Rebirth 1977 Great Era

Chapter 1167 Second Sister Arrives Home, A Gift from Afar (Bonus Chapter for Monthly Tickets)

When I got home, my eldest sister and younger brother had already gone to the station; my second sister was coming back this morning.

The house was bustling with activity. My mother was in the kitchen, and Fang Yan went in to take a look.

On the cutting board were evenly cut pieces of meat and washed vegetables. On the stove, a clay pot was stewing meat, steaming hot. The rich aroma of meat mixed with the fragrance of soy sauce wafted out from the crack in the door and filled the yard.

Judging from her posture, she was clearly going to cook a sumptuous meal herself, using the most authentic "home-cooked" flavor to welcome her daughter home after a long journey.

Despite her words of dislike for her second sister, she is actually quite obedient in her actions.

Fang Yan asked her:
"How about I cook a couple of dishes?"

The old woman said to him:
"Let's skip lunch and have dinner instead!"

Fang Yan nodded and said to his mother:

“Okay, Editor-in-Chief Xia from People’s Medical Publishing House is coming over for dinner tonight, and I’ll cook.”

The old woman was taken aback, but didn't ask any further questions, and nodded:

"it is good!"

Instead of staying in the kitchen and causing trouble for Mom, Dad grabbed a rag and rushed into the room he had prepared for Second Sister.

He thoroughly cleaned the room, leaving no corner untouched, including the windowsill and the desk.

Then, he rummaged through his drawers and cabinets, took out a brand new straw mat and laid it on the bed, then covered it with a soft and clean thin quilt, preparing the most comfortable and peaceful little nest for her to sleep in during this increasingly hot season.

That wasn't all. Dad then took out some brand-new daily necessities he had specially prepared from the drawer: a brand-new towel, a toothbrush still wrapped in paper, and a small bag of white tooth powder, and placed them one by one on the washbasin stand next to the desk.

After doing all this, he straightened up, rubbed his hands together, and showed a satisfied expression on his face. He had obviously done a lot of work to ensure that his daughter could sleep comfortably and use the items cleanly.

The children didn't go out today; they listened to Song Jian tell local horror stories from her hometown of Nanjing at the door. Even on such a hot day, their hair stood on end as they listened.

As for the others, they seemed to have a bit more free time.

It's getting hot, so everyone's been staying in the main hall.

Watching TV, chatting, playing mahjong.

Zhu Lin was choosing fabric in the bedroom, planning to make a few summer outfits for her second sister.

When they saw Fang Yan return, they all greeted him.

"Where's Lao Hu?" Fang Yan asked them.

Huang Huijie said:
"I went to Chaoyang Dongba with Xiaolin. Didn't Mr. Huo send a telegram to restock in Hong Kong? Old Hu went over to keep an eye on it... By the way, you finished your business so quickly?"

He said in dialect:

"None of the leaders were there; they were all proctoring the graduate students' exams. When I went over, nobody paid any attention to me. I just signed a document and then came back."

Fang Yan then checked the time and went to the outpatient clinic of Peking Union Medical College Hospital for a look.

Today, Yang Jingxiang and Zhang Yanchang were the only doctors on duty. When Fang Yan arrived, they found that there were other people from other schools also there for their consultations.

I learned after asking that they were the last batch of postgraduate entrance exam candidates tomorrow, and they came here today specifically to experience what the outpatient clinic felt like. After all, they couldn't go to the exam hall to experience it, so they could only come here.

"Is everything alright?" Fang Yan asked Yang Jingxiang and Zhang Yanchang.

"No problem, everything went smoothly, Brother Fang, don't worry!" Yang Jingxiang said to Fang Yan.

Zhang Yanchang also said:

"We've been learning from you for so long and have seen so many medical cases. As long as the patients aren't too strange, they can't stump us."

Fang Yan nodded, and then gave meal tickets to the out-of-town classmates who were watching today.

Consider it an act of hospitality.

If these people pass the exam, then we'll all be classmates. If they don't pass, it'll still leave a good impression, and maybe we'll run into each other again in the future.

After finishing reading this, Fang Yan returned home.

Before her older sister and the others returned from the station, Fang Yan went back to her study and started doing her own thing.

The study door was open, and the chirping of cicadas in the trees in the yard, mixed with the aroma of meat wafting from the kitchen, did not distract Fang Yan.

He was intently organizing the catalog of ancient books from Southeast Asia, the pages turning with a soft rustling sound.

I don't know how much time has passed.

Suddenly, the sound of a door opening came from the courtyard, followed by footsteps and the sound of a motorcycle engine outside.

Then came my father's voice, noticeably louder, rising eight octaves, filled with barely concealed joy:
"Oh, we're finally home! You must be exhausted from the journey."

This greeting was like a switch, instantly activating the courtyard of Fang Yan's family.

Immediately, many people in the main hall began to walk out.

Fang Yan put down his pen and looked outside. At the moon gate between the front yard and the main yard, the eldest sister and the younger brother appeared with a travel-worn figure.

That was my second sister, who had traveled for twenty-three hours to get back.

She wasn't carrying anything; it was all on her younger brother. Right now, the younger brother had a huge canvas bag slung across his back and was carrying a bulging net bag in his hand, while the older sister had a worn-out faux leather suitcase at her feet, covered in the dust of her journey.

"Dad! Luckily, I slept the whole way in the car!" the second sister replied to her father with a smile.

The old man stepped forward:

"It's good to be home, it's good to be home!"

Then the rest of the family members came to greet her. Most of them knew her, and the few who didn't also greeted her.

My mother came out of the kitchen:

"Oh my goodness! I'm finally back! Let me see—wow! The South is so good for you, my skin has even gotten better!"

Fang Ning listened to his mother's words and said with a smile:

"They all speak the local dialect. Last time he went there, he brought a lot of things with him, which improved my life."

"You don't need to worry about what to eat, things will naturally get better."

Hearing this, my mother said with a touch of heartache:
“You’re all alone in Shanghai, so you have to take good care of yourself. The family isn’t short of money now, so I’ll give you some when I leave. You’re studying hard there, so it’s only right that you eat well.”

Hearing her mother say that, the second sister was quite moved.

At this moment, Fang Yan also came up and greeted them:
"Second sister! You're back."

Fang Ning said to Fang Yan:

"Yes, after finishing up some school business after the holiday, I took the bus back immediately."

"We're just waiting for my sister-in-law's baby to come out."

After speaking, he glanced at Zhu Lin beside him.

Zhu Lin smiled and patted his belly, saying:

"It's still some time away, the due date isn't until October."

At this moment, Fang Yan said:

"Alright, stop standing here. Hurry up and put your things in your room. Your family has been worried about you. Dad wiped the tables and chairs early this morning, and Mom cooked for you herself today. We've been looking forward to your return!"

My mother also said:
"Yes, yes, hurry up and put your things down, wash up and change your clothes, then we'll eat in a bit."

The second sister nodded. With familiar family members in front of her, the fatigue of the journey was instantly melted away by the warm family affection.

After a while, she put her things away, washed up, changed into clean clothes, and then went to Fangyan's study. She called over the rest of the family, saying that she had brought local specialties from Shanghai and that everyone would receive a gift.

Fang Ning carefully took out several yellow straw paper packages from the artificial leather suitcase. The paper ropes were tied squarely and firmly, and the corners were printed with faded red lettering.

As she unpacked the package, she smiled and called out, "Come on, the time-honored five-spice broad beans from the City God Temple in Shanghai!" The paper package was unfolded, revealing plump broad beans covered in glistening salt frost, and the aroma of pepper, salt, and licorice instantly filled the air.

The little guy couldn't resist pinching one and popping it into his mouth, saying:

"These are Shanghai-style spiced beans!"

When the second package was unfolded, a lake-blue silk ribbon flowed like water in Fang Ning's hands. She said to Zhu Lin:

“This is what I bought for my younger brother and sister-in-law. The lady at the counter in the Shanghai store said that this material is very breathable and is perfect for making undershirts for dolls.”

Zhu Lin was both amused and exasperated upon hearing this. It turned out that the cloth was bought for the child, and she had actually originally planned to give it to Fang Ning as well.

She smiled and said:

"Then we're on the same page. I'll give you a bolt of fabric later, and I'll have a tailor make you a few outfits for summer."

Fang Ning was taken aback, not expecting that the two of them had prepared the same thing for each other.

Then Fang Ning pulled out a tin candy box from deep inside the net bag, and opened the lid to reveal White Rabbit milk candies inside.

"I queued for half an hour to get just two pounds." She grabbed a handful and stuffed them into the hands of the younger generation surrounding her, while giving the rest to her eldest sister, who had two children and this was the only gift she received.

Then he gave his younger brother a camphor wood bookmark, his mother a Shanghai-made soap, and his father a pair of cloth shoes. The two children also received a set of comic books.

She had limited financial resources, so the items she brought were all inexpensive, except for Zhu Lin's, which were more expensive.

The others only had souvenirs.

Fortunately, everyone has one.

Fang Yan received twelve exquisite medicinal herb specimens from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Even Lao Hu and Huang Huijie received a gift: a rattle drum for their child.

This really hit them right where it hurts.

Huang Huijie was quite happy to receive it.

P.S.: That's all for today. Please come early tomorrow.

(End of this chapter)