NOVPUBThe next day, Xu Qingfan, Xia Xiaoxiao, and Wu Lingyu arrived early at the Guangming Station exit where Zhong Wenqing and Guan Biyue emerged soon after.
"Sister Qingqing!"
"Teacher Guan!"
Wu Lingyu and Xia Xiaoxiao couldn’t wait and rushed forward, while Xu Qingfan followed leisurely behind them.
"Did you miss Sister?" Zhong Wenqing asked with a smile, rubbing their heads. "Xiao Fan, come give your sister a hug."
"No way, you smell like smoke!" Xu Qingfan dodged, showing his disgust.
"You little rascal!" Zhong Wenqing gave him a playful smack on the head. She had just returned by long-distance bus, which was full of smoking passengers.
"Let’s go, first we’ll put our luggage at my place and then I’ll take you out for some good food!" Guan Biyue said cheerfully, hailing a taxi.
Xu Qingfan took the front passenger seat, while the four women sat in the back, chatting and laughing all the way.
Guan Biyue’s home was a three-story house, presumably empty as the family was likely at work.
After settling in, the group acted as tour guides, taking Zhong Wenqing around for a stroll.
"Those trees over there are Gualv Lychee trees. In 2002, one of these lychees was auctioned for 555,000 yuan!" Guan Biyue pointed out few lychee trees encircled by a circular lake.
"What, a lychee for 555,000? Are they made of gold?" Zhong Wenqing asked in astonishment.
"People here say the biggest lychee tree became magical after a fairy from the West Garden missed her hometown’s lychees so much, she hung a green thread on the branches. That’s why there’s a green line on the lychee fruits, leading to the 550,000 yuan auction," Guan Biyue explained.
Both Wu Lingyu and Xia Xiaoxiao were hearing these stories passed down orally for the first time and listened attentively.
"So, have you guys ever tasted them? How do they taste, really delicious?" Zhong Wenqing asked instinctively, but she realized her own question was silly—how could they have possibly eaten lychees that cost 550,000 yuan each?
"Nothing special, not as tasty as the Guiwei variety, and the seed isn’t as small as those of Guiwei," Xu Qingfan chimed in.
"You’ve tasted them?" the four women turned to him simultaneously.
"Yes, you two have as well. Remember the lychees I brought back from Yiyi’s place last year? Those were the ones," Xu Qingfan reminded Wu Lingyu and Xia Xiaoxiao.
"What?" The two covered their mouths in shock, realizing they had unconsciously eaten millions worth of lychees.
"Brother Fan, why didn’t you tell us earlier!" Wu Lingyu stammered, her voice tight with nerves at the thought of having eaten lychees worth millions.
"Eh, it’s nothing. There are nine lychee trees here, and they produce thousands of pounds of lychees every year, which are meant to be eaten. Aunt Zhang was given some as a gift—that 550,000 yuan price was just a marketing gimmick!" Xu Qingfan said with a chuckle, patting Wu Lingyu’s head.
He had specifically asked Aunt Zhang about it. In 2002, a lychee was indeed sold for an extraordinary price of 555,000 yuan, but that money was used for charitable purposes to build a school. Those who attended the auction were driven by reputation or profit, otherwise no one would foolishly spend such an amount on a single lychee.
In any regular auction, hitting a thousand yuan for one would already be considered a sky-high price.
"By the way, let me tell you a little secret: do you know who paid the 555,000 yuan for that lychee?" Xu Qingfan asked with a meaningful look.
"You know?" Guan Biyue chuckled, ruffling Xu Qingfan’s hair, surprised that one day her student would be enlightening the teacher.
"Who was it?" Xia Xiaoxiao also asked curiously.
Xu Qingfan didn’t beat around the bush and revealed, "It was Aunt Zhang who bought it. Later, that money was used to build a primary school. It fetched such a high price because it was for charity. Normally, it wouldn’t be this expensive!"
Xu Qingfan also knew that in a few years, the local government would distribute Gualv Lychees to the citizens of Li City for free, but he couldn’t tell them that.
"Oh!" Everyone nodded vigorously.
"Hearing you say that, I really want to meet her soon!" Zhong Wenqing leaned on the railing, gazing at the distant McDonald’s sign.
"Tomorrow, I am meeting Auntie tomorrow. Remember to be prepared, Sister Qingqing."
"Don’t doubt your sister here. Before coming, I even did a two-week part-time job at the duck neck shop, so I know the process inside out!" Zhong Wenqing said proudly, "By the way, first take me to see if that duck neck is as delicious as you said!"
"Let’s go, Yu’s mom prepared it for me yesterday. It’s in my fridge," said Xu Qingfan, nodding toward Wu Lingyu.
"Right, letting it sit overnight makes it even tastier," Wu Lingyu chimed in.
The three youngsters led the way to Lianhua Courtyard, with Zhong Wenqing and Guan Biyue following.
Because they were with someone familiar, the courtyard dogs just glanced at them and went back to napping.
After everyone settled in Xu Qingfan’s living room, he took out marinated delicacies and fruit from the kitchen fridge.
"Top student in three categories, district top student, first in the mid-term exams of 2002, first in the final exams, first prize in the math competition..." Zhong Wenqing stood up and looked at the half-wall of certificates in Xu Qingfan’s living room, "Xiao Fan, you really are always the top scorer!"
Xu Qingfan came out of the kitchen, smiling, "They both topped their classes too. Any certificate I have, they have too."
Wu Lingyu blushed, wanting to say she wasn’t always first, but Zhong Wenqing already continued, "No wonder it was the three of you who went to Yanjing for the math competition. That’s amazing!"
"Of course, you haven’t seen who their teacher was!" Guan Biyue said proudly.
Xia Xiaoxiao was also delighted, feeling that Xu Qingfan was earning her respect in public, "Right, Sister Qingqing, you all wait here for a moment. I’ll go home and get you some gifts!"
"Go home?" Zhong Wenqing and Guan Biyue looked puzzled at the rushing Xia Xiaoxiao.
"Her house is just next door," Xu Qingfan pointed in Xia Xiaoxiao’s home direction.
"Wow~ no wonder you all are so close. I’m envious!" Zhong Wenqing and Guan Biyue exchanged a glance, feeling thrilled!
It wasn’t long before Xia Xiaoxiao returned, handing them two identical photo albums, "These are the photos we took in Yanjing!"
The first page of the album was a group photo taken under Tian’anmen. Xia Xiaoxiao had arranged the photos chronologically in reverse order, and each one brought back memories of a different episode.
"Thank you, Xiao Xiao, the teacher really likes the gift!" Guan Biyue said, turning the pages fondly.
"Wow~this is so tasty!" Zhong Wenqing took a small bite of the duck neck and soon exclaimed in surprise too.
Wu Lingyu had been blaming herself for not preparing a gift, but seeing how much Zhong Wenqing enjoyed her mother’s duck neck suddenly made her feel better.
Suddenly feeling confident about her mother’s profession, she proudly introduced, "Sister Qingqing, my mom’s fried skewers are also really tasty. I’ll take you there later!"
"Sure!" 𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑝𝘶𝘣.𝑐𝘰𝘮
