Chapter 21 Commander Song, can you lend me some money? (…)
Luo Huihui looked at Yan Ruyi with bright eyes, "You agreed?"
"No."
But I almost agreed.
She originally thought that Song Yiping, like her, was also forced to come by his family.
That would be simple. The two of them would agree on one thing: that they both felt it wasn't a good fit, and then they would go home separately after the movie ended.
She never expected that Song Yiping would confess his feelings to her so directly, in a very serious and earnest way.
This was the first time Yan Ruyi had ever heard such a direct and bold confession.
As expected of a soldier, he was direct, decisive, and didn't hesitate at all.
Those who used to pursue her all wrote her love letters and poems.
Even love letters and poems are subtle, euphemistic, and ambiguous; without a bit of artistic talent, you can't understand what they're saying.
She had never encountered such a direct confession before. She was embarrassed at the time. When she met Song Yiping's burning gaze, she felt her face burning and her blood rushing. In a moment of impulse, she almost agreed.
Fortunately, she still had her senses and politely refused, then made an excuse and ran away quickly.
She was afraid that her aunt was still at her house and would interrogate her with her mother if she returned, so she didn't dare go home and ran to Luo Huihui's house instead.
When Luo Huihui heard Yan Ruyi say she hadn't agreed, her first thought was that the person must be ugly.
Like them, the first requirement for finding a partner is that he or she is good-looking.
Yan Ruyi: "Handsome, even better looking than my second brother, and taller too."
Yan Ruyi's second brother is famously handsome, even more handsome than him, how handsome must he be?
Luo Huihui couldn't understand, "He's good-looking, a regimental commander, young and promising, and he likes you, so why don't you want to date him?"
After saying that, she looked at Yan Ruyi suspiciously, "Don't tell me you're still thinking about Shen Zhimin!"
Yan Ruyi said, "It's not because of him, it's because I don't want to be in a relationship right now, and the age gap between us is too big."
Luo Huihui, "How old is he?"
Yan Ruyi, “26.”
Luo Huihui's voice suddenly rose eight octaves, "A four-year age difference is considered older? Then my older brother and sister-in-law are eight years apart. According to you, does that mean they are from different generations?"
Yan Ruyi said solemnly, "You don't understand."
Yan Ruyi couldn't explain it, so Luo Huihui suspected that she was still thinking about Shen Zhimin, which was why she didn't want to date Commander Song. She tapped Yan Ruyi's forehead and scolded her with disappointment.
Luo Huihui's grandmother came back and heard Luo Huihui shouting at the top of her lungs in the house. She asked her, "Huihui, who are you arguing with? Why are you shouting so loudly?"
Luo Huihui said loudly, "We didn't quarrel. Ruyi came, and I was talking to Ruyi."
Grandma Luo said, "Both of you should behave and not fight."
The old lady loves watching TV and always turns it on at home; she turns it on as soon as she walks in the door.
She's a little hard of hearing, and she was speaking at a deafening volume, babbling away.
Yan Ruyi's attention was immediately drawn to the television.
It's okay if you lose your partner, but you still need to buy a TV.
In the morning, she asked her father to find a way to get television supply tickets.
Her father verbally agreed, saying he would go to the factory to ask when he got to work.
However, based on her understanding of her father, he probably wouldn't be able to handle it.
Her father was shy and couldn't bring himself to ask for favors, especially from his superiors.
So she'll probably have to figure it out herself.
He asked Luo Huihui, "Where did your family get the television ration coupons?"
Luo Huihui was still angry with her and said irritably, "My older brother bought it on the black market for 50 yuan a piece, and my mother scolded him for it."
50 yuan is equivalent to a worker's monthly salary!
No wonder Luo Huihui's older brother got scolded.
However, Yan Ruyi is not short of money now.
She earns money easily now, so she spends it very generously.
She had heard her second brother mention the black market and knew where it was. Wanting to try her luck, she pulled Luo Huihui along and headed outside, saying, "Let's go take a look."
Luo Huihui: "What are you shopping for? Your blind date isn't over yet."
The old lady, believing every rumor, chimed in from outside, "Who's going on a blind date? Is it Huihui? Who introduced you to this guy? What does he do for a living? Why didn't your parents mention it?"
He grabbed Luo Huihui, determined to get to the bottom of it.
Luo Huihui: "No one's going on blind dates. You must have misheard. Watch TV. I'm going out with Ruyi."
Without Yan Ruyi pulling him, he dragged her out.
The black market on Songshui Road emerged in the 1950s and 60s.
At that time, free trade was not allowed, but people wanted to exchange their chickens, eggs, or homegrown vegetables for money, so they secretly took them to the city to sell. Gradually, a market was formed. Because it was not permitted by the state and all transactions were done secretly, it was called a black market.
However, it's a free market now.
It's just that people have gotten used to calling it that, and when they mention this place, they still call it the Black Market.
The black market sells all sorts of things, and if you're lucky, you can find items that are in short supply on the market here.
However, Yan Ruyi and Luo Huihui were not very lucky today. They wandered around the black market but did not see any people reselling television supply tickets.
It was so hot that the two of them were covered in sweat after walking around.
Luo Huihui hates the heat the most, and she fanned herself vigorously with her hand, saying, "It's so hot, so hot!"
Just then, Luo Huihui saw an ice pop vendor coming by and quickly called out to him, "I want to buy an ice pop!"
The popsicle vendor pushed his bicycle over, lifted the quilt covering the popsicle box, and a sweet, cool breeze wafted out. Luo Huihui leaned over and said, "Do you have any soda? I want some soda."
Yan Ruyi said, "I also drink soda."
The popsicle vendor took out two bottles of orange-flavored soda, opened the caps, and handed them to Yan Ruyi and Luo Huihui.
Luo Huihui gulped down half the bottle in one go, letting out a comfortable sigh.
She was hurriedly pulled out by Yan Ruyi, and she didn't have any money on her. After finishing her drink, she nudged Yan Ruyi with her elbow and said, "Give me the money."
After Yan Ruyi finished the last sip of her soda, she put the empty bottle back and went to get her wallet. But when she opened her handbag, she exclaimed, "Where's my wallet?"
Luo Huihui: "Isn't it in your bag? It was just here a moment ago."
Luo Huihui helped her search, and the two of them turned her handbag upside down and looked in her pockets, but they couldn't find it.
They got hungry while walking around, so they found a restaurant on the roadside and ordered two bowls of shredded pork noodles. Yan Ruyi paid for them, since she still had her wallet at that time.
It must have been lost after leaving the restaurant.
If the bag wasn't torn, then it must have been stolen by a thief at some point.
They didn't notice at all.
This place is quite far from the machine tool factory's and electrical appliance factory's residential compounds. The two of them are unfamiliar with this area and don't know anyone around, so they have nowhere to borrow money.
The two of them were immediately dumbfounded.
A jeep drove up and stopped on the side of the road.
Song Yiping leaned out of the car and said, "Comrade Xiao Yan."
When Yan Ruyi saw him, it was as if she had seen a savior.
However, she had just refused someone, and now she was asking to borrow money from them again, so she was a little hesitant to ask.
But you can't exactly drink free soda.
He then said to Song Yiping, somewhat embarrassed, "Commander Song, could you lend me some money? My wallet was stolen sometime ago, and I don't have any money to pay for my soda."
After parting ways with Yan Ruyi at the movie theater, Song Yiping went to the regimental headquarters to handle a few urgent tasks.
After leaving the regimental headquarters, he went to Sijichun.
Fang Yuru booked a private room at Sijichun, but Yan Ruyi refused and ran away, so the room was no longer needed. Song Yiping then went to tell them and canceled the reservation.
On the way back, he saw Yan Ruyi with a girl he didn't know. She looked quite anxious, and he had a feeling that she might be in trouble, so he stopped the car to say hello.
Upon hearing that Yan Ruyi wanted to borrow money, he turned off the engine, got out of the car, opened his wallet, and pulled out a wad of ten-yuan notes.
This money was all prepared for today's blind date, but it turned out I didn't need it.
He handed them all to Yan Ruyi without even counting them, asking, "Is that enough?"
Luo Huihui, "..." Even if you bought this whole case of soda, you wouldn't need this much!
Yan Ruyi said repeatedly, "That's enough, we don't need that much."
A bottle of soda costs 15 cents, two bottles cost 30 cents, plus the return ticket, and you can't even use up a single ticket.
She pulled out a bill and paid for the soda first.
Instead of returning the money, he said to Song Yiping, "Commander Song, thank you. I'll return the money to you when I start work tomorrow."
Song Yiping originally wanted to say "No need to return it", but he changed his mind before he could finish speaking. He opened the car door, took out a notebook and pen, wrote down a phone number, tore it off, and gave it to Yan Ruyi. "This is my office phone number. I will be at the regimental headquarters all day tomorrow."
As the saying goes, "The handwriting reflects the person." Song Yiping's calligraphy is vigorous and powerful, with an imposing presence between its iron strokes and silver hooks.
Yan Ruyi felt a little ashamed. Her handwriting was not bad, but compared with Song Yiping's, it was far inferior in terms of style and completely incomparable.
No wonder he's been on the battlefield, he exudes a murderous aura!
She folded the note and put it in her pocket. "Commander Song, we're off then."
Song Yiping: "I'll see you off."
Yan Ruyi waved her hand and said, "No need to trouble you, we can just take the bus."
Song Yiping: "No trouble at all. I'm going back to the military compound, it's on my way."
After saying that, he opened the car door and waited for Yan Ruyi and Luo Huihui to get in.
If you just borrowed money from someone in an emergency, it seems a bit pretentious to refuse their kindness.
Moreover, it's quite a walk from here to the bus stop.
After walking around for half a day, her feet were sore and the weather was hot. She really didn't want to walk anymore, so Yan Ruyi thanked Song Yiping and then pulled Luo Huihui into the car.
Once both of them were seated, Song Yiping closed the car door and got in himself.
Yan Ruyi gave a brief introduction to the two of them.
Her bicycle was still at Luo Huihui's house, so she said to Song Yiping, "Commander Song, please take us to the electrical appliance factory's residential compound. I need to go to Huihui's house to get my bicycle."
Song Yiping nodded and was about to start the car when he saw a thin, middle-aged man rushing out of Maozi Hutong. Yan Ruyi was sitting by the window. He saw her, wiped the sweat from his face, and shouted at her, "Comrade, do you still want your TV ticket?"
Yan Ruyi's eyes lit up, and she excitedly leaned against the car window, saying, "I want it!"
He opened the car door and was about to get out.
The next second, the man saw Song Yiping sitting in the driver's seat, paused for a moment, and then ran away.
Yan Ruyi, "..."
Reselling TV supply coupons is at most a little unethical, but it's not illegal. Song Yiping won't arrest him, so why is he running away?
It ran faster than a rabbit, and no amount of shouting could stop it. Yan Ruyi chased after it for a few steps but couldn't catch up, so she had to turn back.
Her mother's birthday is in a week, and she originally wanted to bring the TV home before her mother's birthday to make her happy.
Song Yiping glanced in the direction the man had run off to and asked Yan Ruyi, "You want to buy a TV?"
Yan Ruyi hummed in agreement, then sighed, "The ration coupons are so scarce, I couldn't get any. I came here today hoping to try my luck and see if anyone was selling them, but I didn't get any coupons and my wallet was stolen."
She was on a blind date today, and worried about spending money, so she brought extra money with her.
There were about 20 yuan in my wallet, but it all went to a thief.
That's enough for their whole family to eat braised beef for a whole month!
It would be a lie to say she wasn't frustrated; her face fell, and she said angrily, "I don't even know when it was stolen. The thief is so awful."
The person you like is likable no matter what they do, even when they're pouting.
Song Yi calmed himself down, looked away from the rearview mirror, and began mentally rummaging through the pile of tickets and certificates in his drawer to see if there were any television supply tickets.
The army issues various ration coupons every month, but he hardly ever uses them. He gives away all the coupons he can, and puts the rest in his drawer.
He couldn't remember if there were any television set ration coupons.
I think so.
He didn't tell Yan Ruyi about the uncertainties, thinking he would go back and look for them first.
If you can't find it, just ask the logistics department for an advance; that shouldn't be a problem.
The car soon arrived at the factory's residential compound.
After Song Yiping parked the car, Yan Ruyi and Luo Huihui got out. Yan Ruyi waved to Song Yiping, "Commander Song, thank you so much for today. See you tomorrow."
Song Yiping replied, "See you tomorrow," and then drove away.
While in the car, Luo Huihui's eyes kept darting between the two of them, but she resisted the urge to ask any questions.
She had been holding it in the whole way, and as soon as Song Yiping left, she grabbed Yan Ruyi and interrogated her, "Who is he? Is he the one you went on a blind date with?"
Yan Ruyi sighed, "It's him."
Luo Huihui said painfully, "You rejected him to his face, yet he still lent you money and even brought us back. He cares about you so much, and you still look down on him? Comrade Yan Laibao, is your brain full of water?"
He was so angry that he called Yan Ruyi by her nickname, and then he held Yan Ruyi's head and shook it, "Quickly help me drain the water."
Yan Ruyi felt dizzy from being shaken, so she slapped her hand away and argued, "They are People's Liberation Army soldiers. When ordinary people encounter difficulties, the People's Liberation Army will help them."
That's true, but Luo Huihui still felt that even the People's Liberation Army couldn't treat every civilian like that.
At least they wouldn't just stuff a wad of money into your hand without asking why.
Luo Huihui had a very good first impression of Song Yiping. Feeling sorry for her good friend, she snorted and said, "It's fine if you don't like Commander Song, but you can't refuse to date him just because you still have feelings for that bastard. Otherwise, I'll sever all ties with you and never see you again, you hear me!"
Yan Ruyi said helplessly, "It's not because of him, it's because I don't want to date right now. I need to make money first. Once I've made some money, we'll go to Yuexiang Restaurant for some lobster."
Luo Huihui didn't believe it at all. Yan Ruyi, afraid that she would nag again, pushed Luo Huihui forward and said, "Let's go home."
After picking up the car from Luo Huihui's house, Yan Ruyi rode it home.
As she passed by a courtyard, she glanced at it casually and thought one of the two people standing at the gate looked familiar, like her second brother.
She got out of the car and looked back, and sure enough, it was her second brother. She pushed the car over and called out, "Second brother!"
Not long ago, Yan Mingtao took on a freelance job making a set of furniture for someone. Now that the job is finished, he has settled his wages.
He was happily counting his money when Yan Ruyi's shout startled him so much that his hand trembled and all the money fell to the ground.
Looking up and seeing Yan Ruyi, he stammered, "Little sister, what are you doing here?"
Yan Ruyi rolled her eyes at him. "You forgot? Huihui lives here. I came to visit Huihui."
After saying that, he asked Yan Mingtao with a hint of doubt, "Second Brother, what are you doing here? Why is there so much money on the ground?"
Her second brother and sister-in-law thought they had kept it a secret, but she had known all along that her second brother was taking on side jobs to earn money.
Not only did she know, but her parents knew too.
Her mother said that her second brother had just started a family and would have to raise a child in the future, so he should save more money. She added that he was doing hard work and that no one should covet his money.
So everyone pretended not to know that he was secretly taking on side jobs to make money, and no one dared to expose him.
She asked her second brother on purpose just now.
Her blind date didn't go well today. When she gets home, her mom won't complain, but she'll definitely nag her. So she needs to find an ally to divert some of the attention.
It was like a pillow being delivered to someone who was sleepy; her second brother stumbled upon it at the perfect time.
Her second brother is guilty, so he will definitely side with her and speak up for her.
Yan Minghe slapped his forehead: In his nervousness, he had forgotten that his sister's good friend Luo Huihui lived in the electrical appliance factory's residential compound.
He was trying to come up with an excuse to get away with it when the man next to him betrayed him first, saying, "My son is getting married, and your second brother helped make some furniture. It's all finished today, and I'm paying him for his work."
Knowing that the two were siblings, the man didn't think much of it and kept praising Yan Mingtao, saying, "Your second brother's craftsmanship is excellent; many people in this area have their furniture made by him."
Afterwards, he instructed Yan Mingtao, "I've already talked to my older brother. The day after tomorrow, after you get off work, go over and make him a wardrobe. He's already bought the wood, so don't forget."
Yan Mingtao, “…”
He didn't even bother counting the money; he just picked it up, stuffed it haphazardly into his pocket, and pushed his bike away.
Once outside the compound, he asked Yan Ruyi in a flattering tone, "Little sister~, what do you want? Your second brother will buy it for you. Do you want ice cream? Or how about your second brother treats you to a soda?"
Having just drunk soda, Yan Ruyi didn't want to drink any more now.
The two happened to pass by a steamed bun shop. The freshly steamed buns were steaming hot, and the aroma of the meat buns could be smelled from a distance.
Yan Ruyi sniffed. Yan Mingtao, observing her expression, didn't even need her to speak before saying, "Second brother is treating you to meat buns. The meat buns at this place are made with pure meat filling and are so fragrant. Second brother will treat you to as many as you want today."
He parked the bicycle by the roadside and led Yan Ruyi to the steamed bun shop.
He originally wanted four, two for himself and two for Yan Ruyi.
Thinking it wasn't quite right, I gritted my teeth and said to the steamed bun shop owner, "Give me 12, all with meat filling."
Not counting the eldest child's family of three, there are now 6 people in the family. If each person gets two steamed buns, that's 12 buns for 6 people.
He went all out today, ensuring everyone got a meat bun.
He received a total of 12.86 yuan in wages today, so he's not short of money!
The steamed bun shop owner gave Yan Mingtao 12 steamed buns, wrapped them up, and handed them to him.
Yan Mingtao: "Sis, what else do you want?"
Yan Ruyi thought it best to accept it, saying, "No, thank you."
Yan Mingtao hung the meat bun on the handlebars, rubbed his hands together, and said, "Sis, look at what happened today..."
Yan Ruyi said, "I didn't see anything."
She hasn't told anyone except her father about taking on side jobs.
In this matter, she and her second brother are equally guilty, so neither of them should criticize the other.
Yan Mingtao: "Actually, it's not that I intentionally hid it. I'm a team leader, after all. If I take on side jobs outside, it'll have a bad impact if word gets back to the factory, right, girl?"
Yan Ruyi expressed her understanding.
Yan Mingtao was deeply moved by his younger sister's understanding nature. He patted his chest and said, "Sister, don't worry. When you get married, your 72 legs will be taken care of by your second brother. You can rest assured about your second brother's cooking skills."
Yan Ruyi didn't believe the empty promises her second brother made to her. Her second brother and sister-in-law were stingy; they might agree now, but they could change their minds later.
Before she could find an ally, she realized it was more practical to shift her mother's attention elsewhere, so she made a deal with Yan Mingtao: "We don't need the 72 legs for now, let's put them aside for now. When we get home, if Mom nags me, you have to speak up for me."
Yan Mingtao asked in confusion, "What is Mom nagging you about...?"
Only after he finished speaking did he realize that his sister was going on a blind date today.
It seems the meeting didn't go well.
He had heard Li Yan mention it briefly, saying that the man was a good catch and a regimental commander.
However, he wasn't actually very satisfied with his younger sister, his blind date.
Because Li Yan said that this person was a soldier, and was even taller than him.
Soldiers are generally physically fit and taller than him. If his little sister is bullied, he might not be able to beat the bully and stand up for her.
Even if that person came from a good family and was a regimental commander, he was still not very willing to let his younger sister marry that person.
If his younger sister really took a liking to that guy surnamed Song and the two of them got together, he wouldn't be able to forcefully stop them. But his younger sister didn't like that guy, which suited him just fine. However, his mother would probably nag his younger sister a bit.
He patted his chest again and assured Yan Ruyi, "Don't worry, I'll take care of it. I definitely won't let Mom say anything to you!"
The brother and sister formed a temporary alliance and happily returned home.
At the Yan family home, Ye Hongzhen was cooking in the kitchen. While she was busy, she was also thinking about how her daughter's matchmaking with Commander Song was going.
Just as I was pondering this, I heard Yan Mingtao shouting from outside, "Mom, don't heat up the steamed buns anymore, I bought meat buns, I bought a lot, there will be enough for everyone!"
Ye Hongzhen came out of the kitchen wiping her hands and said in surprise, "Did the sun rise in the west today?"
Just as she finished speaking, she saw Yan Ruyi, who had just returned with Yan Mingtao, and was stunned. "Why are you back so soon?"
Ye Hongjuan told her that her daughter might not come back until evening, or at the very least, after dinner.
But just now, around dinnertime, my daughter came home.
She looked outside, wondering if Commander Song had brought her daughter back.
Not seeing Song Yiping, she hurriedly asked Yan Ruyi, "Where's Commander Song? He didn't bring you back. How are things going between you two?"
Yan Ruyi felt a little guilty. That day, she and Song Yiping only watched a movie together. The time they spent alone together was less than the time she spent with Luo Huihui.
She even rejected him.
She didn't dare to say it outright, so she vaguely replied, "It's just like that."
Ye Hongzhen wanted to ask about the specifics, whether things had actually gone well or not, but Yan Mingtao was calling out to her repeatedly at the top of his lungs, "Mom, Mom, is dinner ready yet? I'm starving!"
Ye Hongzhen, "You're already complaining about being hungry as soon as you get back? Are you some kind of reincarnated starving ghost? Your dad'll be back soon. Wash your hands and serve the food to the table!"
After instructing Yan Mingtao, she was about to ask Yan Ruyi when she heard Yan Mingtao shouting from the kitchen again, "Why is there no meat again? It's always cabbage, either stewed, stir-fried, or pickled cabbage stalks. I'm getting sick of it! Mom, can't you come up with something different... Hey Mom, are you trying to kill the salt seller? This cabbage is so salty, my mouth is full of salt clods..."
Ye Hongzhen wanted to ask her daughter about her blind date, but Yan Mingtao kept interrupting her, the kind of interruption that just made her want to get punched.
She immediately flew into a rage, no longer caring about asking Yan Ruyi, and scolded Yan Mingtao, "You're being picky even when you have food to eat, I think you're asking for trouble!"
Not satisfied with just cursing, Ye Hongzhen looked around for a handy tool, and Yan Minghe handed her a broom handle at the right time. She took it and started beating Yan Mingtao.
Yan Mingtao was hit with a broom and howled as he rushed out of the kitchen, only to be chased all over the yard by his mother.
Yan Ruyi gave her second brother a thumbs up in her heart. He was indeed her own brother, risking his life to draw the fire for her!
Taking advantage of her mother's distraction, Yan Ruyi slipped back into her room.
Because of Yan Mingtao's interference, Ye Hongzhen forgot to ask her daughter about the blind date.
During the meal, Ye Hongzhen did ask her a couple of questions, but Yan Ruyi's answer was vague. Ye Hongzhen guessed that the relationship hadn't worked out and her daughter didn't want to say more.
Although she felt a little regretful, she had indeed fallen for Commander Song. What a good young man! She wondered who would end up with him.
However, she was optimistic; no matter how good the other party's conditions were, it would be a waste if her daughter didn't like him.
Ultimately, it's a lifelong decision, and it's up to the daughter to decide what she likes.
She stopped asking.
After dinner, Li Yan noticed that Yan Ruyi wasn't around, and whispered to Ye Hongzhen, "Mom, did Commander Song not take a liking to Ruyi?"
Ye Hongzhen immediately became unhappy, "Why don't you say that Ruyi didn't like Commander Song?"
Li Yan pursed her lips, thinking to herself, "Look at what kind of conditions Commander Song has, and look at what kind of conditions your daughter has. It's more likely that he wouldn't even look at your daughter."
But she said, "Commander Song is such a good catch, yet Ruyi still doesn't like him. Is she still thinking about Shen Zhimin? Should I try to persuade her..."
Ye Hongzhen shot her a sharp glare, and Li Yan quickly shut up and made an excuse to slip away.
Li Yan was certain that Song Yiping hadn't taken a liking to Yan Ruyi; otherwise, with such a good catch, her sister-in-law would have been smug long ago.
As for why they didn't end up together, it goes without saying that they simply didn't like her.
High branches are not so easy to climb.
Li Yan originally wanted to see how Yan Ruyi would smooth things over when Ye Hongzhen asked her a question, but Yan Mingtao ruined it for her.
In addition, Yan Mingtao bought a huge pile of meat buns today. How much money must that have cost? She felt the pinch when eating the buns and couldn't enjoy them at all.
She was already quite unhappy. When she returned to her room, she saw Yan Mingtao sitting on the bed counting money, grinning foolishly as he did so. When he saw her, he slapped the money around in his hand, showing off, "Wife, see this? 12 yuan!"
She immediately flew into a rage and huffed, "What got into you today? You bought so many meat buns! We've been paying for your living expenses. If you want meat buns, why didn't you ask Mom to buy them? You had to spend your own money to buy them. At this rate, no amount of money will be enough for you to waste."
Yan Mingtao pretended not to hear.
He knew from experience that he shouldn't respond in this situation; the more he responded, the more Li Yan would scold him, and eventually the two of them would definitely start arguing.
He didn't respond, and Li Yan kept rambling on for a while before finally giving up.
Li Yan was rambling on when she suddenly remembered something and nudged Yan Mingtao, "Ruyi is working now and lives at home, so shouldn't she start paying for the family's food expenses from now on?"
When she married Yan Mingtao, Ye Hongzhen told them that if they ate from the same pot as them, they would have to pay for their meals.
Before getting married, Yan Mingtao also paid living expenses, 10 yuan a month. Now that they are married, the total amount for the two of them is 20 yuan a month.
If they want to eat separately, that's fine too. We'll build a small kitchen for them in the southwest corner of the yard, and they can cook for themselves separately from now on.
After careful consideration, Li Yan decided that eating communal meals was still the most cost-effective option.
She works at a cardboard box factory run by the local government, earning 48 yuan a month. Yan Mingtao earns 62 yuan a month, and with the extra money Yan Mingtao earns from freelance work, they can make at least 130 or 140 yuan a month. The 20 yuan living expenses are not a burden for them.
Moreover, eating together means you don't have to buy groceries or cook yourself; you can have a ready-made meal when you get home from get off work, which is convenient and saves you time and effort.
So the six of them kept stirring everything in one pot.
When Yan Ruyi was in school, she didn't receive a salary, didn't pay for living expenses, and even took money from her family, so she didn't say anything.
Things are different now. Yan Ruyi has started working and is earning money, so she should pay for her meals just like them.
Yan Mingtao casually remarked, "She just started working and hasn't even received her salary yet. Where would she get the money to pay?"
"That has to be agreed beforehand. They're all children, so we can't treat them all the same. If they have to pay, they all have to pay; if they don't have to pay, then no one has to."
If she hadn't brought it up, Yan Ruyi would definitely have pretended not to know and probably wouldn't have given a single penny to the family.
The mother-in-law would pretend not to know, letting her sister-in-law eat and drink for free.
She nudged Yan Mingtao again, "Remember to remind Mom tomorrow."
Yan Mingtao: "You think I haven't been beaten enough with a broom?"
Li Yan: "You deserve it! Mom was asking Ruyi some questions, and you had to interfere. You have no sense at all. If I don't beat you, who will I beat?"
After thinking it over, she changed her mind and said to Yan Mingtao, "Let's talk to Mom about Ruyi paying for meals in a couple of days. Commander Song didn't take a liking to Ruyi. Mom may not say it, but she's definitely unhappy. Let's not walk into the line of fire at this critical moment."
Yan Mingtao muttered unhappily, "Why don't you just say that Ruyi didn't like that guy surnamed Song?"
Just like Ye Hongzhen, she was fiercely protective of her own, and even the things she said were exactly the same.
Li Yan said irritably, "Yes, yes, your sister is a fairy descended from heaven, no one in this world is good enough for her, okay?"
He stepped forward, took the money from Yan Mingtao's hand, opened the drawer, put it inside, and then locked the drawer.
Yan Ruyi was currently troubled: how to repay Song Yiping's favor.
She refused Song Yiping to his face, but Song Yiping not only didn't hold it against her, but also lent her money and sent her and Luo Huihui back.
The act of lending money alone is no less than providing timely help in a snowstorm.
She owed such a huge favor, she should express her gratitude when she repays the money tomorrow.
Therefore, one should not easily owe favors; it is easy to owe favors, but difficult to repay them.
As she was pondering this, she heard Yan Minghe calling from outside, "Mom, where did you put the fried dough twists?"
Ye Hongzhen: "Go to sleep right away, what are you eating? If you keep eating, you'll get all your teeth decayed!"
Before Ye Hongzhen could finish her tirade, Yan Minghe ran away.
This reminded Yan Ruyi.
Her mother fried small twisted dough sticks, coated with sesame seeds. They were crispy and fragrant, and everyone who tried them said they tasted better than those sold in grocery stores.
Giving it to Song Yiping shouldn't be a loss of face.
The next day, after breakfast, she looked for the fried dough twists but couldn't find them, so she asked Ye Hongzhen, "Mom, where are the fried dough twists you made yesterday?"
"It's hanging from the kitchen beam. The mice won't eat it when it's down, but the little flowers have been gnawed on."
Yan Ruyi went to the kitchen and looked up to see a bamboo basket swaying above her head.
She moved a stool, stood on it, and took down the bamboo basket, which was full of jars of golden, shiny little twisted dough sticks.
She stuffed the entire jar into her handbag. "Mom, I took the fried dough twists with me."
Ye Hongzhen thought she was giving it to Luo Huihui, and even told Yan Ruyi, "Next time I'll fry more so Huihui can bring some to her parents to try."
Yan Ruyi didn't dare to reply and quickly got on her bike and left.
Wang Aizhen was wiping the counter with a rag when Yan Ruyi came in and called out, "Sister Aizhen."
Wang Aizhen said warmly, "Ruyi is back."
Hearing their conversation, Xu Qingmei came out from the inner room. "Let me see if I've gotten a tan?"
Wang Aizhen said, "I don't think she's tanned."
Xu Qingmei pulled Yan Ruyi aside and looked her over. "She hasn't changed much. Yesterday I was telling Aizhen that she's a fair-skinned girl. If she stays like this for a week, she might end up with a tan like Lao Gu."
Wang Aizhen laughed, "Don't let your husband hear you say that."
Seeing Yan Ruyi's puzzled expression, he explained to her, "Captain Gu of the archaeological team and Qingmei are a couple."
Yan Ruyi found it truly amazing. Captain Gu was an impatient person, and Xu Qingmei was also an impatient person. How did two impatient people manage to become a family? When their tempers flared up, they would argue every day.
Xu Qingmei snorted, "What can he do if I hear that? Am I wronging him? He's already dark-skinned, and he's always running around in the wild. Last time he came back, I took a look and, wow, where did this African brother come from!"
My daughter didn't even recognize him; she was crying and pushing him away.
Wang Aizhen, "Your husband hasn't been back for almost half a year, has he?"
Xu Qingmei: "That's right. Last time I called, I said I would come back after finishing up in Yibin. But now, I haven't even gone home. I've gone all the way from Yibin to Ningyi."
Yan Ruyi: "I heard Captain Gu tell Teacher Jiang that he'll be back next weekend."
Xu Qingmei snorted, "Who cares if he comes back? With him not home, my daughter and I are much less worried."
Wang Aizhen said, "You're just putting on a brave face, but who knows what you're really thinking about him."
Xu Qingmei said, "You have no idea how annoying he is at home. He leaves things lying around and it's harder than climbing to heaven to get him to do any work. If you say anything to him, his mother will keep protecting him."
Wang Aizhen said, "My mother-in-law is the same. She can scold my husband however she wants, but I can't say a word. It's like she's the only one who can say anything."
The two of them started talking and then went off-topic.
As long as you don't disturb them, they can go from the mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship to the postpartum care of sows.
Yan Ruyi walked around the store and didn't see Xu Licheng, which she found strange.
Although Xu Licheng was a leader, he was the most proactive at work, never late or leaving early, and was basically the first to arrive and the last to leave every day.
"Where is Director Xu?"
Wang Aizhen said, "He went to the bureau. He said Director Liu wanted to see him, but I don't know what important matter it was. Director Liu had just returned when he called him away."
After saying that, he remembered something and asked Xu Aimei, "Where's Shen Zhimin? Why hasn't he come yet? Did he take leave?"
Xu Qingmei hadn't returned yet when Xu Licheng, who had just come back, chimed in, "The notice just came out. Xiao Shen has returned to the archaeological team, and Xiao Yan has been transferred back to the identification center. Xiao Yan, when you have some free time, go to the personnel department to complete the formalities."
It was originally planned that Shen Zhimin would go to the archaeological team and Yan Ruyi would go to the appraisal center.
Director Liu's actions can be considered a rectification of past wrongs.
Judging from Director Liu's words, Tang Zhengjun will most likely be punished, and he will no longer be in charge of personnel matters.
He's in charge of personnel but doesn't do his job properly, bullying a young girl with no connections—he deserves it!
Xu Licheng never lets go of his teapot all year round. After speaking, he took a sip of tea from the spout, then picked up the small teapot and strolled leisurely to his office.
Xu Qingmei and Wang Aimei were both happy for Yan Ruyi. Xu Qingmei nudged Yan Ruyi and said, "Go and complete the formalities quickly."
Yan Ruyi hadn't expected Director Liu to be so decisive and efficient.
She had originally put in a lot of effort, intending to wage a protracted war against the evil forces.
The problem was solved in an instant. She was a little stunned and only came to her senses after Xu Qingmei pushed her.
She agreed and ran to the bureau to complete the formalities.
Shen Zhimin returned to the archaeological team, and she took his place, working alongside Jiang Dongming.
Section Chief Yang from the personnel department told her that this was Jiang Dongming's special request.
Gu Shusheng was even trying to take people from Jiang Dongming. He made three phone calls to Director Liu in one morning, asking him for the people.
However, Jiang Dongming was one step ahead; he had spoken to Director Liu before going to Zhao Jiagang, and Director Liu had agreed to his request.
Gu Shusheng lost to Jiang Dongming and is probably glaring at him right now.
However, Jiang Dongming is still at the archaeological site in Ningyi County. Yan Ruyi can continue working at the antique shop until he returns. Once Jiang Dongming comes back, he will arrange a job for her.
After completing the formalities, Yan Ruyi returned to the antique shop.
Just as she arrived at the store, she heard laughter and chatter inside. Going in, she saw Xu Qingmei and the others distributing popsicles. Seeing her return, they quickly handed her one, saying, "You're back just in time. Director Xu is treating, and she specially saved a milk-flavored one for you."
Yan Ruyi took a sip of her popsicle and asked Xu Qingmei in a low voice, "Why did Director Xu suddenly invite you to eat popsicles?"
Xu Qingmei and Wang Aizhen have complained more than once that Xu Licheng is stingy, like a miser, and never spends a penny.
Why are you suddenly being so generous today?
Xu Qingmei didn't know either, "Who cares why? This tightwad rarely bleeds money, so let's just eat it."
Xu Licheng came out from the inner room, coughed, and said, "You talk too much. Hurry up and finish eating so you can get on with your business!"
Everyone laughed and dispersed.
Yan Ruyi has another important matter to attend to today: repaying Song Yiping's money.
Taking advantage of the lull in the work, he told Xu Licheng that he had some errands to run.
Xu Licheng waved his hand and said, "Go."
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