Chapter 29 Chapter 29 The appearance of the head of the family.
Liu Suqin didn't say much, but instead demonstrated her support for her friend through action. After returning home, she took Li Hong to her landlord and his wife, who were still chatting over tea at her house. She briefly explained the situation, "We'll call the village in the next couple of days to let Dalin know. Li Hong isn't familiar with the area, and only knows you two elders, so we might need your help."
"Okay, just come to me if you need anything," said Mr. Chen readily. He had a bit of a mentoring streak, and knowing that Li Hong had paid someone to get a border pass, he knew she wasn't just going to the city for the holidays. So, he said earnestly, "You young people really should get out and see more. What's the point of staying stuck in the countryside? Since you've left your hometown to work hard in the Special Administrative Region, you should definitely experience the real heart of the region. Only then will your trip be worthwhile."
Li Hong was filled with so much sincere encouragement and affirmation, and for a moment, she was quite confident. "Thank you, Uncle Chen! That's exactly what I think. I'm still young, and I'll never be satisfied if I don't try other options. Even if I still fail after trying, I'll accept my fate."
"That's right. If you're young and willing to work hard and make progress, your life will only get better and better. Just look at Xiaolin and Xiaoliu," Grandpa Chen encouraged. "It's also because the country is doing better now. We had this opportunity when we were young, so you must cherish it."
There was only so much Liu Suqin could do. She formally introduced Li Hong to Uncle Chen. The two sides only exchanged a few brief greetings, and then Li Hong was about to go back with her companions.
As agreed early in the morning, they would take a bus into the city, and Lin Nanjiang would ride a three-wheeled motorcycle to take them back.
However, the three-wheeled motorcycle is not spacious and comfortable enough. It's fine for young people to squeeze in, but it's not good to let the elderly squeeze in. Before Lin Nanjiang left to see them off, he specifically said to Grandpa Chen and his wife, "Don't rush to leave, Grandpa and Auntie, have dinner at home, and then we can have a few drinks."
The two elders naturally refused. Aunt Chen said that she had to go to her son's house later to cook for him. Liu Suqin also smiled and said, "Let Brother Ming come over as well and add a pair of bowls and chopsticks."
Aunt Chen shook her head repeatedly, grinning from ear to ear. "Ah Ming keeps saying he misses mom's cooking, and he even bought some veggies early this morning. We can't let them go to waste."
"Okay then." Lin Nanjiang shrugged helplessly and instructed his good brother, "If I haven't come back yet, please help me see Uncle Chen and Aunt Chen off."
Lin Quansheng: "Don't worry."
Lin Nanjiang turned to look at his wife again.
Liu Suqin didn't know when he had developed this problem. He kept complaining when he left the house. She simply reached out and gently pushed him, "Okay, without you, the house won't be in chaos for a while. Go early and come back early. Send everyone back to the factory safely. But don't drive too fast on the way..."
Lin Nanjiang finally brought his friends downstairs.
Not long after the main force left, Uncle Chen and Aunt Chen also looked at the sky and prepared to get up and go back.
But perhaps because they were away from home, the old neighbors who had lived with them in the village for most of their lives seemed particularly precious. Aunt Chen and Aunt Zhang were a little reluctant to leave, and Uncle Chen waited patiently for them to say goodbye.
Seeing this, Liu Suqin also pulled Lin Quansheng aside and said, "Brother Quansheng, after you send the two elders off, go to the nearby supermarket to buy some vegetables. Everyone has similar tastes. Choose the dishes you want to eat, and I will cook for you myself tonight."
Lin Quansheng had been buying goods and setting up stalls with his good brother for the past six months, hanging out at the vegetable market all day. He had already gained experience in selecting the freshest ingredients. He smiled and said, "That's great! My sister-in-law hasn't cooked for a long time. I really miss the home-cooked meals back home."
"Just buy whatever you want to eat." Liu Suqin was very confident in handing this difficult task to him and stuffed another two hundred yuan into his hand.
Lin Quansheng was shocked. "That's too much, right? It's just groceries. Thirty or fifty yuan should be enough."
"Expenses are high in the city, and supermarkets are generally more expensive than the wet market. It's safer to carry a little extra money with you, and you can use the rest as pocket money."
When Lin Quansheng just left the factory, he was really worried about his good friend's future. His wife was pregnant and ready to give birth at any time, he lived in a small and crowded rental house, and he had no stable job and had to support his family!
Just thinking about it, I felt so sorry for my good brothers. How could they have the nerve to take such a high salary from them? So I just said that I asked my sister-in-law to help manage it, so that if they were short of money, they could always use it.
Of course, Lin Quansheng soon found out that these two were actually making a lot of money in private without making any noise, and he was ashamed of his own naivety.
At that time, he had already realized the benefits of Liu Suqin managing his salary.
In fact, it doesn't matter how much the salary is. The important thing is that he can't handle it himself. Otherwise, no matter how much his family calls him and tries to beg him, he can just dismiss it with a straight face saying "I have no money". If he keeps his salary card with someone else, it will be easier to accumulate a small amount into a large amount.
Of course, he did not say that Liu Suqin was someone else. As his best brother's wife and the boss's wife, she not only never treated him badly in terms of food, drink, defecation and urination, but also gave them some pocket money every now and then. In Lin Quansheng's heart, the two of them were closer than real brothers and sisters.
After all, for so many years, he had only heard his parents crying and complaining that the family had no money again, and every time he went home, his younger siblings would pester him for red envelopes and snacks. This was the first time in his life that he received pocket money, and he was so panicked that he didn't know where to put his hands and feet.
Fortunately, Liu Suqin gave pocket money equally to everyone. Lin Nanjiang and Lin Quansheng each got a share, and the amount depended on how hard they had worked recently.
Lin Nanjiang didn't mind at all. He took the money with a clear conscience and even approached his wife with a smile and joked around for a while.
As time went by, Lin Quansheng was able to accept the kindness calmly and began to act nicely, "Thank you, Madam Boss, you are so generous. Congratulations on your prosperity!"
The lady boss just waved her hand nonchalantly and said, "Go and get busy."
Lin Quansheng went out happily, and when he came back he was carrying a lot of bags, his hands were full. He didn't even have time to take out the key to open the door, so he had to kick the door lightly twice.
Aunt Zhang, who heard the noise and came to open the door, stared at him in amazement. "You went to buy supplies? You bought so many dishes. There are only four of us adults for dinner. How can we finish them all?"
"The vegetables and fruits in the supermarket are not only diverse but also look very fresh. I wanted to try this and that, and I accidentally bought too much." Lin Quansheng smiled. "But it doesn't matter if I can't finish them. They will stay fresh in the refrigerator."
Aunt Chen agreed, "That's right. Such an expensive refrigerator should be used more often."
After saying that, he reached out to help Lin Quansheng carry things, and the two began to sort out the fruits and vegetables that would not be used today so that they could be put in the refrigerator to keep them fresh as soon as possible.
Liu Suqin also came over with her daughter, who was full of energy after her nap, and then said to Lin Quansheng, "You look so hot and sweaty. There's some soda in the refrigerator. It's been there for a few hours, so it should be cool. Have something cold to cool down."
"Okay, I'll finish preparing the dishes first." Lin Quansheng finished his work in one go, and his task for the day was completely completed. He opened a bottle of ice-cold soda from the refrigerator, collapsed on the sofa, and began to enjoy the good life that even gods would not exchange for.
Next it was Liu Suqin's turn to be on stage. She put the lively little one on the sofa and let her flutter around on it. Of course, she also moved a few stools over to surround the edge. She asked Lin Quansheng to look after the baby for a while, and then she and Aunt Chen went into the kitchen to prepare dinner.
At the same time, Lin Nanjiang also successfully sent his friends out of the border, and then stepped on the brakes under their persuasion. Everyone jumped off the tricycle, waved goodbye to him with a smile, and then walked towards the factory in groups of three or two, arm in arm, talking and laughing.
Lin Nanjiang rode on his bike and watched them go away before turning back to the city. Because he did not take them to the factory and then back as planned, he arrived home much earlier. The sun had set, but it was not yet dark.
People living in the city seem to like turning on the lights before it gets dark. Lin Nanjiang noticed that the street lights on some streets were already on. When the car drove into his own community, he saw thousands of lights everywhere.
He began to look forward to what his home would look like at this moment, and couldn't help but speed up. When the car approached the building where his home was, he looked up and saw that the window that belonged to him was also lit with a warm light.
Lin Nanjiang quickly locked the car, took advantage of his long thighs, took two steps at a time and climbed the stairs, and in the blink of an eye he reached the third floor.
But when he stood at the door of his house, he saw that the door in front of him was ajar, and the light leaking from inside illuminated the entire dim corridor.
Lin Nanjiang suddenly lost the urgency he had just felt to return home.
Standing outside the house with the door specially left open for him, he smelled the unique aroma of the hometown dishes in his memory. It was his lover cooking for him; in the living room, he could also faintly hear the voice of a man deliberately picking up food and the crisp and pleasant laughter of a child. It was his brother playing with his little baby.
At this moment, as if all his desires were satisfied, Lin Nanjiang felt unprecedented peace and calmness in his heart, because he already had the happiest home and the best family. They were his most solid support in the world, so that he no longer had any worries and could calmly face any challenges in life.
Lin Nanjiang was lost in thought and stood outside the door for a long time with a silly smile on his face that betrayed his intelligence. He was discovered by someone inside the house. "What are you doing standing outside like an idiot?"
"Nothing." Lin Nanjiang finally came back to his senses. Just as he was about to stride into the house, his good brother stopped him again. "Aunt Zhang just mopped the floor this afternoon. Change into a pair of slippers before coming in."
Lin Nanjiang also noticed the new sandals placed at the door. As he bent down to change his shoes, he sighed to his buddy, "I just came back and saw the door you left open for me. The smell of food wafted from the kitchen, and I heard the sound of you making Fangfang laugh. I don't know why, but my chest suddenly felt full. I didn't want to do anything but watch you quietly."
"Of course not. You have a lovely wife and young children now, and you live in such a spacious and decent house. Your life is so wonderful. This is the lifelong dream of many men." Lin Quansheng said, with the same envy and yearning on his face.
Lin Nanjiang smiled with a worthless look on his face, "Hehe."
"Isn't this all the result of your hard work?" Liu Suqin, who came out of the kitchen carrying dishes, happened to hear this conversation and praised him without hesitation, "Okay, great contributor, go wash your hands quickly, dinner is about to start."
Lin Nanjiang was already in a state of high spirits, and after being praised by his wife, he became even more elated. He was already drunk before even drinking the wine, but he did not forget to listen to his wife and went to the bathroom to wash his hands and also washed his face with clean water. When he came out, the table was already filled with sumptuous food.
Liu Suqin personally cooked hometown dishes today, and the main dish was a spicy one that was so spicy that it would kill you. Looking around, the table was all red, which made people feel cold in their anus.
But they had lived in Shenzhen for a long time, and their diet was more or less influenced by the locals, for example, a bowl of soup before meals. Liu Suqin took the lead in filling a bowl of soup and handed it to Lin Nanjiang, "You've all been working hard lately. Autumn is just around the corner, and Aunt Chen specially made a nourishing lotus root and duck soup. Here, the head of the family should drink first."
Lin Nanjiang was coaxed into a trance and sat down at the main seat. Fangfang, who was being held by Lin Quansheng and spinning around the dining table, seemed to have sensed the signal for dinner and began to babble, trying to attract everyone's attention.
Aunt Zhang looked up and said softly, "Fangfang has some too. I made some steamed eggs especially for you today."
Lin Nanjiang's emotions were fully realized at this moment. He consciously assumed the responsibility of being the head of the family. He immediately extended his hand and said, "I'll hold Fangfang. Let's all go to the table and eat."
Liu Suqin also served soup to everyone and sat down to Lin Nanjiang's left, also smiling and greeting them, "Yes, eat it while it's hot."
Lin Quansheng sat down on the other side of Lin Nanjiang and said with a smile, "I've been smelling the aroma of food for a long time. I've been hungry for a long time."
Aunt Zhang was a little hesitant. "How about I go downstairs and take care of Fangfang first and feed her some egg custard?"
"No need, her father is taking care of her. Besides, I'm watching right here." Liu Suqin waved to Aunt Zhang, "Come and sit down. The soup is getting cold."
If the lunch was lively and exciting, then this dinner was warm and cozy.
They all had the habit of not talking while eating or sleeping. They sat together and chatted while eating, and the atmosphere was warm and harmonious.
It was just a bit too routine, everyone was immersed in eating. The more spicy the food was, the more Lin Nanjiang and Lin Quansheng sweated, and the more they couldn't stop eating. Even Aunt Zhang couldn't help but continue to rinse the vegetables with boiled water while sizzling.
She thought she had taken the aunt's taste into consideration. The steamed sea fish, garlic prawns, blanched Chinese cabbage and steamed eggs on the table were obviously prepared for Aunt Zhang. She didn't expect that Aunt Zhang was such a person with a strong addiction to food.
It was the first day of moving into the new house, and also the first meal they had as a "family" in the true sense of the word in their new home. Liu Suqin still wanted to add some sense of ceremony, so she went to get some wine from the refrigerator.
This wine is the rice wine she and Aunt Zhang brewed themselves.
In Liu Suqin's hometown, they brew some glutinous rice wine during festivals. Apart from having a few drinks occasionally, it is mostly used for cooking. Country people are reluctant to spend money on cooking wine, and homemade rice wine is also a good tool for enhancing fragrance and removing fishy smell. Dishes cooked with rice wine not only have a unique flavor, but also leave a hint of mellow sweetness, which can just neutralize the spiciness and make it less irritating to eat.
After all, some of their hometown dishes are so spicy that they make them cry, but they still show off their love for them.
When Liu Suqin was a child, she watched her mother and grandmother making wine. They focused on not wasting anything. Even the leftover lees could be fried and eaten with rice. If they couldn't finish it, they could feed the pigs and chickens. They were all rare and good things.
Of course, she and Aunt Zhang were not so frugal when making wine. They put a separate can of wine in when bottling it, and made some extra wine lees fish to eat with rice. The rest of the wine lees were thrown away.
Since she started making her own wine, Liu Suqin sometimes has wine-fermented meatballs and rice wine eggs for breakfast, which is simple and delicious.
However, if she comes into contact with rice wine or fermented glutinous rice during breastfeeding, she should be careful not to breastfeed her child within two hours.
In her previous life, Liu Suqin didn't dare to touch these things that might be bad for her children, but it wasn't easy for her to be reborn, and she figured out a lot of things. Sometimes being good to yourself is also good for everyone.
Just like she just wants to eat fermented glutinous rice, not dragon liver and phoenix marrow, why must she put herself in such a difficult position? Fangfang can make milk powder or add complementary foods, and she won't be hungry even if she drinks breast milk at night.
Liu Suqin decisively poured everyone a glass of wine, "Let's drink a glass first, and keep living in harmony and laughter like this in the future. Of course, I also wish us all a happy life, lots of money, and the ability to buy cars and houses!"
"Cheers!" Four glass wine glasses clinked together, making a crisp sound, and then everyone drank it up in one gulp.
After drinking the cool, sweet rice wine, the dryness caused by the spiciness immediately dissipated, and a refreshing feeling spread from the top of his head to his toes. Lin Quansheng sighed to his brothers, "I've been drinking this homemade rice wine since I was a child. It's not that it was not delicious before, but this is the first time I've had it chilled, and I didn't expect it to taste so good. It's even better than those expensive sodas. This refrigerator is really worth the money!"
Lin Nanjiang nodded in agreement, reaching out to add some wine to each of their glasses. The two good brothers clinked glasses alone, "That's why money is a good thing. Before we had money, we imagined how rich people lived their daily lives, and we could only think of lavish meals. Who knew that rich people enjoyed so many good things, including food, clothing, housing, transportation, and every aspect of life. In the end, they still had to work hard to make money. Now we are just getting by."
Lin Quansheng smiled very contentedly, "Okay, I'll follow you guys from now on. If you two eat the meat, I'll always have a sip of the soup."
"You can't just hang around with me forever. When you save enough money, you can open your own shop and be your own boss."
"Opening a shop and becoming a boss? I can't even afford a house. Those are too far away, and I don't have your ability. Anyway, even if I can help you out in this life, it will be a thousand times better than my previous job in the factory. I am very satisfied."
Lin Nanjiang didn't take it seriously and kept teasing his good friend that he was just talking nicely now, but after he got married and had kids, he would definitely cry and shout about going out on his own.
But Liu Suqin was still very happy. Lin Quansheng was not the kind of person who talked nonsense. The fact that he could say this proved that he still had no idea of starting his own business, which meant that he could still work for them for a long time.
Ever since Lin Quansheng came to help, Liu Suqin truly felt the joy of being a boss's wife. She no longer had to worry about business matters and could just lie at home and count money every day. Her life was wonderful.
Although Lin Quansheng's salary was far higher than the market rate, it was even harder to find a truly reliable and trustworthy employee these days. It was no big deal if money could be used to retain people. As long as Lin Quansheng was willing to work for them for his whole life, it was not impossible for Liu Suqin to buy him a car and a house.
It's a pity that this is just something we can think about, so it might as well keep the person for a while longer.
So when Liu Suqin heard that Lin Quansheng was very satisfied with the current situation, she was overjoyed and raised her glass to him. "Brother Quansheng, don't underestimate yourself. You have advantages that others can't match, such as hard work, diligence, and meticulousness. Nanjiang is not as good as you in these aspects. Most importantly, you are very good at making a living. With such a careful budget and willingness to work hard, it's only a matter of time before you buy a car and a house."
Lin Quansheng also raised his glass with a smile on his face, "Thank you, sister-in-law, for your good wishes."
Just as they were happily toasting, they suddenly heard a crisp "click". Liu Suqin looked over and saw Lin Nanjiang, who was sitting at the table, put down his chopsticks and looked at her with a pouty expression, "Wife, you haven't even clinked glasses with me yet, why are you drinking with someone else first?"
Liu Suqin: ...
It's just a few words of flattery, but this guy really took it too far and thinks he's the center of the universe.
Lin Quansheng also felt that it was an eyesore, and suddenly wondered if he had been too careless. Following his good buddies, he would probably have enough food and drink in the future, but he might also catch this habit of making trouble wherever he went.
For the first time in his life, he experienced a similar feeling as "money is hard to earn and shit is hard to eat."
Playing is playing, but today is a happy day, and Liu Suqin didn't want to ruin the atmosphere, so she cooperated and coaxed, "Come on, come on, our family's respected pillar and great contributor. Without your efforts, we wouldn't have the comfortable life we have now. I solemnly toast you a glass here, husband. You must keep up the good work and create more brilliance in the future!"
Lin Nanjiang was coaxed into submission in an instant, and drank the toast happily. He then poured wine for himself and his wife, "Wife, I want to toast you too. You are the backbone of the family, directing the direction of our progress."
The atmosphere became more and more lively. Lin Quansheng also joined in the fun and toasted Aunt Zhang to thank her for washing clothes and cooking for them, and for taking such meticulous care of Fangfang.
When they clinked glasses, Liu Suqin and Lin Nanjiang also came over to clink glasses. "Yes, Aunt Zhang is also a very important member. She allows us to do business without any worries! In short, this family can't be without anyone."
Aunt Zhang had never been valued so much before. For a moment, her face turned red and she was at a loss. But as the wine passed through her throat, an unprecedented light lit up in her eyes.
The meal was very enjoyable.
After eating and drinking, several people cleaned up the table and kitchen together. They were quick and efficient, and each did their job. Soon the huge house was restored to its previous spotless state. It was just past seven o'clock.
Although she was busy from morning to night without a break, Liu Suqin felt that she still had endless energy and couldn't rest at all, perhaps because she was in high spirits due to good things.
Moreover, she saw that her daughter was also full of energy, with her big eyes rolling around from time to time, as if the excitement of moving to a new home had also infected the little one. Liu Suqin wanted to take her downstairs for a walk, and also take a walk around the community to let the child see the environment in which she would live in the future.
After all, the kindergartens and primary schools nearby are really good, so if nothing unexpected happens, their family will live here for at least a dozen years.
Maybe even more than that. When Fangfang enters junior high school, her younger brother will also be enrolled soon.
Liu Suqin also invited several people to go for a walk.
"Let's go." Lin Nanjiang and Lin Quansheng responded immediately. Even Aunt Chen wiped her hands, quite tempted. "If you want to live here for a long time, you really should go around more."
Liu Suqin: "Then let's all go. It's a good opportunity to get to know the neighbors."
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