Chapter 156, first update.

Because the bed wasn't moved, the family of four will still have to sleep in the old house at night.

After taking a shower, Luo Yan carried her washbasin to her old home. As soon as she entered the living room, she was driven away by the smell of smoke and alcohol, so she took a deep breath towards the sky.

Luo Hong lagged two steps behind his sister and asked, "What's wrong?"

Luo Yan turned her head away from the door and whispered, "It stinks."

Since it was evening and guests were being entertained, there were many things that couldn't be said. Luo Hong could only tell his sister, "Run quickly into the room."

Luo Yan rushed inside with all her might, but still felt that some of it had gotten on her hair and the bed.

She took out the face cream from the bedside table, applied it, and covered her head with the blanket while smelling the scent.

Luo Hong didn't care. Seeing that the light in his parents' room was still on, he knocked and said, "I'm locking the door."

Liu Yinfeng replied, "Wait a moment, your dad went to get something."

Luo Hong: "Then you can have him lock it later, I'm going to sleep."

He barely rested all day; he fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

Only the parents couldn't sleep, and were still talking incessantly in their room in the middle of the night.

Luo Xinmin sat on the bed, leaning against the pillows: "When I bought this house, it was still a 50-year lease."

It was the first Spring Festival after the founding of the People's Republic of China. His disability policy had just been implemented, and he had a considerable amount of compensation in his pocket, so he wanted to return to his hometown to settle down.

But his parents had already died in the war, and the few remaining relatives and friends were neither close nor distant. When they saw him come back like this, they only thought he was a poor relative who wanted to freeload, and they all avoided him like the plague.

Looking back now, it was only natural. But he was only in his early twenties when his life took a dramatic turn for the worse, and he was filled with resentment. After returning to Beijing, he found a job at the No. 8 State-owned Cotton Mill and settled down in this small house in the east wing.

For the next thirty years, his hometown was really just a place name to him.

Perhaps because he was nearing sixty, he suddenly sighed, "Let's take the kids back in a couple of years; it'll probably be the last time in our lives."

Why are you saying such discouraging things?

Liu Yinfeng patted him on the shoulder: "You still have to take care of the children."

Luo Xinmin remembered something amusing: "Did you hear your son talking to the three parties today?"

Liu Yinfeng was so busy she was running around in circles; where could she possibly listen to that?

She asked, "What did you say?"

Luo Xinmin: "He said, 'You guys in relationships are so lovey-dovey and troublesome.' Listen to that tone. Where am I supposed to take care of his child? Yan Yan won't be here anytime soon either. When will she graduate?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Yinfeng laughed: "Look how hard the three parties worked today!"

Luo Xinmin pulled the blanket up: "What's a little physical effort if I'm after our girl?"

It's not just about doing some physical labor. Liu Yinfeng muttered, "He opened three stores in one go. How much money do you think he must make in a month?"

Whether they like him or not is their daughter's business. As parents, they value other things more. If they weren't very satisfied with Zhou Weifang at first, they've gradually gotten to like him more.

Luo Xinmin was similar: "It must be at least a thousand yuan."

That's equivalent to his annual income.

Liu Yinfeng shook her head mysteriously: "There are definitely more than that. I went to the store entrance and saw that there were a lot of people there."

They said they would "talk about it when we get married," but they couldn't possibly wait until then to consider all these aspects. They had already found out everything about their daughter.

Economic conditions are one thing, but character and personality are another. The couple only have one daughter, so they can't be too careful.

Luo Xinmin said, "Although we watched them grow up, we have some idea of ​​what's going to happen. Let's wait and see."

My daughter is still young, so there's no rush for anything.

Liu Yinfeng thought so too and said, "Let's go to sleep first, it's already this late."

They sleep late and wake up late. On rare days when Luo Hong doesn't have to go to work, he lies in bed until the sun is high in the sky when he hears no noise outside. Only Luo Yan wakes up early.

Looking at the empty living room, she assumed her parents had drunk too much the night before. After washing up, she went to the small shop at the entrance of the alley to buy breakfast and ate as she walked home.

Passing by the gate of her old home, she went straight to her new home and let Huang Laishun out of the living room.

It was still too young. Although a kennel had been built for it in the yard, Beijing was already freezing cold at the end of November, and no one dared to let a dog sleep outside.

It's very well-behaved now; it doesn't poop or pee indiscriminately in its nest. After running around a couple of times, it finds a corner to relieve itself, digs some soil, and then covers it up.

Luo Yan shared her breakfast with the puppy, and after feeding it, she went back to her old home, wondering if she could move the boxes under the bed there.

There were just too many things inside. She tried her best but only fell on her bottom. After blinking blankly, she decided to give up, rolled up the bedding and put it away, and sat on the edge of the bed reading a book while waiting for everyone in the family to get up.

However, before anyone else could get up, Zhou Weifang arrived first.

Seeing that the door was tightly closed, he hesitated for a moment before cautiously knocking twice.

The noise was so faint that Luo Yan wasn't sure if she had misheard, so she peered out through the crack in the window.

Although she couldn't see his face clearly, she recognized his figure. She quickly ran to open the door, stepped aside to let him in, and shushed him with a finger: "They're all still asleep."

Zhou Weifang lowered his voice and asked her, "Have you had breakfast?"

Luo Yan nodded slightly, and seeing that there weren't even any chairs in the living room, she smiled and said, "Do you want to move the box out and use it as a chair?"

Zhou Weifang realized they wanted him to move the boxes, so he rolled up his sleeves and asked, "Which one?"

Luo Yan pointed to her room: "There are several."

Zhou Weifang moved one step over the threshold first, and as he huffed and puffed as he crossed, he couldn't help but ask, "What's inside?"

Luo Yan knew her things very well, and wiped the dust off the box: "There's one thing I can show you."

Zhou Weifang eagerly approached, but was choked by dust the moment he opened it, and waved his hand in response.

Luo Yan dodged faster than him and even used him as a shield.

Zhou Weifang turned his head slightly and saw her peeking out from behind his shoulder, a half-smile on her face: "Yanyan."

Luo Yan shook his hand coquettishly, changing the subject: "Let me show you my diary."

Can that be called a diary? Zhou Weifang knew it was an account book and thought he shouldn't have been curious, but he couldn't quite understand it from the scribbles on it. Just as he was about to ask, he heard the door creak open.

The house wasn't soundproof, and Liu Yinfeng only got up when she heard the slightest rustling sound.

She smoothed her hair and looked at her watch, thinking that it wasn't that others arrived early, but that she had gotten up late. She said apologetically, "I was too tired yesterday. Look, there's nowhere to sit. Yanyan, quickly wake your brother up."

Zhou Weifang naturally said, "It's alright, Auntie. We're all family. It's most important that you get some rest."

He then greeted another person who came out a step later: "Uncle."

The couple exchanged a few pleasantries with him before going to wash up. Luo Yanbang banged on the door to wake her brother.

Luo Hong poked his head out, saw who was outside, and said, "You're afraid you're not being attentive enough, aren't you?"

Zhou Weifang: "It's already ten o'clock."

He had a lot going on at his shop today, so he didn't arrive very early.

Luo Hong jumped out of bed and opened the door, only then glancing at his watch: "How come it's already this late?"

To this, Zhou Weifang said, "You're asking me? Who should I ask?"

Luo Hong was too lazy to talk to him. He yawned and walked by with his toothbrush cup in hand. He noticed that the open book had something written on it. He exclaimed, "Oh, looking at the charges?"

Zhou Weifang took the opportunity to put the notebook back in the box and close the lid: "What crime? There's no crime. Go brush your teeth."

Seeing his guilty look, Luo Yan nudged him: "I also wrote a few nice things about you."

Zhou Weifang said in a serious tone, "That's too precious, we must save it carefully."

Actually, Luo Yan didn't remember the contents very well, but she felt that there weren't many good words or phrases. She looked over his shoulder at her parents and said, "I bought breakfast, but it's a bit cold. I'll take it over and heat it up."

Liu Yinfeng waved her hand: "No need to make a fuss, let's grab a couple of bites and move the bed first."

He added, "Sanfang, you'll have to work hard again today."

Zhou Weifang joked, "I'd love to work harder so I can have a big feast later."

Since yesterday, he hasn't mentioned his partner at all, as if he's just being loyal to her.

That's the right way. Even if everyone knows it, they still have to be more discreet in the alley.

Liu Yinfeng was satisfied and went along with it, saying, "One meal isn't enough. It would be right for him to treat you to three or five meals."

Luo Yan eagerly raised her hand: "Take me with you! Take me with you!"

This girl, why is she siding with outsiders?

Luo Hong shook the water off his hands as he entered the house, saying, "I'll deduct your allowance later."

Luo Yan made a face and put her hands on her hips, saying to him, "Stop dawdling."

Luo Hong ate his breakfast more slowly and deliberately: "As long as someone is diligent, that's enough."

It doesn't matter how casually they talk to their childhood friends, but parents need to show their attitude.

Liu Yinfeng patted her son on the shoulder: "You better be more diligent too."

Luo Hong swallowed the cold bun in a few bites: "Okay, okay."

He was wearing work clothes today, and he was wiping his hands on his pants.

Luo Yan shook her head in disgust and said to him, "You don't use the towels for wiping your hands."

Luo Hong: "Say that again and I'll wipe it on your face."

Luo Yan hid behind Zhou Weifang again, peeking out and whining at her brother.

Luo Hong wouldn't be so enthusiastic if she didn't hide, and seeing this, he really rolled up his sleeves to grab her.

Zhou Weifang naturally wanted to stop him, but "poor" Zhou couldn't afford to offend anyone, and in the end he was often mistakenly hurt.

The commotion was so bad that Liu Yinfeng shouted, "All three of you better behave yourselves!"

Only then did everyone begin to dismantle the bed boards.

This morning, we only had to move three beds, plus a few large boxes to place under the beds, and we finished in no time.

But there were only two main laborers, and after they finished, Luo Hong and Zhou Weifang both lay down on the sofa to rest.

Liu Yinfeng had to gather and put everything away, and then send the father and daughter, who hadn't done much work, to buy lunch.

Luo Yan went out with her father, and after taking a few steps, she suddenly asked, "Dad, why do I feel like you've been watching Zhou Weifang all morning?"

Luo Xinmin said matter-of-factly, "Shouldn't Dad take a good look?"

Luo Yan was curious: "So what did you see?"

Luo Xinmin didn't keep his daughter in suspense, saying, "I saw him holding the tip of the scissors when he handed them to his brother."

Although it's a good habit, Luo Yan didn't think it was anything to make a fuss about, scratching her face as she looked at her father.

Luo Xinmin, who has been married for over twenty years, has come to realize through his marriage: "If two people have different habits even in such small things, let alone big things."

Luo Yan thought for a moment: "But my mother said that nothing is a big deal in life."

Without a second thought, Luo Xinmin said, "Your mother is right."

Luo Yan retorted sarcastically, "When have you ever thought my mother was wrong?"

Luo Xinmin could add an explanation: "It's not just about going along with her. Your mother and I actually think the same way about many things, it's just that she's the one who says it."

If couples disagree too often, how can they expect harmony in their marriage?

Luo Yan stroked her chin and said, "Why does that sound so familiar?"

Luo Xinmin assumed, "Did Mom say that?"

Luo Yan remembered: "My mother said something similar, and Zhou Weifang said it too."

That's worth asking around, Luo Xinmin: "What did the three parties say again?"

Luo Yan: "Last time, Chen Laosi's wife and mother fought over the house. Zhou Weifang said that this kind of man is the most useless. It's not because he can't control his wife, but because he also wants the house, but he has the nerve to pretend that he can't do anything about it, letting his wife take the lead and get a bad reputation. Actually, he's the worst."

Luo Xinmin nodded and lowered his voice to say to his daughter, "Given your Aunt Shuilan and her husband's personalities, your mother and I would never approve of you dating someone who isn't a three-way relationship."

Luo Yan's eyes flickered slightly: "My brother said the same thing."

He spread his hands and said, "No wonder I never think about these things; you all thought about them for me."

Luo Xinmin was not surprised at all that his son, who seemed careless, was actually a meticulous child.

The father and daughter walked to the restaurant entrance while talking, and ordered eight dishes and several bottles of beer.

At lunchtime, Liu Yinfeng raised her glass first: "Everyone, please eat and drink well today, don't be shy."

Huh? Why is Mom starting to urge people to drink too?

Luo Yan remembered that she didn't have this habit of looking at the food from left to right after taking a bite.

Zhou Weifang knew that this meant an assessment—as the saying goes, a person's character is reflected in their drinking habits.

But he was afraid that Luo Yan would be unhappy, so he first gave his girlfriend a look to ask her what was going on.

Luo Yan felt that whatever her parents did, they had their reasons and were definitely considering her best interests. Therefore, she nodded in response.

Everyone present could see these little actions clearly, and Luo Hong clicked his tongue twice with a drawn-out sound.

Zhou Weifang was eager for everyone to know that he was under someone's control, so he calmly filled his glass and first toasted the elders.

He appeared calm on the surface, but inside he was nervous, afraid of making a mistake.

Throughout the meal, only Luo Yan and Huang Laishun were completely focused.

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Author's note: Good night!