Chapter 116
The landlord soon appeared. She was an old lady with a kind face.
Knowing that they came from a faraway frontier and were military dependents, the old lady took the initiative to reduce the rent by five yuan, so that they only had to pay fifteen yuan. She also enthusiastically told them where to buy coal and grain, and where the nearest supply and marketing cooperatives, non-staple food stores, and shops were.
Yang Qiujin sent the old landlady away with great gratitude, and turned around and said to everyone, "There are only two rooms, how are so many of us going to sleep?"
Chen Tianyou said, "Mom, you sleep with dad and sister, grandma and grandmother sleep in one room, and I will sleep in the living room. Anyway, there is a sofa in the living room that can be used as a bed, so I will sleep there."
As the high school entrance exam was approaching, Chen Tianyou was afraid that his parents would not bring him to the capital for fun. Before coming to the capital, he specifically found Yang Qiujin and asked her to fulfill her promise to him, which was to take him to the capital for fun.
Yang Qiujin almost died of laughter. She had originally wanted to take her family to the capital for a trip, including Chen Tianyou. Without wasting any time, she readily asked the teacher for ten days' leave for Chen Tianyou. Throughout the trip, Chen Tianyou was exceptionally sensible and considerate.
Yang Qiujin was particularly pleased that the child was so sensible, "Okay, let's live like this."
My sister immediately ran to the master bedroom, threw herself onto the big pit bed unique to the north, and rolled around on the bed, laughing happily.
Chen Shengqing looked at Chen Tianyou, who was sitting on the sofa in the living room, fiddling with an old broken clock in the house. He said to Yang Qiujin with a bad taste in his heart: "How much money do we have left in our banknotes? If we have money, why don't we buy a house in the capital so that you and the children can live there? Even if we don't live there anymore, we can rent it out and make a lot of rent every month like our landlord does every year."
Yang Qiujin was moved by what she heard. She took out her bankbook and looked at it. "With only 3,000 yuan, can I buy a house in the capital?"
More than 3,000 yuan is definitely a huge sum of money in the eyes of most people, but it is still a little short of buying a house in the capital.
Chen Shengqing frowned and said, "You can buy a house, but if you can't buy a house in a good location, you can buy an old house in a remote area. If we want to buy a house, it's better to buy one in a good location, mainly for the convenience of you and the children."
"Why are you suddenly thinking of buying a house in the capital?" Yang Qiujin put down the passbook in her hand, and an idea flashed in her mind, "You don't feel sorry for Tianyou sleeping in the living room, do you? Don't you see that your fatherly love is not obvious? In order to make your son sleep more comfortably in the room, you actually want to spend a lot of money to buy a house in the capital. Don't forget that he has to go back to the border after playing with you for a week."
Chen Shengqing calmed Tianxing, who was jumping on the bed uncomfortably, and said, "We are going to play for a week, but when Tianyou has his summer vacation, he will come to the capital to live with you for two months. Otherwise, I am busy with work and there is no adult at home to take care of him. Are you comfortable leaving him alone at home?"
"He is twelve years old this year. He is already a half-grown child. Even if he is alone at home, he can take care of himself. What are you worried about?" Yang Qiujin looked at him and smiled silently.
Chen Shengqing turned away and said, "In a few days, we will go to Professor Cai's house and get the things they asked us to do. After I ask someone to sell it, we will have enough money to buy a courtyard house. It doesn't have to be too big, just enough for our family to live in."
Yang Qiujin packed her luggage nonchalantly and said, "Buy whatever you want."
Chen Shengqing rarely insisted on buying something, but when he insisted on buying a house in the capital, Yang Qiujin not only did not object, but also fully supported him.
In Yang Qiujin's eyes, money is a dead thing. Even if saving money is hard, even if it makes people feel distressed to spend all the money in the passbook at once, as long as Chen Shengqing does not spend money indiscriminately and uses the money for what she thinks is the right thing to do, she will support him.
Besides, she and Chen Shengqing were still young and could earn money. If they spent all their money, they could just save more. If they didn't buy something in time, they wouldn't have the same excitement when they wanted to buy it later.
Fortunately, they arrived in summer and the capital was not cold. The family simply spread the sheets they brought with them on the kang bed and covered themselves with a larger piece of clothing at night. They didn't even need a quilt and didn't feel cold.
Since we had just arrived in the capital and had been riding the train for three days and three nights, the whole family was very tired. We didn't rush out to play, but just had a good night's sleep at home to replenish our energy.
Early the next morning, Chen Shengqing asked someone to get some coal lumps. He used a hammer to hammer the coal lumps into powder in the yard. He then borrowed a beehive coal furnace grinder from his next-door neighbor to make beehive coal lumps.
Nowadays, people buy honeycomb coal to make their own products. There is no ready-made honeycomb coal for sale.
The neighbors next door are a couple born and raised in old Beijing, their surname is Niu.
When Grandpa Niu heard the knock on the door, he opened it and saw a handsome young man with a buzz cut who introduced himself, "Hello, Grandpa. I am your neighbor. I am from the Second Regiment of the Frontier Defense Department in Awa Prefecture, and my last name is Chen. My wife is the director of the Tianshan Farm in the frontier. Her last name is Yang. She will be studying at the Party School in the capital for half a year and will be living next door for a while. I knocked on your door to borrow your honeycomb coal grinder and to show you that we are a family. If there is anything inappropriate in our relationship in the future, please let us know and we will do our best to correct it."
"Ah, you are military officers from the border. I am so sorry for your disrespect." Master Niu smiled and led Chen Shengqing to the courtyard. "The border is a good place, but the conditions there are too harsh. It must be very hard for you to guard and build the border."
Chen Shengqing politely stepped into the yard and stood at the gate to avoid offending the old man. He smiled and said, "It's not hard. Protecting and building the border is what our generation should do."
Niu Daye's wife took out the beehive coal grinder and handed it to Chen Shengqing. She looked him up and down and said, "My boy, how old are you now? You are so handsome, like the handsome young men in the movies. You don't look like someone who has been exposed to the wind and sun in the frontier at all."
"Auntie, I'm already 36 years old, and I'll be 40 in a few years. I have my military officer ID with me, please take a look." Chen Shengqing also knew that if he walked out with this face, he would not be convincing, and others would not believe that he was from the border.
He brought his military ID with him and showed it to Mr. Niu and his wife. "It's windy and sunny there, and most people get tanned by the sun. My skin has been like this since I was a child, and I can't get tanned by the sun."
When Aunt Niu took the military officer's ID and looked at it, she saw the younger ID photo and the stamp of the frontier military region. She murmured in disbelief, "You are so old, but you still look like a young man in his early twenties. You can't judge a person by his appearance."
It happened that Yang Qiujin woke up, holding little Tianxing in her arms, followed by Chen Tianyou. The three of them walked to the door of their house to say hello.
When Aunt Niu saw the two children who looked 50% like Chen Shengqing, they had fair skin and delicate features. She immediately believed what Chen Shengqing said and said to him with a smile, "You are so lucky. Your wife is beautiful and as young as you, and each of your children is fairer and prettier than the other. People say that life in the border areas is hard, but I didn't expect your family to be so beautiful there."
Yang Qiujin smiled and said, "Auntie, the border areas are not just bare Gobi and yellow sand deserts. There are countless rivers, lakes and grasslands, and mountains and plains full of flowers and grass. The mountains are full of tall and beautiful maple trees, poplar trees and other trees. There are also countless fields planted with green crops and various sweet fruits. The border areas are very beautiful and very nutritious. You are welcome to visit the border areas when you have time."
Niu felt longing after hearing this: "It seems that I have stayed in this city for too long, and my mind is trapped here. I am biased. When my son and daughter-in-law are free, I will ask them to take me to the border to see the beautiful scenery of my motherland."
"Okay, when the time comes, Auntie, please remember to send us a telegram and we will come to greet you and take you to play with us, and do our best to show our hospitality as a good host."
"That's a good feeling."
After this conversation, Aunt Niu took a liking to Chen Shengqing's family. She also enthusiastically told the neighbors about the guests from afar, asking them to take better care of the family.
After a short while, a handful of green onions from one household and a handful of vegetables from another household were carried in without any utensils, filling up the Chen family's yard.
Wu Shulian sighed, "I thought people in this big city would look down on us country folk and wouldn't want to talk to us. I didn't expect people in the capital to be so welcoming and send us so many gifts. I'm really embarrassed."
Li Xiu'e was picking a bunch of water spinach in the yard and said, "People in the big city are also divided into good and bad people. Some look down on us country folk, and some naturally respect us. No matter where they are from, if they are kind to us, we should just return them when we find an opportunity. It's good for neighbors to interact with each other."
"You think more clearly than I do." Wu Shulian sat opposite her and folded vegetables with her. "I wish I could be as carefree as you, so I wouldn't have to suffer all my life."
Li Xiu'e put the folded vegetables into the vegetable bowl, and followed the method taught by Aunt Niu next door. She pressed the well in the yard to press out the groundwater and said, "You are too soft-hearted. You can't pick it up, and you can't let it go. You say you have suffered for most of your life, and now you have one foot in the coffin. Your man can't shelter you from the wind and rain, but he has brought you the wind and rain. He is good for nothing except that good-looking skin. Your two daughters have grown up, started their own families, and are very filial to you. What else can't you give up? Think about it, if you had always followed your useless man, would you have the life you have today, could you come to the capital and see the prosperity of the capital?
Mother-in-law, don't blame me for being nosy. I'm telling you because I love you. You should divorce Qiu Jin's father. You should live for yourself in the second half of your life. Isn't it good to live a carefree life? Why do you have to keep entangled with him? You have become half-human and half-ghost. You are more tired than anyone else. "
Wu Shulian listened silently, and then said for a while: "Sister Li, I understand what you said. You are right. We women are destined to work hard for a lifetime from the time we are born. Now my two daughters have grown up. After so many years, I have not learned from my child's father." I didn't get much from my hands, but I did all the work at home and outside the house. I was both a father and a mother, so I dragged my child into it. He was enjoying the happiness at home just like an uncle. He also beat and scolded my daughter and me, and had nothing to do with the unscrupulous women in the village.
I was stupid before, I couldn't see clearly, I couldn't figure it out, now I've lived to this age, I don't want to get tangled up with the child's father anymore, this time when I go back, I will divorce him no matter what, and live my own life in the future."
Li Xiu'e smiled and said, "It would be best if you can figure it out. I hope you can do what you say and be nice to yourself. Don't think that he is the only man in the world. You divorced your father-in-law and you want to find another one. With your looks, you can still find a good man to marry if you clean up and dress up."
Wu Shulian also laughed, "Sister Li, you are just making fun of me. I am already an old woman with a yellow face. Who would want me? Besides, if I really remarry, Qiu Jin and Qiu Yue will scold me to death."
"Mom, don't worry. My sister and I will never scold you. We absolutely support you to remarry." Yang Qiujin, who had just finished moving the honeycomb coal to the kitchen, came out and heard what they said. She immediately stated, "As long as the person you like treats you well, no matter who they are or how old they are, we will never object."
Li Xiu'e glanced at Ni Wu Shulian and said, "You heard it, your two daughters are very open-minded."
"Qiu Jin, just go and wash your mother with your mother-in-law." Wu Shulian blushed, and she became more determined about the divorce.
They cooked all their own meals that day, and didn't go anywhere after eating. The coal stove was burning brightly, and hot water was boiling in the big pot. The whole family took a comfortable bath.
The only bad thing is that there is no toilet where they live, so they have to carry their bath water to the public toilet. Although there are separate public toilets for men and women, it feels weird to take a bath in a public toilet.
Chen Shengqing said to Yang Qiujin for the second time: "We need to buy a house with a toilet and a yard, so that it will be convenient for us to take a shower and go to the toilet without having to squeeze with others."
Yang Qiujin wiped the water droplets from her hair with a handkerchief and said, "Buy it. We'll buy it after we're done with our work."
Early the next morning, before five o'clock, Chen Shengqing woke up his family and prepared to take the tram to Tiananmen Square to watch the flag-raising ceremony.
The capital Tiananmen has extraordinary significance in the hearts of the Chinese people, especially in the hearts of the older generation, where it is even more of a belief. Many people dream of visiting the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen and meeting the great man, and they feel that this is enough in their lifetime.
When Chen Shengqing called out, everyone got up without saying a word, washed up and went outside.
As soon as we walked out of the alley, we saw a military jeep parked there. A guard standing next to the car saw Chen Shengqing, saluted him and said, "Commander, I am the guard assigned to you by Political Commissar Zhou. My last name is Lin, you can just call me Xiao Lin. I will be responsible for your safety and your internal affairs while you are in the capital."
Chen Shengqing is now a regimental commander-level officer, and he has to be followed by guards wherever he goes. First, officers who can be promoted to this level are very outstanding and not easy to achieve. They are the pillars of the country and need protection from their subordinates. Second, officers at this level have more or less blood on their hands and are one of the targets of many enemy troops. Therefore, officers above this level who travel, whether on official or private missions, must report to the troops.
After making the report and arriving at the local place, the corresponding local officials will make contact and send one or two guards to provide protection. This is a normal thing.
"Thank you for your hard work, Xiaolin." Chen Shengqing was not too surprised. He nodded to Xiaolin, and the whole family got on the jeep.
When the car arrived at the square, there were already many people waiting there. Xiao Lin said, "Captain, the car cannot go any further. I will wait for you here on the roadside. After you watch the flag-raising ceremony, come find me and I will take you somewhere else."
Chen Shengqing said nothing, picked up little Tianxing, and rushed to the square with his family.
Although today is a weekday, there are still many people coming to watch the flag-raising ceremony. The square is packed with people standing everywhere.
Soon, the flag-raising team appeared and the noisy people standing on both sides became silent. When the red flag was raised and the solemn national anthem sounded, everyone present could not help but sing along with the national anthem.
People looked up at the brightly colored five-star red flag rising slowly and fluttering in the morning wind, their eyes welling with tears.
The feeling of seeing with one's own eyes the bright red flag that our ancestors defended with their blood rising in the most prosperous place in the motherland in the most sacred and solemn place in the capital, that sense of happiness of prosperity and stability will remain in our minds for a long time.
Although little Tianxing is still young, with the education of his parents, he also understands what the capital is like and what raising the national flag represents.
When everyone was singing the national anthem, her brother and father raised their right hands solemnly and saluted the red flag. She followed suit, raised her hands, and saluted in a not-so-proper way. She followed the people around her and sang the national anthem in a humming voice. She also clapped her hands and applauded everyone: "Good, you sang well."
When the visitors heard her clapping, they couldn't help laughing and said, "This little girl is really smart and pretty. She can sing the national anthem and clap at such a young age. She will definitely have a bright future."
"Yes, this little girl looks very smart. Oh, she is so lovable."
Xiao Tianxing was so proud of being praised that she puffed out her chest and said to the people who praised her with a smile: "Thank you, thank you for the compliment, uncles and aunts, grandpa and grandma, brothers and sisters, you like it too."
What she wanted to say was "to be liked by others", but she was too young to say the word "to be liked by others", which was like a sticky note, and she couldn't say it at all.
But the people around her still understood what she meant. They were all amused and laughed, saying that this little girl was not afraid of strangers and was very interesting.
Faced with such a shy daughter, Yang Qiujin was helpless. After watching the national flag, it was daybreak. There was a small state-owned store outside the square. Many adults who came to watch the flag-raising ceremony went there to buy small toys, badges, textiles or other things for their children to take home as souvenirs. They also bought some special snacks such as popsicles and donkey rolls to fill their stomachs.
The whole family came to watch the flag-raising ceremony with an empty stomach. Yang Qiujin held little Tianxing and asked, "Moms, there are snacks for sale in the store. I heard that you can buy them without a ticket. What do you want to eat?"
"It's all fine. Mom is not picky." Wu Shulian was still immersed in the shock after watching the flag-raising ceremony. She said while wiping the tears of excitement from the corners of her eyes.
Li Xiu'e said: "Give me some donkey rolls to try. I want to try what this famous donkey roll tastes like."
"Okay." Yang Qiujin responded and asked Chen Shengqing to wait there with the two mothers while she took the two children to the store to buy things.
The small shop in the square is state-owned. It is no more than 20 square meters in size, but it sells a wide variety of goods, including food, entertainment, and daily necessities, as well as maps, books, etc. It is comparable to a small department store.
The brother and sister stood in front of the store, dazzled.
Chen Tianyou was interested in some military toys, such as puzzle-like small airplanes, tanks, and ships, so Yang Qiujin let him take his time to choose, as there was no rush.
Xiao Tianxing took a look at the row of colorful balloons hanging on iron hooks outside the small shop and reached out to take them: "Mom, I want this."
Yang Qiujin asked the clerk: "How much is this balloon?"
"It's five cents each. It's made by our Bayi Plastic Factory. The material is very good. As long as you don't get it pricked by a needle, you can play with it for a long time." said the clerk.
Yang Qiujin thought the price was quite expensive at first, but after all, she was in the frontier and could buy two balloons for one cent, which meant she could play with them for a long time, so she immediately paid for a red balloon for Xiao Tianxing.
Because she had to buy food for her two mothers and Yang Qiujin was hungry, she took little Tianxing out of her arms, held her with one hand, and pointed to the food she wanted with the other hand to the clerk, asking the clerk to put it in an oil paper bag.
Xiao Tianxing was holding the balloon, very curious, and kept blowing it with her cheeks puffed up. Who knew that a gust of wind blew over, and she didn't hold the balloon firmly, so the balloon was blown away. She was so anxious that she shouted, "Qiuqiu, ball!"
Yang Qiujin heard the voice and turned around immediately, "Tianxing, what's wrong?"
"Mom, my ball was blown away." Tianxing said anxiously, pointing in a direction.
Just as Yang Qiujin was about to go over, Chen Tianyou turned around and said, "Mom, wait here. I'll go pick it up."
The balloon was not far away, hanging on a railing about ten meters away from them. Yang Qiujin thought that this was Tiananmen Square, with countless police officers and soldiers patrolling, so such a short distance should not be a problem, so she nodded and said, "Go ahead."
"I'll go too." Xiao Tianxing broke away from Yang Qiujin's hand and happily followed Chen Tianyou to pick them up.
The brother and sister ran over one after the other, but the balloon was picked up by an old man with a gaunt look.
The old man was wearing a washed-out Mao suit, and followed by a guard. When he saw the brother and sister, he smiled and asked, "You two little kids, these balloons are yours."
As soon as he opened his mouth, he had a strong Xiangnan accent, which sounded somewhat similar to the accent of Wang Songyue's father, Wang Jianguo.
Chen Tianyou was stunned when he heard this, but he quickly came to his senses, bowed to him politely and said, "These are my sister's balloons. Thank you for helping us pick them up, Grandpa."
Xiao Tianxing followed his example, bowed to the old man and said, "Thank you, Grandpa."
The old man smiled, waved at them and said, "You're welcome. Go back and find your parents."
Chen Tianyou carried Xiao Tianxing back to find Yang Qiujin. When he turned around, the girl had already left with a staggering gait.
After they left, the guard behind the old man said, "Chairman, you are not in good health. The doctor has told you to stay in bed. It has been a long time since you were out. You should go back to the hospital."
The old man coughed, looked longingly at the bustling crowd, waved his hand and said, "Let's go, go back."
Yang Qiujin saw Chen Tianyou looking outside the square and asked him, "What are you looking at?"
Chen Tianyou told her what had just happened, and finally said: "I always feel that the old man looks familiar."
"Brother, I know." Xiao Tianxing raised her little hand and said, "He is the same as □□."
Yang Qiujin was startled: "Chairman?"
Chen Tianyou also understood and exclaimed: "I saw Grandpa Mao!"
Yang Qiujin still wanted to meet the great man, but he had long since disappeared, which made her feel a little regretful.
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