Li Weihao and Li Weibo learned about Chen Fu dropping out of school from their parents, and the brothers fell silent.
Childhood playmates and brothers were drifting further and further apart.
Let alone the dropout Chen Fu, even the academically strong Chen An, and Li Weiyu who didn't practice the Ouyang family's cultivation techniques, would all become increasingly distant from them in the future.
Although they were in the same specialty team as Li Weiyan, their different groupings and this recent "training of the mind" had widened the gap.
And in the future, they themselves would also...
They longed to grow up when they were children, but why did they suddenly realize that growing up wasn't happy?
Li Zhengguo patted his elder son's shoulder: "Go see Xiao Fu. Just reminisce about the old days of joy, and don't mention the changes each of you have undergone these past two years."
"Take him to Wang'er Village to play and release some emotions. He's about to be driven mad by your aunt's nagging."
Li Mu shouted after the two grandsons' retreating backs: "Bring Xiao Fu over for dinner. I've stewed meat, and you can go play after eating."
"Okay!" Li Weihao responded.
When they found Chen Fu in the west greenhouse, the brothers almost didn't recognize him.
No wonder their aunt was displeased; in just two years, he had become almost identical to his uncle.
Chen Fu greeted the two energetic young men in front of him: "Hao Hao Ge, Xiao Bo, you're back?"
Li Weihao and Li Weibo grabbed him and started walking: "Grandma has stewed meat and asked you to come over for dinner."
Chen Fu struggled: "I haven't finished my work. You guys go back first, I'll come over later."
As they spoke, he was already being escorted out of the greenhouse by his two cousins.
Li Weihao turned back to the stunned Chen Suozhu and said: "Uncle, you and Aunt should also come over for dinner. We'll call An An from home."
He had heard that An An had become a bookworm, all because of the pressure his aunt put on him.
Chen Suozhu waved his hand: "We won't go. Just call An An."
Li Weihao turned and continued walking out: "I don't care, I'll just tell Grandma you agreed for the whole family to come for dinner."
Chen Suozhu had no choice but to drop his work, go home, and wash up. Covered in mud and dust, how could he possibly go for a meal?
Passing by his house, Chen Fu also wanted to wash up, but his cousins disagreed.
After escorting his younger brother away, they dragged him to the courtyard house at the head of the village.
Upon arriving at the courtyard house, Li Weihao told his grandmother that he had invited his uncle to dinner and then took his cousin to the washroom.
He also threw him a set of clothes: "Hurry up and clean yourself up."
Li Weibo brought over a bucket of water: "Fu Ge, hurry up and wash. I've mixed in some hot water for you. You've been sweating, you can't use cold water."
Holding the clothes, Chen Fu smiled. His cousins were still the same as before, one playing the bad cop and the other the good cop.
Emerging from the washroom refreshed, he received his grandmother's praise: "This outfit suits Xiao Fu."
A white short-sleeved t-shirt paired with light brown khaki shorts, neat and crisp.
Chen Fu still felt a bit awkward: "I feel a bit uncomfortable wearing this."
"You'll get used to it. I have more, and I'll give them all to you to take back later."
Li Weihao brought out a pair of white Nike shoes: "Fu Ge, come and change into these. I remember your feet aren't that big. This size 41 should fit, right?"
Chen Fu, wearing slippers, backed away: "I'm fine with my slippers."
Li Weihao held him down: "These are all secondhand clothes and shoes. We're just glad you don't mind. We didn't know what gifts to get you."
Chen Fu's personality was very similar to his uncle's; he didn't play with new gadgets or have a fondness for snacks.
Besides, their team didn't have anything else to sell, only clothes and shoes from a recycling shop.
These clothes and shoes were gifts from the teammates' families, and they weren't suitable to wear within the team.
Throwing them away was out of the question. But to mail them back, given the heartfelt intentions of the givers, seemed a bit excessive.
So, the team simply opened a recycling shop, where they could buy and sell.
With the white Nike shoes on, Chen Fu's demeanor instantly elevated.
Li Mu sighed: "No wonder the elders say that wearing new shoes makes you walk with your head held high, and without shoes, you're half poor. A pair of shoes has such a big impact on a person's overall appearance."
"Xiao Fu, wear this. Your Hao Hao Ge and Xiao Bo will dress you up, so just go with it."
"You're sixteen now, get yourself dressed up properly, attract a matchmaker to your door, and disrupt your mother's plans."
Chen Fu's face immediately turned red: "Grandma, I..."
Seeing this, Tian Jing nudged her husband. Her husband had become fond of matchmaking, and here was a perfect candidate.
Li Zhengguo also noticed: "Xiao Fu, do you have someone you fancy?"
Chen Fu nodded and shook his head: "My mother won't agree, and I don't know if the other person is interested in me."
Li Weihao and Li Weibo: "..."
Hadn't they just grown up?
Weren't they still underage?
Xiao Fu (Fu Ge) is... ?
Upon hearing his great-nephew's words, Li Zhengguo knew this was not a topic for discussion in public. He beckoned to his great-nephew:
"Let's go inside and talk. Your Uncle can give you some advice."
After hearing who his great-nephew fancied, Li Zhengguo was also in a difficult position. This wasn't his son, and he really couldn't make decisions for his younger sister:
"Xiao Fu, let's put this aside for now. When you turn eighteen, if your feelings haven't changed, then tell me again, and I'll try to fight for you."
"Okay." Chen Fu nodded, knowing the difficulty was considerable: "Uncle, you must keep this a secret for me!"
"I can, but I won't keep it a secret from your Aunt."
"It's fine with Aunt."
The uncle and nephew came out of the room. Not only Li Min and Chen Suozhu had arrived, but Li Liguo and Ouyang Meihua had also come with Li Weiyu.
Ouyang Meihua was asking Li Weihao and his brother why Yan Yan wasn't on holiday.
Upon learning that it was because he hadn't passed the exam after "training of the mind," she gritted her teeth and said their elder son deserved it, and he should undergo more training.
Li Min saw her elder son and began nagging again.
This time, she compared the gap between Hao Hao and Xiao Bo and her elder son.
She also said that even if her elder son wore a dragon robe, he wouldn't look like a prince.
Li Zhengguo picked up a broom and hit his younger sister: "You need to see a doctor. Either you're going through menopause or you have psychological problems."
"Xiao Fu is your son, not your enemy. How can you say such things?"
"Little Brother!" Li Min hadn't paid attention and was hit squarely on the back with a broom:
"I'm over thirty, and you're not only hitting me, but you're doing it in front of the children?"
Li Zhengguo pointed at her with the broom: "If you can speak so harshly to Xiao Fu in front of his childhood friends, then I can hit you in front of the children."
"If you dare to nag Xiao Fu like this again, I'll hit you in front of the commune members."
"You are Xiao Fu's mother, and you can nag him. I am your elder brother, and I can hit you."
"You care about your reputation, doesn't Xiao Fu deserve one?"
Li Min jumped up indignantly: "Your son and daughter are both excellent, so of course you're not worried. You're speaking from a position of privilege."
Li Zhengguo replied shamelessly: "That's because your Little Aunt and I are excellent, and we gave them good genes. And you? You're as stupid as an ox, and you blame the child for not being excellent?"
Tian Jing pursed her lips and chuckled. She stepped forward to mediate:
"Alright, alright, Zhengguo, you've gone a bit too far. Minmin is a mother, how can you embarrass her in front of Xiao Fu and An An? Next time, hit her behind the children's backs."
"Little Aunt!" Li Min felt her heart grow cold. In this family, she was isolated.
Tian Jing walked over to her and comforted her:
"Your little brother's behavior was a bit extreme. But your words were also quite excessive."
"Have you seen us hit or criticize our children? We always encourage them. You've seen it before."
"Genetics play a role, but education is the most important. If you belittle your children so much, how can they strive for success?"
"Look at An An, he's also been dulled by you these past two years. The reason he's so dull is largely because he's lost his self-confidence."
"Your self-confidence has been talked away by you, a mother with no scruples with your words."
"Alright, alright, let's eat quickly. After eating, we'll go out to relax."
"Minmin has also driven herself crazy these past two years. Let's all go to Aikuwan together."
Li Min secretly glared at her little brother: "Then Little Aunt, you'll pay."
Tian Jing nodded: "Okay! I'll pay."