Song Yuping neatly folded her summer clothes and put them into a bag, and then used a small bag to put some toiletries. Fang Hanmin walked out with the bag. Song Yuping locked the door and followed.
Before walking out of the building, Fang Hanmin reminded: "Are you afraid that other teachers will see us walking out like this?"
"What's so scary? It's not like we are shameful."
"I mean, are you afraid that people will know you have a boyfriend?"
"Why should you be afraid? What does it have to do with them that I have a boyfriend? Don't worry, no one will see you except the guard. It's been two or three days of vacation now. There are not many people in the school. Even the teachers who are not leaving school during the summer vacation. No one knows you. Those teachers who once taught you or knew you have either retired or moved to the city, and now there are basically young teachers here."
When the two of them approached the school gate side by side, the guard was enjoying the shade under the shade of a tree. He greeted Song Yuping deliberately and loudly, "Teacher Song, will your brother take you home?"
Song Yuping nodded and smiled awkwardly, "Well, he passed by here."
After walking out of the school gate and far away from the guard, Song Yuping blamed: "You lied to let the guard remember."
Fang Hanmin made a show of turning around and walking back, "Remember, what are you afraid of? How about I go back and tell the guard that I am Song Yuping's boyfriend, not her brother?"
"You dare?" Song Yuping pulled Fang Hanmin back.
"Okay, I'm kidding you. Let's go. It's my first time to meet my father-in-law. I want to go to the store in town to buy some gifts."
"No need. As long as my mom and dad see me bringing my boyfriend home, they will be very happy. They really don't care whether I bring a gift or not." Song Yuping knew that Fang Hanmin's hometown was not in good condition and didn't want him to spend money.
"Yuping, you have to listen to me on this matter. Although you think that bringing your boyfriend home will end your parents' wishes, but this is the first time I see two old people. If I am empty-handed, how can you make me feel embarrassed? Besides, we really love each other and we didn’t show it to them on purpose. Out of respect for the old man, we should also bring some greeting gifts.”
"It's okay to buy gifts, but I'll pay the bill." Song Yuping felt bad that she had called Fang Hanmin all the way back and asked him to spend money again.
"Don't underestimate people, let me tell you, I am now a section-level cadre of Red Star Pharmaceutical Factory, and my salary is higher than yours." Fang Hanmin said proudly.
"But the situation in your hometown...,"
Fang Hanmin dispelled Song Yuping's concerns, "Don't worry, I used my savings from previous years to help build a new house in my hometown. In the future, the conditions in my hometown will get better and better."
It was already noon. The two had lunch at a restaurant in the town, visited several shops, bought some gifts, and arrived at Song Yuping's parents' house at around three in the afternoon.
When they appeared in the yard carrying large and small bags, the two old people were drying grain in the yard. "Dad, Mom, I'm back!" Song Yuping shouted.
The two old men turned around. After a moment of surprise, the old mother's expression darkened again, "Yuping, are you back?"
"Mom, school is on summer vacation and I'm back."
"Yuping, if the school doesn't have summer vacation, I don't think you will go home?" Because she objected to her parents asking someone to introduce her boyfriend and refused to go home for a blind date, Song Yuping has not been home for two or three months. Her father said This is very angry.
"Dad, you..." Although she was born in a rural area, Song Yuping was also the apple of her parents' eyes because she was smart and cute since she was a child. She was pampered by her parents and brother, and she also developed a bit of willfulness in her character.
Fang Hanmin, who was standing behind him, heard what the old man meant and felt Song Yuping's displeasure. If she didn't stop her, Song Yuping and her parents would soon quarrel. He stepped forward and tugged Song Yuping's arm, "Yuping, sir. Say something."
Perhaps realizing that there was a stranger standing next to Song Yuping, the old mother quickly asked: "Yuping, did that come with you? Why don't you ask me to sit down?"
Because she had an unpleasant quarrel with her parents when they met, Song Yuping forgot to introduce her to her parents. When she heard her mother's reminder, she took a step sideways and said, "Mom, Dad, let me introduce him. He is my boyfriend, his name is Fang Hanmin."
The two old men hurriedly came over, looked Fang Hanmin up and down, and then looked at their daughter with doubtful eyes, "Boyfriend? Yuping, when did you have a boyfriend?"
"I have been dating Fang Hanmin for more than a year."
The old mother was shocked, "More than a year? Is this why you object to us asking someone to introduce you to a boyfriend? Yuping, why didn't you tell us? Your dad and I have been worrying about you."
"Yuping, don't let the guests stand. Come into the room and sit down to talk." The old father's dark expression changed.
The two old people sat down face to face with Fang Hanmin and Song Yuping. The old mother was going to make tea for Fang Hanmin. Song Yuping got up quickly and said, "Mom, sit down and let me do it."
"Fang, Fang Hanmin, right? Are you colleagues with our Yuping?"
Before Fang Hanmin could speak, Song Yuping took over the conversation and told her parents how she and Fang Hanmin met, "Actually, Fang Hanmin and I have known each other since we were in junior high school. Although we are not classmates, we have always been alumni."
"Alumni? Okay, okay! But Yuping, you haven't mentioned a word to us for so many years. My child, you make us so anxious!"
"Mom and Dad, I've told you a long time ago that you don't need to worry about my life-long affairs. If I don't even have this little self-confidence, wouldn't your daughter's college education be in vain?"
Fang Hanmin reminded: "Yuping, you should understand the mood of the two old people. Parents have good intentions."
"Yes, I love hearing this! As a parent, how can you not do good for your children? Fang, Fang Hanmin, where are you from? How old are your parents?"
Fang Hanmin told the truth about the situation in his hometown, "My parents are about the same age as my parents, but their physical condition is not as good as yours."
"You, like Yuping, are also college graduates, right?" The two old men asked.
Song Yuping knew that this topic was sensitive, so she took it and said, "Fang Hanmin works at the Red Star Pharmaceutical Factory in the city. He is now the technical section chief and is the most powerful among our alumni."
"Being a section chief at such a young age? That's very impressive. We Yuping have great vision!"
"Of course!" Song Yuping arrogantly said in front of her parents, "If ordinary people still look down on your daughter, who are the people you asked people to introduce to me? Remember the National Day holiday the year before last, and you had to introduce me to me? I arranged a blind date. The man seems to be a contractor. He may have a few dollars. You think he is great. Look at his wretched eyes, unshaven look, and the wrinkled suit and tie. No matter how much money he has, , I don’t care about it either!”
The old mother couldn't stand it anymore, "You kid, the introducer was kind-hearted. You didn't say what you were looking for at the beginning, so how do we know if it will work?"
Seeing that it was getting late, the old man ordered: "You two, mother and daughter, take a rest and settle old accounts. Are you not afraid of the guests' jokes? Cook early. Today is a good day. Yuping brought her boyfriend home, so that the boss and his family can The three of us came over to have dinner and meet his future brother-in-law.”
Song Yuping's brother and sister-in-law live separately from their parents, and only get together during holidays. Her brother Song Wenliang, like her parents, is also thinking about Song Yuping's life events. Today, her sister brought her boyfriend home, so she naturally wants to let him know. .
The old father chatted with Fang Hanmin, and the mother went out for a walk and got some vegetables in her own field. By the way, she told her son about Yuping and asked them to go home for dinner in the evening.
Hearing that his sister had brought her boyfriend home, Song Wenliang couldn't believe it, "Is it true or false?"
"Why are you lying to me? You can see it when you get home soon."
"Mom, you said this girl Yuping is quite capable! She doesn't have to worry about anyone, she already has a boyfriend. Well, how about that guy?" Song Wenliang asked impatiently.
"She looks pretty good. It is said that she works in a company in the city and has become a section chief at a young age. I heard from Yuping that they have been dating for more than a year."
"No wonder no one is interested in introducing someone to her. It turns out she already has a target!"
"I have to go back to cook. Wen Liang, ask your wife to come over early and help me."
At around four o'clock in the afternoon, Song Wenliang and his wife walked into the courtyard where their parents lived with their children. Song Yuping introduced her brother and sister-in-law to Fang Hanmin. Song Wenliang sat down and asked again, and Song Yuping and Fang Hanmin answered them one by one.
In addition to farming, Song Wenliang also did some small business in his spare time. He traveled around the countryside and villages. He knew a little about the situation in the entire township. He heard that Fang Hanmin's hometown was in Beita Village. He felt that the conditions there were relatively poor. "You guys The village is too remote and difficult to develop."
Song Yuping didn't like to hear such words, "Fang Hanmin has been away from his hometown for ten years, and he no longer lives in his hometown. What does it have to do with whether his hometown has developed or not?"
"This is not just a small talk. Brother is right. Beita Village is located in a remote area and has inconvenient transportation. No matter how diligent the villagers are, it is not easy to completely change their appearance." Fang Hanmin immediately smoothed things over.
"I heard that you are the technical section chief. How big is your factory?"
"There are five to six thousand people, and it may be expanded in the future."
"Five to six thousand people? That's a big unit! As a technical section chief in a unit with five to six thousand people, you must be very good at technology!" Song Wenliang pretended to be well-informed.
"Of course! Fang Hanmin's technological achievements even won the first prize of the province's Science and Technology Progress Award!" Song Yuping said proudly.
"No wonder you can be the technical section chief of such a large unit. You can't convince the public without a second thought! Oh, what kind of technology do you do specifically?"
"Brother, don't ask about anything related to your major. As the saying goes, a line is like a mountain. Don't talk about you. Even I, a college graduate, know nothing about the work he is engaged in." Song Yuping majored in Chinese. When she was with Fang Hanmin, she never asked about work matters.
Perhaps because he was particularly concerned about his sister's lifelong events, Song Wenliang asked a question that was too early: "You work in the city and Yuping teaches in our township middle school. Where do you plan to settle your family in the future?"
"I have already considered this issue. Based on the analysis of various conditions, I think it is best to settle down in the city."
"Have you ever thought about it? What if Yuping lives in the city and goes to work? It's more than a hundred kilometers from the city to our town. It's estimated to take two hours by car. We can't let her go back and forth to commute, right?"
"I usually live on campus and only go back to the city on Sundays and holidays, at most once a week." Fang Hanmin explained.
"Isn't this a separation between two places? It's okay for a short time, but I don't think it's good if it stays like this for a long time."
"Yeah, it's just like this in the short term. We can't live apart in the two places for a long time."
"Do you have any idea?"
"When the time comes, we will find a way to transfer Yuping to a school in the city."
"This method is good! However, it is too difficult to transfer someone to the city now! I heard them say that it is difficult to transfer someone to the county seat, but it is even harder to transfer someone to the city!" Song Wenliang is not optimistic about it! Fang Hanmin's idea.
"Brother, don't worry. There will be a way to reach the mountain. I believe there will always be a way."
The first time I came to visit, I thought that just meeting Song Yuping’s family would be the end of it, but I didn’t expect to talk so much.
