Ren Shanshan was cleaning up the house, while Liu Jian drove around Shenyang, buying many gifts: Shenyang's unique cigarettes, alcohol, clothes, and so on. The trunk was full of large and small packages, and by noon, even the back seat was filled with things. Liu Jian had brought a lot with him when he came, and this purchase only made it more.
Before leaving, Liu Jian asked Ren Shanshan to make a call home. Ren Shanshan's home didn't have a phone, so the call was made to the village store, and they went to fetch her mother.
Hearing her mother's voice, Ren Shanshan almost burst into tears, and said, "Mom, it's me, Shanshan."
Ren's mother asked with concern, "Shanshan, is something the matter? Long distance calls are so expensive, why are you calling?"
Ren Shanshan held back her tears and said, "Mom, it's nothing. I want to tell you that I'm coming home for Chinese New Year this year."
Mother Ren asked excitedly, "Really? Shanshan, you're coming home for Chinese New Year? When will you arrive? What do you want to eat? I'll go buy it for you."
Ren Shanshan shook her head and said, "No need, Mom. We're leaving today, and if things go well, we'll be home by tomorrow morning."
Madam Ren asked curiously, "You... you and who?"
Ren Shanshan said a little shyly, "Mom, I have a boyfriend. We're going back together."
Madam Ren exclaimed, "Oh, good, that's great! Be careful on the road. I'm going to tell your dad. Oh dear, you didn't tell me sooner. The house isn't even tidy. Okay, I won't talk to you anymore. I'm going home to tidy up. It's your boyfriend's first time visiting; we need to make a good impression."
After saying that, she hung up in a hurry. Ren Shanshan was left speechless, both laughing and crying, wondering why her mother was in such a rush, as there were still many things she hadn't told her. Liu Jian said from the side, "Okay, we can talk about anything else when we get home. Oh, this is for you."
Liu Jian took a phone out of a bag and handed it to Ren Shanshan. Ren Shanshan said in surprise, "You bought me a phone? I don't need it."
Liu Jian put his arm around Ren Shanshan and said, "Why don't you need it? We'll be talking on the phone every day from now on. It's too troublesome without a phone. And with it, you can tell me anything at any time."
Ren Shanshan smiled and nodded, leaning into Liu Jian's arms, feeling indescribably sweet.
After lunch, the two set off. Shenyang was indeed quite large. It took them more than an hour just to leave the city. The outer ring road of Shenyang was not yet completed, so Liu Jian could only drive around in the city. Fortunately, there were not many cars in this era, otherwise it would have taken half a day just to get out of Shenyang.
Ren Shanshan was dumbfounded when she looked at the things in the car. She knew Liu Jian was going out to buy some gifts for her family, but she didn't expect him to buy so much. From clothes to shoes and socks, from food to drinks, all kinds of odds and ends filled the car.
Ren Shanshan was very touched, feeling Liu Jian's sincerity. She said, somewhat excitedly, "Xiao Jian, you don't have to buy so many things, buying a little less would be enough."
Liu Jian shook his head and said, "How could that be? You only go back once every few years, your relatives and friends should see that you've become successful. Besides, as a new son-in-law visiting for the first time, I need to make a good impression."
Ren Shanshan nodded, saying nothing, but the gratitude she felt towards Liu Jian was etched in her heart. She secretly vowed to treat Liu Jian well for the rest of her life. He was the best person to her besides her parents, and he would be the most important person in her life.
Liu Jian wasn't driving fast, but luckily the entire stretch from Shenyang to Beijing was highway, so there were no delays along the way. They reached Shanhaiguan in a little over six hours. The two didn't get off the highway. Liu Jian had prepared a lot of food, so they ate some casually and continued on their way. They arrived in Tianjin a little after ten o'clock in the evening, and Liu Jian stopped driving. He was too tired driving alone, but luckily there was a beauty next to him, otherwise Liu Jian wouldn't have been able to drive for more than ten hours straight. This would have become suffering, not tourism.
The two found a hotel in Tianjin, ate a few bites casually, and settled in for the night. The next morning, the two ate steamed buns at Goubuli. Liu Jian knew that to eat these snacks, you had to go to the old shops. This time it satisfied Liu Jian's appetite, and he ate more than ten. Authentic Goubuli buns were indeed much better than the buns at the train station.
In Tianjin, Liu Jian also bought some preserved fruits and Tianjin's 18th Street mahua (fried dough twist), which are Tianjin's specialties. He bought these to give Ren Shanshan face. Ren Shanshan didn't say anything, but she was very happy in her heart, which showed that Liu Jian really cared about her and wasn't just playing around. After all, no one would spend so much for a fleeting romance.
Ren Shanshan's home is in Sanlipu, an insignificant village in the ancient town under Dingxing County, Baoding City. Hebei province has a large population but little land, making it a very poor place.
Around noon, Liu Jian drove into Baoding City and, guided by Ren Shanshan, headed towards Dingxing County. Once they left Dingxing County, the road became very bad. After leaving the ancient town, it was all dirt road. As they approached Sanlipu, the road became extremely bumpy. Liu Jian drove very carefully, after all, it was a new car. Liu Jian also regretted not driving the Peugeot. If he scratched the car up like this, his father would be heartbroken.
Their arrival in the village caused a sensation. Sanlipu is one of the poorest villages in the surrounding area. Over the years, Ren Shanshan was the only one who had been admitted to university, and she was even studying in Shenyang, the provincial capital of Liaoning. The day she left, the whole village came to see her off. Many people saw her as their own hope, and treated her as their own child. Her tuition for the first year was largely pooled together by the families in the village.
As expected, Ren Shanshan didn't disappoint them. Although she never came back after leaving, she sent money home every year and didn't ask for a single penny from her family after the first year. Yesterday, Ren's mother received a phone call and told the villagers that Ren Shanshan was bringing her boyfriend back. Many people waited at the village entrance early this morning, and the crowd only dispersed close to noon.
Unexpectedly, just as the crowd dispersed, Ren Shanshan returned in a car. The village children followed the car, jumping and skipping. Liu Jian drove carefully, as the roads in the village were relatively narrow. After a while, before the car reached Ren Shanshan's doorstep, her parents came out to greet them, walking even faster than the car could drive, which shows how poor the road conditions were.
When Ren Shanshan saw her parents, she couldn't help but open the door and get out of the car, immediately throwing herself into her mother's arms, tears streaming down her face. Liu Jian, directed by Ren's father, parked the car in front of the Ren's house. After getting out of the car, he saw Ren Shanshan taking her mother's hand and walking towards him.
Ren Shanshan, her face flushed, introduced, "Mom and Dad, this is my boyfriend, his name is Liu Jian."
Liu Jian hurriedly said, "Uncle, Auntie, hello, I'm Liu Jian, Shanshan's boyfriend."
Ren's father was an honest farmer, he nodded and didn't say anything. Ren's mother, on the other hand, kept sizing up Liu Jian. It's said that mothers-in-law are always more and more pleased with their sons-in-law, and Ren's mother was the same. Liu Jian was almost six feet tall, dressed in branded clothes, and a quick glance revealed that he was a city dweller. He also drove a car, which naturally made Ren's mother very satisfied.
Liu Jian opened the trunk, took out a bag of candy and distributed it to the surrounding children. The children were jumping for joy. The crowd around not only didn't disperse, but grew larger and larger. Liu Jian said to Ren Shanshan, "Shanshan, have Auntie find a place, I'll take the gifts inside."
Ren Shanshan nodded, whispered something to her mother. Ren's mother's eyes lit up, and she called out to a few neighbors. Together with Liu Jian, they unloaded the things from the car. This time, all the eyes around were filled with envy. There were all kinds of clothes, cigarettes, alcohol, food, gift boxes, and the most exaggerated thing was a TV set in the back. This was something Liu Jian had heard on the way about Ren Shanshan's family only having a black and white TV, so he bought it specially in Tianjin. The surrounding neighbors, whether they could help or not, all gathered here, and a few followed into the house to see the new TV. While everyone was busy, a girl in a white shirt ran out.
Ren Shanshan immediately exclaimed, "Yingying!" and hugged the little girl.
Liu Jian knew this was Ren Shanshan's younger sister, a senior in high school this year, who was also about to take the college entrance exam. The reason Ren Shanshan decided to embark on that path wasn't unrelated to wanting her sister to have a good start. Otherwise, the steadily rising tuition and living expenses would create all sorts of obstacles for Ren Yingying's path to school.
Ren Yingying also curiously looked at Liu Jian and asked, "Are you my future brother-in-law?"
Liu Jian nodded and smiled, saying, "Yes, you must be Yingying. Your sister has praised you a lot in front of me, saying you're a good student and a promising candidate for Tsinghua and Peking University in the college entrance exam. How about it, are you confident?"
Ren Yingying snorted and said, "Of course, but why are you acting like my teacher, always lecturing people when you speak?"
The mother, Ren, slapped Ren Yingying on the arm out of anger and said, "Go on, crazy girl, what nonsense are you talking about? Xiao Jian, is it okay if I call you that?"
Liu Jian quickly nodded and said, "Auntie, please don't stand on ceremony, you can call me whatever you like."
Mrs. Ren smiled and nodded, saying, "Come on, Jian, quickly come inside, don't just stand at the door. That Shan Shan is just like that, she didn't tell me you were coming back earlier, the house isn't even tidied up."
Liu Jian smiled and said, "Auntie, I'm not an outsider." After speaking, he followed Mrs. Ren into the Ren family's courtyard.
Ren Shan Shan's house is an old-fashioned earthen house with three rooms. There's a jujube tree in the courtyard, and they also raise a pig and some chickens. The courtyard is now completely full of people. Liu Jian kept greeting the relatives and old friends as Mrs. Ren introduced them. By the time he got inside the house, Liu Jian hadn't remembered many people; there were just too many.
The east room's basement was filled with all kinds of gifts that Liu Jian had bought. The TV was conspicuously placed on the kang (heated brick bed). Liu Jian realized the room was almost too full to step into, so he could only perch on the edge of the kang. Mother Ren brought over peanuts, melon seeds, candies, and other things that she had already prepared.
Father Ren lit a dry tobacco pipe and puffed away, sitting on the edge of the kang without saying anything. Liu Jian hurriedly took out the cigarettes he had bought and lit one for Father Ren.
Father Ren took a puff and his eyes lit up as he said, "This cigarette is good, it must be a few yuan a pack."
Ren Shanshan hurriedly said from the side, "Dad, this is Zhonghua cigarettes that Xiaojian bought especially for you. They cost thirty yuan a box now."
Father Ren's hand trembled, almost getting burned by the cigarette. He said in surprise, "How much? Thirty yuan a box?"
Ren Shanshan nodded. Mother Ren's gaze towards Liu Jian changed even more. Liu Jian had bought so many things, but Mother Ren only noticed the big TV. She didn't really know how much the other things cost. Upon hearing Ren Shanshan say that a box of cigarettes cost thirty yuan, she knew that the other things couldn't be cheap either. She secretly pulled Ren Shanshan aside to ask, and sure enough, the clothes cost over a hundred yuan each.
Several relatives of Ren Shanshan's family came in, and Ren's father gave each person a cigarette, specially emphasizing, "This was bought by my son-in-law, thirty yuan a pack." When everyone heard it was thirty yuan a pack, their eyes lit up, and they didn't know whether to smoke the cigarette or not. Some began to ask what Liu Jian's family did for a living.
Ren Shanshan couldn't stand it anymore and said, "Mom, let Liu Jian go rest in the west room for a while, he's been driving all morning."
Ren's mother quickly said, "Okay, okay, then go lie down for a while, I'll go prepare the meal."
Liu Jian also found it a bit difficult to handle Ren Shanshan's relatives, so he followed Ren Shanshan to the west room, lay down on the kang, stretched, and reached out to pull Ren Shanshan into his arms. Ren Shanshan was startled and said, "Don't, my parents are next door."
Liu Jian smiled and said, "I know, I just want to hold you. Shanshan, so many people have come to your house, I think we should have a feast. I'll give you two thousand yuan, you can find some people to buy some wine and dishes, borrow some tables and chairs, and entertain these relatives and friends. You also said that you were able to pass the exam and go to university back then thanks to everyone's help. It's fine that you haven't been back all these years, but now that you're back, you should thank everyone."
Ren Shanshan leaned against Liu Jian's chest, becoming increasingly pliant, and whispered, "Thank you, Xiao Jian, I really don't know how to thank you."
Liu Jian smiled and patted Ren Shanshan's shoulder, saying, "Do you still have to be polite with me? Okay, hurry up and tell people to buy things. It doesn't matter if you buy a lot. Borrow some tables, and if possible, invite everyone in the village to come and give your parents some face."
Ren Shanshan nodded and said softly, "Xiao Jian, you rest for a while, I'll go out and get busy first, and I'll come and keep you company later."
Liu Jian nodded and lay on the kang, not wanting to move at all. After driving the car for so long, he was really exhausted.