Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 694 Two More Batches
In fact, there has been quite a stir in society over the past two years.

Besides the heated discussions about what path to take in the future, there is another crucial point: the attitude towards Mr. Li.

The meetings over the past few days not only finalized the strategic roadmap for future development, but more importantly, the top leader used two phrases, "This is by no means an exaggeration," to definitively acknowledge Mr. Li's achievements.

This also brought an end to a two-year-long debate.

After watching the news for a while, the two sisters finished cooking and served the meal.

Chen Fan put down his teacup, rolled up his sleeves, and stood up. "Let's eat."

Today is the Winter Solstice. In addition to a table full of delicious dishes, there is also a bowl of glutinous rice balls and a bowl of dumplings. On the Winter Solstice, people in the north usually eat dumplings and people in the south eat glutinous rice balls. Originally, Jiang Tiantian only prepared glutinous rice balls, but then she remembered that Zhou Yali's ancestral home was in Northeast China, so she also made some dumplings.

However, what made the two happiest, even more than the winter solstice, was Chen Fan's visit today.

It's only a holiday when there are people around; without people by your side, even the biggest holiday is just a time to "miss your loved ones even more."

For a moment, the dinner table was filled with laughter and chatter, occasionally punctuated by the squeaking of the little monkey, which caused another burst of laughter.

……

Suddenly, like a night of spring breeze, thousands of trees and pear blossoms bloomed.

Having stayed in Beijing for so long without seeing snow, I was hit by a cold wave on my second day in Shanghai. A snowstorm swept through the city overnight, covering the ground with a layer of white snow.

Unlike later years when it wasn't snowing every winter in Shanghai, in the 6s and 70s, it snowed in most winters, and the snowfall was quite heavy, sometimes even burying the curbs.

Chen Fan woke up in bed, and even though there was a heater in the room, he could still faintly feel the chill seeping in from outside the window.

This kind of weather is perfect for sleeping, but he unusually got up very early.

I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. As soon as I came out, I saw the two sisters coming out of their respective rooms.

Jiang Lili looked at Chen Fan with a hint of surprise in her eyes, "Why are you up so early?"

Jiang Tiantian also said, "It's snowing outside, why don't you sleep a little longer?"

Chen Fan looked at the two of them and laughed, "If you take the day off today, I'll go back to sleep."

The two sisters exchanged a glance, and Jiang Tiantian turned to them, smiling as she said, "You're not going to drive us to school, are you? No need, we're not driving today, we'll just take the bus."

Jiang Lili added, "That's right, and you'll need a car when you go out on errands, so we can go by ourselves."

Chen Fan didn't say much and went straight into the room. "Enough with the nonsense, hurry up and get ready to leave."

The two sisters exchanged another glance and could only smile helplessly.

After changing her clothes, she went downstairs. A little while later, Jiang Tiantian and Jiang Lili also came down with their schoolbags.

Both of them were wrapped in thick cotton-padded coats, wearing hats with ear flaps on their heads, and their faces were completely covered with scarves, with only their eyes showing. They were all wrapped up so that their good figures could not be seen at all.

Chen Fan wore a wolfskin coat, cashmere trousers, thick leather boots, and a brown baseball cap, without even a scarf.

In Shanghai's weather, a leather overcoat is enough to ward off all the cold, better than any thick cotton-padded coat.

He glanced at the two sisters, his brow furrowing slightly. "Where are your leather jackets?"

Putting everything else aside, last year he gave each of them a fox fur coat. If they don't wear them in this weather, when will they ever wear them?
The two sisters smiled at each other without saying a word. They each unbuttoned their cotton-padded jackets and then lifted a corner of their collars to reveal the fox fur coats they wore underneath.

It turned out they were wearing their clothes underneath.

Chen Fan nodded in satisfaction. "There's no heating in Shanghai, and the classrooms are so empty. It's easy to get cold sitting still. Wearing more clothes is the right thing to do."

The two nodded in unison, "Okay."

Chen Fan then waved his hand and said, "Let's go."

Chen Fan first opened the car door and turned on the air conditioner. Then he swept the snow off the roof and put on the snow chains before getting in the car and taking the two sisters out.

First, they dropped Jiang Lili off at a school not far away, then turned the steering wheel and headed north.

The Yunhu minivan was very well sealed; even with strong winds outside, not a single gust of cold air could get in. On the contrary, Chen Fan turned on the heater, making the inside of the van warm and cozy.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Jiang Tiantian looked at the wind and snow outside the window and felt a bit hot, especially her cheeks. She could only look at the snow outside the window to calm down a little.

Chen Fan slowed his pace and looked back at her, asking, "Has the Writers' Association's annual meeting started yet?"

Jiang Tiantian came to her senses, took a deep breath, calmed herself down, smiled nonchalantly, and said, "It's already over, it's been more than ten days since it ended. Ba Jin was elected chairman, and Yu Ling, Ye Yiqun, Liu Dajie, Wu Qiang, Guo Shaoyu, and Wei Jinzhi are vice-chairmen. There are many other writers who attended the meeting, and in addition, a number of new members were admitted."

Chen Fan turned to look at her again and smiled, "You should be included, right?"

Jiang Tiantian's face flushed even more. She nodded slightly, but didn't dare to look at him. "Yes, Mr. Ba recommended me."

Chen Fan chuckled and said, "You don't need to be embarrassed. This is what you deserve. Besides, with the poem you published, if even you can't join, who else is qualified to join the Writers' Association?"

Jiang Tiantian didn't feel excited at this moment. Instead, she calmed down and said softly with her head down, "I still think that I didn't write this poem."

Chen Fan let out a long breath, stared at the road ahead, and said seriously, "You, you just think too much."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Tiantian's heart clenched, and she lowered her head without saying a word.

Chen Fan looked at her and continued, "I remember the first time I met you, you were always frowning, as if you never relaxed for a moment..."

Jiang Tiantian gritted her teeth, then suddenly looked up at him, interrupting him reproachfully, "No way, I was unconscious at the time, how could I be frowning? You're just talking nonsense."

Chen Fan chuckled twice. "How could you not? You and Lili look nine-tenths alike, even more alike than twins. Go and see her. Although she always kept her head down and didn't dare to talk to people, and her voice was so soft that it was often inaudible, she didn't have eyebrows that were almost twisted together like you."

She looked at her again as she spoke, "Actually, I can understand. Back then, your uncles and aunts were still tending the boilers and sweeping the floors. Even though you worked at the supply and marketing cooperative, you were still ostracized. Plus, Lili was assigned to Lujiawan. As the eldest sister, it's impossible not to worry."

At this moment, Jiang Tiantian suddenly remembered that she had warned her younger sister not to easily fall in love with someone, because she was worried and afraid that her sister would get hurt.

But I never expected that feelings are something you can't control; they're something you just can't have your way with.

Fortunately, she fell in love with a good person who was worth loving, so the outcome can be considered a happy one, right?
After a brief silence, Jiang Tiantian looked up and smiled, "Isn't everything alright now? My parents have both gone back to work, Lili and I have gone to university, and she's even engaged to you. Everything is getting better, so why bring up those things again?"

Chen Fan glanced at her. "Since everything is getting better, why are you always frowning?"

Jiang Tiantian's expression immediately became uncertain. She unconsciously lowered her head and whispered, "No way."

Chen Fan snorted twice more, "Stubborn to the end."

Jiang Tiantian wrinkled her nose, her gaze somewhat unfocused. "Even if there is, it's because of my studies and work. We've been away from campus for a long time, and we have one less semester than students who enrolled normally, so our studies are naturally very demanding. In addition, I also have to go to the magazine to learn how to write and review articles from the editors, and I need to understand the job functions of each department in the magazine."

She lowered her head and murmured, "No, didn't you say that private individuals could run magazines in the future and that I would help you then? The meeting that ended yesterday also confirmed some of your guesses. Maybe one day it really will be possible to run a private magazine. What if I haven't learned how by then?"

Chen Fan turned to look at her, and couldn't help but smile. He wanted to say something, but he swallowed the words back.

There was no way around it; the girl's face was already flushed red, and if they continued chatting, she'd probably get so hot her head would be steaming.

As expected, sisters are sisters. Even if she is more generous than Jiang Lili, it is only because she has to take on the responsibility as the eldest sister. The two have very similar personalities. They are truly family.

Shaking his head, Chen Fan exhaled and laughed, "Alright, so your troubles are because of me."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Tiantian's heart skipped a beat, her pupils dilated instantly, and she almost couldn't breathe for a moment.

Several seconds passed before she regained her ability to think. She took a deep breath and was about to speak.

At this point, Chen Fan continued, "It seems you are indeed under a lot of pressure. Here's what I'll do: I'll help you relieve some of the pressure. You can put the magazine matter on hold for a while; I estimate it's unlikely to happen within a year."

You have to eat one bite at a time, walk one step at a time, and do things one by one.

You don't need to put too much pressure on yourself. Relax when you need to, and it's okay if you learn a little slower.

Let me tell you, my uncle has a publishing company in the US, which has now been handed over to my cousin's management. When we really do start a magazine, I'll have her arrange for two experienced mentors to come and help you, so you won't have to worry. What do you say?

He turned to look at Jiang Tiantian, paused for two or three seconds, and then continued, "In short, relax your brow and your mood, okay?"

Jiang Tiantian looked up at him, meeting his gaze, and seemed slightly lost in thought. "H... okay."

When she came to her senses, she abruptly turned her face away, covered her cheeks with her hands to cool them down, and reminded herself not to overthink.

Seeing her expression, Chen Fan pursed his lips and didn't say anything more, focusing on driving.

It took him twice as long to arrive at the school today. When he got to the school gate, he watched Jiang Tiantian get out of the car and said loudly, "Don't run around after school, I'll pick you up here."

Jiang Tiantian initially wanted to decline, but considering Chen Fan's personality, she finally nodded and said, "Okay."

Then, under Chen Fan's gaze, he turned and walked into the school.

Once inside the school gate, she couldn't help but turn around and look. The car was still in the same spot, and she was somewhat lost in thought.

Then a girl came over and pulled her aside, saying, "Sister Sweetie, what are you looking at?"

Jiang Tiantian snapped out of her daze and smiled, "Let's see if any classmates have arrived. We've been waiting for you, so let's go together."

As she spoke, she took her classmate's hand and walked inside, turning back every three steps.

Only after Jiang Tiantian's figure disappeared around the corner did Chen Fan take off his hat, rub his head, and exhale a long breath.

It's confirmed now. The person I thought she had feelings for was actually me.

He slapped his head, unsure of what to do.

Even though he possessed dozens of skills and was proficient in both literary and martial arts, he was still at a loss.

This is a difficult situation to handle!

He stayed in the same spot for several minutes before shifting gears again and driving home.

……

Back home, everything remained as quiet as ever.

Chen Fan first placed the breakfast he bought on the way back on the table, then lit the fireplace before making himself a cup of tea and sitting on the sofa to rest.

After a while, noise came from upstairs.

A few minutes later, Zhou Yali, wrapped in a thick down jacket, yawned and helped herself down the stairs.

Upon seeing Chen Fan, she couldn't help but wrap her coat tighter and muttered, "Why does Shanghai feel colder than New York?"

Chen Fan took a sip of tea. "It's an illusion. New York is at 40 degrees north latitude, while Shanghai is at 30 degrees north latitude, a difference of 10 degrees. It can only be colder than Shanghai."

Zhou Yali pouted and sat down next to him, even squeezing him to the side forcefully. "I was just talking about my feelings, why are you taking it so seriously?"

Chen Fan moved to the corner, speechless. "Why don't you sit in this big seat next to you? Why do you have to take mine?"

Zhou Yali said matter-of-factly, "The place you sat on was warm."

Chen Fan looked at her, and was speechless.

She shook her head, put down her teacup, stood up, walked to the side, pulled over a recliner, placed it next to the fireplace, then took out a fur from the cabinet, spread it on the recliner, and then stood aside and gestured, "Please, young lady."

Zhou Yali walked over, touched the fur, and asked curiously, "What is this?"

Chen Fan, "Bear skin."

Zhou Yali immediately plopped down on the chair, then kicked off her slippers and settled into the recliner.

Then, she casually pulled the fur over her body, wrapping herself up completely, and hummed comfortably, "So soft."

She closed her eyes and faced the fireplace. "This bearskin is much more comfortable than the tiger skin you have at home in Beijing. That tiger skin is so stiff. I don't know what Dad likes about it."

Chen Fan turned and walked towards the dining table, saying, "It's just a difference in taste. Actually, if we're talking about comfort, fox or rabbit fur is the best. There are rabbit farms in Lujiawan, and they also make rabbit fur. I'll get you two fur coats later; they'll be warmer than the down jacket you're wearing."

Zhou Yali still didn't open her eyes. "Mmm. I need two more leather blankets, one to use as a mat and one to cover myself with."

Chen Fan took the breakfast to the kitchen to heat it up, then glanced at her and said, "Heh, you know how to enjoy yourself."

A moment later, the heated breakfast was brought over and placed on a small round table. The table was then moved next to her. "Enjoy your meal, Miss."

Zhou Yali sat up. "Thank you, brother. I've approved your proposal to cooperate with the mainland writers' association."

Chen Fan pulled up a chair and sat down next to him, then pulled a book from the shelf. "Didn't you already approve it?"

Zhou Yali glanced at him while eating, "You travel between the provincial capital, Shanghai, and Beijing all year round, do you only cooperate with one unit in the provincial capital? I've already approved Shanghai and Beijing, is it a problem if I approve two more for you?"

Chen Fan looked up at her and couldn't help but chuckle, "Okay. No problem."

(End of this chapter)