Before leaving, you packed a bunch of steaming sweet potatoes in your bicycle basket. You were unceremonious, biting into one with a big mouthful and waving to Yan Zisu and her mother, "I’m leaving."
Then, you wobbly rode your bike away.
Seeing you leave, Yan Zisu stood there, staring at your back in a daze.
From the beginning until now, she completely didn’t understand your actions; to her, each of your moves seed casual yet was very deliberate. She couldn’t comprehend why you would help her like this, as she didn’t consider herself particularly beautiful nor having anything that might attract you. In any case, she felt very confused.
As for Yan Zisu’s mother, she saw you as a unique individual.
When the family gathered around the bed to eat, Yan Zisu’s mother specially served her daughter a piece of braised pork. Given their financial situation, normally they could only afford to eat at once a month, always reserved for the bedridden father. Earlier, because you said you would have dinner there, she prepared it, only for you to leave with just so cheap sweet potatoes.
"Mom, I won’t eat the at. Give it to Dad."
"Silly girl, you’re still growing. You need to eat at." Having said that, Yan Zisu’s mother’s eyes reddened, "Your dad’s been sick for years, and our family condition has worsened, leaving you the most to suffer. Look at other girls, all dressed up, while your mom doesn’t even have the ability to give you a full al!"
"Mom, don’t say that. As long as Dad can get better, I can endure any hardship."
"Yanzi," Yan Zisu’s father, who had remained silent, suddenly called to his wife.
Yan Zisu’s mother quickly lifted her head to look at her husband, "What is it, Dongqing?"
Yan Dongqing sighed lightly, "After thinking it over, I still feel we shouldn’t use this notebook since it doesn’t belong to us. According to Student Li, his grandfather was supposedly a military hero, and he obtained this notebook at the cost of his own blood. Soone worthless like doesn’t deserve it!"
"Dad!"
Yan Zisu was about to speak, but her mother stopped her. She wasn’t surprised by her husband’s words because she understood him too well. Back then, if he hadn’t been overly honest and loyal, he wouldn’t have been ostracized or ended up in such a state.
Yan Zisu’s mother pulled out the special work permit you left from her bosom. The permit wasn’t thick, only a few pages, yet she extracted a piece of old-fashioned letter paper and handed it to her husband.
Yan Dongqing reached out to take the letter paper, opened it, and soon his lips began to tremble, eyes reddening, as a teardrop finally fell onto the paper.
"This... such imnse kindness, how can I, Yan Dongqing, possibly bear it!"
Seeing this, Yan Zisu asked her mother, "Mom, who wrote this to Dad?"
"It’s your wonderful grandfather."
"Grandpa? Didn’t Grandpa... a long ti ago... Ah!" Seemingly realizing sothing, Yan Zisu quickly covered her mouth, her face showing disbelief.
"A kind person." Yan Dongqing had already been crying uncontrollably, "I’ve lived half my life and never t soone so kind!"
Yan Zisu’s mother looked at her daughter with joy, "Little Girl, co and tell Mom about that heroic old man..."
For Yan Zisu’s family, tonight was destined to be sleepless.
However, you—"Mom, Mom?"
Carefully peeking into the door, you found the living room brightly lit but empty.
Tiptoeing into the living room, suddenly a voice behind you said, "Sneaking like a thief?"
"Ah, scared to death!" You patted your chest, feigning fright.
"Why are you ho so late? You know your dad and I have been waiting for you?"
"Heh, because of Zongzi..."
"Zongzi? You an Wangyue? His mom just ca looking for , saying she hadn’t seen you all day."
"Well, we went to see Grandpa because we hadn’t seen him for a long ti, so we stayed a bit longer."
"Really? But soone reported seeing you riding a bicycle with a girl with a black ponytail, swaying along the gold-colored blue stone slab road, heading south? My, just casually saying that sounds so poetic."
"Well, Mom, let explain..." High school romance would typically be squashed by Mom herself; you hurried to explain.
Your mother waved her hand, "Tell , which girl are you planning to harm this ti?"
"Heaven’s truth, Mom!" You dramatically cried while honestly recounting how you helped Yan Zisu’s family.
After listening to your story, your mother slowly nodded, "At least you have so civic sense left in you, knowing to help others. But speaking of which, that Zisu girl has a good disposition, clever too. I quite like her; it’s just that she’s too gentle to control you. Otherwise, this match could be settled."
"Mom! No arranged marriage!"
You feign despair, only to be kicked aside by your mother, "Go play by yourself!"
"Oh, oh, oh." You move to the dining table, grab chopsticks, and start devouring dinner. Thinking of it, your mother still cared for her son; despite it being almost seven o’clock, the food was still hot.
Seated across from you, mother spoke to you as you devoured the al, "I warn you, regardless of what happens, don’t complicate relationships before the college entrance exam is over. Zisu is the most likely to beco the top student in the provincial exam this year."
"Mom, don’t worry, I didn’t have any other plans, just instinctively feel for her. Imagine a young girl in her bloom, not only burdened with imnse pressure, but also lacking basic life security. I just want to help her as much as I can."
"But, wasn’t your grandfather’s special work permit burned years ago? We didn’t bother to renew it due to inconvenience, so when did the old man renew it again?"
You shrugged, "How would I know? Maybe he planned to help out the old folks’ ho with it. Other families would beg for it, but ours doesn’t care."
"Nonsense! Who in their right mind would want to go to the hospital? I tell you, don’t ss around with relationships. If you accidentally get a girl pregnant, you better give birth under my care, or else watch your eggs," she warned, her expression dead serious.
Knowing your mother’s temperant well, you hurried to swear promises until you passed by.
The next day, you went to the old folk’s ho, discovering Yan Zisu hadn’t co. However, the director inford you that Yan Zisu had been there this morning, taken half a day off, and accompanied her father to see the doctor. Always persistent in being good to the end, you rode your bicycle to the military hospital once again.
Actually, to be honest, at the mont, you don’t have any special feelings for Yan Zisu, as you told your mother, only a simple desire to help her without requiring any return. Of course, if any return were to be wished, it might be just hoping for her radiant smile.
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