Chapter 27: Brother-in-law and Cai Hong

Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Brother-in-law and Cai Hong Cai Hong and Mei Qiuping were talking about Feng Yiping. 'Yiliang bought a magazine and said that his nephew had published an article in it and received more than 2,000 yuan in royalties. I originally thought he was lying to me, but I didn't expect it to be true. I heard that Yiping is only twelve years old, right?'

This is what Mei Qiuping would like to hear: 'Yes, he just started junior high school, and his grades have always been good. He studies hard and is obedient.'

Cai Hong said, "Then he will definitely go to university in the future. You really need to earn more money now. University tuition fees are getting higher and higher every year, and most families can't afford them.'

'Yes," said Mei Qiuping, 'we are in the countryside, and we are busy all year round, but we can't make much money. We can't even pay for university tuition fees, let alone primary school tuition fees. I got sick, then we built a house, and we still owed a lot of debt. It was Yiping who came up with this idea, and Yiliang helped me find this place. Now I can earn a couple of hundred yuan a month, which is much better than before.'

Feng Zhenchang asked Mei Yiliang, 'Did Dad tell you about Yiping?'

'Yes, I called back, and he said he had helped you collect a thousand catties of chestnuts. I asked where the money came from, and he told me. I even went and bought the magazine. Yiping can't tell, but I know he's doing well in school. But I really didn't expect someone so young to be able to write such a long novel.'

Feng Zhenchang said, 'Yes, he kept it from your sister and me. Only Dad knew.'

'Not to mention you, if Yiping had asked you for several yuan at the beginning, saying he was sending a letter, would you have given it to him?'

Hearing this, Feng Zhenchang hesitated for a moment and didn't say anything. Unlike now, when he has tens or hundreds of dollars in his hands every day, two months ago, he could usually only hold on to ten or so dollars at most. Feng Yiping asked him for eight or nine dollars, saying that it was for mailing letters, and he was afraid that he wouldn't even consider it.

Seeing Feng Zhenchang there, pondering, Mei Yiliang continued, 'Anyway, this is a good thing, but it will be difficult for you in the future. Yiping will definitely go to university, and the tuition and living expenses are not a small amount. So, you must earn more money now.'

'It turns out that I had no choice, but it's okay now. There are still five or six years until he goes to college. If things go on like this, when he gets in, it will be tight, but he should be able to afford it.'

'Oh, the chestnuts that Dad collected on credit in the village were originally owed to everyone, so the money must be paid back at the end of the year, otherwise he's so old, it won't look good on his face. Is this okay?'

Feng Zhenchang tapped Tan Yan's ashes, 'Your sister and I have done some calculations. By the end of the year, we will have sold all the 700 catties of chestnuts we originally planned to sell. The 400 catties I borrowed and the 500-odd catties of chestnuts your father bought on credit will have to be paid off by the end of the year, but that shouldn't be a problem. It's just that there isn't much money left to pay off the old debts.'

'It's fine. Just do the math. According to you, by the end of the year, after paying off those two debts, you'll still have a thousand catties of chestnuts in your hands, which is worth at least more than 3,000 yuan, which is more than the original external debt you owed,' said Mei Yiliang.

'That's what you say, but everyone in the village knows that we've come to the provincial capital, and at the end of the year, we won't be able to pay back the money,' Feng Zhenchang was a little worried.

'Don't worry,' Mei Yiliang said, 'I have the money to buy the tricycle and pay the rent. If you insist on paying me back, I'll just leave it alone. At the end of the year, I'll get you a few hundred yuan. You should have some savings there, so together we'll have a thousand yuan or so. That'll at least pay off half of the old debt. The rest can be paid off by the end of next year, so it'll be fine.'

'How about that? You've already helped so much,' Feng Zhenchang glanced over there, "Are you and that girl seeing each other? Isn't that when you spend money?'

Mei Yiliang prevaricated, "It's fine, I know what I'm doing, don't worry.'

Feng Zhenchang said, "No rush, let's talk about it at the end of the year, we can figure it out ourselves. This girl is nice, get along with her. You're getting old, it's time to settle down.'

'I know, I know," Mei Yiliang was a little impatient.

Although Mei Qiuping repeatedly asked Mei Yiliang and Cai Hong to stay and go back to the rented place together to have dinner, Mei Yiliang did not agree, as it would be a bother to them. It was still early, and there was no way they could do any business at the university. So he said that he had bought movie tickets with Cai Hong and they were going to go to the movies, and they would go next time.

Mei Yiliang took Cai Hong and left, and Feng Zhenchang also rode his bike towards the university. Mei Qiuping said, 'I heard from Dad that Yiliang has taken on an apprentice in the provincial capital, but I don't know if he really wants to learn a trade or if it's because of this girl.'

Feng Zhenchang laughed, 'Yiliang is already so big, why do you still need to worry about him? Besides, this girl is quite nice, generous, and she doesn't look down on us.'

Mei Qiuping is not at all optimistic. 'I'm afraid that Yiliang is just being headstrong. The girl is from the city, and her family runs a factory. Will she fancy Yiliang?'

Feng Zhenchang says, 'Can't you see? The girl must have feelings for Yiliang too.'

'Hey, what I'm worried about is that Cai Hong's family won't agree. If it were us, and we had a factory in the provincial capital and our daughter was well-off, would we agree to marry her off to the countryside?'

Feng Zhenchang thought for a moment, 'That would be difficult indeed!'

'That's why,' Mei Qiuping said, 'we must ask Yi Liang properly next time he comes. With his qualifications, he would have no problem finding someone outstanding in his hometown, but I'm really a little worried about him and Cai Hong.'

Feng Yiping sneezed several times this afternoon, and Feng Wen asked him, 'You're not catching a cold, are you? Here, let me feel your temperature.'

Feng Yiping opened his hand impatiently, 'It's just that my nose is a little uncomfortable. If I had a cold, I would know.'

Wen Hong chimed in from inside, 'One thought, two scoldings, and then a cold. Feng Yiping, did you do something bad and make someone scold you behind your back?'

'How could that be?' Feng Yiping pretended to be very aggrieved and cried out, 'Since I was young, I have listened to the Party, my parents, and my teachers. I have followed the Five Promises, the Four Beauties, and the Three Loves. Not to mention causing trouble, I am very careful when walking, and I never step on an ant. How could anyone scold me? How could anyone bear to scold me?'

'Haha,' suddenly there was a big laugh around, and Wen Hong said with a smile, "I can't tell Feng Yiping, I originally thought you were honest, but I didn't expect you to be so glib.'

Huang Jingping over there laughed so hard that she fell onto the table, "Feng Yiping, I didn't expect you to be so cheeky!'

Feng Yiping pretended to be enlightened, 'Oh, I see, it must be you, right? You saw me doing other things in your second uncle's class, so you scolded me behind my back, didn't you!'

Huang Jingping blushed, "Pfft, who has the time to keep an eye on you?'

Zhang Jinju chimed in, "Oh, Feng Yiping, you admitted to doing other things in political class.'

Feng Yiping put his hands together, 'Who said that? Which class haven't I listened to carefully?'

'You just said it yourself, and we all heard you,' Zhang Jinju said.

'Did I? I was joking. Besides, you can tell Mr Huang. See if he believes you,'

Zhang Jinju was taken aback. It was true, the teacher probably wouldn't believe Feng Yiping was daydreaming in class. Who could blame the guy for doing so well on the last exam?

Feng Wen asked him, 'By the way, what do you always write in class?' seaʀᴄh thё Novёlƒire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

'Notes!'

Feng Yiping took out a notebook and flipped it open for Feng Wen to see. Feng Wen took a quick look and saw that it was indeed densely filled with writing. 'That's true!'

If Feng Wen had looked more closely, he would have noticed that although it was also densely filled, it was not the notebook Feng Yiping had been writing in during the political class. This notebook, although it had more writing, each entry was very simple, just the main points from each class that day. For example, in the mathematics class, Feng Yiping had written just four words: equation, equation.

Later, during evening study time, he will review these knowledge points, and before going to bed at night, he will lie in bed and go over them in his mind again. In the morning, during morning study time, he will consolidate them once more, and he will definitely learn them very well.

After joking with his classmates, Feng Yiping said a few words to Xiao Zhijie and then walked towards the homeroom teacher's house. Art and music can also be beneficial at any time. There is still time now, so you must seize the opportunity to learn. If you wait a few years and go to high school, the studies will be even more intense, and Feng Yiping will have a lot of other plans, so he won't be able to find the time to learn then.

Feng Yiping sat down at the table with ease, listening to teacher Zhu's comments on the water glass he had painted the day before. The main thing was that the lines were not smooth enough, and the shadows were still somewhat haphazard. Anyway, there was not a single kind word. As for music, that was still good, as Feng Yiping could already recognise the music notation.

As usual, the class teacher Wang Yumin was competing with her daughter Xiaoyan. Wang Yumin said, 'It's cold at night, so listen to your mother and wear more.' Xiaoyan twisted and turned, not cooperating, 'I'm not cold, but if I wear so much, I can't move at all, it's unbearable.'

Feng Yiping waved at her, 'Swallow, come here, I have something to tell you.'

Swallow took the opportunity to get away from her mother, and Wang Yumin routinely criticized Feng Yiping for calling himself an uncle. Feng Yiping quickly corrected himself, 'I was wrong. Swallow, call me brother.'

Swallow said, "Okay, uncle.'

Feng Yiping laughed to himself and whispered in Swallow's ear, "Swallow, listen to your mother and put those clothes on. You can't win an argument. Let me tell you, there's a kind of cold that only your mother feels.'

Confused, Yanzi went back to her mother. Wang Yumin asked her what she had heard, and she whispered to her mother's ear, stammering as she told her. Wang Yumin listened, first stunned, then couldn't help laughing. Teacher Zhu said, 'What's so funny? Tell me!'