Chapter 54 New Semester

  Gu Xiang was busy following her mother before the triumphant return and had no contact with her little friends.

  Gu's mother was also busy and had no time to take care of Gu Xiang.

  It wasn't until after school started and she asked around that Gu Xiang realized she was the only one who hadn't previewed the new material.

  In the second year of junior high school, a physics course was added to the main subjects. During the summer vacation, everyone had already previewed it in advance.

  Gu Xiang signed up that day and only got the physics book. After flipping through it, the first chapter was about sound phenomena, and the more difficult ones were just distinguishing between tone and timbre. The second chapter talked about light and had to draw optical diagrams.

  It doesn't seem difficult either, and she felt relieved too.

  There has been another change in the personnel of Class 1 in the new semester, with 10 more classmates switching from Class 2.

  But after the first time, everyone is a bit used to it this time.

  Gu Xiang no longer being the vice class monitor, doesn't have to be busy running around at the start of school.

  It's time for our class to elect new class cadres, but actually, the current class cadres in Grade 1 are doing a good job.

  There is no irreplaceable non-re-election either.

  But Gu Xiangkong's deputy class leader position will definitely need to be filled by someone.

  Later, a goddess named Bao Jing was chosen to take her place.

  Bao Jing's grades are pretty good, she is quite outgoing and is the class monitor of Class 2. She was transferred to Class 1 in the first semester of her freshman year.

  However, Bao Jing's family seems to be not very well-off, and they usually dress very plainly.

  Nowadays in summer girls all wear sandals, but she still wears canvas shoes.

  Those white ones with a thick Velcro strap on the heel that everyone had in their childhood.

  But Bao Jing is quite cheerful and doesn't have any inferiority complex.

  I've made several good friends in class 1 for half a semester already.

  Lin Jiahuan didn't like her very much and thought she was particularly pretentious.

  Gu Xiang didn't mind, anyway she wasn't doing it anymore, someone had to come and do it.

  Xiao Hei Pang and Chen Wu also entered Hua Lu Middle School.

  However, the two people's grades were originally average, and they didn't make it into Class 1 even after the class assignment exams.

  The best in Hua Lu Middle School is of course Class 1, and Class 2 is the reserve team for Class 1.

  Classes 3 to 10 are all ordinary classes, no distinction between priority and non-priority anymore.

  The little aunt again gave Chen Wu a connection and let him enter Class 2.

  Xiao Hei Pang's family has no relationship with him, and he was assigned to Class 4.

  The classroom for sophomores moved up one floor.

  The first four classes were lined up together, Gu Xiang's classroom was just above Xiao Hei Pao and Chen Wu, often down the stairs to meet.

  Chen Wu would wave at Gu Xiang every time he saw her, but felt too embarrassed to talk to her.

  Two people were like spies meeting secretly. Although Gu Xiang found it amusing, thinking about the awkwardness of a young boy in his youth, she didn't say much more.

  It's Xiao Hei who shouts at her every time he sees her, saying that he has brought a lot of food from home and asks if Gu Xiang wants some, offering to get it for her, and the two can still chat for a couple of sentences.

  Gu Xiang wanted to eat her grandmother's scallion pancakes, so she asked Xiao Hei to bring two more back when he went home for the weekend.

  In comparison, Gu Xiang actually liked this kind of rustic and straightforward energy.

  Xiao Hei Pang is still black now, but has grown a bit taller, about half a head taller than Gu Xiang, and looks sturdy.

  It's no longer the round ball in Gu Xiang's impression.

  Gu Xiang jokingly asked if he had lost weight.

  Xiao Hei's face turned red as he stuttered and said it was because he played basketball that he lost weight.

  Gu Xiang didn't tease her anymore and followed her words: "Playing basketball can make you lose weight, then I'll go learn too."

  Xiao Hei Pang glanced at her quickly: "No need to learn, you're not fat." Then his face turned even redder.

  Gu Xiang Le is no longer okay.

  Hua Lu Middle School gets out of school at 5:30, but the bus back to the countryside is gone after 5 o'clock.

  Xiao Hei Pang will leave until Saturday morning.

  Gu's mother heard that he was going to spend a night alone at school and also heard that he took the bus back to his hometown by himself, so she was naturally worried.

  He was brought back home on Friday night.

  They have almost finished decorating their store now.

  Gu's mother took Little Hei back to the store to prepare dinner.

  About thirty square meters of space was partitioned off as a kitchen, and the rest of the area was filled with shelves.

  Gu's mother went into the kitchen to cook, while Gu Xiang sat at the counter blowing an electric fan.

  Xiao Hei Pang came and took the broom to help sweep the floor. Gu Xiang told him to put it down, but he said that even if he was idle, he would do this at home too.

  Gu Xiang really looked at him with new eyes, last summer vacation was still a short tree stump who would bully people, now he's like a little adult rushing to work.

  His mother cooked and came out to see him sweeping the floor, also letting him put it down, scolding Gu Xiang for making people do things.

  Gu Xiang didn't say a word and helped her mother serve dishes and arrange chopsticks.

  Mom Guo bought fish and shrimp today. The fish is a 4-5 jin carp, and the shrimp are river shrimp that cost 20-30 yuan per jin.

  Also bought a roasted chicken.

  Gu Xiang was eating, and her mother was peeling shrimp for her beside her.

  Gu's mother peeled a few for her and also gave Xiao Hei Bao two, but was afraid that Xiao Hei Bao would dislike them, so she put the shrimp in front of him to eat more.

  Gu Xiang ate a large chicken leg, half a plate of shrimp, and more than half a bowl of rice. After finishing, she also cleaned up the fish belly on one side before putting down her chopsticks.

  Gu's mom ate even less, having a bowl of rice, a few pieces of chicken, and a few vegetables. She didn't touch the fish or shrimp.

  Xiao Hei Pang used to eat quite slowly, Gu Xiang thought that he couldn't tell, his eating manners were so elegant, comparable to Tang Lu Lu's.

  But after they finished eating, Xiao Hei Pao used the soup to scoop up the rice and finished off the remaining half bowl of rice with a few bites of chicken and vegetables.

  Gu's mother was about to get up to serve him rice, but Xiao Hei Pao went on his own initiative.

  Gu's mother again casually scolded Gu Xiang for being ignorant, looking at others, who were even younger than her.

  Gu Xiang usually loved to be coquettish about such small things and didn't mind even when her mom scolded her.

  Xiao Hei Pang refilled his bowl with a full serving of rice again.

  Gu's mother had originally thought that a boy of this age could eat a lot, so she specially got him a large bowl usually used for soup.

  Xiao Hei Pang finished his second bowl of rice much faster, and the dishes on the table visibly decreased at a rapid speed.

  Gu Xiang smiled slyly at her mother, clearly saying "you still want me to learn from others", I can't eat so much.

  Gu's mom hit her under the table.

  Xiao Hei Pao ate three big bowls and finished all the rice in the electric rice cooker.

  The dishes have all been eaten up and there's no soup left over.

  Gu's mom buys a variety of vegetables, but not in large quantities, because Gu Xiang doesn't like leftover dishes.

  So Gu Xiang guessed that he had eaten about 70 or 80% full.

  He's really a half-sized son who's eating his old man out of house and home.

  Xiao Hei Pao finished dinner and rushed to wash dishes.

  Mother Gu refused, so she ordered Gu Xiang to go and do it instead.

  Xiao Hei Pang was helping out in the store, lifting and moving things around.

  Gu Xiang finished washing the dishes and was preparing to go home. The store had arranged things neatly, but it was such a small space that with two more people standing there, it felt crowded.

  Before leaving, Gu Xiang stood in front of the shelf and picked out some snacks to eat. "Little... I'm asking Chen Hao, what do you want to eat?" Gu Xiang held a plastic bag in his hand, and whatever he wanted to eat would be put inside to take back.

  But when taking it, also pick one, and eat the ones with a closer expiration date first.

  Xiao Hei Pang looked at her and asked: "Isn't this for sale? Why are you still eating it?"

  "Ah?" Gu Xiang was struggling with a bag of Kettle Brand potato chips, flipping it over twice but couldn't find the production date. She raised the chips and asked her mom, "Mom, is this really authentic? Why can't I find the date anywhere? Could it be fake?"

  Gu's mother came over and took a look, pointing at the torn opening at the bottom of the packaging bag, "It's here, isn't it?"

  "But I used to eat them from above, didn't you get a fake one? Look at this ink and it's already printed with flowers."

  This is a new supplier that Gu Mama just got to know. Although she didn't take much, the other party was willing to give a cheaper price, so she first took in a little to try it out.

  "Let's put it off for now, I'll take it down tomorrow."

  It's not yet an era where mobile phones are prevalent, otherwise a scan of the QR code would reveal its authenticity.

  Gu Xiang looked at the potato chip from head to toe and felt that it was almost the same as what she usually ate. The only difference was the production date.

  "I'll take the bag back home and try it out, I think there's still some Kebab at home, let me go compare."

  "Just forget it and don't eat anymore, or you'll get a stomachache."

  Gu Xiang thought a bag of counterfeit potato chips wouldn't be bad for her, so she decided to go home and try the flavor first.

  After saying this, Gu Xiang suddenly remembered that Xiao Hei had just spoken to her and asked him what he said.

  Xiao Hei Pang shook his head and said nothing.

  Gu Xiang also picked up a bag for him and told him to take whatever he wanted to eat.

  Xiao Hei refused to take it, and his mother persuaded him: "Eat, eat, they are all our own imports, cheaper than those sold outside."

  "Hei Pao said: 'These are all for sale, how can I eat them?'"

  Gu's mother used to take Gu Xiang to the supermarket every week. Now that she has opened her own store, they don't need to go to the supermarket often anymore.

  You can just bring some cookies, cakes and potato chips back home. In the past, Gu Xiang would not actively ask for things in order to save money for her mother when she went to the supermarket. Now, she often secretly eats something in the store. Her mother is actually happy about this, she likes seeing her daughter like this.

  Gu Xiang thought that the store would be sold, and in a year or two, it would definitely take off. Her mother's body was also getting better. With a light heart, she lived more easily, eating and drinking without any pressure.

  Now Little Hei Pang asked this way, Gu Xiang and Gu's mother both laughed.

  "Previously we had to buy these things, now we can get them at production price from our own home and it's even cheaper. Just take whatever you want to eat."

  Gu Xiang packed a small bag of snacks for herself and suddenly saw the cola in the corner, thinking that with Xiao Hei Pang's free labor, she had him help her carry two large colas back.

  Xiao Hei Pang was left speechless with his eyes wide open in shock.

  After picking up some snacks, Gu Xiang was ready to head home.

  Gu's mom originally said let Xiao Hei also go home with her to watch TV, but he refused, insisting on staying behind and waiting for Gu's mom to leave together.

  Gu's mom usually stays in the store until 9 o'clock, but now she closed the door early for him.

  Gu Xiang went home and swept the floor, then washed her clothes. After taking a bath, she lay on the sofa eating watermelon and watching TV.

  Nowadays, although Gu's mom spends more time in the store, she feels much more relaxed. In the past, she had to haggle with customers over prices, but now everything is clearly marked and all she has to do is collect money. She just sits in the store and watches it.

  At home, Gu Xiang took care of everything. She went back home, took a bath and watched TV until she fell asleep.

  Gu Xiang and her mother originally watched Korean drama DVDs every night, but since Xiao Hei was there, they ended up watching sports channels all evening.

  In the evening, Gu's mom moved a folding bed and put it in the living room for Xiao Hei to sleep.

  The next day when Gu Xiang woke up, his mother and Xiao Hei had already left.