The two agreed on a day off.
First, they spent the day sightseeing outside, and then, Lian Nuannuan suggested that they go buy some gifts or something.
"Hmm, what should I buy?"
"I'm not really sure either. My mom said that when visiting elders for the first time, bringing a gift, like some fruit, is fine." Lian Nuannuan scratched her head. Actually, the type of gift depends on the family. Ordinary families don't have many rules; a fruit gift box or something like that is enough to show their good wishes. If the family is better off, they can prepare different gifts according to their circumstances.
Of course, the latter is more like a means of upward social mobility.
Xu Yuanzheng, on the other hand, was rather slow to grasp this aspect, devoting almost all his energy to his studies.
Even Nuannuan is similar; ninety percent of their minds are filled with medical books. Otherwise, their mother wouldn't have had to come up with the idea of how to win over Xu Yuanzheng.
So, the two scatterbrained individuals simply put a box of ordinary gifts into the car.
Xu Yuanzheng started his car, a "Dayun" brand, a gift from Qin Jingru when he graduated at eighteen. He'd driven it for years and never planned to replace it. His older siblings had offered to give him a nicer car, but he refused. He felt that a car was something you just needed to drive comfortably and be comfortable in.
Qin Jingru really put her heart into making that car.
Knowing that Xu Yuanzheng prefers to keep a low profile, there's no difference in appearance, but a lot of effort has been put into the interior. Otherwise, it wouldn't have remained as stable as a rock after driving for so long.
Even Nuannuan didn't understand these things. With Xu Yuanzheng's salary, getting a used car wouldn't be a problem.
Yes, she had always thought it was a used car. The exterior was a bit dirty, but the interior was really comfortable. Just like Xu Yuanzheng, he seemed a bit dull, but actually, he was very smart.
But as the car moved further into the distance, she felt increasingly uneasy.
From the Third Ring Road, to the Second Ring Road, and further in, it all leads directly to...
We drove up to a traditional courtyard house.
Lian Nuannuan looked at the place with some doubt, then at the surrounding area: "This environment is quite nice, there isn't a single car. What kind of place is this? A private restaurant?"
She herself grew up in a hutong, albeit in a large, crowded courtyard where everyone was working class. Speaking of the hutongs of Beijing, since the advent of the automobile age, the people there have naturally developed an extremely absurd parking skill: parking without any gaps. No matter how narrow the hutong, as long as you can still squeeze in, you can park there happily.
Putting everything else aside, the parking technology in Beijing is truly astonishing.
Surprisingly, I didn't see any cars parked against the walls along the way, and it seemed quite quiet here.
Subconsciously, even Nuannuan thought this was some kind of private restaurant.
He was secretly pleased; the fact that he was able to invite her to such a high-class private meal on their first meeting showed that he valued her highly.
The concept of private kitchens emerged a long time ago. Back then, when the economy had just opened up, there were still some veteran imperial chefs and folk masters. These people wouldn't starve before the economy opened up, and they were quite well-off. After all, even in famine years, chefs wouldn't starve. Those who did well would usually choose a place to open a shop.
Some are right on the street, while those with exceptional skills and a certain level of expertise will choose a courtyard, which they don't open to the public. They only tell their regular customers that the prices here are not low. You have to make arrangements in advance before you come. What's more, the prices at private restaurants in these places are even more outrageous.
The two got out of the car.
An old man swayed over, paused for a moment when he saw Xu Yuanzheng, then noticed Lian Nuannuan: "Oh, little Yuanzheng, you've brought your girlfriend back?"
"Uncle Qin, taking a walk? Hmm, bringing your girlfriend back."
"Alright, then I won't bother you anymore. I was originally planning to go to your house and have a good meal." Qin Tian was also straightforward, cheerfully putting his hands behind his back as he left. He was retired and liked to wander around when he had nothing to do. He originally wanted to go find Wang Shouren to brag a bit, but unexpectedly, Wang Shouren had guests today, so he decided to forget about it.
"This isn't a private restaurant, this is my home," Xu Yuanzheng said earnestly to Lian Nuannuan as he turned around.
Lian Nuannuan: ...
In that instant, even Nuannuan's mind went blank. By the light, she saw the old man's face from before, and it seemed vaguely familiar.
Family, does anyone know anything about this? My boyfriend owns a courtyard house inside the Second Ring Road, a large three-courtyard house. And it seems to be in some kind of prestigious residential area.
Even Nuannuan reacted quickly; as a PhD, she's certainly not stupid.
He immediately got back into the car.
"What's wrong?" Xu Yuanzheng asked, looking down in confusion.
"What else is wrong? Where am I?!"
"This is my home!"
Lian Nuannuan's eyes widened: "I know this is your home, you just repeated it!"
Xu Yuanzheng sighed: "That's why I said my family situation is complicated. You felt something was off even before you walked in. I felt something was off too."
"No, what does this have to do with whether it's complicated or not? Do you know how much a courtyard house here costs?"
"Huh?" Xu Yuanzheng scratched his head.
To be honest, this kid really has no concept of money. According to Xu Weiwei, he can swipe his card however he wants; unless he's going to buy an aircraft carrier, he'll never max it out. Moreover, he doesn't have high demands for life. He usually buys groceries and cooks for himself, and he's actually a pretty good cook. He also pays attention to health and wellness, and he manages many things on his own.
When he's not working, he doesn't go out much. He might occasionally go hiking, visit a lake, or simply enjoy nature, but otherwise, he doesn't do anything else. So, his spending is mainly on food and gas; there's nothing else he spends on.
How much does it cost to eat out, especially if you cook for yourself? He has never worried about money.
"I didn't realize you were a young master!" Lian Nuannuan's tone was quite complicated.
She originally thought that Xu Yuanzheng's family situation might be good, but she never expected it to be this good.
"Who exactly is your father? Is it the one I see on TV?"
No, not at all.
"Phew..." Lian Nuannuan breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe her family was a bit wealthy and just kept a low profile. The price of this courtyard house might skyrocket in the future; maybe it was ancestral property? But Xu Yuanzheng's next words almost made Lian Nuannuan choke.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
