Chapter 84
Chapter 84
This is some leftover food I packed from home. If you want some, I can share it with you.
After the woman and her party left, the relatives and friends began to praise Zhang Xiuping.
Deng Shilan, beaming with pride, said to her nephew, "Yuntai, your father has such good eyes. He picked such an excellent match for you. Not only is she beautiful, but she also speaks to us with such grace. She’s a perfect fit as the eldest sister-in-law."
Aunt-in-law Two added, "Third Aunt is right. This girl is indeed very beautiful, especially her eyes. They’re like they can speak. Even I, as a woman, can’t help but fall in love with her, let alone a young man like you, Yuntai."
Aunt-in-law Three sighed, "This girl is so beautiful. Thankfully, her parents asked for a high dowry, or someone else would have taken her long ago!"
"Indeed, if not for the high dowry, such a beauty wouldn’t have been available until now!"
"..."
Hearing the praises from his elders about his fiancee, Deng Yuntai felt a warm glow in his heart.
...
After the relatives and friends left, Deng Yuntai noticed his childhood friend looking somewhat distracted. He patted his shoulder and asked, "Aiyuan, what are you thinking about?"
Deng Changyuan snapped back to reality and sighed, "Yuntao, do you think a girl like her would ever look at me, given my family’s situation?"
Deng Yuntai raised an eyebrow in surprise, "Aiyuan, you really have a thing for my fiancee’s friend? Is it the older sister or the younger one?"
Deng Changyuan, being honest with his childhood friend, replied, "It’s the younger one, Ouguo Hua. She’s petite and delicate, exactly my type. But you know our family’s situation. She might not even look at me twice."
Deng Yuntai quickly reassured him, "Aiyuan, don’t underestimate yourself. Your family’s situation may not be great, but you have a job at the pottery factory, earning sixty yuan a month. You’re also learning to make large vases from me, which will significantly increase your income once you’re proficient. You’re definitely a match for her. If you’re serious, I can help you feel out the situation. What do you think?"
Deng Changyuan asked hesitantly, "Yuntao, do you really think I’m a match for her?"
Deng Yuntai said, "Of course you are. I’ll start by feeling out the situation. If there’s a chance, I’ll have my father act as a matchmaker. It’ll definitely work out."
Deng Changyuan nodded, "Alright, you can feel out the situation first. We’ll see if there’s a chance."
...
After the relatives left, Deng Shirong looked up at the sky and said to his eldest son, "Yuntao, it’s getting late. You should ride your bike and take Yunheng to school." Normally, his eldest daughter would take his second son to school when he came back, but since his eldest son didn’t need to go to the pottery factory today, this task naturally fell to him.
Deng Yuntao replied, "Sure."
Deng Shirong then turned to his second son, "Yunheng, there’s a lot of leftover food at home. Pack some of your favorites and take them to school. You can also share some with your close friends."
Deng Yunheng’s eyes lit up, and he smiled, "Sure, Dad!"
Although the food at school was much better than the days when they only had pickled radish, the meals his father made were far superior. He wouldn’t be able to eat his father’s cooking again for two weeks, so it was a good idea to take some with him.
In school, everyone has a couple of close friends, and Deng Yunheng was no exception.
Previously, Deng Yunheng had struggled to take care of himself, eating nothing but stir-fried radish brought from home every day at school. Naturally, he had no spare thoughts to help classmates in similar straits. But now, his meals were of the highest standard at Songshan High School. He was more than willing to occasionally treat his close friends to better food.
With this in mind, Deng Yunheng packed a generous amount of food using the oil paper his father had bought. He chose hearty dishes like braised pork, steamed taro with meat, meatballs, and egg rolls.
After he finished packing, Deng Shirong asked, “Do you still have money for meals?”
“I still have over five yuan!” Deng Yunheng replied.
“That’s good. Remember to study hard at school. The college entrance exam is just around the corner!”
“Got it, Dad!”
...
About an hour later, Deng Yuntao dropped his younger brother, Deng Yunheng, off at the gate of Songshan High School.
“Bro, I’m going in now. Be careful on your way back. It’s still early, so you don’t have to rush,” Deng Yunheng said as he got off the bike.
“Go in. Though Dad has already told you this many times, your studies have been improving. I still have to remind you to study hard and aim to get into college. Go out and see the world, don’t end up stuck in the village like me,” Deng Yuntao said earnestly.
Despite earning over 200 yuan a month and being a respected barrel maker in the village, he was still just a laborer. Compared to those bright and promising college students, they were on entirely different levels.
Deng Yunheng nodded. “Bro, I know. I’m focusing all my energy on my studies now.”
Deng Yuntao waved his hand. “Alright, as long as you understand. Go in, and I’ll head back.”
“Got it!”
...
“Bro Yunheng!”
As soon as Deng Yunheng entered the dormitory, a classmate with a face full of acne greeted him.
This acne-ridden classmate was named Zhu Chenglong, one of the few classmates Deng Yunheng got along well with. His home wasn’t far from Songshan High School, only about a thirty-minute ride, so he was usually one of the first to arrive on weekends, except for those who lived far away and only came back every two weeks.
“Ah Long!”
Deng Yunheng greeted him and asked, “Are you the only one in the dorm? Where are the others?”
“The classmates who didn’t go home are out playing. As for those who went home, they haven’t returned yet.”
Zhu Chenglong then asked curiously, “Bro Yunheng, what’s in that package?”
Deng Yunheng smiled and said, “It’s leftover food from home. I packed it to eat at school. Want some? I can share if you do. I brought a lot, and if I can’t finish it, it will go bad in this weather.”
Zhu Chenglong’s eyes lit up, and he quickly said, “Bro Yunheng, of course I want some!”
In this era, those who could attend high school weren’t fools. Over the past few months, Deng Yunheng’s meals at school had steadily improved. At first, he brought stir-fried radish with extra lard from home, but soon he started buying meat from the cafeteria every few days.
This semester, it had gotten even better. He was eating meat almost every day, which made his classmates incredibly envious!
Now, knowing Bro Yunheng’s high standards for meals, anyone could guess that the food he brought from home wasn’t just pickles or vegetables. The chances were ninety-nine percent that it was meat.
So, who would be a fool to turn down such leftovers?
(End of Chapter)
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