Wei Lanlan brought two people inside, and Yang Xiaomei warmly welcomed them to sit on the kang. She introduced Xu Ning, saying, “This is the new educated youth, Wang Jiaohua, and Wang Chunhua.” Then she introduced Xu Ning to the two girls.

They were all young girls, and it didn’t take long for them to become familiar with each other. Wang Chunhua was outspoken and confident, and Xu Ning was not one to be shy, so they quickly hit it off.

Wang Jiaohua was her biological aunt, with a personality somewhat like Yang Xiaomei’s—she was very shy. Both of them were the same age, seventeen years old. Originally, Chunhua was supposed to go to the countryside with her second uncle’s child. However, two days before they left, her second aunt changed her cousin’s name to that of her younger aunt.

Xu Ning could only sigh when she heard this; as an outsider, it was not her place to comment on such family matters.

Xu Ning played in the educated youth camp until it was time to cook lunch. It was just her and Xu An for the meal. There were still a few pancakes left from the morning, and she planned to cook some corn porridge, which would be just about enough.

A few days passed in the blink of an eye. Xu Ning had not gone out much during this time; she spent her days at home making shoes and reviewing her current junior high and high school textbooks.

After Lu Xiaotang left, Xu An returned to school every day. Xiao Mo also didn’t come around much, spending his time in the cattle shed listening to Grandpa Qi tell stories. Xu Ning thought that he must have taken Er Dan’s advice to heart, fearing that if he stayed with girls too long, he wouldn’t be able to find a wife.

When Xu An came home from school, he was holding a letter. Even before he stepped through the door, he shouted, “Sister, I ran into the mailman on the way! There’s a letter from big brother today!” He put his backpack on the table and began to open the envelope.

Xu Ning responded happily, “Let’s see if big brother is coming! He mentioned in his last letter that he would arrive this month, so it should be in the next few days.”

Xu An opened the letter and read it, his face lighting up. “Sister, brother said he’ll be taking the train on the 11th!”

Xu Ning took the letter and read it carefully. Xu Yang mentioned the train on the 11th, and since today was already the 14th, he should be arriving in the next couple of days.

Xu Ning put the letter away and said, “Big brother should be here in the next couple of days. I’ll ride Grandpa Chen’s ox cart to the county town’s archway to wait for him tomorrow. If he doesn’t arrive by then, I’ll go again the day after.”

Xu An was also excited, saying, “Sister, you go tomorrow. If big brother doesn’t arrive, I won’t go to school the day after; I’ll go pick him up.

The siblings discussed how to welcome Xu Yang back, while Lu Xiaotang’s train had already arrived in the capital city. He had just reached the exit with his luggage when he spotted Huo Zhenting, dressed in military uniform, along with a guy from the compound.

As soon as they saw him come out, they rushed over. Huo Zhenting playfully punched him in the chest twice and then withdrew his hand with a smile, saying, “Wow, it’s been years! You’ve really bulked up!”

Lu Xiaotang shot him a glance but didn’t engage with his banter. The guy standing next to them, Guan Zi, laughed and said, “Brother Ting, have you forgotten about Brother Lu’s punches after not getting beaten up for so many years?”

Huo Zhenting kicked Guan Zi playfully and laughed, scolding, “Shut up! I can’t take him down, but I can definitely handle you!”

Having been on the train for several days, Lu Xiaotang was not in the mood for their banter. He tossed both large pieces of luggage into their arms and said, “Let’s go! I brought back some things, and we need to find a place to eat. Guan Zi, you go gather a few of the guys from the compound.”

Each of them picked up a large piece of luggage, and Huo Zhenting added, “No need to find a place. Wenqing and those guys are cleaning up at your house right now. Your aunt has been to your place several times. Since I’m far away in the army, I can’t come back often. Wenqing can’t make his presence known in the government department, so he had Guan Zi and the others take care of things.”

Lu Xiaotang’s eyes gleamed with determination, and Guan Zi said confidently, “Don’t worry, brother! With us around, no one will be able to take your house!”

Lu Xiaotang smiled and patted his shoulder, saying, “Good brother, thanks!”

Once they exited the train station, Huo Zhenting led the group toward a jeep parked by the roadside.

Lu Xiaotang looked at the car and smiled at Huo Zhenting, asking, “Does Uncle Huo know you took his car out?”

“It’s not that I wanted to drive his car,” Huo Zhenting replied. “Guan Zi and I were planning to ride our bicycles here, but when my dad heard I was coming to pick you up, he immediately handed me the car keys. Usually, when I ask to drive, he tells me to get lost.

He heard about those few things you did at the Nanshi Military District. A while back, he even called down there to get you transferred to the capital. I think he heard that they weren’t letting you go, and he ended up arguing with someone on the phone.

“Today, knowing you were coming, he insisted that I bring you back for dinner. I told him you would be reporting to military school early tomorrow morning and that we would be hanging out tonight, so we wouldn’t have time to entertain him.”

Guan Zi chimed in, laughing, “Brother Ting got kicked out by Uncle Huo!”

The group chatted and laughed as they reached the car. Huo Zhenting held out the keys and asked Lu Xiaotang, “Do you want to drive?”

Lu Xiaotang waved his hand and said, “You drive. I’ve been in the car for a few days and don’t feel too well.”

Guan Zi placed the luggage in the car and excitedly said, “I’ll drive! I’ll drive!” He then reached for the keys from Huo Zhenting.

Huo Zhenting kicked him aside, saying, “With your driving skills, you want to take the wheel? If anything happens, my old man will break my legs when I get back!”

Seeing that the two were still bantering, Lu Xiaotang interjected, “Alright, let’s get in the car. We need to stop by the supply and marketing cooperative to buy some vegetables.”

Huo Zhenting and Guan Zi’s eyes lit up at his words. They asked, “Brother, what good stuff did you bring back?”

Lu Xiaotang opened the car door and sat down, replying, “Let’s buy the vegetables first, and we can talk about it when we get home.”

They stopped at the supply and marketing cooperative, bought some vegetables, oil, salt, and seasonings, and then drove directly to Lu Xiaotang’s house.

The house was the same one his parents had bought when they got married—a traditional two-courtyard siheyuan, located just across the street from the Forbidden City.

The house had been unoccupied for over ten years. When he was six years old, his family moved into the military compound, and his parents would occasionally come by to clean it up during their breaks.

When his family faced difficulties, Huo Zhenting had brought the furniture from their home over to this house with the other kids from the compound.

Huo Zhenting parked the car in front of the house, and several people in the yard rushed out upon hearing the vehicle. When they saw Lu Xiaotang, they excitedly shouted, “Brother, you’re back!”

Lu Xiaotang walked over and patted their shoulders, saying, “Wenqing, Dajiang, Yunfeng, Donggua, good brothers! You’ve all worked hard!”

The group happily surrounded Lu Xiaotang as they walked into the yard. Seeing the yard clean and tidy, he thought to himself that these little rascals had shown some conscience; it was worth the fights he had gotten into for them since they were young!

Lu Xiaotang unpacked the stitched luggage and pulled out two large pieces of deer meat and half a piece of roe deer meat. Underneath, he revealed two wild rabbits and two wild chickens.

The group stared at the meat and asked, “Brother, where did you get so much meat?”

Lu Xiaotang glanced at them and replied, “This is what your sister-in-law asked me to bring for you all to enjoy.”

At once, they erupted with excitement. “Brother, you got married? When did this happen? Why didn’t you tell us?”