1456 A Serene Land (1/2)
After passing by that road under construction, Zhang Tie came to the town.
The houses in the town were basically new bungalows. Many of them were even makeshift houses made of iron sheets. Lime and cement could be smelt everywhere. Everything appeared new. Many houses were under construction.
The town had a high population.
”Hey, fellow townsman, where's the nearest school?”
Seeing an old man moving a stool out of his house and twisting straws into a rope in the roadside tree shade seriously, Zhang Tie went forward and asked him.
Zhang Tie's current look was average, simple and honest. His words carried the orthodox tone of Wuzhou Province. The old man raised his head before throwing a glance at Zhang Tie. Almost at the same time, he pointed at a direction without demur as he said in the accent of Wuzhou Province, ”There're 6 preliminary schools and 1 middle school in the town. As for the nearest, turn left in front before working 50-60 m forward!”
”I see, thanks!”
After bidding farewell to this old man, Zhang Tie walked towards the direction pointed by the old man. After a short while, he had seen a preliminary school.
Compared to other buildings in this town, this school was almost the best and tidiest building that Zhang Tie had ever seen.
This preliminary school occupied almost 70,000 square meters. He could see the dense green belt and tree shades through the iron-art wall. Behind the tree shades were spacious and bright teaching buildings. Additionally, there was a playground on the campus. The school was well-matched with facilities.
When Zhang Tie came here, kids were carrying school bags and book bags and running on the road in a naughty and mischievous manner. All the kids wore clean Hua-style school uniforms.
”Universal Peace and Righteousness” were hung over the traditional arched building close to the school gate. An old man was standing outside the school gate with a smile as he watched those kids entering the gate under the brilliance of the morning sunlight. Every now and then, he would touch kids' heads.
”Good morning, sir...” Each kid would bow and say hello to the old man when they passed by the school gate.
It was a lane in the opposite of the school. There were some simple and crude snack bars inside. Under the canopy of a snack bar, a log fire roared in the open hearth as the aroma of the oil spilled out of the pot. The boss was kneading dough on the cutting board. As dough sticks were put into the pot one after another, with the sizzling sound, the white dough sticks gradually expanded and turned golden. The aroma of the fried dough sticks then started to suffuse in the lane in a split second.
The boss fried stick doughs outside as his wife made soya-bean milk and bean curds inside. The couple was busy serving food as there were so many customers.
”Boss, 4 deep-fried dough sticks and 1 bowl of soya bean milk...” Zhang Tie found a stool and sat down at an empty table beneath the canopy which was made of waterproof canvas.
”Got it. 4 deep-fried dough sticks and a bowl of soya bean milk for table No. 6...” The boss shouted, reminding his wife to serve Zhang Tie what he wanted.
In less than half a minute, the landlady with a blue cloth over her bun nimbly served Zhang Tie what he ordered, reminding him out of concern, ”Add sugar as much as you like...”
”Thanks...” Zhang Tie told the landlady.
”Dad, mom, I'm going to school...” A brat with a satchel on his back ran out of the store. When he passed by that man, he grabbed two deep-fried dough sticks rapidly.
”Brat, you're so hasty. Have you lit incense for the Long-live memorial tablet of our savior...” The man who was frying deep-fried dough sticks swore as he pretended to kick off that kid.
”Yes, I've done...” The kid had long run away with laughter.
”Eat slowly...” The landlady reminded the boy after serving Zhang Tie deep-fried dough sticks and soya bean milk.
Sitting on the roadside, Zhang Tie drank soya bean milk and ate deep-fried dough sticks as he watched those kids entering the school under the brilliant sunlight.