Chapter 256

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

Past three in the afternoon, the long-distance bus finally returned to the County Bus Station.

A trip that originally took only a little over two hours, because of Spring Festival traffic jams, dragged out to a solid six-plus hours.

Exiting the County Station, Wang Dashan and Wang Erhai both wore faces full of exhaustion.

Just out of the station, quite a few motorcycle drivers waved them over, wanting to give them a ride on their motorcycles.

Wang Dashan and Wang Erhai ignored them and headed straight for the Bus Stop not far ahead, planning to take a bus back to Town.

"Hey, Dad, we've already reached the County Town; in a little over an hour we should be home, right?"

While waiting for the bus, Wang Dashan called home.

"Good, good. What vehicle are you taking back?"

Wang Zhanggen's aged voice asked over the phone.

"Right now we're at the Bus Stop waiting for the bus; once we get to Town, we'll see if there's a minivan — if not, we'll take a motorcycle back."

Wang Dashan answered honestly.

But Wang Zhanggen said at this point:

"Why don't you wait a bit longer? Over on the County Town side now, there are four buses a day that go direct to our Shanggou Village; the last one should leave around past four in the afternoon."

"Really?" Wang Dashan was utterly surprised, completely unexpected that buses now actually ran into Shanggou Village — you have to understand, before, County buses only went as far as the Town Street Entrance.

"Really. That bus route just opened not long ago; a while back your mother and I even took the bus to the County Town for a trip!"

Wang Zhanggen replied like this.

Now the Country's economy is getting better and better, so livelihood has improved a lot too.

Not only is New Rural Construction proceeding vigorously in almost every village, but the Government has also put in money and effort to pave the roads leading to every village, and opened several Bus Special Lines, letting quite a few villages near the Provincial Road enjoy travel convenience.

Before, for Shanggou Village villagers to make a trip to the County Town was a real ordeal — had to take a vehicle to Town first, then transfer at Town to the County Town, all told taking over an hour.

Now with the direct bus to the County Town, it only takes forty-some minutes to reach the County Town.

"Alright then, me and Second Brother will take that bus home!"

After hanging up, Wang Dashan immediately went to the sign posted at the Bus Stop and examined it carefully — sure enough, there really was a bus back to Shanggou Village, four trips a day, departure times respectively seven a. m., ten a. m., two p. m., four p. m.

Right now it's past three in the afternoon, not actually long until four.

Just need to wait a little longer and they can board the direct bus home.

So Wang Dashan and Wang Erhai set their luggage aside and waited patiently like this.

In between, Wang Dashan called Du Xiaojuan again, asking where she had gotten to.

Du Xiaojuan said:

"Traffic's too bad today; I left past one, but still haven't gotten out of the Guangzhou Urban Area."

She really did leave past one, and by taxi at that, spent big money — flat fare, five hundred yuan, chartered to deliver her to that Shanggou Village mountain gully place.

Wang Dashan could only smile wryly in helplessness, couldn't help complaining a sentence:

"Told you early on to come back with me, you just wouldn't; now it's even more jammed than when me and my second brother set out — who knows when you'll actually arrive at my house."

Du Xiaojuan said:

"If I get back too late, then you don't wait for me — you go ahead and eat dinner."

But Wang Dashan said:

"How can that do? Today is New Year's Eve, time for the New Year's Eve Dinner — we have to wait until everyone's here before eating."

Du Xiaojuan smiled wryly:

"Alright then, I'll try to get the driver to drive a bit faster."

After hanging up, Du Xiaojuan originally wanted to urge the driver, but looking up, the road ahead was backed up in a long queue, dense vehicles flashing red taillights off and on.

She knew even if she urged the driver, the driver couldn't possibly speed up.

After all it's just a taxi, not an airplane.

And with traffic jammed into this ghostly state, however fast the speed can be has nothing to do with the driver's skill — it depends entirely on how fast the traffic flow clears.

"Little miss, in a big hurry?"

The driver noticed the anxiety on Du Xiaojuan's face and instead took the initiative to ask this.

"Really pretty urgent — hope to arrive before evening."

Du Xiaojuan smiled wryly.

"You're heading back to your hometown, right? Give your parents a call and explain the situation — they should understand."

The driver said like this.

But Du Xiaojuan said:

"I'm going to my boyfriend's home, and it's still the first time going."

The driver immediately showed surprised puzzlement:

"Oh? Like that, huh? Then how come your boyfriend didn't come back with you?"

Du Xiaojuan smiled wryly:

"Originally we were coming back together, but I had a little something come up, delayed a bit — he went back first, I'm coming back later."

The driver couldn't help sighing a sentence:

"Then he should've waited for you to go back together — how could he just go back by himself?"

Du Xiaojuan gave a bitter smile. She felt inwardly that Wang Dashan should have waited for her to return together, but she was too embarrassed to demand that of him.

Some things, once spoken aloud, lose their meaning.

Only if the other party takes the initiative can sincerity be shown.

"He already bought the ticket; it can't be refunded. If he doesn't go, it's wasted."

Du Xiaojuan could only explain it this way for her boyfriend.

The driver master said at this time:

"Say, the first time you go to your partner's home, you're just going empty-handed like that?"

Du Xiaojuan was stunned then, her complexion changing abruptly.

She had set off too hurriedly, too rushed!

She had originally planned to buy some valuable gifts before setting out.

But in her hurried panic, she actually forgot such an important thing!

"Master, we should pass through Fogang County Town, right? When we get to the county town, please take me into the County Commercial Center. I'll buy some gifts there, then go to Shanggou Village."

The driver master was quite enthusiastic and readily agreed:

"Fine, no problem!"

He also kindly reminded:

"The first time you go to your partner's home, you must choose things his parents like. First impressions are very important."

"But I don't know what his parents like..."

The driver master said:

"Then call your partner and ask. What they like, what their taboos are—you must ask clearly. Giving something they don't like isn't actually a big deal, but if you give something they taboo, then the matter becomes serious. For example, I have a friend whose son went to visit his girlfriend's home. Her family was very superstitious, especially her mother. Her mother was a Zodiac Rat and very much tabooed cats. My friend's son didn't ask about this matter and just gave a Lucky Cat outright. As expected, without accident, the matter fell through. Although the Lucky Cat he gave was gold-inlaid and worth over ten thousand yuan, the girlfriend's mother thought he was giving her a downplaying warning, wanting the cat to eat her this mouse. This matter really made people cry and laugh."

Du Xiaojuan, hearing this, also cried and laughed. She didn't know whether what the driver master said was true or a made-up story. This was purely some nonsense, some absurdity.

But reality is often like this. Many nonsense things, many absurd things, just truly and really happened like this.

"Master, thank you for your reminder. I'll call and ask now."

Du Xiaojuan hurriedly took out her mobile phone and called Wang Dashan again.