Chapter 247: Chapter 239: Seven-Day Drunk
Two movies played for over four hours, and by the time they left the screening room, it was almost six o’clock. Fortunately, it stays light late in the summer here, not getting completely dark until around eight. Luo Jun actually suggested they don’t go back to Jining, but Tian Sisi and Tian Xinhua insisted on returning. They all had the same thought - it wouldn’t be appropriate to spend the night at the Luos’. Besides, they had told Xu Qianwen before heading out that they would rush back that evening.
Tian Xinhua started the car and sped off, while Lei Gang gave a loud whistle, saying, "Off to the canteen to eat!"
A swarm of boys giggled and bustled toward the canteen. Their parents were all busy, so their meals were mostly taken care of by the canteen, which was fortunate as the canteen staff took good care of these kids, making sure they were all well-fed and growing strong.
By the time they got home it was very late, which drew complaints from Xu Qianwen. Tian Xinhua and Tian Sisi pretended not to hear, as hearing it often enough, they had grown accustomed to it and just ignored her. After greeting Tian Aiguo in the study and having dinner, they went off to rest.
Naturally, that night Tian Sisi shared a bedroom with Tian Lili. At this moment, Tian Sisi regretted coming back. Last night, sleeping with Tian Lili was torture - either grinding teeth or kicking legs, and even talking in her sleep. Thankfully, she didn’t have a habit of sleepwalking, otherwise, Tian Sisi would have been scared to death!
After taking a bath, Tian Sisi entered the room to find Tian Lili lying on the bed playing with a doll, which bore some resemblance to Tian Sisi, though the craftsmanship was somewhat rough. Presumably, Xu Qianwen had skimped on spending and bought a cheap doll.
Tian Lili saw Tian Sisi come in and remained sprawled arrogantly across the bed, taking up the whole space and not showing any sign of making room.
Tian Sisi sighed. She really didn’t want to deal with this kind of childish game with such a brain-dead little girl. Ignoring Tian Lili, Tian Sisi went to the desk and picked up a book to read – she didn’t want to sleep just yet anyway.
Tian Lili laughed triumphantly, sitting cross-legged while humming a tune, her hands constantly stroking the doll in her arms. Hmph! Refuse to give me a doll, and tonight I’ll make you sleep on the floor. Let’s see how you’ll deal with me then!
After reading for a while, Tian Sisi took out a small spray bottle from the shopping bag. Inside was her own secret concoction called "seven-day drunk." A mere drop would intoxicate an ordinary person for seven days and nights. If sprayed, it would at least induce a night of deep sleep, unresponsive even to being stabbed with a knife–more powerful than Powder for Anesthesia.
Tian Sisi held the spray bottle in her hand, walked over to Tian Lili, who thought that Tian Sisi had finally cracked and come to beg her. Feeling incredibly smug, she affected an insolent look as she planned to make Tian Sisi plead a little before she would concede.
Tian Sisi wasn’t in the mood for talk. She sprayed across the room, and Tian Lili immediately fell into a deep sleep. With a sneer, Tian Sisi dragged Tian Lili off the bed and unceremoniously dumped her on the floor, tossing the shoddy doll down as well. After a brief thought, Tian Sisi did cover Tian Lili with a blanket.
Hands clapped, Tian Sisi looked with satisfaction at Tian Lili, sleeping like a pig on the floor. She then set her accounts aside, took out a new thin quilt from the shopping bag, turned off the lights, and went to sleep.
Tian Sisi slept soundly through the night until the regular call to wake rang out. She then awoke and saw Tian Lili still deep in sleep on the floor, which made her chuckle. Estimating the time, Tian Lili still had an hour of sleep left. Tian Sisi tidied up the quilt and pulled Tian Lili back onto the bed.
Today, they were going to visit Hu Weiwen. Originally, Hu Weiwen had been sent to an agricultural team in Wulate Banner, a place that used to reform convicts through labor. However, Tian Aiguo had later managed to transfer him to an industrial team in Jining, at a local paper factory. Compared to the agricultural team, this was practically heaven, at least having running water and electricity, without the need to engage in grueling farm work.
The paper factory was not located in the urban area, but dozens of kilometers away from it, amidst a desert landscape. Everywhere was covered in yellow sand, except for the poplar forest behind the factory, which was probably a protective barrier of some sort. Anyway, seeing this desolation, Tian Sisi couldn’t help but feel a wave of sadness, wondering how Hu Weiwen, who had been brought up so delicately, was able to survive in such a place.
The two gatekeepers at the gate became quite friendly upon seeing Tian Xinhua’s jeep. Learning they were looking for Hu Weiwen, one of them immediately ran inside enthusiastically to fetch him while the other struck up a conversation with Tian Sisi and the others. To their surprise, he was a Shanghai person, his soft Wu dialect still gentle and tender despite the erosion of sand and wind.
Hu Weiwen came out quickly. The once refined and fair-complexioned young man had now turned into a man with rough skin and a weather-beaten face, scruffy beard, wearing an old sweat-stained shirt with several holes in it, looking like a beggar.
As soon as Hu Weixin saw his older brother looking like this, tears streamed down his face as he choked, "Brother, is it very hard for you here? How have you aged so much?"
Hu Weiwen hurriedly wiped away his brother’s tears, but his hands, once smooth and delicate, were now covered with calluses and toughened skin. Wiping Hu Weixin’s face felt rough and caused a painful "hiss" from him. Hu Weiwen smiled apologetically and withdrew his hand.
Hu Weixin clutched his brother’s large hands, his tears flowing even more. His brother’s hands used to be so handsome, but now they had become so rough in this dreadful place. Soon, his second brother would also be coming here, and it was very possible that he would end up here as well. Thinking of the bleak future, Hu Weixin was overcome with grief.
"Brother Weixin, don’t cry. Meeting Brother Wei Wen should be a joyful occasion, how can you cry?"
Tian Sisi spoke to comfort him, and although she felt heartache upon seeing Hu Weiwen’s condition, she thought that compared to the educated youths laboring in the agricultural teams, Hu Weiwen was still much luckier. And for boys, enduring some hardship was not necessarily a bad thing. Perhaps the experiences of these years would become the wealth of Hu Weiwen’s lifetime.
Hu Weixin gradually stopped his tears, and Hu Weiwen heaved a sigh of relief, happily leading them inside, having already asked the company commander for leave. Today, he wanted to spend the whole day entertaining his brother and sister.
As their car entered the gate, Tian Sisi noticed the cracked lips of the two people guarding the door and sighed. She took out two fresh cucumbers from her bag, which she had procured from a department store. In those days, it was quite difficult even for the military district to obtain fresh cucumbers. They had brought some cucumbers, tomatoes, and other fresh vegetables and fruits for their visit to Jining, and she added a bit more, half given to Tian Aiguo’s family, and the rest all brought here.
Tian Sisi handed the cucumbers to the two attentive gatekeepers, whose eyes lit up as if they had seen a rare treasure. They hurriedly stuffed the cucumbers into their chests as if afraid of being seen by others.
After the car drove in, the two gatekeepers hurriedly took out the cucumbers, and finding no one around, started crunching down on them.
"My heavens! It’s been so many years since I’ve had a taste of fresh cucumber. I feel like all my cells are revived!" the Shanghai gatekeeper exclaimed with a longing sigh.
"If only I could have a big pancake now, it would be even better. I miss the pancakes from home so much!" The gatekeeper from Shandong continued eating while wiping away his tears.