Chapter 023: Huang Juan Learns to Drive

The first bicycle ever appeared in Big Willow Village, and it was a Phoenix brand—an event as momentous as if an alien had landed in their midst. The whole village was abuzz.

Under the silvery moonlight, the yellow glow from the lamp at the Yang family’s door shone in harmony, drawing neighbors from all around. They gathered in groups, their eyes fixed on the bicycle, exclaiming in wonder.

“Yang Bao, who would have thought you’d manage something like this? You bought it for your kids, didn’t you?”

“That’s right, it looks better than the village chief’s bike!”

“Remember a few years back, when Gazi and Erbing from the Kiln Factory Village bought bikes? The whole place was in an uproar. Now our Big Willow Village has one too!”

The adults chatted excitedly, while the children, too, were swept up in the excitement. The kids from the neighborhood swarmed around Yang Tian and Yang Xueling, peppering them with envious, cheerful questions.

“Xueling, your family must be rich to afford a bicycle!” said a little girl the same age as Yang Xueling, eyes shining with admiration. It wasn’t that other families couldn’t afford it, but at over three hundred yuan, most would rather walk than spend so much.

“I already told you, my brother earned the money to buy it!” Yang Xueling replied with a proud smile, turning to beam at Yang Tian.

At that moment, Yang Tian was eating dinner with Huang Juan. They had returned late, and Yang Bao and his wife, along with Huang Biao and his wife, had prepared a hearty meal for them, so they were eating later and more slowly than the others.

“Really? Your brother earned the money for the bike? You’re just bragging, aren’t you?” the children said, but they still looked at Yang Tian with admiration.

“Believe it or not, tomorrow I’ll be riding the bike with my brother!” Xueling declared with her chin held high.

As the neighbors heaped praise on the family, Yang Bao and his wife felt an inward joy, though they didn’t show it openly. Huang Biao, however, was different. Carrying two pounds of pork, he approached from afar with Zhong Hehua.

“It wasn’t Yang Bao who did this—it was young Tian who earned the money himself!” Huang Biao announced loudly, startling a flock of birds from the maple tree at the edge of the village.

“Really? Tian can earn money at such a young age?” The neighbors were astonished. Everyone knew Yang Tian had always been timid, so this transformation was cause for wonder.

“Of course! Home tutoring, ever heard of it? He works as a tutor for two hours a day and earns ten yuan! That’s not the kind of money we laborers can make—there’s a lot of skill involved!” Huang Biao handed the meat to the Yangs, so both families could share a meal the next day.

“Alright, you know everything, don’t you?” Zhong Hehua teased, but she, too, was smiling broadly.

“Oh my, that’s really something! Such a young child, already so accomplished—imagine what he’ll become!”

“I heard Yang Bao and Huang Biao made a killing stockpiling grain a few years back—that was his idea too!”

“Really? If only my own boy had half as much promise!”

“Yang Bao, Huang Biao, you’re lucky to have such a good kid!”

The neighbors offered praise or grumbled about their own children. Yang Bao and his wife remained composed, while Huang Biao laughed even louder.

Seeing this, Yang Tian shook his head with a smile, feeling a pang of regret. So it was this simple to make his parents and the Huang couple happy. Why hadn’t he realized this in his previous life? Perhaps it had never even occurred to him to try.

The next morning, Huang Juan arrived at Yang Tian’s house, insisting he teach her how to ride the bicycle. She wasn’t just making a fuss—she truly wanted to learn. The night before, she’d seen how Yang Tian’s jacket had been soaked with sweat, and her heart ached for him. She was determined to master cycling so that in the future, they could take turns, and she could give him a break.

Yang Tian was hesitant at first. The big-frame bicycle was heavy, and he worried it would be too much for Huang Juan. But unable to resist her persistence, he finally agreed.

Yang Xueling tagged along too, eager to ride and, more importantly, to spend time playing with Yang Tian and Huang Juan. As for the note she’d written to ignore Yang Tian, it was already forgotten—children always remember the happy things and quickly forget the unhappy, which is why they are always so cheerful.

On the grassy field south of the White Wave River, Huang Juan mounted the bicycle, standing tall, one foot in front of the other on the pedals. She was smaller than Yang Tian, so she could only manage half a turn at a time. Still, she was strong for her size, and the bicycle kept moving at a good pace.

Yang Tian walked closely behind, his right hand gripping the back of the seat. Without his support, Huang Juan wouldn’t have been able to stay upright at all.

Yang Xueling followed, laughter spilling out as she ran.

“Tian, let go—I can do it!” After practicing all day, Huang Juan had grown bolder and called out loudly.

“No, you’ve only been at this a day. Let me help you a while longer!” Yang Tian refused. Though Huang Juan was getting the hang of it, the big-frame bike was too heavy for a little girl to control.

“Come on, just let go. Let me try on my own. Please?” Huang Juan, sweat streaming down her face, was still full of enthusiasm.

“Alright then! Just remember—hold onto the handlebars tight, alright?” Seeing her eagerness, Yang Tian didn’t want to dampen her spirits, so he shouted a final reminder.

“Got it!” Huang Juan replied easily, but her resolve was firm. She was determined to master cycling quickly so she could share the burden with Yang Tian, sparing him from exhaustion.

Yang Tian let go, and Huang Juan managed to stay upright, pedaling in half-turns. The bicycle wobbled from side to side, but she managed to keep it going.

Still uneasy, Yang Tian hurried along behind. Xueling, exhausted, could barely keep up, but she chased after them, her face alight with laughter.

Gritting her teeth, Huang Juan pushed up a small incline, but she was unprepared for the steep descent on the other side. For a beginner, going uphill was nothing—downhill was the real danger.

Suddenly, she panicked. She had no idea how to brake, and once the big bike crested the hill, it shot downward.

“Ah!” she screamed in fright.

Yang Tian’s heart leapt—he blamed himself for not noticing the downhill slope ahead. But there was no time for regret; he sprinted after her.

“Juan!” Xueling called, breaking into a run.

Yang Tian had been training for over three years. His fighting skills might not have improved much, but his fitness had. He was no longer the frail boy he once was, especially when it came to running.

“Hold the handlebars!” Catching up to the jolting bicycle, Yang Tian grabbed the back of the seat with both hands, leaning back as he shouted to Huang Juan.

The bike slowed, but Huang Juan was too nervous and lost control. The handlebars twisted, and the bike toppled to the left.

Without hesitation, Yang Tian threw himself to the left, shielding Huang Juan with his body so the heavy bicycle wouldn’t land on her.

“Ah!” The bike finally fell, but no one was hurt. Yang Tian and Huang Juan tumbled together onto the grass.

Startled at first, they soon looked at each other and burst out laughing.

Xueling ran up, and the three of them lay side by side on the grass, catching their breath and sharing a pure, ringing laughter. Beneath the setting sun, their joy was as clear and bright as the rippling waters of the White Wave River.