The winter vacation of the first semester was the first time Tang Boqiang went home after being away from home, Tang Boqiang bought tickets in advance and wrote to his family to tell him the specific time to go home. On the day Tang Boqiang arrived home, his parents were waiting at home, and when they saw Tang Boqiang, they all said, "Why did you lose so much weight?" It seems that he said to Tang Boqiang, and it also seemed to be talking to himself, and it can be seen that they can't hide the distress on their faces. From that day on, the most important thing for her mother Zhang Yuqing to do every day was to constantly change the dishes to cater to Tang Boqiang's appetite, and her purpose was very clear, hoping to raise Tang Boqiang to be fatter during this winter vacation. Tang Boqiang, whose mother's shrewdness and ability, knows best in his heart that it is precisely because of her ability that she can take care of a poor home in the eyes of outsiders, and several children have not dropped out of school or starved because of this.

Since returning home for the first winter vacation, Tang Boqiang has been able to enjoy the dishes carefully prepared by his mother every time he goes home during the holidays, and at the end of each vacation, Tang Boqiang's weight is also worthy of his mother's hard work, and he can always gain a few pounds.

On the afternoon of returning home, Shi Wenhua, a brotherly bosom friend, came to see Tang Boqiang. Shi Wenhua is Tang Boqiang's neighbor, both of them were born in the same year, because Tang Boqiang is a few months older, Shi Wenhua habitually calls Tang Boqiang Brother Qiang. From childhood to adulthood, two people with similar interests often play together, and what is even more rare is that both of them are classmates from elementary school to middle school. Because of Tang Boqiang's good academic performance, Shi Wenhua's parents were also very happy to see the two of them playing together, and hoped that Shi Wenhua would also improve his interest in learning.

It can be said that Shi Wenhua is the only confidant friend of the introverted Tang Boqiang in Octagon Town. It's a pity that Shi Wenhua's interest is not in learning, and his grades have not been able to go up, and it is expected that he will fail in the college entrance examination. Shi Wenhua has two elder brothers, both of whom are several years older than Shi Wenhua, and Tang Boqiang and Shi Wenhua rarely play with them. Shi Wenhua has a younger sister Shi Wenyu, Shi Wenyu is only more than a year younger than Shi Wenhua, and often played with his brother and Tang Boqiang when he was a child. After the national college entrance examination was resumed, Shi Wenyu also began to study hard, and she regarded Tang Boqiang, who was famous in the school, as her role model and idol, and hoped that she could also be admitted to key universities in the future.

The two of them reunited after a long absence, of course, there are endless words. Shi Wenhua told Tang Boqiang that his two elder brothers had already started their own business, and they were doing their own business, in different directions, and there was no competition. Listening to Shi Wenhua, they have done a good job, with Tang Boqiang's knowledge in the provincial capital for a semester, knowing that the country is now in the midst of reform and opening up, business opportunities are everywhere, as long as the sense of touch is sensitive enough, you will be able to find a good entry point and soon be able to dig the first pot of gold in life.

"What about you, what are your plans?" Tang Boqiang is most concerned about his friends.

"I don't want to go into business like my brother and prepare to sign up for the army after the Spring Festival." Shi Wenhua replied very clearly.

In the traditional concept of the people of Bajiao Town, in addition to replacing their parents, the best way out is to join the army. Because of this, there are many people who want to join the army, and the review is very strict, and the strictest of them is the political review. In Tang Boqiang's impression, those who can serve as soldiers are the children of cadres who are "well-rooted and young" or the children of a few lucky poor middle peasants. But now it's different, after the reform and opening up, the people of Octagonal Town have more choices, just like the two elder brothers of Shi Culture. Since then, the censorship of joining the army has been relatively relaxed.

"This is also a good choice, if you are lucky, if you can make meritorious contributions in the army, maybe you can find a very good job after leaving the army, and even work in the city." Tang Boqiang said approvingly.

Shi Wenhua looked at Tang Boqiang, a smile appeared on his face, and said, "You still know me." ”

"Hehe, I don't know you who understands you, with your cleverness, you will definitely not succumb to this small place in Octagon Town in the future." Tang Boqiang said with certainty.

The two of them were chatting happily, Shi Wenyu walked in with a book, Tang Boqiang saw Shi Wenyu, who had not seen him for a long time, and his eyes couldn't help but light up, it was really "eighteen changes in the female university". At this moment, Shi Wenyu is already slim, that appearance, that figure, and her calm temperament surprised Tang Boqiang, and he secretly thought to himself: Isn't this the other half in his mind? Thinking about it, Tang Boqiang still stubbornly believes that he is not worthy of the love of Shi Wenyu, who is as beautiful as a fairy.

The simple and a little naughty Wenyu in the past is gone, and has become a big beauty in front of her. Tang Boqiang couldn't help but blurt out: "Hey, our Baoyu is also here." Tang Boqiang still maintained his previous habitual address to Shi Wenyu. Then he turned to Shi Wenhua and said, "It's really a piece of precious jade!" ”

"Hehe, she told me a long time ago, and when you come back, I'll ask you about math." Shi Wenhua was afraid of delaying time, so he went straight to the point and said the reason why Shi Wenyu was looking for Tang Boqiang.

"Brother Qiang laughed at me, I'm still the same person I used to be. I'm glad to know you're back, because I want to ask you a lot of questions and don't want to always ask the teacher. Shi Wenyu said generously.

Tang Boqiang had already heard from Shi Wenhua that Shi Wenyu wanted to be a teacher, so she chose liberal arts, and her grades in school have always been top-notch, and she is the focus of the school. Shi Wenhua loved his sister very much, and when he saw her coming, he said to Tang Boqiang: "We'll talk about our affairs later, you have to help Wenyu well." ”

"What's the matter, I've always treated her as my sister, so I naturally do my best, I'm afraid that I can't do it enough, and if I delay our Baoyu, it will be troublesome." Tang Boqiang said cheerfully and with a little ridicule.

Shi Wenyu didn't care so much, she spread out the math book and notebook in front of Tang Boqiang at once, opened the notebook, and a series of questions flew out of her mouth. It seems that Shi Wenyu, who is studying liberal arts, is trapped by mathematical problems and has accumulated a large number of problems, just waiting for Tang Boqiang to help her solve them.

Looking at the notebook with a bunch of questions, looking at the neat and clean handwriting on the notebook and the fact that each question was expressed so clearly and in an orderly manner, Tang Boqiang was surprised and happy. Tang Boqiang originally liked this kind of person with rigorous thinking and clear organization. What's more, Shi Wenyu's words are written beautifully and delicately, far better than Shi Wenyu's words.

Tang Boqiang smiled lightly, pointed to the questions on the notebook and answered them one by one from top to bottom. He was worried that Shi Wenyu wouldn't be able to digest it so quickly, so he deliberately slowed down the speed of speaking, Shi Wenyu kept nodding his head while listening, and in the end, Shi Wenyu, who was originally indifferent, and Shi Wenyu, who was listening attentively to solve the problem, looked at Tang Boqiang in a daze, as if looking at a monster he didn't know, that look made Tang Boqiang feel strange, and immediately stopped and asked, "What's wrong?" What's wrong with you two today? Why are you looking at me like that? ”

Shi Wenyu reacted quickly, and hurriedly said: "I know that you are very powerful, and I have always admired you, but I didn't expect that you would not be exposed to these courses for a semester, and you could answer so many questions one by one so easily." Talented! Hehe, that's all I can say. ”

"yes, you're amazing, aren't you, aren't you? It's not strange that all the things of a semester have been wasted, and these problems can be solved without thinking and in an understatement. Stone Culture also echoed.

"Hehe, it's not weird, it's not weird at all. In your first year of college, I was still taking courses in advanced mathematics, physics, and chemistry to lay the foundation for future statistics and various experiments. So, Baoyu's questions are really not difficult for me. Tang Boqiang told the truth truthfully.

"That said, you're still too good!" Shi Wenyu said sincerely. From then on, every time Tang Boqiang went home on vacation, there was a task that could not be moved: to help Shi Wenyu solve difficult problems, even if Shi Wenhua went to the field as a soldier, this task would not stop until Wenyu was admitted to university.

Although he is studying in the provincial capital, Tang Boqiang's attention to Bajiao Town has never decreased.

During the first winter vacation, Octagon Town did not change much in Tang Boqiang's eyes, and what Tang Boqiang could feel was that the concept of the people of Octagonal Town was changing. People begin to become impetuous, as if everyone is looking for something, trying to grasp something, but there is always a feeling of being unable to do anything through a veil. People know from the newspapers and the radio that the whole country is changing, but for the people of Octagon, it seems that they have lost their focus and their grip. At the dinner table at home, in the conversation with his classmates and neighbors, Tang Boqiang clearly felt their anxiety and confusion.

With the return of each holiday, Tang Boqiang, who was careful and observant, found that the speed of change in Octagon Town was too fast, and it was only a year or two of hard work, and the originally calm, tranquil, and aura Octagon Town became unrecognizable.

Not to mention anything else, just talking about the Bajiao River in front of Tang Boqiang's house and the changes in the scene on the bank of the Bajiao River made Tang Boqiang's heart ache and sighed.

With the development of the upper reaches of the Bajiao River, the water from the upper reaches gradually decreased, and the Bajiao River slowly became a "sourceless river" in the Bajiao Town section. When there is less water in the river, the fluidity of the water is naturally much weaker, and the sediment accumulates faster and faster. In the past, when the sea was low, the north bank of the Bajiao River would reveal a shoal, and the sand of the shoal would be white and soft, glowing golden in the sun. It is the favorite place for Tang Boqiang and his friends to play, on the one hand, they can experience the soft and comfortable massage feeling of the sand from the soles of their feet barefoot, and on the other hand, they can also go to the shallow place to catch the unique and delicious snails on the Bajiao River.

As he returned home from each holiday, Tang Boqiang felt that the riverbed on the north bank was constantly rising, and in some places the soil was already above the water and overgrown with grass and shrubs, and what was even more terrifying was that this situation showed no sign of stopping. As a result, the riverbed naturally narrowed, and the number of boats getting smaller and less frequent. The goods on the wharf also slowly decreased until they finally disappeared completely, and then when he returned home during the winter vacation, Tang Boqiang saw the desolation of the bank of the Octagonal River and felt the wordless sorrow of the Octagonal River.

Octagon is located almost at the end of the land route, with no reliable, wide land exit. The original prosperity and development of Bajiao Town relied on the Bajiao River, a water artery, to connect cargo ships from all over the country and even nearby countries. The wharf of goods like a wheel maintains the prosperity of Bajiao Town, and the development of all light industries in Bajiao Town also relies on the Bajiao River.

Every time he goes home on vacation, Tang Boqiang will never forget to visit Master Li Bin. Either alone or with his father. Again and again, Tang Boqiang clearly felt that Master Li Bin was slowly aging, although his martial arts and courage were still there, but his body "betrayed" him, making him unable to travel far, let alone stretch his fists and feet freely. Therefore, every time he asked Tang Boqiang to practice his fists and feet in front of him, Xiao Ming guided him hand in hand, and Li Bin gave verbal guidance when necessary.

In the process of talking with Tang Boqiang, Master Li Bin also expressed his sigh and helplessness about the decline of Octagon Town. Now in Octagon Town, the merchants are scattered, and the people of Octagon Town are no longer gentle, and fights often occur. Fortunately, everyone still abides by the rules set by the martial arts industry back then, because every martial arts company knows that once there is a vicious fight, there is no winner. Therefore, everyone is very restrained, their disciples never participate in the boring fights of those unemployed hooligans in Octagon Town, and it is precisely because of these martial arts attitudes that Octagon Town will not be chaotic in the fall.