Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 499 Forgot
Back home, besides Zhang Cuie, Yang Ju and the other four were also there.

Moreover, the house had already been thoroughly cleaned, both upstairs and downstairs, inside and out, and the kang (heated brick bed) on the first floor had been re-laid with bedding, making it look like it had officially "resumed work".

They also prepared a large table of delicious dishes.

Well, they really only rested for one day on New Year's Eve, and came back to report for duty on the afternoon of the first day of the new year.

Since we're here, we might as well take this opportunity to explain a few things.

He might not be able to come back for a while after he leaves.

I'll meet up with Zhang Wenliang at the prefectural committee later, and then we'll take a boat to Shanghai. The day of departure is the fifth day of the lunar new year, which is February 11th. We'll arrive in Shanghai around the 15th, and after finishing our business... I estimate it will take about three days. Then we'll return, which will be the 23rd.

Jiang Lili's school registration date is February 27th, so he might as well stay there a few more days to help them settle in. After all, neither of the sisters has ever traveled far from home before, and they're quite clueless; they might run into some trouble, so it's always better to have someone looking after them.

Thus, February came to an end.

In March, he would be going to the capital for a meeting with representatives from the provincial writers' association. Since that was the case, he decided to go directly from Shanghai to the capital.

He hadn't decided yet whether to take the train or the ship.

If you take the train, at the current average speed of 45 kilometers per hour, and considering the distance of more than 1400 kilometers, including stops, passing, water replenishment, and supplies, it would be considered good if it took 40 hours to get there.

If it's by ship, well, I haven't looked into that.

There are now passenger ferries running from Tianjin Haihe Port to Guangzhou Huangpu Port, stopping at cities like Qingdao and Shanghai along the way. Tianjin even has a cargo route to Hong Kong. ...If you have connections, you can get a free ride to Hong Kong.

(Banner for the opening of the Tianjin-Hong Kong air route in the 70s)
However, Chen Fan didn't go to Hong Kong; he just wanted to see what it was like to experience a passenger ship in this era.

Of course, if the journey takes too long, it's better to take the train.

When we arrive in the capital for the meeting, Yang Ju and the others should have already registered at the school. It's a good time to go and check on things, and if there are any problems, we can help solve them. After that, I don't know how long it will take to get back from there.

If I'm busy until the end of March, this trip will take a month and a half.

Alright, so Chen Fan then delegated the main tasks to Yang Mei, Liu Lu, and Huang Li.

"Turn the soil in the orchard on the front slope, don't plant vegetables there. Plant vegetables in the back livestock shed, next to the earthen bed where there is water to irrigate. There's no one there. A small vegetable patch is enough to eat. Plant more potatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, and don't forget tomatoes. You can decide what else to plant."

Inside the livestock shed, the horses and sheep don't need any care. Just open and close the gate at set times each day; they'll go in and out on their own. Make sure there's enough hay and fodder; if you run out, just go to Master Liu at the front and ask for more, signing off on how much you need. The dogs and pandas are fed the usual amount; aside from feeding them, you don't really need to do anything else.

Yang Mei nodded repeatedly, "We know."

Huang Ying also raised her hand, "They've been learning from us for a long time, they won't make a mistake."

Chen Fan raised his eyelids slightly. "Then let me ask you, how are you going to manage the medicinal herb garden on the west side? And are you still going to keep pigs in the pigsty?"

The girls immediately fell silent, staring at him expectantly.

Hmph, you dare to talk back?
Chen Fan said proudly, "I've already completed my pig order. I only need to raise one pig this year, and I'll slaughter it at the end of the year. You need to turn the soil in the medicinal herb garden more often. I've divided each area into sections and left sample plants in each section. Just plant them according to the samples."

They talked on and on, but it wasn't really anything important.

After finishing, he threw down his rice bowl, wiped his mouth, picked up the luggage that Huang Ying had already packed, and prepared to leave.

Yang Ju quickly stood up and said, "Teacher Chen, if you're gone for too long, what will happen to the new educated youth when they arrive in a few days?"

Chen Fan waved his hand, "I've already discussed this with your dad. Even if I'm not here, he knows what to do. Oh, and also, I'm on official business this time, not deserting my post. You have to make that clear to your dad."

Yang Ju's lips twitched slightly. Was she really not deserting at the last minute?
But when he thought about how busy Professor Chen was, going to Shanghai to buy breeding rabbits and attending a meeting in the capital, he kept quiet.

She didn't dare to ask any more questions anyway.

Seeing how well-behaved the girls were, Teacher Chen nodded in satisfaction. "The three of you practice diligently at home. I'll check on you when I get back."

Yang Mei and the other two nodded quickly.

He then said to the other four people, "I'm also going to the capital in March, and I'll come back to see you all."

Zhang Cuie and the other three nodded repeatedly, their anxiety about going to a distant place seemingly lessened.

……

Chen Fan drove his small yacht to the prefectural committee, then changed cars and went to the machinery factory.

If you think about it, it hasn't actually been more than a few days since I left.

He was just thinking about whether to do some cleaning when he opened the gate and saw Jiang Lili and Jiang Tiantian coming out to greet him.

Chen Fan was somewhat taken aback, "You all came today?"

Shouldn't we be staying home on the first day of the Lunar New Year?
Jiang Lili jogged forward and said with a smile, "Didn't you say yesterday that you would come over tonight? We'll wait here in advance."

Jiang Tiantian walked over and took her sister's hand, "Anyway, we don't have anywhere to visit relatives today, so we'll just wait for you here."

Like Chen Fan's current parents, Jiang Heng and Shen Xueyi also came from other places. However, they were properly assigned to the cotton mill from the school, which was different from the support and construction provided by Chen Fan's parents.

Therefore, there are no elders here in Yunhu.

As for whether they still have a hometown, well, I guess not, because even the two sisters themselves don't know, so there's no way to talk about it.

After chatting for a bit, Jiang Tiantian pulled her sister aside, and once Chen Fan drove the car into the yard, they closed the gate together.

It was already dark. Chen Fan turned on the light, took off his coat, turned to look at them, and asked, "Have you eaten?"

The two sisters exchanged a glance.

Chen Fan raised an eyebrow. Well, it's obviously not there.

He clapped his hands and said, "How about this, keep it simple, I'll cook some noodles, slice some cured meat, and crack a few eggs, okay?"

He then started to walk towards the backyard.

Jiang Tiantian quickly called out to him, "Wait."

Then he looked at his younger sister.

Chen Fan looked at the two of them, somewhat puzzled, "What's wrong?"

Before Jiang Lili could even speak, her face flushed slightly.

After pausing for several seconds, he stammered, "We waited until after 3 p.m., but you still hadn't come back, so we went to pay our respects to your uncle and aunt."

Upon hearing this, Chen Fan slapped his forehead.

How could I have forgotten this?

In Yunhu, the most important ancestral worship customs, besides birthdays, death anniversaries, and Qingming Festival, are around the Spring Festival. ...Later, everyone got busy, and no one went to pay respects on birthdays and death anniversaries, but they still definitely went during Qingming Festival and the Spring Festival.

Before the Spring Festival, on New Year's Eve, people go to the graves to pay their respects and light a candle on top of the grave, symbolizing "lighting up" the way back for their ancestors so that the family can reunite.

After the Spring Festival, the greetings can be given from the first to the fifteenth day of the lunar new year, but the earlier the better, as it is considered a way to pay respects to one's ancestors.

Chen Fan hadn't yet gotten used to his new identity, so he naturally forgot about this, and it seemed no one in Lujiawan had reminded him. He never expected the two sisters to remember.

At this moment, Jiang Tiantian said, "We had already paid our respects to your aunt and uncle before we went to see you yesterday, so we didn't tell you. Then we heard you were coming today, so we thought we'd wait for you to come and go together. But it got too late, and we were afraid it would get dark, so we went ahead first."

She pursed her lips and asked softly, "There's still more than half an hour until it gets dark, do you want to...?"

Chen Fan raised his wrist to check the time, then turned to look at her, "Are there any more offerings?"

"Have."

Jiang Lili quickly ran to the backyard and returned soon after, carrying a basket in her hand.

Chen Fan took the basket and smiled at them, "I can go by myself. You cook at home and I'll take you back when I get back."

The two sisters exchanged a glance, and Jiang Lili looked at him and whispered, "Why don't we... go with you?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Tiantian barely suppressed the urge to roll her eyes.

I went with you earlier. Now he's going to pay respects to his parents, and since you're his girlfriend, it's perfectly legitimate for you to go with him. What would it mean if I went with him?
Chen Fan didn't notice her expression and nodded without turning his head, "Okay, it's getting late, let's hurry up and go."

After saying that, he walked out the gate and got into the car.

Jiang Lili pulled her sister and quickly ran over. They opened the gate first, and after Chen Fan's car drove out, the two closed the gate before getting into the back seat together.

Chen Fan shifted gears and stepped on the gas, speeding the car to its maximum speed.

Fortunately, there weren't many people on the road today, so he could run freely.

The New Year's Eve worship can be done at night because it is to "send light," and going at night allows the candles to burn longer. At other times, you cannot go at night, and you must finish before dark at the latest.

Fortunately, the cemetery wasn't far from here, and with the car going fast enough, we arrived at the tomb in about ten minutes.

It was like a battle; they lit candles, burned incense and paper money, and finally set off a string of firecrackers.

Chen Fan kowtowed respectfully.

At the same time, he silently prayed in his heart, "Don't blame me, don't blame me. I was really unfamiliar with this place and forgot. Now that I've taken on this role, I also bear this responsibility. I promise I will never forget again and will definitely come to pay my respects during Qingming Festival and Spring Festival."

May the Heavenly Venerable bless your family of three so that you may be reborn into a good family soon.

Before dark, the three of them successfully boarded the vehicle and headed back.

When they arrived home, the streetlights were just coming on, and the two sisters busied themselves cooking.

Although Chen Fan had already eaten dinner, he didn't dare say anything at this moment and obediently ate another meal with them.

He had to have someone else arrange the New Year's memorial service for his parents; what could he say?

Jiang Lili, on the other hand, seemed to have done something extraordinary, laughing even while eating, unable to suppress the smile on her face.

Jiang Tiantian seemed a bit absent-minded, and started to drift off while eating. It would take her two or three seconds to come back to her senses if you called her name.

Chen Fan thought she was tired, so he quickly ate dinner and took them all home.

……

The next day was the second day of the Lunar New Year.

Chen Fan brought out the gifts he had prepared beforehand from the room: two bottles of wine, two cartons of cigarettes, two bags of fruit, and so on—a huge pile of things that he couldn't carry in both hands.

When we arrived at the Jiang family's house, the two sisters had to come out and help us carry the car.

This row of small buildings were the dormitories of the cotton mill leaders. This was Chen Fan's first time coming during the day, and he was even driving a small jeep, which naturally attracted a crowd of onlookers.

A man who looked to be in his fifties walked over with a big smile on his face and laughed, "Old Jiang, this is the new son-in-law visiting."

Jiang Heng immediately took out a cigarette and handed it to Chen Fan, smiling, "This is Secretary Song from our cotton mill. You haven't met him yet, have you? This is a good opportunity to get to know him."

Chen Fan, being very polite, quickly extended his hand and said, "Hello, Secretary Song, Happy Chinese New Year."

Happy Chinese New Year! Happy Chinese New Year!

Secretary Song shook his hand and laughed, "I've heard so much about you for a long time. Today I finally get to see you in person. It's true what they say, seeing is believing."

He then turned to look at Jiang Heng, "No wonder your daughter has such high standards and doesn't like anyone. With someone like Comrade Chen setting an example, if it were me, I wouldn't be interested either."

At the entrance of the small building, Jiang Lili's face was already flushed, but her eyes were fixed on Chen Fan and she didn't look away for a moment. Jiang Tiantian was with her sister, with a smile on her face, but her eyes were somewhat unfocused, as if she was looking at someone, but it seemed that she had no focus at all.

The other onlookers nearby were also whispering among themselves, but Chen Fan had good hearing, and every word was being poured into his ears.

"This is Chen Fan? He's so handsome!"

"That's true. I heard he's a member of the provincial writers' association now, and he even works there. I think he's some kind of director, a division-level cadre, the same level as Lao Song."

"She's good-looking and capable, how did Xiao Jiang end up getting her?"

"Xiao Jiang is not bad either. He got into a key university, East China Textile Institute, which is the perfect school for cotton mills. There is no school in the country more suitable for cotton mills than this. Maybe he will become a leader after graduation."

"The key is that Xiao Jiang is also good-looking, just like her sister. I don't know how many people have their eyes on her. Unfortunately, none of them can compare to Xiao Chen, who is already a division-level cadre at a young age."

"Not only that, I heard from their Director Shen that writer Chen is going to take the postgraduate entrance exam. After graduation, he'll be promoted to the next level."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Yes, yes, it's genuine. You can ask Director Shen if you don't believe me."

The noisy discussions did not affect those here.

With a broad smile, Jiang Heng pretended to have a headache and waved his hands repeatedly, "Oh dear, it's better if you don't mention this, because it gives me a headache."

Shen Xueyi nudged him from behind, and Jiang Heng immediately changed his tune, "I'm not going to talk to you anymore, I still have to entertain the guests."

Secretary Song immediately nodded, "Okay, okay, you can go in, you can go in."

He then turned to Chen Fan and said, "Comrade Chen, you are still our cotton mill's consultant. When you have time, you must come to our cotton mill."

Chen Fan grinned, a little awkwardly, "Definitely, definitely."

It seems like this will definitely be a month and a half from now.

Fortunately, at least I'm just an advisor, and they're not really asking me to do anything.

I went back to the capital for a meeting. If I could go further and strive to become a member of the National Writers Association, that would also bring glory to the cotton mill. It would be the best of both worlds!
He followed behind Jiang Heng, waving to the onlookers as he walked inside.

Once Jiang Tiantian closed the door, shutting out the chatter, the room immediately fell silent.

Chen Fan then coughed lightly and respectfully wished Jiang Heng and Shen Xueyi a Happy Chinese New Year, "Uncle and Auntie, Happy Chinese New Year."

(End of this chapter)