Chapter 87
Bei Bitang smiled knowingly, nodded slightly, and said, "That's me."
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Bei Bitang smiled knowingly, nodded slightly, and said, "That's me."
To Zhu Yuxia, these words sounded like heavenly music.
She hurriedly took the cart, then looked at the little girl in Bei Bitang's arms and said affectionately, "This is your sister, right?"
Zhu Yuxia knew that Bei Bitang had a daughter and was a single mother, but when she met Bei Bitang face to face and looked directly at her young face, she instantly forgot all the information she had memorized.
Bei Bitang said calmly, "This is my daughter."
After saying that, without looking at their reactions, she lowered her head and touched her daughter's forehead, saying gently: "Anna, wake up, we have arrived in China."
The little girl in her arms slowly woke up. She stretched out her chubby little hands, rubbed her eyes, then hugged Bei Bitang's neck tightly and said coquettishly, "Mom."
Bei Bitang turned around and asked her daughter to face Zhu Yuxia and the others. She said, "Anna, say hello to the two sisters. They are here to pick us up."
The little girl called her mother in German, and Bei Bitang spoke to her in Chinese. It was obvious that the little girl could understand Chinese.
Guan Miaomiao smiled cheerfully, waved at Beianna, and said, "Hello, sir."
Beianna's eyes curved, her face tense, and she said in a grown-up tone, "Hello, sisters."
Bei Bitang smiled as she straightened her daughter's messy hair and said, "She has a Chinese name. You can also call her Runjin."
Zhu Yuxia looked awkwardly at Beianna's little face, which was 80% similar to Bei Bitang's. She also observed her expression and noticed the confusion in the little girl's eyes when Bei Bitang said the name Runjin. She knew that few people called the little girl Runjin.
Zhu Yuxia quickly said as if to make amends, "Hello, Anna, I'm Sister Yuxia. I'm 25 years old this year. How old are you? Can you tell me?"
Beianna was not shy at all. She rolled her eyes and replied crisply, "I'm twenty years younger than you."
Zhu Yuxia was stunned. If she remembered correctly, the information said that Bei Bitang's daughter was only four years old. How could she know addition and subtraction beyond ten?
Bei Bitang smiled and started to walk out, without stopping Zhu Yuxia and Guan Miaomiao from getting close to her daughter.
The two came prepared, so they naturally had a car ready.
Zhu Yuxia and Guan Miaomiao put Bei Bitang's luggage into the trunk and took Bei Bitang's handbag.
After getting in the car, Guan Miaomiao did not show her true face. The driver sat in the driving seat, Zhu Yuxia sat in the passenger seat, and Bei Bitang sat in the spacious back seat holding her daughter.
She stretched out her hand and asked Zhu Yuxia to give her the bag. She took out a children's water cup from the bag, fed her daughter some warm water, and coaxed her to eat fruit, vegetable and cereal biscuits.
Seeing this, Zhu Yuxia said with a tactful look, "Miss Bei, why don't you find a Western restaurant first? Your daughter must be hungry, right?"
Bei Bitang smiled and said, "I've grown tired of eating onions, cheese, bread, and sausages over the years. I prefer Shanghai noodles with various toppings, wontons, and local dishes. But to satisfy my Chinese stomach, I'd better get settled first. Anna can do whatever she wants with the meal."
Zhu Yuxia was overjoyed to hear this. It turned out that Bei Bitang had such a strong sense of patriotism. You know, people with her background and experience almost exclusively eat Western food. They had finally found a satisfactory Western restaurant to treat her to a banquet.
After enjoying the meal, the other party would still criticize it and say that there is no authentic Western food in Shanghai.
After the car drove a short distance, Guan Miaomiao asked, "Miss Bei, are you going to the export apartment?"
Bei Bitang lowered her head and replied, "Let's go to the Jing'an Hilton. Thank you for your help."
The two were a little surprised, and then they thought that maybe Bei Bitang preferred living in a hotel. For example, Dave had a luxury apartment with an elevator and also bought a detached house, and lived in both.
Zhu Yuxia smiled and said, "Miss Bei, you are too polite. This is what we should do. If you have anything to say, just let me know."
Bei Bitang smiled but said nothing.
The price per square meter of export-sold apartments is sky-high even in Shanghai, based on domestic income levels.
But for the automobile group where Bei Bitang worked, it was a real bargain. With a wave of their hands, the group bought more than a dozen houses of varying sizes for export, which served as fixed assets for the group and also as housing benefits for its management staff.
According to Bei Bitang's level, she can live in a house of 200 square meters. She can get the key after she goes to the branch to complete the employment procedures.
Besides, her immediate superior, who was also the only leader of the branch, Dave made a small concession for her and helped her get the key early. She could take a taxi to the export apartment and then go to his house and get the key directly from his servant.
Even though the apartment was a quick move-in option, Bei Bitang still wanted to stay in a hotel for a while. She hadn't found a reliable babysitter yet, and she was worried about leaving her daughter home alone. She also had to worry about the daily meals and housekeeping.
If they stay in a hotel first, these problems will not be a problem. After finding a suitable nanny, she will take her daughter to live in an export apartment.
Beanna frowned and ate two cookies she didn't like under her mother's gentle yet stern gaze, then she mischievously closed her little mouth and shook her head.
Two pieces was just the minimum in Bei Bitang's mind. Seeing that her daughter didn't want to eat anymore, she stopped feeding her.
Bei Bitang picked up a piece, took a bite, then shook the biscuit and said kindly to the two people in front of her, "Do you want to eat it?"
Guan Miaomiao didn't even look at what it was. When she heard about food, she quickly answered, "Yes!"
Zhu Yuxia next to her felt ashamed to have such an innocent companion and really wanted to say that she didn't know Guan Miaomiao.
Bei Bitang smiled faintly and asked, "Comrade Yuxia, do you want to try it too?"
Zhu Yuxia quickly said, "Okay, thank you, Miss Bei."
"You're welcome." Bei Bitang handed her the bag of biscuits.
Zhu Yuxia quickly took it, picked up a piece, stuffed it into Guan Miaomiao's mouth, and said in a low voice: "Eat it."
Bei Bitang found it funny. She turned around and looked at the street outside. People's clothes had changed a lot compared to when she went abroad.
Small leather shoes, colorful wide suits with big shoulder pads, men with slicked-back hair, women with big and small waves, and brightly colored Santana cars.
The car stopped in front of the newly opened Hilton Hotel in Jing'an. As soon as it stopped, the waiter at the door trotted over and helped open the car door.
Bei Bitang got out of the car and stood at the door, looking at this not-so-grand building and thought it was pretty good.
Most of the people coming and going here are foreigners and businessmen from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.
Bei Bitang declined Zhu Yuxia and the others' offer to help her carry her luggage upstairs, handed the luggage to the hotel waiter, and said goodbye to them.
She had called and booked a suite while she was abroad. The check-in procedure was quick and someone brought her luggage to the room.
The mother and daughter took a bath together, changed into clean clothes, and called food into the room.
The child felt sleepy after eating, so Bei Bitang sang a lullaby and coaxed her daughter to take a nap.
While her daughter was taking a nap, she picked up her handbag and left the hotel.
I stood at the door and thought for a while, then bought some oranges and peaches at the fruit shop next to the hotel before waving to call a taxi.
The black, blue and grey clothes that people in Shikumen houses usually wear all year round are gone, and there are one or two washing machines in the alley, making the corridor even more crowded.
The people at home in the alley looked at this fashionable young woman, and their eyes looked at Bei Bitang with an indescribable strangeness.
A brave old lady asked, "Comrade, who are you looking for?"
Bei Bitang smiled slightly, with a hint of intimacy on her face, and said, "Aunt Zhang, it's me, Bitang."
When the old lady heard this, she couldn't remember it at once. She squinted her eyes and thought for a while, then slapped her thigh and said loudly, "Oh, it's Bitang! Your mother and the others are at home! Wait! I'll go call them!"
After saying that, he ran away.
Bei Bitang wanted to say, Auntie, you don’t need to call anyone, don’t I know the door of my house?
When Bei Bitang walked to a few dozen meters downstairs from her house, she saw the old lady leading Miao Xiuxiu and others coming down the stairs quickly.
Miao Xiuxiu stopped and looked Bei Bitang up and down, hardly daring to recognize her.
Bei Bitang took out an orange and a peach from the bag, handed them to the old aunt, and said, "Auntie, you eat them."
The old lady smiled and said, "Then I won't be polite. I'll take it back, cut it up, and share it with my children so that they can share in your good fortune. I'll be leaving first so as not to delay your family reunion."
After saying that, the old lady turned and left, but the direction she was heading was not towards home, but clearly towards the gossip gathering place in the alley.
Lin Bilan reached out to take the fruit bag and said with a smile, "Let me hold the bag."
Huang Dashan stammered, "My little sister is back."
His eyes were evasive, and he didn't dare to look directly at Bei Bitang.
Bei Bitang glanced quickly at his face and called him brother-in-law.
Miao Xiuxiu pulled Bei Bitang's shoulders and said happily, "Let's go home first."
"Why don't you call and tell me you're back? I'll ask Jinlong to pick you up." Miao Xiuxiu kept nagging.
"How can I delay my second brother-in-law from making money? He's under a lot of pressure."
Although she has been abroad these years, Bei Bitang has never lost contact with her family. She knows that Wei Bili has given birth to twins, a boy and a girl.
In order to support his family and give his wife and children a better life, Chen Jinlong resigned from the transport team, borrowed money to buy a Santana, and started a taxi business.
Lin Bilan interrupted and asked, "How many days will you stay in China?"
Bei Bitang replied: "I am not returning to China to visit my relatives this time. My company has assigned me to Shanghai for work. I will be living in Shanghai for a long time and will not be returning to Germany in the short term."
Miao Xiuxiu asked again: "Where do you live? The company dormitory?"
"Let's stay in the hotel first. The dormitory is a bit inconvenient."
"Yeah, okay then."
Miao Xiuxiu didn't say anything about letting Bei Bitang live at home. Firstly, there was no place for her to live, and secondly, she knew it was not suitable. Her youngest daughter probably wouldn't like the living environment at home.
Huang Dashan didn't say a word on the way upstairs.
After entering the house, Lin Bilan said loudly: "Dashan, make a pot of fresh tea!"
Huang Dashan actually agreed obediently, picked up the copper kettle on the table, poured it out, and made a new one.
Bei Bitang sat on the chair and looked at the furnishings in the house.
It's still the same. The house is clear at a glance and full of old things, as if the house has always stayed in the old times.
Miao Xiuxiu was washing the teacup and said, "The little brat is at school. Bili doesn't know yet. I'll go call him..."
Bei Bitang interrupted and said, "Mom, don't be busy yet. I have something to tell you. Please sit down first."
Seeing Bei Bitang's serious expression, Miao Xiuxiu quickly pulled over a chair and sat opposite Bei Bitang.
Bei Bitang's expression was calm as she spoke, "Mom, I'm not coming back alone this time. I gave birth to a daughter in Germany. She's five years old now."
Miao Xiuxiu's face lit up with joy at first, but then changed drastically. She asked in panic, "What does this mean?"
Bei Bitang didn't say anything, letting Miao Xiuxiu and the others understand it themselves.
Lin Bilan covered her mouth and said, "Then don't I have a blond, blue-eyed niece?"
Bei Bitang smiled and said, "Anna's father is not a foreigner. Like me, he came from China."
Miao Xiuxiu hurriedly asked, "Where's the child's father? Didn't he come back with you?"
Bei Bitang shrugged and said lightly, "He didn't know he had a child. Before we separated, he didn't even know I was pregnant."
Miao Xiuxiu's eyes almost popped out. If Bei Bitang was a loser and she dared to get pregnant before marriage and give birth to the child, she would definitely point at her nose and scold her, and even kick her out of the house.
But in the current situation, she couldn't say a word and could only accept it.
Miao Xiuxiu's expression changed, and she asked with concern, "Where's the child?"
Bei Bitang replied: "Sleeping in the hotel."
Lin Bilan interrupted, "Why don't you bring him back to us so we can recognize him."
Bei Bitang smiled and said, "I don't know if you can accept it."
Miao Xiuxiu and Lin Bilan felt upset again.
Miao Xiuxiu sighed and said, "It's good to bring her back. My daughter will be close to her mother."
Bei Bitang shook her head and said, "Mom, you guys should come to the hotel to see Anna and take her back to the alley. Those neighbors..."
Miao Xiuxiu glared at her unhappily. If she had known this would happen, she wouldn't have done it in the first place. If her granddaughter is gossiped about, it's all her own fault!
Miao Xiuxiu thought for a moment and said, "Where should I stay? I'm going to visit my little granddaughter tomorrow."
It's too late today. As a grandmother, she has to change into nice clothes and prepare a small silver lock and a small silver bracelet for her to see her granddaughter for the first time.
Bei Bitang put down the teacup and said, "Jing'an Hilton, Mom, if you want to come, please take a car. I will reimburse you."
Miao Xiuxiu glared and said, "You have money but nowhere to spend it! If I have to pay for the bus, I don't even have enough money?!"
The household expenses are covered by the eldest daughter, and the second daughter can also earn her own money. The money given to her as a filial piety has increased, and the youngest daughter, Bei Bitang, will also send money back for her to spend.
Bei Bitang smiled and said, "I'm just worried that you won't be willing to spend your own money."
Although Bei Bitang and Miao Xiuxiu appear to be affectionate on the surface, there is an unspeakable distance between them in their hearts.
In Germany, she missed her home, but once she returned to this home, she couldn't relax. Perhaps she no longer considered this home her own.
If she treated this place as her own home, she would come back here directly after getting off the plane, roll on the bed as soon as she entered the door, and then ask Miao Xiuxiu to make the food she had been longing for.
Instead of going to the hotel first, settling yourself in, and then slowly buying tickets to return home and come back here.
Feeling that it was almost time, Bei Bitang raised her wrist, glanced at her watch, and said, "Mom, Anna should be awake. I'm leaving now. If you want to visit Anna tomorrow, come over at lunch or dinner time. We can eat together. When you get to the hotel, just ask the front desk to take you upstairs."
Tomorrow she has to go out to apply for a mobile phone, commonly known as a "big brother", and also take the domestic driver's license test. She will only have time to go back to the hotel to have dinner with her daughter at noon and in the evening.
After walking out of the alley, Bei Bitang breathed a sigh of relief. Although she told Miao Xiuxiu and the others about her daughter's affairs in a carefree manner, she didn't dare to tell her second sister in person because she was afraid that Wei Bili would scold her.
Now we can only hope that Miao Xiuxiu can pass the message to Second Sister.
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