Chapter 193 Tang Mingli has many things to do
Tang Mingmei led Tang Mingli and the others around the East Gate, and it was almost 11 a.m.
The group's visit was not in vain.
Whether adults or children, everyone has something they like, and before they know it, they've filled several large bags.
During this time, Tang Mingli asked Tang Mingmei with concern whether having only one employee to look after the store would be too much of a burden, since there had indeed been quite a lot of foot traffic along the way.
Tang Mingmei told her that the peak time for buying clothes is usually after lunch.
Once the conversation turned to her area of expertise, Tang Mingmei seemed to have unlocked a superpower, talking nonstop until she realized it was getting late.
She said somewhat embarrassedly, "I was supposed to take you to try some of the local delicacies in Dongmen, but Xiao Wu might not be able to handle it all during mealtimes since he's the only one there."
Xiao Wu is an employee at the store.
Tang Mingli understood, and smiled, "You go ahead and do your work. We've done our shopping. Grandpa and Grandma are still at home; we'll definitely go back to have lunch with them."
Tang Mingmei nodded, thinking to herself that her cousin was indeed thoughtful and filial; no wonder the Fu family elders liked her so much.
The group returned to the clothing store and saw that, as Tang Mingmei had said, there were indeed only a few customers, and Xiao Wu was handling them with ease.
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After saying goodbye to Tang Mingmei, Tang Mingli and her two companions returned home with a full load of spoils.
When they arrived home, Grandpa Fu and Grandma Fu were discussing cooking a simple bowl of noodles for lunch.
Madam Fu exclaimed, "Oh dear, I thought you would be eating out for lunch. I didn't even go out to buy groceries this morning."
"We're eating out, aren't we? Didn't we agree to go try Phoenix Restaurant together?" Tang Mingli smiled, her eyes sparkling as she looked at them.
Madam Fu naturally remembered, but...
"I thought we'd have to do it another day."
Tang Mingli: "It was agreed upon, how could it be changed for no reason?"
Madam Fu: "You're in such a rush to go see your cousin."
Speaking of being in a hurry, Tang Mingli smiled again.
“Nanny, you don’t know, my sister is a very busy person now, much busier than me. If I continue to stay there, I will only be hindering her work.”
Then, he explained the general situation of the store to the two elderly people.
Finally, Fu's mother chimed in, "Mingmei is really capable. Fu Ci is lucky to have found such a gem."
Madam Fu nodded, feeling a pang of emotion as she recalled the Tang Mingmei of the past.
"Your sister's personality is really suited to making a name for herself; it's a real waste for her to be a stay-at-home wife and mother."
Hearing such words from a man in his seventies shows how enlightened he is.
Tang Mingli was also very happy to hear this, and said, "Next time I see my cousin, I must tell her what you said. I believe she will be very happy to hear it."
These words forced Old Master Fu to swallow back what he was about to say.
After hearing his wife say that, he initially wanted to say, "Why do women have to be so strong-willed?"
It's a good thing I didn't say anything, otherwise I might have unknowingly found myself on the opposite side of the women in my family again.
Alas, times have truly changed; women really do hold up half the sky.
However, if this continues for a long time, and both husband and wife are focused on their work, who will take care of the family?
Old Master Fu never expected that the thought that flashed through his mind would actually be spoken by several men at Phoenix Tower.
At that time, the Fu family had already ordered their meal at Phoenix Restaurant and were waiting for the food to be served.
Four men sat at the next table, eating meat heartily and chatting loudly.
At first, Tang Mingli and the others didn't pay attention to their conversation until one of the men shouted, "Women shouldn't be given education, and they shouldn't be made to work. That way, they can stay at home obediently to take care of the elderly and children, and listen to the men."
Even if it wasn't directed at them, hearing these words would still make anyone feel a surge of inexplicable anger.
Tang Mingli glanced at them and then saw that the four men were around forty years old, with ordinary looks and ordinary clothes. In short, they looked very ordinary, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them ordinary men.
Listening further, Tang Mingli roughly understood why one of the men was so extreme.
It turns out that one of them was divorced at an older age and is now alone.
He blamed all his misfortunes on his ex-wife.
She blamed him for going to junior high school and studying for a few more years, then she looked down on him for being uneducated. She said that studying for a few more years would give rise to all sorts of messy ideas. It was precisely because she had too many ideas that she went south to make her way in the world. After achieving success, she looked down on him even more. In the end, she heartlessly divorced him, leaving him and their child behind.
The man's words became increasingly offensive, causing not only Tang Mingli's expression to change, but also Old Madam Fu and Fu's mother to frown.
If I didn't understand that meddling in other people's business at this time could bring me unforeseen consequences, I probably wouldn't have been able to resist saying a few words to that person.
Even Old Master Fu felt that this man had disgraced all men.
He's incompetent, unambitious, and even hinders his wife's progress. No wonder he gets dumped.
The man was unaware that his remarks had drawn the scorn of those at the neighboring tables, and he continued talking.
"...What do you think? If women can easily find factory jobs and earn their own money in the future, who will take care of the families?"
The familiar words sent a shiver down Old Master Fu's spine.
Even though he hadn't said anything and his wife, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter-in-law couldn't possibly know, he still felt guilty and hurriedly lowered his head, pretending to drink tea.
At this moment, he deeply reflected on his erroneous thoughts from an hour earlier, and was acutely aware that he hadn't spoken them aloud. Otherwise, how was he any different from the despicable man before him?
Tang Mingli and the others were unaware of the rich inner turmoil in Old Master Fu's heart. After the four men at the next table left, their thoughts finally returned to the food at their own table.
Only by savoring it carefully can you discover how delicious it truly is.
The Fu family has long since developed a habit of reminding others to try anything delicious they taste.
For example, right now, Tang Mingli kept eating the dishes on the table and kept saying to her family, "This is delicious, try it."
Madam Fu and her mother were busy picking at their food with their chopsticks, but Old Master Fu quietly only picked at the two dishes in front of him.
As time went on, all three of them noticed it.
Tang Mingli quickly asked, "Grandpa, is it because the other dishes don't suit your taste?"
"No, no, how could that be?"
The fact that Mr. Fu used three negative words in a row further highlighted his unusual behavior.
Madam Fu put down her bowl and asked earnestly, "Are you feeling unwell?"
Having lived together for a lifetime, she understood her husband well.
Having experienced the hardships of years of marching and fighting, he was never picky about food.
The only reason I'm not eating anything right now is that I'm sick.
Meeting his wife's worried gaze, Old Master Fu became anxious and unconsciously raised his voice to deny it: "No, do I look sick to you?"
Madam Fu sized him up.
Although she has many wrinkles on her face, her complexion is rosy.
His eyes were wide open, but they were full of life.
Especially when he was refuting himself just now, his voice was loud and clear, and he didn't seem to be unwell at all.
Well, maybe I've had too many good days and have developed a picky eating habit.
Madam Fu then said to him, "Alright, if it really doesn't suit your taste, you can order a few more dishes. Anyway, the food here is delicious, and we can finish even if we order a few more."
Mrs. Fu added, "If you can't finish it, you can pack it up and take it home."
Mr. Fu was deeply troubled by the misunderstanding.
He really was just reflecting on his actions.
However, when Fu Yu put a piece of pork rib into his bowl, encouraging him to eat more meat, he suddenly felt a sweet taste in his mouth.
Although he was misunderstood, it also shows that people care about him.
He made a decision: from this moment on, he would completely abandon those erroneous ideas.
Putting myself in his shoes, if his great-granddaughter grew up and he had to sacrifice her future for a man and his family, he would be furious.
-
Before they knew it, Tang Mingli and her friends had been living in Shenzhen for two months.
During their vacation, Mr. Fu came back to reunite with them for a while, and left with great concern.
"If you all come to live in Shenzhen in the future, won't I have to take my vacations alone?"
Fu Ci smiled faintly and told him in a very firm tone, "No, I still spend most of my time in Guangcheng."
Fu's mother deliberately retorted to her son, "Don't be so sure, after all, we're quite comfortable living here."
Mr. Fu, who considered himself fair, nodded, "Although this house in Shenzhen is not a detached house like the one in Guangcheng, it is indeed a comfortable four-bedroom house."
Moreover, with the new renovation, many things are easier to use than in Guangcheng.
Fu Ci smiled and looked at his daughter, affectionately patting her head.
“Xiaoyu is supposed to start kindergarten in September. I’ve looked into it, and the kindergartens here, whether in terms of teachers or environment, are not as good as the one near our home. So let her go back to school.”
Tang Mingli smiled and corroborated her husband's words: "Fu Ci had also discussed the issue of our daughter going to kindergarten with me before. Although learning is not important in the early childhood stage, the classmates are quite important. The kindergartens in Guangcheng are basically attended by children from several nearby compounds, so the population is relatively simple."
"That's true." Madam Fu nodded and smiled, "Fu Ci also attends this kindergarten, so the father and daughter will have shared memories in the future."
“Yes.” Fu Ci looked down at her daughter again and said gently, “You and your mother will also have many shared memories.”
They would take their daughter to school together, pick her up from school together, and listen to her tell stories about her fun days at kindergarten... Just thinking about it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
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In mid-August, Tang Mingli and her group finally set off from Shenzhen back to Guangcheng.
After returning home, Tang Mingli had many things to do.
I'm registering my daughter for the Spring Bud Project; they still need to hold their first donation ceremony.
Madam Fu has also been invited by the senior university to serve as their calligraphy teacher in the new academic year, and she needs to prepare in advance.
On the way back to Guangcheng, listening to her daughter-in-law and mother-in-law chatting about what they would be busy with when they got back, Fu's mother suddenly felt that she couldn't waste her retirement life like this.
She should also find something to keep her busy.
What should she do to keep herself busy?
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Author's note: [Crying] I'm so tired. I promised two updates, but I'm really too sleepy. I'm going to take a nap and will get up to write again around 2 or 3 a.m.
Let me explain why last night's incident of objects being thrown from a high-rise building has made it impossible for me to type. This time, it wasn't cigarette butts, clothes, shoes, or socks that were thrown; it was incredibly hard magnetic beads that could smash a hole in the sidewalk pavers without causing any damage. When they hit something, they made a loud thud, like an explosion. This road is a common route for many people. Every day, many elderly people push strollers through here to bask in the sun, and every day, many children run through here like birds released from their cages to play in the garden. If someone were unlucky enough to be hit by one of these beads, they would most likely die. So I took it seriously and demanded that the property management take action. But the property management kept saying that these beads could kill people, that they threatened personal safety, and that no one knew if they were made of steel or gunpowder, or if they were fired from the opposite building, bounced off the wall, and landed here. Hearing this made me even more terrified and angry. I questioned why the property management hadn't called the police or taken any action. We almost got into an argument… Later, the police arrived. But it turned out that calling the police was useless. I finally understand why, even though throwing objects from high-rise buildings is now illegal, so many people still don't take it seriously. Even though throwing objects from a height is a crime endangering public safety, if no one is hit, the most severe punishment is a stern warning. [Crying] I feel so helpless, my darlings. I spent two days on this, helping with the review of surveillance footage, taking statements, and so on. But in the end, I feel like I've taken it too seriously, and I'm just a clown.
During the pandemic, I saw a crowdfunding campaign on Waterdrop. A little girl had her head pierced by a screwdriver thrown from an upper floor. It was so tragic, so heartbreaking, I even donated money. Maybe it affected me too much, [crying emoji] so much that I'm always more anxious about objects thrown from high-rises than others. But I think after this experience, I'll be more indifferent to it in the future. [crying emoji] So much time has passed, the matter is still unresolved, I even missed a day of updating, and my earnings have plummeted to the point where I can't even afford a boxed lunch.
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