When old friends meet again in a different place, since they are all from different places, they naturally take extra care of each other. After taking a short break after lunch, Ruan Xi and Ling Yao went to his unit together and helped him move his luggage.
He didn't take too much at once, but only moved what he needed for daily use.
After moving home, Ruan Xi no longer accompanied him and let him pack his luggage in the west wing by himself.
Ruan Xi went back to the main room, poured hot water to make a cup of coffee, then sat down at her large workbench, sipping her coffee while casually flipping through the book in front of her, relaxing for a short while.
After leisurely drinking his coffee, Ling Yao also finished cleaning up.
He went to the main room and looked around. He saw that Ruan Xi's room was a mixture of classical and modern styles. There were old furniture such as a canopy bed, a carved floor-standing kang, a few armchairs, as well as a large workbench, an iron, and a sewing machine.
There was also a fake mannequin in the room, wearing unfinished clothes and hanging a tape measure.
When he finished reading, Ruan Xi asked with a smile, "How is my place?"
Ling Yao nodded and said, "It feels good."
After so many years, she is still doing what she loved to do as a child, without any hesitation.
He still remembered that at that time Ruan Xi went to the old tailor's house every day to learn the craft. When the old tailor was still alive, she followed the old tailor's sedan chair on the mountain path, facing the sunrise and sunset, and went to every household to make clothes regardless of the weather.
Later, the old tailor passed away, and she lived with her third aunt Ruan Cuizhi.
During the Chinese New Year, she also made clothes for him. Although those clothes were too small, he never threw them away.
Ruan Xi stood up and poured him some water, then handed the cup to him. "Then don't you think I'm being willful and useless for quitting a good job assigned by the country and staying at home to do these things?"
Ling Yao shook his head and said, "Just do what you like."
Ruan Xi looked at him for a while and laughed unconsciously, "After being with you for a long time, I must be swollen."
Ling Yao also laughed, "Everything I said is true."
In his eyes, she was good in every way and everything she did was right.
Ruan Xi was happy, her face and voice brightened, "Okay, I'll take you out for dinner."
Ling Yao followed her out, "You rented a house for me to live in and helped me move, so I'll treat you tonight."
Ruan Xi said: "It doesn't matter, it's just a meal."
The two of them went out to find a restaurant to eat, and Ling Yao still paid the bill after the meal.
It was already dark when I came back from dinner. When I entered the alley, I happened to meet Ruan Changsheng and Qian Chuan who had just returned.
Ruan Changsheng and Qian Chuan knew that Ling Yao was coming today. In the morning, they sent Ruan Hongjun, Ruan Hongbing, and Ruan Qiuyue to the train station together with Ruan Xi, so when they met, they greeted each other: "Ling Yao, are you sending Xiaoxi back?"
Ling Yao was now much more relaxed in front of Ruan Changsheng and the others, and said with a smile: "I moved here."
Ruan Changsheng and Qian Chuan were stunned: "Ah?"
When did it happen?
Ruan Xi explained, "He said he suffered from insomnia and couldn't sleep well because of his work, and he had wanted to move out for a long time, but he hadn't found a suitable place. It just so happened that the west wing of our house was empty, so we rented it to him."
Ruan Changsheng and Qian Chuan understood and were no longer surprised. They smiled and said, "Then... let's go home together."
Good. It's pretty good.
The four of them rode their bikes back to the courtyard, opened the door and entered the yard, then sat down in the main room and chatted for a while. Ruan Changsheng and Qian Chuan didn't talk much. They just exchanged a few pleasantries and went back to the east wing.
Returning to the east wing, Ruan Changsheng whispered, "This kid is good."
When they met again unexpectedly, he called Ruan Xi at all costs, not letting Ruan Xi and him miss each other again. Regardless of whether it was inconvenient or not, he came directly over on Sunday to help with the moving. This week was even more amazing - he moved in directly!
This speed is really impressive!
Ruan Changsheng whispered again: "This kid was like this when he was young. He looked stupid, but he was actually very clear-headed. I tell you, he just saw that our Xiaoxi was pretty. Our Xiaoxi was the prettiest girl on Fengming Mountain."
Qian Chuan rolled her eyes at him and said, "We just get along well and have deep feelings for each other."
Ruan Changsheng looked towards the main room and said, "Based on the speed he is going, even though Xiaojie will get married before Xiaoxi, I doubt Xiaoxi will have a child before Xiaojie."
Qian Chuan was speechless but couldn't help laughing. She raised her foot and kicked him, "Psycho!"
Because the clothing production of Rose Pavilion is still based on a small-scale workshop model and there are no clear rules and regulations, there are no strict working hours or rest times on Sundays.
The girls work in the Rose Pavilion and have relatively flexible hours. If they need anything, they can just ask and get to work. But the girls usually have nothing to do and they are addicted to making money, so they will not be idle as long as there is work to do.
They would only go home to rest when one batch of work was completed and the next batch of work had not yet been received.
That day Ruan Cuizhi and Yue Haofeng decided to take a day off and go to the city with Ruan Dabao and Ruan Yue. The girls still didn't want to go home to rest, so Ruan Cuizhi left the key for them.
They have been working together for three or four years, and they are very familiar with these girls, so they are completely relieved to leave the home to the girls. When there are special circumstances and no one is at home, we ask them to help look after the children for a while.
Yue Haofeng and Ruan Cuizhi took their two children out on their bicycles, rode into the city, and waited under the Qianmen building. Ruan Dabao saw the soda seller and said to Yue Haofeng, "Uncle, I want to drink soda."
The man selling soda rode a tricycle and parked it in the shade. There was a large block of ice on the tricycle, with the middle part sunken in. The sodas were placed in rows in the groove, with blue lattice frames next to them containing empty bottles.
Yue Haofeng naturally didn't say anything. He asked Ruan Cuizhi to watch the bicycle and took Ruan Dabao to buy soda.
He paid for two bottles, one for Ruan Dabao and the other for Ruan Cuizhi and Ruan Yue. Because Ruan Yue is young, she is not allowed to drink too much of these cold drinks. She is only allowed to drink a few sips to satisfy her craving.
After drinking the soda, Yue Haofeng took the glass bottle back to get a refund. As soon as he came back, he saw Ruan Xi running over.
Ruan Xi trotted over to them and asked with a smile, "Have you arrived a long time ago?"
Ruan Cuizhi said: "No, I just finished a bottle of soda."
It was almost noon and the weather was hot. Ruan Xi didn't stay here for long and took Ruan Cuizhi and the others into the alley. As he walked, he said, "I ran to buy groceries. I just came here after buying them."
Ruan Cuizhi and Yue Haofeng followed her pushing their bicycles, while Ruan Dabao and Ruan Yue sat on the back seats of the bicycles.
Ruan Cuizhi looked around and said, "These yards are worth twelve thousand?"
Ruan Xi smiled and said, "You think it's not worth it?"
Ruan Cuizhi also smiled, "It's hard to say, it's quite unique and beautiful, and it's a house in the city."
Ruan Xi did not lock the door when she came out. When she got home, she pushed open the gate and brought Ruan Cuizhi and Yue Haofeng in, and then let them take a good look at the yard she bought.
Because she had only moved in less than ten days ago, this was the first time Ruan Cuizhi and Yue Haofeng came to visit her.
After they finished watching, Ruan Xi asked with a smile: "How do you feel? Do you like it?"
Ruan Cuizhi nodded, "It looks like a house of a wealthy family."
Ruan Xi told her, "I'll look around the city if I have nothing else to do. If I see someone selling it again, I'll buy two more. I'll get one, your family will get one, and your uncle's family will get one. How do you think that works?"
Ruan Cuizhi smiled happily and said, "I'm sure you'll be happy to live in the city."
Ruan Changsheng and Qian Chuan did not come back at noon, so Ruan Xi, Ruan Cuizhi, Yue Haofeng, Ruan Dabao and Ruan Yue cooked and had lunch. After dinner, I rested for a while at home and then went out for some shopping.
Although Yue Haofeng and Ruan Cuizhi spend most of their time in the countryside, they would come to the city to play when they have time, so they are not unfamiliar with the city. Go shopping and do some shopping, and the whole afternoon will pass happily.
I started cooking in the evening when the sun was about to set, and when the meal was almost ready, Ruan Changsheng and Qian Chuan closed the shop and came back. Just as they got home and washed their hands, Chen Weidong and Ruan Jie also arrived.
Once everyone arrived, the yard naturally became lively.
Ruan Jie ran to the kitchen to help with cooking, but when she realized she couldn't get in, she came out and played with Ruan Yue. Just when I was having fun, I looked up and suddenly saw an acquaintance coming in through the second door.
Ruan Jie was slightly stunned, then smiled politely and greeted, "Teacher Ling?"
They had a good relationship when they were young, although Ling Yao didn't always talk to her about everything. But because they have been separated for so many years, Ruan Jie is now polite and distant when she sees Ling Yao.
Ling Yao responded: "Long time no see."
They met briefly in the auditorium that day. Ruan Jie was in a hurry to go back to work, so she just said hello and left.
Hearing the two talking, Ruan Xi poked her head out of the kitchen, looked at Ling Yao and asked, "Are you not busy at work tonight?"
Ling Yao responded: "Not busy, I'll be back after get off work."
Ruan Xi looked at him and smiled, "Then let's have dinner together. Third Aunt and the others are here."
Ling Yao nodded and said, "Okay."
Ruan Jie watched them talk from the side, with only four words in her mind - what's going on?
Chen Weidong also came close to her and asked her in a low voice: "Who is this?"
Ruan Jie whispered, "After his father was rehabilitated and returned to the city, he lost contact with us. We haven't seen each other for seven or eight years. We bumped into each other by chance at a lecture a while ago, and then I got in touch with my sister again."
Chen Weidong: "Why did your sister invite him to the family gathering?"
Ruan Jie: "But it doesn't look like my sister invited them."
Then, as soon as she finished speaking, Ling Yao stepped onto the stairs and entered the west wing.
Ruan Xi looked at Chen Weidong, and Chen Weidong looked at Ruan Jie. They both said in unison: "He lives here?"
Ruan Jie went to Ruan Xi to inquire about it, and came back to tell Chen Weidong: "He does live here, just moved in the day before yesterday, Sunday. He said he had no other place to live, so he rented here first."
Chen Weidong asked: "Which unit does he work for? Is there no place to live in the unit?"
Ruan Jie looked at him and said, "Look at his aura. What's the reason for that? He's really amazing. He works at the country's top research institute, and he's researching projects that ordinary people like us don't understand."
Chen Weidong hissed softly, "That's a high-level talent."
Ruan Jie said: "He has been smart since he was young. He doesn't like to do anything else but read books. We can't understand the books he reads."
Chen Weidong thought for a moment, "He and your sister don't have any other relationship, right?"
Ruan Jie said naturally: "He and my sister are good friends. We haven't seen each other for so many years. What kind of relationship could there be?"
Chen Weidong breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good."
Ruan Jie looked at him for a while, "What's good?"
Chen Weidong smiled and said, "It's okay."
Dinner was ready, and the whole family, including Ling Yao, sat around the table, making the house lively.
We are all family, there is no need to be polite when we are together, and we can eat and talk casually. Ling Yao was the only guest, but Ruan Xi said to Ruan Cuizhi and the others, "He is one of us, so you don't have to be polite."
Ling Yao also echoed: "He is one of us."
Since they all knew each other, there was no need to be overly polite, so Ruan Cuizhi and the others just relaxed.
Ruan Xi sat next to Ling Yao, and from time to time she would pick up some dishes that were far away and put them into his bowl, fearing that he would be polite and not reach out to pick up the dishes because he was a stranger and was alone. Ling Yao was not polite nor refused and ate it naturally.
Chen Weidong was stunned watching from the side, and asked Ruan Jie in a low voice: "Are they just friends?"
Ruan Jie nodded and whispered, "Yes, my sister has taken care of him since he was a child and treats him like a younger brother."
Chen Weidong: “…”
I have little education, so don't lie to me.
Ruan Jie whispered to him for a few words and ignored him. Suddenly, she thought of an important matter and said to Ruan Changsheng, "Fifth Uncle, Dabao's schooling problem has been solved. He can go to school to register when school starts tomorrow."
Ruan Changsheng heard this and said, "Thank you, Xiaojie."
Ruan Jie smiled and said, "How can a family say such polite words?"
As uncles and nephews are close family members, a polite word is enough, and then they continue to eat and chat, spending the evening in a lively manner. Because they had to be busy the next day, Ruan Cuizhi, Ruan Jie and the others stayed for a while after dinner and then went back.
Ruan Cuizhi and Yue Haofeng took Ruan Yue back to their hometown, while Ruan Jie and Chen Weidong returned to their own homes.
Ruan Xi, Ruan Changsheng and Qian Chuan saw them out, and Ling Yao also stood beside Ruan Xi to see them off.
Before leaving, Chen Weidong took advantage of the moonlight to look at Ling Yao a few more times. After leaving the alley and parting ways with Ruan Cuizhi and Yue Haofeng, he couldn't wait to say to Ruan Jie: "Tell me quickly, what is the relationship between Ling Yao and you two?"
Ruan Jie had no choice but to sit in the back seat, holding his waist, and told him everything about her, Ruan Xi and Ling Yao when they were young. Actually, there was nothing special about the experience. We just raised pigs and learned together.
Oh, there was one special thing. When Ruan Changsheng went to the Qian family to propose marriage, they went to the commune to watch a movie together.
Chen Weidong nodded after listening to it, "That makes sense."
Since we have known each other since childhood and have a good relationship, it is normal to treat them as family.
Ruan Dabao did not go to the countryside again after coming to the city this time. The next day, elementary school started. Ruan Xi took him to the school to register, paid the tuition and took him into the classroom. After school at noon, I went to the school to pick him up for lunch, and then sent him back after lunch.
After two days of this back and forth pick-up and drop-off, Ruan Dabao memorized the way to school, and there was a team following him back from school. He also made friends with several children of the same age in the same alley, and they agreed to go to school together every day, so Ruan Xi stopped picking him up and dropping him off.
Those days were not like later years when parents had to pick up and drop off children in junior high and high school.
After her days became regular, Ruan Xi still spent most of her time in the main room of the courtyard, working on her designs. This place has become the design department of the Rose Pavilion, but so far, she is the only designer.
It’s hard to recruit talents in this area now. Let’s wait until the clothing industry develops comprehensively in a few years.
Ruan Changsheng and Qian Chuan go to the store to sell clothes every day, while Ling Yao goes to work every day.
Originally, Ruan Changsheng and Qian Chuan were planning to have a second child after the store business stabilized, but because of the promulgation of the family planning policy, this plan was completely ruined and they no longer thought about it.
After Ling Yao settled down in the courtyard, Ruan Xi, Ruan Changsheng and Qian Chuan no longer treated him as an outsider, so he naturally became a member of this family. Sometimes when Ruan Dabao encountered difficulties with his homework, he would take his homework book to him.
The three words "scientist" have a huge halo in the hearts of children. It is no exaggeration to say that they shine throughout the universe. Therefore, in Ruan Dabao's heart, Ling Yao is like an idol.
He admired Ling Yao to death and always said that he wanted to be a great scientist when he grew up.
Ruan Xi spent more than three thousand yuan to install a telephone at home. If Ling Yao was busy at night and couldn't come back on time, he would call and let him know. If he is not busy and gets off work normally, he will have dinner with Ruan Xi, Ruan Changsheng and others.
Just as agreed at the beginning, if Ruan Xi was not busy on Sunday, she would take him out to play.
But no matter how busy he is, Ling Yao will come back every night, even if he is busy until late at night.
Sometimes Ruan Xi is full of inspiration and busy with design, and goes to bed very late at night.
Ling Yao came back late tonight, and Ruan Xi also stayed up late working on his designs.
Ling Yao locked the front door and entered the second door. Seeing that the light was still on in the main room, he went in to take a look.
He thought Ruan Xi was still drawing patterns and making clothes, but it turned out that she was so tired that she fell asleep on the workbench.
Ling Yao didn't say anything. He walked into the room, walked to her side, squatted down and called her softly twice.
Seeing that she was sleeping soundly, he took a deep breath and did not ask her to continue. Instead, he stood up, bent down and picked her up from the chair.
He carried her to the bunk bed, gently put her on the bed, helped her take off her slippers and covered her with a quilt.
Then he sat down beside the bed, with fatigue on his eyelashes, and looked at Ruan Xi quietly for a while, depicting every detail of her face, although these details had long been engraved in his mind and deep in his memory.
After collecting his thoughts for a moment, he took a deep breath and prepared to get up and go back to the west wing. But before he could make a move, his eyes accidentally swept to Ruan Xi's right hand. He saw an old pocket watch lying in her palm, with the back of the pocket watch facing outwards, and his name was engraved on it.
His eyes were fixed on the pocket watch. He didn't move as if his acupoints were pressed, but his eyes slowly turned red.
The redness seeps to the ends of the eyes, and it seems that if the eyelashes flutter twice, tears will fall.
Ruan Xi felt uncomfortable and moved her body. She opened her eyes slightly and saw Ling Yao sitting beside her bed. She tried her best to hold her eyes open. She looked at him in a daze and said, "You're back."
The voice in his sleep was vague, nasal and full of milk.
She was so sleepy that she wanted to close her eyes and go to sleep again, but when she blinked, she suddenly caught sight of Ling Yao's red eyes. She regained consciousness and tried to sit up with her arms. She looked at him groggily and asked, "What's wrong with you?"
It still has that slightly confused and nasal tone.
Seeing that he didn't say anything, I had to continue asking: "Did anyone bully you?"
"Is it because of work..."
Ling Yao just kept looking at Ruan Xi with red eyes. When she asked the last question, he suddenly leaned over and covered her mouth.
Before he could finish his question, his voice suddenly stopped and ended in the air.
Ruan Xi suddenly froze, her breathing and voice disappeared in an instant, only her eyelashes trembled slightly twice.
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