Chapter 242 - 180: Returning Home in Glory

Chapter 242: Chapter 180: Returning Home in GloryOn Sunday, no need to attend classes. Liang Xiaojun arrived early at Binjiang Port Hospital, locked his bicycle, took out the white lab coat he wore at school, hung the stethoscope in front of his chest, and swaggered into the inpatient area with a book in hand, once again successfully sneaking into the nurses’ office. A senior nurse saw him impersonating a doctor again, even chatting with a patient’s family who mistook him for a real doctor before entering, and couldn’t help teasing, "Dr. Liang, you’re here so early." Liang Xiaojun put down his book and grinned, "It’s Sunday today, no classes. Sister Xia, where’s Mengmeng?" The children who grew up in the military generally have bigger guts. This guy, whenever he has time, impersonates a doctor and comes here to get cozy with Han Xiangmeng, showing no guilt even when he meets the deputy director or head of department; instead, he seizes the opportunity to ask about things he doesn’t understand. Han Xiangmeng is no fool either; whenever she has time, she pretends to be a student and heads to the Medical College to find him. They attend evening self-study sessions together and even dare to sneak into the classroom to listen to the teacher. Reportedly, both their mothers oppose it, but they don’t care. This is daring to break free from family constraints, bravely pursuing love! Sister Xia truly admires them, pointing to the ward diagonally across, "She just went to change a patient’s dressing, she’ll be back soon." A junior nurse also spotted him, holding a tray with a needle and smiled as she approached, "Dr. Liang, did you have a happy trip to Jiangcheng with Mengmeng? Did you buy her some new clothes?" Sёarch* The Novelƒire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "We had a great time, but didn’t buy clothes." "How can you call it dating if you don’t even buy clothes?" "I’m a student, I don’t have money!" "So Mengmeng spent the money?" Liang Xiaojun, fearless of everything but these big and little sisters’ jests, didn’t know how to explain when Han Xiangmeng walked in, laughing and saying, "Sister Xia, Meimei, stop teasing us poor lovers." Sister Xia chuckled, "You two are as inseparable as glue, the happiest time, how come you’re poor lovers now?" "My mom and dad have already given up on me, just short of kicking me out." "Really?" "Really." Liang Xiaojun was startled and eagerly asked, "Mengmeng, what’s actually going on?" Han Xiangmeng turned on the tap, picked up a soap, and sighed, "My sister found a guy willing to marry into her family. My parents are overjoyed, treating my future brother-in-law like their own son. The four of them returned to Si Gang to glorify their ancestors, without even asking if I wanted to go back." "Ningning found a boyfriend?" "Yes." "Who is it, do I know him?" "It’s San’er, her so-called cousin." "You’ve mentioned him before, that Salted Fish!" "That’s him." "He’s several years younger than your sister!" "He’s two years younger than us, my parents just want to continue the family line, as long as someone is willing to marry into the family, age isn’t a problem. Besides, my sister really likes him, riding his light motorcycle, going to East Sea for fun, traveling to Qingdao." "Just two years younger, he’s only seventeen." "As long as he’s obedient, my sister points east he wouldn’t dare go west, she says fetch a dog he wouldn’t dare to chase a chicken." Sister Xia couldn’t believe that the chief nurse from the First People’s Hospital had found a son-in-law two years younger than her daughter, and asked in astonishment, "Mengmeng, your brother-in-law is still in school, right?" They returned to their ancestral home in Si Gang and didn’t even bring her, making it look like they didn’t consider her their daughter. Han Xiangmeng was just venting and didn’t genuinely dislike Salted Fish, chuckling, "He’s already working, a public security police officer, has been awarded third-level merit twice, and it turns out there’s some connection with our Port Authority." "What connection?" "His sister and brother-in-law both work at the Port Authority." "Who are his sister and brother-in-law?" "His brother-in-law is Zhang Jiangkun, the foreman of the dock repair team. His sister is Han Ning, who used to be a room service attendant at the Sailor Club and is now transferred to Binjiang Port Police Station, also a public security police officer." "Your brother-in-law is Zhang Jiangkun’s brother-in-law!" "Sister Xia, you know his brother-in-law?" "Zhang Jiangkun is a model worker at our Port Authority, always recognized during awards ceremonies." Han Xiangmeng actually found a boyfriend two years younger than her, Liang Xiaojun found it absurd. Thinking of how he had caused his girlfriend to lose her standing at home, even being marginalized by her family, Liang Xiaojun felt unpleasant, murmuring, "Mengmeng, your parents didn’t take you back to Si Gang, probably because they knew you had to work." "Even if they didn’t know, it doesn’t matter. With a son-in-law, they’ve forgotten about me, their daughter, which is quite fine. At least they won’t oppose us anymore, nor will they come to my workplace to find me." "Mengmeng, I’m sorry." "There’s nothing to be sorry about. Director Yue will come for rounds soon, you can sit inside." ... Si Gang is the northernmost county of Binjiang, a hundred kilometers from the Binjiang District. My father-in-law’s ancestral home is in Phoenix Village, Dinghu Town, located in the northwest corner of Si Gang County, thirty kilometers from the county seat, very close to Liu Xia Town in Xin’an County, Anle City, separated only by a town called Liangzhuang. One wouldn’t know how far my father-in-law’s ancestral home is unless they visit. Only after visiting do you understand why my classmate fears going back home. If taking a car, one has to first take a bus to the long-distance bus station. The coach stops along the way, and it takes at least two hours to drive from Binjiang to Si Gang. Once in Si Gang, one has to catch a minibus to Dinghu. There are only five trips a day, and if unlucky, one might have to wait at the bus station. After finally getting on the bus, the driver wouldn’t directly head to Dinghu but rather circle around the county seat several times until the bus is full before departing. At Dinghu, there are still four kilometers away from Phoenix Village, and if Sister’s uncle and aunt cannot come to pick us up, we’ll rely on our legs to walk back. There are indeed passenger vans in the town, but they only operate half a day, yet charge twenty or thirty yuan for a four-kilometer journey. Changing vehicles all the way, it takes almost half a day to reach our hometown. Han Xiangning gets carsick and scared, utterly refusing to ride in cars, opting for a light motorcycle instead. Old Han believes that a family of four should travel together to their hometown, and it’s not good to go separately. Considering his mother-in-law also gets carsick, Han Yu thought of Zhang Lan who also has a light motorcycle. Last night, together with Han Xiangning, they rode it back to Bailong Port and borrowed Zhang Lan’s light motorcycle. This morning, they set off from Binjiang at six o’clock. He took his father-in-law, and Han Xiangning took her mother, riding two motorcycles. Chatting and laughing along the way, they reached their ancestral home in Si Gang in two and a half hours. This time the journey back wasn’t tough, and it was quick. Xiang Fan was very pleased. More than once he marveled no wonder the two kids opted to ride light motorcycles to East Sea the last time. Riding these motorcycles is indeed more comfortable than long-distance buses. To honor the ancestors, Comrade Old Han had Han Yu specifically wear his uniform. The uniform, issued when he became official in July, had no chance to be worn when he was learning to pilot ships in East Sea, and was slightly wrinkled from being in his suitcase. Xiang Fan got up before dawn to iron it with an electric iron. Han Yu, in his crisp uniform, seemed to have fulfilled the purpose of making his father-in-law return home with pride. Grandpa and Grandma couldn’t stop smiling. Sister’s two uncles, aunts, and two aunts were envious beyond words. A bunch of kids, who didn’t seem to know which family they belonged to, were exceptionally well-behaved. They only dared to peek from a distance, too shy to come closer, let alone play or make noise. Comrade Old Han has five siblings, and neither of the elderly couple wanted to live with Han Xiangning’s two uncles or in Binjiang, so they still reside in three low old houses. The south-facing wall is made of bricks laid vertically, forming what’s called a "pigeonhole", with bricks so weathered and flaking that you could peel them off with your hands. The back wall is made of rammed earth, and the roof is not tiled but thatched... Though it also belongs to Binjiang, because it’s far from the Yangtze River, the economic condition here isn’t as good as in Linghai. Few multistory buildings can be seen in the village; most are tiled houses, and many are semi-earth houses like Han Xiangning’s grandparents’. Comrade Old Han got to work fixing the roof as soon as he arrived, as it seemed to be leaking a bit. Han Yu wanted to climb up and help, but grandpa and grandma stopped him, saying they couldn’t let him get his uniform dirty. After Xiang Fan distributed snacks, candies, and fruits brought from Binjiang to the children, he joined Han Xiangning’s two aunts and two aunts to sit on stools gathered at the doorway, picking vegetables. Han Yu couldn’t understand a word of Si Gang language, feeling like he was in a foreign country. Han Xiangning, on the other hand, suddenly turned into a translator. "How can you understand it? You never lived in Si Gang." "My dad is from Si Gang, so is Liang Xiaojun’s father. My dad has several Si Gang comrades in the army; they often gather, and they speak Si Gang language. I can understand it, just can’t speak it." Han Xiangning glanced at the children standing far away, then laughed and said, "Reporter Wang is also from Si Gang; I didn’t know before, later I found out listening to the radio." Han Yu curiously asked, "Is Reporter Wang’s home far from here?" "I don’t know." "Which one is your older aunt?" "The one with glasses is my older aunt, the one with short hair is my second aunt." "What is your older aunt talking about?" He couldn’t understand a word of Si Gang language, and people from his home town barely spoke Mandarin. Han Xiangning knew he felt uncomfortable and patiently explained, "My older aunt is scolding the town officials." Han Yu, puzzled, asked, "Why is she scolding the town officials?" "My older aunt is a teacher at Dinghu Primary School. The town leaders lack the capability but still mimic others by opening factories. Every factory they start ends up failing, costing a lot of money, leaving no funds to pay their salaries. Teachers in rural areas already have low salaries, and what’s worse, they’re not paid on time and still have to face arrears." "What does your second aunt do?" "My second aunt is also a teacher. She used to teach at Victory Primary School in Liangzhuang, but now Victory Primary School has merged into Liangzhuang Central Primary School, so she went to Liang Primary as well." "Your grandparents are really impressive, raising an officer and two teachers!" "It’s not so much about raising, just doing their best to support my dad, my uncle, and my aunt to pursue their education." Han Xiangning glanced back at a few of the elders, thought for a moment, and then smiled, "My older aunt is more educated, she graduated from high school. My second aunt only graduated from junior high school. My second aunt’s husband is from Liangzhuang, she moved there just when Victory Primary School was short of teachers, so she became a private teacher, and has been one ever since." Han Yu unconsciously asked, "Is your older aunt a public school teacher?" "The officials in Dinghu are incompetent, making public school teachers worse off than the private teachers in Liangzhuang." "Liangzhuang officials are competent?" "My older aunt is talking about it now; Secretary Lu from Liangzhuang is impressive. They never delay the salaries of officials or teachers. Liangzhuang Town has established a lot of factories, all doing well. Liangzhuang Construction Station is also doing well, and my uncle plans to send his son there to train as an electrician." The two kids were chatting, and Xiang Fan clearly heard everything, couldn’t help but look up and laugh, "Ningning, San’er, I know the Secretary Lu you just mentioned." "Mom, you hardly ever come back to Si Gang, and you’ve never been to Liangzhuang, how could you know the secretary there!" "Secretary Lu’s son, Lu Sun, was your schoolmate, several cohorts ahead of you, he works at the Port Authority. Lu Sun’s spouse graduated from Binjiang Medical College, a postgraduate, working in the thoracic surgery department of our hospital, and she is my colleague." "What a coincidence!" "Not really a coincidence. Si Gang might not have economic development like the southern counties, but Si Gang education is remarkable. There are many officials from Si Gang in Binjiang, and our hospital also has many doctors and nurses from Si Gang." Speaking of this, Han Xiangmeng flicked her short hair proudly and said, "Ningning, Salted Fish, we have talented individuals in Liangzhuang, the top scorer in last year’s college entrance exam across the entire city was from Liangzhuang. There are even more military officers from Liangzhuang." "That’s impressive!" "Don’t believe me? Ask your dad." Second Aunt laughed, continuing, "If your dad were from Liangzhuang, today he would definitely have invited Secretary Lu. Military officers from Liangzhuang, whether still serving or transferred to civilian positions, always invite Secretary Lu when they return to Liangzhuang." Han Xiangning asked with a smile, "Second Aunt, is Secretary Lu also a military transfer official?" "Secretary Lu has never been in the military nor had much formal education, he’s just a grassroots official. But he values education, encourages those who can study to go for higher education, and for those who don’t do well, he helps them to join the military so they can enter military academies." "A capable leader can really bless a region." Han Xiangning turned to look at Han Yu and remarked, "The officials in your Linghai Sanxing Town are really formidable, developing the textile industry and driving so many people to wealth—everyone is a wealthy household, every household has a motorcycle."