Chen Lan refused, "Little Watermelon, clarify what you mean. How have I bullied you to make you fear me? Humph!"
Xiang Xi's stubbornness flared, and he retorted, "When we were little, you started bullying me from the moment you fought me for milk. You still say I'm lying? I overheard Madam and my mother chatting. Madam said you were unreasonable when you were little. You wouldn't let me have milk when you were feeding, and you'd kick me with your feet if I tried. You wouldn't let me eat until you were full. Isn't that bullying me? You don't know, you ate so much when you were little, and by the time you were full, my mother had no milk left, so I could only eat mush. Humph! And at school, you always caused trouble, and every time, I was the one who stepped up to take the blame, while you were the quickest to slip away... blah... blah..." Xiang Xi vented.
This completely silenced Chen Lan, who was now thoroughly embarrassed.
Liu Mama, suppressing a smile, quickly intervened, "Xiang Xi, look at you, bringing up something about feeding when you were little! Are you even a man?"
"Alright! Alright! Neither of you mention the past anymore. Let's talk business, the real matter at hand!"
Gentle Niang, also trying to hold back her laughter, chimed in, "Yes, yes, let's talk business. Lan'er has been waiting for you all afternoon."
Everyone chuckled and helped to ease the tension.
Xiang Xi snorted proudly, "Hmph!"
Chen Lan was so embarrassed she wished she could dig a hole in the ground with her toes and bury herself.
Chen Lan took two deep breaths to calm her awkwardness. In her heart, she encouraged herself, "I'm not awkward, it's everyone else who's awkward, haha!" Thinking this, she started to laugh.
Everyone looked at each other, utterly bewildered. What was going on?
Chen Lan coughed twice and walked over, patting Xiang Xi's slender little shoulder heavily, almost making Xiang Xi stumble.
Chen Lan solemnly promised, "Little Watermelon, no, Comrade Chen Xiang Xi, because I, Chen Lan, was ignorant when I was little and snatched your chance to have milk, causing you, Comrade Chen Xiang Xi, to go hungry, I, Chen Lan, hereby promise you, Comrade Chen Xiang Xi: From now on, if I, Chen Lan, eat solids, I will not let Comrade Chen Xiang Xi eat porridge. If I, Chen Lan, eat meat, I will not let Comrade Chen Xiang Xi have soup. I, Chen Lan..."
"Enough, enough!" Xiang Xi quickly interrupted. "You might as well not promise anything! It's much better if I can eat whatever I want now!"
The crowd couldn't help but burst into laughter again.
Seeing that everyone seemed indifferent, Chen Lan didn't say any more. There were still long days ahead. They would understand what she meant today in the future.
Uncle Fu smiled and tried to smooth things over, "Come, let's go to the living room to talk." Everyone agreed, "Yes, yes, the important matters should be discussed in the living room."
Chen Lan followed everyone to the living room. After everyone was seated, she began to address the main business.
Chen Lan asked Uncle Fu, "Uncle Fu, how is Xiao Shan's matter being handled?"
"The master has agreed. Just like Xiang Dong and Xiang Xi, he will learn until he masters it, and the price is the same. Xiao Shan stayed today and has been learning for half the afternoon."
Chen Lan continued to ask, "If that's the case, Xiao Shan will be away from home all day. His mother cannot see and needs his care. Uncle Fu, can his mother not see at all?"
Uncle Fu replied, "She can't see completely. She can see some light during the day, but nothing at night."
"Has she seen a doctor?" Chen Lan continued to ask.
"She has. But poor people can't afford doctors these days. She got a little better when taking medicine," Uncle Fu replied.
"Uncle Fu, I trust your judgment of people. Just for the fact that he carries his mother wherever he goes, Xiao Shan is a child worth helping. Our family should give him a chance to be well trained."
"Uncle Fu, have two of our empty rooms cleaned for them. Let mother and son stay with us first. It will be more convenient for us to help take care of his mother if we live together. Also, please find the most skilled eye doctor in the capital to examine Xiao Shan's mother. What do you think?"
Uncle Fu nodded repeatedly, deeply moved. "That's right, Xiao Shan is a filial and diligent boy! I think this arrangement is good!"
Chen Lan looked at Xiang Xi and called out, "Xiang Xi, among the people you know, is there anyone particularly skilled in electricity?"
Seeing Xiang Xi's confused look, Chen Lan explained, "How to put it? Someone who can set up wires, install circuit breakers, etc. Anyone related to electricity."
Xiang Xi held his head and thought for a long time, then shook his head.
Chen Lan, not giving up, asked again, "Then do you know anyone who knows people in this field?"
Xiang Xi still shook his head.
Chen Lan looked at Uncle Fu expectantly, hoping for a surprise. Uncle Fu shook his head.
Seeing Uncle Fu shake his head, Chen Lan's heart sank.
Chen Lan, still persistent, looked at Xiang Dong with anticipation. Xiang Dong immediately felt the pressure. Chen Lan called out, "Brother Xiang Dong, what about you?"
Xiang Dong said uncertainly, "Do you think the person I know counts?"
"Oh! Brother Xiang Dong, tell me," Chen Lan pressed eagerly.
Xiang Dong said, "The person I know is a teacher at Capital University. When he was young, he studied abroad in Country D for several years. I don't know if he actually does this kind of work."
"Brother Xiang Dong, what is this teacher's major?"
"It seems he teaches both physics and chemistry," Xiang Dong replied uncertainly.
"Brother Xiang Dong, how do you know this teacher?"
"This was before Wen Bo and I graduated from high school. We often borrowed books from the National Library. We saw him translating books for the library to earn money several times. I was curious and asked Wen Bo. Wen Bo told me."
"Wen Bo admired him greatly. Wen Bo said he was a teacher at Capital University and had studied abroad in Country D for several years. He was probably translating books for the library to earn money because his family had some urgent need for money?"
Chen Lan thought for a moment and said, "How was his attire at the time?"
Xiang Dong thought and shook his head. "I don't remember! What man pays attention to what another man wears?"
Chen Lan changed the question, "Were the clothes he wore neat and tidy, or rumpled and wrinkled?"
"Was his hair messy, or shiny with oil?"
Xiang Dong quickly interrupted Chen Lan, "The clothes were wrinkled, and his hair was messy."
"Hmm! I see! Someone who studied abroad in Country D for several years must be neatly and cleanly dressed. Because the characteristic of people in Country D is that they don't care about fashion, only about neatness and cleanliness."
"I suspect something happened in his family, and they needed money. The salary of a teacher at Capital University should be enough for a family's daily expenses, unless there was a change in the family that required a large sum of money."
After hearing Chen Lan's analysis, everyone nodded, saying it made sense!
Chen Lan continued, "This matter is very important. Brother Xiang Dong, Xiang Xi, starting tomorrow, spend money to ask people to inquire about all the information of this teacher."
"Uncle Fu, you have a wide network of contacts, please help inquire as well."
Chen Lan emphasized again, "This person is very important."