Chapter 173 (Updated 1731)
Upon arriving home, Luo Yan first washed off the smell of hot pot, dried her hair, and then returned to her room to continue writing the application report for the pedestrian overpass.
Liu Yinfeng cut a watermelon and brought it into the house for her daughter. She leaned over to take a look and said, "Writing so many words must have been tiring for your hand."
Luo Yan didn't dare say that this was the first version, knowing that it would definitely need to be revised later—her father taught her that if it wasn't revised, how could it appear that the leader had seen it?
She said, "This is nothing compared to the amount of homework I do."
Liu Yinfeng had never worked before and knew nothing about the superficial stuff in the workplace, but then she thought about how her daughter had indeed been writing all these years, put down her bowl and said, "Then go to bed early, don't stay up too late."
Luo Yan readily agreed, and as it was almost midnight, she went straight to sleep.
She has never slept much; it's like she has an alarm clock in her head. She almost never oversleeps, and she suddenly opens her eyes around seven o'clock the next day.
My husband and daughter both go to work at eight o'clock, so breakfast time at home naturally follows their schedule.
Liu Yinfeng bought some fried dough sticks today. Seeing her daughter get up, she said, "Come and eat, they're hot."
Luo Yan responded and went to the yard to wash up, freeing up her feet to play with Huang Laishun.
Huang Laishun wagged his tail and suddenly changed direction, running towards the courtyard gate.
It heard the noise before someone knocked on the door.
Luo Yan praised its skill, then asked, "Who is it?"
The person outside asked, "Is Yin Feng here? She's registered with the neighborhood committee."
Street? Luo Yan wasn't sure, so she turned to look at her father reading the newspaper in the living room.
Luo Xinmin nodded to his daughter and then brought out his wife from the kitchen.
Liu Yinfeng wiped her hands on her apron and said to the guest, "Sister Wang is here, please come in and have a seat."
Sister Wang held a large notebook in her hand: "No need, no need. I have to go to the next house later. There was a last-minute notice from above that we have to register how many people are in each household. Can you call everyone out so I can take a quick look?"
He then said, "Yanzi, come and fill in the information for your family members."
Luo Yan took the notebook, used the courtyard gate as a mat to write, and muttered to herself: This year isn't the time for the population census, is it?
If that's what she thinks, then what about others?
Liu Yinfeng asked, "What happened? We've never registered before."
Sister Wang was also unsure: "That's what the boss asked for, who would know?"
This unusual situation is making people uneasy.
After Sister Wang left, the family of four discussed the matter endlessly while having breakfast.
Luo Hongdao said, "I think it has something to do with 'strict and swift' measures."
The newspapers have been out for several days, but there hasn't been any major movement from the city yet.
Liu Yinfeng: "I'll inquire about it again today."
Don't be fooled by the fact that the people living in the hutongs are all ordinary people. The winds of the capital are like this, blowing in and out in wisps, and you can get a lot of news just by going out for a stroll.
The family didn't worry unnecessarily; after dinner, they each went about their own business.
Luo Yan rode her bicycle to work. After arriving at work, she followed her brother's instructions from the day before, took the almost-finished application report to Director Zhang's office and asked him questions.
Director Zhang didn't show any particular emotion on his face. He glanced through the document and said, "Since there's already one in Guangzhou, we should write it down in detail so that everyone can see the precedent and have a general idea."
Luo Yan also wanted to, but there wasn't much information available in the newspapers; much of the data was from internal documents, and Beijing and Guangzhou were far apart.
She said, "All the information I could find is on there."
Director Zhang instructed her: "The department must have a file on it. Take your work ID and letter of introduction and go to retrieve these documents."
Luo Yan was working for the first time and didn't know this before. She suddenly realized and said, "You can do it like this."
After she finished speaking, she realized that she shouldn't have spoken like that in front of her boss, and pursed her lips.
Just as Luo Hong analyzed for his sister, Director Zhang did intend to cultivate a capable confidante. She valued Luo Yan because she was a newcomer with high academic qualifications, and entrusting her with the application report was a test.
In retrospect, being proactive is at least a good thing; it's better than not getting a response for ten days or half a month after you've given someone something.
Luo Yan was indeed very proactive. After finishing her meal, she hurriedly rode her bicycle to the ministry with the supporting documents.
She was met with a firm refusal; the people in the archives said indifferently, "So many people need to access files these days, you'll have to wait in line."
"There has to be a time limit," Luo Yan said. "Approximately how long will it take?"
Archives: "I can't say for sure. Some things can take ten days to half a month to find. Come back and ask again next week."
Next week? Luo Yan couldn't wait that long, but queuing was a rule for her. For a moment, she didn't know what to say and could only ponder it in the corridor.
Before she could come up with a solution, someone called her name.
Luo Yan turned around and exclaimed in surprise, "Class monitor!"
Seeing her like this, the squad leader asked, "Are you here on business?"
Luo Yan finally had a sudden inspiration and whispered, "You work in the ministry, are you familiar with the people in the archives?"
The class monitor was also newly assigned, just like her, but their interpersonal skills were completely incomparable.
He said, "Wait here, I'll go ask for you."
Luo Yan watched him return with eager anticipation, nodding to himself.
She understood the concept of reciprocity and said, "I'll treat you to dinner tonight!"
Class monitor: "Look how polite you are. We're all old classmates. I'm on duty tonight. Let's get together again next time. You'd better hurry up and go in and copy."
The department's archived documents were not allowed to be taken away, and Luo Yan didn't want to make another trip, since she might not be so lucky next time.
She stopped exchanging pleasantries, seized the time, and copied the text in words only she could understand, finishing before everyone else left work and heading home.
When she got home, she leaned against the kitchen door frame and shared with her mother: "He's the only non-local in our class who stayed in Beijing. Before, the three parties said that he looked like someone who could be a leader."
Liu Yinfeng had never met him, but she thought, "Just because he's the only boy you consider a friend, I think this kid is good enough."
Given her personality, my daughter has a good relationship with this college class monitor, which is quite remarkable considering she has several friends.
Luo Yan had been in close contact with her class monitor during her four years of university. She said, "Should I call him and invite him to dinner?"
Although Liu Yinfeng understood the importance of social etiquette, she was afraid of offending someone's workplace, so she said, "Wait until your dad comes back and ask him."
Speak of the devil, and he appears; Luo Xinmin stepped across the threshold: "What do you want to ask me?"
Luo Yan leaned close to him and recounted the whole story, then stared wide-eyed, waiting for instructions.
Luo Xinmin said, "There's no need to invite him yet. You're in the same unit, and you'll have plenty of opportunities to meet in the future. There's no guarantee that you won't be able to help him sometime. There's no need to rush to do him a favor."
Although Luo Yan didn't think she would have the opportunity to help others, because she didn't even recognize the people in the next office very well, she still listened to her parents.
Luo Xinmin took the opportunity to talk to his daughter about the interpersonal relationships in his workplace.
As Luo Yan picked vegetables, she listened, feeling that it was more complicated than attending a hundred advanced mathematics classes. She muttered, "Instead of thinking about these things, I'd rather do something practical."
Who can argue with that? But it's not something that can be changed by human effort.
Luo Xinmin only hoped that everything would go smoothly for his daughter, saying, "I just hope you can establish yourself in the bureau."
Luo Yan is no longer so naive: "I can't control everything, I still have to rely on personal connections."
She realized there was nothing she could do about it, complained a couple of times, and took the groceries into the kitchen.
Liu Yinfeng was just one meal away from starting the meal, so she said, "You serve the rice; your brother should be back soon."
Luo Yan took four bowls out of the cupboard and had just put them on the table when she saw her brother use the front wheel of his motorcycle to ram open the courtyard gate.
He parked the car in the yard, wiped the dust off with a towel, and washed his hands as well, just in time for dinner.
The family of four sat down, and Liu Yinfeng remembered: "If Sanfang has nothing to do, you can invite him to come home for dinner too. He has to do it anyway."
Luo Yan picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks: "He has a friend he met in the Production and Construction Corps who came to Beijing. He said he wants to do business, so he's been keeping him company these past few days."
Luo Hong hit the nail on the head: "If people weren't busy, would your daughter still be eating dinner at home?"
They went on a happy date early this morning.
Luo Yan didn't deny it, but said, "I'm very busy too!"
She worked for a whole week before finally submitting the revised application report on Saturday, and she was beaming with pride when she left work.
Zhou Weifang came to pick her up and said, "Are you so happy to see me?"
Luo Yan said he was narcissistic and made a request: "I want to eat big pig's trotters."
Zhou Weifang was not an expert in anything in Beijing, but he knew all the good food in the city like the back of his hand.
He said, "Then let's go to Wafang Hutong to eat."
Luo Yan sat on the back of his motorcycle and said, "The day after tomorrow is my first paycheck, and I'll treat everyone then."
The day after tomorrow is August 1st, and in the blink of an eye, she's already been working for a month.
Zhou Weifang was very supportive: "What a wonderful day, it deserves to be celebrated properly."
Luo Yan laid out her 58 yuan salary clearly, saying, "I need to treat Huifang and Yingying to dinner, give ten yuan home, buy face cream for my mom, and two rolls of good Xuan paper for my dad. My brother says he doesn't want anything and wants me to wash his car for him. What about you? What do you want?"
Zhou Weifang stopped the car at the restaurant entrance, turned around, and said, "I want you."
Luo Yan raised her chin slightly: "My budget is only five yuan, so you mean I'm only worth five yuan?"
Zhou Weifang: "Then I'll pay you 50,000 yuan to see if you'll reluctantly take me."
"What do you mean by paying me? I'll take it even if you don't give me a penny." Luo Yan patted his back and jumped off the motorcycle: "I'll take it even if you don't give me a penny."
Zhou Weifang wanted to reach out and hug her, but now was not the right place.
He could only hold back, and the two of them sat down in the bustling restaurant.
Luo Yan asked him, "Did your friend go back?"
Zhou Weifang fanned her as he said, "He's gone back. He said he's going back to collect Chinese medicinal herbs. This year, they've deregulated the pricing of their own herbs. They're from the production area, so they can make a lot of money going back and forth."
Most things on the market are still priced by the government, such as the fruit shop he owns, but some industries have changed to let the market determine the price.
Traditional Chinese medicine isn't something you encounter every day, so Luo Yan didn't know much about it. When she asked about this, she was pretty much done with it, and started talking about everyday family matters instead.
As Zhou Weifang chatted with her, he remembered after the meal: "I left you some peaches, but I forgot to take them."
How could we forget about the peaches? Luo Yan said, "Then let's go get them now."
Zhou Weifang usually works in the store on Guang'anmen Street because it is in the middle of the other 8 stores, and it is the largest space that can be rented at the time, where he can partition off a small office.
When they arrived, it was still open for business, but there wasn't much fruit left.
The staff were already tidying up the place and greeted the owner when they saw him.
Zhou Weifang originally went into the office to get it himself, while Luo Yan stood by the motorcycle waiting. But soon after, someone called her over and said, "Yan Yan, can you help me look at some accounts?"
The beginning of the month is the tax filing period. Luo Yanzhen thought she would be asked to help, but once she went in, it was like a lamb entering a tiger's den.
Zhou Weifang couldn't tell if it was the hot weather or what, but he had been having trouble sleeping lately. He held the back of her head and pinched the hem of her clothes, afraid to move. He could only find some solace in the gentle kisses.
Luo Yan was a little out of breath and leaned on his shoulder: "Wait a minute, wait a minute."
But the tone of her voice at this moment was even more provocative, and Zhou Weifang could barely maintain his composure. He locked her waist, bringing her closer to him, and whispered her name in her ear again and again.
Even if Luo Yan is clueless about social matters, she is still a young woman in her early twenties.
She wasn't stupid; she remained motionless, afraid of provoking him again.
It took Zhou Weifang a long time to push himself down, thinking that if he continued to hug her, something bad would happen. He let go and took two deep breaths.
Luo Yan licked her lips awkwardly, then reached out and hooked her little finger around his, chuckling to herself.
Zhou Weifang pinched her cheek, pinched himself twice, and gritted his teeth: "We can't stay here, let's go for a walk."
"Why did you leave?" Luo Yan spread her hands, "Where are my peaches?"
Almost forgot about this again. Zhou Weifang opened the cabinet, took it out, and selected the one that looked the best: "How about we eat this first?"
He naturally picked only the best ones, and Luo Yan found them crisp and sweet after taking a bite. Her eyes crinkled into crescent moons as she smiled, and in just a few bites, all that was left was the peach pit, which she then tossed into the trash can.
Zhou Weifang praised her, saying, "She's clearly a promising talent for basketball."
Luo Yan is not good at any sport, and today she was just lucky. After washing her hands, she said, "Stop taking pictures, you're hitting the horse's legs."
Zhou Weifang lifted his left foot forward slightly: "Then let me take a picture of you too."
Luo Yan slapped her lightly, as if it were a tickle: "Let's go."
The two strolled around the neighborhood for a bit, agreed on a time to meet the next day, and Zhou Weifang took her home.
As soon as Luo Yan entered the room, she loudly announced, "I've finished my shift for this month! I'm going to get my salary soon!"
He suddenly yelled, and his parents laughed, "We know, we know, look how happy you are."
Luo Yan was naturally delighted, saying, "This is the first time I've ever earned money through my own labor."
He looked around and asked, "Where's my brother?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Luo Hong poked his head out of the room: "Here I am, what are you yelling about?"
Luo Yan muttered, "I didn't yell," and said, "Let's go, let's go to the bathhouse."
Luo Hong tucked a book under his arm and waited at the entrance of the bathhouse after he finished showering.
A neighbor passing by chatted with him: "Yanzi's good news is coming soon, when are we going to eat your wedding candy?"
Why are even the neighbors urging me to hurry up? Luo Hong said, "I'm not in a rush. I'm living a very good life."
He even made plans to have a late-night snack with his childhood friend that night, thinking to himself that if he got married, he wouldn't be able to go wherever he wanted so freely. After all, he knew that if he got married and had children, he would definitely focus all his attention on his family—it was due to his parents' words and deeds, and his personality was the same. So he knew that it was not the right time for him to get married yet.
When he said that, people advised him, "Getting married won't interfere with your life. You're at that age, you should have a child."
Luo Hong was approaching thirty and didn't feel old at all. He ignored such advice and rarely showed any politeness, saying, "Don't worry about it. Go and get busy."
The neighbor scoffed, thinking to himself that his good intentions had been wasted, and walked away with a sneer.
Luo Hong was finally able to finish reading "The Book and the Sword" in peace and quiet, and then led his sister, whose forehead was covered in snot, home.
Since getting a hairdryer at home, Luo Yan has been washing her hair more frequently.
She sat in the yard reading a book, her hair half-dried, not noticing when her brother slipped out the door and locked the gate when he was about to go to sleep.
Luckily, her parents had just come in and hadn't gone to sleep yet. They called out, "Yanyan, your brother hasn't come back yet."
Luo Yan said she understood and unlatched the door, then bowed and instructed, "Huang Laishun, watch the door."
Because of the hot weather, Huang Laishun likes to sleep in the yard.
It's a great watchdog, and in the past few years it seems to have scared away several petty thieves. It barks twice as if to say it understands.
Luo Yan was still reassured about it, yawned, and went back to her room.
But she didn't go to sleep right away. Instead, she took out an English newspaper, read two articles of moderate length, and circled the new words in her notebook.
Driven by an inexplicable intuition, she persisted in learning English even after graduation, despite it seeming unrelated to her current life.
Or perhaps she continues to study and lives in the way she is most accustomed to.
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Author's note: I'm working hard on the second update. By the way, here's something that probably no one cares about: of all Jin Yong's novels, my favorite is "The Book and the Sword". I've even watched the TV series that everyone says is bad many times.
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