The process of children's growth is not necessarily smooth sailing, such as the current problems of the second daughter Yan Zhen.
Yan Chu did not define the child as a bad child just because she cheated money from him with the excuse of book fees. In fact, many children have lied to their parents more or less during their growth, but the difference is the severity of the plot.
Yan Chu feels that this is an experience in many children's lives. This kind of change is a test for children, and the same is true for parents.
Although he wanted to train his two children, but considering that the fastest train from the provincial capital to Shencheng would take six days, and the two children, one thirteen and one eleven, were growing up, Yan Chu decided to I bought a hard sleeper ticket, and the two children are not too small, so I also need to buy an adult ticket.
In this way, the three train tickets cost a full sixty-five yuan and ten cents. Now the per capita salary of workers is around eighty or ninety, which is not cheap.
"In the past, when Dad went to Shencheng to buy station tickets, he even took advantage of the two of you to try out what it's like to sleep hard on a train."
Yan Chu was carrying the luggage of the three of them, and the two daughters were also carrying backpacks, which contained homework for the winter vacation and books to be read on the train.
In other aspects, Yan Chu's economic control is relatively strong, but in terms of learning, it does not save money at all.
These eras look similar, but there are still subtle differences in the evolution of history and some cultural works, so Yan Chu has developed the habit of learning the current world culture every time he arrives in a new world.
Now there is a very spacious study in the Yan family's house, the entire wall is covered with bookshelves, and the top is full of books.
Some of them were bought from bookstores, some were scavenged from second-hand book stalls, among them were several ancient books that Yan Chu took back from recycling bins, and the family members could read these books anytime they wanted.
At present, it seems that the learning atmosphere at home is still very good. Young children selectively read comic books with many pictures, and older children read story collections or some classics. They may not be able to understand everything, but rely on books subtly. Power changes them.
If she hadn't noticed her father's generosity in books, Yan Zhen would not have thought of a way to cheat money with this lie.
"How much is the standing ticket?"
Yan Zhen couldn't help asking.
"It's cheaper than a hard sleeper. A standing ticket only costs 13.80 yuan, which saves 15.80 yuan for the round trip, which is enough for the family's expenses for half a month." Yan Chu led the two daughters to the ticket gate, talking to each other. She replied.
"Wouldn't it be uncomfortable if you stood there?"
Yan Zhen thought, this trip will take seven days, even if the place is spacious enough to sit directly on the ground, but the legs cannot be stretched, curled up for such a long time, it must be uncomfortable.
She thought about it for a while this semester, and she made excuses to ask her father for six yuan, which was saved by her father from these places.
"It only took seven days, and the discomfort was over. So Dajin Erzhen, you have to study hard, not for your father and grandma, but for yourself. Only by studying well and finding a good job will you be able to travel far away in the future." Eligible for a hard sleeper, or even better a soft sleeper."
While talking, the father and daughter also checked the tickets and walked towards the platform through the ticket gate.
Yan Chu had taken countless trains, and he was used to both the outside and the inside of the train, but the two sisters couldn't do it. Everything they saw was novel and rare, and they couldn't wait to touch the green leather train with their hands.
The outside of the train is majestic, but the inside is a bit cramped. The joy of the two sisters eased a little after entering the train. For no reason, it was too crowded.
This station in the provincial capital is not the first station of the train. Some people on the train have lived in the train for two or three days. The weather is cold and the windows are not open for ventilation. Almost as soon as they entered the train, the sisters were killed. The smell of feet was mixed with the smell of humans, and he retched with nausea, and wanted to turn around and run out.
This time point happened to be the time when people working outside went home to visit relatives, but anyone who could find a relationship and buy a ticket came. Usually, the trains during this time period are overrun.
That is, the train that originally carried 100 people actually carried 120 people because of various related households, and the extra 20 people either squeezed into the standing ticket car, or took the seats on the side aisle of the sleeping ticket car, plus a big bag The small bag of luggage really proves what it means to be struggling.
Such a scene was different from what the sisters had imagined. After getting used to the unpleasant smell and anticipating the deep city, they put on smiling faces and followed their father to their beds.
It seemed that the three of them got off the train just ahead of them. The beds were messy, and the conductor probably didn't have time to tidy them up. When the father and daughter found their seats, the beds that belonged to them had already been occupied. Let's see if they took them out. Tickets, those few people stepped aside in embarrassment.
Looking at the quilt that countless people have slept on, Yan Jin and Yan Zhen didn't know whether to lie down or not. There were still seven days left.
Come on, don't care about being hypocritical anymore, shake the quilt and sheets, and sit up with your eyes closed.
At this time, the two sisters already had a premonition of the difficulty of the journey, but the premonition was not deep enough. When the train started to whistle and started, the scenery constantly receding by the window captured all their attention.
"Leave a way, let a way."
There was noise and laughter everywhere on the train, buzzing in the ears without stopping, louder than these laughter were the shouts of the dining car staff, full of air, high-pitched and clear.
"Comrade, what are the box lunches for today?"
"Assorted fried rice for 35 cents, roasted eggplant with minced meat for 35 cents, and vinegared fish slices for 50 cents."
The rice bowls sold in the car are much more expensive than eating out or cooking at home.
Therefore, many people ask, but not many people buy.
The beautiful female conductor yelled to give way all the way, stopped a few times in the middle, and disappeared into the carriage.
It took half a day to get on the train, and the two sisters were tired of looking at the scenery on both sides of the train. Seeing that their father didn't speak, they didn't ask any questions while clutching their stomachs.
The two sisters remembered that they brought a lot of biscuits and steamed buns on this trip. In the past, when Dad traveled far away, he also brought dry food. Because the things on the train were expensive, it was more cost-effective to eat the dry food brought by himself.
The 1980s was the golden age of train meals. At this time, train meals had not been outsourced. Regardless of the benefits, droughts and floods ensured the harvest. Therefore, the master cooks did not spare ingredients and seasonings. They added a lot of oil, salt, sauce and vinegar, and sliced meat. The real meat slices, this must taste the same.
In the 1990s, the contracting system for train meals began. In order to make enough profits, the quality of ingredients became worse and worse, and the level of chefs began to vary. This is why there are more and more voices complaining that the food trains are unpalatable.
Now the chefs on the train are still working hard, so many of the chefs on the dining car were chefs from big restaurants back then. Their skills are absolutely undeniable. Although the price of the boxed lunch is expensive, it is also worth the money.
Of course, the best thing is to go to the restaurant on the train by yourself, where you can order what you want, as long as there are ingredients, as long as the master chef who is there that day can make it, as long as you have enough money.
Just when Yan Jin and Yan Zhen thought that dinner was steamed buns and biscuits with boiling water, they were led by Yan Chu to the compartment of the restaurant.
Usually, people who come to the train restaurant to eat are either rich or expensive, so the restaurant is also very bourgeoisie. Every table is covered with tablecloths of small floral flowers, and a vase is placed near the window with a flower in it. Flowers that bloom timidly.
There is a menu at each location, Yan Chu opened the menu and asked the two children to order by themselves.
"Today is your sister's first time taking the train, and it's also the first meal on the train. Let's eat something good. Dad borrowed your sister's light again. This restaurant is also the first time for me to come back."
Yan Chu crossed his fingers, propped his elbows on the table in front of his chest, and handed over the task of ordering to the two daughters.
"Dad, things here are too expensive."
Yan Jin was also a very face-saving little girl, she didn't dare to speak too loudly, she just leaned into Yan Chu's ear and whispered a reminder.
She thought the price of the boxed lunch that the dining car called out just now was high enough, but when she came to the restaurant, she realized that a mountain is as high as a mountain.
Stewed venison in sauce, stewed soft-shelled turtle, white fungus and bird's nest, these things the sisters have never seen before, not to mention the price that will blind people's eyes when they look at it later.
Braised prawns in oil, fried shredded chicken in sauce, and sliced winter bamboo shoots and bacon are all a huge sum of three or four yuan.
The two sisters were a little tongue-tied. How could they sell such a high price for dishes that cost less than one yuan to make at home
"Let's eat, let's just eat one meal today, and then we can only eat the steamed buns brought by home."
Yan Chu pushed the menu forward, the two girls discussed with each other, and then ordered the cheapest one on the menu, leek egg and three bowls of rice.
"Another serving of braised prawns in oil, and a bowl of winter melon soup with dried shrimps."
Yan Chu added two more dishes, Yan Jin and Yan Zhen felt that their father might have encountered something dirty today, otherwise such a bold attitude of spending money would never have appeared on their father.
This meal cost a full twelve yuan, because in the end Yan Chu ordered another canned yellow peach as dessert for the three of them.
After a meal, the two children were both satisfied and heartbroken.
Satisfied with the taste of these few dishes, especially the stewed prawns, each prawn is half the size of a palm, the prawn meat is firm and elastic, dipped in some sauce, it is extremely fresh, and it is also delicious. Fragrant to the extreme.
The two sisters even chewed the shrimp shells, and when they sucked the shrimp brains, there were little stars in their happy eyes.
There was nothing left of the three dishes, and all the soup was eaten with the rice.
Yan Jin and Yan Zhen thought how happy life would be if they could eat such meals every day in the future.
It's a pity that it's too expensive. The money spent on this meal alone is enough to make them feel distressed for a long time.
It may be that the first meal was too good. After six and a half days of chewing dry steamed buns and sesame cakes, the sisters understood what it means to go from luxury to frugality is difficult, and it is easy to go from frugality to luxury.
The days on the train finally began to be difficult.