Chapter 41

Although Xiao Yuanhang stretched his neck as far as he could, he still couldn't spot Jiang Shan in the crowd of people leaving work. He couldn't help feeling a bit disappointed, but then he thought that he would see her at the hospital in the evening, so he went home with high spirits.

Upon entering the house, his mother Bai Shuxian had not yet returned from work. His father Xiao Qiliang was in the kitchen cooking. Hearing the door, he poked his head out to see who it was. Seeing that it was his son Xiao Yuanhang, he was very happy. His son had been away for over ten days, participating in a training session and a technical performance competition at the railway bureau, but as a parent, he had been very worried. With a smile, he said, "Xiaohang, you're back?"

Xiao Yuanhang smiled and said, "Yes, Dad, I'm back."

Seeing the blanket in Xiao Yuanhang's arms, Xiao Qiliang knew that his son must have done well in the technical performance at the railway bureau, as he wouldn't have received a prize otherwise. However, he still wanted to know the exact results, so he asked, "Xiaohang, what place did you get in the railway bureau competition this time?"

Xiao Yuanhang said, "Dad, I got first place in the train attendant group again, and I also got the highest overall score among the three groups, winning the title of Technical Champion at the railway bureau!" As he spoke, he placed the blanket on the kang in the main room, took out the certificate of the Technical Champion from his backpack, and solemnly handed it to Xiao Qiliang, saying, "Dad, take a look!"

"Ah!" Xiao Qiliang's hand trembled slightly as he took the certificate. When he saw his son's name and the red seal of the railway bureau, he was overwhelmed with emotion, his eyes moistening. His son had finally grown up, and he wouldn't have to worry about him anymore!

As a former chief of the passenger service department, Xiao Qiliang was very familiar with the technical performance competitions at the railway bureau. Not only had no one from the Guhe train segment won first place in the past decade, but no one in the entire Tongshui division had either. He had thought his son would get at most third place, but he never expected him to win first place and the title of Technical Champion with the highest score!

"Good, good, good..." Xiao Qiliang said, choking up and unable to continue.

Seeing his father so happy, Xiao Yuanhang was also very moved and quickly changed the subject, saying, "Dad, what are you cooking for dinner?"

"Ah!" Xiao Qiliang immediately snapped back to reality, handing the certificate to Xiao Yuanhang and saying, "I was so busy talking to you that the food got burnt!" He hurriedly turned and went into the kitchen to check the pot.

Xiao Yuanhang put his backpack in his small room and followed him into the kitchen. Fortunately, his father was making braised pork with green beans, and the soup in the pot hadn't dried up. Xiao Qiliang, seeing his son come in, said happily, "With such good news, we should have a nice dinner tonight. You keep an eye on the pot, and when it's done, take it off the stove. I'll go to the store to buy some treats!"

"Okay, Dad, but don't buy too much. It's hot, and it will go bad if we can't finish it!" Xiao Yuanhang, seeing his father in such a good mood, didn't want to disappoint him, so he didn't stop him, just asked him not to buy too much.

At that moment, the door opened, and his mother Bai Shuxian came in, surprised to see her son and exclaiming, "Son, you're back?"

Xiao Yuanhang smiled and said, "Yes, I just got home, Mom. Are you off work?"

Xiao Qiliang interjected, "Shuxian, our Xiaohang won the Technical Champion at the railway bureau competition this time!"

"Ah, really?" Bai Shuxian couldn't believe her ears and asked in surprise.

Xiao Qiliang said proudly, "Of course it's true! Xiaohang, show your mother your certificate!"

"Sure!" Xiao Yuanhang happily agreed, went back to his room, and brought the certificate, handing it to Bai Shuxian with both hands, saying, "Mom, take a look!"

Bai Shuxian took it happily and opened it to look. As the wife of an old railway worker, she knew very well the importance of the technical performance for her son and what it meant to win first place at the railway bureau. Seeing her son's name neatly written on the certificate, her joy was evident, and she patted Xiao Yuanhang's head, saying, "Son, well done!"

Xiao Qiliang said, "Shuxian, stop marveling and check the pot. I'll go to the store to buy some treats. Our son won first place at the railway bureau, and we should celebrate."

"Right, right, we should celebrate!" Bai Shuxian quickly agreed but then added, "Xiao, you stay and watch the pot. I'll go to the store to buy the treats." She took a basket from the kitchen and went out to the store.

Xiao Qiliang said to Xiao Yuanhang, "Xiaohang, go wash up quickly. We'll have dinner soon!"

Xiao Yuanhang went to his room, changed into a comfortable set of home clothes, washed his hands and face, and then helped his father set the table and get the bowls and chopsticks.

The store was less than 50 meters from their home, centered around the Tiedong Grand Store, forming a farmers' market. It didn't take long for Bai Shuxian to return with a basket of things. She took out the items one by one and placed them on the cutting board. She had bought pig's trotters, ham hocks, sausages, and a roasted chicken, all ready-to-eat dishes that could be sliced and served immediately.

The ready-to-eat dishes were quickly sliced and served. Bai Shuxian then magically produced a bottle of Tongshui liquor, placing it on the table and saying, "Xiao, today is a big day for our family. Let's have some good wine!"

Although Xiao Qiliang enjoyed drinking, he was very frugal. He usually drank cheap bulk liquor, 12.5 cents per two ounces, and Xiao Yuanhang had often run to the store to buy it for his father since he was a child.

Xiao Qiliang took the bottle and looked at the label, which showed 60 proof, and nodded, saying, "Yes, today we should have some good wine!"

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Xiao Yuanhang went to open it and saw his sister Xiao Dongmei. This was the first time he had seen her since his rebirth, and he exclaimed in surprise, "Sis, you're here?"

Xiao Dongmei was very fond of her little brother. Even after getting married, she still thought of him when she had something good to eat. Today, she had made dumplings and brought a box over. Seeing her little brother at home, she was very happy and said, "Little brother, didn't you go to the railway bureau for the competition? When did you get back?"

"I just got home at 5 PM," Xiao Yuanhang said, noticing the box in her hands and asking, "Sis, what's that?"

Xiao Dongmei said, "I made some dumplings today. I figured you'd be back around now, so I brought some over. Little brother, you're in luck. Are Mom and Dad home?"

Xiao Yuanhang's home consisted of a large room, a small room, a kitchen, and a corridor. The front door opened to a corridor about 2 meters long. On the left was the small room, which Xiao Dongmei had lived in before she got married. Xiao Yuanhang and his parents lived in the large room. After Xiao Dongmei got married on October 1st of last year, the small room became Xiao Yuanhang's. At the end of the corridor was the bathroom door, and on the left was the door to the large room, while on the right was the kitchen door, directly opposite the large room's door. Therefore, from the front door, one couldn't see into the large room.

Hearing her daughter's voice, Bai Shuxian came out and said, "Dongmei, you came at the right time. Your brother won first place at the railway bureau, and I bought a lot of good food to celebrate. Come in and join us!"

Xiao Dongmei, hearing that her brother had won first place at the railway bureau, was very happy and said to Xiao Yuanhang, "Little brother, you did great! I'm so proud of you!" As she spoke, she walked into the large room.

Xiao Yuanhang closed the door and followed her into the large room, saying, "Sis, sit down. I'll go get your husband to join us."

Xiao Dongmei said, "Little brother, you don't need to. Your brother-in-law went to Liaocheng this morning." Xiao Dongmei's husband, Zhou Guoqiang, was a train driver with a tight schedule, spending more than half the year away from home. After graduating from the Spring City Vocational School, Xiao Dongmei was assigned to the Guhe Printing Factory as a technician, working in shifts, making it difficult for the couple to see each other.

Xiao Qiliang said, "Xiaohang, let's have a family reunion. Come and sit down to eat."

"Sure thing!" Xiao Yuanhang happily agreed, climbed onto the kang, and picked up the bottle of wine in front of his father, saying, "Dad, let me pour you some wine!"

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{Piaotian Literature}