully wrapped the money again and held it tightly in his hand.

"We'll keep this money for you for now, you'll need it when you get married."

Xie Lu laughed: "It's too early to get married."

"It's getting late, time flies by. When it's time to get married, we'll need money for the wedding banquet, furniture, and all that. We'll save this money for you."

Attorney Xie did not argue further.

He knew that his parents were doing this for his own good.

Rural people are practical.

Getting married and starting a family is a major event.

Money should be saved and used wisely.

"Okay, you can keep it."

Xie Youshan tucked the cloth bag into his coat, patted it, and made sure it was properly placed.

Wang Yufen wiped away her tears and smiled, "Let's eat, let's eat, the food's getting cold."

The three of them picked up their chopsticks again.

This breakfast was eaten exceptionally slowly.

Xie Youshan and Wang Yufen kept putting food on Xie Lü's plate, urging him to eat more.

Xie Lu did not refuse and ate it all.

After finishing her meal, Wang Yufen went to wash the dishes.

Xie Youshan helped Xie Lu carry his luggage out.

There wasn't much luggage, just a bedding roll, tied up tightly.

The travel bag was sewn by Wang Yufen from old cloth, and it contained clothes and daily necessities.

There was also a small net bag containing a toothbrush, toothpaste, towel, and soap.

Xie Lu looked around and went back into the house to get a few more things.

I packed a few of my favorite books into my travel bag.

The pen and ink, wrapped in cloth, were also stuffed inside.

"Everything is here."

After washing the dishes, Wang Yufen came out and saw the luggage. Her eyes reddened again, but she held back her tears and walked up to Xie Lu to straighten his collar.

"When you get to school, listen to your teachers, get along well with your classmates, don't skimp on meals, eat when you're hungry, and if you run out of money, write home and Mom will send you some."

"Understood." Xie Lu nodded.

Xie Youshan stood to the side, smoking a pipe, the smoke dissipating in the morning air.

He looked at his son for a long time before saying, "When you get to school, study hard and don't worry about home. Your mother and I are fine."

"Yes." Xie Lu nodded.

The three of them stood in the courtyard, and for a moment no one spoke.

The rooster crowed again.

Shouts came from the fields in the distance; it was farmers getting up early to work.

It was fully light when the sun shone brightly, illuminating the courtyard.

Xie Lu looked up at the sky.

It's time to go.

He was going to the county town to find Zhao Wanwan, and then they would go to the train station together. The train was leaving at three o'clock, so they had to go early to avoid being delayed on the way.

"Dad, Mom, I'm leaving."

Xie Lu finally bid farewell to the two elders.

Wang Yufen finally couldn't hold back her tears any longer and let them fall. She quickly wiped them away and forced a smile: "Let's go, be careful on the road."

Xie Youshan nodded: "Let's go."

Xie Lu pushed the bicycle, his luggage strapped to the back seat; it was heavy, but securely tied.

He pushed the cart out of the yard.

The parents followed behind.

He stopped at the gate of the courtyard and turned around.

"Let's go back."

"We'll go back after you've gone far away," Wang Yufen said.

Xie nodded.

He got on his bike and pedaled.

The wheels turned and drove forward.

He glanced back.

His parents were still standing at the gate, waving to him. Wang Yufen was wiping away tears, while Xie Youshan stood with his back ramrod straight.

He waved back, then turned around and pedaled hard.

The dirt road stretched forward, while the cornfields on both sides receded into the distance.

The wind blew past my ears, carrying the coolness of the morning.

Xie Lu rode very fast.

He knew his parents would stand there until they could no longer see him.

Just like in a past life.

But this time, it's different.

He left two hundred yuan and made a promise to his parents.

He will be fine, he will earn more money, and he will give them a good life.

This is enough.

The wheels rolled over the road, raising a fine cloud of dust.

The sunlight shone on him, warm and comforting.

This time, because the things tied to the back of Xie Lü's bicycle were very heavy, it took him much longer to ride to the county town than the previous times.

the other side.

In the steel factory's residential compound, Zhao Wanwan had packed her luggage early in the morning and waited eagerly at the entrance of the alley, glancing into the distance from time to time.

In response to Zhao Wanwan's action, Li Xiuqin nudged Zhao Jianguo, who was standing to the side, with her elbow and deliberately teased him:

"See? Your daughter's soul has been stolen by him."

"It's true what they say, daughters are no longer under their mothers' control once they grow up. They're about to go on a long trip, and they hardly ever talk to us."

Li Xiuqin said this with a sour tone.

Zhao Jianguo could easily tell the jealousy in his wife's tone, so he chuckled and quickly tried to comfort her.

After finally managing to calm Li Xiuqin down a bit.

Zhao Jianguo called Zhao Wanwan back. It was still early, so they should eat breakfast first.