Chapter 868: Hong Family Reminiscences
In the afternoon, Hong Dalang and Hong Erlang returned home. When they saw Sun Shan, they were stunned for a moment, and then they were delighted.
Sun Shan looked at Hong Dalang and Hong Erlang carefully. After not seeing them for a year, they had become darker and fatter. It seemed that they must have been working very hard collecting the goods outside.
Sun Shan asked with concern: "Uncle, how are you? Is everything okay?"
Well, even if it is not good, it will become better after meeting Sun Shan.
Hong Dalang, with his belly sticking out, hugged Sun Shan excitedly and shouted, "Ah Shan, you're finally back. Hey, when did you arrive? Why didn't you write to us so that we could pick you up at the dock?"
Hong Erlang is more shy than Hong Dalang and is not as emotionally revealing. After meeting Sun Shan.
He kept saying, "Good, good, good. Ah Shan is back. My father was thinking about you all day, asking when you would come back. Now that you're back, it's great."
Sun Shan smiled and asked, "I also want to see you soon, Master. I miss you very much."
Hong Dalang happily pulled Sun Shan along and said with a smile, "You are indeed a handsome man, a child of destiny. You are worthy of being the first Jinshi in Zhangzhou Prefecture. We couldn't believe that you passed the imperial examination. Great, great, great, it's really great."
Hong Erlang also smiled and said, "The people of Zhangzhou are so happy to hear that you passed the imperial examination. We are so happy that Zhangzhou finally has a Jinshi."
Sun Shan said modestly: "Thanks to the grace of the emperor, the number of places has been increased, so I have the opportunity to be on the list."
Hong Dalang laughed and said, "I knew you would pass the exam. Even if you fail this time, you will definitely pass it next time. My father has a good eye for people. When he saw you for the first time, he felt that you had a bright future."
Hong Erlang also agreed, "That's right. My father has always said that you are his greatest hope in this life, and you really lived up to his expectations. Hahahaha, my father has eaten more salt than we have eaten rice, and his vision of people is really experienced."
Hong Dalang and Hong Erlang pestered Sun Shan to talk about their trip to Beijing for the imperial examination.
Sun Shan didn't know how many times he had told the story, but they liked to listen, so he just kept telling it.
He is a very easy-going person.
Sun Shan smiled and took out a copy of the Beijing Newspaper from his package and showed it to Hong Dalang and Hong Erlang: "Look, Master's school is in the newspaper. The people in Beijing all know that there is a "Hong's School" in Huangyang County."
After Sun Shan said this, everyone present became interested and looked at the tabloid at a rapid speed.
When I saw the words "Hong's School", I was extremely excited.
Hong Chengcai pulled Sun Shan aside and asked, "Ashan, my school was reported in the tabloids. Hahaha, everyone knows about my school. Haha, it is worthy of being the number one school in Huangyang County. Haha, it has even spread to the capital."
Hong Dalang said excitedly, "Ashan, I must show this tabloid to my father. He will be very happy when he sees it. He will be woken up by laughter even when he is asleep."
Sun Shan took the tabloid back, put it in his bag, and said seriously, "Don't worry, I bought a copy specially to show the Master. He will definitely be very happy."
Mrs. Hong, who was busy in the kitchen, came in and said, "Stop talking and eat first. Hey, Shanzi, you have to have a good meal today to replenish your energy. You've worked hard on the journey."
Sun Shan smelled the fragrance from afar and left the men from the Hong family behind, not even paying attention to Jianzi.
He walked over to Mrs. Hong and said, "Aunt, what did you do? I can smell the fragrance from a long distance away. Oh, my stomach is growling, it smells so good. I wasn't very hungry before, but now I am."
Mrs. Hong said very gently, "Are you hungry? Come to the table and eat. You must taste my cooking tonight. I made this myself."
When Sun Shan heard this, he immediately said in a daze, "Aunt, you are so kind to me. You even cook for me yourself. Aunt, to be honest, of all the meals I've eaten in Zhangzhou, your cooking is the best. Your cooking always has a special fragrance that you can't get outside."
After Sun Shan said this, Mrs. Hong was very happy.
I was so touched: "Shanzi, if you like to eat, eat more. Poor guy, you have been wandering outside for so many years. The food outside is not only not tasty, but also not nutritious. Oh, pitiful guy, you have lost so much weight. Come on, come to the table, we have to have a good meal tonight. I made ginseng chicken soup, I have to nourish you."
It seems that Mrs. Hong really loves Sun Shan and is even willing to use ginseng to make soup.
Sun Shan was so touched that he said, "Aunt, I'm sorry for the expense. You've been so kind to me, not only for your efforts but also for your money."
When the second brother Hong heard that his mother was cooking ginseng chicken soup, his jaw dropped.
Without thinking, he said, "Mother, you usually don't want to make soup for us, but when Ashan comes, you even take out ginseng. Mother, you are too partial."
It would have been fine if you hadn't said this, but once you said it, sparks were ignited.
Sun Shan is the child of other people's family in everyone's eyes. Mrs. Hong is caring and concerned about Sun Shan one second, and looks coldly at Hong Erlang the next second.
He said viciously: "Eat, eat, eat. You only know how to eat! Look at yourself, you are as fat as a ball and you still have the nerve to say that. You make me angry all day long, you have no ambition at all. Humph, do you think you deserve to eat ginseng? I am being kind by not giving you sweet potatoes every day. How can you compare with Shanzi? You are not even as good as one finger of Shanzi."
He continued to yell at Hong Erdi with full firepower: "Who is Shanzi? Who are you? Shanzi is an official now. What are you, a commoner, making a fuss about? If you keep making a fuss, I will ask Shanzi to punish you."
Then she turned around and said to Sun Shan as gently as a spring breeze: "Shanzi, don't pay attention to your second brother Hong. He only cares about eating delicious food all day long and doesn't do any work. Oh, I am so depressed and tired. I am the one who works the hardest all day long. The man at home doesn't care about anything. He just sits there with his hands clasped and waits for food. This family can't do without me."
Sun Shan: ...
Rather than let a friend die, I would rather die. Sun Shan decided to sacrifice his second brother Hong. After all, he was just a passerby and not worth protecting.
Comforting Mrs. Hong: "Aunt, this is a big world for children, don't think too much. Brother Hong has always been this kind of person, we are used to it."
After a pause, he pointed at the little kid who looked exactly like Hong Erdi and said, "I think the kid from Hong Erdi's family is pretty good. I just talked to him for a few words and he's a smart guy. I admire his intelligence."
After hearing this, Mrs. Hong's eyes sparkled as she said, "Shanzi, are you telling the truth? Hey, can you tell me if this kid can study in the future?"
To appease Mrs. Hong, Sun Shan pretended to take a look, nodded seriously and said, "Aunt, this kid is definitely better than me. Not bad, not bad."
She looked at Jianzi and the other little kid and said, "Aunt, Jianzi and the others have great potential. We have to train them well."
Hong Chengcai@Hong Erdi: .....
Not only Mrs. Hong was happy about this, but Hong Dalang and Hong Erlang were also happy. They kept pestering Sun Shan with questions, asking how they could help their children pass the imperial examinations like Sun Shan.
Sun Shan didn't understand anything, so he could only say something ambiguous to make the Hong family laugh.
Even Hong's second brother happily joined in the conversation, as if he was not the one being scolded just now.