Chapter 89 Old Acquaintance
The next morning, at the East District Police Station.
A fine of 2,000 yuan and the revocation of the arcade's business license were the police station's decisions regarding Ma Cuifen and Jin Decai.
An investigation revealed that although the slot machines were not purchased by the two individuals, their consent to Mr. Xu's temporary storage of the machines, despite knowing they were gambling machines, violated public order regulations.
In addition, its business license had expired for two years without being renewed last year. With these issues combined, revoking the license would be the least of its problems.
The Dongqu Police Station raided a large-scale underground gambling den and also discovered that some of its own staff had illicit connections with several arcades, extorting so-called "protection money" and leaking information about the station's operations in advance.
"Let's see if you dare to open an arcade again!"
Worried about the past, Old Ma's expression instantly turned cold towards her daughter, and she lightly tapped Ma Cuifen's shin twice with her cane.
"Mother!" Ma Cuifen replied with a mournful face, then asked Chen Yun in a tearful voice, "Sister Chen Yun, what should we do now?"
Chen Yun glanced at her with slightly lowered eyes: "Still planning to open an arcade?"
"How could I dare!" Ma Cuifen waved her hands repeatedly, her face turning deathly pale. "Even if you gave us ten more lives, we wouldn't dare."
Last night, being locked up in the detention room with those who had committed crimes terrified Ma Cuifen and Jin Decai so much that they didn't dare close their eyes all night.
Ultimately, the couple were both timid; otherwise, they would have followed the example of other arcades a few years ago and set up two coin-operated arcade machines to make money.
Even if a money-making opportunity were presented to them, the police station wouldn't dare to take it.
The group got into the car one after another. Old Ma turned cold to the couple in the back seat and said, "If you ask me, they deserve it! The police officers may not know you, but I know Cuifen well! I don't believe you didn't know those machines were illegal!"
“I really don’t know!” Ma Cuifen said immediately.
Jin Decai hurriedly looked away, and the clear difference in the couple's attitudes was enough to prove that Old Lady Ma's guess was correct.
“Jin Decai was on duty at the store the day Boss Xu came; I was at home and had no idea,” Ma Cuifen continued.
But what's the use of saying I didn't know now? The business license has been revoked, and it's impossible to get a new one.
The two of them now had to deal with the arcade and figure out how to survive in the future.
However, none of that concerned Chen Yun. She had only agreed to accompany Old Lady Ma on her visit, without mentioning that she would offer advice to the couple on their future life.
The mother and daughter had a heated discussion along the way, and Ma Cuifen rejected many of the money-making business ideas that Ma's mother suggested.
In short, they've become accustomed to making money simply by sitting around all day doing nothing, making other industries seem particularly arduous in comparison.
Ultimately, the discussions came to nothing.
***
Guanming Hutong, Gao Family.
The two hottest months are finally over, and most of the heat in the air has dissipated, gradually giving way to signs of early autumn.
The number of private cars on the way from the hospital to home is gradually increasing, and there are even traffic jams during rush hour.
For example, today...
The car was stuck in traffic for more than ten minutes. It was difficult to drive to the intersection, but it was impossible to continue into the alley. There was an old Jiefang truck that had obviously broken down parked on the side of the road.
Even more amazingly, a man was seen repairing a car while lying on the hood.
The only tools the repairman had were his hands and a wooden stethoscope from a clinic ten years ago, with the stethoscope attached to the engine.
Chen Yun saw through the car window that he reached out and started fiddling with the engine. Two minutes later, he jumped out of the car and slammed the hood down.
The driver's side door opened, and a few seconds later the car started.
Chen Yun left work a little late today because she was handing over tasks. The aroma of food from each household wafted through the alley, and she could even distinguish which smells came from her own home.
Upon smelling the slightly familiar aroma of pickled chili peppers, Chen Yun's eyes lit up instantly.
The parents-in-law usually cook light and nutritious meals. Not only the Gao family, but almost no one in the entire alley eats spicy food.
Only when Gao Ming is at home can Chen Yun have the chance to eat her favorite spicy dishes.
"Slow down."
Unexpectedly, the two people who got out of the green truck earlier were also heading in the same direction as her.
The woman's hand was unconsciously curled up at her chest, probably a sequela of polio she had in childhood. Yet she could still walk briskly while carrying a sack, so fast that even men couldn't help but frown.
"Hurry up and move it, we still need to return the car later." The woman's voice was a little rough, and the burlap sack covered her head, so her face could not be seen.
"Old Liu said he'd pay it back tomorrow, and told us not to rush."
"I feel uneasy about owing money to someone. If my car gets damaged while parked outside, I can't afford to pay for it."
"Alright, alright!" the man sighed helplessly, quickening his pace. "I'll go return the car in a bit, you stay home and pack your things."
The two walked very fast, and soon they entered the courtyard where Chen Yun and his family lived.
"You guys start organizing. There aren't many people living in our compound, so you can get to know them all in two or three days."
Qian Jinhua leaned against the doorway of her house, her lips moving like a machine gun, spitting out sunflower seed shells, and the key was that she could speak clearly.
"Dr. Chen is back!" Yu Guang saw Chen Yun carrying two large bags of things and walking in with some difficulty, and hurriedly called towards the Gao family's house: "Nian'an, come and help your mother carry these things, I can see the mooncakes!"
"Coming!" Gao Nian'an responded from inside the house.
"The hospital is giving out Mid-Autumn Festival gifts so early!"
Qian Jinhua was very envious, as the hospital where Chen Yun worked would send out all sorts of things every few days.
From rice, flour, and cooking oil to teacups and glasses, a variety of fruits that Qian Jinhua couldn't even name appeared on the Gao family's coffee table in various ways.
That's why everyone wants to be a doctor...
"The Mid-Autumn Festival is tomorrow, this is already considered late!"
Gao Nianping and Li Shuaishuai rushed out to take the things. The two ran out of the kitchen with a crab claw they hadn't had time to eat still in their mouths.
"Your dad's back?"
"Hmm." Gao Nianping nodded haphazardly, and the two of them grabbed their things and hurriedly ran into the kitchen.
They had no idea what delicious food Gao Ming was making, and they were so hungry that they didn't even have time to exchange a few words.
“You’re so comfortable here, with a good job at work and peace at home.” Qian Jinhua sighed, pointing to the quiet kitchen: “My mom almost tore down the windows this afternoon, where does that old lady get all that strength?”
Chen Yun shrugged.
Chen Yun saw the woman with the hand disability walk out of the house, and then anxiously walk back outside.
"Your new tenant?"
"No!" Qian Jinhua waved her hand, shook off the sunflower seed shells from her clothes, and said with a hint of helplessness, "The house was sold."
The house that Qian Jinhua vacated was not rented out, but sold to the couple.
Why did you suddenly decide to sell?
"I'm planning to go out and start a small business with Lao Yan. We don't even have 100 yuan at home. What can we do without selling the house to raise some capital?"
"You have to risk your cubs to catch the wolf, then you'll have enough money to buy an apartment!" Chen Yun laughed.
“I love listening to you talk.” Qian Jinhua laughed too, picked up a broom and said, “I can’t do odd jobs for the rest of my life, I have to find a way out.”
Chen Yun was the most educated person in the courtyard, but she was gentle and never gossiped. It was comfortable to chat with her.
Unlike Qiu Zhifang, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Gao family, who looks down on people as if her eyes are on the top of her head.
Qian Jinhua didn't care what kind of conflict Jia Po Po and Yan Jun had with the Gao family; she just liked talking to Chen Yun.
"Sister-in-law, this is Dr. Chen Yun... She's the most capable woman in our ward."
Chen Yun was a little embarrassed by the praise.
"Xiao Chen, this is Cui Zhihong, the wife of Brother Zhou Jianjun."
Cui Zhihong put down the rice bag she was carrying on her shoulder, smiled at Chen Yun, and said, "From now on, you can just call me Sister-in-law Zhihong. My husband is Jianjun."
"Hello." Zhou Jianjun nodded.
Both of them looked quite simple and honest. Cui Zhihong's coarse cloth clothes had several patches of different colors on them, and she had a pair of particularly bright eyes on her square face.
Zhou Jianjun is tall, roughly estimated to be at least 1.8 meters, which is quite outstanding in an era where the average height of men is no more than 1.65 meters.
"I saw your car parked there just now at the alley entrance! Brother Zhou can even fix trucks!"
"That's quite a coincidence." Cui Zhihong tugged at Zhou Jianjun's sleeve: "My husband used to be a soldier in the army, so he knows a bit about driving and repairing cars."
"A motor transport soldier?"
The word "car" seemed to instantly activate Gao Ming's radar. As soon as Cui Zhihong finished speaking, he came out with a spatula.
“Brother Zhou not only served in the army like Gao Ming, but he is also a native of Beicheng. I heard that he lived in our alley when he was a child,” Qian Jinhua said.
Zhou Jianjun chuckled and scratched his head: "I just can't quite remember which courtyard my family used to live in."
Gao Tiejun came out carrying a plate of fried fish and looked into the courtyard.
A look of doubt flashed across his face, then he exclaimed with delight, "Jianjun! You're Zhengdong's eldest son, Zhou Jianjun!"
Chen Yun: "..."
"I am Zhou Jianjun, and you are, Uncle?"
“I am your Uncle Tie Jun. Have you forgotten how you and your brother used to take off the tiles from my roof when you were little, and your dad hung you up and beat you? ... I even hired the midwife to give birth to you.”
"Uncle Tie Jun!"
Without even mentioning the memories mentioned above, Zhou Jianjun immediately knew who the person in front of him was just from the name Tie Jun.
He threw off the cotton wadding he was carrying on his shoulder, wiped the sweat from his face, and excitedly went to greet them.
Zhou Jianjun was an old acquaintance of the Gao family, and to be precise, he was familiar with many of his old neighbors in Guanming Hutong.
The Zhou family originally lived in Guanming Hutong. Twenty years ago, Mr. and Mrs. Zhou sold their house and took the whole family to join the army. After that, they were never heard from again.
Who would have thought that twenty years later, Zhou Jianjun would return to Guanming Hutong with his wife?
Where are your parents?
Gao Tiejun and Gao's father were childhood friends. He recognized Zhou Jianjun at a glance because he looked exactly like Zhou's father.
“My parents passed away more than ten years ago.” Zhou Jianjun said with sadness, and when he mentioned his parents, he couldn’t help but think of the situation back then: “At that time, there was a lack of medical care and medicine in the military family area. My parents couldn’t even survive a simple cold…”
"Sigh—" Gao Tiejun sighed.
"Never mind that, my uncle and aunt came to my house for dinner and drinks."
Which of the older generation hasn't experienced hardship? Those who persevered through it will eventually have a better life; those who couldn't will only remain in their memories.
"Dinner's ready at my house. You and your wife can come over for dinner." Gao Tiejun gestured to the plate of food he was holding. "It's a good opportunity for us to have a good chat."
"Then we won't stand on ceremony. We'll come over as soon as we're done cleaning up."
"Erming, stir-fry another plate of peanuts to go with the drinks." Gao Tiejun immediately instructed Gao Ming with a cheerful smile: "Xiao Chen, take the dishes inside, I'll go help Jianjun move his things."
Zhou's parents have been gone for twenty years, and Zhou Jianjun has been away from home to join the army for almost thirty years.
His memory of Guanming Hutong had become so hazy that he couldn't even recall which courtyard his home was in.
Who could have predicted that, after all the twists and turns, they would end up buying the courtyard where their parents used to live?
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