Chapter 232 - 224: The Future
Zhong Anping saw the intimate display between the two opposite him, feeling happy for his companion but also a sense of loss. He couldn’t understand where this feeling of loss came from. After pondering for a while, he mustered his spirits and continued to roast the sparrows, handing the cooked ones to his sister and Zhong Juying, while he carried on roasting.
Zhong Anmei, being attentive, noticed her elder brother’s change but did not ask. Instead, she roasted a sparrow and gave it to him to eat. When Zhong Anping saw his sister’s concerned gaze, he beamed a smile, indicating that he was fine.
Tian Sisi also took out all the snacks she had brought, including melon seeds, peanuts, arborvitae cakes, and more, a generous spread indeed. It even included a bag of potatoes and bellflowers, and even a dozen eggs. No wonder Tian Xinhua had sighed earlier.
"Anping, An Kang, what are your plans for the future?"
Tian Xinhua asked his two companions. Because of their family background, Zhong Anping and Zhong Ankang could only finish junior high before dropping out. They worked in the fields every day. Their sister, Zhong Anmei, was currently in junior high but was considering whether to drop out and work for work points in the team as well.
"What plans can we have? Isn’t it just working in the fields for work points!" Zhong Ankang bit into a sparrow fiercely, seemingly venting the frustration in his heart.
"Yeah, what kind of plans can people like us have?" Zhong Anmei also said disheartenedly.
For a while, everyone fell silent, too preoccupied even to eat the sparrows in their hands. Their faces showed confusion and unwillingness; they had been through similar ordeals, facing discrimination and coldness from a young age. Although they were no worse than anyone else, it seemed that no matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t see the end.
"Why has everyone lost spirit all of a sudden? We are still so young, and there is nothing to worry about. The road ahead is still long, how can you only see one path to the end!"
Tian Xinhua encouraged his companions with a smile. He had a vague idea about some recent political changes and understood that the current turmoil wouldn’t last long. What the future would be like, no one knew. But one thing he was sure of, opportunities would be everywhere, and with the intelligence and capability of these friends, they certainly wouldn’t fare too poorly.