Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Travel.
Second Aunt Liu proudly explained that the new slippers in the house were all hand-crocheted by her mother and sisters. Every stitch was a token of their joy and blessings for her building a new house in town. As she spoke, she led them upstairs and pointed at the polished floor. She smiled and said, "Yuting, ever since she came back from your place this summer, has been constantly talking about how great my aunt's house is. She's a bit of a mouthful, but at least she's let us know a little about what life is like in the city. It turns out that people in big cities all have wooden floors or smooth ceramic tiles. And, while these tiles are bare and don't have the beautiful patterns of terrazzo, when laid on the floor and the furniture is arranged, the whole house looks simple, elegant, and bright. It's much nicer than the gaudy houses downstairs."
"Anyway, we don't know anything. It's always a good idea to learn from you people in the big cities." Second Aunt Liu concluded, then turned to Liu Suqin as if presenting a treasure. "My mom and eldest sister had a lot of free time, so they sent us over a dozen pairs of slippers. We couldn't wear them all, so we kept a few with the nicest colors and patterns. Suqin, you can take them back to Shenzhen. I heard you often have friends over? Having extra slippers is perfect for entertaining guests."
Liu Suqin was visiting her second brother's house, which was more spacious and beautiful than she remembered. She was feeling relieved, but suddenly she heard her second sister-in-law's instructions and was at a loss.
Every time they come back to celebrate the holidays, they always carry large and small bags of farm specialties back to the city, but now they even carry hand-woven slippers?
Liu Suqin was unwilling to accept it. The local specialties were fine, but the bacon in particular was especially delicious. After being slowly smoked with firewood for a whole winter, its aroma and taste could not be compared to the bacon dried outside in the sun.
So when friends and relatives sent her homemade smoked bacon and sausages, she never refused them and took as much as they gave her. There were many people eating at home, so she didn't worry about not being able to finish the food.
Besides, Uncle Chen, Li Liang and other friends from other places also gradually fell in love with this dish under their influence. After sharing some with their friends, it was still not enough.
But there is no need to bring back slippers, which are commonly found in supermarkets, from home, right?
Liu Suqin was hesitating about how to refuse so that her second sister-in-law would give up the idea without feeling betrayed. However, before she could form her words, Qian Juxiang had already made the decision for her. "Okay, the slippers I make are sturdy and warm, and they look more durable than the ones you buy outside. I'll bring a few pairs over when the time comes."
Second Sister Liu really wanted to send it off, and seeing that her mother-in-law accepted it without hesitation, she was only happy and said with a smile, "Okay, I'll help you pack it up when the time comes."
When Liu Suqin saw that her mother was going to do it for her and she didn't have to bother with the heavy packing, she accepted the kindness with ease.
After visiting the living room and bedroom upstairs, as well as the toilet and shower room which had a layout similar to that of the finely decorated ones in the city, everyone returned to the first floor and roasted themselves by the fire while cracking peanuts and sunflower seeds.
Brother Liu Er had just officially moved to the town and was still getting used to the neighbors. He wasn't as comfortable as he was in the village, so the house was a little quieter than in previous years. Everyone sat around the fire and chatted, and then started preparing the New Year's Eve dinner.
The children were not affected at all. There were more children of the same age in the town than in the village, and they had more fun playing. Liu Qiang and Liu Yuting, brother and sister, took their two children and quickly became friends with the children in the town. They were like fish entering the sea and disappeared in an instant.
It was just getting dark, and the newly built round dining table in Liu Erge's house was already filled with sumptuous food, but the children were still nowhere to be found. Liu Ping followed his second brother to call for them, and the two brothers ran two blocks before they found them.
The whole family was reunited, and the host, Brother Liu, personally lit ten thousand firecrackers.
In the countryside, firecrackers of this size are generally used for large-scale happy events such as weddings. During the New Year, firecrackers usually have 500 to 1,000 bangs. Brother Liu spent a huge amount of money to buy a firecracker with 10,000 bangs, which shows how much he values setting up the New Year's Eve dinner in his new home.
After lighting the fuse, Brother Liu covered his ears and quickly ran home to close the door, listening to the crackling sound of firecrackers outside with his family.
The sound of firecrackers lasted for several minutes, as if it had triggered some signal. As soon as it stopped, firecrackers were heard from all directions. So the door was never opened. The lights in the room were turned on early, and the family sat in the spacious living room, toasting each other and spending a lively and harmonious New Year accompanied by the sound of fireworks and firecrackers.
Liu Suqin and Lin Nanjiang also brought two boxes of fireworks. After eating and drinking, it was completely dark, and the family climbed to the rooftop platform to set off the fireworks.
Standing on the endless rooftop, looking up at the fireworks exploding into gorgeous flowers in the night, and finally turning into shooting stars across the sky, the picture is beautiful.
It was the first time for the children in the family to participate in such an activity. They were so excited that they forgot themselves. They stretched their necks to look at the sky, screamed, stamped their feet, cheered and jumped for joy, and were extremely excited.
Although the adults behaved very reservedly, their actions of looking up for a long time revealed their joy and excitement.
Seeing that the atmosphere was right, Lin Nanjiang took the lead in giving the children New Year's money. The others were also prepared and started to empty their pockets.
After playing with the brilliant fireworks, they immediately received another thick stack of red envelopes. The children were almost going crazy with joy. Little Fangfang followed suit and shouted along with her brothers and sisters. When she went downstairs, her little voice was hoarse from shouting.
After being exposed to the cold wind on the roof for half an hour, everyone's excitement wore off. They rubbed their hands and stamped their feet in cold and hurried downstairs to warm themselves by the fire.
The children were full of energy and soon warmed up again. They couldn't sit still any longer and started running around in the rooms. Liu Yuting even pestered her parents, asking, "Auntie's house has a nice TV. When are we going to buy one?"
It’s not appropriate to curse during Chinese New Year, so Liu Ersao replied affectionately, “You look like a TV to me!”
Second Brother Liu patted his daughter's head with a good temper. "Didn't you say you would listen to your aunt, study hard, get into university, and live in a big city in the future? We bought a TV, but your mind isn't on studying, so how can you expect to get into university? Mom and Dad didn't buy you a TV because it's for your own good."
The little girl, who is only in the second grade and has no diploma yet, was successfully fooled. She almost swore to the sky that she would study hard and make progress every day to live up to her parents' hard work.
Of course, only children would believe this reason. The adults present all knew that there was only one reason why Liu Erge's family did not buy a TV - they were short of money.
Building this house not only drained the couple's family savings, but also left them with a lot of foreign debts. It is estimated that it will take three to five years to pay off all the debts. The bulk of the money came from Qian Juxiang and Liu Laogen. The old couple worked in Shenzhen and had higher incomes than them. They had no place to spend the money at the moment, so they could put it aside and pay it back slowly.
However, Brother Liu Er still wanted to pay back the part he borrowed from his elder brother, younger brothers, master and father-in-law within one or two years, as he could never be sure when they would need money.
Therefore, they have no plans to buy a TV in the past two years.
The absence of a TV doesn't mean there's no entertainment. Mrs. Liu found a few brand new decks of playing cards from the drawer and invited everyone to play. Adults and children each had a table and were having fun.
After playing until around nine o'clock, Liu Suqin and Lin Nanjiang asked to leave, but were pulled back by everyone and tried to persuade them to stay.
Second Brother Liu and his family prepared guest rooms in advance, and even eldest Brother Liu agreed to let his family stay in the town for a few days. Naturally, he was sincere in wanting to keep his sister and her family.
However, it was convenient for Liu Suqin and her family to drive, and it only took more than an hour to get back to her husband's house from the town, so she didn't want to disturb them too much. After some arguing, she drove back to the Lin family with her family members watching her go.
The road was too dark at night, so for safety reasons, Lin Nanjiang slowed down the car. It was almost eleven o'clock when he got home, but his brothers were still warming themselves by the fire and chatting in the living room of Lin's father and mother. The couple also went to the living room with the sleeping little Fangfang in their arms to say hello, saying that they would go back to their room to settle the child first, and then come over to celebrate the New Year together.
Gently placing his daughter, who was sleeping like a piglet, on the bed, Lin Nanjiang suddenly sighed, "If Yuting hadn't pestered her parents to buy a TV, I wouldn't have realized that there's no TV in my hometown. My parents can only find someone to eat sunflower seeds and chat during the New Year, which is a bit lonely. Isn't it time to buy them a TV?"
Liu Suqin was quietly changing her daughter into pajamas. While directing Lin Nanjiang to fetch some hot water for washing, she chimed in, "You're already Mr. Lin, a man who can afford a car, yet you're not even willing to buy a TV for your parents, let alone building bridges and roads for your hometown. That's really outrageous."
"Then let's get a color TV for my parents next year?" Lin Nanjiang touched his chin and thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Well, I don't know for sure if they'll be back next year. They might even be away for the New Year. I think the climates of the islands, the port city, and Yun Province are all very suitable for a New Year's holiday."
When Liu Suqin heard him mention Hong Kong Island, she was also quite looking forward to it.
Their first trip to Hong Kong Island was quite tight on money, so they had to spend lavishly. Now, a year later, they have plenty of cash flow. Although they can't spend money without blinking, at least they won't be in the embarrassing situation of spending without restraint and almost maxing out their credit cards.
So she rekindled her confidence to go shopping in Hong Kong.
More importantly, this shows that they are getting better every year. Such days are really promising. Thinking this way, Liu Suqin would not deny Lin Nanjiang's proposal. Instead, she actively started thinking of a solution. "It doesn't matter whether we come back or not. We can just send money. Then we can let our parents choose the brand and model they like. It can be regarded as our filial piety and compensation."
Lin Nanjiang thought there was nothing wrong with it, but he adjusted his plan. "If I just give the money to my parents, they'll definitely be reluctant to spend it. I'll save it all up. Or I'll give the money to my eldest brother, second brother, or second sister, and let them take my parents to choose."
Liu Suqin immediately gave him a thumbs up and praised him for being thoughtful. It was a good thing that the old man was reluctant to spend money. He was just afraid that they would be cheated outside. Letting Brother Lin and Sister Lin participate was the safest way.
With the affirmation from his wife, Lin Nanjiang became more motivated and confident, telling her not to worry, that he would take care of all these things.
Liu Suqin looked trusting. "If I don't trust you, who else can I trust? Not only in buying the TV, but also in discussing partnership matters with my fourth brother and brother-in-law, you can make the decision yourself."
Lin Nanjiang's first reaction after suddenly being freed was not surprise, but a little aggrieved. "What, wife, you don't care about me anymore?"
Liu Suqin: ...
"I'm not, I don't. I clearly have absolute confidence in you."
"But I'm not sure about myself." Lin Nanjiang tried to act coquettish, but Liu Suqin just shook her goosebumps in a nonchalant manner and pointed out, "No, you do."
Unable to tease, absolutely impossible to tease, Lin Nanjiang gradually returned to normal, raised his eyebrows and asked with a smile, "Wife, do you trust me so much now?"
"At first, I didn't take it seriously, thinking it was just a small thing. But after listening to your calculations, I realized how ignorant I was before. This is clearly a very good business strategy. It makes money quickly with little trouble. It's a one-time expense, and you can just wait to collect the money later. As long as it's managed well and the partners don't play dirty, this investment will definitely have a much higher return than the houses and shops I bought."
Lin Nanjiang hadn't expected his wife to speak so highly of him. He felt a little embarrassed by the compliment. "I, I just stumbled upon this by accident and suddenly discovered that long-distance passenger transportation is so profitable. Coincidentally, my brother is a driver, so we're all doing this as a family partnership, so it's a good deal. You're right about the high rate of return, but the risks are also high. Anything can happen on the road, so a house or shop is the safest bet."
Liu Suqin smiled. "Don't be so modest in front of me. You say you're lucky, a blind cat catching a dead mouse, but over the years, many people from your hometown and outside have approached you to invest and do business. Some of them make exaggerated promises, as if they'll miss out on a hundred million if they don't join. Some people play the emotional card and speak touchingly, but you never give in and remain unmoved. Is this also based on luck? Besides, you want to help your family. The fourth brother and brother-in-law were officially hired two years ago and started driving long distances last year. They have experience and connections. You can help them go out on their own at any time. Investing in trucks is much cheaper than this large sleeper bus, but you would rather let them run long-distance passenger transport instead of the nearby one. It's probably because the accounts of passenger transport are relatively clear and can better protect the interests of this investment, right?"
"So, if you've taken all aspects into consideration and are helping the family develop without harming our own interests, then what do I have to worry about? Just go for it with confidence."
"Oh, if you insist on saying that, then I have no choice but to accept the compliment." Lin Nanjiang said with a look of reluctance, but in fact, every word touched his heart, making him so happy that the corners of his mouth were almost flying to the sky, which was the best proof. "But you missed a key point. My greatest skill is my unique vision. I found the most beautiful, intelligent, and understanding wife in the world. Without your guidance and support, I wouldn't be where I am today..."
As he spoke, it seemed as if he could no longer control the emotions surging in his heart, and he hugged her from behind and tried to make out with her.
Liu Suqin had just finished tidying up her daughter and stuffed the sweet and soft little girl into the quilt. Before she could stand up straight, she was ambushed. She pushed him away and said angrily, "Don't be so annoying. We're waiting for you to play mahjong in the main hall. We're short one person."
Lin Nanjiang knew that although his wife asked him to play mahjong, she actually wanted to play it herself. Because she was busy with work, it was rare for her to get together with familiar card players, and she didn't like to go to the kind of chess and card rooms where there were all kinds of people and smoke. She could only indulge herself during the New Year when she returned to her hometown.
Besides, the villagers only play for a few cents, the chips are small, and they don’t feel bad whether they win or lose, so they can play with confidence.
However, he saw through it but didn't say anything. He buried his head in his wife's neck, took a deep breath, and then let go. He held her hand instead, and the couple quietly turned off the lights and went out, returning to the main room next door.
The mahjong table had been set up, and there was one seat missing. Liu Suqin naturally sat in the last seat, while Lin Nanjiang stood behind her with his arms folded, watching the game.
When the others saw this tacit understanding, they stopped talking. Anyway, everyone was there, so they started to build the Great Wall in a lively manner.
There is one advantage of being a couple: there is nothing to do during the first month of the year, so once they sit at the card table, they won't leave easily. It is common for them to play until midnight or even all night long. But Liu Suqin doesn't want to stay up like this with them. She will play until midnight at the latest, then give her seat to Lin Nanjiang and go to bed contentedly.
Basking in the sun during the day, listening to gossip, and playing mahjong at night, life in the countryside during the New Year celebrations is so simple and unpretentious.
Liu Suqin had so much fun that she didn't want to leave, but she had no regrets when the day came to leave. Xiao Fangfang was still reluctantly saying goodbye to her elders and brothers and sisters. She had already packed her luggage, got in the car, and left without a carefree attitude.
Xiao Fangfang is a child who grew up with love. She is also very good at expressing her feelings and reluctance. It seems like a switch is installed in her body, and she can control her emotions freely. As her parents drove the car to a completely unfamiliar direction, she was left with only anticipation and yearning for the destination. She leaned on the backrest of the car and kept asking what fun things there were in Lushan and whether it was the same as described in the poems. She has been reciting ancient poems with her brothers and sisters obediently these days.
By the end of the conversation, the only sound left in the carriage was the clear and pleasant recitation of the children.
Lin Nanjiang was driving. Liu Suqin turned from the passenger seat and watched the child recite a poem with great posture. After each poem was finished, she clapped and cheered, "You recited it beautifully! This little darling is amazing! Any more?"
The child was lost in his mother's praise. He racked his brains and recited one song after another, and then he fell asleep.
When she woke up, she had already arrived at her destination.
However, the mountain road was difficult to travel on, so they chose to park their car in the parking lot at the foot of the mountain, then picked up their luggage and took the scenic area bus up the mountain.
This was the right choice. The weather was fine at the foot of the mountain, but it started snowing in the mountain that night when they went up. When they woke up, the outside was covered in snow, as if they had entered a fairy tale world of ice and snow. Xiao Fangfang, a little southern potato who had never seen snow, was shocked. She lay at the floor-to-ceiling window and stared out without blinking. Liu Suqin called her to brush her teeth and eat. After calling her several times, the little one reluctantly moved her face away from the glass window.
The roads were slippery due to the snow, so they didn't take the children to any tourist attractions. They had a buffet breakfast at the hotel, then dressed up and went outside to play in the snow, build snowmen, and take photos. At dinner time, they walked to the town center to eat and take photos.
Most of the time, they stayed in the warm hotel room. The three of them squeezed into the sofa next to the floor-to-ceiling window, quietly and attentively appreciating this fairy-tale world.
Having only been there for one day, Liu Suqin had not seen any of the magnificent peaks and waterfalls described in the poems, but she had already felt the extraordinary nature of this famous mountain, both ancient and modern, both in China and abroad.
The scenic area includes a township, and the villagers have been living and working in peace and contentment in the mountains, so it is not like other scenic spots that are only suitable for sightseeing. The atmosphere of life here is also very strong, the prices are relatively high but the supplies are complete.
Just imagine a scenic spot with magnificent natural scenery, buildings with a strong historical atmosphere, and villages with quiet life in the mountains. You can not only check in famous places of interest, but also experience a paradise and a life of returning to the countryside without having to worry about lowering your living standards. What a perfect place it is.
In short, Liu Suqin and her friends fell in love as soon as they reached the mountain.
The snow only lasted for one night, and the sky began to clear up in the afternoon of the next day. By the third day, the sky was as clear as if it had been washed by water. Most of the snow on the houses and treetops had melted, and the sunlight shone down, making everything seem to be shining with golden light.
Liu Suqin and her friends were finally going to the scenic spot. The spots were scattered far away, so they had to go to the town center first to wait for the sightseeing bus. They would pass by the street park. Standing on the cliff of the park, they could admire the villa complex below. The houses were scattered in an orderly manner, and occasionally a corner of the red or green roof was revealed under the cover of snow. It was as if they had accidentally entered another colorful fairy tale world, which once again stunned the children. They posed in many ways for their father to take pictures of them.
Of course Liu Suqin also likes this scenery.
They stayed in the mountains for five days, and spent the last two days soaking in the hot springs at the foot of the mountain. Soaking in the hot natural spring water swept away all the cold and fatigue in their bodies. Liu Suqin sighed comfortably, "Soaking in hot springs in winter is really a pleasure, but it's a bit damp and cold in the mountains. It's actually more suitable to come here in the summer to escape the heat."
Lin Nanjiang also enthusiastically agreed, "I think so too. Even great men like to come here to escape the summer heat. This shows that this place is truly a place of great feng shui and outstanding people. How about coming here for vacation in the summer?"
This time he visited the site of the Lushan Conference and the villa where the great man once lived. He felt the joy of successfully chasing his idol and wanted to follow in his idol's footsteps.
Liu Suqin wanted to nod, but she felt a little unwilling to give up when she thought of the many beautiful mountains and rivers of her motherland that she had yet to see. So she changed the subject and made an excuse, "Fangfang is still young. If we bring her to Lushan for the summer, she won't be able to feel the weight of history. Let's wait a few years, until she has studied ideology and politics, and then come here for the summer."
Lin Nanjiang was easily persuaded. "Okay, then let's go see the outside world first. We can make good plans for this summer vacation. Quansheng also wants to accompany his wife to visit her parents' home. We have plenty of time and can spend a few more days."
Liu Suqin glanced at the child splashing happily in the hot spring pool and nodded, "That's fine. This should be her last carefree summer vacation. Let's take her out for some fresh air."
Although Xiao Fangfang will still have no academic pressure during next summer vacation, her cruel parents have already decided to send her to interest classes next year.
Let her learn painting first, then gradually add interest courses in music and dance to see what she is interested in.
Oh, before you officially start school, you must also develop your English skills so as not to lose at the starting line.
Liu Suqin didn't want to push her child too hard before, but the conditions were there. As long as she thought about hiring a tutor to solve most of her problems, she couldn't control her urge to pay.
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