Chapter 44: A Childhood in One's Own Hands

Fang Mingyuan did not mention the agreement he had reached with Chen Xiaoer and Zhu Laomao to anyone at home, and he also asked Su Aijun to keep it a secret. Outwardly, it was only claimed that Su Aijun, at his request, had taken him to play at the August 1st Film Studio for a day, where he had fortuitously met Chen Xiaoer and Zhu Laomao, and had persistently begged for their autographs.

When Bai Ping and Bai Lin received the thick stack of autographs, everyone present was stunned. The autographs Fang Mingyuan had obtained were quite different from ordinary ones; they not only included each person's name but also New Year's greetings. The final autographs were those of Chen Xiaoer and Zhu Laomao. More importantly, all the greetings were handwritten, and from the handwriting, it was clear that they were written by Chen Xiaoer and Zhu Laomao themselves, which made them much more significant. Moreover, the Spring Festival had not yet passed, and the programs of the Spring Festival Gala were still being widely discussed. Chen Xiaoer and Zhu Laomao, who had made a stunning debut, had become household names. To obtain their personal New Year's greetings was a matter of great prestige.

At first, they thought it might be fake, but with Su Aijun as a witness and the autographs Chen Xiaoer and Zhu Laomao had written for the Su family, everyone finally believed it.

"Uncle, please trouble yourself to distribute these autographs to everyone. I think if anyone needs money in the future, they can sell them for a good amount," Fang Mingyuan said with a smile.

"Nonsense!" Bai Ping tapped his forehead lightly, then happily found the autographs for the Fang family. This was the best gift to take back! It was more prestigious than anything else! Bai Ping had already decided to frame the three autographs in glass and hang them on the wall so that everyone who came to the Fang family could see them at first glance.

Happy times always pass quickly. When the snow that fell on New Year's Eve had almost melted, it was time for Bai Ping and Fang Mingyuan to leave Beijing. This time, Su Aijun was also leaving with them, and he had even bought the train tickets for them.

On the night before they left, there were more than a dozen people gathered at Bai Lin's house. The sadness of parting made many people's eyes red, and some even had tears in their eyes.

During this time, Bai Lin and Xu Xiang pulled Bai Ping to Fang Mingyuan's aunt's house.

"Xiao Ping, have you ever thought about letting Mingyuan come to Beijing to study?" Bai Lin's sudden suggestion left Bai Ping a bit dazed.

"Yes, we have discussed it before. With Mingyuan's intelligence, if he can study in Beijing, he will surely have a brighter future. After all, the quality of education in Beijing is definitely higher than in Hai Zhuang," Xu Xiang added.

"But..." Bai Ping was still having trouble wrapping her head around it.

"As long as you agree, I think we can find a way to help Mingyuan find a school to attend. If we can also get some help from Teacher Su Aijun's family, even a good school is not impossible," Bai Lin persuaded her. "With Su Huandong's position as the director of the railway development department, if he speaks up, the Beijing Education Bureau will have to give some face, and a good school will be at Mingyuan's disposal."

Bai Ping couldn't help but be tempted. As a parent, how could she not hope for her child to become successful and prosperous in the future? If there was even a slight chance, they would do everything in their power to seize it. If Fang Mingyuan could study in Beijing, his chances of getting into a good university would be much higher. However, while she was tempted, she also understood that once Fang Mingyuan came to Beijing, she would only be able to see him during the winter and summer holidays. Fang Mingyuan was only seven years old, and although he seemed like a little adult, no one could say for sure what negative effects such an early separation from his parents might have. Moreover... who would take care of him in Beijing?

Xu Xiang, seeing Bai Ping's concern, smiled and said, "I think Mingyuan is very independent and doesn't act like a seven-year-old. Xiao Ping, I don't think you need to worry about his daily life. Both your brother and I can take care of him. We can have him stay at our places. What do you think?"

"Wouldn't that be a lot of trouble for both of your families?" Bai Ping hesitated. Only those who have raised children know how exhausting it can be. Now, Xu Xiang and Bai Lin's families still had underage children. Adding Fang Mingyuan would be a lot of work.

Fang Mingyuan himself had once remarked, and Bai Ping deeply agreed, that a seven-year-old boy is the most terrifying creature on Earth. They have a strong curiosity, sufficient energy, and great destructive power, and they are protected by laws for minors. His peers were all known for causing trouble at home. Although Fang Mingyuan was sensible, he often did things that even teenagers couldn't do. For example, the stamps and the lending bookshop. If he were in Beijing, would he cause unnecessary trouble for his brother and sister-in-law's families?

"It's not much trouble, just an extra chair, an extra pair of chopsticks, and an extra bed!" Bai Lin smiled. "Mingyuan is a sensible child and won't be as much trouble as you think."

"But..." Bai Ping was still hesitant.

"There's no problem with my wife. I've already discussed it with her, and she likes Mingyuan very much. As for Bai Bin and the others, you don't need to worry. Even if they have objections, they don't have the final say in the family!" Bai Lin asserted his authority as the head of the family.

"You don't need to worry about my side either; that's your sister!" Xu Xiang smiled.

In the end, Bai Ping was tempted, but whether this plan could be carried out ultimately depended on the Fang family's approval. She decided to discuss it thoroughly with Fang Sheng after returning to Qinxi.

Bai Lin and Xu Xiang agreed, and the three of them made a plan. If the Fang family agreed, they would act quickly to ensure that Fang Mingyuan could transfer to Beijing in the third grade.

On the thirteenth day of the lunar month, accompanied by Bai Lin, Xu Xiang, and Fang Mingyuan's brothers, Fang Mingyuan and Bai Ping boarded the train home.

Fang Mingyuan stood by the window, watching the city gradually recede into the distance, silent and lost in thought. In his previous life, in five years, he would have transferred to this city, and his life would have taken a dramatic turn. In this life, what would his future be like?

"What's wrong? Feeling a bit nostalgic?" Su Aijun poked his head out from the upper berth and smiled. "Do you want me to help you transfer to Beijing? Or even Fengyuan?"

Fang Mingyuan, who had brought back a thick stack of autographs from Chen Xiaoer and Zhu Laomao, had become the most popular person at home. After hearing Su Aijun's account of Fang Mingyuan's deal with Chen Xiaoer and Zhu Laomao, the old man Su only said four words: "A promising child!" This was a rare compliment from Su Huandong, who was always strict with his children.

"No interest!" Fang Mingyuan rolled his eyes. No matter how good a place, if it didn't offer him room to spread his wings, it was just a prison. Without his grandfather's protection, he wouldn't even be able to pass his father's scrutiny. One must eat step by step and walk step by step. Rushing into these big cities now, he might not even have the ability to protect himself. The waters were too deep, and there were too many hidden dangers. It was better to lay a solid foundation in Pingchuan County and come back when he was older and had more freedom.

"Why not?" Su Aijun was even more puzzled. Children usually like bustling and prosperous places. Why was this boy going against the norm? Was Hai Zhuang Town really that good?

"I want a childhood in my own hands!"