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Geng Lianhua had come to understand that it was probably due to her daughter and son-in-law’s personalities that all the children in the family were so sensible. The children’s intelligence seemed to be a result of being influenced by her daughter.
Since they were there, they couldn’t miss out on gathering seafood. Mingcheng took his younger siblings first, while Zhang Lan accompanied her mother at a slower pace, engaging in a heart-to-heart conversation. After returning from gathering seafood, Zhang Wanyou also finished work and returned home. He was delighted to hear that his grandson had been accepted into high school.
“Mingcheng, study well from now on. This is a reward from your grandfather.” Zhang Wanyou took out money given by his wife to give to his grandson, but Mingcheng adamantly refused. The elderly couple’s life hadn’t been easy, and he had always been a financial burden to them. He couldn’t accept the money.
Zhang Lan also firmly declined, saying, “Mom, we appreciate your intentions, but we have enough money for now. There won’t be any issues with school fees. If we ever need money in the future, we’ll ask you. We definitely can’t accept this money.”
The siblings also chimed in, and Geng Lianhua eventually had to take the money back. She became even more attentive to her grandchildren. They were so sensible, much stronger than certain others.
As the time for Mingcheng to start school arrived, the team leader, Liu Changlin, granted Wang Zhenhe a day off to accompany his son to school. This was a source of pride for their team, as it had been many years since they had seen a child perform as well as Mingcheng.
Wang Qian and the others also started school. Even if they had wanted to accompany Mingcheng, it wasn’t possible. Fortunately, with Wang Zhenhe by his side, Zhang Lan wasn’t worried. However, before they left, she gave her son enough money. She was concerned that if her children needed money in an emergency, they wouldn’t have some.
As they were leaving, she also boiled ten eggs and packed a few salted duck eggs for her son. She was worried that he might not be used to the food there.
After seeing her son off, both Zhang Lan and Hao Lianchun felt a sense of emptiness.
“Hmm, the child is growing up. It’s time for him to learn to be independent. Lan, although Mingcheng is still young, he’s quite sensible. Besides, your uncles have also taught him self-defense. He won’t easily come to harm. Don’t worry. You’ll be able to see him again on the weekend,” said Hao Lianchun reassuringly.
Having experienced many farewells, Hao Lianchun had become more accepting, but Zhang Lan’s feelings were different. Her child had never been away from her, and she felt a deep sense of loss. She wanted to go and see him.
Seeing her distraught state, the elderly lady couldn’t assign Zhang Lan any tasks, realizing that she wouldn’t be able to focus. Fortunately, when Wang Zhenhe returned and assured her that Mingcheng was doing well, Zhang Lan felt relieved.
However, when Mingcheng returned a week later, Zhang Lan’s heart ached again. He had lost weight since leaving.
Wang Qian understood what was happening. After all, she had also been to school. Despite the improved conditions for education in modern times, she knew that the school meals could not compare to the home-cooked food, especially during this time. The meals at school were likely limited and lacked oil.
“Brother, are the meals at school limited, and is there no oil in the food?” Wang Qian’s question hit the nail on the head, leaving Mingcheng momentarily stunned. He hadn’t been aware of the situation in school at first, and he wondered how his sister knew about it. But then, considering her clever mind, it wasn’t surprising that she had figured it out.
“Yeah, our daily rations are limited, and the food at school can’t compare to what we have at home. But it’s still okay, similar to when our family was just getting by after our parents split up,” Mingcheng explained.
Mingcheng’s words reminded Zhang Lan of the time when they were struggling after the family seperation. Back then, the children couldn’t even eat properly. Now, the abundance at home was mainly due to the space provided by her daughter. She realized that not every family was as fortunate as theirs. She had forgotten the current circumstances.
Regretfully, she lightly tapped her head, “Son, before you leave tomorrow, I’ll make sure to pack extra for you. I won’t let you go hungry again.”
Her son was already several years younger than his classmates. If he was lacking in nourishment, his physical strength would suffer.
Old Master Wu patted Mingcheng’s shoulder. “Mingcheng, after you return to school, keep practicing the techniques I taught you. Don’t get rusty over time. If anyone dares to bully you, give them a taste of your skills, understand?”
“Grandpa Wu, I understand. I won’t let them bully me. My dorm mates are all good friends. I share my food with them, so how could they bully me?” Mingcheng explained.
At that moment, everyone realized that Zhang Lan had packed a lot of extra provisions for her son before he left. He had indeed lost weight, and this was the reason why.
Zhang Lan playfully tapped her son’s forehead, “Silly boy, how did you lose weight when I packed so much for you? I’ll make sure to pack extra for you tomorrow.”
Hao Lianchun felt really sorry seeing Mingcheng like this. At home, she had taken care of him, ensuring he was plump and healthy, but in just a week away, he had lost so much weight. It was heart-wrenching for everyone.
“Lan, how about I move back and Mingcheng can live with me? We don’t have to live in the dorms, and this way, the child can eat better,” proposed Hao Lianchun.
Although Zhang Lan had considered this idea, she ultimately declined, sticking to her initial plan. “Sister-in-law, living with classmates is also about learning to interact with others. Once they enter the workforce after school, can we still follow them? A little hardship for the children is nothing. How about this: when we cook at night, we can have Mingcheng learn alongside us. When we return, I’ll give him a key to your house. Whenever he feels like it, he can go there and cook for himself. Or he can even invite his dorm mates over for a meal. What do you think?”
Hao Lianchun also thought it was a good idea. The two women promptly took Mingcheng to the kitchen and demonstrated on the spot. Seeing their eagerness, the elderly men shook their heads. “Our niece is too hasty. Learning to cook isn’t that easy. We’ve been eating for almost a lifetime and still can’t cook.”
Old Master Wu sighed deeply, but Old Chen retorted, “Old Wu, you’re underestimating Mingcheng. The students I teach are all-rounders. Just watch, Mingcheng’s cooking will definitely be excellent.”
Zhang Lan had never been willing to let her child cook before, but now she had no choice. She guided her son step by step, from starting the fire to cooking the meal, while Hao Lianchun observed and offered advice on the heat. In the end, the two women and the child successfully prepared dinner.
Mingcheng brought the food to the table with a pleased expression. “Grandpas, this is my first time cooking. Please give me valuable feedback. I have room for improvement in the future.”
Mingcheng humbly sought everyone’s opinions, but he himself found the taste quite good.
Wu Changyong was the first to pick up his chopsticks and take a bite. Then, he looked at Old Master Chen and said, “Well done. Mingcheng can become your disciple. I think we can let Mingcheng take over the cooking at home in the future.”
Everyone in the room chuckled, indicating that the meal was indeed quite enjoyable. In fact, it wasn’t that Mingcheng couldn’t cook, but rather that he hadn’t had the opportunity before. He had observed his sister cooking at home and knew the process. Today’s trial run had turned out quite well.
Wang Qian took a bite and nodded with a smile, “Brother, you have the potential to be a chef. I’ll team up with you in the future. Now that you’re going back to school, Mom can feel reassured.”
After the meal, it was time to study. Just because they had entered high school didn’t mean their Old Master Chen and the others would relax their study schedules.
Wang Juan and her husband brought their children over for a visit. They all sat in the courtyard, chatting and enjoying the cool breeze.
“Sister, do you know, I saw our little sister come back today, looking quite fashionable. I heard from your brother that Wang Mei seems to have arranged a marriage for her in the city. I reckon they’ll come for a visit in a while. I wonder who the prospective groom is. If she gets married, our family might finally have some peace,” Wang Juan mentioned.
Zhang Lan couldn’t help but wryly smile. Even if Wang Zhi got married, their life wouldn’t necessarily become peaceful. Wang Mei had indeed married, but that hadn’t reduced the workload for Zhang Lan.
Wang Zhenhe was surprised to hear this news, “Arranged by Wang Mei? I wonder who she could possibly find. The people she and Huang Youcai introduced weren’t anything special. Brother, you should keep a close eye on this matter. I’m not criticizing her, but don’t let money cloud your judgment.”
Wang Zhenhai was, after all, Wang Zhi’s elder brother. There were certain things he couldn’t intervene in directly, but having his elder brother oversee the situation would be better. After all, if Wang Mei found a good match, it would reduce their troubles. Otherwise, with Wang Mei constantly returning to borrow food and money as she did before, it would be unbearable. Thankfully, they no longer had any dealings with that side. Nonetheless, he didn’t want Wang Zhi to end up with someone unsuitable.
Wang Zhenhai nodded, “Old Third, we mean well, but they may not appreciate it. According to Mom, the person seems to have been a leader of a rebel faction. I don’t have a good feeling about someone like that. Our family just wants a peaceful life. If it’s really someone like that, I’m not optimistic. Who knows what Mom is thinking.”
After chatting for a while, everyone dispersed. The next day, Zhang Lan prepared some food for Mingcheng to take back with him.
Life returned to normal, and as the harvest season approached, a car arrived in the village, causing a stir. Everyone gathered around to see what was happening.
The car finally stopped at the old Wang family courtyard. Wang Mei and Huang Youcai got out of the car, followed by an older middle-aged man. No one knew what was happening, so they didn’t dare to approach, choosing to watch from a distance.
“Honorable Minister Li, please come in,” Huang Youcai hastily led the way.