Chapter 22 Even antiques like antiques...
Yan Ruyi slung her bag over her shoulder and went to the military compound next door.
Although she passes by every day on her way to and from get off work, this is the first time she has come in.
There was a guard on duty at the entrance of the military compound. He saluted her and asked, "Comrade, who are you looking for?"
Yan Ruyi said, "I'm looking for Commander Song of the Third Regiment. I made an appointment with him to come over today."
After saying that, he took out his work ID and showed it to the staff on duty.
The staff on duty checked her work ID and gave her directions enthusiastically: "Just walk straight along this main road in the middle, turn east at the second intersection, you'll see a flower bed, go around the flower bed, then turn west, and keep walking until you reach the second fork in the road, turn right, and keep walking straight until you reach the second building. Commander Song's office is on the third floor, there's a sign outside his office that says 'Third Regiment,' you'll see it as soon as you go upstairs."
Yan Ruyi, “…”
She wasn't very good at finding her way around, and besides, the buildings in the military compound all looked pretty much the same, and the flowerbeds all looked similar too.
If it were a straight main road, that would be fine, but a road that twists and turns like this won't work.
It's a small matter if she can't find Song Yiping's office, but if she gets lost and trespasses into a confidential area, she might be detained, and Song Yiping might have to go and bail her out.
That would be so embarrassing.
Yan Ruyi looked at the PLA soldiers on duty and said embarrassedly, "Comrade, I don't know the way."
The staff member on duty scratched his head. "I'll take you there."
Yan Ruyi quickly expressed her gratitude, "Thank you, comrade of the People's Liberation Army."
The two had only taken two steps when the staff on duty saw Cheng Chao pass by and quickly waved him over, saying, "Cheng Chao, this lady is looking for Commander Song."
Then he said to Yan Ruyi, "Cheng Chao is Commander Song's communications officer."
Cheng Chao thought to himself, "How strange! A female comrade actually came to see their regimental commander."
I turned my head and saw that I knew him.
To be precise, I have seen it.
He jogged over and said familiarly, "Comrade, it's you!"
Yan Ruyi thought for a long time, but still couldn't remember who the PLA comrade in front of her was.
She has a good memory; she can remember something after seeing it only once.
Cheng Chao pointed to the road outside, then mimicked holding a steering wheel, making a "beep beep beep" sound.
Yan Ruyi remembered that last time she was so focused on watching the People's Liberation Army drills that she didn't watch where she was going. If the driver hadn't honked to remind her, she would have crashed into someone's car.
I didn't apologize to them last time, so I'll make up for it today: "I'm really sorry about last time. I wasn't watching where I was going and almost hit your car."
Seeing that she remembered, Cheng Chao chuckled and said, "Everyone has moments of absentmindedness. You're looking for Commander Song? I need to deliver some documents to him. Come with me."
Having someone to lead the way made things much easier, and the two of them quickly arrived at Song Yiping's office.
The office door was open, and Yan Ruyi saw Song Yiping writing something at his desk.
Cheng Chao saluted, "Reporting, Commander, someone is looking for you!"
Song Yiping looked up and saw Yan Ruyi. He stood up and said, "Comrade Yan, please come in."
Please have Yan Ruyi sit down on the sofa.
It was Yan Ruyi's first time entering a soldier's office, and she looked around curiously.
This office is about the same size as Director Xu's office, but it is much tidier.
Director Xu's office can be summed up in one word: mess. The floor and the table are piled with old things, leaving almost no room to step.
Xu Qingmei said that even mice would get lost if they went in.
Director Xu wouldn't let anyone touch it, saying that if they did, he wouldn't be able to find what he was looking for.
In Song Yiping's office, everything was in perfect order. Even the books in the bookshelf were arranged neatly from top to bottom, making it very pleasing to the eye.
As she was looking at it, a bottle of soda was handed to her. "It's hot, have a bottle of soda to cool down."
Cheng Chao thought to himself, "Last time he said that even if it was this girl, he wouldn't have time to go on blind dates. It's only been a few days and he's already so familiar with her, and he even prepared soda for her!"
His gaze swept between Song Yiping and Yan Ruyi several times, and he had a feeling that their regimental commander, this "old tree," was about to blossom.
In order not to affect their regimental commander's "blossoming", Cheng Chao put down the documents and left quickly.
A clean and tidy man is very likable, Yan Ruyi sincerely praised, "Commander Song, your office is so clean."
Song Yiping: "There are internal affairs requirements in the military."
That's true, but Song Yiping's cleanliness and freshness weren't just evident in his office, but in his entire being.
This should be a good habit developed from childhood.
Unlike her second brother, who was handsome but not clean, his house was a mess like a doghouse before he married her.
It was only after she married her second sister-in-law, who kept nagging her, that she started to become a little more clean.
After silently criticizing her second brother, Yan Ruyi took out 10 yuan from her bag and handed it to Song Yiping. "Commander Song, this is the money I borrowed from you yesterday. Luckily, I ran into you yesterday, otherwise, Huihui and I might have been taken to the police station."
Song Yiping had no reason not to ask Yan Ruyi to return the money, so he took it. "If you encounter any trouble again in the future, call me. If I'm not around, contact Cheng Chao."
Yan Ruyi hadn't expected to have any dealings with him in the future, but since he meant well, she casually agreed, "Okay, thank you, Commander Song."
After saying that, he took out the small twisted dough sticks. "These are fried dough sticks made by my mom herself. They were just fried yesterday. Commander Song, why don't you try them and see how they taste?"
After saying that, she looked at Song Yiping expectantly, waiting for him to praise her mother.
Song Yiping, ever the savvy one, took one out and ate it, then commented, "It's crispy and fragrant, better than what you get at the grocery store."
Having gained Song Yiping's approval, Yan Ruyi felt honored and proudly said, "Right? Everyone says so. My mom is amazing. Everything she cooks is delicious. Her specialty is braised pork with preserved mustard greens. You must try it when you have the chance."
She was so focused on praising her mother that she didn't realize whether what she said was appropriate.
Song Yiping smiled and said, "Okay, I'll definitely visit Auntie when I have the chance and try her cooking."
After saying that, he waved the small twisted dough stick in his hand, "Please thank your aunt for me when you get back. I'll return the bottle to you in a couple of days."
Yan Ruyi was too embarrassed to let Song Yiping return the canned food jar, so she waved her hand and said, "No need to return it, I have more at home."
Song Yiping didn't respond to her words. He put the small twisted dough stick in the drawer, then took out three television supply coupons and handed them to Yan Ruyi. "These were issued by the army before. I don't need them. Since you're going to buy a television, you can take them."
Yan Ruyi, “!”
She was thinking that morning that she couldn't count on Comrade Yan, so she should ask Xu Qingmei to think of a solution.
Xu Qingmei knows many people and has many connections; she might be able to get supply ration coupons.
Before she could even ask, Song Yiping handed her the supply tickets—three of them.
This is like a pillow delivered to someone who's just trying to fall asleep.
She hesitated for a moment, but finally took one. "Thank you, Commander Song, one is enough."
She needed it urgently, and Song Yiping happened to have some, so there was no need to be coy and say no.
However, by accepting the television supply coupons, he was essentially owing Song Yiping another favor.
You just paid off the previous debt, and the next one comes along and you're in debt again.
Moreover, this favor is even greater.
Giving money is inappropriate; Song Yiping isn't a ticket scalper, and he doesn't need her money.
After thinking for a moment, he said to Song Yiping, "Commander Song, how about I treat you to a meal to thank you for all your help?"
She was still thinking about how she would repay the favor if Song Yiping refused.
Song Yiping readily agreed, "Okay, you decide the time."
Debts of gratitude should not be delayed; they should be repaid as soon as possible.
Yan Ruyi: "How about tonight?"
"OK."
Seeing that Song Yiping had agreed, Yan Ruyi was very happy and suggested, "How about going to Xiangzailai? It's right at the southwest gate street entrance. It just opened before the New Year. My older brother took me there once, and their crispy yellow croaker was delicious."
Song Yiping helped her so much, it would be inappropriate to invite him to eat at a roadside stall.
But high-end restaurants, like Yuexiang Restaurant, are a bit too expensive for her wallet.
Although she had been craving the big lobster inside for a long time.
We had no choice but to settle for a clean and affordable restaurant.
Xiangzailai is just right, especially since it's close by; it's only a 10-minute walk away.
For Song Yiping, where to eat and what to eat are not important; what matters is who to eat with.
Naturally, he wouldn't refuse Yan Ruyi's suggestion, "Okay, then I'll pick you up from your workplace after get off work."
Yan Ruyi quickly said, "No need to trouble yourself, I'll come find you myself."
She dared not let Song Yiping pick her up. Otherwise, if Xu Qingmei and Wang Aizhen, those two gossips, saw her having dinner with Song Yiping, the news would spread throughout the entire Cultural Relics Bureau by tomorrow morning, and then throughout the entire Zhongxing Road.
There's no guarantee that someone won't pull her aside and ask her all sorts of questions, and then she won't be able to explain herself.
Song Yiping was quite easy to talk to, and he would do whatever Yan Ruyi said.
The two of them agreed to this.
After leaving the military compound, Yan Ruyi turned and went to the Education Bureau next door.
She often came to see Luo Huihui. The gatekeeper had known her for a long time. When he saw her, he opened the gate without asking any questions.
Yan Ruyi said, "Grandpa, I'm not going in. I'm going to call Huihui."
The old man pushed the phone towards her, saying, "Go ahead and make the call."
Yan Ruyi dialed Luo Huihui's office number, and Luo Huihui answered the phone.
She didn't intend to hide the fact that she had invited Song Yiping to dinner from Luo Huihui, so she told Luo Huihui not to wait for her after get off work.
Luo Huihui drawled, "Okay, wait for me tonight, I'll come to your house."
Yan Ruyi felt there was something more to her words and wanted to ask her more, but Luo Huihui hung up the phone decisively before she could say anything more.
After work, fearing that Xu Qingmei and Wang Aizhen would find out, Yan Ruyi sneaked into the military compound like a thief.
Song Yiping was already waiting for her at the entrance of the compound.
Yan Ruyi originally planned for the two of them to ride their bikes there, but she didn't expect that Song Yiping didn't have a bicycle.
His usual Jeep is also not here; it was said that Cheng Chao took it away on business and it probably won't be back for a while.
Song Yiping suggested walking there, since it wasn't far, only about a 10-minute walk.
Yan Ruyi accepted the proposal.
Otherwise, she couldn't very well have Song Yiping ride his bike to take her there; that would be too ambiguous.
Song Yiping left her bicycle at the gate post and planned to pick it up after she finished eating.
Walking east from the military compound, passing through Liuzi Hutong east of the Education Bureau, you will reach Southwest Street. After exiting the hutong, walk west for a short distance to reach Xiangzailai.
Yan Ruyi realized she had miscalculated after taking only two steps.
She only thought that Xiangzailai was nearby, just a few steps away.
Moreover, since they didn't go through the Cultural Relics Bureau, they wouldn't be discovered by the people there, especially Xu Qingmei and Wang Aimei, that she was with Song Yiping.
But they forgot that it was the end of the workday, and the streets were full of employees going home.
Yan Ruyi had just started working, and not many people knew her, but many more knew Song Yiping.
Moreover, Song Yiping was wearing a green military uniform, and his tall stature and long legs made him particularly conspicuous; he could be seen from a great distance.
People kept greeting Song Yiping on the street, and then they would curiously glance at Yan Ruyi.
Yan Ruyi felt that tomorrow morning, she would be subjected to "torture" by Xu Qingmei and Wang Aizhen, who would ask her what her relationship with Song Yiping was.
The short stretch of road was more difficult to traverse than the Shu Road.
Fortunately, there were hardly any people around when they turned into Liuzi Hutong, and Yan Ruyi breathed a sigh of relief.
After exiting Liuzi Hutong, turn right and walk a few more steps to see the Xiangzai Lai sign. It wasn't dark yet, but the colorful lights on the sign were already lit up, twinkling and sparkling.
Xiangzai's business is booming, and since it's lunchtime, the restaurant is almost full.
There was only one empty seat in the corner, which suited Yan Ruyi perfectly, so the two of them went to sit in the empty corner seat.
The restaurant was very clean, with checkered tablecloths on the tables and a menu on each table.
As soon as they sat down, a waiter came over and poured them tea. It was jasmine tea, which Yan Ruyi liked very much. The fragrance of jasmine mixed with the aroma of tea filled their nostrils.
She quietly sniffed a few times.
A few small wrinkles appeared on her pert nose.
Song Yiping noticed all of their subtle actions.
Fang Yuru used to have a cat, and Song Yiping felt that Yan Ruyi's actions just now were just like that cat smelling something delicious.
There's an unintentional cuteness to it.
After pouring the tea, the waiter took out a pen and notebook, waiting for the two to order.
Today, Yan Ruyi is treating, so naturally Song Yiping should order. So she pushed the menu in front of Song Yiping and said generously, "Commander Song, take a look at what you want to eat and just order. Don't try to save me money."
Song Yiping smiled and said, "Okay."
He's not picky; he's happy as long as he's full.
His main concern was taking care of Yan Ruyi's preferences.
However, since it was his first time dining with Yan Ruyi, he didn't know what she liked to eat. Remembering that Yan Ruyi had mentioned the fried yellow croaker here, he ordered fried yellow croaker and also ordered a signature dish recommended by the waiter: braised pork in a clay pot.
After ordering, he handed the menu to Yan Ruyi, saying, "I've ordered. Do you want to order anything else?"
Yan Ru noticed that Song Yiping had ordered all meat dishes, so she added a dish of stir-fried potatoes, green peppers, and eggplant, and a crucian carp and tofu soup.
Xu Qingmei said that Xiangzailai's portions were large, and for the two of them, three dishes and a soup, two meat dishes and two vegetable dishes, should be enough for Yan Ruyi.
The waiter noted down the names of the dishes and asked the two of them, "Would you like some beer? Fresh beer just brought from the brewery."
Yan Ruyi doesn't drink alcohol, but she wanted to try what beer tasted like.
She had secretly tasted her father's Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor), and all she felt was spiciness. She had to gulp down a whole teacup of water to dilute the spiciness.
I wonder if beer is this spicy too.
There's a type of beer that's very popular now. The whole barrel is brought from the brewery, and there's a switch on the barrel. When you want to drink it, you just turn on the switch and pour it directly into a glass.
My second brother said this is called draft beer, and it tastes better than bottled beer.
Her second brother especially liked to drink. He secretly drank it a few times, but his sister-in-law found out and complained that he was wasting money. She nagged him for several days, but she still couldn't stop him from secretly drinking it.
Yan Ruyi was eager to try it; she wanted to see just how delicious it was.
But she was afraid of damaging her image and making Song Yiping think she was an alcoholic.
Although she wasn't dating Song Yiping, she still had a good impression of him, so she was still a little concerned about her image in front of him.
Song Yiping doesn't drink much.
I can drink, but I'm afraid of making mistakes by drinking, so I rarely drink.
However, he noticed that Yan Ruyi wanted to drink, so he said to her, "Draft beer tastes more refreshing than regular beer. How about we have a couple of glasses? It's hot, so it'll help us cool off."
Yan Ruyi said hesitantly, "Isn't it inappropriate for a woman to drink?"
Song Yiping said gently, "You don't need to set so many rules for yourself. As long as you don't drink excessively, it's okay to have a little."
Yan Ruyi was delighted and said to the waiter, "Bring two drinks first, and we'll get more if it's not enough."
After ordering the wine, we also added two cold dishes to go with it: a plate of spiced peanuts and a plate of cold pig's ears.
The cold dishes and beer were served first.
The beer was freshly poured from the keg, still bubbling, and just looking at it made me feel refreshed.
Yan Ruyi raised her glass to Song Yiping, expressing her gratitude once again.
Song Yiping said, "It was nothing, no need to be so polite with me."
Yan Ruyi said, "You've helped me a lot, so I must thank you properly."
After saying that, she clinked glasses with Song Yiping and, mimicking her father's tone when drinking with others, said boldly, "I'll drink first as a sign of respect!"
Song Yiping didn't drink it, but looked at her with a smile.
Yan Ruyi looked at the beer glass in her hand and chuckled to herself.
Her father was drinking baijiu (Chinese liquor), only one or two cups, while the waiter said the beer in her hand was a jin (500ml).
She drank it all in one go; that would be like a cow drinking water.
Yan Ruyi: "I was just joking earlier, let's just do as we please."
Song Yiping raised his wine glass and clinked it against hers.
Yan Ruyi took a sip and felt that it wasn't as spicy as baijiu, and there was even a slight bitterness in the aftertaste.
However, as Song Yiping said, it does have a very refreshing taste and feels more cooling than drinking soda.
It makes me want to burp a lot after drinking it.
The ordered dishes started arriving one after another.
Xiang Zai Lai's dishes tend to be spicy, and Yan Ruyi can't live without spicy food. Coincidentally, Song Yiping also loves spicy food.
With this shared interest, the two seemed to grow much closer, and Yan Ruyi felt much less uncomfortable.
Song Yiping naturally asked Yan Ruyi about her job.
Although the two were not dating, Yan Ruyi felt that Song Yiping was on her side, and she felt it was necessary to share this good news with him.
“I have been transferred back to the appraisal center. I completed the procedures this morning with Teacher Jiang.”
Jiang Dongming had appraised antiques for the Song family, so Song Yiping and Jiang Dongming were quite familiar with each other.
Yan Ruyi, craving the refreshing taste, drank a bit too quickly, and now the alcohol is taking effect.
Emboldened by the alcohol, she muttered under her breath, "So even antiques like antiques."
Her voice was soft, and Song Yiping didn't hear the beginning clearly, only the last few words. He explained to Yan Ruyi, "My grandfather likes collecting things, and I know a little about it because of him."
Not only did his grandfather like to collect antiques, but his great-grandfather did too.
If we trace it back further, the Song family ancestors all enjoyed collecting things.
Therefore, most of the antiques in his family were passed down from his ancestors, spanning several generations, and the quantity is considerable, including many rare treasures.
The items were confiscated during the movement, but were later returned to their rightful owners.
When it was returned, Jiang Dongming and several other cultural relics experts were asked to inspect it, so he basically knew everyone in the Cultural Relics Bureau.
Yan Ruyi was intrigued by Song Yiping's words and really wanted to ask him how many antiques he had at home and what kind of antiques they were.
Is it more valuable than the small bowl her grandmother picked up?
Thinking it would be impolite, I didn't have the heart to ask.
With antiques as a common topic and delicious food as well, the atmosphere immediately became lively.
The meal was enjoyed by both the host and guests.
Song Yiping went out briefly, and Yan Ruyi, lacking experience, assumed he was going to the restroom. However, when she went to pay the bill after the meal, the waiter told her that Song Yiping had already paid.
Yan Ruyi said with dissatisfaction, "You said I would treat you."
Song Yiping said, "You can treat me next time, but I'll treat you this time as a congratulatory gesture for your transfer back to the appraisal center."
Originally, this dinner was meant to repay a favor, but instead, the more I repaid, the more I owed, like a snowball rolling downhill.
Yan Ruyi felt that something was not quite right.
However, after drinking a beer, although she wasn't drunk, she was still a little dizzy and her mind was a bit sluggish. So she said to Song Yiping, "It's a deal then, I'll definitely treat you next time, and you're not allowed to take it from me again."
After thinking for a moment, he added generously, "Next time I'll treat you to lobster at Yuexianglou."
She can now treat Song Yiping to lobster, but after that, she won't have money to buy a TV.
However, given her current earning power, she felt that it wouldn't be long before she had enough money to treat Song Yiping to lobster.
She can also satisfy her own cravings in the process.
Song Yiping smiled and said, "Okay."
When the two came out of the incense shop, it was already dark.
The streetlights were all lit, casting a soft glow.
Seeing that Yan Ruyi's face was flushed, Song Yiping figured she must have been a little tipsy, so he asked her with concern, "Are you able to walk?"
Yan Ruyi waved her hand, about to say it was no problem, when she heard someone call her name, "Ruyi!"
It sounds like her second brother.
Yan Ruyi looked across the street following the sound and saw that it really was her second brother, along with several of his coworkers.
Wang Lanying happened to be passing by as well.
Her mother was sick, so she went back to her parents' home to take care of her. She didn't leave until her younger brother and sister-in-law got off work and took over their shift.
On her way from her parents' home to her own home, she happened to pass by Xiangzai.
She hadn't seen Yan Ruyi at first and was walking with her head down when Yan Mingtao suddenly shouted, startling her. She turned around and saw Yan Ruyi and Song Yiping standing side by side at the entrance of Xiangzailai Restaurant, talking.
Judging from their posture, the two of them must have just come out of Xiangzailai for a meal.
Wang Lanying knew Song Yiping. She had previously gone to great lengths to ask someone to act as a go-between, hoping to introduce her niece to Song Yiping.
As a result, Song Yiping refused to even meet him and rejected him outright.
She never expected that Song Yiping would go to a small restaurant with Yan Ruyi.
And judging from their appearance, the two seemed quite familiar with each other.
Yesterday she subtly said that Yan Ruyi had no powerful connections and couldn't find a boyfriend, but today she's having dinner with the famous Commander Song, the golden bachelor of the military compound.
Wang Lanying felt a bit of pain from the slap. Afraid of being seen by Yan Ruyi, she moved aside and quickly walked away along the curb.
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Author's note: I have a terrible sense of direction, and one night I got lost about 500 meters from my house...
The next update is a revision; the content is largely the same, so there's no need to reread it.
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