Chapter 167: Sad
She had never felt time drag on so unbearably, making one feel as if sitting on pins and needles.
Looking around at all the Fu Family members with unpleasant expressions, Su Ning silently sighed. For such a matter, as an outsider, it wasn’t easy to comfort them, so she could only try to divert their attention.
“Jiaming, what are your plans afterward?”
Fu Jiaming, who had been spinning around like ants on a hot pan, finally stopped. Only then did he come back to his senses; there were still many serious matters to handle.
This time the whole family came together, aside from treating illness it was to atone for sins. As long as Yan Qi and the others didn’t go back for a day, the Fu Family members would accompany them for a day.
Since they planned to settle here in the next few years, given his father’s temperament, the first things to resolve were the household registration and a place to live.
So he said something to the old man and the others, then Fu Jiaming took Su Ning and Luo Shuangshuang out the gate.
“Your meaning is to move Uncle Fu and the three’s household registration to Team One? And find a place to build a house?”
“Mm, I’ve had several contacts with Yan Qi and Captain Su, plus with your connection, it shouldn’t be hard to get him to accept.”
As for the homestead land, as long as they didn’t compete with the villagers for those good locations, it probably wouldn’t cause any trouble.
The Su Family’s ancestral home plot was pretty good—both secluded and away from other households in the village, and it allowed taking care of Grandpa Yan and them nearby.
“Su Ning, what do you think about us being neighbors?”
“Good, good!”
Before she could answer, Luo Shuangshuang on the side nodded vigorously with delight first, making the two of them couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
“Hey, what are you two laughing at?”
The smile on Fu Jiaming’s face deepened uncontrollably, and his eyes took on a doting look. “Shuang Shuang, once the house is built, I’ll go to your uncle and aunt’s to propose marriage?”
“I think it’s fine. After all, only after getting married can you legitimately be my neighbor.”
“What… ah really!”
Teased by the two like this, Luo Shuangshuang shyly stomped her foot, her face instantly flushing red.
Standing by the countryside path, smelling the faint honeysuckle scent on the yard wall, with her cheeks still red from shyness, Luo Shuangshuang actually began to think seriously.
Although she was from the city, she didn’t have to stay there forever. Because of her maternal family, she actually quite liked countryside life.
Farming and going to work was tiring, she didn’t know how and couldn’t do it, but she could learn from Ning Bao Gai!
Once she graduated from health school, with her helping in the health clinic, not only would Ning Bao be more relaxed, but the two would have both work and residence together—it would be simply perfect!
Thinking of this, no longer minding the shyness, Luo Shuangshuang looked at her partner seriously. “I think it’s fine.”
Once you’re partners, you have to get married! Better to do it sooner than later!
“Really?” “You’re serious?”
“Do I look like I’m joking?”
“Hahaha, that’s great!”
Watching Fu Jiaming excitedly jump three feet high in place, then pick her up and spin around.
Su Ning silently stepped back a few paces to stay away from Xi You’s flying feet, feeling happy for her two friends while also a bit amused at heart.
They had come out to discuss matters, but unexpectedly talked about a huge happy event.
Good thing too—recently one bad thing after another had happened seamlessly, they really needed a happy event to let everyone take a breath and change their mood.
Next, she completely became background, following behind the two as they first went to Su Qingshan to settle the household registration acceptance, then struck while the iron was hot to pay and select the homestead land.
“Brigade Leader, when the time comes, can you help get the villagers to build the house?”
Tucking the cigarette he handed over behind his ear, Su Qingshan looked around at the surrounding fields.
The work in the fields would be finished in a few days, entering the slack farming season. Especially when hunkered at home idle during winter, plenty of people would want to earn some extra money.
Thus Su Qingshan nodded without much difficulty. “Once you transport the bricks and tiles and such, I’ll help call people. This labor fee?”
“Food’s on us, one master a day one yuan, small worker five mao—how’s that?”
“Deal.”
Building a brick-and-tile house, with enough people it was just ten days or so, plenty would scramble for that much money.
Once the two finished discussing the household registration and house matters, Luo Shuangshuang then spoke up coyly. “Old Master Su, I’ll soon go to health school to study too. Once I get the graduation certificate, can I come to our health clinic?”
“Oh?”
Hearing this, Su Qingshan’s face immediately broke into a grin, looking at her delightedly. “I was already planning to bring two apprentices once Ning Ning is familiar. If you really come, that’d be a great thing I couldn’t ask for more.”
Which team in the surrounding villages could match them? Either none, or two doctors!
When going to county meetings, he’d be able to stand much taller, maybe even bring back an award for advanced.
Once all matters were discussed and the three headed back, Fu Jiaming suddenly tsked in realization. So his partner had suddenly agreed to speak up because he benefited from someone’s light?
Hey, he knew this little girl was too happy, not even thinking of making things difficult.
After they got married, she wouldn’t still have to compete with Su Ning for people every day, right?
“What kind of look is that?”
Noticing him repeatedly casting strange gazes at her friend, before Su Ning could say anything, Luo Shuangshuang exploded first. “Keep looking and I’ll gouge your eyeballs out!”
“Pfft~”
“Hahaha!”
Her two extended fingers curved in a gouging pose, fierce but actually cutely over the top.
Fu Jiaming was just about to tease when a glance from the corner of his eye made his body stiffen instantly, the smile on his face vanishing completely.
Sensing something wrong, Su Ning and Luo Shuangshuang turned their heads too, then saw Yan Bei not far away pushing a single-wheel wooden cart, just finished irrigating with night soil.
To make it convenient and not ruin his clothes, Yan Bei always wore those two fixed old sets when going to work.
From labor, the shoulders and elbows were already frayed, with two spots unraveling into small holes.
That pair of rubber-soled shoes no longer showed their original appearance, covered in filth, not to mention the spots splashed on his trouser legs.
A few naughty bear children followed behind him giggling, either throwing small stones from their hands or hard dried cow dung lumps from the ground at his back.
“I’m gonna beat the crap out of you little bastards!”
“Fu Jiaming!” “Jiaming!”
Sensing something wrong, Su Ning called out first to stop him, while Luo Shuangshuang, half a beat later, blocked his path with her.
Luckily the field path was narrow; the two stood side by side, one left one right, blocking him dead.
“You two move, I’m gonna beat those little bastards till their own moms won’t recognize them!”
“Don’t make trouble!”
“Listen to Ning Bao Gai!”
They directly grabbed the person shaking with agitation and held him back.
Su Ning gave Luo Shuangshuang a look; understanding immediately, the signaled Luo Shuangshuang wordlessly yanked his rear collar.
The commotion here made Yan Bei, who had his eyes downcast, quickly lift his head, his calm expression rippling with circles.
Yan Bei, reacting quickly, suppressed all emotion and subtly shook his head at those glaring red eyes looking over.
Fu Jiaming, who the moment before neither could convince to hold back, surrendered instantly with just one look.
He turned abruptly and staggered away running, gradually faster and faster, like silently venting something, vanishing in a blink on the long field path.
“This…”
“It’s fine, Xi You. Let him vent alone for a bit.”
Not to mention Fu Jiaming—even she felt unbearably upset and… heartbroken seeing that scene just now.
After exchanging a look with Yan Bei, she took Luo Shuangshuang’s hand and left this somewhat suffocating place.
The two quickened their steps to chase in the direction Fu Jiaming had run.
Biting her lips, Luo Shuangshuang felt bad inside too. She and Yan Bei had almost no private contact; her impression of him was always aloof and proud on the surface, warm and reliable inside.
Like he should be the moon in the sky, yet plopped into the water—looking no different, but actually unreachable and not to be profaned up high, while in the water even a small stone could shatter and stir it.
Seeing this suddenly was like someone pinching tender flesh—truly hard to bear.
“Ning Bao Gai, how much longer does he have to do that?”
“Hm?”
The dirty work or the current situation?
“Once slack season hits, they can rest too.” As for the latter, she couldn’t predict.
After all, all the chaos was just formally beginning; afterward… she shook her head, unwilling to think further.
Out of the fields, around to the foot of the front mountain, they finally saw the person standing motionless there.
“Jiaming!” “You okay?”
“I’m fine.”
His eye corners still somewhat red, eye sockets with moistened traces—clearly this guy had secretly cried before the two of them arrived.
