Back to 1993: The family splits up at the start, and the ingrates regret it so much they cry.

Around 3 p.m., Wang Peng sold his last watermelon.

He bought San Niu braised beef and went to the farmers' market to buy rice, salt and other daily necessities.

I'll be living with my cousin for a while, so it will be necessary to cook.

It saves money and ensures you eat with peace of mind.

When Du Lei got home, he had already packed his luggage.

When he saw Wang Peng, he blushed and said, "Brother Peng, I'm sorry, I can't help you sell melons anymore. I'm not in the mood right now."

Wang Peng offered him some simple words of comfort, "It's good to go out and clear your head. We'll go to school to register together later."

This kind of thing requires the person involved to heal themselves; no matter what others say, it's useless.

Looking at the textbooks on the table, Wang Peng suddenly remembered that there would be a placement test for new students at No. 1 Middle School.

“Take your textbooks with you. Starting this year, No. 1 High School will hold a placement test for new students every year, and students will be divided into key classes based on their scores,” he said.

"Really?" Du Lei shook his head and smiled bitterly. "It doesn't matter anymore. I really'm not in the mood to read. You can take it."

His first love was a girl who didn't know how to love herself, which broke his heart and made him lose the will to do anything.

Wang Peng patted him on the shoulder, offered a few words of comfort, and then carried his textbooks back to the neighboring courtyard.

I fed Xiaobai cat food and took the beef to my second uncle's house in Licun.

……

Licun.

Li Guixi's home.

Three dilapidated main rooms, a kitchen built of adobe bricks, and a yard piled high with garlic.

Li Guixi, wearing patched trousers and a faded old military uniform, squatted at the entrance of the main room peeling garlic.

Across from him, Wang Peng's mother, Li Guifen, was cursing.

"Second brother, I've never seen a heartless person like Wang Peng. I raised him with so much care, do you know how hard it was for me?"

"But what about him? He actually ran away from home because of a college acceptance letter and even wanted to sever ties with me."

"It is said that the eldest brother is like a father. Since he is the eldest brother, he has to contribute to the family."

"If I had known he was a born bad seed, I shouldn't have given birth to him. I should have strangled him as soon as he was born."

In the end, Li Guifen spat out a mouthful of phlegm on the ground.

"Mom, don't say that," Wang Cheng said, feigning concern. "My brother is just having a moment of weakness; he'll come home in a few days to apologize to you."

"Go home? Don't even think about it!" Li Guifen sneered. "He'd better die out there."

While cursing Wang Peng, she kept stuffing garlic into a snakeskin bag.

She came here to get garlic for free.

Li Guixi frowned as he looked at her, puffing on his pipe.

Although the two families lived seven or eight miles apart, Li Guixi knew Wang Peng's character.

Every year at this time of year, Wang Peng would come to help him harvest garlic.

That child is sensible and obedient, hardworking and capable. He is definitely not the bad seed that Third Sister described, nor is he an ingrate.

His third sister's insults were so harsh that he couldn't stand it anymore. He stubbed out his pipe and was about to retort.

Li Fang, who was peeling garlic next to him, was suddenly stood up by Wang Peng's older cousin.

"Aunt, what you're saying makes no sense!"

“I attended junior high school in Wangcun for three years and never saw Pengdi wear normal clothes. No matter the season, every piece of clothing he wore had patches.”

“My cousin Wang Cheng, and my two cousins, I have never seen them wear patched clothes.”

Wangcun Primary School and Junior High School share the same campus, and the cousins ​​see each other all the time.

“If I were Pengdi, I would have run away from home long ago, and I wouldn’t have waited until now.”

"On another note, Peng studied hard for eight years and finally got into high school. Why should he give his admission notice to his second cousin?"

Li Fang became increasingly angry as she spoke.

Li Guifen was so embarrassed by her retort that she didn't know how to refute her.

"Who forced him? You don't know our family's situation, yet you're spouting nonsense." She looked at Li Guixi with a dark face. "Second brother, do something about your Xiaofang."

“Cousin, you’re wrong. My mom isn’t biased; she treats us siblings equally,” Wang Cheng retorted with a smile.

"You wear nice clothes, while Pengdi wears patched clothes, is that what you call treating everyone equally?" Li Fang retorted. "I'm not blind!"

“My eldest brother is kind-hearted and doesn’t allow us to wear tattered clothes. He understands the principle that an elder brother is like a father,” Wang Cheng said.

Such shameless words almost made Li Fang break down in anger.

"Xiaofang, don't talk to your aunt like that," Li Guixi casually reminded her daughter.

Then, he frowned and looked at Li Guifen, "Third sister, it's hard for us parents to treat everyone equally, but you're being too biased."

Li Guifen glared, about to retort.

"Mom!" Wang Cheng shouted to stop her, then smiled at his second uncle, "Second Uncle, I'll take this bag of garlic. I'll bring you a jar after Mom finishes pickling the garlic."

"Give me a break, you say the same thing every year, but I never see your pickled garlic." Li Fang sneered.

"Xiao Fang!" Li Guixi glared at her and laughed, "This girl is straightforward, Guifen, don't be angry."

Li Guifen gave a forced smile, "Second Brother, we're going back now."

The mother and son were carrying two bags of garlic and were about to leave when they saw Wang Peng standing outside the gate.

Li Guifen was startled. "You're trying to scare me to death? What are you doing here?"

"Big brother?" A hint of jealousy flashed in Wang Cheng's eyes.

Besides new sneakers and new jeans, the older brother also wore a Playboy jacket.

One of his classmates also wore Playboy clothes, although they were high-quality fakes, they still cost more than 40 yuan.

Wang Peng walked past them, too lazy to even glance at them.

My second uncle and cousin heard the noise and rushed to the door.

"Dapeng, when did you arrive?"

"I just arrived recently." Wang Peng said calmly, handing him three catties of beef. "Second Uncle, here, have this."

"What?!" Li Guixi exclaimed in surprise as she opened the bag. "Braised beef?"

Li Guifen took two steps forward and reached out to snatch the beef.

"What are you doing?" Li Guixi hurriedly put the beef behind his back and stared at her coldly.

"What do you mean?" Li Guifen asked angrily, glaring at Wang Peng through gritted teeth.

This is beef, it tastes even better than pork, she dreams of buying two pounds to try.

Wang Peng ignored her and said to his second uncle with a smile, "I would like to ask Sister Fang to help me look after the melon field. I will pay her two hundred yuan."

"Guard the melon field?" Li Guixi was a little confused.

He knew his nephew was selling melons to earn tuition fees, so what was this about guarding the melon field? Did he contract a melon field?

Thinking of this, he took out fifty yuan from his pocket. "Selling watermelons requires preparing several hundred kilograms of goods. Are you short of cash? Garlic is cheap this year, so I can only give you fifty yuan."

"Second Uncle, I'm not here to borrow money." Wang Peng turned to Li Fang. "Sister Fang, do you have some time?"

"Yes, I'll go pack my clothes." Li Fang turned and went to the bedroom.

"You're serious, kid?" Li Guixi put the money in his pocket and laughed. "We're all family. Don't worry about wages, just provide food and lodging."

Watching the melons was a very easy job, so he was naturally happy to let his daughter go and help.

"Wang Peng, you have no conscience!" Li Guifen exclaimed angrily. "Your second brother is standing right here, and so are your third and fourth sisters. Can't any of them watch the melons for you?"

"Sorry, none of them can show me the melon, I don't trust them." Wang Peng chuckled coldly.

"Big brother, I know you hate me, but don't make Mom angry." Wang Cheng looked aggrieved. "My cousin needs to prepare the garlic, let's not cause her any trouble."

That second brother is indeed a green tea b*tch. He pretends to be innocent in front of others, but sows discord behind their backs. His scheming is deeper than the Pacific Ocean.

"Let your second brother watch the melons!" Li Guifen roared. "If you dare not agree, I'll tear your mouth apart."