Meng Yan's Transformation

After several days of long journey, Zhan Yu's family finally returned to their hometown in Jin County, Liaoning. It was already evening when they arrived at the Zhan family compound. Zhan Ziyou and his wife Guihua, Zhan Yu's eldest brother, eldest sister-in-law and their son Zhan Zihong and his wife, third brother, third sister-in-law and their seven daughters all came out to greet them. Guihua cooked dinner and the whole family had a reunion dinner together.

At dinner, Zhan Yu drank some wine and said with deep emotion: "I never thought that I, Zhan Yu, could return to Liaoning again after 8 years. This is all fate. It was just two or three days. If I had returned two or three days earlier, we would be in Dayangshu now..."

After dinner, Zhan Mengyan couldn't wait to go see Qiqi who was sleeping soundly. Looking at Qiqi's chubby little face, Zhan Mengyan liked her very much.

The next day, Zhan Ziyou vacated the old house for his parents and younger brothers and sisters, bought two houses from Lao Jiang's family on the front street, and moved there with his wife and daughter.

Zhan Zijie, Zhan Yingying and Zhan Mengyan were also taken to Xinxing Primary School by their uncle's brother Zhan Zihong, who was a physical education teacher.

Zhan Zijie didn't have much difficulty adapting to changing schools.

Zhan Mengyan was so happy to return to school that she felt like she was dreaming, so she raced against time and studied eagerly. She felt that it was a rare opportunity to return to school. However, Zhan Yingying felt like she was in a cage when she returned to school. She was in great pain. She often skipped school and was beaten by Zhan Yu. Finally, Yunqing decided to teach Zhan Yingying literacy, painting and other cultural knowledge at home.

In the first midterm exam, Zhan Mengyan won the first place in the class. Because of her good academic performance, she arrived at the campus early every day to clean up. After school, Zhan Mengyan also organized her classmates to help the elderly who were living in the "five-guarantee" households, collect firewood and do housework. Zhan Mengyan was rated as the monitor of the class and the captain of the squadron, with two stripes. In the final exam, she ranked first in the second grade of the school again, and was rated as a "three-good student" and the captain of the squadron, with three stripes.

"Mom, what did you make? Can you give it to me?" Zhan Qiqi liked the three red lines that Guihua made for Zhan Mengyan very much.

"Qiqi, this is the captain's armband with three stripes made for your aunt. When you go to school, you must learn from your aunt and become a captain. Your mother will make it for us Qiqi, and she will also make one for your second sister Zhuozhuo..." Guihua replied.

"Sister Guihua, my mom asked you to help me with my three bars. Are you done?" Zhan Mengyan came in with her schoolbag after school and asked.

"I just finished. I was trimming the threads of the three-bar armband when your niece Qiqi saw it and asked me to take it to play with it. Mengyan, you should take it away quickly to save her the trouble." Guihua replied.

"Aunt, can you let me wear the three stripes for a while?" Qiqi asked.

"Okay, come, let me put it on you and see how cool and pretty our little Qiqi is." Zhan Mengyan said as she put the three-bar armband on Zhan Qiqi.

"Mom, I want to show grandma how pretty I look wearing the three-bar armband," said Zhan Qiqi.

"Okay, let your aunt take you there. I'll feed the pigs and cook dinner while your sister Zhuozhuo is sleeping. When mom is done cooking, she'll go to your grandma's house to pick you up." Guihua said.

"Sister Guihua, I'll take Qiqi away first. You don't have to pick her up after you finish cooking. I'll ask mom to make steamed egg cake for Qiqi. Qiqi loves it." Zhan Yingying said.

"Mom, I want to stay with my aunt at night, so please don't take me home." Qiqi said.

"Qiqi, don't push your luck. Your aunt has to do her homework. You can't pester her every time you see her. How can she have time to play with you all the time?" Guihua said.

"Sister Guihua, Qiqi is so well behaved when she is with me. When I am doing my homework, she draws and plays beside me and doesn't make any trouble at all. If she wants to live with me, she can live with me tonight. I can also teach Qiqi to read." Zhan Mengyan said.

"Okay, okay, you two should go quickly. I can't win the argument with you and your aunt and niece. I have to get to work..." Guihua said.

Zhan Mengyan and Zhan Qiqi walked away hand in hand, smiling. Guihua saw the backs of Zhan Mengyan and Zhan Qiqi and smiled knowingly...

"Qiqi, do you still remember the song and Tang poetry that your aunt taught you last time? Can you recite it for me?" Zhan Mengyan asked Zhan Qiqi as they walked.

"Aunt, I haven't forgotten. I'll recite it to you - the grass on the plain withers and grows green again every year. Wildfire cannot burn it all, for it will grow again with the spring breeze. Kick the small ball with your feet, and the horseweed will bloom twenty-one. Twenty-five-six, twenty-five-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty-one..." Zhan Qiqi recited fluently.

"My Qiqi is so great, so awesome!" Zhan Mengyan said while applauding Zhan Qiqi.

"I was wondering why Zijie came back, Mengyan? It turns out you went to your sister Guihua's place to get the three-bar armband." Yunqing asked when she saw Zhan Mengyan bringing Zhan Qiqi, who was wearing three bars.

"Grandma, do you think I look cool and pretty wearing the three-bar armband?" Qiqi asked.

"Oh, I was wondering why little Qiqi is prettier today than yesterday. It turns out my eldest granddaughter is wearing a three-bar armband. She looks so cool." Yunqing praised.