Walking over to help Grandma Sun with the vegetable basket, several people returned to the hall where Zhao Li poured her a cup of tea.
"When did you co to Shanghai? Why didn’t you stay in the village?" Zhao Li asked. Originally, when she returned to the village, she argued with Old Mo about the village doctor position he envisioned for Chunhua as his successor, and now, not long after, she ran out again.
Yanhua slowly lowered her head and remained silent for a long ti. Grandma Sun and Zhao Li exchanged glances — what was this about now? Lan Tian turned his head away, pouting as if she was the one who had been wronged, which to the unaware might seem like a major injustice.
Lan Tian disliked Yanhua, as she had that sa delicate deanor as Zhou Yuwei.
Thinking about the trouble Yanhua caused after returning to the village, unsettling the whole family, both Grandma Sun and Zhao Li felt disheartened and did not ask her further, lest they get blad for any misunderstanding later.
Such an ingrate, clueless of the favors received and possibly biting the hand that feeds her anyti.
Lan Tian, however, smiled. In the village, grandma was famously tender-hearted; even she refrained from speaking now. It seems Yanhua had gone too far before, scaring Grandma Sun.
After waiting awhile with no one asking her anything, Yanhua couldn’t help but look up, only to see Lan Tian giving her a smirk, while Grandma Sun and Zhao Li were picking vegetables.
Yanhua: "..." This family was becoming more heartless.
"What are your plans?" As relatives, Grandma Sun felt she couldn’t simply ignore her. Not seeing her was one thing, but now with her here, it would be inappropriate to remain unconcerned.
Zhao Li paused while picking vegetables, glanced at Yanhua and continued her task.
"No particular plans, I’ll just find sothing to do in Shanghai and make a living," said Yanhua with a resigned and bitter smile, glancing at Grandma Sun who was looking down at the ground.
Grandma Sun sighed. These tis are tough for everyone. Zhao Li, as if she didn’t hear Yanhua, kept picking her vegetables while Lan Tian appeared indifferent.
No one spoke in the room, silent and still.
"Does your mother know you’re in Shanghai?" After a while, Grandma Sun asked.
"They know," Yanhua answered with a smile, rembering she took so money from her mother when she left.
"That’s good!" It’s good that they know, Grandma Sun was just worried that Yanhua had run away from so trouble and impulsively ca to look for them in Shanghai, which could lead to unclear situations in the future.
Lan Tian’s smile deepened, a cold glint flickered deep in her eyes. Yanhua’s disgraceful act of eloping with soone’s money wasn’t Lan Tian’s concern, but she wouldn’t tolerate if Yanhua tried to manipulate Grandma Sun and Zhao Li, not without facing her ruthless side.
"What type of job are you looking for?" Checking to see if she could offer so help.
"I can’t do much else besides nursing, what else could I do?" Yanhua responded.
No one spoke in the room.
"..." Grandma Sun choked up, thinking that if Yanhua wasn’t demanding much for a job, she could ask around the neighbors to find so temporary work for Yanhua, letting her decide for herself.
She couldn’t really help with this, her eagerness to assist waning, squinting her eyes, "That’s good, where are you staying these days? Any progress on the job front?"
Yanhua glanced at Lan Tian, "Found a small motel to stay in, just temporarily residing, not too fussy being out and about. As for the job, I’ve asked so people around, they said they will notify if there’s any news."
Asked around? Whom did she ask?
Lan Tian glanced at Yanhua and held his gaze, saying nothing. Since Yanhua had just arrived in Shanghai, unfamiliar with her surroundings, it’s harsh to say, but once she steps outside, she couldn’t even differentiate north from south, east from west, how could she have any friends or acquaintances?
"That’s good, don’t go yet, have a al here at Second Grandmother’s."
"Sorry for the trouble, Second Grandmother."
After Yanhua finished eating, Grandma Sun walked her to the door, where they pushed and shoved playfully. Grandma Sun handed her a red envelope, "It’s inconvenient when you’re out and about, Second Grandmother can’t offer much help, but please take this little token. You know the place, whenever there’s anything, just co over."
"Ah, I understand. There’s no need, Second Grandmother, I still have money." Yanhua declined.
Lan Tian and Zhao Li both looked on in silence.
"Alright, then I’ll keep it. Fifth Aunt, Lan Tian, I’m leaving." Yanhua declined a few tis but couldn’t resist Grandma Sun’s enthusiasm and left feeling embarrassed.
After she left, Grandma Sun sighed heavily, "How did it co to this!"
"Auntie, let’s not ddle in Yanhua’s affairs, after all, it’s none of our business. Talking too much can be annoying, and even her own parents can’t control her. You have enough on your mind with Tiantian, his college entrance exams are in a few days. You see, he’s acting like he isn’t bothered at all, not sure how prepared he is, I heard he’s aiming for direct admission to a university but there are still minimum score requirents."
"That’s worriso, where is the girl?" Grandma Sun also beca anxious.
"She went back to her room."
As Yanhua walked out of the yard, she looked back. The houses and land here were bigger than those in Mo Village, and Mo Junhua really treats Lan Tian well, willing to spend money to build a house for her maternal ho, sothing he wouldn’t even do for his own parents.
What a pity, these peaceful days won’t last, there will be a drama to watch soon.
Yanhua returned to the hostel, spending 20 cents to borrow pen and paper from the hostel owner, and after a long thought, organized her words and wrote down what she had seen and heard at Lan Tian’s house today. She would mail it at the post office the next day.
June 4th, the nationwide college entrance examination day.
That day, the whole family ca out to send Lan Tian to school, the group was impressive, Mo Yuanle even borrowed a bullock cart from the village. When Lan Tian ca out, Grandma Sun and Zhao Li were already seated.
Seeing this setup, Lan Tian didn’t feel like persuading anymore, no matter what, Grandma Sun and Zhao Li wouldn’t dismount, so she hurried over to sit down, and the family of four drove the bullock cart to Jingli First Middle School.
At the school gate, many parents had co to send off their children, those from well-off families were dropped off by family drivers, others ca by bicycle or public bus, and so even walked, but no one else arrived in a bullock cart like Lan Tian’s family, drawing curious glances.
Lan Tian maintained her usual calm and composed deanor as she got off the cart, helping Grandma Sun down, and then attentively listened to Grandma Sun and Zhao Li repeat the exhortations they had been fussing over the past few days: not to be nervous, to take it easy, not to put too much pressure on herself, to do her best, and that it wouldn’t matter to the family whether she got into university or not.
Lan Tian smiled in response to each point they made, and once Grandma Sun and Zhao Li were done, the sun was already high, and it was starting to feel hot, and would only get hotter. There were mostly parents waiting at the school gate, very few families ca out in full force like Lan Tian’s.
"Grandma, I got it, look, there are so many people here and the sun is so intense. Why don’t you and Aunt go ho? Today is only the first day, and there are two more days of exams to go. Let Uncle stay and watch, okay?"
Mo Yuanle nodded.
Grandma Sun looked around; indeed, there were many parents waiting at the gate, their bullock cart also took up much space, and with people constantly coming and going, there was scarcely a spot to park their cart.
"Well then, we’ll go back first." Mo Yuanle drove the bullock, watching as they left, and then Lan Tian headed toward the examination hall.
On the way, classmates talked about her, gossiping and pointing fingers, Divine Sense sweeping through, Lan Tian overheard them discussing her arriving via bullock cart and she smiled faintly.
Her classmates couldn’t understand how precious familial love is. Friendships may betray, love may betray, even spouses can betray, but only true kinship remains unbreakable.
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