Chapter Eleven: Brothers (Eight)

  During the summer vacation of Xiao Lie's 14th year, he finally took the entrance exam for Pu'an Middle School in Xiangyang County. When Xiao Yang learned about this news, he returned home from the county to celebrate with Xiao Lie. He was the first person from the production team to be admitted to Pu'an Middle School, which made Xiao Lanfang feel extremely proud. She even walked faster during those days and her voice was filled with joy whenever she spoke.

  "Xiao Lie, what do you want to eat? Tell me, I'll treat you." Xiao Yang said.

  "I want to eat ice cream," Xiao Lie said.

  "Let's go, White Dragon, I'll treat you to a full meal."

  For Xiao Lie, the memory of eating ice cream came from his first time eating an ice pop. After being scolded by his father that time, Xiao Yang bought an ice pop from Lou Shui River and walked nearly three kilometers back home. It wasn't until later that he realized in order to prevent the ice pop from melting on a hot day, he didn't know how little Xiao Yang managed to do it.

  When Xiao Lie and Er Gua were slowly eating ice cream in the small shop, Xiao Lie took Xu Jia Dai out with him.

  In September when school started, Xiao Yang walked in front, followed by Xiao Lie. When walking into Pu'an Middle School, it seemed as if Xiao Yang had been admitted to Pu'an Middle School.

  One day in November, Xiao Yang found Xiao Lie doing his homework at school.

  "Xiao Lie, I want to tell you something. I want to go and do something that I've been wanting to do," said Xiao Yang.

  "What's going on?"

  Seeing his brother so serious, Xiao Lie couldn't help but feel curious.

  "I want to join the army. These years of working, I've saved enough for your high school tuition, but I feel like I still have my own dreams that haven't been fulfilled, and I can't wait any longer. I want to do what I want to do, even if it's just once. After being discharged in two years, I'll come back to work and save up for your university tuition."

  "Oh, I see. I'm fine, I'll take good care of mom." Xiao Lie didn't know why but when Xiao Yang was about to join the army, he still felt a bit sad and his voice changed.

  "Silly kid, it's a peaceful time now, don't think I'm always like this. I just worry for a while, but after a while, I'll be back to normal. When you grow up too, you can do what you want and make your own decisions. Life is only a few decades long, whether good or bad, it all passes in an instant. Since that's the case, might as well do what you want, don't wait until later and regret it." Xiao Yang said, stroking Xiao Lie's head, now much taller than him at 1.64 meters.

  "I'm also an adult now." Xiao Lie said with a smile.

  "Grow up a bit more before you say that."

  Xiao Yang left to join the army that day, Xiao Lie was taking an exam and couldn't take a leave of absence. At the train station, Xu Jiadai, who was attending university in Chengdu, had returned. Xiao Lanfang kept reminding Xiao Yang to write more letters and tell his family about his situation as she followed behind him.

  The train was about to leave at 12 o'clock. Xiao Lie, who had just finished his exam, didn't have time to pack up his things and rushed out of the classroom. The station was only a twenty-minute walk from school. Xiao Lie ran non-stop on the street, and from afar, he saw those red flowers, red banners, and some people sending off were packed inside and outside the station like sardines.

  The officers who received the troops began to sort out the teams. The soldiers pulled open a warning line to separate the people from the new recruits, and then the new recruits got on the bus one by one. When the new recruits boarded the bus with red flowers on their chests, the station was filled with cries. Xiao Lanfang hugged Xu Jiadai and cried uncontrollably.

  "I'll be waiting for you to come back and see me." Xu Jiadai shouted loudly at Xiao Yang.

  "Alright." Xiao Yang replied loudly.

  Some new recruits' girlfriends also started calling out the names of the new recruits like Xu Jiadai.

  Xiao Yang looked at the dense crowd and did not find that familiar face he was looking for. He had an exam today, maybe he really couldn't make it.

  "Brother! Brother!"

  When Xiao Yang walked up to the car door, he heard a familiar voice behind him, it was Xiao Lie. Excitedly, Xiao Yang suddenly pushed away the people behind him and rushed towards Xiao Lie.

  "Xiao Lie! Xiao Lie!" Xiao Yang shouted loudly.

  When Xiao Yang rushed towards him, Xiao Lie shouted even louder.

  "Hey, what are you doing?" A lieutenant who was receiving the soldier shouted: "Follow discipline!"

  As soon as the second lieutenant shouted, several non-commissioned officers who were receiving new recruits immediately went to intercept Xiao Yang. If Xiao Yang did this, it would easily affect the emotions of the new recruits and their families. At that time, both sides would have a farewell gathering again, and once the scene got out of control, it would be a troublesome thing.

  When two soldiers stopped Xiaoyang, Xiaolie just squeezed to Xiaoyang's side. At this time, Xiaolie had already cried out, seeing that Xiaoyang was about to leave, he felt extremely uncomfortable in his heart.

  "Take good care of mom. Study hard and work hard." Xiao Yang shouted loudly: "Work hard!"

  "I will, I will." Xiao Lie replied tearfully.

  Two officers carried Xiao Yang onto the train, and Xiao Lie watched as Xiao Yang disappeared into the distance, wishing he could follow him. On the train, Xiao Yang stuck his hand out of the window and waved vigorously at his loved ones.

  At this time the train started, and after a lieutenant blew his whistle, the big gate of the station was suddenly opened, and the soldiers on both sides immediately formed a human wall.

  The car slowly drove out of the station, leaving Xiao Lie's sad Huxia Dai, who had now grown into a beautiful young woman.

  Half a year later, Xiao Lanfang and Xiao Liecai gradually got used to the days without Xiao Yang. Since Xiao Yang joined the army, every month when he was on leave, Xiao Liecai would always finish his homework in school and then start helping his mother with chores until he returned to school. During the Chinese New Year, Xiao Lanfang often stared blankly at Xiao Yang's photo, where Xiao Yang wore casual clothes and looked very handsome.

  At this time, Xiao Lie only knew that Xiao Yang did not go to school because of his poor grades, but because he had previously taken the entrance exam for a key high school, but the family's conditions were not good enough to support two children going to school. So he had to drop out of school and after dropping out, he self-studied all the high school courses and then got a graduation certificate from an adult high school. All this was only revealed by Xiao Lanfang after Xiao Yang left. After hearing his mother's words, Xiao Lie felt very uncomfortable in his heart.

  When Xiao Yang was not around, Xu Jia Dai would often come to the Xiao family to help out. The Xu and Xiao families had no objections to Xiao Yang and Xu Jia Dai's relationship, after all, both of them grew up in front of each other's parents. Over time, Xiao Lie also started calling Xu Jia Dai "sister-in-law" in front of her, and at this point, Xu Jia Dai would respond with a big smile.

  During Xiao Lie's senior year of high school, that Chinese New Year, Xiao Yang finally returned. At this time, Xiao Yang was no longer the same simple young man as before, after more than two years of military career had made his temperament more mature. When he stood in the snow at the door of his house, just as Xiao Lie came back with water, he saw a person wearing military uniform standing in the doorway of his own home, carrying a bag on his back, that figure was very familiar, but more robust than before.

  When Xiao Yang arrived, Xiao Lie was so excited that he knocked over the water bucket. Xiao Lanfang heard the noise outside and came out. When she saw Xiao Yang, tears immediately flowed from her eyes.

  Xiao Yang saw Xiao Lanfang's tears and immediately hugged his mother:

  "Mom, I'm back."

  That night, the Xiao family invited the Xu family over as well. Er Pao had grown taller but was still chubby. Throughout the evening, Xu Jia Dai's gaze rarely left Xiao Yang's body, as if she would turn around and Xiao Yang would run away.

  Xiao Yang simply mentioned something about his time in the army, then said that there were some issues in the army now and he might not be able to return home for the time being. When he said this, Xu Jiadai blurted out: "It's okay, I'll go work in Xinjiang in the future."

  "After I left, you suffered."

  At night, the two brothers lay in bed, and Xiao Yang said to Xiao Lie.

  "Why didn't you tell me before?" Xiao Lie asked.

  "What didn't I tell you?"

  "Your grades have always been good, why did you hide it from me?"

  "There's no why. Mom's body is even worse than before, someone should be helping this family. You're still young, you can't do anything. Besides, I'm fine now. As long as you're doing well, mom and I will be happy too. Actually, I like a saying: true success isn't about what you can do, but what you don't have to do. I think I won't be able to achieve that in this lifetime, but I hope you can, go out there and do what you want to do. The world is big, isn't it?"

  After hearing Xiao Yang's words, Xiao Lie didn't say a word for half a day. He just felt that the sacrifices his mother and brother made for him were too great, but these sacrifices weren't mixed with any intention of getting something in return because they were the closest people to him, so there was no question of whether it was worth it or not, whether he wanted to or not. Sometimes when Xiao Lie went out on the street and saw things he wanted to buy, he would think of his mother and brother, then put the money back into his pocket.

  "Reading is important, but don't forget about socializing too, or you'll become a bookworm." Xiao Yang smiled and said: "Have you received any love letters?"

  "Uh-huh."

  "How much?"

  "It's okay."

  "How much is it?"

  "Four or five letters a day."

  "Come on, if you don't brag, can you die?"

  "I see you're not in good shape. You're shaking just carrying a bucket of water," Xiao Yang said.

  "No way, I'm still the champion of the 1000-meter run in the whole school. Every time I participate in a competition, I can get the championship." Xiao Lie said.

  As for Xiao Lie's words, Xiao Yang did not refute him. He had always known that his younger brother had two talents: one was running fast and the other was having a good memory. When they were young, because he ran so fast, there was once when he even outran an adult while stealing peaches. Sometimes he couldn't catch up to Xiao Lie. Although Xiao Lie's memory was very good, it could be said that he had a photographic memory, but Xiao Lie also belonged to the type of person who relied on rote memorization. In short, his brain wasn't always easy to use either.

  "Get up and go for a run with me tomorrow morning," Xiao Yang said.

  "Not on your life."