Chapter 48: The old lady's social circle was underestimated...
Amid the eager anticipation of Madam Fu and her mother, and in order to leave no room for retreat, Tang Mingli had no choice but to push forward with the family's trip outside the city, so she returned to the Guangcheng Hotel.
She was greeted by the same staff member as last time.
The other person was even more enthusiastic when they saw her than the first time.
Anyone who has worked in the service industry knows that customers who return are generally more likely to make a purchase.
After I sat down, the staff member asked with a smile, "Comrade, have you thought this through?"
Tang Mingli nodded. "We'd like to book that four-day tour of Goose City. Could you tell me more about it?"
Whether she sticks her neck out or not, she'll get stabbed anyway. She'd better figure out what kind of knife it is quickly.
"sure."
The staff immediately laid out the itinerary for the "Four-Day Goose City Tour" and began to explain it carefully and thoroughly, including the food and accommodation issues that Tang Mingli was most concerned about.
Knowing that she could upgrade to an air-conditioned room for an extra fee, Tang Mingli breathed a sigh of relief.
That's great, at least I can get a good night's sleep.
"What about food? If I pay extra, can I eat at a decent local state-run restaurant?"
The staff were almost dumbfounded by Tang Mingli's questions. Although they had only been back at the hostel for half a month, they had always worked in the service industry and had worked for half their lives. This was the first time they had encountered someone who kept asking for more money.
Aren't you worried that adding more and more will make the cost too high?
Tang Mingli felt it was alright. Since she had already decided to go out and have fun, she would try her best to make herself as comfortable as possible within her means.
While that makes sense, the staff also have their own concerns.
"However, our tour requires a minimum of ten people to depart, and not everyone can afford the extra cost of this upgrade."
"No, no, no, I think quite the opposite. People who think of going on a trip at this time must be well-off, and money is definitely not an issue for them."
Having spent so many years in the workplace in her previous life, Tang Mingli also knows a thing or two about persuasion and reasoning.
Her persuasive explanation actually convinced the staff, who then confidently changed the specifications of the out-of-city tour, upgrading the food and accommodation.
When Tang Mingli left Guangcheng Hotel, she was in a different mood.
First, the travel standards have been raised; second, they know that a group needs to have ten people to form a tour, and their family has four, so the travel agency needs to gather six more people.
Six people would certainly not be hard to gather decades later, but this is 1979, and few people have a sense of tourism. In fact, many people think that this is a kind of hedonism that only capitalism has.
If we can form a group and have comfortable accommodations and good food, then taking a trip like this is definitely a good idea.
If we can't form a group... then none of these problems matter.
Tang Mingli returned home in a good mood, and Madam Fu immediately pulled her aside to ask about the situation.
"Don't worry, I've already paid the deposit and registered, but..." Tang Mingli tried to suppress her worries and continued, "We still have to wait for the hostel to gather ten people before the group can depart."
"Ten people?" Old Madam Fu was surprised; she thought that once she paid, they could go.
"Yes, the inn won't make money if there are too few people."
Madam Fu understood, "Even a state-run hotel can't just do business that doesn't make money."
These words made Tang Mingli laugh.
God is my witness, this was absolutely not influenced by her, and Fu Ci must take 100% responsibility.
-
Tang Mingli thought it might be difficult to gather ten people, but she didn't expect that the social circles of middle-aged and elderly people were so wide, and she didn't expect that Madam Fu would work so hard to promote the trip among the old ladies in the compound.
In just two days, he successfully persuaded several elderly ladies from the same compound to sign up as well.
If I do the math, it was originally difficult to form a group, but now we only need two more people.
A trip is probably a done deal.
Realizing this, Tang Mingli immediately adjusted her mindset and began preparing for the trip.
And there's one more thing to do before going on a trip.
Based on the timeline, Tang Mingmei should still be at the Li family's house recovering from childbirth, and it would be right for her to visit her.
That evening, when she told her in-laws about it, her mother-in-law immediately said she would go to visit them as well.
The two families are related by marriage, so it wouldn't be right for them not to express their condolences after something like this happened.
But Tang Mingli had concerns: "I think my uncle's family might feel that this kind of thing is not very honorable and they wouldn't want to see you there."
"this……"
That's quite possible; Fu's mother hadn't considered this aspect.
In the end, Tang Mingli went to visit him alone.
She took two bottles of nutritional supplements and left early in the morning.
There was no other way; the weather was getting hotter and hotter, and the bus didn't have air conditioning. She didn't want to be sweating profusely inside the bus.
When we arrived at the bus stop near the tenement building, it was only a little past nine o'clock.
She didn't even go to her parents' home this early, not even on the second day of the Lunar New Year. Look how this weather has put people in such a state.
Just as I entered the courtyard, I happened to run into an older woman from the tenement building.
The older woman saw what she was carrying, smiled, but lowered her voice and asked, "Back to see your cousin?"
Tang Mingli smiled, thinking that if Tang Mingmei was staying at her parents' house, it would definitely be impossible to keep it a secret, but she didn't want to cause any trouble.
But the aunt wasn't about to let her off the hook, and kept pressing her for details: "Do you know what's wrong with your cousin? Li Hong cooks her delicious meals every day in different ways. At first, I thought she was pregnant, so I brought her back to take care of her pregnancy."
Tang Mingli knew, but she couldn't say it, so she could only shake her head.
"Auntie, I haven't even met Auntie and the others yet, how would I know?"
"I didn't know you brought back nutritional supplements?"
"You should bring something back with you." With that, Tang Mingli took out a handful of candy from her bag and stuffed it into the aunt's hand. "This is for your daughter and Hu Zi."
The aunt was overjoyed to receive a handful of candy out of the blue and immediately put it in her pocket.
"Thank you on behalf of my daughter and Tiger."
"You're welcome." Tang Mingli smiled and took two steps forward. "I'll go up now. Let's chat again next time."
That last sentence is something every Chinese person knows you can't believe.
When I arrived at my uncle's house, before I even knocked, I heard arguing coming from inside.
Tang Mingmei said impatiently, "Mom, can you please leave me alone?"
"Fine, fine, I finally managed to get you back to health, and now you're already complaining about me, huh?" Li Hong said angrily.
Standing at the door, Tang Mingli lowered her hand that was about to knock and asked herself if she had come at the wrong time.
Walk?
But the weather is so hot, it's really not easy to come all this way.
Forget it, let's face whatever comes our way. If things don't look good, we'll leave as soon as possible.
After taking a few seconds to figure it out, Tang Mingli raised her hand and knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" came Li Hong's extremely impatient voice from inside.
Tang Mingli ignored her tone and replied softly, "It's me, Mingli."
Shortly after, the door opened.
Li Hong smiled and welcomed them into the house, "Why did you suddenly come over on such a hot day?"
"It's so hot." Tang Mingli didn't mince words. "I thought my sister should have been discharged from the hospital for a while, so I wanted to come and see her."
As he spoke, he placed the nutritional supplements he had brought on the table.
"I brought some things for my sister to nourish her body."
When it was mentioned that it was for herself, Tang Mingmei, who was standing to the side, had no choice but to politely reply, "Thank you, that's very thoughtful."
Tang Mingli also said succinctly: "You're welcome, it's just ordinary stuff."
Tang Mingmei was proud and felt that Tang Mingli was speaking on purpose, so she sat down angrily and didn't want to talk to her.
Li Hong sighed inwardly, and could only step in to ease the atmosphere, saying to Tang Mingli, "Sit down for a while, I'll pour you a glass of water."
A moment later, a glass of plain water was handed to Tang Mingli.
Out of politeness, Tang Mingli took the initiative to ask a few questions about Tang Mingmei's health.
Tang Mingmei replied simply: "It's fine."
Tang Mingli said "oh," took a small sip of water, and ended the conversation. Unexpectedly, the water her aunt brought over was so hot that she almost burned her hand.
Seeing this, Li Hong quickly said, "It's my fault, it's my fault. I didn't remind you that the water was just boiled."
Tang Mingli quickly replied, "It's alright, it's alright, I just get hot easily."
It's not her fault; her aunt carried it over by hand in the same way, and she was fine.
That would have been fine, but Tang Mingmei interjected, "People in the Fu family live the life of a grandmother, they're not delicate and tender."
Tang Mingli frowned upon hearing this.
She felt that Tang Mingmei's temper was getting weirder and weirder.
After being discharged from the hospital, she stayed at her parents' house, which should have made her life very comfortable. Why did she turn into a hedgehog instead?
Tang Mingli didn't understand, and she didn't want to understand, so she figured she should leave as soon as possible.
Li Hong knew her daughter's words were sarcastic, so she tried to explain: "Your sister isn't completely over it yet, so please don't take it to heart."
Tang Mingli really didn't like hearing these words; it was blatant moral blackmail.
Just because you're in a bad mood doesn't mean others have to give in to you. There's no such logic in this world.
In her past life, one of the plots Tang Mingli hated most when watching TV dramas was that in families with many children, the mother would always make the good-tempered child give way to the bad-tempered child in order to maintain family harmony.
On what grounds?
But it seems that many families in the world are like this.
So she replied to her aunt, "I won't hold it against her, but not because I care about my cousin's feelings, but because I really don't care about what she said."
"Do I need your concern?" Tang Mingmei retorted angrily. "If you came to see me today, I welcome you more than ever. But if you came to make me look bad, then please go back."
Tang Mingli answered frankly, "Of course I came to see you."
After saying that, he sighed and said to Li Hong, "But I should go back first. If I stay any longer, it will only make my sister more unhappy. She's only just recovered and needs to keep herself in a good mood."
Li Hong was completely baffled by the two of them talking.
First, she scolded her daughter: "Your cousin came to see you out of kindness, how could you act like this? She just said she didn't care about what you said, which just meant she wouldn't take your hurtful words to heart. Why are you so angry?"
After scolding her, he comforted Tang Mingli: "Mingli, don't hold it against your sister. The doctor said she just had a miscarriage, so her emotions might be quite volatile."
That's absolutely true; the doctor did say that in the hospital. But so many days have passed, and the person has recovered, so saying that now seems a bit far-fetched.
However, these words did remind Tang Mingli.
I've heard people say in my past life that miscarriage can easily lead to postpartum depression.
Thinking of this, she softened her tone and said to Tang Mingmei, "I really just came to see how you are today. Seeing that you are doing well, I am relieved."
Although I wasn't really worried.
Tang Mingmei felt much better after Tang Mingli softened her attitude, but she was still very sharp-tongued. Although she didn't say anything more hurtful, she snorted coldly.
Tang Mingli then took the opportunity to get up and said to Li Hong with a smile, "I'd better go back first, I still have things to do at home."
After mentioning it twice, and worried that Tang Mingli's daughter might say something wrong if she stayed, Li Hong stopped trying to persuade her to stay and got up to see her downstairs.
After getting downstairs, he thought about it for a while and then gritted his teeth and told Tang Mingli the truth.
“Your sister is in a bad mood. During the time she stayed at her parents’ house, your brother-in-law only came to visit once, and he didn’t bring anything with him.”
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