The Best Time (1)
âTeacher Tang!â Her soft milky voice arrived before the person could.
Jiang Xiaoman was still wearing that New Year doll costume today. The bells on top of her head kept jingling, very merry.
Grandma said that she should wear something like this for the Chinese New Year. When people saw it, they might give her more red envelopes.
Jiang Xiaoman was convinced and tried it out herself, and found that what Grandma said was correct. She received more red envelopes than other children.
This costume was handy.
Of course, Jiang Xiaoman didnât wear it when seeing Teacher Tang for the red envelope. Grandma said that she now looked like a fortune doll right now so that she might bring Teacher Tang good luck.
âXiaoman.â Teacher Tang smiled and stretched out his hand to hug her. âWhy are you here alone? Whereâs your uncle?â
Jiang Xing finally caught up while panting; his body bent down while he tried to catch his breath.
The things they brought werenât that heavy; it wasnât much of a problem for him. It was this little girl that was annoying.
When they had only walked halfway, she said that she was tired and didnât want to walk anymore and wanted him to carry her.
Jiang Xing was powerless and had no choice to carry both her and the gifts the other half of the way. As a result, once they were about to reach Teacher Tangâs house, she ran ahead like that and left him in the middle of the road, not paying him any attention.
âTeacher Tang.â Jiang Xing said, âWe brought you a little something.â
Teacher Tang glanced at him and pointed at a chair. âSit down first.â
âYou donât have to send so many things here every year. Our old couple canât finish eating that much, and itâs such a waste to leave them.â Teacher Tang was helpless.
He had a son and a daughter, but they were no longer in the village.
Usually, they only came to visit for two days during the New Year or holidays. They already returned home two days ago, and now only he and his wife were left.
His son once said that he wanted to take them to the city to enjoy their old age and so the whole family can be together. However, Teacher Tang couldnât leave the children in the mountain, so he didnât go.
âItâs just as it should be.â After Jiang Xing put the gifts down, he felt a bit awkward again.
He was terrified of Teacher Tang, even more than of his mother.
Jiang Xing was most afraid of intellectuals, the ones who were good at talking.
Perhaps seeing his awkwardness, Teacher Tang showed him a kind smile and took the initiative to calm him down. âDonât be nervous; I donât eat people. Weâre just having a chat.â
Wuu wuu wuu wuu!!
That was what Jiang Xing was most afraid of!
âOkâ¦â Jiang Xing forced a smile.
âYou have been working hard this year.â Teacher Tang said: âIâve seen everything you did. Youâre a promising kid, very good.â
ââ¦Huh?â Jiang Xing was taken aback for a while. He felt flattered and mimicked what Jiang Xiaoman usually did, touching his head. He didnât know what was going on.
Teacher Tang praised him?
âYour transport fleet is doing well. Everyone has an income now, and life is much better.â
Jiang Xing was a little embarrassed, but he also felt like he was floating. He only repeated again and again that it was what should be. Teacher Tang, please donât praise anymore.
What the older generation feared the most was a hardship. Teacher Tang was already at that age. He had experienced all kinds of winds and waves in the world and even lived through a famine. Once life became better, he cherished it very much. He was naturally delighted with Jiang Xingâs actions.
âTeacher Tang, Iâm just running this transportation fleet for my own sake, not for everyone. Everything else is just done along the wayâ¦â Jiang Xing blushed and really couldnât bear Teacher Tang praising him like he was a generous person, feeling ashamed.
âI, Iâm just a rascal. You know how I was before. I didnât lack beatings from you; even Mother asked you to help give me a beating. This is⦠really too much.â Jiang Xing scratched his head, feeling embarrassed.
He was naughty when he was young and also when he was older. His mother kept beating him at home and asked the teacher at school to beat him more.
It was a bitter memory to talk about.
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