Chapter 2: Stir-Fried Pork on Bamboo Boards

Eastping District is twenty kilometers from Changle County.

Lu Fan’s home was in Changle County. The closer he rode his bicycle to home, the heavier his headache felt.

He had stolen fifty thousand yuan, the hard-earned savings of his parents, to find himself a wife. For a high school student, this was truly...

Sigh, at worst, he would just have a meal of stir-fried bamboo shoots and pork.

He was their precious child and had no fear of getting beaten up.

As for hiding the truth or lying, he never considered it. At his age, he knew he had responsibilities to bear and there was no need to deceive his parents.

He just hoped his father could be a little gentler—after all, the last time he was beaten was over forty years ago.

Lu Fan even found himself feeling a faint sense of anticipation.

When he arrived home, it was still daylight. Both his parents had returned from work. His father, Lu Dawei, sat in the living room, legs crossed, sipping tea while watching television.

His mother, Xia Hongying, busied herself in the kitchen, occasionally murmuring a few words of nagging.

From Lu Fan’s memory, when Lu Dawei was an ordinary police officer, he often worked night patrols. Since becoming a deputy director, his life had become more orderly.

The police station where he worked was under the county Public Security Bureau. Its main duties included maintaining local public order, promoting awareness of disasters and accidents, prevention work, and mediating neighborhood disputes. Major cases would be handled by the county or city Public Security Bureau.

The work was plain and uneventful, living peacefully without conflict.

Xia Hongying never worked overtime. She kept regular hours from nine to five, with weekends off. Aside from work, all her thoughts revolved around what to cook for the three daily meals, what special dishes to prepare for the weekend, and which mall offered discounts for seasonal clothes for the family of three.

Lu Fan used to disdain his ordinary family, but now he realized that such a life was better than that of ninety percent of families.

Looking at his young parents, Lu Fan couldn’t help but feel his eyes redden.

Before his rebirth, his parents were already old and frail, their steps unsteady. If he hadn’t started his own business, they wouldn’t have had to worry so much and wouldn’t have aged so quickly.

Now everything had returned to the starting point—how wonderful!

“Dad, Mom, I’m home!”

“Heh, I knew when you locked your bike downstairs. Before coming in, you even stood at the door for 1 minute and 40 seconds,” Lu Dawei said with a hint of pride after sipping his tea.

Xia Hongying asked, “I saved you lunch, why didn’t you eat it? Where did you go to play again today?”

“Even though the college entrance exam is over, you must not relax. Statistics show that eighty percent of university students fall behind because they get addicted to video games, martial arts novels, or romantic relationships, gradually loosening self-discipline.”

“Universities no longer guarantee jobs. After graduation, you need to find a job on your own. Good positions attract many applicants—a fierce competition, just like the college entrance exam...”

The familiar nagging began again.

This time, Lu Fan felt no impatience. Instead, he found his mother’s words as soothing as mountain stream water.

“I know. I won’t slack off. I’ll keep working hard at university and strive for new achievements, so I can be a worthy successor to socialist construction.”

Hearing this, Lu Dawei couldn’t help but say, “Speaking of successors, I think after graduation you should come back to the county. Jiangcheng is fine too. Try to get a civil servant position in the Public Security Bureau.”

“Why come back to the county? To take your position? You only made deputy section chief your whole life, and my rank is already higher than yours.”

“Ahem, I said Jiangcheng is fine too! Xiao Fan, your grades should be good enough for an undergraduate program, right?”

Lu Fan was startled, suddenly remembering he hadn’t even applied yet.

In the next moment, he felt relieved. Fortunately, he was reborn after the college entrance exam; if it had been earlier by a couple of weeks, he would have been in serious trouble.

Not to mention undergraduate, even getting into a vocational college would have been tough.

“No problem. Not just undergraduate; this time I’m applying to a key university.”

“Really?” Both Lu Dawei and Xia Hongying turned to him with disbelief.

“Last time I asked, you didn’t seem this confident.”

Lu Fan smiled, “You always say ‘modesty brings benefit, arrogance invites loss.’ I’m just being modest.”

“Good boy! I knew my son could get into a key university. Honey, stop cooking; let’s go celebrate at the best restaurant.”

Seeing Xia Hongying starting to take off her apron, Lu Fan said, “No, I love Mom’s cooking best.”

“That’s fine. I’ll go pick out a good bottle of wine. Today, just for you, I’ll have a drink too.”

Lu Fan quickly stopped him, “No wine today. We’ll celebrate another day.”

If he drank, he was afraid his father might get carried away and lose control.

“You used to be so eager to drink, why so well-behaved today?” Lu Dawei sensed something unusual.

During dinner, Lu Fan told them a story.

The protagonist was Bai Lu...

Lu Dawei listened intently, then said angrily, “That mother was foolish. If her father knew that his illness was cured at the cost of his daughter’s happiness, even if he recovered, he might have ended his own life.”

“What a pitiful family. Xiao Fan, is Bai Lu your classmate?” Xia Hongying shook her head repeatedly.

Seeing the atmosphere was set, Lu Fan nodded, “To be honest, yes.”

“I saw how miserable she was and wanted to help.”

“It’s good that you have such a heart, but how can a child like you help?”

“That’s why I made the decision for you. I took the money from home and gave it to her to save her father’s life.”

Then he saw Lu Dawei and Xia Hongying freeze in place.

“Our family’s money?” Xia Hongying’s voice rose two tones.

“One life saved is worth more than building a seven-story pagoda. Besides, this money can save a whole family of four!”

Lu Dawei tapped the table, “How did you know where the money was? And the bank passbook—how did you withdraw it?”

“There aren’t many hiding places at home. I just found it. The bank passbook requires a password. The bank staff don’t ask many questions. You get three tries. I entered my birthday and got it right on the first try.”

“Good boy, you really have grown up. Honey, should I hit him?”

Xia Hongying’s eyes reddened, angry, “Why are you asking me? That money was meant for his wedding, to buy a house. He helped a classmate instead; he can expect to remain a bachelor!”

Hearing this, Lu Fan knew the stir-fried bamboo shoots and pork dinner was off today.

He felt a slight regret. It seemed his parents truly regarded him as an adult now.

“Don’t worry about marrying a wife. When I gave the money to her family today, I told them those fifty thousand yuan were our betrothal gift.”

“Old Lu, hit him!”

“All right!”