Chapter 70 Everyday Trivial Matters
Dividing a family property involves more than just dividing the house and money; it also involves dividing people's hearts and minds.
The veil of warmth that maintained the surface harmony was torn to shreds after the family split, revealing another face beneath Qiu Zhifang's gentle demeanor.
When Chen Yun stepped into the courtyard and heard Qiu Zhifang standing with his hands on his hips, making veiled insults, those words involuntarily flashed through his mind.
Qiu Zhifang stood at the door of the main house that her family had been allocated, seemingly cursing at thin air, but anyone with ears could tell who she was cursing.
"My goodness... they've dug up all the manure from the latrine and used it all up!"
"How old are you to still be playing in swill every day? Didn't any adults in your family teach you how to behave?"
"That's true! It's because their parents are capable, unlike us poor folks who can only do manual labor outside. Our lives are so hard!"
Chen Yun, standing at the door, suddenly called out, "Gao Ming, come and lift the car."
"Here they come!" Gao Ming grabbed the two children by the collar and brought them to the front yard. He handed them over to Dong Qiaoying, washed his hands haphazardly, wiped them on his suit pants, and trotted towards the door.
The Gao family members in the courtyard seemed not to have taken Qiu Zhifang's veiled insults to heart, including several children who were shrinking back.
Qiu Zhifang, feeling embarrassed, glared at Chen Yun as she approached.
"What are you doing...?"
The last rays of the setting sun shone on Gao Ming's face, outlining his sharply defined jawline.
The suit Chen Yun bought from the department store didn't fit properly, so she specially asked the old tailor at the alley entrance to alter it. Unexpectedly, it fit Gao Ming perfectly.
The straight seams of the trousers made his legs look long and straight, and his suit jacket was open, revealing a gray striped tie that had been haphazardly stuffed into his pocket.
The shiny leather shoes were covered in mud, indicating that they had walked through the mud and water many times.
"Just got back from a business meeting." Gao Ming put the car back up, then pointed to the two children hiding behind Gao Tiejun with a wry smile: "Taking care of kids is harder than negotiating contracts."
Chen Yun didn't ask any further about the business details, and then looked towards the door as well.
"Gao Nian'an, Gao Nianping, Li Shuaishuai."
After reading out the names of the three troublemakers in turn, Chen Yun walked toward the group with his hands behind his back in a cold tone, casually handing his purse to Gao Ming along the way.
Qiu Zhifang was so angry she almost ground her teeth to powder.
She regretted it... if only she had waited a little longer to separate the family!
Qiu Zhifang had always heard her in-laws say that Gao Ming was a long-distance truck driver who had gathered a few brothers to start some kind of transport team. She assumed it was just a bunch of rough men getting together to pull trucks.
It wasn't until the second day after the family split that I learned from Aunt Luo that the second son owned a transportation company and was a big boss!
It hadn't even been two days since they separated... and Gao Lan was already showing off again.
They said the new restaurant would open next month, and Gaoming had helped them with everything from finding a chef to obtaining the business license. They were just waiting for the restaurant to open and make money.
Finally, something else came out that almost made Qiu Zhifang regret it to the core.
Gao Ming originally intended for his elder brother and sister-in-law to run the restaurant, a sure-fire business, but due to the family division and their resentment, he sold it to Gao Lan.
Right now, seeing a big boss smiling so cheaply in front of Chen Yun... made Qiu Zhifang furious.
I stomped my foot and walked to the backyard, deciding to avoid seeing it and getting annoyed.
The couple lived in one of the two rooms in the second courtyard, while Gao Liang and Gao Yi lived in the other.
Before stepping over the threshold, Qiu Zhifang glanced at the room next door, and her anger immediately found an outlet. She angrily pushed open the door to the next room.
"Gao Yi, have you finished your homework yet?!"
Gao Yi was half-lying on the quilt, with his legs crossed, reading a book with a pink cover. Although Qiu Zhifang didn't know many words, she could tell from the color that it wasn't a school book.
"I'm done writing," Gao Yi replied hastily, then turned over, revealing a beaming face.
"You're kidding me!" Qiu Zhifang angrily snatched the book and slammed it against the corner of the wall. "If you don't behave, you'll be going back to your second uncle's motorcade and working as a cleaner for the rest of your life!"
"I'd like to!"
It would be better if this matter wasn't brought up, because Gao Yi gets angry as soon as it is.
"Who told you and Dad to bring me back? If it weren't for you, I would have been a manager at my second uncle's company sooner or later!"
"You really want to spend your whole life doing odd jobs at your second uncle's little company?" Qiu Zhifang sneered, pointing and almost poking Gao Yi's forehead. "Instead of spending your whole life running errands for others, you'd be better off studying hard and finding a good job!"
Gao Yi suddenly chuckled awkwardly.
She was taken to her aunt's house to grow up from a young age, and only returned to her parents' side at the age of eleven.
Qiu Zhifang had told him many times that it was his grandparents' decision and there was nothing she could do, but Gao Yi knew perfectly well what the real reason was... wasn't it just that little thing she was scheming against her aunt and uncle!
If Qiu Zhifang, as a mother, truly couldn't bear to part with her son, how could she not even come to see him since they usually live under the same roof?
After he moved back to the factory dormitory with his parents at the age of eleven, his uncle secretly brought him money and clothes several times.
How could Gao Yi, who truly cares about someone, not be able to tell?
"A small company?" Gao Yi looked directly at the person opposite him: "You think your second uncle's company is too small?"
The boy, who was almost fifteen years old, was already taller than Qiu Zhifang. In addition, he had built up muscles at the company in the past few months, so standing face to face with him was very intimidating.
"My second uncle's company has hundreds of employees and dozens of trucks. A few days ago, he even bought several large excavators... Do you know how much he can earn every day just from the excavator rental fees?"
"You have no idea! All you know is how to take advantage of others, and you don't know any larger numbers than ten yuan."
What he saw was only the scale of the company in Beicheng. The uncles in the fleet said that the company also had a route to Guangzhou, which was the real money-maker.
Since starting to work odd jobs at the transportation company, Gao Yi's horizons have broadened considerably, and he has become increasingly disdainful of his parents' selfishness.
"Dozens of trucks!" Qiu Zhifang's eyelids twitched, and shock slowly surfaced in her eyes: "You mean your second uncle's company has dozens of vehicles?"
Gao Yi sneered.
After the initial shock, his eyes were quickly filled with greed, and he was now thinking about how he could gain some advantage.
As expected... Qiu Zhifang spoke excitedly.
"Tonight I'll have your dad talk to your second uncle and ask him to become a manager at your second uncle's company or something, and I'll be in charge of managing the accounts..."
Gao Yi broke free from Qiu Zhifang's hand, his face full of sarcasm, and coldly said only one sentence.
"You can give it a try."
It would be strange if Qiu Zhifang dared to say it...
In the front yard, Chen Yun was sitting on a small stool supervising her three children as they cleaned the mud and water off the threshold.
"Don't let the children catch a cold in this cold weather," Dong Qiaoying said.
A soldier in military uniform passed by on the high-speed train and also advised, "Let the children go change their clothes, I'll clean up."
"It's nothing." Chen Yun smiled and pulled her woolen coat tighter around her. "I specialize in treating children; I can cure colds and fevers."
The nascent hope was instantly replaced by disappointment. Gao Nian'an said dejectedly to his two younger brothers, "Hurry up and sweep! If you catch a cold, you'll have to get injections and take medicine, and the medicine tastes awful!"
The third child's speed increased significantly.
"Pile your clothes by the well after you change them, and I'll wash them after I finish eating."
After changing his clothes, Gao Ming stepped over the threshold, ignoring his daughter's pleading eyes.
"I'll wash you, you've had a long day," Chen Yun said.
The couple were truly busy together.
Chen Yun concurrently served as the director of the second obstetrics and gynecology department, and Gao Ming also developed new business, keeping him so busy that he didn't get home until very late every day.
Today, they all returned home at the same time while it was still light.
Dong Qiaoying got off work early, and the sound of stir-frying could already be heard coming from the kitchen. Gao Ming was about to go in to help, but was quickly chased out.
The parents, understanding that the couple was tired, took over most of the housework.
Gao Ming took a deep breath and sat down next to Chen Yun, his face showing signs of fatigue.
"It will be even harder in a while."
Chen Yun patted the hand that had unconsciously been placed on her knee, gesturing for Gao Ming to turn around: "Take care of your health before making money. Our Nian'an and Nianping are still young!"
Gao Ming chuckled and slowly closed his eyes: "It's because Nian'an and Nianping are still young that we need to work hard for a few more years. Once you retire, we'll travel around and see the beautiful landscapes of our country."
Chen Yun's massage skills became increasingly refined, and the tension of the day slowly relaxed under her slender and graceful hands.
Even the most melodious music in a fancy restaurant can't compare to the sound of my wife speaking in my ear.
"Where do you want to go?" Chen Yun asked.
"Let's go see our comrades who were transferred to the border first, and then we'll walk along the border line..." Gao Ming had even planned the starting point, it seems he had planned it in his mind more than once.
Chen Yun lowered her eyes. A few strands of white hair were faintly visible in the black hair of the man in front of her. In the blink of an eye, both of them had entered middle age.
He tightened his grip, feeling the stiffness in the muscles beneath him, and his tone involuntarily became more forceful: "If we want to be able to walk around freely after retirement, we all need to start exercising."
Gao Ming chuckled: "Ever since I came to Beicheng." He patted his gradually disappearing abdominal muscles with his large hand: "I haven't been exercising much. If this continues, I'll soon have a big belly like Zhou Jianguo."
"Good to know."
"It seems you're the one who's disgusted with me," Gao Ming said again.
The sudden noise from the east wing made Chen Yun look up and see that it was Aunt Liu moving a stool to the next room.
"If I become old and ugly, I won't want to keep it." Chen Yun patted Gao Ming's shoulder with a smile and lowered her voice: "Cao Chunjuan's father invited us to his house. I think it's Zhang Quan's fortieth birthday."
"Which day?"
Friday.
"are you free?"
"I'm on the night shift Thursday, and I have Friday off." Chen Yun sighed. "We really have to go to this banquet. Do you know what Cao Chunjuan's father does?"
"Cao Chunjuan's father is the director of the agricultural supplies department of the Beicheng City Supply and Marketing System!"
Gao Ming suddenly opened his eyes and grabbed Chen Yun's hand that was resting on his shoulder: "Director of Agricultural Supplies?"
"At first I wondered why Cao Chunjuan would specifically bring this up with me... but then I realized I was being silly, she was just subtly giving us a hint."
Although the practice of purchasing goods by ticket has been gradually phased out, the supply and marketing cooperatives have not been abolished and remain the main purchasing channel for people in villages, towns, and even county towns.
In particular, agricultural inputs have not only been unaffected, but have actually seen a significant increase due to the contracting of land.
The Beicheng Supply and Marketing Bureau not only manages the supply within Beicheng, but also the agricultural supplies distribution to the two neighboring provinces.
If Anping Transportation Company can secure the transportation business for agricultural supplies, it will firmly establish itself as one of the top three individual transportation companies in Beicheng.
But the ambition was just a fleeting thought and quickly subsided.
"No matter what her father does! I don't want to use you to climb the social ladder. I don't want Dr. Chen's reputation for healing and saving lives to be built up before he's been labeled as abusing his power for personal gain."
"Fool."
Chen Yun gently tapped Gao Ming's forehead, a smile spreading across her lips, slowly seeping into her heart like ripples.
"Cao Chunjuan specifically told me this, do you think it was her own idea?"
Gao Ming was puzzled.
“If it were really just her wishful thinking, she would have brought it up months ago.” Chen Yun took Gao Ming’s arm and whispered in his ear, “She knew what you did the first time she came to our house, why did she have to wait until that day at the hospital to tell me…”
Moreover, Cao Chunjuan's father was also at the hospital that day, listening with a smile the whole time, and before leaving, he specifically mentioned that there were many guests that day.
"Since we have an opportunity, we should seize it. Why not make money if we can? I don't mind having more money!"
"I'll do as you say!"
Gao Ming smiled broadly, his warm breath spraying all over Chen Yun's neck, making her instinctively shift her body back.
Warm lips pressed against his cheek, a deep laugh echoing in his ear.
"Mother."
"..."
Gao Nianping stared wide-eyed, his dirty little face filled with shock, before suddenly bursting into laughter.
"Dad likes to kiss Mom, and so do I."
After saying that, he twisted his body, trying to squeeze between the two of them, but Gao Ming stopped him by reaching out.
"Change your clothes first."
The children were dragged inside to change clothes, and Chen Yun resignedly stood up to clean up and finish up.
Parents have no right to be romantic...
Dong Qiaoying, who had witnessed the whole thing in the kitchen, looked away and pointed at Gao Tiejun with a smile using a spatula: "Erming is nothing like you. That kid really knows how to coax his wife."
"I think Chen Yun knows how to coax Erming. Didn't you see how happy our second son is?" Gao Tiejun shook his head and chuckled.
Dong Qiaoying lifted the pork belly from the stove in the casserole and frowned: "Should we invite the eldest son's family over for dinner tonight?"
Since the family split up, the elderly couple has been living with their second son and his wife. Their lives have not only not gotten worse, but their meals have actually gotten better and better.
Gao Ming buys all sorts of meat in various ways, but the eldest son's family does the complete opposite. Ever since Qiu Zhifang took over, the eldest son's family hasn't seen any meat for two or three days.
It wasn't that Dong Qiaoying specifically observed that Qiu Zhifang had placed a honeycomb stove outside the main house to cook.
She can't help but see what her eldest son eats every day, no matter what she doesn't want to see.
"Why call them!" Gao Tiejun's face darkened. "If you're going to call them, call Gao Liang and Gao Yi. Let the eldest couple do whatever they want to save money."
Chen Yun was generous; whenever she cooked something delicious at home, she would have Gao Ming serve a bowl to each of Gao Fei and Gao Lan's families.
At least Gao Lan would wait for the children to come home so they could eat together, but Qiu Zhifang was different... She would take the meat and lock it in the cupboard until Gao Fei came back before they could eat it.
Qiu Zhifang was the kind of old-fashioned woman who put her husband first. Even a bowl of meat had to be eaten by her husband first before she and her children could eat the rest.
After Gao Yi came to complain several times, Chen Yun stopped sending meat to her sister-in-law's house.
"Nian'an, go and call Gao Liang and Gao Yi to dinner. Just tell them that Mom only invited the two of them." Chen Yun patted Gao Nian'an on the back and stepped into the kitchen: "Mom, I'll bring the dishes."
"Your parents should have arrived in Taicheng by now, right?" Gao Tiejun asked casually.
"We'll arrive this afternoon."
"It's good that we've arrived."
Gao Tiejun's expression froze, and he took a step back, slowly sitting down at the table and massaging his legs.
"Is your leg starting to hurt again?"
Gao Tiejun nodded: "It looks like the weather will change tomorrow. Have Erming move the heater into your room tonight. It might snow tomorrow."
His leg pain is more accurate than the weather forecast; it always starts hurting whenever the seasons change.
"Dad, we have a doctor at our hospital who specializes in treating rheumatoid arthritis. How about I take you to see him sometime?"
"It's an old problem." Gao Tiejun waved his hand, hugged his legs with both hands, turned to face the table, exhaled and continued, "As long as I warm up after eating, I'll be fine."
Gao Ming helped Gao Nianping sit down on the stool and then said, "I asked a friend to get three small boilers. We'll have one in each room, and we'll move the fireplace to the kitchen."
Gao Tiejun has had this leg ailment for many years. Chen Yun had consulted with a senior doctor, and the advice was to keep the leg warm to reduce the frequency of pain attacks. Medication was not very effective.
Dong Qiaoying brought the last dish of braised pork to the table and saw that only Gao Yi was leading Gao Nian'an into the kitchen. She hurriedly asked, "Where's your brother?"
"My brother said he hasn't finished his homework." Gao Yi pouted, and after calling out to everyone in the room, he naturally sat down on the stool. "He told us not to worry about him."
Unlike Gao Liang, who was so ashamed that he would avoid going to school, the separation of the family had no impact on Gao Yi at all.
He even became closer to his second uncle, Gao Ming, after spending a few months at the company.
Rather than thinking that she was deliberately getting close to her second uncle because he was rich, Chen Yun felt it was more like...admiration.
"Have you finished your homework?" Gao Ming asked.
"I've finished, and I've also finished reading the reference books you gave me." Gao Yi first placed a piece of braised pork on Gao Nianping's plate, who could barely hold chopsticks, before starting to pick up his own food. "I'm sure I'll achieve my goal in the final exams!"
Actually, the pink-covered book that Qiu Zhifang considered not a proper book was a reference book that Gao Ming had specially bought from the bookstore. If only she could understand what was printed on it...
"As long as you can achieve your goal, your second uncle will definitely keep his promise."
"What's the goal?" Chen Yun asked curiously.
"If I can get into the top 30 in my class, my second uncle will let me drive a long-distance bus during winter vacation."
"Your second aunt is also very curious about whether you can succeed?" Chen Yun smiled.
Using a carrot and stick approach, Gao Ming managed to wear away most of Gao Yi's bad habits, proving he has a real knack for educating his child.
It was far more successful than Qiu Zhifang's education through hardship.
"Your second uncle will definitely keep his promise, but you'll have to handle things with your parents yourself," Gao Ming added.
"Don't worry." Gao Yi raised his chin at Gao Ming, his nonchalant attitude still occasionally popping up: "I guarantee my mom won't say a single unnecessary word."
"Will I continue to get my car washed at the parking lot during winter break?"
“Of course!” Gao Yi replied immediately.
Although washing cars at the parking lot was tiring, listening to the uncles in the fleet bragging was really interesting; Gao Yi thought it was much more fun than playing video games.
The company provides meals and accommodation, plus a salary. I can save all my salary each month to pay off my debts. If I wash a few more cars, I can pay off the money I stole from my family very soon.
"When the time comes, I'll have your Uncle Li arrange a more difficult but lucrative job for you. Do you want to do it?"
"What kind of work is it!"
"What kind of work!" Gao Nian'an asked with a broad smile, a ring of brown sauce around his mouth. "I need to earn money to study too."
"When you're a little older," Chen Yun said, putting several bites of her favorite stir-fried potato shreds into the bowl of the little girl who wanted to learn everything. "Then you can earn your own college tuition."
Gao Nian'an never imagined that a careless joke he made when he was young would come true every winter and summer vacation during high school.
The shredded potatoes immediately captured her attention, and she almost buried her face in the bowl.
Gao Nianping served meat to Li Shuaishuai and sighed in an old-fashioned manner, "Big sister is so easy to fool."
Li Shuaishuai quickly followed up: "Big sister is so easy to fool."
Gao Ming smiled and patted his son's head, continuing to offer bait: "The company is going to open a car repair department, are you interested in learning it?"
"Auto repair?"
“We used to send our cars to outside auto repair shops for inspection, but we found that not only were the costs high, but parts were also being stolen and replaced… So I decided to set up an auto repair shop.”
Gao Yi hesitated for a moment: "Can an apprentice really earn money washing cars?"
The exact amount of money earned from washing a car is transparent, but how much an apprentice earns is determined by the master… and how can you pay off your debts if you don't have money?
Gao Yi was almost obsessed with paying off his debts, hoping that he could get rid of the "thief" label Qiu Zhifang had given him as soon as possible.
"Being an apprentice certainly won't bring in money as quickly as washing cars, but once you've completed your apprenticeship, do you know how much you can earn?"
Gao Yi was indeed intrigued and quickly pressed for more information.
"How much can I earn?"
"At least two thousand a month." Gao Ming raised an eyebrow and held up two fingers: "Your monthly salary is equivalent to several months' salary for your dad, right?"
Two thousand... Chen Yun's monthly salary plus bonus is only about eight hundred yuan.
Two thousand in salary is a very attractive offer for anyone, and Gao Tiejun raised his eyebrows in surprise, let alone fifteen-year-old Gao Yi.
"I do," Gao Yi exclaimed.
"But the prerequisite is that you can get into the top 30 in the final exam," Gao Ming added.
Gao Yi excitedly shoveled rice into his mouth, and after finishing a bowl, he said he wanted to go back to his room to study.
“Hang a carrot in front of him.” Chen Yun laughed, and Gao Ming put down his chopsticks and laughed heartily. After laughing enough, he nodded: “Dealing with Gao Yi is not just about hitting him; we still need to hang him up with a carrot.”
The couple couldn't help but smile at each other.
"Erming." Gao Tiejun put down his chopsticks, his brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly, and his tone was very serious: "Can a car mechanic really earn two thousand a month at your factory?"
"More or less," Gao Ming said.
The factory has dozens of second-hand vehicles. Auto mechanics are a very important job in the transportation company, so it's normal for them to be paid more.
With the addition of this route negotiated today, the factory will need to add more vehicles. This is not just empty talk, but a significant increase.
“Then save a spot for Dad, and I’ll become an apprentice too,” Gao Tiejun said.
"..."
Everyone looked at Gao Tiejun with puzzlement.
"I may have to retire early." As for the reason, Gao Tiejun rubbed his sore knees: "My unit talked to me and hopes that I can retire early to make way for new colleagues."
"Dad." Gao Ming lowered his head, not daring to look at Gao Tiejun, but his tone still revealed his bewildered expression: "You can't even fix a bicycle, so don't go and cause trouble!"
The reason he would use the tricycle earlier was that the bicycle, which had been disassembled into parts, started clanging when it was put back together. Gao Ming didn't think his father had any talent for auto repair.
High-speed rail army: "..."
"Didn't you say the company needed a trustworthy person to manage the vehicles?" Chen Yun quickly nudged Gao Ming, who was smirking, with her shoulder.
"Yes! Dad, you can help me with the car."
Gao Tiejun nodded with a stern face. Whether it was repairing or managing vehicles, as long as there was something to do, that was fine.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
