PFC Chapter 249 Returning to School (7)
Chapter 249 Returning to School (7)
Resumption of school (7)
Since that exam, Taozi and Monkey noticed that Luo Xingguo had started studying hard with An Xin and had no time to play with them anymore. Before, after class or school, they would either play ball, wander around aimlessly, or play with cats and dogs.
Now Luo Xingguo says he wants to study, and even asked the two of them if they wanted to study together.
At first, the two of them mocked him, saying that he only studied hard for a short time because he didn't want to be outdone by a girl.
The monkey said, "I bet you won't last a month."
Taozi: "It's no use no matter how hard you try. We didn't study hard in elementary school, so no matter how hard we study now, we can't catch up with Anxin."
Luo Xingguo: "Although I can't catch up with An Xin, An Xin said, don't compare yourself with others, just compare yourself with yourself. I improve a little bit every day, and one day I will become a completely different person."
As it turned out, Luo Xingguo actually persevered.
In the second exam, Luo Xingguo achieved an average score of 55 points. Although he still failed, this was his true level.
Luo Xingguo said to Taozi and Monkey, "I took the test myself this time. I didn't copy An Xin's answers. The ten-plus points I got before were all guesses."
This time, Taozi and the monkey did not mock Luo Xingguo.
They had no right to laugh, because they knew how hard Luo Xingguo had studied over the past month.
While this score is nothing compared to An Xin's perfect scores in every subject, it's a huge improvement compared to Luo Xingguo's previous performance.
They were both a little disappointed.
As they played, they both started to get bored.
The monkey simply plopped down on the ground.
"Taozi, are we just going to drift through life like this?"
"Let's work hard and make a name for ourselves after we get a job! We'll both have our day."
"Just like An Xin said, if we don't study hard now, we won't be able to take on a good job later."
Taozi: "Then what should we do? Should we study hard like Xingguo? What are our backgrounds? Is it too late?"
Monkey: "Xingguo is about the same as us! If he can do well, so can we."
After discussing it, the two of them pooled their money and decided to treat An Xin and Luo Xingguo to dinner at a state-run restaurant on the weekend.
Luo Xingguo asked An Xin, "An Xin, Monkey and Taozi are acting strangely. They won't say what's going on, but they want to invite us to a state-run restaurant for dinner. Should we go?"
A meal at a state-run restaurant is quite expensive, and unless parents take them there occasionally, students can't afford it.
Being a student, I didn't have much pocket money. Usually, when I treated someone to a meal, it was just a few candies, breakfast, or a bowl of noodles. Eating at a state-run restaurant was too extravagant.
An Xin understood.
"They definitely want to study with us. Treating them to a meal is a way for them to show their sincerity. Let them go! We can split the expenses, but don't tell them yet."
Luo Xingguo: "A meal at a state-run restaurant costs about eight to ten yuan, two to two and a half yuan per person. I only had one and a half yuan in my pocket."
"It's okay, I'll pay for your share."
"You have money?"
"I've been working for four years now and have saved up a few hundred yuan, so I can afford to treat you to a meal."
"You have several hundred yuan? You're so rich! Don't you give your salary to your mother?"
“I had savings when I was eight or nine years old. Back then, we lived in our hometown county. My brother and I would take care of the vegetables in the yard after school every day. Once the vegetables were grown, we would take them to the door to sell. My brother and I would split the money from selling the vegetables, and each of us would get more than ten yuan a month!”
Luo Xingguo said enviously, "Your mother is so generous. She's let you manage your own money since you were little."
Although the Luo family was not short of money, they had strict family rules and advocated hard work and frugality. They were very strict in controlling their children's finances, and apart from necessary expenses and basic pocket money, there was no extra money.
Monkey and Tao's families are similar to Luo Xing's, so the two kids going all out to treat everyone to a meal shows their determination to study hard.
An Xin has never lacked money since she was a child. Although she is not a spendthrift, she still has to be generous when necessary.
She assumed that if someone like her, from a small town, didn't lack money for a meal, then these kids from big cities certainly wouldn't lack money for a meal either, so she readily agreed.
She knew that Monkey and Taozi definitely wanted her to tutor them. These spoiled brats were used to being lazy, and if they suddenly had to study hard, they would need a sense of ritual.
Inviting her to a state-run restaurant shows how much they value this matter.
So although this meal was expensive, it was worth it.
When the weekend came, Luo Xingguo told his grandparents that he and An Xin were going to the library to read books and wouldn't be coming home for dinner, so they would just buy two steamed buns outside.
Grandparents have seen their grandson studying very hard lately, and when they saw that he wanted to go to the library to read, they didn't suspect anything and happily nodded in agreement.
"Go on! Go on! It's the weekend after all, let's go out and have some fun."
Jiang Yuting gave An Xin a dollar.
"Anxin, you two go out and if you get hungry, buy something to eat."
A steamed bun costs five cents, a bowl of noodles costs twenty cents, and one dollar is enough for two children to buy a lot of food.
An Xin waved her hand.
"Grandma, no need, I have money. Mom gave me two hundred yuan when she left!"
“Keep your money to yourself; this is a gift from your grandma.”
One wanted to give, the other didn't, and the two of them were arguing.
Luo Xingguo couldn't stand it anymore and snatched the money away.
"Grandma, she doesn't want it, but you insist on giving it to her. I want it, but you won't give it to me."
Jiang Yuting smiled helplessly and said, "Okay! You take the money, and when you go out, you can buy something to eat and pay for it."
"Grandma, one yuan isn't enough for two people, give me another yuan."
Jiang Yuting slapped her grandson's outstretched hand.
No matter how much I give you, it's never enough.
Luo Xingguo said with a grin, "Grandma, I was just kidding. You always say you love me the most, so I wanted to see just how much you love me. Turns out, your love for me is only worth one dollar."
"I feed you and clothe you, are these things only worth one dollar?"
Grandma was about to hit Luo Xingguo when she said that, but she was smiling.
Luo Xingguo had already fled outside.
He stood at the door and shouted, "An Xin, hurry up and go."
An Xin waved to her grandmother.
Goodbye, Grandpa and Grandma!
Go ahead, go ahead! Be careful.
Monkey and Taozi were already waiting for Luo Xingguo and An Xin at the entrance of the family compound.
The four of them walked together toward the state-run restaurant.
When they arrived at the state-run restaurant, An Xin said, "We're students and don't have much money, so let's each have a bowl of noodles!"