Chapter 9 (The Marriage Proposal)
Now that Yan Ruyi had accepted the money, He Zaixian could say the rest: "Comrade Yan, can I come back to you for expert advice in the future?"
He Zaixian readily gave the money, and Yan Ruyi readily agreed, "Okay, if you trust me, just come to me in the future, and I will definitely help you if I can."
He Zaixian repeatedly said, "I believe you, I believe you. Comrade Xiao Yan, would you mind leaving your phone number?"
"I don't have a telephone at home," she said after thinking for a moment, "How about I give you the public telephone at the entrance of our alley?"
"Okay, as long as we can find Comrade Xiao Yan."
Yan Ruyi gave him the number of the public phone. "I live in the Sany Machine Tool Factory residential compound. I'm usually home when I'm not working. If I'm not home, just leave a message or your phone number, and I'll call you when I get back."
He Zaixian said, "Then it's settled." He took the phone number and put it in his wallet.
Yan Ruyi said, "Comrade He, I would also like to ask you something."
He Zaixian said, "I dare not presume to ask for your advice, Comrade Xiao Yan, please speak."
Yan Ruyi, gesturing with her hand, said, "How much would a bowl this size be worth?"
Yan Ruyi could tell that He Zaixian was involved in the antique business and must know a lot about the market, so she wanted to ask him how much the small bowl her grandmother had given her was worth.
He Zaixian said, "It depends on the condition. If the condition is good, it will cost at least this much."
Asagao Ruyi stretched out one hand.
Yan Ruyi, "500?"
He Zaixian shook his head.
"5000?"
He Zaixian laughed, "Comrade Yan, your guess is too conservative. If it were put on Soapyt Auction House, the starting price would not be less than 500,000."
Yan Ruyi was so shocked that her mouth could have swallowed a goose egg: she had originally estimated the price to be 800 yuan, but when she saw He Zaixian extend a hand, she thought she had overestimated it, so she said 500 yuan.
I finally gritted my teeth and said 5000, but little did I know she had omitted at least two zeros!
500,000! She can't do mental calculations anymore. When she gets home, she'll have to use her notebook to figure out how many years of her dad's salary that 500,000 would be equivalent to!
He Zaixian asked her, "Comrade Yan, do you have snowflake glaze, or does someone you know have it? If you want to sell it, I can help you make a connection. You definitely won't suffer any losses."
Yan Ruyi came to her senses and said, "No, I heard my teacher mention it when I was in school. I was just curious and asked casually."
Grandma dotes on her the most. She always thinks of her when she has something good. Whatever she wants, if Grandma has it, she will give it to her. If she doesn't have it, she will try her best to get it for her.
Now that her grandmother is gone, this little bowl is the only keepsake her grandmother left her, and she won't sell it for any amount of money.
Besides, she doesn't lack money now.
He Zaixian asked casually without giving it much thought.
Snowflake glaze from the Xuande period is so precious; how could an ordinary person possibly possess such a treasure?
He's been collecting antiques for so many years, and he's only ever seen one in the possession of a collector abroad. That collector treasured it like the apple of his eye and rarely showed it to others.
After leaving the teahouse, He Zaixian offered to take Yan Ruyi home.
Yan Ruyi felt it was too ostentatious and politely declined. He Zaixian thanked her repeatedly before driving away.
Yan Ruyi also rode her bicycle home, feeling carefree and relaxed.
This was the first time in her life she had ever seen so much money; it was almost equivalent to two months' salary for her father!
She earned it all herself!
She kept her eyes glued to the handbag containing her money the whole way, afraid that she would lose it.
As I passed by the delicatessen, a strong aroma of braised meat wafted into my nostrils.
Remembering that her second brother had said he was craving meat that morning, and that she was also craving meat a little, she parked her bicycle at the entrance and went into the store.
Hua Yuqing had just placed the freshly cooked braised beef on the tray when Yan Ruyi came in.
When Yan Ruyi was little, Yan Guoqiang would often carry her to buy cooked pork offal as a snack with his drinks. As she got older, she would buy it herself, and her father would give her a penny for each errand.
Hua Yuqing had practically watched her grow up and was very familiar with Yan Ruyi. He greeted her, "Oh, the college student is here. Did you buy some snacks for your dad's drinks again?"
No, it's not that; she just wanted meat.
However, Yan Ruyi didn't say anything, and said to Hua Yuqing, "Aunt Qing, I want two catties of braised beef."
Hua Yuqing said, "You came at just the right time. It's fresh out of the pot, and it's still steaming hot."
Yan Ruyi sniffed, "It smells so good, I can smell it from far away."
Hua Yuqing: "Indeed, it's especially flavorful today."
Hua Yuqing took a knife and cut some braised beef for Yan Ruyi, saying, "I just saw your older brother and his family of three arrive."
Yan Ruyi's older brother, Yan Minghai, and sister-in-law, Fang Caiyun, both work at the city's steel plant. The steel plant offers good benefits, including housing for newlyweds. So, after Yan Minghai and Fang Caiyun got married, they moved out and only come over on weekends unless it's something important.
I guess they came here today because they heard about Yan Ruyi and Shen Zhimin's breakup.
Now that she had money, she was exceptionally generous and said to Hua Yuqing, "Auntie, then give me two more jin."
Hua Yuqing: "Okay."
Hua Yuqing picked out the best parts, cut them into 4 jin (2 catties), sliced them, and wrapped them in oil paper.
One jin costs 2.2 yuan, so four jin would cost 8.8 yuan. Yan Ruyi then ordered some more pig intestines to make it a total of 10 yuan.
In the residential compound of Sany Machine Tool Factory, Yan Minghe was playing war games with his friends. He was wearing a willow branch hat, holding a tree branch stick in his hand, and shouting "da da da" as he ran around the yard.
As soon as Yan Ruyi entered the gate of the family compound, she was stopped by Yan Minghe, who shoved a tree branch in front of her and shouted, "Hands up, surrender and you won't be killed!"
Yan Ruyi raised her hand and slapped his "spear" aside. "Have you finished your homework?"
Yan Minghe immediately wilted and decided not to play with his sister anymore. He turned and ran away, but after a few steps, he turned back and shouted, "Auntie is here. She wants to introduce you to someone. She said he's a soldier."
After shouting, he made a face at Yan Ruyi and ran away.
Yan Ruyi, "..."
Why don't you just use a megaphone to shout it out!
Many people were looking this way, and seeing that some kind-hearted aunties and grandmas were about to come over and ask her questions, Yan Ruyi quickly got on her bicycle and left.
At the Yan family home, Ye Hongzhen listened to Ye Hongjuan's introduction while picking vegetables. "Yesterday at dinner, I sat with Dr. Liu from our department and chatted for a bit. We talked about introducing Ruyi to someone. Dr. Liu knows people who are all well-off, so I wanted her to help me find someone. It's quite a coincidence that Dr. Liu has a young man in her circle whose family is also trying to introduce him to someone. When I heard about the young man's qualities, I thought he was a perfect match for Ruyi. Dr. Liu also knows Ruyi and thinks the two of them are a good match."
Ye Hongzhen had heard Ye Hongjuan mention Dr. Liu before. Her father-in-law was in the army and seemed to be a high-ranking official. His family lived in the military compound.
Since it was recommended by Dr. Liu, it must be good.
Ye Hongzhen immediately became interested. "What's the young man's name? How old is he? What does he do for a living?"
Ye Hongjuan, “His real name is Song Yiping. He’s 26 years old this year and he’s a regimental commander in the army.”
Ye Hongzhen exclaimed in surprise, "So young and already a regimental commander?"
"He's a veteran, a first-class meritorious serviceman, and was promoted ahead of schedule. He's young and promising."
"You're not getting any younger, why don't you have a boyfriend/girlfriend yet?"
“You keep saying she’s too young, and then you complain about her age. Isn’t that because you’re so focused on your career that you’re neglecting her? Maybe she’s waiting for our Ruyi. But then again, 26 isn’t that old. She’s only 4 years older than our Ruyi. I think it’s just right.”
Ye Hongzhen was very satisfied with what she heard.
Being 4 years older is not really that much, and being a few years older is also good, because older people know how to care for others.
"It's good to be a soldier. Soldiers are reliable. He's four years older than Ruyi, which isn't that old. He's also ambitious. What do his parents do for a living?"
It's not enough for a young man to just be a good person; his parents also need to have decent jobs and be reasonable.
Bamboo shoots are hard to grow from, and parents with crooked and deformed children can't raise good sons either. No matter how ambitious a young man is, he can't get married!
Ye Hongjuan said, "His parents were both in the military. His father was a division commander, and his mother was a doctor who worked at a military hospital. Dr. Liu said she was the head of the department."
Ye Hongzhen was so frightened that she dropped the vegetables in her hand. She waved her hands repeatedly, "No, no, this family is too high-class. If our Ruyi marries into such a family, she will suffer. We don't want to climb such a high branch. We just need to find someone of equal social standing."
Ye Hongjuan, however, was unimpressed. "What's so great about him? Isn't the army commander on the same level as my brother-in-law?"
Ye Hongzhen exclaimed "Ah!" with a bewildered expression.
Old Yan is a level 7 fitter, how come he's at the same level as a military commander?
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