paddock

When Yuan Ning heard Zhang Xiuyan's words, his head buzzed and he was stunned.

The eldest brother told him not to call him again!

Yuan Ning panicked.After the eldest brother went to the capital to study, the chances of them seeing each other have been reduced a lot, and now they can't even make phone calls?Yuan Ning didn't have time to think about it, so he whispered: "Brother..." The voice was unconsciously filled with bewilderment and grievance.

He was wronged!Zhang Xiuyan tightened his face, and said firmly: "If you have nothing to do, just hang up."

Yuan Ning hurriedly shouted: "Don't!" Yuan Ning finally managed to calm down, trying to understand the reason for Zhang Xiuyan's anger.He explained softly, "Brother, I want to tell you after the mock exam results come out." Yuan Ning's voice became lower and lower, "If I told you earlier that I would take the high school entrance exam, and the mock exam failed, Isn't it embarrassing."

"Father, they don't know?" Zhang Xiuyan's tone softened slightly.

"..."

Zhang Xiuyan suddenly understood.In other words, everyone knows it, but he doesn't know it, right?He became angry again: "Are you dumb?"

"Big Brother is different." Yuan Ning's voice was still very low, "If you tell Big Brother, Big Brother will be worried and distracted. Big Brother is so far away from home and has so many things to do. I don't want Big Brother to be distracted by me. worry."

Zhang Xiuyan's heart seemed to be tapped lightly by something, and it made a crisp sound.He slowed down his voice: "I don't worry about who do you worry about?" Aren't they under his control since childhood?Especially Yuan Ning——Yuan Ning was under his control from the beginning.

Yuan Ning sniffed.

He said in a low voice, "I don't want my elder brother to worry about me all the time, so I want to grow up faster."

"So you want to take the high school entrance examination directly?" Zhang Xiuyan had already guessed Yuan Ning's thoughts, but when he really asked, his heart was still aching.Although Yuan Ning acted calmly, Mr. Zhang's accident still scared him, right?In fact, Zhang Xiuyan also thought that if he grows up a bit, if he doesn't resist Mr. Zhang's arrangement so much, maybe he can help more, instead of just giving weak comfort to his family.

However, Yuan Ning is still so young!Zhang Xiuyan carefully discerned the breath coming from the other end of the phone, and could hear Yuan Ning's slightly suppressed inhalation.

Zhang Xiuyan waited quietly for Yuan Ning to calm down.

Yuan Ning wiped away the falling tears vigorously.He heard it, the eldest brother is not angry anymore!Yuan Ning's voice was still a little nasal: "I think if I go to junior high school, I will grow up."

Zhang Xiuyan felt his heart twitch along with Yuan Ning's nose.He said in a hoarse voice, "How old is he, I cry every now and then."

"I didn't cry!" Yuan Ning retorted, but tears fell down because of Zhang Xiuyan's slightly awkward voice.He found that he couldn't hide his crying anymore, so he simply stopped hiding, sniffed and said, "Brother, you scared me just now."

Zhang Xiuyan found that he had nothing to do with Yuan Ning.He hasn't asked the teacher for his crimes and settled accounts with this guy, this guy is crying for him first!

Zhang Xiuyan's throat choked, and he said, "You scared me too." His voice was filled with deep emotion that was suppressed deep in his heart—an emotion that he didn't even realize, "I always feel that you still That little stutterer who practiced handwriting obediently by my side. But sometimes when I open my eyes, I realize that you have grown up quietly before I knew it, and you don’t need my big brother to worry about you anymore—you did it You don't need me to make up your mind for you anymore, and you don't need me to participate in anything."

The feeling that his heart was suddenly emptied made him angry, lost, and at a loss as to what to do.

Yuan Ning listened blankly.He wiped the quietly falling tears with the back of his hand.He also wants to never grow up, and always follow his elder brother like he did when he was a child, run, practice calligraphy, and read together with his elder brother, every day and every night together, as long as he comes together in the morning, he can see his elder brother ...

Yuan Ning's voice trembled slightly, with obvious crying intentions: "No, big brother will always be big brother." He felt that the tears would never be wiped away, "I want to grow up faster because I want to catch up with you earlier." Big Brother’s footsteps. I don’t want to be left too far away by Big Brother, I want to stand closer to Big Brother—” That’s why I can’t wait to grow up, I want to overcome so many difficulties and obstacles at once—I want to Grow up faster, at least to the point where you can sort out and face your own heart.Yuan Ning said, "Brother is so powerful, I'm afraid I won't be able to catch up."

Zhang Xiuyan's heart was ironed out all of a sudden, and became soft. He wished he could go home immediately and help Yuan Ning wipe away his tears, so that Yuan Ning would stop crying, stop being sad, don't be so urgent—don't be so anxious, full of worries.Zhang Xiuyan said: "I will wait for you," he paused, "I will wait for you to grow up, it doesn't matter whether it is ten years or twenty years, it doesn't matter. I won't stop for you, but I will keep looking back Look at you—as long as you still need me, I can help you with anything. When you grow up, have your own ideals, have your own family, and no longer need me as a big brother, I will let you go Let yourself go forward."

This is the longest guarantee that Zhang Xiuyan can think of.As for things like a lifetime, Zhang Xiuyan didn't think about it.

When Yuan Ning grows up and gets married, even if he wants to control and intervene, Yuan Ning will not be happy.Look, this little stutterer is only ten years old now, and he already has such ideas, how can he be willing to be controlled by personnel when he grows up?

Yuan Ning listened carefully to what Zhang Xiuyan said.

From Zhang Xiuyan's words, Yuan Ning knew that Zhang Xiuyan's future plans had not changed.They'll each have their own families, their own hustles, and then they'll never be as close as they were when they were kids.Yuan Ning's tears stopped, and he said seriously: "Brother, I will get a good grade in the exam, and I will never lose your face!"

The topic was changed by Yuan Ning, and Zhang Xiuyan also ignored the heavy mood just now.He said: "Don't put too much pressure on yourself, just try your best. Our family doesn't need to compete with others."

Yuan Ning laughed: "Third brother will definitely be wronged when he hears this." Zhang Xiuyan is the strictest towards Zhang Xiuwen, and if Zhang Xiuwen is a little slack, he will be given "brother's majesty" by Zhang Xiuyan. Zhang Xiuwen was so frightened that he couldn't bear the shit, he hurriedly picked up the homework that had been left behind, and dared not speak unless he came first in the exam.

"Zhang Xiuwen is too easy to slacken. He likes to be opportunistic just because he is a little clever. It is impossible not to be strict." Zhang Xiuyan reminded, "When I am not at home, watch him more, don't let him go crazy."

Yuan Ning said that he would not steal other people's jobs: "My sister is staring at him!" Now Zhang Xiuling and Zhang Xiuwen are classmates in the same class, and they are still at the same table. They are responsible for cleaning the love letters in Zhang Xiuwen's drawers and lockers every day. It's under strict supervision!

It so happened that Zhang Xiuwen came back with a football in his arms. Seeing that Yuan Ning was still talking on the phone, he said with a smile, "Ning Ning is still talking on the phone? Every day at noon, you chat with your elder brother for so long. What are you talking about?" He was really curious. !Their family, Ning Ning, actually took the initiative to call his eldest brother every day, and he was able to talk to his eldest brother over the phone for a long time, which is really admirable!

"We happened to be talking about the third brother," Yuan Ning replied honestly, "Third brother, do you want to talk to the eldest brother?"

Zhang Xiuwen staggered and almost fell on the ground.He said: "Hey, why is it so hot today, playing football made me sweat all over, I have to take a shower quickly!" After finishing speaking, he fled and went upstairs.

Just kidding, what else can Zhang Xiuyan talk to him?It must be "What did you learn today?" "I'll test you with a few questions—" "You can't answer this, and you dare say you learned it!" Every time Zhang Xiuyan asked him a question, his scalp would tingle, I can't wait for Yuan Ning to get rid of this big Buddha quickly!

Yuan Ning laughed sullenly: "Third Brother is still so afraid of Big Brother."

Zhang Xiuyan didn't care: "It's good to be afraid."

Yuan Ning couldn't bear to just hang up the phone with Zhang Xiuyan, and told Zhang Xiuyan about the situation when the grades were released today. He and Song Xingchen offended all the senior brothers and sisters in the sixth grade!

"That's because they are incompetent." Zhang Xiuyan didn't think there was anything wrong with it.

"They were just talking about it." Yuan Ning smiled.

The two of you talked a little bit and I talked a little bit, until Aunt Shen came over and called Yuan Ning to eat, and she reluctantly ended the call.Seeing Yuan Ning reluctantly put the phone back, Aunt Shen almost lost her smile: "Only Ning Ning can you chat with your elder brother for so long. Your elder brother has always liked to pretend to be an adult since he was a child, like a saw-mouthed gourd. I can't get ten words out."

"I'm always talking," Yuan Ning said shyly, "I talk too much."

During the meal, Mr. Zhang said that he was going to the capital for a meeting. Yuan Ning was moved, thinking that Zhang Xiuyan's birthday was coming soon.

After eating, Yuan Ning quietly called Zhang Xiuyan's classmates to inquire about Zhang Xiuyan's courses.After knowing that Zhang Xiuyan was full of classes that day, Yuan Ning ran upstairs and asked Mr. Zhang to take him there ahead of time, and arranged the room to surprise Zhang Xiuyan.After Yuan Ning mentioned it, Mr. Zhang also remembered that it was Zhang Xiuyan's birthday, so he simply said, "Why don't you let your sister go there together."

Yuan Ning was overjoyed.

On the day of Zhang Xiuyan's birthday, Zhang's family set off together early in the morning, bringing the big bags and small bags they bought, and asking the driver to drive directly to the capital.Ms. Xue narrowed her eyes with a smile: "Xiu Yan always won't let us send it off, this time we must scare him."

Mr. Zhang rushed back to Zhang Xiuyan's residence after a day's meeting. The inside had been carefully arranged by his family.Balloons, flowers, cakes, candles and the like are all ready, and everyone wears a shiny birthday hat in the shape of a small crown, which makes the faces of the children flush.Ms. Xue also put it on, and when Mr. Zhang came back, she glanced at Yuan Ning quietly, and walked forward holding a birthday hat with a crown.

Mr. Zhang has a bad feeling.

Ms. Xue said: "You still owe Xiu Yan a hug! When Xiu Yan comes in, you have to go up and give him a hug." Ms. Xue was about to put a birthday hat on Mr. Zhang's head.She even had a smile in her eyes, thinking that Yuan Ning's idea was really great, she had never seen Mr. Zhang wearing a birthday hat!

Seeing Yuan Ning and the others looking at him with bright eyes, Mr. Zhang did not avoid the birthday hat that Ms. Xue put on, and even bent down a little to let Ms. Xue help him put on the birthday hat better.

Click!

Yuan Ning took a photo of Mr. Zhang with the camera.

Not to be missed!

Mr. Zhang glanced at Yuan Ning.

Yuan Ning immediately covered the camera, as if afraid that Mr. Zhang would come and snatch the film away.

Mr. Zhang suspected that this little guy had planned it for a long time.But it's rare for a family to make such a fuss, so Mr. Zhang didn't care too much about it.When he heard the sound of the door opening, Mr. Zhang greeted him under the watchful eyes of Ms. Xue and others, and gave Zhang Xiuyan a fatherly hug.

Click click!

Yuan Ning quickly pressed the shutter button to capture Zhang Xiuyan's shocked expression.

Click, click, click!

The more Yuan Ning took pictures, the more he felt that the opportunity was rare, so he kept pressing the camera.

It's hard for Zhang Xiuyan not to notice him.

Zhang Xiuyan pushed Mr. Zhang away with a sullen face.

Seeing that Zhang Xiuyan's ears were turning red, Mr. Zhang laughed.Neither he nor his son are used to being close to people, but seeing his son in such distress, he thought it would be good to make a few more raids.Mr. Zhang said: "Happy birthday!"

Yuan Ning stopped playing with the camera, and ran up to give Zhang Xiu a tight hug: "Happy birthday!"

Yuan Ning was about to back away after hugging, but was stopped by Zhang Xiuyan and hugged him.Zhang Xiuyan took off the camera hanging from Yuan Ning's neck, and threw it to Zhang Xiuwen: "Take a picture." Anyway, so many pictures have been taken, why don't you take this little stutterer together.

Zhang Xiuwen obeyed and immediately snapped photos of Yuan Ning and Zhang Xiuyan.Zhang Xiuling and Ms. Xue also ran over and took the opportunity to take a photo with Zhang Xiuyan in their arms.After all the group photos were taken, Zhang Xiuyan let go of Yuan Ning's hand.Yuan Ning took the camera back from Zhang Xiuwen's hand, his face was a little red, his face was full of joy, and he took a few more photos for Zhang Xiuwen and Zhang Xiuyan.

I wish the family could be together forever and ever!

The family ate, turned off the lights, and started cutting the cake.The cake was made by Yuan Ning and Ms. Xue, taking care of Zhang Xiuyan's taste and not very sweet.Yuan Ning took a piece that Zhang Xiuyan gave him, and took a sip, but felt the sweetness in his mouth, as if it could reach his heart.

With so many people coming at once, there are not enough rooms.Yuan Ning gave up his room to Zhang Xiuling, and hugged the soft pillow to Zhang Xiuyan's side to rub the bed.After he lay down, Zhang Xiuyan was still busy at the desk.Yuan Ning stared at Zhang Xiuyan for a long time without blinking, until Zhang Xiuyan raised his eyes to look at him, he was not shy or nervous, but asked, "Brother, what wish did you just make?" ?”

"There is no wish." Zhang Xiuyan said without thinking, "I never believe in such things as wishing. You should fight for what you want, and you should not think of good things falling from the sky."

Big brother is always so serious!Yuan Ning said: "Big Brother is right, you should fight for what you want." Big Brother has many, many things he wants to do, and he also has many, many things to do. !Yuan Ning hugged the quilt, "Brother, it's late, you should go to bed too!"

Zhang Xiu paused for a moment, then turned off the light as he said, and walked to the bedside and got under the covers.The bed was already warmed by Yuan Ning. He saw Yuan Ning looking at him through the moonlight, and leaned forward to kiss Yuan Ning's forehead: "Good night."

Yuan Ning also said, "Good night."

Silence spread in the dark night.

After a long time, Zhang Xiuyan said: "Thank you, I am very happy today."

Although he is almost an adult, he has passed the age of longing for the love of his parents and his family, and he wants to live a truly independent life and face the complicated and busy society alone. It still makes him very happy to celebrate such a birthday, with all his heart They all softened with joy.

It was precisely because Yuan Ning and the others were behind him that he chose a difficult path according to Mr. Zhang's wishes.

"It makes my eldest brother happy, and I'm also very happy." Yuan Ning thought in his heart, but didn't say it out loud.He closed his eyes tightly, let his breathing become even and gentle, and gradually fell asleep.

Two more batches of "dream" fruits were harvested, soaked in spring water, and there was no sign of rotting.When the ginseng babies saw Yuan Ning, they jumped up and down happily, and led Yuan Ning to the house.Compared with the last time I entered, the courtyard has completely changed. The two dry pools have been filled with water, and the water surface reflected the bright sky light, causing ripples.There is a willow tree growing beside the pool, which was planted by the baby ginseng after Yuan Ning asked Yuan Ning to fetch willow branches after hearing about it, and it grew tall and big in the blink of an eye.Fortunately, the courtyard is very wide, and there are two big willow trees, but it doesn't look too crowded.

The ginseng babies also took Yuan Ning to see the large and small rattan baskets they wove, which were made of willow branches.This skill was stolen from the carpenter by the wild boars, and carried forward by the baby ginseng.Yuan Ning didn't expect that wild boars could learn such a skill, he was really shocked!

It's amazing!

Of course, the most amazing thing is the ginseng babies.They seem to think everything is fun, and they want to learn everything. Xiao Hei comes in occasionally, and they even pester Xiao Hei to teach them how to fight. When they have played enough, they gather together to practice hehehehe, and they fall during the rolling process. Many roots.They are not wasted, so collect them and let Yuan Ning sell them!

Yuan Ning: "..."

Yuan Ning looked at the basket full of "roots" that looked exactly like the ginseng outside, and suddenly felt that he didn't need to find a way to make money, and he could earn enough money by selling ginseng.

Yuan Ningyu earnestly advised the ginseng babies not to learn to fight.

The ginseng babies were worried: "Ivory said that if others know of our existence, they will try to snatch us away! We have to practice running away and fighting, and beat them away when bad guys come! We can run away by ourselves if we can't beat them away!" It's okay, let's come out again!"

Yuan Ning felt sour when he heard it.It is his duty to protect them!It's all because he's too young—and not smart enough—to worry them so much.Yuan Ning said: "Okay, you practice hard. I also practice hard! I have practiced boxing with my fourth brother. If anyone wants to snatch you away in the future, I will beat them away first!"

The ginseng babies didn't have so many worries, and happily performed boxing for Yuan Ning.

Xiao Hei lay on the roof, looking at them with disdain, and couldn't see their flamboyant legs at all!

Yuan Ning and Baby Ginseng had had enough of playing around, and went to the library to read again.Whatever he does in his "dream" is considered a rest, so he has a lot more time than others.Yuan Ning didn't move the chess game in the yard. Although he couldn't understand it, he knew it was an unfinished game.Maybe the owner of the note will keep it in mind until the end, otherwise it wouldn't be there all the time!

Yuan Ning decided to try to understand it.He searched the library for a long time, and he really found a lot of books about Go.Yuan Ning sat down and looked through the ancient books he found, and found that he didn't understand much, so he had to classify those ancient books into categories of "completely incomprehensible", "a little understanding" and "understanding a little bit". , put them back on the bookshelf helplessly, and planned to go back and buy some guide books for getting started.

The next day, Zhang Xiuyan's class was still full. Mr. Zhang had business to do, so Ms. Xue took Yuan Ning and the others home first.Although Yuan Ning doesn't need to attend classes, he still can't let go of his studies. When he gets home, he will continue to complete the exam preparation tasks intensively.In the afternoon, he went to review with Song Xingchen and Hao Xiaolan.As soon as he arrived at Song Xingchen's home, Yuan Ning heard Song Xingchen say: "Yuan Ning hasn't arrived yet..."

Yuan Ning knocked on the door.

Hao Xiaolan didn't have so many scruples, so she ran in and asked, "Song Xingchen, who are you talking on the phone with? I seem to have heard you talking about Ningning!"

"It's Teacher Qi," Song Xingchen looked at Yuan Ning, "Ms. Qi is looking for you. She has some things that are inconvenient after she is pregnant, so she wants us to take over some things." Teacher Qi is an activity class teacher and is also in charge of some extracurricular activities. For example, volunteer work on weekends and winter and summer vacations.Yuan Ning has always been Teacher Qi's right-hand man. When he learned that they were allowed to go home to prepare for the exam, Teacher Qi came to him.

Song Xingchen handed the phone to Yuan Ning, who shouted, "Teacher Qi!"

"Did the stars tell you?" Teacher Qi said, "It's not convenient for me to do things now. Can I ask you to help me? If you are too hard to prepare for the exam, I can find someone else."

"No problem!" Yuan Ning agreed, "We usually do it with you, Teacher Qi!" Ever since we went to sell melon seeds with Teacher Qi when we were young, the three of them have always been in the same group.Although they promised the principal to get into the top ten in the exam, Yuan Ning and Song Xingchen didn't intend to push themselves too hard—anyway, they are still young, and it is not shameful not to be in the top ten in the exam!If even he and Song Xingchen were nervous, Hao Xiaolan, who often rushes to review and preview behind their backs, would be even more overwhelmed.

Yuan Ning and Song Xingchen looked at each other and reached an agreement tacitly.After Yuan Ning and Song Xingchen arranged a loose and slow review schedule, the three of them started a happy life of preparing for the exam.

Time flies, and when Yuan Ning was able to understand a little bit of the "completely incomprehensible" Go book, June [-]th finally arrived.

It was the day when the sun was shining and the breeze was blowing. It was the day when the entrance examination for senior high school officially started.

Yuan Ning came outside the test center with a small schoolbag on his back, took out his admission ticket and entered the test room under the surprised eyes of the security inspectors in the test room.Before Yuan Ning arrived at his examination room, a domineering young man stood in front of him: "Hey, are you Yuan Ning?"