Chapter 13 Ambition
Yao Weimin started work ahead of schedule and helped Wu Peng tidy up the junk in the yard.
"Weimin, you always listen to your sister, doing whatever she tells you to do." He never listens to his parents like that.
"That's right. My sister said that if I help you with your work, she'll give me five yuan. She's paying out of her own pocket to let me do your work. How generous of her! You absolutely have to sell that broken sewing machine to my sister cheaply. Don't be a jerk."
So that's how it is. No wonder this kid listened to his sister so much, like a lackey; it turns out he was bribed with money. Wu Peng smiled slightly, "That's right, I'm not that heartless. You heard it yourself, I just asked for the cost price."
Yao Fanghua was repairing a sewing machine inside the house. The stove next to her was filled with plenty of coal briquettes, and the flames leaped up, making her face glow red.
As Wu Peng removed the table legs from his hands, he stole glances at Yao Fanghua.
"Did your sister sell that watch to a foreigner?"
"How did you know?" Yao Weimin asked in surprise, then quickly covered his mouth.
"Hmph, only foreigners would buy such an expensive watch." Foreigners have plenty of money and don't care about a few pennies, so it's easy to make money off them. It's so expensive, only rich people can afford it. Foreigners are often seen at overseas Chinese stores, so selling to them is the easiest thing. Good heavens, he wants to make money off foreigners too. "Your sister speaks English?"
Yao Weimin was proud, "My sister is amazing, isn't she? She speaks that bird language so fluently."
Wu Peng sighed deeply. His family was full of highly educated people, but he, from a young age, disliked reading and would always fall asleep when he tried. It was unreasonable for someone from a cultured family to be practically illiterate, but beatings and scoldings were useless; he simply couldn't concentrate and didn't want to learn. Now, however, to earn money, he's genuinely decided to study and wants to learn English. He wondered if his parents and grandparents, if they knew this from beyond the grave, would be pleased.
After fixing the sewing machine, Yao Fanghua went to repair the television. She didn't have much experience with electrical appliances, but she had visited several appliance factories, including those that produced televisions, refrigerators, and washing machines. She had examined each of these products step-by-step, and knew their internal structures by heart.
A smell of burning wires wafted from the room. Wu Peng and Yao Weimin both smelled it. They saw Yao Fanghua burning something in the stove, which looked like copper wire. Then she used that thing to light a board behind the TV.
Soon, the hissing sound of a television came from inside the room. Yao Fanghua quickly changed the channel, and a picture appeared on the small black and white television.
Upon hearing the television set turn on inside, Yao Weimin rushed in.
Wu Peng sighed deeply, wondering if he should actually take over the housework and cook. These were things men were supposed to do; he should be the one fixing things up inside!
Yao Fanghua's hands are so beautiful! They're really valuable, he loves them to death!! Then look at his own rough, big hands, he's not even fit to cook soup for her!
But he has hands that can collect scrap, and she can repair it—it's a match made in heaven. Wu Peng became happy again. He was determined to stick with her no matter what.
Wu Peng reached under his bed and pulled out a box filled with broken jade pieces: broken bracelets, broken jade pendants, hairpins, thumb rings, and more. Holding the box, Wu Peng knew it was his gift to his new apprentice.
Yao Weimin brought Yao Fanghua water to wash her hands and tea, while showering her with flattery, acting like a sycophantic lackey.
Wu Peng stood at the door, holding the box, and secretly scoffed. Yao Weimin, that bastard, has raised the bar for currying favor way too high!
Is he going in? Or is he going in? The bugle call to charge has been silenced by this bastard.
Wu Peng closed his eyes. He had been to prison and was now collecting scraps. What did he have to be ashamed of? It was just a matter of becoming an apprentice! He wanted to be like Sun Wukong in the opera, and once he learned his skills, he would shake the world!
Wu Peng held a box of broken jade pieces, explained the reason, and looked at Yao Fanghua expectantly.
"You want to learn English?" Yao Fanghua fiddled with the broken jade pieces; she really liked them. This bracelet could be repaired, this could be turned into a ring or earring, and this could be carved into a pendant.
"Mmm mmm mmm mmm."
"Sure. But that's too formal. If you're willing to learn, just come find me, and we'll improve together." She'd teach, but she wouldn't guarantee whether you'd put in the effort or learn.
Wu Peng didn't take the money for the television and sewing machine; he considered it a holiday gift for his teacher, Yao Fanghua. He'd just said he wanted to become her student, and now he was asking for money? What teacher would be happy about that? Anyway, he hadn't spent much money on them, so he saved on holiday gift expenses. Thinking about it, he could always use his junk to get money from Yao Fanghua, which was essentially making money indirectly.
Since that was the case, Yao Fanghua didn't stand on ceremony and had Yao Weimin pick out a camphor wood chest and a jewelry box from the yard, and load them onto the tricycle along with the sewing machine and television set.
Wu Peng and Yao Weimin, one pedaling and the other pushing, with Yao Fanghua pushing the bicycle beside them, the three of them slowly walked towards the Yao family home.
People would occasionally come out of the alley to watch the excitement. The Yao family had acquired two big new items, how could that not be exciting? Exciting as it was, it also made them feel a little envious. They pursed their lips and thought that the Yao couple were really enjoying the blessings of their children.
Li Chunying laughed heartily in the yard, circling around the sewing machine and television set, complaining about the money spent while instructing Yao Weimin and Wu Peng to be careful as they carried the equipment downstairs.
The sewing machine was moved directly into Li Chunying's house. The television was left in the yard, where everyone gathered to watch. Once the television was plugged in and started playing, the yard became even more lively.
Last year, the Yu family and the Yao family both got televisions, and the courtyard became quite lively.
The Yao family's television set looked a little smaller than the Yu family's, but that didn't affect the liveliness of the event.
Tomorrow is the first day of the Lunar New Year, and there's a variety show tonight. Many people are urging Yao Weimin to put the TV in the yard so everyone can watch it together. Yao Weimin just smiles and doesn't say anything.
Hearing everyone's compliments, Yao Deyi responded with "good" and immediately instructed Yao Weimin to move the table so that he could put the television under the windowsill.
Yao Fangyuan had already moved a small stool and was ready to sit in front of the TV.
Li Chunying was overjoyed and felt a sense of pride. She didn't care about the small amount of electricity; it was just one night's electricity bill. The Yu family and her older brother's family had managed the same way back then, and she couldn't let herself appear stingy!
"Hua Hua, what do you want to eat tonight? Mom will make it for you." Li Chunying was so touched that she almost wiped away tears, and she specially ran up to Yao Fanghua to ask her what she wanted to eat.
"It's free," Li Chunying added, biting her lip as she said, "It'll never be free again!" Then, a hint of regret and remorse crossed her face; she'd acted impulsively.
Yao Fanghua smiled, pretending not to know. "How about steamed buns? I see we have some ready-made, let's just heat them up. If the vegetables aren't good, let Yuanyuan cook them." This child is generous with oil and meat.
Yao Fangyuan's eyes lit up when she heard this. Her sister had given the order, and there was sure to be money to be made.
Li Chunying quickly waved her hand to refuse, "No need, no need, just let her do the dishes, Mom will cook. It'll be delicious."
Yao Fangyuan shrugged and shrank back, continuing to sit and watch TV.
Li Chunying had just secretly asked Yao Weimin how much it cost, and Yao Weimin said it was a gift from Wu Peng. Li Chunying didn't believe him; even if it was junk, it would definitely cost money, and it would be worth even more if it were repaired. It wasn't until Yao Weimin said that this time he really didn't charge money, but that Wu Peng wanted to learn from Yao Fanghua and said it was for tuition fees, that Li Chunying believed him.
Since she hadn't spent any money, she found Wu Peng particularly pleasing to the eye and invited him to stay for dinner.
Wu Peng didn't stand on ceremony at all, thanked her without a word of refusal, and then washed his hands before following Yao Fanghua into her room.
Li Chunying muttered to herself, "That brat is quite the social butterfly."
"It's just a secondhand one, what's there to be so proud of? Why make such a big fuss?" Bai Hui sat in the room listening to the commotion at the Yao family's place, feeling annoyed and irritated. That eldest daughter of the Yao family is quite something. She only said one thing in the morning, and by the afternoon she'd gotten her mother a sewing machine. Ha, and then her family wants to buy a washing machine too. If you're so capable, buy one too. And if you're even more capable, buy a refrigerator too. Let's see how capable and how much money you have, you brat.
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