144 Group Photo
It wasn't until after 3 p.m. that all the guests were seen off.
The rest were relatives and friends from both families. They were going to Lin Sitian and Chen Lizhong's new house together later, where they would also have dinner.
After seeing the guests off with their elders, Lin Sitian and Chen Lizhong turned around and their shoulders slumped.
I'm tired from walking around all day.
Lin Sitian sat next to Guan Yuehe, leaning directly against her.
"Several relatives wanted to shamelessly stay and have dinner with us, but neither my parents responded."
While they were happy, some people who came from the Five Star Automobile Factory were not.
But these were all insignificant people, and Guan Yuehe and the others didn't care about them at all.
Grandpa Ming didn't go to the new house to join in the fun. He took the red envelope from the head chef and then gave Lin Sitian another red envelope, saying, "Live a good life."
"Thank you, Uncle Ming. When your restaurant opens, we'll bring you customers to support you." Lin Sitian smiled and put away the red envelope.
Grandpa Ming chuckled, "With my cooking skills, do I need you guys to bring me customers?"
As he spoke, he looked at the person next to Chen Lizhong and exclaimed, "Oh, I almost didn't recognize you, kid. You're doing pretty well these days."
His complexion and clothes clearly showed he was living a comfortable life. Grandpa Ming squinted for a while before recognizing him.
Guan Yuehe and the others also looked at Ding Xuewen.
Without a close look, one wouldn't notice that Ding Xuewen has changed quite a bit since he first returned to the city after passing the exam.
They only saw each other occasionally, so they didn't notice much change. If Uncle Ming hadn't mentioned it, no one would have thought about these minor changes.
Ding Xuewen adjusted his glasses and smiled, "You haven't changed much; your cooking is still just as delicious."
Grandpa Ming patted his bald head and chuckled, "Now you can even say nice things, you've made some progress."
He then casually asked, "When are you getting married? If you need a head chef, you should let me know in advance."
Ding Xuewen scratched his face sheepishly, while Guan Yuehe and the others laughed and chimed in, "He doesn't have a girlfriend yet!"
"Ha! Another old bachelor."
"Hahaha!" The group burst into laughter.
Now Ding Xuewen finally understood what Guan Yuehe and the others had been secretly laughing at him about all day; they had given him a new nickname behind his back.
Grandpa Ming patted Ding Xuewen's arm, without asking where he was working, and gave him the same advice: "Live a good life."
"good!"
As soon as Grandpa Ming left, Lin Sitian suddenly realized and said, "No wonder no one came to chat with you today. Did they not recognize you?"
Besides them, the only other people at the table were Chen Lizhong's cousin and college classmates. The neighbors in the alley were too busy eating to think about coming over to drink and chat. They probably thought Ding Xuewen was Chen Lizhong's friend and didn't look closely.
Regardless, no one recognized him at the banquet, and the Ding family didn't notice either, saving Ding Xuewen a lot of trouble.
Chen Lizhong went to invite everyone to the new house.
The new house is not far from the car factory, and there is a car to pick us up and drop us off. It only takes a few trips to get everyone there.
Guan Yuehe and the others didn't squeeze onto the bus; they walked all the way there, and by the time the bus had dropped off everyone else, they had arrived.
Upon seeing the outer wall of the courtyard, Xu Cheng exclaimed, "What a wealthy family!"
Guan Yuehe nodded in agreement, and he spoke her mind.
The small courtyard at the entrance doesn't look particularly big, but it's very spacious if only two people live there.
In addition to the couple's bedroom, there's a room reserved for the child's future, as well as a study and a guest room. The kitchen and bathroom are also plentiful and spacious!
Xu Cheng gritted his teeth and said, "We have two children, which are expensive. It would be amazing if we could buy a house like this within ten years."
Even Jiang Guiying, who was adamant about never buying a house, started to consider it.
—
It's been half a month since Lin Sitian got married, but many people in Ginkgo Hutong are still talking about it.
With the May Day holiday approaching, many people choose to hold their wedding banquets during this holiday. Some people ask whether they rent a car as a wedding car and what big-ticket items they bought for their wedding.
Guan Yuehe clicked her tongue and shook her head, saying to Lin Yiku, "It's a good thing they don't know that their new home is a detached house they bought themselves, otherwise they would have to ask, 'Do you buy a house when you get married?' This competitive mentality is unacceptable."
Lin Yiku: "The Wang family is having a wedding banquet in June, and they've booked a hotel in Beijing. They're going to change their competition object."
"No wonder he's the King of Melon Seeds! The biggest household in Ginkgo Alley!" Guan Yuehe exclaimed.
While others may be considered wealthy with ten thousand yuan, the Wang family of melon seeds is probably a super-rich family with millions.
However, it's only right that they earn so much; in the entire Ginkgo Alley, their family is the most daring and enterprising.
For example, recently.
Yuanbao showed off the pencil case she had given him all over the alley, attracting a group of primary and secondary school students who came over to ask where they could buy it. Guyu, on the other hand, showed off the toys she had given him in the clothing factory's residential compound, the preschool class, and Ginkgo Alley, attracting a crowd of children of all ages.
The Guazi Wang family was very astute; they sensed a business opportunity and came directly to her, asking where she bought the seeds and how much they cost.
A few days after asking the question, Guazi Wang and his wife went to the neighborhood office to get a letter of introduction for going to Guangzhou, and set off by train the next day.
When they return, Ginkgo Alley will probably have a new "Toy King" and "Stationery King".
Comrade Guan Yuehe is envious of other people making a lot of money.
Suddenly, Guan Yuehe couldn't help but sigh, "Sitian isn't staying here anymore, and I feel a bit uneasy."
Before, Lin Sitian would rush to her house after work, and they could watch TV and gossip together. Now...sigh!
"Isn't this just watching TV and gossiping with you?" Lin Yiku protested.
How can that be the same? She must have been a little embarrassed to whisper things to him, right?
But to be honest, that's not good either.
Guan Yuehe immediately changed the subject, touching her belly, "You know, we've been trying for almost half a month, but we still haven't seen any results."
"..." Lin Yiku really wished Lin Sitian were home right now so he could give her a lesson in gynecology. Even he, a complete novice in medicine, knew that it was strange that someone could make a diagnosis in just half a month.
As Guan Yuehe was talking about it, Lin Sitian took a change of clothes and went back to Ginkgo Hutong after get off work on Saturday.
"Chen Lizhong has been sent on a business trip to the Jinshi TV Factory. I can't sleep alone in such a big house, so I'm coming back to stay for a few days."
Lin Sitian's original house remains as it was, with all her old furniture and blankets still there, so there's no need to tidy it up.
Guan Yuehe was so happy that she went straight to unlock the cabinet and said she was going to open the last bottle of Coke in the house.
"You still have a bottle left?! That's amazing!"
In the past, Guan Yuehe would never keep any delicious food for more than a few days, but almost a month has passed and there is still some left!
It wasn't that Guan Yuehe could resist the craving, but rather that this bottle of soda was saved from elsewhere.
Two days ago, she happened to have something to do at Peking University, so she went there to reissue her degree certificate and also delivered the Coke she wanted to Cheng Shuang.
To everyone's surprise, Cheng Shuang also had two bottles at home, gifts from her mentor. So, Cheng Shuang accepted hers and then gave her one back, leaving her with only one bottle.
She had originally planned to open it tonight and share it with Lin Yiku.
Now that Lin Sitian is also sharing, there are more people, so each person gets a smaller share, but Lin Sitian is happy to receive her share.
Lin Sitian was also happy, "I was right to come back today!"
Some people, however, had their doubts when they saw her return.
"What's bothering you?" Lin Sitian asked, puzzled.
“What else could it be? There’s a big empty room in the house, and people are always thinking about renting from Mom and Dad. Once you come back, they’ll definitely think that you’re going to stay at our house, and then they won’t be able to ask Mom and Dad to rent from us anymore.”
This is nothing unusual.
If a house becomes vacant, someone will immediately be eyeing it and want to take it over.
But as long as she and Lin Yiku are around, no one can take the house directly!
The two of them, each with an enamel mug, sat lazily on the sofa, sipping their cola.
They lived a leisurely life, like a typical after-get off work get-together before they got married.
After a brief moment of quiet, Lin Sitian came over and whispered something to her.
After a while, Guan Yuehe pushed her head away expressionlessly.
Is it appropriate for you to ask me that?
Lin Sitian said matter-of-factly, "It's suitable! But I can't exactly go to Xu Chengcai and Zilan, can I? That would be too awkward. And ask Ding Xuewen? That blockhead doesn't know anything. The only one he can talk to is you, right?"
"say what?"
Lin Yiku's sudden voice startled Lin Sitian. "No, nothing."
Given Lin Sitian's obvious guilty expression, coupled with Guan Yuehe's constant looking at the sky and the ground while ignoring him, it would be strange if Lin Yiku believed her. However, he didn't press her for details, asking her why she came back alone today.
Upon hearing this, Lin Sitian, who had just felt guilty, instantly felt justified. "I'm just getting married, what's wrong with going home for a few days?"
Lin Yiku wasn't fooled. She chuckled and said with certainty, "You're talking badly about me again."
"Who said anything bad about you?"
She just wanted to discuss with Yuehe whether men over thirty are still capable of having sex, but she only had the theory and no practical data.
After Lin Yiku took the hot water to the bathroom, Guan Yuehe finally found a chance to ask, "Didn't you say that even if it couldn't be cured, it could still be cured?"
But the problem is, we can't do without people now.
The two exchanged a glance, then tacitly looked away and stopped discussing the matter.
As her gaze shifted, Lin Sitian noticed the new photos that had appeared on the wall.
"Are these photos from the Canton Fair? Are there any others? I haven't seen them, please show them to me."
Guan Yuehe got up and went into the room, took out all the developed photos, and told Lin Sitian where some of them were taken.
When she flipped to one of the photos, Lin Sitian couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, pulled it out and examined it closely. "This was taken recently? You and Factory Director Zheng at the factory gate?"
Looking at the back of the photo, there was a sentence written on it: "A group photo of Comrade Guan Yuehe and Comrade Zheng Xingmin, April 19, 1981."
The next photo is a picture of Director Zheng and another female colleague. Judging from the background, it should be in the exhibition hall of the Canton Fair.
Guan Yuehe smiled, a little embarrassed but also a little smug.
That day, when she went to the clothing factory's publicity department to get a photo of Chunmei and the factory manager, she happened to run into the factory manager, who was also there. She was also carrying a camera and was planning to develop the photos from Lin Sitian's wedding day, so she took a photo with the factory manager.
—
Inside a military factory in Northwest China.
"Comrade Shenghua, there's a letter for you. Here it is, I've left it here."
Shenghua took it and looked at the handwriting on the envelope. It was neat and legible, definitely from Yuehe.
In mid-April, she received a package from Chunmei. Inside the package was a letter and a photo. Chunmei repeatedly mentioned in the letter: "I met Director Zheng, and we even took a photo together!"
It's mid-May now, and she received a letter from Yuehe, which included a photo of them together.
The two women in the photo are Yuehe and Director Zheng.
Shenghua laughed in exasperation. When she found the opportunity, she would send those two who were secretly showing off a photo of her and Factory Director Zheng!
Author's note: Finally, finally! [Sprinkling flowers] Goodnight! [Laughing]
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