066 Taking the initiative
If Lin Sitian had known beforehand that this popsicle had led to this, she definitely wouldn't have reached out, nor would she have smugly smiled at her brother and said, "You're benefiting from my kindness!"
She would never tell her childhood friend, "Just buy it for me next time. My brother doesn't like it. He complained about the one I bought yesterday."
When Guan Yuehe showed a shocked expression, as if to say, "How could anyone not like to eat popsicles in the summer?", Lin Yiku silently took a bite of his popsicle to express his opinion.
He didn't expose his sister. Was what she gave him yesterday an ice pop? It was clearly a bowl of water! Even though the water was melted ice pop, could they really be the same thing?
Guan Yuehe smiled contentedly, then turned and went home to invite her family to eat popsicles together.
"I've seen you grinning like an idiot several times now, what's the good news?" Jiang Guiying noticed that her little girl had been secretly laughing several times during the meal, and she found it amusing.
"That's great news." Guan Yuehe shared the news that she had been recognized as an outstanding worker in the city, and had already submitted the materials before leaving get off work, just waiting for the city's award certificate to be issued.
The family members exclaimed in surprise, "Really?"
Seeing Guan Yuehe nod, Guan Canghai blushed with joy, saying with a mixture of envy and pride, "Your father has been nominated for the city's advanced worker award for ten years in the factory, but I've never won one. My daughter, you've really made us proud!"
"No, we have to have a drink to celebrate today, I'm so happy!" After saying that, he looked up at Jiang Guiying.
"When are you ever unhappy and don't want to celebrate?" Jiang Guiying couldn't help but say, but she still unlocked the cabinet and took out the wine.
There was only enough wine to cover the bottom of the bowl, so Guan Yuehe gulped it down. The alcohol made her even more excited, and her face turned flushed.
She wasn't usually like this when she drank. Jiang Guiying thought she was hot, so she moved the electric fan behind her closer and said, "The new electric fans are so nice. They oscillate left and right, so we don't all have to squeeze together to be blown on."
Guan Yuehe boasted, "I told you to buy early and enjoy it early. Now that we've bought it, this summer will be much easier. You listened to me, didn't you?"
"Our factory received four TV tickets this year."
Unfortunately, she won't get it this year. Several colleagues in the factory have performed exceptionally well in production and machine improvement, and these vouchers are for rewards; it's simply not her turn. But if she can't get it this year, there's always next year or the year after.
"If I were awarded a ticket, I would immediately buy a television!"
The family members exclaimed in surprise again.
Jiang Guiying and Guan Canghai thought that their little girl was no longer associated with the title of "stingy girl". When she did buy something, it was either a lot or a large item.
A television? That's a rare item that only executives or factory leaders have. She's thinking of buying one!
Weiwei and Jingjing looked on with admiration.
In the entire Ginkgo Alley, the children admire their little aunt the most. She's good at fighting, lives in a big house, and is rich. Now she wants to buy a TV!
Guan Yuehe was just saying it casually; she currently had neither a TV ticket nor the money to buy a TV.
What she was about to do next, rather than buying a television, would probably shock her family even more.
hey-hey.
Guan Yuehe smiled secretly again.
She said it casually, but someone actually bought a TV!
This is huge news that has shocked the entire Ginkgo Hutong!
This Sunday morning began with the wailing of three babies who were not even a month old.
When others passed by Courtyard No. 2 and Courtyard No. 3, they couldn't help but quicken their pace.
"No wonder they came from the same production line; the vocal parameters are almost the same."
Lin Sitian and her family of four tidied themselves up, borrowed Guan Canghai's bicycle, and went out to have dinner with Zhou Jinghang's family.
The Lin family is well-off, and Lin Sitian is even more ambitious. She has worked her way up from a cashier at the clinic to a nurse at the hospital, and she is just waiting to pass the certification exam to become a doctor!
Compared to Lin Yiku, Lin Sitian is actually more popular, and many people are waiting for Aunt Lin to give in so they can introduce her to potential partners.
Hey! She found someone and they're dating!
The elders from both families are about to meet, and they only found out a few days in advance. Many people are regretting it and slapping their thighs, saying, "If only I had introduced her to him!"
"It's no use if you introduce them. The girls in our alley are all very opinionated. They don't like the girls introduced by their families. They insist on pursuing free love. They have to like someone themselves before they can date."
The person next to him chimed in, "Yeah, especially those in courtyards number two and three, they're all stubborn."
Upon closer inspection, it really is true!
First there was Guan Yuehua and Zhang Chaonan, now there's Lin Sitian. Oh right, and there's also Xu Xiaomei.
Standing behind them, hands on hips, listening to the gossip, Guan Yuehe quietly added: There's also a Guan Yuehe, hahaha...
She chuckled to herself, but just like her neighbors, Guan Yuehe stared wide-eyed at the large box strapped to the back of Zhou Hongqi's bicycle.
There were a few words printed on the outside of the box. Someone read them aloud and exclaimed excitedly, "This is a television from our Beijing Television Factory!"
Yuanbao, sitting on the crossbar of the car, smiled so hard his eyes narrowed into slits, and he told everyone he met, "We bought a TV!"
She didn't miss a single one, as if afraid that no one would know that her family had a television.
Two-year-old Yuanbao didn't have a clear concept of what a television was, but her parents told her that it was a big-ticket item more expensive than a bicycle or a radio, and that her family's most expensive possession was her bicycle and the second most expensive possession was the television. She understood then.
"Where did you get a TV ticket?" After the initial shock of seeing the TV, everyone was filled with questions again.
Jin Junwei, who was behind her, chimed in, "Sister Hongqi got her Level 6 worker certificate; it was a reward from the factory leaders."
Everyone was shocked again: "You're a Level 6 worker now?"
Is it really that easy to become a skilled worker these days? Zhou Hongqi takes the exam almost twice every three years. It took him ten years to go from being a Level 1 worker to being a Level 6 worker!
But everyone thought of Grandpa Chang from Courtyard No. 2, who had been stuck at Level 6 for several years, and realized that passing the exam wasn't that easy. Perhaps Level 6 was a hurdle to overcome?
Guan Yuehe was the only one envious of the large factories that could get so many tickets. These TV tickets didn't even need to be given out as rewards at the end of the year at the workers' meeting; they could be distributed regularly.
In terms of allocation, each state-owned factory would receive one TV ticket for every 100 employees per quarter. For example, Zhuoyue Garment Factory, with over 400 employees, would receive four tickets per quarter, or 12 tickets per year. This is the ideal scenario.
The actual situation depends on the supply; whatever amount the higher-ups can allocate will be the amount.
However, the large number of workers in the car factory still gives them an advantage, and they will receive a fair share of TV tickets.
"Auntie, come to my house to watch TV!" Yuanbao waved to Guan Yuehe. She was small, but she remembered who had treated her to popsicles.
Zhou Hongqi's house was soon packed with people, all eager to see what the television looked like up close.
Everyone just stood by and watched, not daring to touch it for fear of breaking it. Zhou Hongqi busied herself with wiring and installation according to the instructions, thankfully she had consulted with an experienced installer beforehand.
This is the first television set ever set in Ginkgo Hutong!
The neighbors watching felt a mix of envy and jealousy, but also a surge of hope: if they had the first one, wouldn't the second one be much sooner? At most, they would have to wait a little longer, and sooner or later it would be their turn to buy a television!
Just like the first bicycle and the first radio that appeared in the alley, these big items will gradually become things that you can buy if you grit your teeth.
We're all workers in a car factory; if you can buy one, I'll be able to buy one sooner or later.
At that moment, no one thought about the young people dating and getting married anymore. They were all thinking about bringing their stools to Zhou Hongqi's house to watch TV when the power came back on that evening.
At this point, no one was gossiping about Zhou Hongqi keeping a gigolo anymore. Some even said after the fact, "I think Hongqi got married well. Her little... her husband Jin Junwei has the character 'Jin' in his name, he's a lucky charm!"
Guan Yuehe could only roll her eyes. "You should practice your skills properly and get a Level 6 technician certificate. Then you'll be lucky to marry anyone."
"That's right, the Red Flag was earned through its own abilities, don't believe in superstition."
"What superstition? I didn't say that!" The person who had just spoken scurried away, afraid that he would be accused of promoting superstition.
It was only evening, but Courtyard No. 3 was packed with people, and it was difficult for residents of Courtyard No. 3 to even squeeze in.
For example, the Lin family of four, who were going to have dinner with their future in-laws, chatted with Grandpa Li and Grandma Hua for a while outside the gate before they learned the reason.
Grandpa Lin and Grandma Fang were in a good mood today and wanted to join in the fun in the front yard, so they parked their bicycles outside.
"Alright." Lin Sitian felt suffocated by the dense crowd inside, so she grabbed a lunchbox of meat buns and headed straight for Courtyard No. 2.
It's very quiet in courtyard number two; it seems everyone has gone next door to watch TV.
But she was right; Guan Yuehe was indeed at home.
Guan Yuehe also wanted to watch TV, but she didn't want to squeeze into the crowd on such a hot day. If it were winter, she definitely would have gone.
"You're so kind; you even remembered to bring me food when you go out to eat." Guan Yuehe suddenly felt hungry again and ate her fourth meal of the day.
"The meat buns at this restaurant are delicious!"
Lin Sitian scratched her head awkwardly and corrected herself, "My brother bought the buns to thank you for treating him to vegetarian buns."
Before Guan Yuehe could even wave her hand and say "it's all the same," Lin Sitian began to question her: "Who is the one you've been playing with since childhood? You treated Lin Yi to a meal, but you didn't treat me!"
Guan Yuehe was wronged. Although Lin Yiku was now to her liking, she was not the kind of person who valued romance over friendship!
"I gave your portion to Lin Yiku!"
Upon hearing this, Lin Sitian became even angrier, "He actually hogged it all!"
"I'm so angry! I knew it! How could you invite him but not me? It doesn't make sense!"
A little while later, Guan Yuehe suddenly felt guilty as she ate: Did she actually tell Lin Yiku that half of it was for Sitian? Did she say "I'm treating you" or "I'm treating you all"?
hiss!
Feeling guilty, he hesitated to discuss serious matters with Lin Sitian. He tried to change the subject, asking, "How was dinner with your partner's family today?"
Lin Sitian's expression improved a bit, and she seemed quite satisfied. "My brother had a friend investigate, and his family is reliable."
Needless to say, Zhou Jinghang's older brother was also a soldier; if there were any issues, he wouldn't have been able to join the army.
However, there's a problem. Zhou Jinghang's older brother is in the military, and he's an only child. His parents want them to live with them after they get married. But Lin Sitian herself prefers to live closer to her own home.
"It's too early to talk about that now. After getting married, we'll have to wait for housing allocation. It's difficult to get housing from the pharmaceutical factory, so I might have to use my housing allocation quota from the automobile factory. If I get one, I'd like to move to Ginkgo Hutong." It would be even better if it were closer to Courtyard No. 3.
Lin Sitian is used to living at home and finds it hard to accept moving to someone else's house after getting married.
As childhood friends, Guan Yuehe naturally hoped that Lin Sitian would live closer to her in the future. However, her opinion was irrelevant; it depended on how the two families discussed it.
"Make sure you discuss everything before getting married," Guan Yuehe reminded her.
The two haven't won over either set of parents yet, and on the surface, they still live in their own homes. The neighbors feel sorry for them and take every opportunity to persuade Aunt Er and Uncle Zhang to compromise for the sake of their child.
"We definitely need to clarify everything beforehand. But it's too early to say anything now. I want to get my certificate before we get married." That way, the chances of getting a housing allocation will be much higher. We also need to coordinate with her brother's schedule; we'll have to wait until at least the Lunar New Year, when he might have a holiday to come home.
After watching TV in Courtyard No. 3, people gradually dispersed, mostly discussing the health and hygiene information they had seen on television.
"I'll have to subscribe to a newspaper from now on, otherwise I won't know what programs will be on every day."
"Just watch whatever they broadcast. Why bother subscribing to newspapers? Do you even understand what they're saying?"
"I used to attend a literacy class organized by the neighborhood committee; I only have a primary school education!"
The elderly folks started arguing again as they were chatting. Luckily, they knew that someone in the two neighboring courtyards was having a postpartum period, so they only started arguing loudly once they were some distance away.
Inside the Lin family's house, Lin Sitian also went to her older brother in a huff to demand an explanation.
Lin Yiku also felt wronged. He had genuinely thought that the meal was specially prepared for him, but then he was attacked.
He admitted his mistake very quickly and sincerely: "Yes, I ate alone, I was wrong."
"..." Lin Sitian snorted, "I'll reluctantly forgive you."
Completely calmed down, Lin Sitian looked at his empty room and said she would bring him an electric fan tomorrow.
Lin Yi smiled wryly at her and said, "Does each time I scold you, I have to make it up to you? Why don't you scold me more?"
No wonder her mother said: "Your brother's mouth is so infuriating."
So he deliberately said, "I'll do the work, and Mom will deduct money from your wife's savings."
In her family, if you were to ask who has the most savings, it would definitely be her brother. Over the years, he's kept a small amount of his salary and subsidies for himself, but sent most of it back home for them to save.
Her mother opened a separate savings account for him, saying it was for her brother's future wife. Sometimes she would take the remittance slip to withdraw money and then deposit it back in. She knew how much her brother had deposited, and every time she looked, she would exclaim: "Her brother is the biggest spender in Ginkgo Hutong!"
"My wife can't be touched," Lin Yi said with a wry smile. She then got up to pull out a drawer. "Here, I'll make up for the money and tickets. Any extra will be your errand fee."
"elder brother......"
"Call me if you need anything, otherwise call me Lin Yiku. Even if you call Dad, I won't buy it for you!" Lin Yiku knew exactly what she was thinking with her eyes darting around! He shoved the money and tickets into her hand, pushed her out, and closed the door behind her.
Lin Sitian glanced at the money and tickets in her hand, without giving it much thought.
Her brother is usually very generous to her, often sending her food and other necessities. When it came to buying an electric fan, he didn't let her pay, and even gave her double the delivery fee. While it seemed a bit too generous, she figured it was probably because they were already discussing marriage, and her brother wanted to help her out.
The next day, Lin Sitian brought back an electric fan and a piece of cotton cloth from the department store.
She discovered that her mother was making new clothes for her brother. "Didn't my brother say he didn't like wearing polyester clothing? He complained that it wasn't breathable and felt stuffy."
So she specially bought him cotton fabric to make him a new outfit, so he wouldn't have to wear green pants and a white vest at home every day.
Aunt Fang smiled enigmatically, "Young people these days all like Dacron. If he doesn't wear clothes typical of young people, who can tell him apart from an old man when he sits at the entrance of the alley?"
"Mom, I'm still home," Lin Yiku reminded her from inside the room.
Lin Sitian was laughing so hard she could barely breathe.
He turned to Guan Yuehe and told her the joke.
Guan Yuehe also told her another "joke".
"What did you say?"
Lin Sitian tilted her head, with her ear pointing to the ground, and clapped her hands twice, trying to knock out the thing in her ear that was causing her hearing illusion.
Having already spoken, Guan Yuehe felt there was nothing to be embarrassed about, and thought that a quick resolution was the key. Her speaking speed returned to normal.
“I’ve taken a liking to your brother and want to date him. But you’re my friend, and Lin Yiku is your brother, so I’m giving you a heads-up beforehand so you can be mentally prepared.”
"Are you serious? You're not joking with me?"
"Hehe." Guan Yuehe smiled, baring her teeth, and acted coy for a moment, but only for a moment, before starting to analyze the pros and cons for Lin Sitian.
"Aren't you worried that Lin Yiku will find you a sister-in-law who can't tolerate you? I won't. With our relationship, if you and Lin Yiku quarrel, I'll help you beat him up and I won't scold you."
"You can live at home after we get married. Let your brother live with me. I have a house. My kang (heated brick bed) is three meters long and two meters wide. There are enough room for two more Lin Yikus to lie down."
"Just tell me, is it okay or not?"
Lin Sitian was still in shock and hadn't quite come to her senses, but she subconsciously nodded, "Okay."
It's impossible for her childhood friend to be bad. But she still can't equate being a good childhood friend with being a good sister-in-law.
It took Lin Sitian a long time to recover her senses, her eyes fixed on Guan Yuehe without blinking.
Guan Yuehe looked back, her clear black and white eyes conveying the same message: I'm not joking, I'm serious!
Lin Sitian gasped several times, stood up and paced back and forth in the living room, looking at Guan Yuehe who was sitting upright on the sofa, waiting to be interrogated.
"You? My brother?"
"Um!"
"No, let me hear if you've lost your mind." Lin Sitian rushed over again, cupped Guan Yuehe's face, and shook her head.
In her brother's words, "You don't even have water running through your head, so how could you have such thoughts?"
"No, what do you see in him?" She asked, then realized something was off, since "him" was her own brother, sharing the same parents. "Why?"
She really couldn't understand it.
“My brother is well-off, and my family is alright, but… oh dear! I can’t explain it!” Lin Sitian asked again, “Why?”
"Your brother is good-looking!" This advantage, combined with the two advantages Lin Sitian mentioned, already surpasses that of most men.
She felt that her judgment was still quite reliable.
Lin Sitian's eyes widened. "You mean it when you say my brother is handsome?"
She thought Guan Yuehe was just saying it casually, and wondered if Guan Yuehe, who spent all her time at the Zhuoyue Garment Factory, hadn't seen many good-looking men, which was why she thought that way.
It's actually true!
"Isn't Technician Zhao good-looking enough?" she wondered.
"She's not the kind of pretty I like." She prefers someone like Lin Yiku.
But the men around him, those with a physique like Lin Yiku, didn't have faces as good-looking as Lin Yiku. The ones with faces as good-looking as Lin Yiku were skinny sticks.
Guan Yuehe said earnestly, "I've been observing him for a year and a half, and your brother is the best."
She was initially a little disappointed, but then Lin Yiku was able to be transferred back, so she thought she could give it a try.
This is a great prospect. Lin Yiku can't get married for at least two years, and she doesn't want to get married yet. But what if someone beats her to it by the time Lin Yiku finishes her studies and returns? It's better for her to take the initiative and win him over first.
She's been thinking about this strategy for days, it's absolutely brilliant!
Lin Sitian cried out "Oh God!" and sat heavily back on the sofa, sighing repeatedly.
Guan Yuehe knew that she just hadn't figured it out yet, so she kept quiet and sighed with her, waiting for her to understand.
After a long while, Lin Sitian spoke softly, "Who was it that refused to be my brother's wife when we were kids, and even scratched a scar on his brow? Who was it?"
Guan Yuehe was so embarrassed that she couldn't help but scratch the soles of her shoes with her toes.
Enraged, she retorted, "Childhood games don't count! He's playing a bandit, how can I be his wife?!" What's the difference between this and playing a Japanese soldier?
Moreover, Lin Yiku looked completely different when she was a child compared to when she is now.
Guan Yuehe: "...If you're talking about when you were little, then I know a lot about you. Next time I see your brother, I'll tell him that you secretly took his bowl and threw it into the ditch when you were little."
"......"
They both fell silent, one sighing softly, the other exclaiming.
Lin Sitian then remembered a crucial question, "If you and my brother are dating and things fall apart, you won't huff and puff at me like Xu Xiaomei did, will you?"
Guan Yuehe thought about it carefully and said confidently, "No, that won't happen."
But she might secretly put a sack over Lin Yiku's head and beat him up.
Lin Sitian finally calmed down and belatedly began to get excited. Her best childhood friend becoming her sister-in-law? That would be absolutely wonderful!
"You want to talk to my brother directly? Isn't that a bit inappropriate? Or maybe I should just keep this matchmaker's money and keep the profits within the family."
This is also one of the reasons why Guan Yuehe wanted to be honest with her first.
“Our factory is going to hold a social gathering in early August. Tell your brother that I’m going to attend the gathering and persuade him to go too.”
Lin Sitian felt this method was unreliable. "My brother has already said not to introduce him to any more potential partners. What if he doesn't go? I can't stop him."
Her mother is capable, but nothing is certain yet. What if her mother finds out and Yuehe and her brother don't end up together? How embarrassing would it be for Yuehe to run into them in the courtyard in the future?
No, no, that won't work.
Guan Yuehe chuckled again, and what she said was another bombshell to Lin Sitian.
"I think your brother is interested in me."
Lin Sitian was shocked again, "What do you mean?"
“Every time I see him, he seems embarrassed.”
What do you think of him?
After listening, Lin Sitian didn't know what to say.
Anyone would feel embarrassed if someone of the opposite sex, around the same age, stared intently at them! When she was changing a patient's dressing, if she glanced at them even once, the patient would blush.
She managed to persuade Guan Yuehe to hold back for the time being and wait for her to gather information before making any further moves.
—
"What did you say, brother?" Lin Sitian now suspected that Guan Yuehe and her brother were teaming up to tease her.
Lin Yiku repeated what he had just said, "Help me find out if Yuehe has any gay men she's interested in."
"I'm asking around for you? You've also taken a liking to Yuehe? You want to date her?"
Lin Yiku's alarm bells rang loudly, and she hurriedly asked, "Who else?"
"Tell me first, do you like moon lotus?"
Yes. Who else?
Having received the answer, Lin Sitian didn't reply to his question, but suddenly sighed, "I don't know why."
Lin Yi urged her to speak quickly.
"Although you're my brother and quite eligible, you should be able to find an excellent woman." Lin Sitian sighed, as if she had used up all her pent-up frustration for the rest of the night. "But I also feel like you shouldn't have been able to find someone as good as Yuehe. Sigh... sigh!"
Lin Sitian slapped away the hand that was pinching her cheek and snorted in dissatisfaction, "Wait, I'll find out information for you! No need to rush me! Rushing me won't help!"
Her childhood friend and her own brother?!
Lin Sitian felt dizzy before going to bed.
She absolutely wouldn't let anyone else earn that matchmaker's money! Even the union organizing a social event at the Zhuoyue Garment Factory wouldn't do.
—
The next day, when Lin Sitian returned from work, she brought back a registration form and gave it to her brother.
"Yuehe is going to attend their factory's social event. Brother, you should seize the opportunity. This is all I can do to help you."
"Yuehe participated voluntarily?" Lin Yiku thought it was unlikely.
"hold head high!"
He then turned to inform Guan Yuehe, telling her to relax, "I got the information. My brother says he likes you, and he's even wondering who else is pursuing you. Aren't I good enough to you?"
"Okay! I'll still keep the storage room in my house for you from now on."
"Ugh, tell me again, where am I supposed to live from now on?" Lin Sitian said with a bitter face, "Oh no, what am I going to do? I can't beat you in a fight, and which sister-in-law is more miserable than me?"
Guan Yuehe laughed out loud, making a goose-like sound.
The neighbor across the street from the Northwest echoed the words, also saying "goose, goose, goose," and when he opened his mouth, he uttered "quack quack quack," which made even the usually serious Public Security Officer Song unable to hold back his laughter.
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