"Nianhua, you did so well on your exam."
Pei Yining had flipped through Xu Nianhua’s papers, clean and neat, just like a model answer sheet, which was very eye-pleasing, especially with all the red check marks, making Pei Yining feel that her own homework paled in comparison.
Her desk was large, piled with many books, yet neatly organized and categorized, making it extremely convenient for Xu Nianhua to pick up anything she needed.
"I still made quite a few mistakes."
Over the past six months, Xu Nianhua had studied hard enough to pick up all the knowledge she had forgotten. It indeed wasn’t easy.
"Oh, if I had your grades, I wouldn’t have to worry about not getting into Beining University," Pei Yining sighed heavily.
Xu Nianhua encouraged, "Yining, you need to work hard to get into Beining University. I am going to the foreign languages department. You could choose any major you like, and then we could be schoolmates."
"I want to be schoolmates with you," Pei Yining said with a hopeful face. The idea of studying hard was even more entrenched in her heart, and her goal became even firmer.
"Then push yourself hard. Aren’t you staying here for a week? If you don’t mind, you can stay at my house, and we can study together." Xu Nianhua was grateful for the help Pei Yicheng had given them and naturally wanted to assist Pei Yining.
This was a case of repaying kindness with kindness.
Xu Nianhua, who had once run a training school, was best at teaching students.
Pei Yining’s admiration for Xu Nianhua continued to grow.
Initially, it was just curiosity.
Curious about why her brother liked Xu Nianhua so much, but as Pei Yining got to know Xu Nianhua better, she found Xu Nianhua’s personality great and her academic performance outstanding. Being around her was incredibly relaxing.
Even when Xu Nianhua taught her topics she didn’t understand, she was very patient, and her methods were so effective that Pei Yining would understand immediately.
"Nianhua, Yining, dinner is ready," Ji Ying said with a smile, "Today you are in for a treat. Cai Feng caught some fish and gave us one. Tonight we have spicy sour fish."
Spicy sour fish, as the name suggests, was both sour and spicy.
Pei Yining, while fanning her mouth from the spice, still wanted to eat more of the fish as it tasted exceptionally good.
"Drink some water." Xu Nianhua handed her a glass of warm water. This dish was her mom’s specialty, sour and spicy, delicious to the point where you’d want to drink even the soup.
"It’s delicious. Auntie’s cooking skills are so impressive."
Pei Yining praised and even after resting that evening, Pei Yining and Xu Nianhua still couldn’t stop thinking about that fish.
And the stir-fried bamboo shoots with bacon was also incredibly tasty. The freshness of the bamboo shoots, coupled with the aroma of the bacon, made Pei Yining think that although the Xu family’s house was a bit old and the food looked less refined than at her home, the flavors were truly memorable.
"Nianhua, I feel that your family interacts so warmly. It’s really enviable," Pei Yining said as she lay in the soft bed, the bedding so plush and soft, which was a novel experience for her.
"We are a family, and families should live together harmoniously," Xu Nianhua said, her lips curving into a slight smile. She also loved the atmosphere at home.
Money can be earned, but a warm and harmonious family is priceless.
When Pei Yining thought of her own family, she felt downhearted. Her father and brother would argue every time they met, nothing like the peaceful relationship between Uncle Xu and Xu Nianhua’s brothers.
Perhaps the sun could rise from the west, but her brother and father getting along might still be impossible?