Chapter Four: Astonishing! Even a remote village can encounter great gossip

After everyone strolled around the village, they returned to their accommodations to rest. Although the kang was somewhat hard, the long journey had left them tired. Xu Ruofan lay down and scrolled through her phone for a while before feeling her eyelids grow heavy. Before long, she dozed off. When she woke up again, she found herself alone in the room; her parents and younger brother were not there. She called out a couple of times for Aunt Chen and Uncle Xu in the living room, but no one responded.

On the second day of the eleventh month, two families set out on the road by car, heading to a farmhouse that Hai Bo's father had chosen as their destination. He mentioned that the scenery was beautiful and there were few tourists. According to colleagues, the farmhouse still retained the traditional earthen kang, evoking a sense of nostalgia from their childhood.

It was only when Xu Ruofan heard Xu Haibo's hearty laughter that he realized he had been fooled, and he struck a few hard punches on his back.

If Fang's father proudly said to his two children: "Don't mention it, back in my day, I was quite the dashing figure, and the girls who threw me flirtatious glances were truly... tsk tsk.

He laughed in a somewhat silly manner, which caused the other three people in the car to laugh along with him

Haibo's father is still panting: "I really am getting old, my stamina is not what it used to be. If I could turn back five years, I wouldn't be panting like this."

What are you laughing at?

Xu Ruofan whispered to Xu Haibo beside him: "That kang is so hard, how can we sleep? I don't know if that water heater is good to use, can we take a shower? Moreover, there is no Wi-Fi here, and I don't know how many channels the TV can receive. How are we going to spend the night?"

Haibo's father looked and said, "Ah, quite a harvest indeed"

If Fang's mother let out a hum and pretended to question, she said: "Think carefully, did you perhaps mistake the person? Who was it that you were exchanging glances with?"

Seeing Xu Ruofan looking worried and scared at that moment, he couldn't help but feel a sense of amusement, so he deliberately said: "What’s the big deal about a scorpion and a tiger? There might even be a mouse."

Xu Ruofan was very excited, her curiosity bubbling to the surface. She took out her phone and sent a message in the dormitory group chat: "Guess who I just saw!"

After a long while, Li Qian finally replied: Apart from seeing the God of Wealth, I cannot think of anyone else who could evoke such excitement.

The east wing and west wing of the siheyuan are also guest rooms. The west wing is empty and has no furniture; the owner said that the original bed was removed and plans to build a mud kang instead. Guests from the city all prefer this arrangement. The east wing has also been booked, and the guests are a pair of university students who are expected to arrive later today. The back room serves as both the kitchen and dining area, with the owner’s wife personally cooking. By the time they arrive, a table full of dishes will already be prepared. Once everyone has settled their belongings and washed their hands, they will sit down to eat.

Xu Ruofan immediately replied: I saw Xiao Xiao's boss and his girlfriend! They actually booked the same farmhouse as us, staying together with me!

Haibo's father has booked the main house of a farmhouse. Upon entering, there is a small hall, with a large bedroom on each side, both featuring traditional earthen kang beds, accommodating two families, one in each room.

Uncertain how long the four of them had been playing here, Xu Ruofan had only been standing by for a short while when she saw her father and Hai Bo's father, both drenched in sweat, waving their hands to indicate they could no longer continue, thus ending the match. The two of them, panting heavily, walked to the sidelines to rest, while Xu Haibo continued to play on the court with her younger brother

If Father Rofan does not speak, he simply smiles

Li Qian

After dinner, the two families took a walk in the village. There is a basketball court in front of the village committee, and the basketball hoop is quite new. Since it is the afternoon, no one is playing basketball. Xu Haibo is somewhat eager to try, but unfortunately, he did not bring a ball.

Xu Ruofan said with concern: "I don't know if there are scorpions in the tiger's den, I am most afraid of that thing"

Xu Haibo certainly knows that Xu Ruofan is afraid of geckos, not only geckos, but also frogs, hedgehogs, mice, spiders, earthworms, caterpillars, moths, cockroaches, and so on. If he were to continue counting, he could go on until dark. In Xu Ruofan's words, she is afraid of all animals and insects that are ugly in appearance

"Pah! If Ruofan's mother smiles, at that moment I know who you are. Do I know you? I just flirted with you."

Xu Ruofan and Xu Haibo finally entered the courtyard, and upon seeing each other clearly, their eyes nearly popped out in shock. The couple who had booked the east wing room turned out to be Fang Zhe and his girlfriend

Guan Yijing: Maintain formation

Xu Haibo empathized with her, moved closer, and whispered, "Just bear with it; at least there is a flush toilet. Last year, when my dad took me to that place, it was still a pit toilet. You would go crazy if you had to go there. I figured there wouldn't be any Wi-Fi, so I was prepared and brought a gaming console. We can play games in the evening."

If Ruofan's mother smiles, then Ruofan's father also smiles, with a look of longing as he reminisces: "Your mother was truly beautiful when she was in school"

If Fang's mother says: "Tonight, I will have your aunt make some for you to taste, and I guarantee you will find it delicious"

She walked over and watched from the side. Her father was on the same team as Hai Bo's father, while Xu Hai Bo was with her younger brother on another team. Her younger brother played soccer quite well, but he was not as skilled in basketball. Xu Hai Bo could almost be said to be facing two opponents alone, yet even so, his team still held the upper hand. There was hardly any serious contest between the two sides; Xu Hai Bo completely won with his shooting accuracy

Although Xu Ruofan did not like the place where he lived, the food was quite delicious, with a homely flavor. However, the villagers tended to cook with strong flavors, leaning towards saltiness. After a meal, Xu Ruofan found himself drinking a lot of water, and after eating, he would pat his belly and say he was full, unsure whether it was due to overeating or drinking too much water

The gathering lasts only for two days and one night. Haibo's father, considering the rarity of the holiday, discusses with Ruofan's father and they agree to go out for two days first, and then meet up with the other two families at the hotel.

The two families arrived at their destination, a small village situated in the mountains, shortly after twelve o'clock noon. The courtyard they rented is a newly constructed siheyuan, which the owner mentioned was originally intended as a wedding house for his son. However, since the son is currently working in the city and has no plans to return for the time being, it has been converted into a farmhouse to accommodate some tourists and earn a little extra money. The owner stated that the nearby mountains have just been developed, the scenery is quite nice, and there are not many tourists around. He offered to take them hiking in the mountains early tomorrow morning, as the air is very fresh.

The boss's wife smiled and said: "Even if you can't eat it, you can keep it; just put it in the refrigerator to freeze. This stuffed pancake is really delicious."

If Dad Ruo Fan said: "Indeed, how many years has it been? I used to take the ball to walk the dog, and he would chase after me to snatch the ball. Now, not to mention competing with him for it, I can't even catch up with him."

The journey is somewhat long, but Xu Ruofan chatted and laughed with her parents and younger brother along the way, not feeling that the time was lengthy. She and her brother particularly enjoyed listening to their parents recount stories of their youthful romances, with both always insisting that the other was the first to take a liking to them.

You compare with me, this is muscle, feel it if you don't believe me

Xu Ruofan certainly knew that what was on his arm was muscle, and he fell silent

If Dad Ruofan is being unreasonable: "How can I remember that you threw it away"

Xu Ruofan said: "If you have the ability, don't eat mine at night"

Xu Ruofan asked: "Where did the basketball come from"

At the beginning of the school year, Xu Ruofan advanced to the second year of university, while Xu Haibo entered the third year of high school. During the National Day holiday, Ruofan's father arranged a gathering with several old classmates, and the venue was a hot spring resort hotel. This resort hotel has business dealings with Mina's father's company, which has provided many complimentary vouchers to Mina's father. Over the past couple of years, the four families have frequently gathered here for leisure.

Xu Ruocheng interjected: "My mother is also beautiful now"

"I went to the town to buy some things in the afternoon; otherwise, I would be suffocated staying here for the past two days," Xu Haibo replied

He does not remember when she started to become so timid, as she was clearly not afraid of these things when she was young. The two of them had even gone to the fields together to catch frogs, and they had cut off the tail of a gecko together. They also picked up a large meaty worm and kept it in a jar, wanting to see if it would turn into a butterfly, but it seems that he accidentally stepped on it and killed it.

There was truly nothing in the village that attracted Xu Ruofan, so in the end, he went to the small supermarket and picked out a large assortment of snacks

While they were chatting, Ruofan's mother and Haibo's mother walked over to the boss lady, talking and laughing, each carrying a large basket on their arms, filled to the brim with wild vegetables.

Ah! Xu Ruofan, frightened, jumped and hid behind Xu Haibo, tightly clutching his clothes, wishing she could leap onto his back. She stomped her feet and exclaimed, "What is it? What is it? Did it run away?"

If Fan's father laughed and said: "I laugh, so what if I laugh? Am I not allowed to laugh? Well, I will laugh then." After saying this, he laughed even more exaggeratedly a few times.

Xu Haibo's vivid description sent chills down Xu Ruofan's spine, prompting him to give Xu Haibo a light punch. Xu Haibo did not flinch and suddenly turned to the corner, glaring and shouting, "What the hell!"

Xiao Xiao

Xu Haibo did not respond, and picked two cans of carbonated drinks to add to the large pile of snacks belonging to Xu Ruofan, allowing her to check out.

Xu Ruofan said: "After digging so much, can it be eaten"

Who is competing with you? Eat well and sleep well, and look at your figure, just like the second brother.

Xu Ruofan: How many chiefs do you have? Of course, it is Fang Zhe

"You only have to wait for two days, and you even made a special trip to buy a ball? You really have an addiction."

Xu Ruofan was indeed not interested; she preferred staying in a hot spring hotel with high beds and soft pillows, delicious buffets, soaking in hot springs while sipping chilled drinks, and enjoying a full set of massages and skincare treatments, which was a hundred times better than this place. She thought about how her parents had worked hard in their youth, striving to escape from the countryside, and now that they had succeeded, they missed it and even spent money to come back to "enjoy" it. She felt they were merely reminiscing about their childhood, and if they were to live here permanently, they might not even get used to it.

Xu Haibo and Xu Ruocheng also gathered around, with Xu Ruocheng already drenched in sweat. Xu Haibo, after all, is not on the same level as the other three. That small match just now was merely a warm-up for him

If Fang's mother and her son are sitting in the back seat, she jokingly says to her husband: "Are you really in a position to say that? Let's ask Da Bin and his wife later who pursued whom."

Xu Ruofan sat alone in the house for half a day without anyone returning. After some thought, she put on her coat and went to the village to look for people. Sure enough, she saw four men, including her younger brother, playing basketball at the basketball court, but her mother and Haibo's mother were not there.

When a group of people returned to their residence, the pair of university students living in the east wing had already arrived, and the two came out of the room to greet them

Where are my mother and Aunt Chen? Xu Ruofan asked

If Ruofan's mother heard this, she would scoff at her children

Why scare you? Just be careful when you go out at night, you might step right on a big fat rat, squeaking away.

The crowd looked around the front and back of the house, and it was evident that the four adults were very fond of it; they could chat for quite a while just about the shadow wall.

If Fan's dad was driving and laughingly said, "Yes, I was more proactive later, but at the beginning, it was you who kept throwing me flirtatious glances. How could I have rushed to pursue you?"

If I am the second brother, then what are you? Just look at your arms compared to mine.

Xiao Xiao interjected, saying: "No way... which chief?"

"She went to forage for wild vegetables with the boss's wife," her father replied, "They have been gone for quite a while, so they should be back soon."

Xu Ruofan smiled and said: "No matter how many girls throw flirtatious glances at you, in the end, you didn't really pay attention to any of them, did you? You just hurried after my mother, didn't you"

As the crowd walked back together, Xu Ruofan and Xu Haibo walked at the end.

After a period of supplementary classes, Xu Haibo successfully passed the examination, achieving good grades in several humanities subjects. Haibo's mother stated that this was thanks to Fan Fan's efforts, and they should treat Xu Ruofan to a meal. The two families also took the opportunity to gather together, but as it turned out, both sets of parents became busy with work consecutively, and they could not find any free time throughout the entire summer vacation

"No way, don't scare me like that." Xu Ruofan furrowed her brows and looked around.

Xu Haibo casually remarked: "Didn’t you just say you were stuffed? Yet you bought so much food. If you’re not fat, who is?"