Unable to fall asleep any longer, Lin Ye gave Lu Wanqing a light kiss on the lips, then got dressed and got out of bed.
Lu Wanqing also got busy, picked up the children, dressed them, and prepared to make them milk powder.
Because she's about to start school, she's recently been weaning her baby. Breastfeeding for seven or eight months is already quite good, and it's time to start introducing complementary foods.
At first, she didn't add much. Thinking of the bottled baby food such as fruit puree and vegetable puree that she had seen in her previous life, she tried to steam the fruits and vegetables herself and mash them into puree.
The process was tedious, but seeing the babies enjoying their food made it all worthwhile.
Moreover, Zhao Xiaolan and Lin Chunhua saw her making baby food and learned how to do it so well that they also learned how to make those baby foods.
When Lu Wanqing arrived at the kitchen, she found apples, bananas and other fruits. She asked Aunt Pang, who was making breakfast, if she could take some to eat.
The plump aunt glanced at her and said, "Go ask the old lady!"
The old lady is still arguing with Wei Shufen right now, so sending her there clearly has ulterior motives.
But in order for her baby to eat breakfast as soon as possible, she still mustered up the courage to ask.
When Grandma Han heard that she was going to make baby food, she became interested. Her stern face just now turned into a big smile. "Come on, come on, I'll help make it too!"
As soon as she left, Wei Shufen was left standing in the yard, stomping her feet in anger.
Grandma Han glanced back furtively and, seeing Wei Shufen's exasperated expression, secretly covered her mouth and laughed.
"Let her use her influence to intimidate me! I'm not going back!"
Han Dongfeng is her eldest son, who has just been promoted to Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development. His wife is also the daughter of a high-ranking official, and her behavior is even more old-fashioned and traditional than her.
It was fine before, he didn't have a high position, and his mother lived alone outside, so no one cared. But now, whenever there's a gathering, someone brings up his mother's situation. Outsiders know she lives alone outside, and they think he's very unfilial!
Therefore, he instructed Wei Shufen to bring the person back no matter what!
Wei Shufen was quite persistent, shouting outside, "Mom, I've already found someone to look at the house. Once the house is sold, you'll have to move out whether you like it or not!"
Hearing her slightly threatening words, Old Mrs. Han rushed out like a whirlwind, glaring at Wei Shufen, "This house is mine, let's see who dares to sell it!"
Knowing the old lady was about to get angry, Wei Shufen quickly stepped forward, took her arm, and gently persuaded her:
"Mom, I know you don't want to live with me, but Dongsheng is back. Don't you want to live with him? He's not getting any younger. If you're not there to help him plan things out, when will he ever get married?"
When the old lady heard the name of her youngest son, Han Dongsheng, her initial rejection began to waver.
Speaking of her youngest son, she favored him. They were close since childhood, but he kept everything from her.
She only found out later that he, who was always decisive in his actions, had already married someone and had a child right after graduating from university. However, the two divorced because that woman was having an ambiguous relationship with another man.
That woman also took the child with her.
Speaking of which, she has a granddaughter living outside, but no one knows where she has ended up.
Seeing Lu Wanqing's three babies now evoked some different feelings in her heart. She also wanted to ask Han Dongsheng if her granddaughter could still be found.
Given the Han family's current status in Beijing's social circles, her granddaughter is undoubtedly a daughter of an official, who doesn't have to do anything and will never have to worry about food or drink for the rest of her life.
Thinking of this, Old Mrs. Han asked in a muffled voice, "When exactly will Dongsheng come back?"
I quite like living in the courtyard house, but there's one downside: there's no telephone installed. If I want to know anything about Dongsheng, I have to ask Aunt Pang.
Wei Shufen smiled obsequiously, knowing that the old lady had relented, and hurriedly said, "Dongsheng was supposed to go back yesterday, but something came up and he was delayed. If nothing unexpected happens, he will definitely be back in the next few days. The Ministry of Industry is waiting for him to report for duty."
He has been promoted from the provincial textile department to the vice minister of the industry department, and can finally reunite with his family.
"Then it's settled. When I go back, I'll live with Dongsheng. I can't stand you guys always playing mahjong in the house. It's so annoying!" The old lady relented.
Wei Shufen smiled brightly; she had successfully completed her task, and her husband would surely praise her for being capable.
Then, she told her that someone had come to see the house that afternoon.
She disliked the courtyard house intensely. The furnishings were old, the paint on the door frames was peeling, and the facilities were incomplete. It was even inconvenient to take a bath. She could sell it now, but as more and more tenement buildings were built, these houses would become less desirable and she probably wouldn't be able to sell them at all.
In this day and age, although houses are officially prohibited from being bought and sold, many transactions actually take place in private; otherwise, those houses would remain for a lifetime!
When the old lady heard that the house was still going to be sold, she became anxious again. "There are so many things in this yard that I asked Dongsheng to find and bring back from outside. We haven't even had a chance to enjoy them yet, and you're already selling them?"
"Hey, we're not homeless, let's sell now while someone else is buying!"
Wei Shufen looked impatient.
After Lu Wanqing finished making the fruit puree, she came out with the bowl and overheard their conversation about selling the house.
She quickly called Lin Chunhua over, handed her the bowl, and asked her to feed the baby complementary food, while she herself walked towards Grandma Han.
"Grandma, are you selling your house?" she asked with a smile.
Wei Shufen glanced at her. Although the girl was pretty, her two braids made her look like she came from the countryside, so she said in an annoyed tone:
"Why are you asking this? Oh right, you're the family who moved in yesterday, right? Go find a place to live today, because I'm selling this place."
"That's exactly what I asked! I want to buy it," Lu Wanqing said with a calm smile.
When she first met Wei Shufen, she tried to maintain a gentle tone.
Wei Shufen, however, showed no intention of speaking politely. Instead, she sneered in a condescending tone, "You want to buy it? Do you know how much this house costs? You probably couldn't earn that much even if you worked your whole life!"
If Lu Wanqing were just an ordinary employee, then what she said would be correct.
Wages in Beijing are generally higher than in other provinces and cities, but ordinary workers only earn 30 to 40 yuan a month. Even if they don't eat or drink, it would take them 20 years to save 10,000 yuan.
This courtyard house is in a great location, and its facilities are far superior to those of a crowded tenement. It would sell for 12,000 yuan without any problem.
Houses like these have always circulated among wealthy families since their inception, and ordinary people could never even dream of owning one.
Lu Wanqing wasn't angry at being looked down upon; perhaps she could even negotiate the price. So she raised an eyebrow and said:
"Don't look down on me, just name a price!"
Hearing the commotion, Lin Ye also came out of the house. His tall and imposing figure immediately gave Wei Shufen a strong sense of pressure.
"Wife, how much is this house?" he asked softly, putting his arm around Lu Wanqing's waist.
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