She glared at He Zhou. If he dared to laugh at her again, she would punish him in the name of justice!
He Zhou laughed. "Don't look at me like that. I'm your brother. Do you want to hit me? Sister, I respect your opinion, but … "
His sister's looks were impeccable. After all, the He family's genes were not bad.
Although his grandmother, Zhao Chunfang, was shrewish and had a slender face that was not attractive, she was tall and strong with a good bone structure. All the daughters of the He family had inherited this advantage. Even his youngest uncle was good-looking. He had a good face and a good height.
The most outstanding person in the He family was his third aunt. When she was young, she was a golden flower in every village. Her suitors could line up for two miles. At that time, his mother was getting better. His third aunt was rich and good-looking, so she couldn't help but become complacent. She didn't strive to improve in her studies, which was one of the reasons for her current situation.
His third aunt wasn't bad either. Otherwise, his third aunt wouldn't have fallen for him. After all, Kuang Qi's family didn't have much money.
Therefore, with this combination of advantages, his sister was really outstanding.
She had the innate qualities to be an actress.
However, no one around him, be it his relatives, classmates, or friends, did anything related to being a singer, actor, or artist.
From the perspective of an unknown rich second generation, the entertainment industry was still very far away from them.
Therefore, when his sister told him that she wanted to be an actress, he couldn't help but laugh. Couldn't she do something more realistic?
Kuang Shanshan said, "You're just looking down on me!"
"Cutting people off is a woman's talent!" He Zhou laughed. "Don't put labels on me. Who's looking down on you? I mean, being an actress requires a lot of hard work. Look at your situation …"
He couldn't think of a suitable reply.
"What about my situation?" Kuang Shanshan said. "How do you know I can't do it if you don't try?"
He Zhou said, "Then try. But first, you have to get into a film school. Most celebrities seem to be trained in this field. There aren't many who have successfully drifted to the north."
Kuang Shanshan's anger turned to joy. She said with a smile, "Then here's the problem. My mother, your third aunt, doesn't allow me to study art!"
He Zhou threw up his hands and said, "This King can't help even if he wants to!"
"Can't you ask her why she objected?" Kuang Shanshan was once again annoyed by his lazy attitude.
"Why?" He Zhou readily accepted his advice.
Kuang Shanshan gritted her teeth in anger, but she still continued to say, "She said that she doesn't have much hope for me. She just wants to get into a normal school and be able to support herself in the future."
"A mother's love is like a mountain." He Zhou nodded.
"Brother, can't you help me?" Kuang Shanshan stomped her feet. The only one she was willing to call brother was He Zhou. As for the others like Qiu Li and her cousins, she called them by their names.
"Yes!"
"Will it kill you to speak a few more words?"
"Yes!"
"You bullied me too!" Kuang Shanshan burst into tears.
He Zhou looked at her suspiciously at first, then casually took a sip of tea. When he saw that there were really tears on her face, he stood up in a panic and took out a tissue from the coffee table to comfort her. "Don't cry. I didn't do anything to you. Why are you crying?"
Tears are a woman's ultimate secret weapon. Very few men are immune to it.
He Zhou was no exception.
"It's none of your business." The more Kuang Shanshan spoke, the more tears flowed.
He Zhou hurriedly said, "Alright, it's not a big deal. It's just an actor's exam. What kind of family do we have? If we take the exam, we'll be showing him respect!"
He wasn't boasting.
His family had some influence. As long as they were willing to invest in it, sending a child to study art would be child's play!
"It's a film university!" Kuang Shanshan corrected him as she cried.
"Fine, film university!" He Zhou didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "There's nothing wrong with your body. Just pick up a vocal music major and you'll pass. Approved, approved. If there's anything else, I'll talk to Third Aunt."
"Really?" Kuang Shanshan was still sobbing.
"Really." He Zhou handed her another tissue and said with a smile, "I'll tell your mother."
She had always been on equal terms with her aunts. He was the first university student in the He family, so they valued his academic advice.
Kuang Shanshan finally stopped crying. She understood her brother's weight and status in the family. Otherwise, she wouldn't have found her way here.
She went into the bathroom to wash her face and pouted. "Are you going to keep your word?"
"Of course." He Zhou smiled. "Study art. Even though the requirements for cultural subjects aren't high, you can't let your guard down. The better the school is, the higher the requirements for cultural subjects."
"Got it." Kuang Shanshan hugged He Zhou's teacup and took a few sips. "You're treating me to dinner. I haven't eaten yet."
He Zhou rolled his eyes at her. "It's fine. You can eat whatever you want."
He locked the door, pocketed the keys, and took her to the streets to find a restaurant. Finally, Kuang Shanshan stopped in front of a spicy hotpot restaurant.
He Zhou said impatiently, "Sis, can't you give me a chance to bleed? A dozen yuan won't be enough to show your brother's ability. "
He didn't like some vegetables and vermicelli that were boiled in water and spicy hotpot. He couldn't understand why his aunt liked to eat such dishes.
"I want to eat this." Kuang Shanshan walked straight in.
He Zhou had no choice but to bite the bullet and accompany her to eat spicy hotpot.
After coming out of the spicy hotpot restaurant, he still felt his stomach was empty. He saw a stall selling snacks by the roadside and bought a big box of fried chicken legs. He gnawed on them until there were no bones left.
Kuang Shanshan was holding a stick of tanghulu in her hand. She grimaced from the sourness and said bitterly, "Are you a child? Why are you eating fried food?"
He Zhou said, "It's all your fault. I can't even eat spicy hotpot. Oh, right, it's getting late. Hurry home or your mom will come looking for you. I think it's better for you to go home alone. "
Kuang Shanshan said, "I'll give her a call later and tell her that I'm here. She can't come looking for me."
He Zhou was shocked. He said, "What are you doing here? I can't afford to raise a rich missy like you. Hurry home. I still have things to do."
"You're chasing me away?" She glared at He Zhou, looking like she would cry if he didn't agree with her.
She was willing to stay at He Zhou's place so that she wouldn't have to go home and be nagged by her mother.
At her age, she yearned for freedom and wanted to be free.
He Zhou said earnestly, "Can't you feel sorry for your mother? She's devoted to you, but you're still so immature. Don't make her worry. Hurry home. I'll tell her about you later, okay? "
She pursed her lips, not convinced by his words.
At the door, she leaned against the wall and waited for him to open the door. She said with a smile, "You're already twenty years old. You're so rebellious. You didn't listen to your aunt either. How dare you talk to me?"
Big Brother leaving home to go to Pujiang had angered her aunt half to death. She knew that her aunt had been complaining to her mother for a long time.
He Zhou was exasperated. After unlocking the door, he kicked it open as if he wanted to vent his anger.
He said fiercely, "If you don't listen, I'll really hit you."
"I'm afraid of you." She didn't take his words seriously at all. She lay down on the sofa leisurely and said with a smile, "What? Come and hit me. If I'm afraid of you, my surname isn't Kuang."
He Zhou said, "Can't you tell who's the king?"
He didn't know what to do with her.
Kuang Shanshan said, "I'm the king."
He Zhou said, "You're the king. I can't afford to offend you."
He went back to his room and closed the door. He decided to ignore her, hoping that she would leave on her own when she got bored.
He turned on his computer and played games until three o 'clock. He then remembered that he had forgotten to ask about Fatty's progress, so he sent him a message.
Fatty told him that he was at home. No matter what He Zhou asked, he was coy and couldn't answer.
He Zhou, with his bad temper, immediately turned off his computer and got up to go to the Qu residence.
He went out and started his car. Unexpectedly, Kuang Shanshan opened the door and followed him.
He Zhou asked, "Why are you following me? I'll be back in a while."
Kuang Shanshan said, "Unless you're going on a date, don't even think about getting rid of me."
He Zhou said, "Congratulations, you're right. I'm really going on a date. Be observant and don't be a third wheel."
Kuang Shanshan chuckled.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" He Zhou was unhappy.
Kuang Shanshan said, "If you really have a girlfriend, I'll crawl around the county three times."
Her brother wasn't ugly. Although he wasn't handsome, he had good features and wouldn't be repulsive. Moreover, he had a good personality and a good family background. He was also good with girls.
If he really wanted to find a girlfriend, she would definitely be a good girl. He couldn't lack a girlfriend.
However, she understood her brother. He had a scary self-discipline.
Even if he gave her a love letter, it was to follow the trend!
He Zhou said, "In order to see you crawl, I have to find a girlfriend too."
He couldn't chase her out of the car, so he could only drive her to the Qu residence.
Qu Yang was stir-frying chestnuts at the stall at the entrance. The big spatula in the wok made a whirring sound. When he saw He Zhou's car coming, he was as happy as a child.
"Brother Fatty, you're getting more and more handsome." Kuang Shanshan got out of the car first. She wasn't afraid of the heat. She quickly scooped up a chestnut from the wok and jumped around in her hands.
Fatty said, "Sister, you're getting prettier too."
Kuang Shanshan didn't mind that he called her sister.
If it were someone else, she would have been annoyed and beaten to death for taking advantage of her.
However, Fatty was different. He was simple and straightforward. She was willing to play with him.
She smiled and said, "Same to you."
Fatty stirred the wok again and used a sieve to shake off the iron sand. He wrapped a bag of chestnuts for her and said enthusiastically, "You can eat it. You can eat it."
"Thank you, Brother Fatty." Kuang Shanshan didn't stand on ceremony at all.
She and Fatty had a common trait. They both liked to stick to their brother, ever since they were young.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that they were comrades in the same pit.
He Zhou walked over and took out two chestnuts from the bag in front of her. As he peeled them, he asked, "What's the situation? The WeChat message wasn't clear. Are you two going to be together or not?"
"Yes." Fatty's reply was simple.
He Zhou said, "Then why were you dawdling on WeChat?"
"I wasn't dawdling." As Fatty spoke, he didn't forget to give the customer the chestnuts' change.
Mr. Qu came out of the house with a woven bag of chestnuts. After greeting He Zhou and his sister, he poured the chestnuts into the big wok.
"Business isn't bad." He Zhou noticed that there were already two empty woven bags on the ground. A woven bag usually weighed more than a hundred catties.
A small stall that sold more than three hundred catties of chestnuts in a day was still a considerable income.
Mr. Qu said, "It's not bad. It was fine when you left in the morning, but it wasn't good in the afternoon. Since there are a lot of people during the New Year, we'll do it for two more days at most. After that, I'll go to the bus station to set up a stall. "
He Zhou smiled and said, "There are a lot of people there. It should be fine."
The Qu family's stall's business was only good during the New Year. There were many young people returning to their hometown and they were willing to spend money. On normal days, most of the customers were old people and not many people would buy.
Mr. Qu said, "As long as the city enforcement officers don't chase after me, I'll be fine."
He Zhou smiled and hurriedly asked about Fatty's relationship status.
Fatty was still stammering and couldn't give a reason. He only said where he went, what he ate, and what he bought. He didn't say anything in response to the question.
Mr. Qu said, "He's a fool. It's not like you don't know. I asked him in the afternoon. Qu Yang doesn't have anything else to say. He's a perfect match for that girl.
That's right. He's asking for an exorbitant price. He's asking for my life. "
He clenched his teeth and pinched his thumb, index finger, and middle finger together.
He Zhou didn't know whether the betrothal gift was good or bad. However, for a poor family, it was a hurdle that wasn't easy to overcome.
He frowned and said, "Seventy thousand is a bit much."
He had a rough idea of the Qu family's situation.
It was only since last year that the Qu family's situation improved a little and they paid back the famine from a few years ago.
Mr. Qu and Qu Yang were the main labor force. On the surface, the two men had a gross income of about a hundred thousand. It was quite a good income for a small town. However, they couldn't afford to have an old lady who was mentally ill. It was fine if she didn't act up, but once she did, she had to be hospitalized. The expenses started from five figures. Some imported drugs couldn't be reimbursed, so they had to pay for it themselves.
At the same time, Qu Fu was still in high school. Mr. Qu was bold and decisive. He never wronged her when he spent money, and she was sensible. However, no matter what, they still had to spend ten thousand yuan a year.
Therefore, no matter how thrifty Mr. Qu was, the money he saved was limited.
Asking for seventy thousand yuan as a betrothal gift was really stressful for the Qu family.
Moreover, seventy thousand yuan wasn't enough to solve the problem.
If they wanted to hold a banquet, buy clothes for the girl, and buy three gold coins, seventy thousand yuan was just the starting price. After counting all the miscellaneous things, even a hundred thousand yuan might not be enough.
Mr. Qu said angrily, "Holy sh * t, I didn't expect this to happen out of the blue. They said it so nicely at the beginning, but the two children didn't have anything good to say. When it comes down to it, it's all bullsh * t."
Fatty listened to his father's scolding, but he lowered his head and didn't say anything.
He Zhou looked at him and didn't feel good. He smiled at Mr. Qu and said, "Uncle, don't worry. Look, I have some here. I'll go get it for you right now."
"What do you mean?" Mr. Qu pulled him back. "I'm getting married, and you're his brother. You really think highly of him. You just have to support him. Why would I want your money?"
He Zhou smiled and said, "I'm just lending it to Fatty. He'll return it to me when he has the money."
Mr. Qu said, "Don't say it in a nice way. What do you mean by 'lend'? To tell you the truth, I have the money. I was originally preparing it for his wedding. I can't bear to give you so much all at once, but you also know your brother's situation. It's really not easy to find someone suitable.
Besides, I've really taken a liking to this girl. When she came over at noon, I didn't stop her when she wanted to cook. I purposely held back a little. Qufu wanted to help her, but I didn't let him. You don't say, anyone who sees her would like her.
After the meal, she cleaned up the pots and pans neatly. She also has a good eye for things. She also washed the clothes that were soaking in the basin by the well.
She really can't be picky.
Your uncle is uncultured. I'm old, but I'm not muddle-headed. Think about it, your aunt's situation is like that. We're about to reach the same age as your aunt. If she doesn't look down on us, we should be content.
If this girl has the heart, your aunt and I will be able to live a good life when we're old. Otherwise, Qufu will be the one suffering. "
He Zhou was silent. The old man was indeed not muddle-headed.
He agreed with what the old man said.
This was also the reason why he didn't object to Fatty looking for this girl.
There were indeed many girls out there. Some were beautiful, some were smart, and some were cultured. There were all kinds of girls out there. He was rich. If he was willing, he could naturally marry a good girl for Fatty.
But how many of them could treat Fatty with sincerity?
There weren't many suitable for the Qu Family. The Qu Family's situation wasn't ordinary complicated.
Fatty was the only son in the Qu Family. Fatty wasn't very clever, and Fatty's mother was a perennial medicine jar. Qufu was at the age to spend money. If he married the wrong wife and couldn't tolerate the whole family, it would be a big problem.
He smiled and said, "Uncle, it's good that you understand. In the morning, when the two of you went to KFC, I saw with my own eyes that the girl rushed to pay for the food. Nowadays, even the so-called normal girls can't do that."
Nowadays, many girls couldn't even split the bill, let alone rush to pay for it.
In short, the girl's simple action gained He Zhou's approval.
The two of them sat together in silence, but he could feel the two young people's panic and uneasiness. At that time, the air was so thick that it couldn't hold a third person.
He felt relieved and turned around to go home.
Father Qu said, "It's okay to spend some money. The girl is good, and I accept it. Actually, this is my plan. When the two of them get married, I'll build a new house for them and separate from them. Although Qu Yang's salary isn't high, it's not hard to support the two of them. When they have children, I'll take care of them a little.
When his job is done, it'll be Qufu. After four years of college, I'll pay the tuition at most. The rest is up to her. To put it bluntly, I'm not in a hurry for girls.
It's not that your uncle is biased. Your brother's brain isn't good. If I don't help him, he won't get anything. "
As for his own retirement, he hadn't taken that step yet. It wasn't within his scope of consideration.
He Zhou smiled and said, "Uncle, nowadays, even a few tile-roofed houses cost hundreds of thousands. Why don't we buy one, give a down payment, and take the rest as a loan? Wouldn't that be better?"
"That's easy for you to say. Who doesn't know that a good house in a neighborhood has to be paid in cash? We can't afford that much down payment at once." Qu Fu suddenly appeared behind He Zhou with a book in her hand. She smiled and said, "The foundation is ready-made. We don't have the capital. The house can be built slowly. If the foundation is dug today, we don't have to rush to build the wall tomorrow. We can make as much progress as we can. Money won't be so tight."
Her father wasn't completely in charge of the Qu family. If there was anything, her father would discuss it with her, and she would occasionally make decisions.
Father Qu said, "That's what I mean. That's how my house was built. The south side of the city is being demolished, and we can use the bricks we brought back. It doesn't cost much. The expensive part is the manpower. I have to find someone to build the foundation. Cement prices are rising now, and it won't work without tens of thousands of yuan."
He Zhou didn't say anything more after hearing what they said.
Qu Fu wanted to go back to school. Father Qu pushed out a tricycle to send her back. He Zhou was just about to go home. He smiled and said, "Let's go. Follow me. I'll send you to school."
Qu Fu hesitated for a moment. She took her school bag and a jar of meat sauce from the tricycle. She was about to sit in the back seat when Kuang Shanshan stopped her.
Kuang Shanshan opened the door to the front passenger seat and said with a smile, "Sis, you sit in the front. I'll sit in the back."
With that said, she rushed to sit in the back seat.
"Let's sit together." Qu Fu pushed her into the back seat and they sat next to each other.
Kuang Shanshan smiled and said, "It's all the same."
Her grades weren't good, but it didn't stop her from respecting the top student.
From the day she entered the county's No.1 Middle School, all the teachers used Qu Fu as an example.
From Year One to Year Three, Qu Fu was always in the top three in every exam. She never dropped out of the top three even in the provincial joint exams. She was basically responsible for the school's teaching results.
In the entire county's No.1 Middle School, Qu Fu was a legend. She was someone who could be seen from afar but not befriended.
If it weren't for her brother, she wouldn't even have the chance to talk to Qu Fu.
When He Zhou drove into the main city area, there were many cars and people. He slowed down and said with a smile, "What day is it today? Why is there such a traffic jam?"
Qu Fu said, "There's a temple fair today. It's probably only ending now. There are a lot of people going back."
"Oh." He Zhou finally remembered and said with a smile, "I almost forgot. Your grades are pretty good now, so you don't have to be so nervous every day. You can just perform normally during the college entrance examination. "
Qu Fu said, "Why do you think I'm nervous?"
He Zhou said, "I see that you're always reading. Even I wasn't as hardworking as you a few months before the college entrance examination."
Qu Fu said, "That's why you're not the one who went to Qingbei."
"I …" He Zhou wanted to slap himself!
Why did he have to get slapped for no reason!
Kuang Shanshan burst out laughing.
She was happy to see her brother being defeated.
Qu Fu said, "It's not difficult to improve, but it's very difficult to maintain continuous improvement. I've used three years to gradually adjust my study habits. Why should I change them so easily? If I relax at a critical moment, it won't be easy to get back to my previous state. "
He Zhou said, "Alright, as long as you're happy."
Qu Fu said, "Thank you."
He Zhou was silent for a while. In the end, he could not help but ask, "Actually, I feel that as a girl, you don't have to work so hard. You just need to do what you can."
Sometimes, he had to admit that he was not as good as Qu Fu in terms of academics.
He thought that he studied hard enough, but in terms of self-discipline and determination, he definitely could not catch up to Qu Fu.
He was a man.
Qu Fu was a girl.
Comparing the two of them, he was simply too ashamed to show his face.
Qu Fu said, "I've already said that it's already become a habit. It's not a big deal."
If she did not work hard and did not move forward, was she supposed to count on her brother?
Count on her parents?
That was impossible.
She sincerely believed that the Qu family's opportunity was all on her. What she carried was responsibility and hope.
If she did not change, the Qu family would never have a chance to make a name for themselves in this lifetime.
Ever since she was young, she had never felt safe. Her family was poor, her father worked hard all year round, her mother was hospitalized because of medication, and her brother was humiliated. She had always been trapped in an environment where she could not fight back.
She could not do anything even if she wanted to. She could only watch helplessly as the crippled man squatted at the door, drinking cheap wine and wiping his tears. The sloppy woman giggled foolishly, and the chubby child stared blankly.
Everything was so hopeless.
The only thing she could control was her own academic results.
Excellent results could make her satisfied, gain the respect of others, and make her father proud.
Most importantly, it could change her own fate.
The car sped up, and she could gradually see the main building of the school. There were five buildings in a row, with 12 floors. The words "Knowledge Changes Fate" were emblazoned in gold on the main building. She could not help but take a few more glances every time.
These buildings were donated by an alumnus named Li He.
The school's scholarship was also named after this alumnus. She had received it for three years in a row.
She was filled with admiration for this alumnus whom she had never met before.
Sometimes, she thought that if she had money in the future, she would also donate a school building to be named after her.
Before the car reached the school gate, she called out, "Brother Zhou, stop here."
He Zhou braked, turned around, and said, "Alright, slow down."
Qu Fu said, "Thanks."
He Zhou followed her out of the car and let out a long sigh. "If anyone bullies you, just call me."
Before Qu Fu could speak, Kuang Shanshan said, "If anyone dares to provoke her, you don't have to do anything. Our principal will beat them to death."
He Zhou was so angry that he rolled his eyes. What a sister!
Qu Fu waved and said, "I'm leaving. See you when you have time."
He Zhou watched her walk away before getting into the car.
On the way back, he suddenly asked, "Is the principal still Wang Yong?"
"No, he changed. He went to be the bureau chief." Kuang Shanshan was the one who answered.
He Zhou said, "Oh, he should have been promoted long ago."
The principal, Wang Yong, was his Uncle Li He's classmate. Every year, he could get a large sum of money from Uncle Li He's educational foundation. Naturally, he was in high demand.
As soon as the car arrived at the entrance, Kuang Shanshan said in surprise, "Did a thief really break in this time?"
The door was open.
He Zhou said calmly, "Your mom is here to catch you. It's not too late to run now."
Kuang Shanshan was not the only one who knew that he had left the key on the door beam.
Kuang Shanshan sighed and said, "What's coming can't be avoided. You have to suffer."
Before she could open the car door, her mother was already standing at the door.
"Third Aunt," He Zhou said with a smile.
Little Brother Pan asked, "Did she teach you a lesson again? Don't spoil her. She's getting more and more out of hand."
Kuang Shanshan hugged him and said, "No way. I followed her to Master Qu's house."
He Zhou nodded and said, "Qu Yang has a girlfriend. I went to see her."
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
