Sixty-seven is just bored and has nothing better to do.
It was the weekend again. Since she had arranged to take everyone out to play in advance, Li Wei had breakfast with her grandparents and then went to the front yard to find the Luo brothers. She had to keep an eye on Luo Da, otherwise she was afraid that he would forget.
As usual, my aunt didn't come back. As the company's business developed, she came back less and less. Every time she came home, she would return at night and leave in a hurry in the morning, as if the company would run away if she left for a day.
Li Wei had also advised her to delegate more authority. If there weren't enough good staff, she could hire some, or get introductions through acquaintances. In short, she couldn't possibly succeed on her own. Even a hero needs three helpers; if things continued like this, not only would the company fail to reach its full potential, but she herself would only ever be a small business owner…
Clearly, her aunt isn't listening to her at this stage. Although the tasks are a bit busy, they haven't reached the point where she can't take care of everything. She's full of energy every day, feeling that things will be on track soon.
Li Wei could only smile bitterly. Getting on track? In the many years to come, the market will push you forward hastily. If you don't lay out the so-called track early, you will inevitably decline when the next era arrives, just like the countless companies or nouveau riche that have developed in this era. Only a very small number will be reborn after painful growth.
Unlike her mother, her aunt was a businessperson, while her parents were typical conservative landlords with little ambition. They just wanted to maintain their family business and make money. Even if they lost money and had to stop, they would still be wealthy and content with their lives.
Li Wei had limited energy and no major problems at the moment, so she didn't try to persuade her aunt any further. She knew that even if she did, her aunt's confidence as a strong woman was currently overflowing.
Lost in thought, Li Wei found herself at Old Luo's house a little early. Grandma Luo and the Luo brothers were having breakfast. Grandma Luo greeted Li Wei and asked if she wanted anything to eat. Li Wei replied that she had just eaten and sat down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) to wait.
Today, the old lady made oak leaf cakes, which are made from the large leaves of that small shrub. Locals call them pineapple leaves, but they actually have nothing to do with pineapples.
Wash the pineapple leaves clean, spread out the prepared sorghum flour or wheat flour, then add various green vegetables or meat fillings. Fold the leaves together along the main vein in the center, and the dough and filling are sealed together. It's now wrapped. Once steamed, it releases a unique aroma that blends the fragrance of leaves with the aroma of the dough, creating a very special flavor.
Even without looking closely, Li Wei could smell it. Grandma Luo's cooking was the most authentic kind, the kind made in the years when people were very poor, with little meat and wheat flour, only sorghum flour and kidney beans. Li Wei felt that this was the most fragrant flavor, seeing how much Luo San was enjoying it. Unable to resist, she leaned over without ceremony.
"Um... Hehe. Grandma Luo, your pineapple leaf pancakes smell really good..."
She didn't need to say anything more. Grandma Luo was very happy to be praised. She reached for a pineapple leaf pancake on the table: "Here. Sit down and eat, girl. Would you like a bowl of millet porridge?"
Li Wei initially wanted to refuse. She planned to sit to the side with her pineapple leaf pancake and quietly finish it like a kitten. But then she noticed Luo Er slurping his porridge loudly, like a pig. She glanced at the porridge in Luo Er's bowl. It looked good. There were also golden fried eggs and bright green stir-fried vegetables on the table. Should she... have some?
Grandma Luo noticed Li Wei's interest. She said to Luo Da, who was sitting on the edge of the kang (heated brick bed) opposite her, "Move over a bit. Let Xiaoming sit down." She then grabbed a bowl and ladled a bowl of porridge for Li Wei…
Upon seeing this, Li Wei quickly called out, "Grandma Luo, give me only a small amount. Just a small spoonful is enough."
Grandma Luo ignored Li Wei's words. She ladled out a full bowl of porridge and handed it to her with a smile, saying, "Eat more so you can grow strong." She treated Li Wei like one of her three calves.
Grandma Luo only had one son, Luo Sanjiu. Although she had a daughter, she wasn't her biological daughter, and she was already over ten years old when she met her. She wasn't close to her. Now her daughter-in-law has given birth to three grandsons, each one a mischievous little devil. Although they are older and know how to be filial, they are still not as considerate as her daughters.
Especially the neighbors in the backyard, from Cheng Min to Li Wei in front of her, all got along with Grandma Luo like family. Even now, Cheng Min often asks Li Wei to bring Grandma Luo some of their own homemade snacks. And Li Wei, needless to say, has been disciplining Grandma Luo's three grandsons since they were little. Unlike her daughter-in-law, the old lady wasn't ungrateful. Having lived most of her life, she had seen a lot in life and, while not seeing through all human nature, she was certainly perceptive.
Li Wei has always been a kind-hearted child, a fact that Grandma Luo has long believed.
Li Wei was always completely at ease at the Luo family home (as long as her third aunt wasn't there). She ate a pineapple leaf pancake and barely finished a bowl of porridge. She felt a little full while eating, and after finishing, she politely declined Grandma Luo's offer of more pancakes. Only when she stood up did she realize that her stomach was so full she could barely walk. Ugh!
He simply stopped moving and sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) to wait to leave with the Luo brothers. But when the last Luo Xiaosan finished eating, got up, wiped his mouth, and prepared to set off at Luo Da's command,
Li Wei realized she had eaten too much and felt unwell. While inwardly cursing herself for being so weak, she smiled and greeted Luo Jianhua without moving, "Luo Jianhua, let's ride our bikes to my house. Walking is too tiring."
Luo Er spoke up: "It's not far, we'll get there in a little while. Besides, I lent my bicycle to someone else."
Li Wei had never been polite to Luo Er. "Little brat, what are you yelling about? I've always been your loser, you have no right to speak to me." She glared at Luo Er: "What's it to you? You and your mistress walk to my house, I'm taking your brother's car home first, you hear me!"
Turning to Luo Da, she continued to greet him with a smile, a slightly obsequious one: "Luo Jianhua, hurry up and push the cart. I'm not feeling well today, I can't walk much further. Reaching your house is my limit, I need to hurry. I'll take a pill when I get home, okay?" She'd probably eat some hawthorn slices at home to aid digestion; the porridge would probably digest quickly too. It was all Grandma Luo's fault for serving so much; she felt bad about leaving any leftovers.
Luo Er muttered something about being two-faced, expressing his contempt for Li Wei.
Luo Da glanced at Li Wei, said nothing, and walked out. Li Wei and the others followed him out.
Once they reached the courtyard, Luo Da pushed the bicycle. Li Wei automatically climbed onto the back seat first, worried that if she waited for Luo Da to ride away before jumping on, as she usually did, she might slosh out the porridge she had just drunk. But she couldn't help it; she was already stuffed.
Seeing Li Wei get into the car, Luo San became anxious and shouted, "I want to ride a bicycle too!"
Li Wei rolled her eyes at him as she turned around: "Little kid, why are you riding in a car? You'll grow taller if you walk more. If you ride in a car, you'll stay this tall forever, you know!"
She turned around and urged Luo Da, "Hurry up, hurry up, get on the bike!" If they left too late, Luo Er and Luo San would all object, and she wouldn't be able to ride the bike anymore.
Luo Da: ...
Li Wei and Luo Da arrived at Li Wei's house first. After Luo Da parked the car, he went to the workshop in the backyard to visit his master, Grandpa Cheng. Li Wei planned to go upstairs to her room to change her clothes for going out. As soon as she entered the small living room on the second floor, she found it was quite lively.
Li Lin and Wu Feng, two of Li Lin's female classmates, were chatting away. Li Lin had filled the large coffee table in the middle of the living room with her photo album, hair accessories, and a bunch of random, colorful trinkets. The girls were excitedly flipping through and commenting on each item. It reminded Li Wei of the free street markets of yesteryear, and Li Lin was one of those vendors.
Wu Feng was the first to notice Li Wei coming up. She quickly stood up and walked over, a little embarrassed, "Li Wei, Li Lin said you have gold, pearls, and gemstones. Could I take a look? I've never seen real pearls and gemstones before; I've only seen them in books. My mom has a gold ring, and I've seen it. Li Lin said those pearls and gemstones are very, very expensive. Is it alright if I can take a look?"
Li Wei glanced at Li Lin. "That brat's always showing off. Not letting her see makes me look petty," she said. "Fine, come with me." She led Wu Feng to her bedroom, and Li Lin and her classmate followed.
Li Wei's bedroom was originally quite large, nearly fifty square meters, and the largest room on the floor above. However, because a wardrobe had been built along one entire wall, taking up part of it, it didn't feel very spacious. The large white bed had pink and orchid embroidered begonia sheets, with lace draped down to the sky-blue floral pure wool carpet. Long pillows in the same color lace were placed against the headboard, and a thin blanket in the same color was folded up at one corner, as if waiting for its owner to fall asleep at any moment.
Opposite the head of the bed is a white dressing table with delicate gold trim. In front of the bright mirror are several pretty bottles of cosmetics of various sizes. A white chair with a backrest is placed in the center of the dressing table.
The wallpaper on the walls is light gray with sparse, faint grass patterns. It blends seamlessly with the silver ceiling light on the ceiling.
The entire room was exquisite and delicate, with a subtle fragrance that gave it the feel of a boudoir.
This was a room Li Wei had put a lot of thought into and spent a considerable amount of money on. It was naturally not in the same league as Li Lin's children's room or Li Lianhui's boy's room. If Li Wei hadn't always locked the door when she wasn't there, Li Lin would have moved in and taken over long ago. She had even asked her mother to help her get a similar room. Her mother's response was just three words: "Dream on!"
Actually, Li Lin had misunderstood her mother. Cheng Min was also tempted by how beautifully her eldest daughter had decorated the upstairs kitchen and bedroom. Taking advantage of a break from her busy schedule, she went to the city to buy things, but after visiting several places, she couldn't find the furniture and bedding her daughter needed. She secretly asked Li Wei where she bought them. Li Wei replied: "The company's raw material supplier specially brought them back from the south."
Cheng Min was exasperated. Her daughter had completely lost control. She wouldn't ask her for money, but it seemed she would have to ask someone else to buy things. Just look at what she was doing with the things in the room, especially that box of gold and jewelry. Cheng Min was dizzy just looking at it. How much money must that be? She had never seen or even heard of any of it before. She had really grown quite capable.
Look at this hobby! Sometimes Li Wei's mother has the illusion that her eldest daughter is not a child, but a grown woman.
Of the girls, only Li Lin and Wu Feng had been to Li Wei's room before. The other two classmates of Li Lin were visiting for the first time. They thought the kitchen was already nice, but they didn't expect the bedroom to be even more beautiful. They couldn't take it all in at once.
Li Lin said smugly, "See? Isn't my sister's room beautiful? You've never seen anything like it before, have you? Hehe."
She had a smug, petty attitude, as if she were showing off how pretty she was, which left Li Wei speechless.
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