Chapter 24 Chapter 24 A tonic for marriage, a great tonic!
What does it mean that power and money are the tonics of marriage? A great tonic! Liu Suqin experienced this firsthand.
Her physical weakness after childbirth had not yet recovered so quickly, and she had not been so busy and tired as she was during the day for a long time. She should have returned home exhausted, but her mental excitement made her tireless. She lay in bed at night without any sleepiness. When she turned around, she saw a pair of equally excited eyes.
The exchange of glances was like a bolt of lightning that ignited a fire that was out of control. The two rolled into a ball in tacit understanding, and spontaneously figured out the little trick of using "exercise" to release emotions.
It had just happened last night, but the battle tonight was still fierce, as if they had been hungry and thirsty for eight hundred years. They did it again and again, until the sky was faintly turning pale and the creaking wooden bed finally became quiet.
During this period, their chubby daughter, who could sleep soundly even if the earth shook, was woken up several times in the corner of the bed. She pouted in protest, but unfortunately her unscrupulous parents were too immersed in their passion to care about her. The little girl was too sleepy to open her eyes and had no energy to cry, so she had to go back to sleep with a tearful mouth.
After working hard for most of the night, Liu Suqin got up the next day to wash up. Looking at the young woman in the mirror who was becoming more and more rosy and radiant, she could not take her eyes off her. She once again sighed that it was great to be young.
If even an old cucumber painted green could be like this, the genuine young man Lin Nanjiang was even more amazing. He had only slept for two hours at most, but he was still able to get up before dawn to buy goods and set up his stall. He walked briskly and was full of energy. Even after a day of hard work, his face was still not tired or haggard, but full of joy and anticipation. "Wife, how is business today?"
The weather was getting hotter. Liu Suqin was wearing her newly bought suspender nightgown and a light sweater, which made her skin look whiter than snow. She sat at the small table. The scene was still pleasing to the eye, making people unconsciously ignore the simple, almost shabby environment. The newly replaced incandescent light above her head could not match the starlight in her eyes. "Not bad, the net income for the day is over 1,500 yuan."
"That's good." Lin Nanjiang was satisfied and took the pajamas that his wife had folded for him and went to the bathroom.
His personal hygiene was strictly monitored this year. Brushing teeth and taking a bath before going to bed were just basic requirements. After his daughter was born, Liu Suqin's requirements became more and more strict. It had developed to the point that he was not allowed to go to bed without taking a bath and changing clothes after coming back from outside.
Lin Nanjiang used to make excuses to be lazy from time to time, but now he has become conscious and has developed a habit. Not only does he take a shower and brush his teeth carefully according to his wife's standards, he also remembers to wash his hair. When he came out of the bathroom clean and refreshed, Liu Suqin had already kept track of the accounts and organized the cash register, leaving enough change and tomorrow's payment. The remaining cash was tied up and put away, waiting to be deposited in the bank in two days.
Lin Nanjiang had just finished washing, so she went to the bathroom to wash her hands, then lay back on the bed, hugging her sweet and soft daughter and preparing to go to sleep.
Seeing this, Lin Nanjiang quickly dried his hair and climbed up. As soon as the lights were turned off, his hands restlessly wrapped around her slender waist, caressing and teasing her wantonly through her thin nightgown.
Liu Suqin helplessly clapped her hands as they were thrashing around. "Take it easy. How can you be so preoccupied with this all the time? Besides, the pressure is high and the workload is heavy these days. As the head of the family, you need to rest up and work hard."
Lin Nanjiang felt regretful, but he also knew that what his wife said made sense. They had just added a shop, and it was not the time to relax. They still had to buy a house, renovate it and open a shop. As the pillar of the family, he needed to make more money to support his wife and children and no longer let them worry about money. He could not let his momentary indulgence delay the family's move to the city and settle down.
"Okay, let's go to sleep." After figuring out the priorities, Lin Nanjiang finally followed the force of the embrace around the waist and pulled his wife and the daughter she was hugging into his arms, as if he was hugging the whole world. He closed his eyes, and soon his breathing became steady and long.
Wake up and be a hero again.
Lin Nanjiang's enthusiasm of working hard until death continued without any reduction until the agreed delivery day.
On Friday morning, he went out before dawn as usual. When Liu Suqin got up, he had already returned from the vegetable market and was patiently instructing his good friend, "I'll need you to soak the vermicelli later. Prepare these side dishes in advance. Wait for me to come back and we'll set up the stall together."
Lin Quansheng also patiently responded, "I have prepared all these. If you are not back by the time to set up the stall, I can borrow the landlord's tricycle to go to the night market. Don't worry, drive slowly."
Lin Nanjiang thought for a moment and said, "I'll still come back early. If you're still nowhere to be seen by five or six, then you can go to the stall first."
"I'll do as you say." Lin Quansheng nodded helplessly and began to urge, "You two should leave quickly too. Go early and come back early."
Liu Suqin got up late, but moved quickly. She had already dressed herself and was standing in the yard eating the meat buns they bought from the vegetable market while waiting. She was ready to set off at any time.
Lin Nanjiang then strode out and saw Aunt Zhang standing beside them holding their daughter. He stopped and pinched her soft little face, patiently instructing her, "I'll have to trouble you to take care of Fangfang again today."
"Don't worry, boss." Aunt Zhang teased the little one with wide eyes with a loving look on her face. "Fangfang, be good and say goodbye to mom and dad."
Liu Suqin also finished her buns and waved, "Bye."
This time when they entered the city, they went directly to the shop. The agent and the landlord were waiting there in advance. When Liu Suqin and Lin Nanjiang arrived, they greeted each other briefly and went upstairs. As expected, the second floor was basically empty, leaving only a few pieces of furniture and stoves, doors and windows that the landlord promised.
However, the floor and balcony had been carefully swept, and they looked quite clean and bright. Lin Nanjiang also checked the water and electricity lines, and found basically no problems. He walked around the first floor again, and found that it was no different from the last time they came. Even if the handover was successful, the landlord solemnly handed a bunch of keys to Liu Suqin, "This house will be yours from now on. I can see that although you are young, you are both hardworking and diligent. Your life will only get better and better."
Seeing this, Brother Li complimented the landlord's family sweetly, praising them for being able to live in a luxury house soon and enjoy the company of their grandchildren in harmony from then on.
Liu Suqin also said a few words of envy, "What we have is nothing. Uncle Zhang's duplex mansion is something that we outsiders can hardly achieve in our lifetime."
The landlord couple, who were originally a little disappointed, were coaxed into smiling. After Lin Nanjiang personally locked the doors and windows of the new house, the group chatted and laughed and went to the nearest bank to transfer money.
The final payment was more than 100,000 yuan. Even if the landlord and his family were here, they didn't dare to just carry the cash back. This time, the old couple also brought their passbooks.
Yes, the landlord’s son and his family are here too.
Looking at Grandpa Zhang's son and daughter-in-law each holding a baby, and his wife holding a little girl with pigtails, Liu Suqin and Lin Nanjiang finally understood why the old couple insisted on selling their house to buy a luxury home. It was not because of vanity or greed for enjoyment, but with such a large family, an ordinary house really was not enough.
It was precisely because of the urgent need that the landlord was so straightforward. After coming out of the bank, he was planning to go with me to handle the transfer. The agent said considerately, "Uncle Zhang, if you have something else to do, you don't have to come with me. You can come to us later or tomorrow to get your documents back."
Mr. Zhang then asked his wife and son to take the children home first. He still had to go with them to handle the paperwork and see the specific operation procedures with his own eyes.
"Oh, will your name be on the new house? Uncle Zhang is so lucky, your son is so filial." On the way to the Housing Authority, Uncle Zhang took the initiative to talk about the new house arrangements. Brother Li flattered him very politely, coaxing the old man into pouting, and then pretended to be disgusted, "He still has some conscience. I basically paid for the new house. If not my name, whose name will he put on it?"
Grandpa Zhang looked serious, but when he mentioned his son, he became eloquent. "This kid has been lazy since he was young. I used to tell him to study hard and get into university so that the government could assign him a job, but he refused to study. I told his mother to use her connections to get him a job in a government-run company, but he felt inferior and refused. He wanted to ask relatives to chip in some money for him to start a business, but he found it too tiring. In the end, he found himself working for a small private company. He sits in an air-conditioned office every day, looking at his computer. Life is comfortable, but what can he do with that little salary every month? If I hadn't prepared a wedding house for him, he wouldn't even be able to get married. Last year, they had twins, and the wedding house couldn't accommodate them. So I thought about selling this house and buying a bigger one so that the whole family can live together. In the future, my wife and I will stay at home to take care of the children, and his wife can go out to work. We don't care about how successful we are as a couple, as long as we can provide for the family."
Brother Li smiled when he heard this, "Master, don't be so modest. My brother Zhang still has a wedding house under his name. When you live in the mansion, that house can be rented out and it will be enough for the family's daily needs. Your family will have no worries about food and clothing long ago."
Uncle Zhang shook his head. "That apartment is a little small, not enough to supplement our family income. When the time comes, I'll clean up our old house and rent it out. Any profit is good."
Liu Suqin, who was one step behind, couldn't help but click her tongue when she heard this. She glanced at Lin Nanjiang, and her meaning was very clear: Mr. Zhang was the real deal. He had just sold two floors and had two more units waiting to be rented out.
Being a landlord while still being able to buy a luxury house for the whole family is so wonderful.
I just don’t know when I can live such a good life?
The two of them had just exchanged the same envious and jealous looks when they were suddenly called out.
The middleman was chatting animatedly with Uncle Zhang, and he didn't neglect them. He turned around and asked, "By the way, Brother Lin and Sister-in-law, whose name are you going to write, or are you going to write both names together?"
Lin Nanjiang said without thinking: "Don't bother with that. Just write my wife's name."
Liu Suqin turned around in surprise. She didn't want to refuse such a good thing, but this was the couple's property, and Lin Nanjiang was the main earner. She really couldn't leave him behind against her conscience. "It's not a big deal. I've brought the household registration book, marriage certificate, and both of our ID cards. Just write our names on it."
Lin Nanjiang shook his head. This wasn't a spur-of-the-moment idea. "If it weren't for you, my wife, being smart, capable, and determined, I'd still be screwing screws in the factory. I'd never be able to buy a house here in my lifetime. You're the reason our family is where it is today! And I remember you saying that when you first came to Shenzhen and saw the skyscrapers in the city from afar, it was the first time you'd seen such tall buildings. You imagined how happy it would be to live in this bustling city forever and own a house of your own! Now we're finally going to own our first house, and I'm going to put your name on it, just to help you fulfill your youthful dream."
Liu Suqin was speechless for a moment. Looking at the young man in front of her with a calm expression, as if what he said was very ordinary, she felt quite complicated.
In fact, the "story" she told him was half true and half false. It was a prelude to make him willingly work hard to earn money to buy a house. Buying a house in Shenzhen was indeed her once unattainable dream, but after most of her life, she had long forgotten the emotional journey when she first came to this city.
But the lies she made up were remembered by someone and they were determined to help her realize her dream. How could she not be moved?
Liu Suqin felt her eyes getting a little hot.
After her rebirth, she had learned the correct way to get along with her husband. In private, she was very obedient and praised him as if it was free. She made him an excellent person who took care of everything at home and outside. But now her true feelings were revealed, and she didn't know what to say. Moreover, there were outsiders around, and Liu Suqin didn't want to lose her composure. After looking at each other for a moment, she blinked and tried to calm down. She asked casually, "How about I write my name on the second floor and yours on the first floor? After all, you are going to use the first floor to open a store."
"It's all written on you. You're the boss lady." Lin Nanjiang also smiled. "Boss lady, please don't be too strict when you come to inspect the store next time."
Liu Suqin smiled and said, "It depends on your performance."
When they were discussing the business, the agent and the landlord in front did not interrupt. Seeing that there was a result, the atmosphere became relaxed. Brother Li spoke at the right time and praised Lin Nanjiang for his magnanimity and being a real man.
Uncle Zhang also nodded. "We have an old saying here: 'A man who loves his wife will prosper.' Since you, young man, have this awareness at such a young age, you will surely be very wealthy in the future."
Lin Nanjiang was flattered by their praises of being a man and making a lot of money, and he became more determined to put his wife's name on all the houses in his family.
They arrived at the Housing Authority chatting and laughing. The agent first found an acquaintance, and then the other party accompanied them to queue up to fill out the information.
Because we had been reminded in advance, both parties prepared all the necessary materials, and the process of submitting documents and paying fees was also very fast, and it was completed in about half an hour.
However, after the materials are submitted, the staff still needs to review and stamp them, which takes some time.
Brother Li's acquaintance said that lunch break would come in another hour and a half, and they definitely wouldn't be able to finish the work in the morning. He would urge his colleagues in the afternoon, and they didn't need to stay here, it would be the same if they came in the afternoon.
Brother Li asked if he wanted to go to the company and have lunch together. Lin Nanjiang was still thinking about going to the mall to buy a gift for his daughter, so he politely declined the other party's enthusiasm. Uncle Zhang also said that he wanted to go home for lunch and come to visit again in the afternoon.
The four of them agreed on a time and separated at the door of the Housing Authority. Liu Suqin and Lin Nanjiang came to the shopping mall they had visited before the New Year. They took the elevator to the third floor as if they were familiar with the place. Baby products and toys were all on this floor. They carefully selected a popular doll for little Lin Fangfang.
Lin Nanjiang looked around but didn't see any stuffed tigers, so he took out a sheep doll and said, "Fangfang is born in the year of the sheep, so buy her a lamb to play with."
"This little lamb is very cute." Liu Suqin smiled and went to the front desk with him to check out.
After leaving the toy store, the two of them involuntarily turned into the children's clothing area next to it. Looking at the layered lace princess dresses, Lin Nanjiang's eyes lit up, "This pink one is beautiful, the blue one is also beautiful, and the yellow one is also very bright..."
The young salesperson smiled warmly, "Sir, Madam, how old is your baby? We have sizes from three to six."
Lin Nanjiang: "Two months."
“…” The salesgirl’s smile faded.
Liu Suqin quickly said sorry and dragged her silly father to the baby store. With the recommendation of the salesgirl, she successfully chose two soft and skin-friendly spring and summer suits for her daughter, which slightly satisfied Lin Nanjiang's fatherly love that had nowhere to go.
Lin Nanjiang adheres to the principle that no matter how hard life is, children should not suffer, and no matter how poor, wife should not suffer. After buying a gift for his daughter, he immediately dragged his wife to the gold shop on the first floor. As they were getting on the escalator, he kept persuading her, "No matter how stressful it is to buy a house, these three or five hundred yuan are not a big deal. Just pick a ring or necklace or something as a souvenir. After all, today is a special day."
Liu Suqin felt that what he said made sense, so she reluctantly went into the jewelry shop, and fell in love with a pair of gold rings at first sight.
To be precise, this is a new men's ring in their store. It has a square shape and large characters are engraved on the ring face. There are styles such as "Fu", "Shun", "Long", "Cai", and "Fa" to choose from. Liu Suqin picked out a large gold ring with the character "Fa" weighing 15 grams for Lin Nanjiang, and she chose a "Cai" ring weighing more than 6 grams for herself. The ring face is smaller, but she still has to wear it on the index finger to look harmonious.
Lin Nanjiang looked at the words "Get Rich" on his and his wife's hands, and was so happy that he couldn't stop smiling. After trying them on, he was reluctant to take them off. He just wore the rings and asked the store manager to issue a receipt and collect the money.
After paying and leaving the jewelry store, his eyes were still wandering back and forth between his own hand and his wife's. The joy on his face was about to turn into reality, but he was still quite stubborn. "Really? I agreed to bring you here to buy two pieces of jewelry, so why did you choose them for me? It's such a waste for a grown man like me to wear this! And you chose such expensive things for me, but only picked the smallest and lightest ones for yourself. How can you treat yourself like this? How about we go shopping upstairs and buy you some clothes and shoes?"
Liu Suqin held her forehead. They had been married for two years in this life. Did he think she was still a shameless young wife? She had to be constantly urged by him for everything she wanted, and she never asked for it herself? God knows she had never been polite when they were dating. She felt very justified in spending her man's money.
She sighed helplessly in her heart, but since today was a great day, Liu Suqin kept a gentle tone on her face. "Have you forgotten that all the money in the family is in my hands? I can't decide what to buy myself. It's just that it's not convenient now. I have to take care of the children and move soon. When we move to the city later, I'll go to the mall three times a day. It depends on whether you are afraid or not."
At the end of her words, she glanced at the pretentious man with a seductive look. Lin Nanjiang's smile froze, and he almost stood up in public. He quickly pulled the man in front of him to block the awkward change, but his tone was full of confidence, "Don't worry, my wife can buy whatever she wants. I work hard to earn money for you to spend."
These words were very pleasant to the ear. Liu Suqin was satisfied, so she let him put his arm around her shoulder and left the mall in a sweet voice.
Standing on the steps of the busy shopping mall, Lin Nanjiang became more and more presumptuous, resting his chin on her shoulder and asking affectionately in her ear, "It's noon, let's eat nearby, what do you want to eat, wife?"
Liu Suqin looked around and saw the newly opened McDonald's not far away. She pointed and said, "How about we go get some Western food?"
Lin Nanjiang was also young and had never eaten at KFC or McDonald's, but he had seen them in newspapers and on TV before. He immediately smiled and said, "Okay, let's go eat those hamburgers."
This is the first McDonald's in Shenzhen. Not only is it unique, but the interior decoration is also very high-end and clean. It is loved by children and young people who pursue fashion. Even though today is not a holiday, the store is still crowded.
The two of them went their separate ways. Lin Nanjiang waited in a long line before getting his meal. Luckily, his wife had already found a seat. He carried the tray, making his way through the throng of children, and reached his wife's side as if he had conquered five levels and cut through six generals. He put down his food and sat down, letting out a long sigh of relief. "Waiting in line for over half an hour for a meal is ridiculous. Besides, it's Friday, and many people have to go to work or school. If it were Sunday or a holiday, how crowded would the restaurant be? But those kids were having a great time, jumping, dancing, and singing. When Fangfang is a little older, I'll bring her to McDonald's to meet some friends..."
Liu Suqin took a French fry, dipped it in ketchup and fed it to him, saying with a smile, "Today it's just the two of us, so stop calling me 'girl' all the time. Let's treat today as a date, okay?"
"Good..." The man who dared to do anything at night suddenly became shy at this moment. His ears were burning and he avoided looking at her. He lowered his head to cover up and said, "So sweet."
"Really?" Liu Suqin raised her eyebrows, her meaning unclear. "Then eat another one and remember to dip it in the sauce."
Lin Nanjiang didn't understand what was going on, but he obediently picked up a French fry, dipped it in sauce, and put it in his mouth, imitating what she had done just now. The next second, he shut up silently.
This thing is actually sour.
But it was quite delicious, fragrant and crispy. Lin Nanjiang couldn't help but eat one after another and couldn't stop.
He didn't show any reaction to the idea of a date, but the smile on his lips never dropped. He also stopped talking about his precious daughter and began to immerse himself in this long-lost world of two people.
In addition to French fries, Lin Nanjiang also ordered two Big Macs, a spicy chicken wing meal, and two drinks. This was the secret taught to him by Liu Suqin, telling him to pay attention to what the people in front of him ordered and follow their orders so he wouldn't go wrong.
Apart from being expensive, these things were really good. Not only were they fragrant, but the portions were also generous. With Liu Suqin's appetite, one burger was enough to fill her up, but in order to eat two more pieces of fried chicken, she left one-third of the burger uneaten. Later, Lin Nanjiang took the initiative to take it away and told her that if she liked fried chicken wings, she could order another set meal to take home.
Liu Suqin shook her head. "If you take it back, it will be cold and won't taste this good. I might as well go to the supermarket and buy some chicken wings and fry them myself. I savored them carefully when I ate them just now. If you marinate chicken wings and drumsticks with seasoning for a while, then coat them in flour and fry them, they should also have this crispy outside and tender inside texture."
Actually, I learned a tutorial in my previous life, and the fried chicken wings are crispy, crunchy and fragrant.
Liu Suqin spoke confidently, and Lin Nanjiang had blind faith in her cooking skills. He didn't doubt her at all, but said distressedly, "When you live in the city in the future, you can come to the restaurant anytime you want to eat. It's very convenient, and you don't have to work so hard."
As they were talking, the two of them had already eaten and drunk their fill and stood up. Lin Nanjiang naturally took her hand and, like many other intimate couples around them, they walked out of the increasingly bustling McDonald's side by side.
"Okay." Seeing that he was carrying four or five bags in one hand and still had time to hold her hand, Liu Suqin kindly offered to give her two. Lin Nanjiang refused very firmly, and she did not force him, but took the initiative to push open the glass door.
As soon as she left the house, the noise around her ears instantly disappeared, and the world seemed to return to peace. Liu Suqin couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, then raised her hand to check the time, "The Housing Authority hasn't opened yet, how about we go to the shop first?"
"It's already our home." Lin Nanjiang corrected happily, then nodded, "It's time to go over there and find someone to change the lock on the first floor. That way, we don't have to come over and keep an eye on it for the time being, and we don't have to worry about anything."
This time, Liu Suqin didn't think Lin Nanjiang's smile was too silly, because she had unconsciously put on the same silly smile and urged, "Then why are you still standing there? Come to our house and take a look."
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