Just like that, mother and daughter practiced teaching each other, and Su Wanyu’s foreign language skills improved rapidly.
Jiang Changhai, on the other hand, couldn’t understand a word, but still listened with delight.
One day, after Su Wanyu finished cooking and had waited for a while, Jiang Changhai returned riding a new bicycle.
Upon arriving, he didn’t go straight inside. Instead, he stood beside the bicycle and rang the bell on the handlebars twice.
Jiang Mianmian and Su Wanyu, hearing the noise from outside, became curious and went out to look.
"Brother Hai, where did you borrow this bicycle from? Why does it look so new?" Su Wanyu asked curiously upon seeing the shiny new bicycle next to Jiang Changhai.
"Hehe, wife, daughter, I bought this bicycle, what do you think? Pretty, isn’t it?" Jiang Changhai patted the bike seat and asked cheekily with raised eyebrows.
"You bought it? What made you think of buying a bicycle?" Su Wanyu asked in surprise.
Jiang Changhai explained earnestly, "Didn’t I see you walking to work every day? I felt sorry for you having to walk so far, so I thought about buying a bicycle. I can ride it every day to pick you up from the town government office. You’ll even be able to sleep in a bit longer in the morning."
He’d been envious of other husbands who cycled back and forth to ferry their wives for quite some time now.
Besides, having their own bicycle would mean no more borrowing from Aunt Li every time they visited their hometown — it was a beneficial deal in more ways than one.
In fact, he’d wanted to buy one since Su Wanyu’s first day at work, but Phoenix brand bicycles were in such high demand that the Supply and Marketing Cooperative didn’t have them in stock, and he’d waited several days before they were available.
He went to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative every day after work to inquire, and today, upon learning that they were in stock, he paid on the spot and rode the bicycle back home.
"Brother Hai, you’re so wonderful, you’re the very best man in the whole world." Su Wanyu embraced him and buried her head in his chest, moved by Jiang Changhai’s thoughtful act.
"Haha, of course I should be good to you," Jiang Changhai said sweetly, patting Su Wanyu’s back gently.
Jiang Mianmian ignored her parents displaying affection and circled the bicycle, looking it over from every angle.
The couple was affectionate for a moment before the family went inside to eat.
Ever since the relatives had come over for Jiang Mianmian’s last birthday, they hadn’t visited home again.
As it happened, Jiang Changhai had the upcoming Saturday off, and Su Wanyu was also resting, so the couple planned to visit their hometown to see the old folks.
Since Jiang Mianmian was soon to have her final exams, and Jiang Changhai saw that his daughter was busy all day, he decided not to take her with them this time.
"Daughter, today your mom and I are going to your grandma’s house. Study hard at home, and if you get hungry, go buy a large meat bun from the state-owned restaurant," Jiang Changhai said as he pulled out a yuan and handed it to Jiang Mianmian with instructions.
"Got it, Dad, you guys go ahead," Jiang Mianmian said with a cheerful smile, taking the money.
She’d made new progress in lithium battery charging technology these past few days, and with final exams approaching, she was endlessly busy. So her father’s decision not to take her along actually suited her well.
After making arrangements for his daughter, Jiang Changhai rode the bicycle with Su Wanyu on the back, stopped by the Supply and Marketing Cooperative to buy some meat, pastries, and canned goods, loaded up the bike’s handlebars, and the two set off for Stone Bridge Village.
As they rode into the village on the bicycle, they were spotted by Zhiwen and Zhiwu, who were playing with other kids at the village entrance.
The two boys immediately dropped their sticks and happily followed behind Jiang Changhai’s bicycle, with the other children excitedly chasing after them.