Chapter 149: Lineage (1)

  "Xiao Lan! What's wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell?"

  Just as Chu Yulan was filled with remorse for her previous actions, Chu Chen saw her standing there in a daze, her face somewhat pale, and couldn't help but ask with concern.

  Chu Yulan came back to her senses from her deep thought, smiled slightly and said: "Ge, I'm fine, I just think..."

  Chu Chen waved his hand, interrupting her, and pressed her onto the chair: "You still say it's nothing, look at your complexion! Alright, you just sit here and rest for a while. I'll go with Uncle Tian to sort out the books, and later we'll go to the cafeteria to taste Aunt Tian's cooking."

  Watching Chuyan and a male teacher walking away with a bundle of books, Chuyu Lan muttered to herself in frustration: "I wanted to tell you something important...!"

  Because the books were already categorized before packaging, Chu Chen and others only needed to unpack them and put them on the bookshelves they had brought earlier. With the help of teachers and remaining students at school, it didn't take long to organize all the books.

  Looking at the 5,000 books neatly arranged on the bookshelves, the old principal couldn't help but be moved to tears. These books are treasures that can broaden students' horizons and increase their knowledge! From now on, he must manage these precious books well, so that every student in the school can benefit from them as much as possible.

  "Xiaowa, I really don't know how to thank you enough...I'm at a loss for words..."

  Chu Chen chuckled and said: "These are all things within my power, if you must thank me, let's just have a few more cups later."

  The old principal heard Fang Ha laugh and said, "Okay, let's not get drunk and return! Let's go to the cafeteria to eat together, your aunt is probably waiting anxiously there."

  Chu Chen smiled and nodded, saying: "Okay, you go first, I'll call Xiao Lan, just bring the car over..."

  After Chu Chen left, he drove the car to the cafeteria with Chu Yulan and took down many bottles of wine and various take-out food from the car.

  The old principal saw this and couldn't help but complain: "Qianwa, you're sending this and that, and even bringing your own food. If word gets out, where will I put my old face?"

  Chu Chen chuckled and said, "Uncle Tian, what's wrong with me bringing some food for you? There are still two ham sausages in the car, I'll take them over later and ask Aunt Tian to slice them up and stir-fry them. I love Aunt Tian's stir-fried three threads dish the most."

  "You..." Upon hearing this, the old principal could only helplessly shake his head.

  In the evening, Chu Chen and his group received a warm reception. Although there were not many things in the mountains, there was no shortage of game and wild delicacies, such as pheasants, rabbits, and some rare mountain delicacies that were not commonly seen. These were all prepared by the old principal after learning that Chu Chen and his group would be arriving today.

  Although Aunt Tian's cooking skills can't be compared to those of the chefs at Baizhen Jade Food, with these all-natural and fresh ingredients, Chu Chen and the others still ate with great relish. As for the teachers who rarely got to eat meat and the more than 20 students, they were all smiling and chatting happily, their faces filled with happy smiles.

  This meal, of course, also couldn't be less without a drinking game. Although Chu Chen said he wanted to drink a few more cups with the old principal, after all, he was older and his body wasn't too good, so after the two of them drank a few cups, they shifted their attention to the three male teachers present.

  However, among the three male teachers, only one old teacher could drink a little, and the other two were newcomers to the wine scene. As a result, after drinking just a few cups, the three of them became dizzy and confused, and in the end, it was still the old principal who took over.

  Of course, facing the old principal, Chu Chen certainly couldn't drink like before with the three young teachers. Afterward, the two of them chatted and savored their drinks slowly, happily finishing this dinner...

  The next morning, Chu Chen got out of bed on time, washed up and breathed in the fresh air outside. His mood was involuntarily refreshed. The advantage of the city is convenience, but it doesn't have the naturalness of the mountains, and the air isn't as good either. In this environment, Chu Chen couldn't help but feel a sense of emptiness.

  Just as Chu Chen was about to take the opportunity to exercise, Chu Yulan from next door also came out. The two smiled at each other and exercised their bodies in their own ways.

  "Xiao Lan, how was your sleep last night? Are you still getting used to it?"

  Chu Yulan smiled sweetly and said, "En, it's pretty good. Brother Chu, didn't you say that the original school hasn't been demolished yet? After we finish breakfast, let's go take a look."

  Chu Chen chuckled and said: "Actually, there's nothing much to see over there, but since we have nothing better to do, let's just go take a look."

  After exercising, the two came to the cafeteria and saw Tian Shu kneading dough while the steamed buns and porridge on the side looked like they were already done.

  "Ah, Auntie, isn't breakfast already prepared? Why are you still kneading dough?"

  Auntie Tian chuckled and said: "This is the ramen I'm preparing for you all, just wait a bit, it'll be ready soon."

  "Auntie, it's okay if we just have the same breakfast as the teachers and students, you don't need to go to so much trouble."

  Auntie Tian smiled and said, "Xuanwa, you all rarely come over, and yet you've donated so many things to the school. You even brought clothes for me and old Tian, as well as many gifts. As a woman, I may not be able to do much else, but at least I can cook something delicious for you all. Alright, go sit down in the living room, I'll be right there."

  "Auntie, thank you..."

  Auntie smiled and said: "Silly child, what are you thanking me for? It should be Auntie thanking you."

  Looking at Aunt Tian's simple smile, Chu Chen felt a strong sense of closeness, and sat down with Chu Yulan on one side, watching Aunt Tian skillfully pull the noodles. Before long, Aunt Tian brought two bowls of fragrant steaming hot noodles in front of them.

  Because it was morning, Aunt Tian specially made the noodles lighter, and the topping used wild vegetables stir-fried with pickled mustard tubers. The pure wild vegetables were fresh, tender, and juicy, with a slightly sour taste from the pickled mustard tubers. When combined, they were truly delicious. The two eaters' appetites were opened wide, not only did Chu Yulan finish a full large bowl of pulled noodles, but Chu Chen even ate two large bowls.

  After finishing their ramen, the two of them patted their slightly bulging bellies and couldn't help but exchange a sheepish smile.

  "Auntie, I'm going to take a walk around our old school with Xiaolan. If you need anything and can't reach me by phone, just look for me over there."

  Auntie Tian smiled and nodded: "En, go ahead, be careful."

  Chu Chen walked while telling Chu Yulan about the interesting things that happened when he was studying here, from time to time making Chu Yulan laugh out loud. Before long, they arrived at the old school site.

  All that can be seen on the old campus is a row of earth and wood houses, which already look somewhat dilapidated from afar. This is the result of the old principal's meticulous maintenance over the years. Compared to the newly built classrooms, these earth and wood houses are simply ugly.

  As the two walked closer, they saw that the door and windows of the house had been dismantled. Chu Chen led Chu Yulan around in a circle, and all they saw was a very dilapidated blackboard in what used to be the classroom, as well as several tables and chairs that looked like they were on their last legs.

  Others, because they can still be used to make some desks and chairs, were all dismantled by the old principal. Moreover, Chu Yulan found that when she looked from outside into the classroom, although the weather was sunny and clear outside, the classroom was still dimly lit, without a single ray of light.

  "Chu Ge, in such an environment, you have to keep the lights on day and night, right?" Chu Yulan asked.

  Chu Chen shook his head and said, "No way, at the beginning, we often had power outages here. When I was in junior high school, the power supply just stabilized, but even so, we couldn't bear to use electric lights."

  "Huh? In such an environment, you can't even see clearly in class, right?" Chu Yulan said with a surprised expression.

  Chu Chen chuckled and said, "What's the big deal? If it's not clear inside the house, just go outside. At that time, we only had classes in the classroom when the weather was bad or too cold. Otherwise, all our classes were held outdoors."

  Upon hearing this, Chu Yulan's eyes widened in incredulity, her face filled with shock and dismay. She had only read about such situations in the news before, never thinking that Chu Chen's school days were actually like this, which not only stirred her emotions but also made her feel even more guilty towards him.

  At this time, Chu Yulan's mood could no longer calm down, and said: "Chu Ge, let me tell you a story?"

  "Alright, you say."

  Chu Chen was somewhat surprised at how Chu Yulan wanted to tell a story, but still nodded.

  "There was a family, whose political status was very prominent, but due to decision-making issues, they initially took the middle road, so they were rejected by both radical and conservative factions. At that time, this family's power could not compete with the two factions, and they could only carefully walk on the tightrope of the middle road."

  However, during this time, something big happened, and the only flesh and blood of his family's second child suddenly disappeared...

  "Wait a minute..." The story had reached this point, Chu Chen suddenly knew what Chu Yulan was talking about. Under the turmoil of emotions, he immediately shouted loudly.

  "Xiao Lan, I understand the story you told. Let's go back to school now, I think the students should have arrived by now."

  "Brother Chu, please let me finish speaking. The outcome is already set in stone. If you are indeed the child Mom and Dad lost all those years ago, then one day you will have to face this matter."

  "I don't want to hear it!"

  "Chu Chen shouted loudly, panting heavily, saying: 'My beloved father has passed away, I'm doing very well now, I don't need to face it!'"

  Chu Yulan saw this and said calmly: "But, Dad and Mom's hearts are suffering every moment, can you bear it?"

  "Haha!"

  Chu Chen let out a strange laugh and said, "Suffering? Don't I know what suffering is? When people called me a wild child, a mixed breed, where were they? When I was most lonely, where were they? When I was most confused, where were they? And when my father and Tian Shu were patiently teaching me, where were they?"