"Lao Zhang, how about I go to your company tomorrow morning? Do I need to prepare any materials?" Du Chen's father asked. He was ready to settle this matter quickly.
"Okay, just come to my office tomorrow morning and bring your or your wife's ID card to register."
"How do I pay the rent? Half a year or a year?" Du Chen's father continued to ask.
"Don't pay yet. Don't worry. Just register first. You can pay me later when you have money. You need money to open a shop, buy goods, and decorate. There's no rush."
"Your rent should be paid quarterly, otherwise you are short of money. Also, I will give you three months' rent as time to renovate the house." Old Zhang thought for a while and said to Du Chen's father.
"It won't affect you, Lao Zhang, I hope. I won't make things difficult for you."
"It's okay. This is all within my power. We are family, and I won't let you suffer any loss. I'm afraid that Lao Zhou will scold me." Lao Zhang said with a smile.
"Oh, thank you so much, Lao Zhang. It's almost noon now, how about we go out for a bite to eat and some drinks?"
"Why go out to eat? Save some money and eat at my house. You even brought some wine here. I asked you to take it back but you didn't. Let's just drink it at noon. That's it. We'll eat at my house at noon! And Lao Zhou, go back and call your sister-in-law over to have a bite together so you don't have to cook at home." Lao Zhang said directly.
"No, my wife doesn't need to worry about her. The children are still at home and she still has to cook for them. We just need to eat our own food." Old Zhou waved his hand and said.
"Okay, then I don't care. Let's eat together next time." Seeing that Lao Zhou really didn't plan to call his wife, Lao Zhang didn't say much.
"Lao Zhang, I think we should eat out. We have to trouble my sister-in-law to cook, and we have to clean up after eating. Let's eat out, it's more convenient!" Du Chen's father retorted.
The two argued for a long time, but Du Chen's father still couldn't convince Lao Zhang, so he had to have lunch at Lao Zhang's house.
"Wife, go out and buy some cooked food, and if you see fit, buy some other things. By the way, go to Lao Zhou's house and tell his wife that Lao Zhou will not be back at noon. Then come back and help Lao Zhang's wife cook." Du Chen's father saw Lao Zhang talking to Lao Zhou, so he whispered to his wife.
"Okay, I understand."
Du Chen's mother walked to the door and said to Lao Zhang's wife who was preparing in the kitchen, "Sister-in-law, I was in a hurry to come out this morning. The two children at home are not settled yet. I'll go back and tell the children and come over. You sit for a while. I'll help you when I come back."
"Oh, it's okay. I'll do it first. Why don't you go back and bring the children over so we can eat together? My daughter went to her grandmother's house today and won't be back at noon, so it's a good opportunity for us to sit down." Lao Zhang's wife has a good personality. She asked Du Chen's mother to bring the children over.
"Okay, I'll take a look. I'll go back first." Du Chen's mother agreed.
Du Chen's mother left the house and first went to tell Lao Zhou's wife that Lao Zhou wouldn't be home at noon. The men were going to drink. Then they went to the market to buy some prepared food and went to the tobacco shop to pick up two more bottles of wine. After all, the wine they had originally bought was a gift, and drinking it all at noon would be rather boring. It would be better to buy them two more bottles for lunch. Besides, Lao Zhang had been a big help with the rent, giving them a discount and even three months' rent reduction, which was a lot of money.
"Fortunately, I brought enough money today, otherwise I would have to go home again." Du Chen's mother thought to herself.
When they returned to Old Zhang's house, several men were there smoking and chatting. Du Chen's mother washed her hands and went into the kitchen to work with Old Zhang's wife.
"Sister-in-law, why did you buy so many cooked foods? And why didn't you bring the child over? You are too polite!" Old Zhang's wife said a little embarrassedly.
"It's okay, sister-in-law. They're drinking. Buy some cooked food for them to drink with. The two children are watching TV at home. We're out today and it's finally time for no one to worry about us, so we just want to watch TV at home. There's food at home too, so don't worry about them."
"Also, today's matter has troubled your Lao Zhang so much. I have to ask your Lao Zhang to do something and even have to have a meal at your house. Look at the trouble this has caused." Du Chen's mother thanked Lao Zhang again.
"It's okay, we're all friends. Lao Zhang is in charge of this, and we're happy to help our friends. By the way, I heard from Lao Zhou that your eldest child used to be quite naughty, but now he's very obedient and studies seriously. And the second child is even more amazing. He's already published an article at such a young age. Tell me how you educate your children so I can learn from you. My daughter is good in every way, but she just doesn't like studying. I'd like to learn from you..."
Du Chen's mother and Lao Zhang's wife chatted while they were busy, and while they were chatting they also prepared lunch.
…
"Brother, what are we going to eat for lunch? Are you hungry?" Du Chen was a little hungry now, so he asked his brother Du Bin.
"I'm fine. Are you hungry? We have some leftovers at home. You can heat them up or go out for a bowl of noodles. I don't know where my parents are."
"I guess they went to check out the store. Didn't they tell me yesterday? Brother, what do you want to eat?" Du Chen guessed that his parents had probably treated Lao Zhang to a meal; after all, he'd been following the whole thing from beginning to end. But he probably didn't expect that his parents were eating at Lao Zhang's house. It can only be said that people back then were simpler, unlike today, who only pursue money.
"I don't know either. It doesn't matter." Du Bin didn't care.
"Come on, let's go out for dinner. I'll treat you. I've barely touched my allowance." Du Chen was thinking about how he and his parents had gotten some good food yesterday, but his brother, Du Bin, was the only one who didn't go to class. He had to eat the same food they packed for lunch, so he felt a bit embarrassed. So, he decided to treat his brother to a meal. It wouldn't cost much for two kids. Life is about saving when you can and spending when you can.
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