Dajiao Village got its name from a mountain shaped like a giant foot.
It wasn’t too far from Ningbei City District. After leaving the city district, one would only have to ride a bus for about an hour to get there. However, due to the poorly repaired roads, the journey was so bumpy that Xu Nian’an almost threw up his breakfast.
Xu Nian’an walked and asked for directions along the way until he finally arrived at Ban Chuan’s home.
If he had not chatted with Ban Chuan before and knew the exact location—and had not asked the villagers along the way—he might never have found Ban Chuan’s house. It was an old house at the foot of the mountain, surrounded by a picket fence, with a few chickens foraging in the yard.
"Ban Chuan? Ban Chuan, are you home?"
Xu Nian’an called out loudly.
"Who is it?" A girl with braided hair ran out from the house. She wore an old cotton-padded jacket that had been washed many times and her face was ruddy, with clear, bright eyes. Xu Nian’an felt a large stone settle in his heart.
He knew of Ban Chuan’s character and wanted to help him. He thought that as long as Ban Chuan’s sister wasn’t the type to be arrogant or lazy, he would offer her a job.
Now that he saw her, Xu Nian’an thought, if you are not from the same family, you don’t enter the same door.
He smiled and said, "You must be Ban Chuan’s sister, Ban Lin, right? I’m his classmate, Xu Nian’an."
Xu Nian’an introduced himself enthusiastically.
"Hi, hello," Ban Lin stuttered back, feeling awkward as she gazed at Xu Nian’an, not knowing where to put her hands. Could all her brother’s classmates possibly be this good-looking?
"Is your brother at home?" Xu Nian’an’s smile grew warmer, seeing Ban Lin’s stuttering manner, he couldn’t help thinking that he didn’t look too bad when he smiled either.
"He’s over at Er Dan’s house, just wait a minute."
Ban Lin spoke quickly and then ran off.
Xu Nian’an watched her retreating figure and couldn’t help but think that Ban Chuan’s sister was quite cute.
It wasn’t long before Ban Chuan ran back, panting, "Nian’an, how did you find my house? Come in and sit down."
Ban Chuan had been helping to repair Er Dan’s chicken coop. When he heard Ban Lin’s words, he thought he had misheard. But as he ran back to the house and saw Xu Nian’an, he was also quite surprised.
"This is some food my mother has prepared for you. It’s a specialty of South City. I brought it for you to try."
Xu Nian’an handed over the smoked meat and sausages he had brought. He said, "I was originally going to bring them to the school and give them to you tomorrow. But since I came to your house today, I brought them along."
The smoked meat and sausages were Ji Ying’s specialty. Every year, the ones she made were particularly delicious, and many women in the village went to her for advice.
"No, I can’t accept this." Ban Chuan looked at the smoked meat and sausages and reflexively declined.
"Everyone in the dorm has some. What, you’re not part of our dorm?" Xu Nian’an said sternly.
Upon hearing that everyone in the dorm had some, Ban Chuan stopped refusing. He enthusiastically poured water for Xu Nian’an. Meanwhile, Granny Ban, learning that Ban Chuan’s classmate was visiting, eagerly set about preparing lunch.
"Nian’an, did you come here for something specific?" Ban Chuan racked his brain but couldn’t figure out why Xu Nian’an would come to see him specifically.
"I did come for a reason." Xu Nian’an got straight to the point, "Last semester, I heard that your sister was washing dishes in a restaurant?"
Upon hearing this, Ban Chuan fell silent and said, "You know the situation with my family. The money for my university was all borrowed. My grandmother is old and in poor health, and since my sister did not get into high school, she found a job in Ningbei."
Last summer, Ban Chuan’s parents passed away. When the university acceptance letter arrived, Ban Chuan almost tore it up. It was his sister Ban Lin and his grandmother who desperately protected the acceptance letter, insisting that he must go to university.