Chapter 30: The Slightly Plump Uncle

When the train arrived in Beijing after twenty-four hours, Su Aijun had already become quite familiar with the Fang family, and both sides had exchanged contact information. Su Aijun genuinely liked Fang Mingyuan from the bottom of his heart. Such a smart, cute, and sweet-talking child, who not only understood things quickly but could also apply them in different contexts and had a head full of creative ideas, was the kind of student every teacher loved. Especially for someone like Su Aijun, who was part of the younger generation and not bound by tradition, he found Fang Mingyuan particularly endearing.

During this day and night, Su Aijun felt he had benefited greatly. Many of Fang Mingyuan's ideas, though they seemed fanciful at first, made more and more sense the more he thought about them. He also tried to find out who had educated Fang Mingyuan, but the Fang family was consistent in their response—self-taught!

Fang Mingyuan also found Su Aijun somewhat different. Although Su Aijun's attire was no different from people of his time, his speech, demeanor, and the confidence he exuded in his actions suggested that he did not come from an ordinary family. However, Fang Mingyuan was unsure what kind of background would produce someone like Su Aijun. After all, in his previous life, he had not had much interaction with people in the system. Therefore, during this day and night, Fang Mingyuan also made a conscious effort to build a closer relationship. More friends mean more paths, and for the Fang family to develop, they needed more connections than just those in Pingchuan County.

"Hey, Mingyuan, come visit Uncle during the winter break!" Su Aijun reminded him as he was about to get off the train.

"A gentleman's word is as binding as a team of horses!" Fang Mingyuan thought to himself. Even if you didn't remind me, I would find a way to visit and see what kind of person you are. If you turn out to be a valuable connection, that would be even better.

"Brother, over here!" Bai Ping, who had been looking out the window for her family, suddenly called out joyfully. Several heads appeared at the window. Fang Mingyuan saw that it was his uncle and his cousins.

Bai Ping had an older brother, seven sisters, and three close cousins. She was the youngest in the family, which also made Fang Mingyuan the youngest among his peers. His cousins were all adults and had jobs. The reunion was naturally very joyful, with endless things to talk about.

"Mom, let's take the luggage down first, and then you can chat with Uncle and the others, okay? The attendants are starting to look at us funny!" Fang Mingyuan, realizing this wasn't a good idea, tugged at Bai Ping's sleeve.

Bai Ping, still excited, finally realized she was still on the train with her in-laws. She said a bit embarrassedly, "I'm so happy I forgot! Dad, Mom, let's get off the train quickly."

"It's fine, it's only natural!" Fang Lao Ye smiled. His daughter-in-law hadn't visited her family in Beijing for five years, and anyone could understand her excitement.

The group got off the train, and Bai Ping introduced everyone. When Bai Ping got married, due to the long distance, only Fang Mingyuan's uncle had visited Hai Zhuang Town for a day on a business trip and met Fang Lao Ye. However, Fang Mingyuan's cousins were meeting Fang Lao Ye for the first time.

"You all were still students the last time we met, and now you're all working! Time really flies," Bai Ping couldn't help but remark.

"Xiao Mingyuan, do you remember who I am?" Uncle Bai Lin squatted down and asked with a smile. He had met Fang Mingyuan before, but Fang Mingyuan was only three at the time.

"You're Uncle!" Fang Mingyuan called out in a clear, childlike voice as he ran into his arms. How could he not recognize him? In his previous life, he had stayed at his uncle's house for a year after returning to Beijing. His uncle had been very kind to him. Back then, his uncle was quite fat, but now... he was still in decent shape. He needed to give his uncle a heads-up. In the future, his uncle would be a 200-pound man who would get out of breath after a short walk and even had heart stent surgery!

Bai Lin's face lit up with joy. Bai Ping was his youngest sister, and since their parents had passed away early, he had raised her. When he got older, he was sent to the countryside in Qinxi Province, and they didn't see each other for years. As an older brother, he couldn't help but miss her. Naturally, he also had a special fondness for his rarely seen nephew, Fang Mingyuan.

"Uncle, you're a bit fat! Being too fat is not good; it can lead to high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which are bad for your heart! It can increase the burden on your heart. High blood pressure can also cause cerebral hemorrhage and cerebral thrombosis! In severe cases, it can even lead to paralysis. For the sake of Auntie and your brothers and sisters, Uncle, you should lose weight!" Fang Mingyuan patted his uncle's belly with a look of dissatisfaction.

What is a shocking statement? This was a shocking statement! Bai Lin and the others were thoroughly stunned. These were not words a seven-year-old child in 1984 could say! Listen to this: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral thrombosis—these medical terms left them speechless. However, Fang Lao Ye and the others, who had been exposed to Fang Mingyuan's new words over the past six months, were already desensitized and managed to maintain their composure.

Normally, saying such things would not be well-received, but who could take offense from a seven-year-old? Children speak without reserve! Moreover, the child was clearly concerned about his elders' health, which was quite rare. Most children at this age would only think about going out to play or asking for gifts, not about their elders' health.

"Xiao Ping, did you teach him these words?" Bai Lin finally came to his senses and looked at Bai Ping.

"I don't have that kind of skill. This kid is always flipping through books, reading anything he can get his hands on. He probably read them in some medical book," Bai Ping said, pulling Fang Mingyuan back. "Mingyuan, you shouldn't say such things when you first see Uncle. Don't you know manners?"

"Only then will Uncle remember!" Fang Mingyuan deliberately put on a pouting face. "If I say it at another time, Uncle will definitely forget. This way, whenever Uncle thinks of me, he will remember to control his weight!"

"Alright, alright!" Bai Lin picked up Fang Mingyuan and laughed. "Xiao Mingyuan, you're right. Whenever Uncle thinks of you, he'll remember that you want him to lose weight!" Who wouldn't like such a smart and clever child?

"Hello, Brother Bai Bin, Brother He Jun, Brother He Jian!" In Bai Lin's arms, Fang Mingyuan still remembered to greet his three cousins.

"Hey, look at that, the little guy is so smart, he remembered all your names after just one mention!" Bai Lin was even more delighted and turned to the three. They were also surprised.

"Of course! In the future, I'll see you all at least a dozen times a year. How could I forget your names? I'd be a failure if I did!" Fang Mingyuan thought to himself, smiling.