105 Finding a bargain (a section has been added)
"You... you've been thieves?" Xu Cheng, who was waiting at the entrance of the state-run restaurant, also became alert and looked around like Lin Sitian and Guan Yuehe.
Lin Sitian watched for a while, and only breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that no one was chasing after them. "We ran into Aunt Ding when we went out. I thought she had noticed something and was going to follow us."
Xu Cheng exclaimed in surprise, glancing at her a few more times with unease. "Could it be that someone saw Old Ding outside and gossiped about it to Aunt Ding?"
Lin Yiku couldn't help but laugh at the three of them acting like thieves, and reminded them again, "Ding Laowu made some money after returning to the city last month. Ding Dama probably went out today to find him a partner."
He doesn't spend much time at home, but when he gets home in the evenings, he hears the old folks in the No. 2 courtyard gossiping about other courtyards. Lately, the person they talk about the most is Ding Laowu.
He mentioned it once when they decided to split up, but they were still worried and insisted on taking a longer route.
Lin Sitian insisted, "The elderly folks in our alley are all shrewd and experienced; it's only right that we be cautious."
Guan Yuehe wholeheartedly agreed with her. As a result, the half-hour journey turned into almost an hour.
"What are you doing? Come in quickly." Chen Lizhong waited for a long time but no one came. When he went out, he saw four people standing outside like four door gods.
"They're here. Come on in, it's freezing."
This state-run restaurant was close to Chen Lizhong's home, so he and Ding Xuewen arrived first. Xu Chengcai and Qin Zilan also arrived early, having taken the bus.
Qin Zilan can still go out and about now, but in another month or two, she'll have to stay home to give birth. For the next six months, they probably won't be able to meet up for a meal, which is why they thought they could get together before the New Year when they have time.
Before, Ding Xuewen wasn't in Beijing, but we corresponded frequently, so our relationship was naturally good. Now that we're all in Beijing, we each have families, jobs, or studies, and we don't get together two or three times a year. Over time, our relationship might fade.
"Absolutely impossible!" Chen Lizhong, a childhood friend and unofficial member of the group, was the first to deny it. "We've known each other for over ten years. How could our friendship fade so easily?"
Guan Yuehe and Lin Sitian rolled their eyes at him first. How dare he say that, apart from Ding Xuewen, he had known everyone else for over ten years, but they had only met in person a year ago.
"You're really good at bragging. No wonder Ding Xuewen said he had too many students and couldn't teach them all."
"It's just a little packaging." Chen Lizhong's lips curled up, but he didn't dare to stare at Lin Sitian. Lin Sitian's older brother had looked at him several times since he sat down, his eyes were too sharp, and he was afraid that Lin Sitian's older brother would see through his little scheme.
Besides, when he glanced at Lin Sitian, Guan Yuehe secretly glared at him.
They continued chatting after finishing their meal, and the waiter didn't rush to kick them out. Instead, he pretended to wipe the table next to them with a rag.
She overheard several college students in the group talking about recent national policies, including the possibility that the government might allow farmers to contract land and individuals to engage in business in the future. Finding this interesting, she decided to listen a little longer and wasn't in a hurry to urge them to leave.
The adults were having a great time talking and listening, but Niu Niu was bored. Luckily, Uncle Ding and Uncle Chen gave her some toys, which she took apart and played with.
After getting tired of playing, they went to find Guan Yuehe and asked Aunt Yuehe to bring Guyu next time.
Guan Yuehe shook her head inwardly, but didn't completely refuse, only saying, "Let's talk about it next time."
"By the way, Yuehe, we also want to learn English on our own. Could you teach us some learning methods?" Ding Xuewen remembered his important matter.
Guan Yuehe couldn't help but admire these studious people. She needed occasional encouragement or a carrot dangling in front of her to stay motivated, but these people were different; they believed that learning English would be very useful in the future, so they were eager to learn.
That's why they were able to get into university even after spending ten years in the countryside.
"Who else but us?"
“My friend in the dorm next door who does math research, and my sister.”
After saying that, he skillfully passed on the introductory method he had taught others: first learn by listening to the radio.
Lin Sitian and Xu Cheng began to avoid other people's gazes; they didn't want to learn.
Xu Chengcai immediately changed the subject, bringing up Guan Yuehe's plan to buy a house.
Looking at Ding Xuewen, he said, "Why don't you ask someone to help you look for a place? You live alone, so buying a single-room bungalow would be good first."
“After he graduates, he will be assigned to a work unit, and the work unit will definitely provide housing. It will be more difficult to get housing if he buys a house.” Lin Sitian thought this idea was unreliable. Even if he buys a house now, it will be more troublesome if the work unit he is assigned to is far away from the house.
She finds it too far to commute to the factory workers' hospital from Ginkgo Alley every day. If it weren't for the crowded buses at the factory, she wouldn't bother cycling to work at all.
For the first few years of her career, she could ride on the back of her father's bicycle. Later, she was transferred to work at a hospital, and especially after returning from further studies, her work hours often didn't coincide with her father's, so she had to ride her bicycle to and from get off work by herself.
"Your home is too far from your workplace. You have to commute by bike every day. If the work is easy, it's fine, but if it's tiring, you'll definitely be full of resentment. You should think carefully."
Xu Cheng shook his head. "He said he wanted to rent a house outside, but I think it's better to just buy one. If he gets a unit and can get a house later, he can just sell the house. I've inquired, and the bungalows in the alleys near the machinery factory's residential compound used to cost about 150 yuan per square meter, but now they've all gone up to 160 or 170 yuan. Even so, there are still plenty of people who want to buy them, but unfortunately there aren't that many houses for sale."
"You're looking to rent a place?" Lin Sitian asked, then realized it was a silly question. No matter how good Ding Xuewen's relationship with Chen Lizhong was, he couldn't keep going to Chen's house. Besides, Ding Xuewen had money now and could easily rent a place.
After thinking carefully about Xu Chengcai's words, he nodded, "Xu Chengcai makes sense, it's worth buying."
He even joked, "If you buy it now and sell it after you graduate, you might even make a profit."
Guan Yuehe sighed, "Why did the price go up so quickly?!"
Although Chen Lizhong advised Ding Xuewen to stay at his house without worry, he also supported him in using his money to buy a house.
"Your money is just sitting there anyway, and it's not even safe to keep your savings book in your dorm. Why not just use the money to buy a house? No one can steal your house."
Ding Xuewen, who was originally focused on renting a house, was persuaded by the others to now be completely focused on converting his savings into a house.
Gritting his teeth, he made up his mind, "Then let's buy a house!"
"Don't look in the area around the car factory," Lin Sitian warned.
"OK!"
—
night.
Lin Yiku brought over two basins of hot water, each with two slices of ginger in it—a method of warding off the cold that they had learned from their parents' generation.
Guan Yuehe hissed as she put her feet into the basin. Both feet were in the water, and she grimaced from the heat for a while before she slowly got used to the temperature.
"When we go out to eat, you don't say a word. Do you find it a little boring?"
Lin Yiku stared at her inquisitively, "I think you're the least talkative of the four of you. Even Comrade Qin talks more than you."
Lin Sitian loves to gossip, and can talk about everything from Ginkgo Alley to the Five Star Automobile Factory. Xu Cheng and Qin Zilan are talking about how much they earned last year making clothes for others, and how some people are envious. Ding Xuewen is seriously analyzing recent policies for them, while Chen Lizhong can chime in on any topic.
She was the only one who would speak up when Ding Xuewen asked her about learning English or when Xu Chengcai mentioned buying a house; otherwise, she was either eating or listening to everyone else.
"I talk a lot." It's just that Lin Sitian, Chen Lizhong, and Xu Chengcai talk a lot, which makes her seem quiet today.
"You haven't answered my question yet."
Lin Yiku didn't answer but asked instead, "Does that guy surnamed Chen have feelings for Sitian?"
Guan Yuehe looked down at the feet in the basin, and let out a blank "ah," pretending that she knew nothing.
"He stole glances at Sitian several times today, avoiding eye contact with me, and you glared at him a few times." Lin Yiku felt they were practically wearing their secrets on their sleeves, and continued to voice her suspicions, "Sitian sent you to test me, did she discover something?"
Guan Yuehe angrily stomped on him. Having lived together for so long, he could now guess her every time.
She didn't say anything, but Lin Yiku had already gotten the answer from her expression.
"They are not dating."
Lin Yi nodded, "I guessed it."
"If they talk, you won't object, will you?"
“She’s a grown woman, how can I stop her from dating?” Lin Yiku said, “We’ll talk about it when they actually start dating.”
Guan Yuehe suddenly covered her mouth and laughed. Under his questioning gaze, she smiled and said, "Last year, your comrade-in-arms came to our house and wanted me to help introduce Sitian. Sitian said that she sees your comrade-in-arms as her own brother and doesn't dare to have any romantic feelings for him."
Lin Yiku laughed at her, saying, "Didn't you used to absolutely refuse to be my wife?"
In response, she stepped on his foot again.
Just as she was about to step over, Lin Yiku grabbed her and pulled out a towel from the side to dry her feet in a few quick movements.
After crawling into the warm bed and settling in, Lin Yiku answered her initial question.
"As soon as I spoke up, none of them dared to say anything."
When their eyes met, everyone except her and Sitian unconsciously straightened their backs.
Upon closer reflection, Guan Yuehe realized it was true!
"It's very interesting to listen to you all talk." Everyone is in a different position and has different views on policies.
Of course, he always felt that the friendship between these people, which had lasted for more than 20 years, was especially precious whenever he saw them getting along, and it often reminded him of his comrades-in-arms in the south.
—
Before the Spring Festival, Guan Yuehe was busy at home almost every day completing the tasks assigned by her teacher. During this time, she also went out to look at houses with her two mothers.
"This house is too old and too small."
"The house is in a good location and is a good size, but the neighbors in the same courtyard are terrible. They're such a pain! If we move in, we'll be dealing with endless lawsuits every day. No way!"
"This is a bit far. It's not good for Lin Yi to have to get up ten minutes earlier to leave home in the future."
"So big? Not sold separately? I can't afford it."
"......"
After looking at six houses, none of them were suitable, and Guan Yuehe was too embarrassed to look her two mothers in the eye.
Aunt Fang waved her hand, "Buying a house is a big deal. Three generations can live in one house. If you're going to buy one, buy the right one. We're not in a hurry now, we'll take our time and see."
Jiang Guiying chimed in, "Yes, we've seen it once, so we have a general idea. We'll ask around before coming back to see it again."
The three returned to Ginkgo Alley and were greeted by Aunt Ding, whose face was beaming with joy.
"Your son Ding Laowu has found a girlfriend?"
Aunt Ding chuckled, "He's not in a rush to find someone, let's see how it goes. Your Aiguo isn't dating anyone either, is he?"
Jiang Guiying rolled her eyes inwardly. She wondered who it was that had been running around every day recently, saying they wanted to find a partner for her youngest son. Before anything had even happened, they were already arranging to renovate Ding Laowu's house.
The three of them didn't bother to ask Aunt Ding what the happy occasion was, and went straight home.
Aunt Ding stopped looking gloomy all the time and stopped sighing and causing trouble. Er Ya was the happiest person about this.
She took the college entrance exam this year. Before, she was often scolded by her grandmother when she lived at home, so she simply applied for accommodation at the school. Now that she's on vacation at home, she can finally have some peace and quiet, and her mood has improved a lot.
When Guan Aiguo came home from get off work, he specifically mentioned Ding Laowu.
"Mom, what kind of money-making work has he been doing at home lately? Today he brought a few hooligans to the hair salon to get their hair permed, and he paid for everything."
"How would I know him? He's always out early and back late, even more diligent than when he's working a regular job." Jiang Guiying didn't take it to heart. "Whatever he's busy doing to make money, just focus on getting your hair permed and stop learning all that nonsense."
She watched Ding Laowu grow up; the kid was completely spoiled and didn't know how to behave properly. She didn't believe for a second that he could do anything decent.
Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.
The dishes had just been put away when Ding Laowu came to the door, greeting everyone warmly as "Grandpa" and "Auntie," but his eyes were scanning every corner of the house.
Guan Canghai sensed that Ding Laowu was up to no good, so he tapped his pipe on the table to stop Ding Laowu's wandering gaze. "What is it?"
Ding Laowu touched his nose and said with a smile, "Uncle Guan, I've been learning to collect and sell recyclables to earn a living lately. I came to see if you have anything you don't need. Broken bowls and bottles are all worth selling. We're neighbors, so I definitely won't let you down."
Upon hearing this, Guan Canghai and Jiang Guiying lowered their guard slightly. "The usable broken bowls and bottles in the house are all outside against the wall. The unusable ones have definitely been thrown away long ago. These things are rare, and you won't get much money selling them. How can you make a profit?"
"Hehe, just trying to earn a little something for my hard work."
Ding Laowu added, "I also have some old items that you can bring to exchange for money. Hey, Uncle Guan, how about I help you see which ones in your house can be exchanged for cash?"
"No need, no need." Guan Canghai stopped him directly, blocking him at the door. "This chest of drawers is the oldest thing in my house. It was made when your Aunt Jiang and I got married, and it's been used for over thirty years. But we're not selling this chest of drawers. Look elsewhere."
Watching Ding Laowu turn and go to Xie Zhenhua's house, Guan Canghai closed the door and spat out angrily.
"That bastard is definitely trying to find a bargain like others and make a profit. Even if I did have some old items at home, I would never sell them to him."
Guan Aiguo peered out the living room window at the Xie family's house next door. Ding Laowu went in, but was kicked out by Liu Axiu within five minutes. The same thing happened when they went to the Lin family's house.
He laughed. "Does he really think everyone's stupid? He might as well go to another alley, or even another courtyard, to collect it. He won't get a single item in courtyard number three."
There was no way around it; we'd been neighbors for years, and we knew all too well what kind of person Ding Laowu was.
But thinking about how Ding Laowu had lavishly paid for someone to get a perm today, Guan Aiguo sneered, realizing that Ding Laowu had really gotten a bargain.
Otherwise, where would he get so much money to squander?
Ding Laowu also went to visit other courtyards in the alley.
The people in courtyard number two are talking about him.
Aunt Zhao kindly reminded you: "If you really have any old items that you're unsure about, go to our scrap yard and find Hai Ban'er. Give him a small gift and ask him to take a look."
They even gave an example.
"There's a family in the alley ahead who passed down a porcelain bowl from their ancestors. They had it appraised, and the appraiser said it was fake, so they sold it for two yuan. A few days later, they found out that the family had resold the bowl. Guess how much they sold it for? A thousand! A thousand yuan!"
The neighbors exclaimed in unison.
After hearing the gossip, Guan Yuehe went back to the room and examined her desk, tapping and touching it, and even sniffing it.
It's hard to tell the difference between this desk and the one Lin Yiku used, except that it's a bit heavier when lifted.
"What's wrong with the table?" Lin Yiku couldn't help but imitate her actions and start observing the desk.
"This table was picked out for me by Hai Ban'er at the scrap yard. He said it was a good table. It cost me fifty yuan back then!"
When her salary was only thirty-odd yuan, she spent fifty yuan to buy a desk, and she felt heartbroken for several days afterward.
Lin Yiku then looked at the several old vases in the room, "Were these also good things he helped pick out?"
"No, I bought those because I thought they looked nice. Hai Ban'er said I have terrible taste and can't find anything good."
Lin Yiku knew nothing about antique appraisal, but like her, she thought those vases were quite pretty.
"Forget it, we're not destined to make a fortune by picking up bargains. Let's just honestly save our wages."
Guan Yuehe patted the table, "I can't sell this table even if someone asks about it. I'm used to using it."
But no one came to ask.
Ding Laowu skipped over both her family and Song Gong'an's family, not even considering getting anything good from them. He was also afraid that if he did get anything and sold it, he would be punished by those two families if discovered.
Ding Laowu didn't care about taking anything from either of their families.
On New Year's Eve, Ding Laowu brought back a lot of good things from outside, a whole net bag full of nutritional supplements, and several cans of malted milk powder. It was obvious that he had money in his pocket.
Aunt Ding was so happy she couldn't stop smiling. For the first time ever, she made fried food and called the children in the yard to come and eat.
Other neighbors kindly reminded Aunt Ding and Old Man Ding not to flaunt their wealth, but they thought others were just jealous of their family.
Lin Sitian whispered to Guan Yuehe, "It's good that Ding Laowu is making money. Aunt Ding is so focused on him that she forgets about Ding Xuewen."
Too.
—
This year, more people are going to Xie Zhenhua to write couplets. There are people coming and going in and out of courtyard number three.
Courtyard No. 2 was just as popular as the neighboring courtyard, and many people came to Luo Guifang to help roast melon seeds and to ask Wu Erni to do paper cutting together.
"Erni, I heard Sun Dashan has been released and sent back to his hometown. You and Lao Jin should be careful." The older woman who spoke gestured with her chin toward Wu Jiawang. Her husband worked in the security department of the car factory and knew a lot about the situation.
Sun Dashan was originally sentenced to five years, but for some reason, three more years were added, and he has only just been released.
With Wu Jiawang about to graduate from high school, who knows if he will take over Wu Erni's job and find out if Sun Dashan will come looking for him and make Wu Jiawang take care of him in his old age?
Upon hearing Sun Dashan's name, Wu Erni lost her strength and ruined the paper cutting she was making.
But she quickly calmed herself down, thinking, "We have nothing to do with him now. I'm not afraid if he comes."
Guan Yuehe poked her head out from behind Wu Erni and said, "If he dares to cause trouble in our No. 2 courtyard, he shouldn't blame us for dealing with him!"
Since Sun Dashan was imprisoned, the families in courtyard number two have lived in harmony, and the courtyard has been recognized as a model of civilized living for several years. Clearly, Sun Dashan and his parents were the rotten apples that spoiled the whole house and had to be expelled!
"That's right! We in the No. 2 compound aren't afraid of trouble! We have plenty of people who can fight!" Aunt Bai said proudly. Even if the old couple from the Sun family came, they would be dealt with by her!
Chang Zhengyi, who had just stepped in, slipped out again when no one was looking and let out a long sigh of relief.
There aren't many people there he can beat, so he should go out and help sweep the streets.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, everyone was discussing the big news on the radio.
"Our leader is visiting the US. Does that mean we'll be cooperating with them in the future? What kind of cooperation can we do?"
"No wonder there are more and more foreign tourists coming here lately."
We were just talking about national affairs, but then the conversation drifted to the people around us.
"Yuehe, you speak English too, why didn't you come along?"
"That's right. Several technicians in the factory have been sent abroad to study. They all know a foreign language. Yuehe, you know several, right?"
Even though Guan Yuehe was thick-skinned, she couldn't resist the neighbors' exaggerated praise.
Let's go home and roast sweet potatoes around the stove.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
