Yu Li was so angry that she smacked the fat man. How could he ask his daughter such a question?
Chen Mengqi chuckled and honestly replied, "No."
Fatty and Yu Li exchanged a glance, finally feeling relieved for the time being.
They can still tell the difference between a perfunctory answer and the truth.
Yu Li then took the opportunity to instill "outdated" ideas in her daughter: "Your current task is still to study. After you graduate and get assigned to a workplace, you can find someone with the same goals..."
Just as the fat man was about to refute her, he suddenly caught the key words.
Yes, it's not decades from now, when university graduates are guaranteed job placement!
Especially Chen Mengqi's school, every year the ministry would take them all down, leaving no one behind.
To be honest, there's really nothing to worry about.
For a moment, the fat man felt a little disappointed.
Having transmigrated once, he always wanted to live a different life. In this life, his wife was gentle and his children were promising, but they were all too promising, and none of them needed the fat man to pave the way for them.
This rendered the fat man's accumulated wealth and connections temporarily useless.
Putting everything else aside, in the TV series, Silly Zhu and Da Lingdao met once, and he even managed to get the whole gang to drive around the department!
So, regarding the relationship between Fatty, the Great Spiritual Guide, Old Wang, and Chen Juchang, right...?
Speaking of the Great Spiritual Guide, he is 87 years old this year. His health is failing, and he spends more time in bed than on the sofa.
His children were also transferred back to the capital to serve him.
The fat man would visit him every few days, keep the Great Spirit Guide and the aunt company, chat with them, and cook them a meal.
The Great Spiritual Master once said: "To judge whether a person is true or false, look at whether they are prepared to keep their word. Even if the sky falls and the earth cracks, they will not back down!"
As for the fat man, it's hard to say whether he's real or not. But at least he remembers the elderly people who helped him.
Regardless of their previous positions or the year they retired, they should still keep in touch and always offer gifts during holidays.
His filial piety will always be remembered...
Just look at Secretary Chen next to the Great Spiritual Guide; he was already a section chief in 1984. How many years has it been? It's been a long time!
But even he is still the fat guy's good brother, isn't he?
He likes to come to Qili Pavilion for meals whenever he has free time, and he always likes to have Liu Jing accompany him...
※※※※※※
This was Li Huaide's first visit since Qilige moved.
Unlike the old one at Bamiancao, the new Qilige has four courtyards in addition to the four-story main building at the entrance, including one large and three small courtyards.
The four courtyards each had a name. Fatty had Chen Mengqi choose three names and Chen Mengxiao choose one.
As for why, I won't explain; those who know, know.
Li Huaide came to eat today, but he didn't even enter the courtyard.
It is one of the private rooms built along the ring of these four courtyards.
Given Li Huaide's current status, he is not worthy of these four courtyards.
It wasn't that the fat man had become snobbish and reverted to his unruly self; it's just that those four courtyards were always booked. Among them was the fat man's good brother…
These private rooms, some built on the water and some in pavilions, were recreated by the fat man using the setup of a modern-day agritainment business.
It's neither too traditional nor too modern, which is just right for both the refined and the common people.
When Li Huaide arrived, Xu Damao was already there, flirting with You Fengxia.
Li Huaide stood outside, not going in immediately, but frowning.
Logically speaking, he should be quite happy to see Xu Damao's lecherous appearance, because the more lecherous Xu Damao is, the faster he will fall into the trap.
But look at this guy now, his little eyes are squinted into slits, his mustache is sticking up, but his eyes are as cold as a refrigerator...
This guy is really too difficult to deal with! Li Huaide couldn't help but sigh.
Li Huaide watched from outside for a while before a smile returned to his face, and he slowly walked inside.
Before he even arrived, laughter could be heard: "Hahaha, Brother Da Mao, I've kept you waiting."
Upon hearing Li Huaide's voice, Xu Damao immediately pushed You Fengxia aside. If he had used more force, he would have pushed her directly over the railing without the slightest hesitation.
Not to mention You Fengxia's utterly bewildered expression, even Li Huaide's smile froze upon seeing this scene.
Xu Damao stood up to greet him: "Old Spiritual Guide, please come in, please come in."
After the three of them sat down again, Li Huaide looked around and remarked, "Fatty's business is really booming."
Upon hearing this, Xu Damao seemed quite proud, his mustache twitching as he said, "Of course! My brother here is absolutely top-notch in business!"
Li Huaide's lips twitched uncontrollably as he listened, yet he couldn't find a way to refute it.
The fat man doesn't pull strings or take shortcuts. He started his business in 1981, and in just seven years, he's built it up to this level.
Honestly, even Li Huaide couldn't do that.
After exchanging only a few pleasantries, a young and pretty waitress came in with a menu and asked what we wanted to drink.
Li Huaide took a look and was surprised to find that there were more than ten kinds of tea alone.
At the very top is a line of poetry: "Pounding in the mortar at night with smoke, cooking in the cold stove with snow."
Leaving aside the regular ones, Xu Damao mainly introduced milk tea to Li Huaide: "Things like refreshing jasmine, white peach oolong, and Hong Kong-style milk tea are all popular recently."
Upon hearing Xu Damao mention "Hong Kong style," Li Huaide casually remarked, "I remember your ex-wife's family left Beijing and went there back then, right?"
Xu Damao's smile froze for a moment, but he quickly recovered as if nothing had happened: "Hey, why are you bringing her up? Just pretend she's dead. Come on, Director Li, I suggest you try this white peach oolong tea, it has a unique flavor."
Li Huaide gave Xu Damao a deep look. Just a moment ago he was calling him "Old Spirit Guide," but now he's calling him "Director Li."
He was subtly reminding Li Huaide of those gold bars he gave him back then...
Remembering his purpose for today, Li Huaide stopped teasing Xu Damao, but he also didn't accept his suggestion. Instead, he ordered a Hong Kong-style milk tea from the waiter.
Soon, the tea was served, along with four small dishes of dried fruit.
Li Huaide frequented teahouses quite often, and nowadays, teahouses in the capital are thriving.
It has that cultural gene!
Those who run large businesses have brought back the old, impoverished customs and fuss of the late Qing dynasty.
What about gaiwans, teapots, jars, and Yixing clay teapots; what teas to pair with what snacks and dried fruits...?
They're so fussy and picky, always spouting off about "the old Beijing ways of doing things," just like a bull in a yoke!
In Chapter 54 of *The Story of a Marriage to Awaken the World*, there is a passage that reads: "Grandma Tong had Yu'er bring over two cups of tea, served on a small vermilion plate, in a fine porcelain teacup, with a black silver tea spoon, and served with bamboo shoots and walnut kernels. After Master Di and his son had finished their tea, Yu'er took the cup." (The character "钟" is not a misspelling; it is written exactly as it is in the original text.)
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