EBE Chapter 236 Yunyao Ancient City
Chapter 236 Yunyao Ancient City
She leaned closer to her brother and whispered, “There’s money and national food coupons that Mom prepared for you in your pants pocket. Mom said that even a poor family needs to be prepared for a long journey, so don’t be afraid to spend money when you go out. There are also some common medicines, such as cold medicine, heatstroke medicine, and diarrhea medicine, just in case. Uncle Lin also specially went out to buy some apples, saying that you can keep them for the journey. The camera is wrapped in your pants. Dad specially bought three rolls of film for you yesterday.”
Lin Dongzhe, who was also standing by, quickly added to the discussion.
"My mom was originally going to make tea eggs and steamed buns for Tu Nan, thinking he could eat them on the road, but Aunt Huang said it was too hot and they would spoil easily. So my mom brought you a small bottle of pickled vegetables. If the food outside isn't good, you can eat two steamed buns with the pickled vegetables. It will definitely fill your stomach."
Then Lin Dongzhe leaned closer to Tu Nan, a smile on his face, and lowered his voice even further. “Aunt Huang specially bought you three pairs of underwear with zippered pockets. Before you left, Aunt Huang specifically told me to put all your money and tickets in the underwear pockets. That way it’s the safest, and no one can steal them.”
Tu Nan took the luggage bag. It was a token of his mother's and Aunt Song's kindness. His mother was so thoughtful; he was worried that his money might be stolen if he fell asleep on the way. Now he could finally relax.
He gently patted Dongzhe on the shoulder. "Thank you, and please thank Aunt Song and Uncle Lin for me too."
Lin Dongzhe continued, his expression turning serious. "Brother Tu Nan, when Xiao Ting and I were in the car earlier, Uncle Qian heard you were going to a remote county, and he specifically warned us to be careful of road bullies. Also, he told us to always go to meals and the restroom together; otherwise, if someone hits you with a stick, not only will you lose your money, but you might also damage your brain—that would be a huge problem!"
Seeing that her brother and his senior classmate Dazhi were still laughing, Xiaoting assumed they didn't take it seriously, so she immediately put down her chopsticks and put her expression on serious.
"Brother, be serious. This is true. Uncle Qian is always out driving and has encountered a lot of things. This is all his personal experience. Don't think we're joking."
Dazhi nodded, his smile fading as he became serious. "Thank you, Xiaoting. Dongzhe's reminder will definitely get you to the restroom together from now on, and we'll be extra careful."
...
On the other side, today is Zhuang Chaoying's last day of exams.
When he came out of the examination room, he breathed a sigh of relief and felt much more relaxed.
Last time I told Xiaoting and the other two not to drink too much water during the exam, but today I probably ate some salty food and unknowingly drank two glasses of water.
Less than half an hour into the afternoon exam, he went to the toilet and felt a sharp pain in his bladder. At first, he tried to hold it in, thinking he could endure it a little longer, but the feeling became increasingly unbearable, and his bladder felt like it was about to burst. He knew he would definitely wet his pants in a little while.
Having no other choice, he raised his hand and asked to go to the toilet.
After discussing it with the proctor, the teachers agreed to let the proctor accompany him.
He walked into the restroom and felt a pair of eyes staring at him from behind. He felt extremely awkward, as this was the first time he had ever been watched while using the restroom. His face flushed slightly, and he was incredibly embarrassed.
But his physiological needs were so urgent that he couldn't care less about anything else and had to bite the bullet and deal with it.
After leaving the restroom, Zhuang Chaoying felt completely refreshed, and the sense of relief made him let out a long sigh of relief.
He wouldn't tell anyone about this embarrassing incident, not even Ah Ling. It was his little secret, and if it got out, he would lose face big time.
、、、、、、、、
He raised his hand to look at his watch; it wasn't even three o'clock yet.
Today, Xiaoting and Dongzhe went to Shanghai to deliver a bicycle to Tunan. I don't know when they will be back.
After finishing the exams, I'm finally on vacation. I can finally rest for a while and spend more time with my family.
He let Ah Ling ride the bicycle away, and he carried his briefcase to the bus station, intending to take the bus home.
After getting off the bus, I passed by a shop and bought six pork ribs and two pig's trotters, thinking of stewing them for Ah Ling when I got home.
When I got home with my things, I found the gate was locked and no one was home.
He carried the pig's trotters and ribs into the kitchen.
He skillfully roasted the pig hair over a fire; the flames licked the pig skin, making a sizzling sound, and the pig hair was instantly charred.
Then, he picked up the loofah and used all his strength to scrub off the black ash until the pig's trotters were clean.
Cut the pig's trotters in half and put them in a pot to cook.
He added some scallions, ginger, and star anise to the pot, poured in some cooking wine, turned the heat down to low, and let the pig's trotters simmer slowly in the pot.
Soon, the aroma of braised pork trotters filled the kitchen.
He then started making braised pork ribs, washing and blanching the ribs, then stir-frying them in hot oil with various seasonings. As he stir-fried, the aroma became increasingly rich.
The aroma of pork ribs and pig's trotters slowly wafted from the pot.
At this moment, Huang Ling pushed her bicycle, with Song Ying following behind. As soon as they entered the courtyard, they smelled the fragrance.
Song Ying sniffed hard. "Sister Ling, what did Teacher Zhuang make? It smells so good!"
Huang Ling parked her bicycle. "You'll know once you go inside. Dongzhe and Engineer Lin aren't home today. You don't like cooking by yourself, so just eat at my place."
Upon hearing this, Song Ying's eyes lit up immediately, and she grabbed Huang Ling's arm. "Sister Ling, my dear Sister Ling, I want to eat a steamed egg too."
Huang Ling patted Song Ying's hand. "Let Chao Ying steam it for you!"
,,,,,,,
Meanwhile, Tu Nan took a train straight to the western province.
After getting off the train, I immediately boarded a bus.
He and his senior brother Dazhi walked behind, while Zhang Wanshu and Li Jia sat in the front seats.
After two days of travel, he was extremely tired and his eyelids were drooping.
As the car bumped along the country dirt road, his head rested against the back of the seat, and he drowsily closed his eyes.
Suddenly, with a "screech," the car was forced to stop by the roadblock in front of it. The sudden braking woke everyone in the car.
Tu Nan also suddenly came to his senses, and a sense of unease welled up in his heart.
Drivers are used to it, especially in remote rural towns where such road bullies are common.
He quickly turned around and calmly reassured everyone. "Everyone, don't be afraid. He just wants money. Just pretend to be scared and give him some. It's better for people to be safe and sound than anything else."
The ticket seller quickly stood up as well. "We can't afford to fight back, can we? We can't afford to!"
Ms. Ruan turned around and said softly, "Protect the female classmates around you."
Tu Nan finally believed what Dong Zhe had told him a couple of days ago; there really were road bullies robbing people on the road, and it seemed that the story about being hit on the head while going to the toilet was also true.
His heart raced, and a sense of tension spread through him.