From the end of July to August 20th, a group of us traveled around, playing and sightseeing while purchasing quite a few properties, savoring Beijing’s delicious food and beautiful scenery. We had an absolute blast.
Chenchen, Jianjun, and Liu Xuan were all completely enamored with Beijing, subtly or not, thanks to Wu Liguo’s persuasion. They even reached the point of sotis trying to convince their parents to move to Beijing for developnt.
This left the adults both amused and helpless, so they could only encourage the kids to study hard.
Work hard like your older siblings, and soday you’ll be able to attend university in Beijing.
Upon hearing this, the academically-challenged Lian Xi shook his little head like a rattle-drum: "No way. After staying in Beijing for a while, it’s just the sa old place. We’ve got hardworking siblings in the family studying in Beijing. For , it’s better to stay ho with mom and dad! Studying is important, but being filial is even more so!"
Clearly unwilling to exert extra effort in studying and not hopeful about getting into university, this sly kid made everyone laugh with his comnt about filial piety.
Even Wu Liu, the perpetual instigator, circled around Lian Xi, clucking: "Smart enough to co up with such a sophisticated excuse for not liking school, yet can’t handle studying? That’s not logical!"
"I just find it strange that you can dress up a dislike for study with a glamorous excuse of being filial and looking after the family, but you can’t put in a bit more effort to improve your studies?" Jianguo was genuinely curious, with no intention of mockery!
Lian Xi shrugged helplessly: "Probably the difference between a genius and an average person? Doing twice the work for half the results might just be about !"
After so much effort, he still didn’t get a passing score in math, and in language arts, he frequently brought ho red marks. He was truly helpless!
Luckily, his parents weren’t the type to hit without a reason. Even though everyone in the family, from his parents to his siblings, were geniuses, they never forced him to achieve at least above average.
Instead, they often comforted him by saying there are many paths to success, anyone can excel in various professions.
The path to success is manifold; excelling in academics isn’t the only way.
Haven’t you seen that both his uncles only have high school diplomas, yet they’ve educated graduates from prestigious universities under them?
Always being consoled and encouraged, Lian Xi barely found a chance to wallow in self-pity even if he tried.
Over ti, the only diocre student in the group of scholars grew more candid.
He openly declared that if he couldn’t make it into college, he would attend bookkeeping training and work as an accountant for his uncle or brothers soday.
When Shuzhen first heard of his ambition, she paused, considering he had always dreamt in his past life of becoming a brigade accountant.
As for this aspiration, Shuzhen and Lianshan neither approved nor disapproved, believing that as long as their kids were happy, it didn’t matter what they did.
But Lian En, Chenchen, and Xinzhi, who had strong sibling bonds, weren’t having it!
Every ti Lian Xi scored a hundred in math, it fully demonstrated that he wasn’t a slow kid at all. A slight bias in subjects could totally be rectified with more effort.
They just didn’t believe that if they banded together and took turns tutoring him, he’d fall behind!
Even with so much fun during the day, they still rotated in the evenings to do howork with Lian Xi.
This loving behavior towards their sibling earned them endless praise from the adults, but Lian Xi, who was being loved, just wanted to cry and beg for rcy.
With the autumn harvest imminent, Liu Shouren, who had been away from his position as brigade leader for nearly a month, was urged multiple tis a day with phone calls about his return.
The children were also close to the start of the school year, so no matter how reluctant they were, returning was right around the corner.
Jianguo and Ning An both enrolled in military schools, which started early in August and by now have gone through nearly half a month of military training.
Lian En and Jiajia’s school started later, with their registration on August 20th.
After sending off the two new college students, they helped Jiajia with all the necessary paperwork for boarding school. Shuzhen, Wu Yinghong, and Su Hongying even went to their dormitory, checked the room environnt, and cleaned up properly.
Fearing that their sister-in-law Qiu Fang, accustod to frugality, might be too tight with Jiajia’s living expenses, Shuzhen insisted on giving Jiajia two hundred yuan after much persuasion.
Reminded her to spend where needed, buy what she should.
If she ever ran out of money or wanted sothing tasty, she could always find Lian En at the art college.
After all, he and Feng Ju lived off campus, received more pocket money, and were quite capable of earning on their own.
For anything she needed, finding him was a sure bet.
On the other hand, her actual brother Lian Jie, due to the strict military school managent and boarding conditions, it’s far less convenient to find him than Lian En.
Because Lian En had lived independently before and lived with Feng Ju in the house that Old Yang, oh no, Feng Ju insisted was exchanged for a painting he did for Old Yang, which Feng Ju firmly believed was a gift for his pupil.
Left Shuzhen with no worries at all, it was just when parting was imminent that she felt reluctant.
anwhile, the younger siblings had always been in sync with their older brother.
Suddenly faced with being separated for at least a few months, they cried until they looked like red-eyed rabbits.
Originally set to leave on the 20th, their sobbing pushed it back to the 23rd. Their big brother was starting military training, required to stay on campus, so they reluctantly began their return journey.
Coming with twenty-three, they left out Feng Ju, Lian En, Lian Jia, Lian Jie, Jianguo, and An Ning, leaving seventeen in total for the return.
Shuzhen thought with five cars for seventeen people, there’d be plenty of room on the return trip.
But reality proved she was too optimistic.
With all the souvenirs, clothes, and food purchased during their tour and fun visits.
Plus gifts from Uncle Wu, Elder Jiang and Jiang Shengnan’s couple, Wei Lai, Wu Hao, Feng Anhuai, and others.
It packed the five trunks full, not to ntion the floor and rear seats were loaded with lots of stuff too.
In total, it was more cramped than when they ca!
After many attempts to refuse and being refused, they had no choice but to accept these tangible tokens of heart.
After a bittersweet farewell, all seventeen finally set off for the journey ho.
Having seen most of the sights on the way there, naturally the return was faster.
The sa route that took four days going there took less than half that ti returning.
After calling ahead, at ho, Lian Yue and Qiu Fang had already tidied everything up nicely.
Inside and out was spotless, the fridge filled to the brim, and the kang was cozy and warm.
After a quick al, the family piled onto the warm kang.
They slept half a day and night, finally easing the fatigue from the journey.
There was no other way, without Feng Ju, the veteran driver, the sister-in-laws had to handle two cars among them!
The physical exhaustion coupled with constant ntal strain, if they weren’t tired it would be a miracle.
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