Mother Gu picked up the cut fabric and said to Xie Yan, "We have a sewing machine at home, wait for me a moment."
After saying that, without waiting for Xie Yan's response, he hurriedly disappeared through the door.
Zhang Linghui didn't want to stay with Xie Yan and Gu Bin, two grown men, so she followed them away.
Xie Yan looked at Gu Bin and couldn't help but exclaim, "Auntie is really efficient!"
Gu Bin's face beamed with pride. "Of course, my mother has been a craftswoman for decades."
He slapped his forehead and said, "Oh yeah, how could I forget about my mom?"
"Given how much she likes you, even if you don't do anything, she'll take the initiative to do everything for you."
Xie Yan nodded in deep agreement. That's personal charm! He's just too likable.
"It seems that if I have any good things in the future, I should send more to my aunt to thank her properly."
After finishing the cutting of the bed sheets and duvet covers, Gu's mother returned with Zhang Linghui, this time carrying the sewn four-piece bedding set.
Gu's mother truly regarded Xie Yan as her own junior. Before, she was still thinking about building a good relationship with him to pave the way for her son. But after spending time together, she genuinely liked Xie Yan.
Looking at the bare doors and windows, he asked with concern, "Have you bought the fabric for the curtains yet?"
Xie Yan hurriedly went into the room and took out the fabric he had prepared to make curtains.
It was a multicolored polyester fabric, with white, yellow and blue interwoven, yet it didn't look bad at all. Especially when used as a curtain, it had a unique beauty.
Of course, it wouldn't look very good if used to make clothes.
Xie Yan had already carefully measured the dimensions of each room and was now reporting the dimensions.
Gu's mother and Zhang Linghui then skillfully picked up the scissors and began cutting.
Sunlight shone on their focused faces as the scissors moved nimbly across the fabric, quickly using up three bundles of cloth and successfully cutting all the curtains.
Mother Gu glanced at the wall clock. "Oh dear, it's time for dinner. Let's eat first and then we can sew."
Xie Yan glanced at the time and saw it was already past five o'clock. He quickly said, "Auntie, it's probably too late to cook now. How about I treat everyone to a restaurant?"
Seeing that Mrs. Gu seemed about to refuse, Xie Yan quickly added, "If you don't want any fancy dishes, how about a few bowls of noodles, Auntie?"
To be honest, after being busy for a while, Gu's mother did feel a bit tired.
Upon hearing that it was just going to eat a bowl of noodles, she thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay, let's go eat at a restaurant."
The group arrived at the state-run restaurant.
The restaurant was filled with the aroma of food; it was dinnertime and there were quite a few people eating.
They found an empty seat and each ordered a bowl of steaming noodles.
The noodles were served with a wonderful aroma, and when paired with a golden-brown fried egg, the group ate with great relish.
After finishing their meal, they returned home satisfied and resumed their work of sewing curtains.
The next day, he was busy all morning. The curtains, door curtains, and bedding were all ready, and the room he was going to move into was completely transformed.
The curtains and door curtains were already hung up, and the colorful curtains swayed gently in the breeze, adding a touch of warmth to the room.
Even the bed sheets and duvet covers were a clean new set that Gu Bin had given him, while his own set was washed and drying in the yard.
Xie Yan had previously considered washing the fabric and then cutting it, but the bundle of fabric was too big. He took the fabric out and held it up in the basin for a long time, trying several times, but found it too difficult to handle, and finally had to give up.
After checking out of the guesthouse, Xie Yan, filled with excitement, slept in the house he had bought for the first time.
Lying on the soft kang (heated brick bed), an indescribable sense of satisfaction welled up from the bottom of my heart.
This sense of satisfaction was something I had never experienced before, even when I bought a house.
He realized deeply that the house truly belonged to him, and only to his family.
For the first time in two lifetimes, Xie Yan owned a house that was entirely his own. It was no longer his parents' house, nor was it rented from someone else; it belonged entirely to him.
This excitement surged through his brain like a tidal wave, making it difficult for him to fall asleep for a while.
He hugged his newly bought, thick cotton quilt tightly, rolling around on the kang (a heated brick bed) like a child, his heart filled with joy and excitement.
Finally, he quietly lay down, pulled the blanket up to cover his neck.
The heavy quilt weighing five pounds pressed down on Xie Yan, giving him a strange yet incredibly reassuring feeling.
In the quiet atmosphere, he slowly closed his eyes, a slight smile on his lips, and soon he was immersed in a sweet dream.
Night fell quietly, and the dark-skinned and thin Xie Ting dragged his slightly heavy steps as he slowly walked home, his face deep in thought.
A cold wind blew by, and he couldn't help but wrap his slightly faded coat tighter around himself.
Thinking about what his fiancée had said during the day, his face was filled with disbelief.
A thank-you banquet?
How could he possibly be here?
Xie Yan is probably still struggling in that remote corner of the Northwest. His family has long since cut off all contact with him. Given his temperament, how could he possibly come back?
But his fiancée's confident demeanor didn't seem like she was lying.
His current fiancée, Maple Leaf, is his classmate. They went to the same school as Xie Yan and knew each other from there.
After thinking for a moment, he decided not to tell his family about it.
Now that he has finally returned to the city and is living a relatively stable life, he cherishes it all and will not allow anyone to disturb him.
Recalling his time in the countryside, he felt a chill run down his spine.
He never wanted to think about that kind of life again, where he felt like he was going to die in the fields every moment.
Although Xie Yan stated in his letter that he was severing ties with his family, it was not published in the newspaper, and in Xie Ting's mind, this was always a hidden danger.
He was afraid that Xie Yan might suddenly return. What if his mother softened her heart and his father listened to his mother and gave the job to Xie Yan?
Even though the possibility was extremely slim, the thought of it made Xie Ting feel uneasy.
He finally escaped that nightmarish rural life, and his bright future was just beginning.
If Father were to give up his job to Xie Yan, Father would lose his share of income.
Even if Xie Yan brought his salary home, it wouldn't be enough. His father's salary was over sixty yuan, while if Xie Yan took over, he would only receive the minimum thirty yuan, a reduction of almost half. This would seriously affect his quality of life.
Not to mention Xie Yan is already married, and might even have had sex with someone else. How could he possibly expect her to obediently take the money back? So he absolutely cannot allow this scenario to happen.
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