Free Web NovelChapter 434: Chapter 434: Military Training News
"To think I actually got 20 points for my Beauty Value," Tan You said lazily after looking over the rewards. "When you think about it, the system’s lottery has a pretty high drop rate. I’m winning prizes every now and then."
’Although none of it is very useful to me.’
’I only managed to get one point of the Intelligence Value I actually wanted because the Beauty System bent the rules for me last time. It’s kind of pathetic, really. I can’t get what I want no matter how hard I try, yet I’m constantly getting heaps of stuff I don’t need.’
As these thoughts ran through her mind, Tan You rolled over. She casually reached a hand behind her and snagged a little girl who was trying to sneak up on her.
Tan Yue pouted. "Sister, are you reading? I want to read, too!"
Tan You casually wrapped an arm around her small body. "Okay, I’ll go get your picture book, and we can read together."
Tan Deming came over with a plate of watermelon. "Have some watermelon. It’s just too hot today."
Tan You squinted. "Grandpa, I don’t like watermelon. I’ll just have a tomato."
Tan Deming waved a cattail fan. "Your school just called to let us know that military training for first-year high school students starts the day after tomorrow. It’s for one week, the school will provide bedding, and you’ll have to stay in the dorms the whole time."
Tan You’s eyes widened slightly. "Military training? I’d heard first-year students had to do it, but I didn’t know it was this soon. So, training for a week right before the semester, and classes start as soon as it’s done?"
Tan Deming said, "That’s right. Boarding is mandatory for the training. For high school, are you going to stay in the dorms? Or live with your parents?"
Tan You immediately shook her head. "I’d rather not. I’ll figure it out when the time comes. I don’t want to live with them. Knowing my dad’s personality, we’d definitely end up fighting if we saw each other too often. We actually get along fine seeing each other every now and then."
Tan Deming said, "If you don’t live with them, what will your dad’s neighbors think? Their house isn’t far from the school; it’s just a few minutes’ walk."
"No," Tan You had already considered this issue. "You could say we’ve split the household. I’m the one in charge here with you two. I’d feel awkward living with them now, like I was a guest in their home."
"Besides, my dad has a laundry list of issues. I’m worried I wouldn’t be able to resist the urge to punch him."
"Worrying about Grandma is enough. I don’t want to take on anyone else’s problems. I’ve given all I can; from now on, it would be best if we could all just live our lives peacefully."
Wang Hunv, who had been eavesdropping for a while, grumbled, "I don’t need you to worry about me now. Tell me one thing I haven’t listened to you about."
Tan You casually handed her the nearby fruit platter. "You’re right, Grandma is so considerate now. But this military training came up so suddenly, I won’t be able to deal with getting the roof re-tiled."
"You worry all day long," Tan Deming said, shaking his head. "Your grandma and I can still get around. There’s no need for you to be at the front of everything. We can handle this stuff. Worst case, we’ll have your dad come back and keep an eye on things."
"He took your house, so what’s wrong with making him do a little work?"
The little old man was being a bit haughty. Tan You paid him no mind, knowing he was secretly pleased with himself. So what if he wasn’t capable? So what if his son wasn’t capable? At least his granddaughter was promising.
Tan Yue, only half-understanding, asked, "Sister, when you go to school, does that mean I won’t get to see you very often?"
Tan You said softly, "You’ll be starting school soon, too, and we can see each other on the weekends. It’s just that I’ll be very busy studying, so you’ll only be able to see me on Sunday afternoons."
"Besides, we live so close to each other, so it’ll be very easy for you to see me."
Tan Yue nodded her little head. "Oh."
Tan You patted her little pigtail. Her feelings toward Tan Yue were complicated. Due to her own bleak and joyless childhood, she normally disliked children. But since she had helped raise Tan Yue, she definitely had a bit more patience for her.
Wang Hunv grew anxious. "Military training is really hard, isn’t it? I heard that Rongrong from the south side of the village got blisters from the sun all over her back during her training last year. Her clothes were stuck right to her skin..."
"You’re so fair-skinned, what will happen if you get a tan?"
Tan You soothed the old woman. "Rongrong goes to the city’s No. 2 High School. I heard they bring in actual soldiers to run their training. Our school is just a township high school. I’m guessing it’ll just be our PE teachers training us."
"Besides, I’ve never heard of any students fainting during our school’s military training."
"If I get a tan, I get a tan. I’ll just stay out of the sun for a while, and my skin will lighten up again."
Don’t be fooled by the "Ice-Jade Skin" skill Tan You had drawn; she was naturally very fair-skinned to begin with, having inherited it from Cheng Wenhui.
The Beauty System chimed in, a bit out of breath, "Since you’ve drawn the Ice-Jade Skin skill, the Host won’t get tan no matter how much sun you get."
That put Tan You even more at ease. First off, she didn’t really pay much attention to her looks anyway. Second, there was the Beauty System’s guarantee. If she wasn’t going to get a tan, what was there to worry about?
But Wang Hunv was still worried. Perhaps it was because their lives now had something to look forward to, but nowadays, dealing with Tan You brought out a certain maternal affection in her.
"Should we buy you some snacks to take with you? What does the school’s bedding include?"
Tan You thought for a moment. "It should just be a sleeping mat, a bedsheet, and a pillow. We bring our own clothes, and I might need to buy a few extra pairs of shoes. The most important thing will be to buy lots of water. Nobody can stomach drinking hot water in this kind of weather."
Tan Deming made a decision on the spot. "Then I’ll take you to the school, and we can get everything you need at the little shop by the entrance."
"We’ll buy a few more pairs of shoes, too. You’ll need to change them often during training in this heat."
"Here’s the plan: tomorrow, let’s go to the store and buy all these things first. We’ll also need to get a trunk so you have something to pack it all in..."
Listening to Tan Deming ramble on, Tan You leaned back in her lounge chair. "Whatever you say. Let’s go to the city tomorrow. We can also buy some things for Tan Yue while we’re there. She’s starting school soon, too."
At the mention of the city, Wang Hunv’s expression faltered. Tan You knew why. It was because of her aunt, Tan Zhen, of course. Tan Zhen hadn’t come back for Wang Hunv’s birthday, and in the nearly two months since, she hadn’t even called once.
Although Wang Hunv was usually sharp-tongued, she did care for her children, even if it wasn’t by much.
"Grandma, do you want to go to the city? We could go see Tan Zhen," Tan You said casually, seeing the old woman’s pouting, aggrieved expression.
Wang Hunv was tempted, but ultimately refused. "No, I’m not going. I’m afraid I’ll say something I shouldn’t if I go there. I’ll just wait for you all to come back home."
Tan You thought for a moment. "Then we won’t go to Tan Zhen’s place. You can just come with us to walk around the city. We’ll have lunch there and make a little trip out of it."
This time, Wang Hunv was genuinely happy. "Alright! Where are we going to go?"
In reality, Wang Hunv was an extrovert who loved being in the thick of things. If her past hardships hadn’t tied her down, she would have been out and about all day, every day.
Tan You said, "There’s a People’s Park downtown. I hear there are lotus flowers there. How about we go there? We can go in the morning when it’s not so hot, and after lunch, we can focus on shopping."
Wang Hunv nodded along to everything. She now had an almost blind faith in Tan You, to the point where she wished she didn’t have to think about anything at all.
