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Chapter 51: Pickup and Drop-off
You’re the puppy, I’m not a dog.
─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───
He didn’t feel awkward at all, but his response made several teenage girls blush and shy away from staring at him.
Qin Feng withdrew his gaze and led his sons inside.
From the side, Qin Feng’s face was expressionless, making those female students too hesitant to tease him further.
Gu Wuyi was quite satisfied.
He enjoyed hearing people praise his father for looking young, but constant teasing could get annoying.
However, once they passed through the school gates, they went their separate ways.
Qin Feng had to take Fu Qingyun to meet his teacher, while Gu Wuyi and Gu Xiao’er had to go to their respective classes to collect new textbooks.
Although Qin Feng was only thirty this year and Fu Qingyun looked around ten, his homeroom teacher didn’t mistake Qin Feng for his older brother. After all, teachers knew that some people married early—getting their marriage certificates as soon as they turned twenty, the legal age.
Since Qin Feng’s job wasn’t overly stressful, looking like he was in his late twenties despite being thirty-four or thirty-five was completely reasonable.
Fu Qingyun had even been wondering how he should explain things in case the teacher misunderstood.
When the father and son left the office without any mistaken assumptions, Fu Qingyun couldn’t help but ask, “What’s my big brother’s homeroom teacher thinking? How could they mistake you for his brother? Can’t you look young?”
Qin Feng chuckled and teased, “Maybe I don’t just look young but also handsome, standing out among the other parents like a crane among chickens.”
Fu Qingyun nodded in complete agreement.
Qin Feng burst out laughing, “You actually took that seriously?”
“Because it’s true,” Fu Qingyun insisted stubbornly.
Qin Feng ruffled his little head, “Do you want Dad to walk you over?”
Fu Qingyun really wanted him to, but when he looked at the students around his age, he suddenly felt embarrassed. “You should hurry to work. You’re going to be late.”
"Then after school, go find your brother. If it starts pouring, wait somewhere noticeable. Even if I’m busy, I’ll ask a colleague who’s free to bring you umbrellas."
Fu Qingyun replied, "It’s fine if no one comes. We can borrow one from a teacher."
Qin Feng smiled but didn’t respond. He suddenly remembered that their house only had three umbrellas. When the kids were younger and it rained, the two brothers would share one, while Miaomiao and their grandfather used another.
Now that the children had grown, sharing an umbrella meant they’d both get wet. Worried that he might forget later, Qin Feng hopped on a bus to buy three new umbrellas, two of which were foldable.
That evening, when the boys returned home, Qin Feng handed out the foldable umbrellas—one to Gu Wuyi and one to Fu Lingyun.
Miaomiao couldn’t help but ask, "What about me?"
Qin Feng replied, "Whether it's rainy or sunny, you’d have to keep it in your backpack. Can you manage that?"
The boy shook his head repeatedly.
—Seeing it but never needing it would be such a hassle.
Gu Wuyi packed his umbrella into his bag, then said seriously, "Dad, I have something to tell you."
Qin Feng sat down, listening attentively.
"Our teacher said we have to attend early morning and evening self-study sessions."
Qin Feng frowned.
Gu Wuyi had expected this reaction. "The teacher said it’s a school policy. Whether students board or not, everyone has to attend."
"What time do you have to wake up in the morning?"
"The schedule isn’t printed yet, but if nothing changes, we’ll go for a run at 5:30 AM, followed by morning reading. Breakfast is around 7:00 AM, and evening classes end at around 8:30 or 9:00 PM."
Miaomiao exclaimed, "That late?!"
Gu Wuyi nodded and looked at Qin Feng.
Qin Feng asked, "So does that mean you have to stay in the dorms?"
Gu Wuyi shook his head. "No, we can still commute."
Qin Feng didn’t want him to board.
Even though middle school was crucial, it was also an important time for physical growth. No matter how balanced the school’s cafeteria food was, it couldn’t compare to home-cooked meals.
Besides, among the three brothers, only Gu Wuyi would be staying at school. How would that make him feel?
Qin Feng said, "Don’t you have two classmates who live in the staff residence? Go ask them what they plan to do."
Gu Wuyi didn’t want to board either, so he immediately went to find his classmates.
His two classmates did want to stay in the dorms, but their parents wouldn’t allow it. They were worried the boys would play all night, sleep all day, and see their grades drop instead of improving.
Seeing that Gu Wuyi wasn’t keen on staying in the dorms, both families quickly made a decision—they would all commute together. For the first few days, they’d take turns with Qin Feng to help them get familiar with walking home at night.
But Gu Wuyi didn’t want his dad to go through so much trouble.
Seeing the reluctance on his son’s face, Qin Feng chuckled and asked, "No matter how the seasons change—spring, summer, autumn, or winter—have I ever gone to bed before ten?"
Gu Wuyi instinctively shook his head.
Qin Feng continued, "And what time do I wake up?"
Gu Wuyi thought about it. Right now, with the early sunrise, he himself was up by five.
By the time he and his brothers finished washing up in the morning, their dad had usually already run five kilometers and come back.
Even in the dead of winter, it was no different—except his dad would wake up at six instead of five.
His homeroom teacher had also mentioned that once the weather got colder, the school would adjust the schedule. For students who didn’t board, arriving at school by six wouldn’t be considered late.
Seeing the thoughtful look on Gu Wuyi’s face, Qin Feng asked, “Have you figured it out?”
Gu Wuyi nodded.
“So it’s settled then?” Qin Feng asked again.
Gu Wuyi thought for a moment. “What about breakfast?”
Qin Feng replied, “Mornings and evenings are short on time, right? So you can eat at school for those meals, but come home at noon with Xiao’er and Qingyun.”
Gu Wuyi felt a bit disappointed, but this was the only option—unless he dropped out.
But he would rather board at school than drop out.
“Go wash up and sleep.” Qin Feng suddenly thought of something and asked, “Morning and evening self-study doesn’t start tomorrow, does it?”
Gu Wuyi shook his head. “It starts next Monday.”
Relieved, Qin Feng headed upstairs.
Miaomiao clung to Gu Wuyi’s arm and sighed, “Big brother, you work so hard.”
Gu Wuyi felt a warm sensation in his heart. “Just hearing you say that makes it all worth it.”
“Why?” The younger boy was puzzled.
Gu Wuyi explained, “Hard work feels exhausting when no one notices. But if someone acknowledges it, then it feels worthwhile.”
Miaomiao got a little lost in all the “hard work” talk.
Fu Qingyun smirked, “He’s still young. Why are you telling him all this?”
The younger boy huffed indignantly and said loudly, “I may be young, but I understand just fine!”
“Are you going to sleep or not?”
The five boys looked up at the same time—Qin Feng was already upstairs, staring down at them with wide eyes.
None of them dared to argue.
Some went to wash their faces, others brushed their teeth.
In about ten minutes, the Qin household fell silent.
Miaomiao jumped onto his third and fourth brothers’ bed, letting out a long, contented sigh.
Fu Qingyun pulled a thin blanket over him and said, “Starting tomorrow, go sleep in your own room with Fourth Brother.”
“Do you not like me anymore?” The boy rested his head on his arm and tilted his head, looking hurt.
Fu Qingyun explained, “I have to wake up early to memorize vocabulary.”
“Then you should sleep with Big Brother and Second Brother. You’re all middle schoolers.”
Fu Qingyun instinctively wanted to argue but suddenly realized—it actually made a lot of sense.
“I’ll go check if Big Brother and Second Brother’s bed can fit three people.” Saying that, Fu Qingyun headed to the next room.
It was early autumn, not too cold, and the blankets were thin. Their 1.5-meter-wide bed could fit all three of them, but Gu Wuyi had to wake up early while Fu Qingyun and Gu Xiao’er didn’t.
After a brief discussion, they all realized the issue—so Gu Xiao’er and Fu Qingyun kicked Gu Wuyi out.
Qin Feng, who didn’t have to work late today, was curled up in his study reading. Hearing them running back and forth outside, he was suddenly grateful for having a standalone house—otherwise, the neighbors would have already come knocking.
“Why aren’t you sleeping?” Qin Feng opened the door and asked.
Gu Wuyi looked helpless. “They said my 5 AM wake-up time would disturb their sleep, so they told me to sleep with you.”
Ever since Miaomiao started sticking to his older brothers, Qin Feng had gotten used to sleeping alone—no more waking up in the middle of the night to check if he had kicked a child off the bed.
“You can sleep with me, but can you handle my snoring?”
“Dad snores?” Gu Wuyi was surprised. He had never noticed.
Qin Feng nodded. “Go sleep in Miaomiao’s room. No one will disturb you, and you’ll have a quiet space to study at night.”
“Right now?”
Miaomiao’s room had blankets, but they were stuffed in the wardrobe and had been sitting there all summer—they probably had a musty smell by now.
Thinking of this, Qin Feng glanced across the hallway.
Gu Wuyi ended up squeezing in with Miaomiao and Fu Qingyun for the night.
The next day, after all five kids left for school, Qin Feng took out their blankets to air them under the sun.
His mother, Madam Zhou, had nothing to do and dropped by to see if he needed help. When she saw three long ropes full of blankets, she asked, “What’s all this for?”
Qin Feng was just about to lock the door and head to work. He paused. “The weather’s nice, so I’m airing them out to kill any mites.”
Madam Zhou wasn’t sure what mites he was talking about, but she didn’t dwell on it—her attention was drawn to two brand-new blankets. “Aren’t these the ones I sewed for Miaomiao?”
Qin Feng nodded. “If you’re free, could you help tidy up Miaomiao’s room for Wuyi? He’s starting early morning and evening self-study sessions tomorrow, so he needs his own room to sleep in.”
Madam Zhou’s heart ached. “He’s still so young.”
“The teachers don’t like it either, but with so many students competing, there’s no choice but to keep up.” Qin Feng checked his watch. “I have to go now.”
After he left, Madam Zhou went upstairs, opened Miaomiao’s bedroom window, and looked around the now mostly empty room. Her heart ached even more—her eldest grandson was only fourteen.
The streets were dangerous, full of thieves and muggers. If anything happened to him at night, how would she ever face Old Gu?
The more Madam Zhou thought about it, the more worried she became. Without hesitation, she locked the door and went to the store to buy a knife.
At lunchtime, when Gu Wuyi came home to eat, Madam Zhou stuffed the knife into his backpack.
Qin Feng saw it and immediately took it out. “What are you doing?”
“For self-defense!”
Qin Feng had a headache. “Fine, I’ll pick him up at night, okay?”
“Do you even have time?”
Qin Feng: “It’s just a half-hour round trip. Even if I’m busy, it’s not a big deal.”
Madam Zhou was finally relieved. “What about the knife?”
Qin Feng thought for a moment. The village wasn’t exactly safe at night. “Keep it under your pillow. If someone breaks in, just stab them. That’s self-defense. My dad knows what self-defense is.”
Old Qin explained it to her while Qin Feng and the kids ate.
After understanding, Madam Zhou wanted to give the knife to Qin Feng instead.
But then she thought about how the staff residences had a main gate and an inner gate—plenty of security—so she just tucked it under her pillow.
Little did they know, because Qin Feng had raised his voice in frustration, their neighbors on both sides overheard everything from the living room. That afternoon, those neighbors also went to the store and bought knives.
When the villagers saw this, they couldn’t help but ask why they were buying such small knives.
Qin Feng’s two aunts, always stirring up trouble, bluntly repeated his words: “Qin Feng said if a thief dares to break in, just stab them. Even if they die, you won’t have to pay for it.”
By evening, families with elderly, women, and children started coming to Qin Feng, asking if it was true.
Qin Feng wanted to give those two troublemaking aunts a taste of their own medicine.
But he couldn’t just ignore the villagers either.
So he turned the tables and asked them, “You’ve seen how I act around those two. Have I ever acknowledged their existence these past few years? How could I have possibly told them that? They’re just looking for an excuse to kill someone.”
The moment he finished speaking, two heads popped up from behind the courtyard wall—it was his two aunts.
Qin Feng wasn’t surprised at all. Before they could open their mouths, he grabbed the nearest broom and swung it at them.
When the villagers saw how much Qin Feng despised his two aunts, they had no choice but to believe him—there was no way he would have taught them how to guard against thieves.
Qin Feng’s eldest aunt shrank back in fear and shouted, “I’m going to report you to the police!”
“I’m throwing stuff at my own wall, what the hell are you reporting?” Qin Feng snapped, then casually picked up a clump of dirt and hurled it toward the west side.
His second aunt was so frightened she didn’t dare show her face.
The dirt shattered against the wall, startling the villagers who had come to ask questions. They quickly said their goodbyes and left. When they got home, they couldn’t help but share with their families—Qin Feng really, really hated those two aunts and their whole household.
As the noisy courtyard settled down, Madam Zhou sighed, “Every once in a while, there’s some kind of drama. What’s the point of all this?”
Qin Feng: “One day, when they die, it’ll finally be peaceful.”
“Who are you talking about?”
An angry voice came from the east.
Qin Feng responded lazily, “Whoever feels like I’m talking about them, that’s who I mean. You wanna take it personally?”
The other side fell silent for a moment—then came a stream of muttered curses.
But since they were speaking too quietly, Qin Feng could only tell it wasn’t anything good, though he couldn’t make out the exact words.
Miaomiao frowned. “They’re not worried about their mouths rotting from all that yapping?”
Madam Zhou quickly covered his mouth.
Those two old women wouldn’t dare pick a fight with Qin Feng, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t bully the kids.
Miaomiao rolled his eyes in exasperation and let his grandma drag him back into the main hall. Once he could breathe freely again, he said, “Grandpa, Grandma, why don’t you move in with us? We have plenty of space at home.”
Old Qin shook his head.
The boy was puzzled.
Qin Feng said, “Your grandparents are used to living in the village. Here, they can raise chickens and livestock. If they move there, your grandma won’t be able to keep anything—she’ll just sit from morning till night.”
Madam Zhou added, “Like a fool. If you sit around doing nothing for too long, even a sane person will turn dumb.”
The young boy, who had to attend school and do homework every day, couldn’t understand. “Isn’t having free time great? You can go wherever you want and play whenever you like.”
Old Qin asked, “Your brothers are all at school. Where exactly would you go to play by yourself?”
The boy was stumped.
After thinking it over carefully, he realized—going to school was actually better.
It suddenly made sense why his grandparents couldn’t stand being idle.
Qin Feng patted his little head. “Come help me serve the rice.”
The boy spread his arms wide and “flew” out of the room.
But he forgot about the door threshold, tripped, and stumbled forward. Qin Feng was so startled that he rushed to grab him.
The boy steadied himself, but his heart was still racing.
Qin Feng held onto his arm and gave his butt a light smack.
The boy immediately quieted down, feeling a little embarrassed. He hugged Qin Feng’s waist and buried his slightly flushed face in his chest.
Qin Feng chuckled helplessly and signaled his four older sons to go serve the food.
However, as they passed by, each one couldn’t resist giving the boy’s backside a playful pat.
Frustrated, the boy stomped his foot. “I’m cutting ties with all of you!”
Qin Feng pulled him down to sit.
After dinner, the group rested for a bit before helping the two elders tidy up their home. Then, they headed back.
As soon as they arrived, Qin Feng took Gu Wuyi to see his new room.
The once-empty bed now had not only a quilt but also a pillow.
The once-spotless desk now had an additional flower vase.
Gu Wuyi looked at it closely and asked in surprise, “Osmanthus?”
Qin Feng nodded. “Do you like it? If not, just throw it out. When the roses in the garden bloom in a few days, I’ll cut a few for you instead.”
Gu Wuyi didn’t know what to say—his dad had such a refined sense of life.
“What made you think of this?”
Qin Feng replied, “Your grandma was rummaging through old things and found this vase that I put away years ago. She asked if I still wanted it—if not, she was going to throw it out. This vase looks like something from the Republican era. It’s an antique of sorts—wouldn’t it be a shame to toss it?”
Gu Wuyi turned his gaze toward the vase. It was a Langyao red vase, with a wide, rounded belly and a tiny mouth. The deep red glaze, almost black in places, contrasted beautifully with the golden osmanthus blossoms, making the whole arrangement look both elegant and luxurious—perfect for the season.
He vaguely remembered this vase. It seemed his biological mother had used it before, though he couldn’t recall what flowers she had placed in it. But whatever it was, it hadn’t left as strong an impression as the osmanthus did now.
His dad had excellent taste.
Seeing his satisfaction, Qin Feng added, “There are two more vases in the cabinet under your desk. When the roses bloom, you can swap them out. Pick whichever one you like.”
“Dad, do we have flowers in our bedroom too?” Miaomiao asked curiously.
Qin Feng nodded.
Miaomiao immediately ran to check. Seeing a vase of osmanthus on the desk, he was delighted. But when he took a closer look at the vase, he couldn’t help exclaiming—“A beer bottle?!”
Qin Feng, standing outside, asked casually, “Is there a problem?”
Miaomiao stomped his foot and turned around. “This is a huge problem!”
His brothers didn’t believe him at first, but when they looked past him and confirmed that it was indeed a beer bottle, Fu Lingyun—who shared a room with Miaomiao—had an expression that was hard to describe.
Gu Wuyi couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Miaomiao shot him a glare, shoved him aside, and dashed toward his bedroom—to replace the vase!
Qin Feng blocked his way. “The beer bottle is fine for you.”
“Am I even your biological son?” Miaomiao huffed.
Qin Feng replied calmly, “Your second and third brothers have beer bottles too.”
Fu Qingyun immediately rushed to his room.
The moment he saw that his “vase” was also a beer bottle, his expression turned just as complicated.
Gu Wuyi, sensing the impending wrath of his four younger brothers, quickly said, “Aren’t there still a few more vases?”
Qin Feng shrugged. “There are plenty in the cabinet downstairs. But you guys will only be interested for a few days before forgetting about them. If I take them out now, I’ll have to collect and wash them later—too much trouble.”
The four younger brothers fell silent. So that was the real reason?
Qin Feng met their speechless gazes and nodded without hesitation.
“Qin Miaomiao, if you’re willing to take care of it yourself—change the water and everything—I’ll go get a proper vase for you.”
Miaomiao did a quick calculation in his head. Too much trouble. Fine, the beer bottle will do.
“Ugh, you’re so lazy.” Qin Feng ruffled his hair before heading to the study.
Out of habit, the boy followed him in.
To his surprise, there wasn’t a single sprig of osmanthus in his dad’s study.
He was shocked.
Qin Feng, hearing the noise, turned around—only to see the boy standing there, completely dumbfounded.
"Even your dad finds it troublesome. Just go do your homework." Qin Feng waved him off.
The boy pouted, shut the door, hesitated for a moment as he glanced at the room next door, then slipped inside. "Big Brother, I’m sleeping with you tonight."
Gu Wuyi replied, "I have morning self-study starting tomorrow."
The boy, who had just taken off his shoes, immediately slid them back on and scurried to the room across the hall.
Gu Wuyi sighed, both amused and exasperated, shaking his head as he closed his door.
The next morning, Gu Wuyi was startled awake by his alarm. He stared at the time for a long moment, still groggy, before remembering he had morning reading class.
Worried about waking his younger brothers, he dressed as stealthily as a burglar.
After carefully closing his door, he noticed that Qin Feng’s bedroom door was still shut. He hesitated briefly before deciding to head out alone to meet his classmates.
But when he reached downstairs, he rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
Qin Feng was walking out of the kitchen, one hand holding a cup, the other carrying a plate—like he was about to have breakfast.
Gu Wuyi felt even more like he was still dreaming. “Dad?”
“Awake?” Qin Feng glanced at him, then at the crust in the corner of his eyes. “Go wash your face, brush your teeth, and eat something.”
Gu Wuyi stared blankly as he walked toward him, hesitantly asking, “What time did you wake up?”
“Five o’clock.” Qin Feng noticed his gaze lingering on the plate and explained, “I brought the rice cooker down. After waking up, I washed my hands, put the eggs in, then went to freshen up. By the time I was done, the eggs were boiled, and the mantou on the steaming rack was fully heated.” He paused before adding, “Didn’t take much time at all.”
Gu Wuyi did not believe him.
Qin Feng chuckled. “Eggs only take ten minutes. You need five minutes to walk from home to school, which leaves you exactly five minutes to wash your face, brush your teeth, and use the restroom.”
Realizing he was running out of time, Gu Wuyi rushed to the bathroom.
Six minutes later, Gu Wuyi came out, drank some water, and grabbed his school bag.
Qin Feng pushed the bike forward.
Gu Wuyi sat on the back seat, eating a mantou in one hand while biting into an egg with the other.
By the time they reached the school gate, he had just finished his breakfast.
His two classmates looked at him with envy.
One couldn't help but say, “Your dad is amazing. When I woke up, my dad was still asleep.”
The other added, “My mom was awake, but as soon as she confirmed that Engineer Qin was taking us, she went right back to bed.”
Gu Wuyi felt a sense of pride in his heart but still had to play it cool. “I didn’t even eat that much. My dad said I have to run later, and eating too much would feel uncomfortable.”
“Even a glass of water would be nice,” the two classmates sighed, shaking their heads in unison. "Some people really live a different life."
Gu Wuyi couldn't help but let a smile slip.
But his happiness lasted only three seconds before the security guard yelled at them to hurry inside.
Qin Feng left the bike with Gu Wuyi and ran home from school—his equivalent of morning exercise.
Fresh from his workout, his energy levels were high. The courtyard was still quiet since most people hadn’t woken up yet. The air was crisp and refreshing, making his productivity soar—even better than working late at night.
Although Qin Feng was knowledgeable about internal combustion locomotives, his main expertise was in electric locomotives, particularly their core component—the train's head. Skilled engineers in this area were scarce at the factory, so those who were capable had to take on more work.
In less than five years since returning, he had faced and solved twice as many technical challenges as his peers who remained overseas in developed countries.
The work was monotonous and, at times, frustrating. But the moment he saw a locomotive successfully start, every struggle felt worthwhile. A deep sense of fulfillment replaced any exhaustion.
Even though he was often tired, he never again felt the emptiness or loneliness that once drove him to numb himself with alcohol.
His mental state was excellent.
On his way to work, Qin Feng ran into Accountant Zhao, the husband of Feng Mao Miao. Accountant Zhao couldn't help but size him up. “I heard that by the time I wake up, you've already finished a morning run. And you never seem to take long vacations. Aren’t you ever tired?”
Qin Feng replied, “As long as I sleep well, I don’t feel tired.”
“There’s never a time when you just want to rest?”
Qin Feng thought for a moment. “Don’t I have weekends?”
“Even on weekends, you’re always with the kids. And your study light is still on at nine or ten at night. That’s practically no rest at all.” Accountant Zhao mulled over his words before adding, “And your mind—doesn’t it ever run dry from all that thinking?”
Qin Feng found the question odd. “How could it? The more you use your brain, the sharper it gets. It’s only when you rest too much that you become sluggish—both your body and your mind.”
Accountant Zhao shook his head. “I don’t believe it!”
Qin Feng chuckled. “Just pay attention to elderly people who still look energetic. Even if they’re retired, they’re always learning something.”
“Like what?” Zhao was genuinely curious. “What can someone that old still learn?”
“Painting, calligraphy... Some people in their seventies or eighties have handwriting as good as professional calligraphers, and they only started practicing after retirement.”
Accountant Zhao pondered this. “So what you’re saying is, when you retire, you’ll be just like them?”
Qin Feng did a quick mental calculation. “I’m thirty now. I’ve got about forty years until retirement.”
Accountant Zhao was stunned. “Isn’t retirement at sixty?”
Qin Feng smirked. “The country invested heavily in my education. You think they’ll let me retire at sixty?”
Accountant Zhao recalled how Qin Feng had attended university without tuition fees, received generous stipends, and later studied abroad on a government scholarship. China was vast, but there were only a handful of companies capable of developing and manufacturing electric locomotives. And Qin Feng was already a leading figure among the younger generation at Northern Railway Factory.
Even if the state allowed him to retire, the factory leadership probably wouldn’t let him go so easily.
For a moment, Accountant Zhao didn’t know whether to envy Qin Feng or feel sorry for him.
In the end, he simply patted Qin Feng’s shoulder and walked off toward the finance office.
Qin Feng, on the other hand, headed toward the locomotive research and development building.
The moment he stepped inside, it was as if he had become a completely different person.
If Miaomiao and the others saw him like this, they wouldn’t believe it—especially when he put on his work uniform, looking every bit like a strict and serious researcher.
In fact, Qin Feng is a researcher, but his field required frequent visits to the workshop and occasional business trips. This made his work seem less mysterious to outsiders, to the point that even his barely literate aunt Qian felt comfortable chattering away at him as if he were just another ordinary worker.
Speaking of which, Accountant Zhao had earlier wondered whether Qin Feng ever got tired. But Qin Feng knew his own limits well. Others might need sleep to rest, but for him, simply clearing his mind was enough.
Back in the village, with roosters crowing and dogs barking, it was nearly impossible to think about work. His brain naturally got the rest it needed, allowing him to continue working in the afternoon without experiencing headaches, ear ringing, nausea, or irritability.
Similarly, when he picked up Gu Wuyi in the evening, the quiet roads—free of traffic, accompanied only by the sounds of insects and birds—became another form of relaxation for him.
At home, under the bright lights, Gu Wuyi carefully observed him and, seeing that his father was in good shape, didn’t object to being picked up every night.
This continued all the way until winter break. Over time, the bond between father and son grew much closer.
Before, Gu Wuyi saw himself as the eldest brother, no longer a child. In his past life, he had even died older than Qin Feng, making him feel too awkward to act dependent on him—unless he needed something and had to fake childishness.
But after these past six months, he had started to behave more like a proper high school student.
On the first morning of winter break, when Qin Feng tried to wake him up, Gu Wuyi simply wrapped himself in his blanket and played dead.
Miaomiao, however, lifted the covers at the foot of the bed and tickled his feet.
Gu Wuyi lifted his leg and kicked.
Miaomiao shrieked in surprise and quickly retreated. “Did Big Brother eat gunpowder for breakfast?”
“Let him sleep a little longer.” Qin Feng grabbed Miaomiao by the collar and dragged him out, making sure to close the door behind them.
Hearing footsteps coming downstairs, Fu Qingyun looked up, surprised not to see the eldest. “That’s rare.”
Qin Feng replied, “Third-year middle schoolers aren’t just physically exhausted. They’re constantly on edge, never daring to relax. Now that the break has started, of course he’s drained. After the high school entrance exams, he could probably sleep for three days straight.”
Having never experienced such exams himself, Fu Qingyun couldn’t quite imagine what that felt like. “Well, let’s eat first.”
Qin Feng went to the kitchen to get chopsticks.
Meanwhile, Gu Xiao’er came out holding a bowl. “Dad, the village school is on break now. Grandpa isn’t going scavenging for junk with Grandpa Dashan again, is he?”
Even when school was in session, Old Man Qin wasn’t idle—he would go out on weekend afternoons.
Qin Feng had once asked his father why he did it, and the old man simply replied that it was interesting. Qin Feng suspected it wasn’t the money that interested him but the opportunity to meet all sorts of people and chat with them.
“Let him collect whatever he wants.” Qin Feng shrugged. “The ancients used to say that reaching seventy was rare. But even with today’s medical advancements, if you get seriously ill at seventy, there’s no guarantee you’ll make it. He’s nearly sixty now—there aren’t many years left where he’ll still be able to run around and stay active.” That was one of the reasons Qin Feng let his father do as he pleased.
Gu Xiao’er thought about how some elders in the village had to rely on canes once they passed sixty. “Then when the wheat ripens, let’s use a harvester.”
Qin Feng nodded. “No need to tell them. I’ll just bring the harvester to the fields when the time comes.”
Unfortunately, it wasn’t a combine harvester, so they would still have to transport the wheat bit by bit to the threshing ground.
Miaomiao couldn’t help but comment, “Grandpa’s definitely going to chase you around with a broom again.”
“He won’t catch me.” Qin Feng picked up a broom and pretended to swing it at Miaomiao. “Like this?”
The boy panicked and quickly backed away. “I was just trying to warn you out of kindness!”
Qin Feng glanced at Miaomiao before putting the broom aside. “After breakfast, shouldn’t you be practicing the suona by the river?”
The young boy, who had been ready to take a big bite of his meal, collapsed onto the table in despair. “It’s the dead of winter—why do I have to suffer like this?”
Expressionless, Qin Feng replied, “Endure the hardest hardships to become the best of men.”
“I don’t want to be the best of men,” Miaomiao propped his chin up. “I just want to be an ordinary person.”
Fu Qingyun couldn’t help but ask, “At this rate, you might not even get into City No.1 High School.”
Miaomiao thought for a second and said, “Then I’ll just collect junk for a living.”
Fu Qingyun was so taken aback that he was at a loss for words.
Qin Feng said, “Study well, and I’ll buy you a watermelon.”
Miaomiao froze for a moment before reacting in disbelief. “What kind of melon?”
“Watermelon!”
Miaomiao looked at his brothers.
The brothers immediately thought of greenhouse-grown watermelons.
But even as the new year approached and they entered 1991, it was still just the early ’90s.
In an era when even city folks were reluctant to buy out-of-season vegetables, who would even buy watermelons?
Gu Xiao’er couldn’t help but eye Qin Feng suspiciously.
This time, Qin Feng wasn’t bluffing.
It all started when he took Gu Wuyi to early morning study sessions.
His eldest aunt’s family lived in the southeast and had to pass by the North Railway Factory on their way to the city to sell vegetables. One morning, while hurrying to the morning market, they happened to run into Qin Feng on his way back from a run. His uncle enthusiastically gave him several kinds of vegetables, practically throwing them at him as if they were free.
Qin Feng wasn’t one to meddle in other people’s affairs unless they directly concerned him. Since his aunt never approached him about greenhouse farming, he never asked. But suddenly receiving so many vegetables made him think about how they were probably up at three in the morning harvesting them. So he casually asked why they didn’t sell to hotels in Binhai.
His uncle sighed, saying that big hotels wouldn’t be interested in their vegetables.
Qin Feng straightforwardly suggested they could pick the best, pesticide-free ones. Even high-end hotels had to consider costs—if they could source locally, they wouldn’t bother going out of town.
Worst case, they could just set a higher price.
His aunt thought about it and realized he had a point.
A few days later, she thickened her skin and approached a high-end hotel.
Binhai Grand Hotel was still a state-run business. The hotel’s management had been in charge for years, yet it was the first time they’d encountered someone trying to sell them vegetables directly. They found it quite novel and were even more curious about how two simple farmers had come up with such an idea.
Qin Feng’s aunt immediately credited her sharp-witted nephew, saying her well-traveled, overseas-educated nephew had suggested it.
The hotel manager had heard of Qin Feng from the lobby manager and head chef, so he decided to give them a chance.
Once they secured the grand hotel, Qin Feng’s aunt approached smaller hotels, confidently stating that Binhai Grand Hotel used their vegetables.
It wasn’t something that could be easily faked, and people figured she wouldn’t lie about it. Plus, if a prestigious hotel used her produce, it had to be good—so they signed contracts with her as well.
After securing those deals, Qin Feng’s aunt felt it wasn’t right to leave the Lin family out. So one weekend, she went to find Qin Feng.
At that time, winter was still a ways off, and the Lin family still had an empty greenhouse. Qin Feng suggested they grow watermelons for the high-end hotels and large vegetable markets.
Of course, his aunt was the one who pitched the idea.
When she approached the Lin family, she was upfront about it—not for Qin Feng’s suggestion, she wouldn’t have thought of it. The Lin family then asked her to pass a message: when the watermelons were ready, they wanted Qin Feng to be the first to taste them.
Qin Feng did the math—if all went well, the watermelons should be about ready now, just in time for the year-end holiday shopping season.
"On the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, you'll get to eat watermelon."
Miaomiao stretched out his hand. "Pinky promise!"
Qin Feng teased him, "What if I'm lying?"
Without hesitation, Miaomiao blurted out, "Then you're the puppy, not me!"
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