There was a custom in Zhang Fan’s native northwestern province that one should eat noodles when returning home, and eat dumplings when leaving home. However, Zhang Fan’s mother was worried that Shao Hua wouldn’t like the northwestern style noodles, so she also cooked some rice just in case.

The entire table was covered in dishes, ranging from barbequed meat to fish, from fresh vegetables to enoki mushrooms! Zhang Fan’s parents had gone all the way to the downtown supermarket to purchase countless ingredients in preparation for his return.

Zero alcohol tolerance was a genetic trait in Zhang Fan’s family. His father had about the same alcohol tolerance as he did. But, today was the perfect atmosphere for some alcohol. Zhang Fan’s father had especially purchased red wine, white wine, and drinks for his son’s return!

Shao Hua actually did enjoy eating noodles. Although noodles were incredibly common in northwest China, the truly best noodles were in S Province and the next-door Shaanxi Province. Their noodles would be smooth as silk and incredibly long. They would be delicious when paired with eggs, diced meat, carrots, diced potatoes, and so on.

Although the border province’s fried noodles weren’t bad, either, they lacked a sense of elegance in noodle cuisine.

“Eat, have some more, dear girl. Eat more of anything that you like. Ah, you can’t reach this one, let me give you some.” Zhang Fan’s mother continuously put more and more food on Shao Hua’s plate, worried that Shao Hua was hungry.

“Zhang Fan, you’re a doctor now, so I won’t make you drink. I’m going to drink a little today. Shao Hua, do you drink white wine?”

“Sir, I don’t drink white wine!”

“Have some red wine then. I can’t drink alcohol. Could you accompany my parents for a little drink?”

“Alright, I’ll drink a glass of red wine together with your parents.” Shao Hua didn’t act reserved at all.

Everyone chatted and ate, telling various jokes and funny stories from the past. Laughter could constantly be heard at the table.

1700 kilometers away, at Shao Hua’s home. “We received a text that Hua and Zhang Fan have safely arrived. But, is Hua used to how things are there? Is Zhang Fan’s family easy to get along with? Are they satisfied with our Hua?”

Shao Hua’s parents sat across from each other. Although it was dinnertime, neither of them had any appetite.

“My Hua is so excellent. There couldn’t possibly be anything to be picky about with her! There’s still an entire month left, sigh!” Shao Hua’s father sighed. Both of her parents were truly worried with their daughter so far away from them!

Meanwhile, back at Zhang Fan’s home…

“How are your studies going? Shao Hua and I traveled more than 1,000 kilometers here to cheer you on. You can’t just let us down.”

“Of course I won’t let you down. The two of you can just wait for my good news. While I can’t guarantee my getting into Tsinghua or Beijing University, I should be able to get into any other university.”

“Okay! Good, you’re spirited. Good luck! You’re smarter than I am,” said Zhang Fan.

Shao Hua chuckled as she listened to the siblings’ conversation.

“Little Rock did bad on his college entrance examination because his father got fired that year!” Zhang Fan’s mother explained.

“Why talk about such things? Isn’t he doing quite well now?” Zhang Fan’s father mildly complained.

“No, my studies weren’t good to begin with. We shouldn’t look for excuses!”

After dinner, there was the issue of where everyone was going to sleep. Zhang Jingshu was taking the college entrance exam soon, so her resting habits couldn’t be disturbed. Zhang Fan’s apartment home was quite similar in layout to Shao Hua’s apartment home. Both apartments had only two bedrooms. Fortunately, Zhang Fan and Zhang Jingshu had been many years apart in age, so they could sleep in the same room back when they were growing up.

Shao Hua tried to go to the kitchen to help clean up after dinner, but Zhang Fan’s mother pushed her out. “You’ve been riding in a car for several days. You should properly rest. Dear girl, think of this as your home. Don’t act reserved here. Go and have a chat with them.”

Zhang Fan’s father smoked one of the top-quality smokes that his son had gifted him. He was incredibly happy as he saw how reliable his son seemed to be now. ‘This brat, he’s always had his own ideas ever since young. He’s finally matured!’

“Have a taste, these are soft pears from northwestern China. We froze them in the refrigerator just for you two,” Zhang Fan’s father said when Shao Hua sat down by Zhang Fan’s side.

Zhang Jingshu was now concentrating on studying in her small bedroom. She now felt reassured since her brother had returned. Her college entrance examination was in two days. Over the past two years, Zhang Fan had wired her 1,000 yuan for living expenses every single month. She didn’t have to worry about her tuition or living expenses like her older brother had, so she was rather fortunate! And now that their parents had opened up a small supermarket in their home, their standard of living had also greatly improved. Zhang Fan’s parents no longer needed to work part-time jobs at various places.

Zhang Fan’s mother finished washing dishes and came out to sit on the sofa as well. She started chatting with Shao Hua in a low voice. This was because the apartment home was rather old and poorly insulated. Any slightly louder voices would disturb Zhang Jingshu during her studying, which was why everyone spoke in small voices. “Shao Hua, we purchased some new pajamas for you that we placed in the closet of the master bedroom. I was worried that the pajamas would be too big, but you’re actually pretty tall, so they should be just right. My husband and I will go over to Zhang Fan’s uncle’s home to sleep tonight. You should take a shower and rest early. You must be really tired from the past few days on the road. Feel free to sleep in the master bedroom and make Zhang Fan sleep in the living room. Please don’t mind that our apartment is a little small.”

“I don’t mind at all, Ma’am. My home isn’t that large, either. Is it really alright for you to go live with relatives? How about…” However, Shao Hua really wasn’t able to say anything else. This was her first time visiting Zhang Fan’s home, and it wouldn’t really be proper to ask them to go stay at a hotel.

“Haha, I could tell at first glance that you’re a good girl. You’re beautiful and have a good heart. It’s fine. His uncle’s home is in the neighboring district. Their child doesn’t live with them right now. They were going to visit today, but I figured that it was your first time here, and that you’d be really tired after the road trip, so I told Zhang Fan’s uncle not to come over until tomorrow. You guys can take a tour around here tomorrow. Zhang Fan’s uncle treated him really well back when Zhang Fan was little. Now that Zhang Fan’s brought back such a beautiful girlfriend, his uncle will be so happy!”

“Ma’am!” Shao Hua was getting rather embarrassed from Zhang Fan’s mother’s praise. This old apartment counted as just barely habitable. It really was getting rather old as it had been constructed back in the generation of Soviet assistance ¹ .

Later that night, Shao Hua received the master bedroom after her shower. Zhang Fan’s parents were doing their very best to make sure she felt like they valued her feelings since she had traveled more than 1,000 kilometers together with Zhang Fan to come here. Zhang Fan’s parents knew what it was like for other parents as well. They didn’t want Shao Hua to feel aggrieved over anything.

Shao Hua rested in the master bedroom and called her parents. “Mom, have you guys eaten yet?”

“Yes, we have. How are things? Is everything alright?” Shao Hua’s mother asked rather worriedly.

“Yeah! Everything is great. Zhang Fan’s family is really nice. They also treat me really well. No need to worry. I’ll be back in a month.”

“Yep, we’re not worried. Um, um, you’re not sleeping in the same room as Zhang Fan, are you?”

“Mom! Of course not!”

“Indeed, you must remember not to be too easy. Make sure to be hardworking there, helping out with cooking food and so on. It’s important to do unto others as you would have others do unto you. If they’re good to you, you should also be good to them.”

Meanwhile, Zhang Fan had already fallen asleep on the sofa in the living room. The familiar sensation of home really helped him fall to sleep. He didn’t have a single dream all night. Zhang Jingshu slept in her own room, the small bedroom.

In Lan City, it would be inconceivable not to try a bowl of beef noodles, as it represented so many locals’ biggest nostalgia about home. There would be plenty of people with luggage at noodle restaurants because they were travelers either about to leave home or those who just returned home.

Shao Hua wasn’t accustomed to eating such a large bowl of noodles early in the morning. The bowl was even larger than her face! Beef, eggs, and other really filling foods so early in the morning? But, Zhang Fan and Zhang Jingshu slurped it all down. Zhang Fan didn’t leave even a single drop of soup, and was still hungry after his first bowl.

“How about I share some of my beef noodles with you? I really can’t eat all of this. You guys have such excellent appetite, eating such a large bowl of noodles early in the morning!” Shao Hua was quite surprised to see the large crowd in the noodle restaurant.

“Haha, it’s the local custom. It’s fine as long as you get used to it. You really won’t eat it? Then I’ll just take your entire serving. How about I purchase some milk and bread for you somewhere else instead?”

“No need, I’ll just have some of this beef noodle soup. This soup really is great, even better than the beef noodles in the border province.”

“Sister-in-law, what do you typically eat in the morning?”

“Milk tea, pancakes, preserved vegetables, and so on. When you’re done with your college entrance exam, how about you come have fun with us in the border province?”

“Let’s have her focus on her exam first, without thinking about other things.” Zhang Fan interrupted this topic of conversation. After breakfast, Zhang Fan dropped his younger sister off at home, and then prepared to take Shao Hua to meet all of his relatives.

Zhang Fan’s parents had long since returned already. They were helping to arrange Zhang Fan’s prepared gifts. This would be for uncle A’s family, this would be for uncle B’s family, this would be for the aunt’s family… and since Zhang Fan’s uncle-in-law was a smoker, he should give him some smokes. But, these smokes were so expensive and high-quality, so how about he went to purchase some cheaper ones instead?

Zhang Fan wasn’t annoyed by his mother’s nagging even in the slightest. This was the feeling of family.