2009, February 4th, the beginning of spring.
Lin Nian walked out of the city's Children's Palace with a thick stack of money in his arms. For some reason, he felt that spring had come earlier than usual.
Earlier, when the young lady at the front desk counted the money for Lin Nian, he had thought that she had taken too much. After confirming it again and again, it was indeed that much. Two thousand yuan as salary, with a thick stack in his hand, made him want to sing the song " Where is Spring " that his music teacher had taught him since elementary school.
Winter passed and spring came again. Lin Nian was a sophomore in high school. He was 16 years old and was about to turn 17.
He had been an orphan since he was young and grew up in an orphanage. He had recognized a godsister in the orphanage and moved out of the orphanage with her when she came of age. The two siblings had relied on each other for many years, and they were often financially strapped, so he never let go of any opportunity to work illegally.
Lin Nian walked on the street and exhaled white smoke. According to the current prices of goods, the 2,000 yuan he earned this time was not a lot, but it was definitely not a small amount. His sister's monthly salary was only about 1,000 yuan. For a student who was still in the second year of high school, earning 2,000 yuan alone was already considered eye-catching.
Lin Nian knew that the coach was paying him for an official exhibition match. The appearance fee of 2,000 yuan was something that could not be obtained without three strokes of the axe in the industry. Lin Nian did not even take the Kendo Division 1 exam, let alone three strokes of the axe. The 2,000 yuan was not a performance fee, but a favor fee.
The coach had always been very interested in Lin Nian. It was probably because he was talented, just like the coach said, so he had developed a love for talent. However, it could also be a one-sided sympathy. Everyone saw Lin Nian every day, so those who had the ability would naturally take care of him.
Coaches were capable people. Which one of them who could run a training class in the city's Children's Palace was not capable? Kendo training was 5,000 yuan per person per session, and each session had 20 students. This year alone, the coach had led five classes.
Lin Nian had worked in the Children's Palace a few days ago and touched the bamboo sword a few times out of interest. When the coach saw that he had talent, he pulled him along for a lesson. Now, his small achievements were all thanks to the coach's love.
Previously, the coach had asked Lin Nian if he wanted to go to his place to develop his career, but Lin Nian had refused because his sister wanted him to go to university. Therefore, the coach had never mentioned it again.
Every family had their own difficulties, and Lin Nian's family was especially difficult.
The bus stop was right outside the entrance of the Children's Palace. They took the subway to Line 2 and then Line 3. They took the subway to the terminal station and then took the bus.
Lin Nian's family lived in the suburbs of the coastal city. There was no so-called residential property system in the old housing area. There were rows of old houses on the large open space. The tall ones were seven or eight stories high, and the short ones were four or five stories high. The walls of the houses were somewhat mottled. There were also some owners who had redecorated their shops with bricks and rented them out to become breakfast shops or hotpot restaurants. The streets were bustling with people.
Lin Nian entered the old housing area and went straight to his house. It was an old house with a spicy hotpot restaurant on the ground floor. He went through the alley to the back door and went all the way to the fifth floor before knocking on the door.
"Dong dong dong."
After knocking three times, Lin Nian waited at the door with his hands in his pockets. After a while, a girl's voice sounded from inside,""Who is it?"
"It's me." He simply responded and the door in front of him was opened.
Behind the door stood a girl who looked older than her. She was wearing furry pajamas and a kitchen apron. She was wearing pink cotton slippers and holding a spatula in her hand when she opened the door.
Her name was Lin Xian, Lin Nian's sister.
When Lin Xian saw Lin Nian's face, he asked,""Where did you go so early in the morning? He didn't even leave a note. If you didn't come back by noon, I would have gone to the internet cafe to arrest you.”
"I didn't go to the internet cafe." Lin Nian stepped over the threshold and changed into slippers before closing the door.""I went to the Children's Palace. The coach asked me to play an exhibition match.”
Lin Xian glanced at him and sniffed. He did not smell any smoke. He then turned around and ran back to the kitchen to prepare lunch." The instructor from the Musashi Training Class?"
"Which other coach could it be?" Lin Nian lay on the sofa in the living room and turned around to see his sister cooking in the kitchen.""This time, I owe you another favor. You gave me 2,000 yuan for an exhibition match.”
"Two thousand? So many." Lin Xian raised his voice slightly, but it quickly fell and was covered by the sizzling sound of the oil in the pot.
"At least we have enough for next month's rent." Lin Nian took out the money from his pocket and placed it on the table.
"Aunt Wang said that our rent will be reduced next month.”Lin Xian, who was cooking, said.
"How much?"
"Five hundred."
"It's a good thing." Lin Nian nodded." Then keep these two thousand for your family."”
"Besides, I'll save it first. I'll go to the bank in the afternoon.”Lin Xian turned off the gas stove and placed the dishes on the dining table.""Don't just sit there. Go scoop some rice."
"Oh." Elder Lin stood up and jogged to the rice cooker. He scooped two bowls of rice and sat down at the dining table with his chopsticks.
"School is about to start. How are your preparations for the entrance exam?”Lin Xian knocked his chopsticks on the table and asked Lin Nian.
"So-so." Lin Nian said perfunctorily.
"So-so? You got into Shilan based on your results. If you do badly in the exams, you might not get preferential treatment for your tuition fees next year.”Lin Xian looked at Lin Nian while holding the rice,""You know the pros and cons."
"Sigh, I know. I'll read at night.”Lin Nian sighed and put a piece of bacon into his bowl before asking,""Where did the bacon come from? Did you buy it?"
"This morning, Dean Li sent it over to the orphanage…Don't change the topic. It's not enough to read at night. Not only tonight, but I'll also tutor you at home until the 19th. Anyway, the New Year is over. I've had enough fun. It's time to stop.”Lin Xian chewed slowly and said,""Don't follow that Lu guy out to surf the net all day. The internet café's environment is foul.”
"He covered my internet bill and nutrition express.”"Can you bear to see your brother suffer from malnutrition?" Lin Nian said seriously.”
"If you go to the video store less often to rent those messy things, you won't be malnourished.”Lin Xian said as he picked up some chives and placed them in his bowl.
"Hiss." Lin Nian instantly felt a chill in his heart, as if his crotch had been slapped on the street.
Lin Xian glanced at him and did not continue.
The dining table fell silent again.
After a while, Lin Xian suddenly said,"I changed my job."”
"A coffee shop?" Lin Nian asked after a pause.”
"How did you know?"
"The coach said that his daughter saw you at the High-tech Zone.”"Why did you quit your office job?" Lin Nian asked.”
"It's not suitable." Lin Xian, who was eating with his head lowered, said.
Not suitable? There was no such thing as an office seat. Anyone would be suitable as long as they had a proper seat. Lin Nian thought, but he sighed in his heart after a moment.
How could he not know why Lin Xian said that it was inappropriate? It was most likely that he had been harassed in the workplace again. This was already the third time. A girl in her early 20s who had just graduated from university and had no social experience. Her family background was not good, and her life was especially good. If she did not harass you, who else would she harass?
"It's a good thing. It's all a good thing. It's fine as long as you can find a job.”Lin Nian didn't show any expression on his face.""You didn't lose out, did you?"
"So what if I suffer a loss?" Lin Xian looked up at Lin Nian while he was eating.
"Then I'll definitely beat him up." Lin Nian said without hesitation," At most, it'll be a fight. I'll go easy on you and leave no injuries. At most, I'll be fined and detained for a few days."”
"Then you have a criminal record." Lin Xian shook his head with a bitter smile.
"Do I look like someone who cares about this?”Lin Nian said with a smile.
"You should care." Lin Xian shrugged and shook his head.”
" You won't tell me if you suffer a loss." Lin Nian ate a mouthful of rice and didn't say anything.
"By the way, you went out when Director Li came this morning. She said she wanted to see you.”Lin Xian waved his chopsticks and changed the topic.
"Why are you looking at me? I'm not missing an arm or a leg.”Lin Nian didn't seem to like the Dean Li that Lin Xian mentioned.
"It seems to be about the college entrance examination." Lin Xian paused for a moment.""Dean Li said that if you don't have any choice, she can recommend you to study abroad.”
"Studying abroad?" Lin Nian raised his head in confusion." Since when did our orphanage have anything to do with foreign universities? I would believe you if you told me that we have a friendship with an orphanage overseas."”
"Dean Li doesn't look like he's making fun of us.”Lin Xian said after a moment of hesitation.
"But even if it's true, isn't it still too early? I'm only in the second half of my second year of high school.”" What?" Lin Nian was confused." Besides, you need financial support to study abroad, right?"”
"Dean Li said that she's willing to be the guarantor.”Lin Xian picked up the bowl and put it down again. It seemed like he wanted to talk about this matter properly."I heard that she recommended a private university in the suburbs of Chicago.”
"America? That was even more ridiculous. What kind of family background could afford to study in the United States?”" What's more, I have to take the TOEFL test. It's so troublesome." Lin Nian looked uninterested.”
At this point, Lin Xian simply said,""Dean Li said that the school is willing to give out a scholarship.”
Lin Nian fell silent. He lowered his head and dug two bowls of rice. He thought for a while and said,""President Li, are you going to sell me to the Middle East to mine coal?”
"That's possible." For the first time, Lin Xian didn't condemn Lin Nian's treasonous speech. Instead, he seriously considered this possibility. The current situation did seem to be a conspiracy.
The two siblings had worked hard to survive all these years. They knew that the pies in this world were all drugged, just like the free cocktails given by passers-by in the bar were not free.
"I heard from Dean Li that the name of the school seems to be something called Kasai…Cassel?" Lin Xian thought for a moment and said,"Why don't you go to the internet cafe in the afternoon to check if there's such a school?"?”
"You can't even remember your name clearly.”Lin Nian shook his head and said," Also, tell some of the people who came out of the orphanage to keep an eye on Director Li. Nothing is certain in this world."”
"Then what university are you going to study at? Do you have a direction?”Lin Xian nodded and asked.
"No direction." "I can't afford to study if I do well in school, but I don't want to study if I do badly," said Lin Nian.”
"Just fill in the college entrance examination application. There will always be a way to pay for the tuition fees.”Lin Xian knocked on the edge of the bowl." It's a matter of ability whether I can go up or not. It's a matter of money whether I can afford it."”
"In the past, there were a sea of scholars who starved to death because they were talented. In the end, it was still a financial problem.”"It doesn't matter what happens to me," Lin Nian said indifferently.”
"You know what to do.”Lin Xian did not say anything else after saying that.
She had always known the art of leaving empty space in her words, but this art often made the person sitting opposite her think a lot. The more she thought, the more uncomfortable she would feel until she understood and then gave in.
"Yes." Lin Nian answered.
"Clean up after you're done eating. I still have work in the afternoon, so I won't be back for dinner.”Lin Xian put down his bowl and chopsticks, took off his apron, and went into his room to change his clothes.
Lin Nian, who was sitting at the dining table, raised his chopsticks for a long time. In the end, he put them down. He suddenly lost his appetite.
A gust of wind blew in through the wide open window in the living room. This year's late spring cold came a little early, and the whole house was cold, straight to the bottom of one's heart. If one sniffed carefully, one could smell the astringent smell that belonged only to this coastal city.
2009, February 4th, the beginning of spring.
Lin Nian was 16 years old, and Lin Xian was 20 years old. They were both orphans and depended on each other in this coastal city.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。