Chapter 92
Xia Qingtang remembered that everyone had told her that students could not choose their majors independently in the current college entrance examination, and there was no such item as filling in a major.
For example, Gu Xing'an was admitted randomly, but he also said that if you feel that the major you are studying is not suitable, you can apply to the school to change your major, but most students will obey the assignment, and very few people will take the initiative to request a change of major.
Xu Zhenhua smiled and said, "Generally speaking, it is not allowed to choose a major in advance, but if we teachers like you, or if you can use the relationship with the principal, you can choose in advance. Anyway, the scores of students who can be admitted to our school are not too low, and they should be able to learn both the self-selected major and the random major. Of course, our school will also screen students based on their previous experience, work and family background when admitting them. If you have worked in a hospital before, you will most likely be admitted to the medical major. Only those young high school graduates will be randomly assigned according to their scores. Of course, the first semester you enter the school is almost all about basic knowledge. If you feel that the major is not suitable after admission, you can apply to the school to change your major."
"So that's how it is. Thank you, Teacher Xu, I finally understand it." Xia Qingtang also laughed.
She was familiar with the college entrance examination in the 1990s, but was very unfamiliar with the current college entrance examination. She thought that it was all blind admission and that students had to study what they were assigned to study. She did not expect that some teachers would select students in advance.
Xu Zhenhua waved his hand and said, "Nothing. If your wife wants to study a certain major, she can go to the principal now. I also recommend students to choose the major they are interested in. But you'd better hurry up. If you are late, the admissions will be over."
Xie Jinxuan quickly said thank you, and Xu Zhenhua turned and walked away.
After he walked away, Xia Qingtang whispered, "Jinxuan, do you have a favorite major? If so, why not ask someone to help you? This kind of backdoor is for the purpose of better learning. Even grandpa should understand, right? Anyway, changing majors after admission and choosing a major in advance are the same thing. Choosing a major in advance can save trouble."
Xie Jinxuan smiled and said softly, "I do have a major I want to study. I want to study economics."
Xia Qingtang knew something about finance, but she had no idea what economics was. However, as the name suggested, she thought it should be a discipline that studies economic development, which sounded quite advanced.
Facing the spring breeze of reform and opening up, wouldn't it be like adding wings to a tiger if you studied this major?
"Economics? That's great! Although I don't know what exactly economics entails, since you want to learn it so much, it must be a good thing. Since you have made up your mind, why don't you tell grandpa and ask him for a favor so that you can be directly admitted to the Department of Economics?" Xia Qingtang whispered.
Xie Jinxuan said: "I had never thought about using connections to get admitted in advance, because I was worried that my scores were not high enough, and I was not sure whether the economics department required high scores. But the teacher just now reminded me that he wanted to discover students who were interested in archaeology in advance, which actually means that interest is the best teacher. I want to study economics because of my interest. With such an interest, even if my college entrance examination scores are not among the top in this class, I have the confidence to learn well and will never fall behind."
"Yes, interest is the most important thing. And how do you know that your score is not among the top? Maybe your score is among the top students admitted this year? Your score is very high. If you are really worried, you can ask someone." Xia Qingtang emphasized again: "Anyway, you will definitely be admitted to the provincial university. If this is the case, then changing majors after entering is the same as choosing a major before entering. It can also save trouble."
"You're right. I'll tell grandpa tomorrow and ask someone where my score ranks. If it's high, I'll just ask someone to choose the economics department." Xie Jinxuan said with a smile, "I didn't expect that I would encounter such an interesting thing while climbing a mountain."
"Yes, that Teacher Xu seems to be our benefactor. Also, he is a teacher in the Archaeology Department. It would be great if you could take some minor courses with him in the future." Xia Qingtang has not given up the idea of buying and exchanging antiques in the future.
Xie Jinxuan naturally understood Xia Qingtang's idea immediately. He couldn't help laughing, and reached out to hug her in his arms, then whispered: "Okay, I'll listen to you. As long as I can handle the future studies, I will go to learn some archaeological knowledge from Teacher Xu. If you want to go to the countryside to collect antiques in the future, I will take you there."
"Then it's up to you." Xia Qingtang immediately held his big hand, "Okay, let's go to that pavilion to enjoy the wind."
Before the elders climbed up, Xia Qingtang wanted to stay alone with Xie Jinxuan for a while.
Xu Zhenhua’s introduction was indeed correct. Standing in the Ranfeng Pavilion, one could indeed feel the most comfortable mountain breeze. Sitting in the pavilion, Xia Qingtang felt his heart calm down and he almost didn’t want to move.
"It's so comfortable. I want to sit here for an entire afternoon and just look at the sky. I won't be bored at all." Xia Qingtang stretched lazily and took a deep breath. He looked like a comfortable kitten.
Xie Jinxuan stretched out her hand and pinched her little face, saying, "Then let's stay here for a while and let them go back first."
"Let's do it another time." Xia Qingtang put her arm around his waist and said with a smile, "Today is my aunt's last day here, so I'll be filial to my younger generation for a day. Less trouble is worse than more. I've been patient for so many days, so I can spend an afternoon here. When the weather is cooler, we can come here to climb the mountain alone and stay for a day."
Xie Jinxuan smiled gently, and just as she was about to speak, she heard Xie Jinyun's voice calling from the other end: "Brother! Sister-in-law! Grandma and the others are coming up!"
"Got it!" Xie Jinxuan replied loudly, then pulled the lazy Xia Qingtang back.
The elders randomly selected a big tree and sat under it to rest and enjoy the cool air, just like other tourists.
Mother Xie and Auntie were extremely tired. Their faces looked red and their foreheads were covered with sweat. Aunt Six took out some cooling oil and applied it on their temples and foreheads to make them feel more comfortable.
Xie Chengye took a cup of water and fed Xie's mother water. While feeding her, he said, "You usually lack exercise. You can see that you are not strong enough when climbing mountains. Look, my mother's physical strength is much stronger than yours."
Grandma and Sixth Aunt walk a lot in the compound every day, and their health is indeed much better than that of Mother Xie, who has been working at a desk all year round.
Mother Xie drank some water, took a deep breath, and then slowly said, "Do you think I don't want to exercise? I'm usually too busy. What time do I get home from get off work in the evening?"
Xie Chengye said: "How about I take you running every morning from now on?"
Xie's mother waved her hands and said, "Please forgive me. I'm not young anymore. I should retire in a few years. I'll run properly after I retire. Forget it now."
Everyone laughed at this. My aunt said, "Sister-in-law, you are not that busy at work, are you? I come here every summer to stay for more than a month, and I see that you don't work overtime very often. Besides, all the housework is done by my sixth sister, and you don't have to do anything except work. How come you don't even want to exercise? You are not like me. I raised my children by myself, and your children were raised by my mother and sixth sister. You are so idle. If you don't exercise, you will develop a lot of diseases."
When Xia Qingtang heard this, he felt that his aunt was really tactless and spoke without careful consideration.
No matter what, she is still your sister-in-law. How can you talk to your sister-in-law like that?
Mother Xie was obviously unhappy, but she still smiled, then took Xie Chengye's arm and said, "Yes, you are right. If I really develop a disease of affluence, it is also my good fortune. You see, my family is well-respected, and the husband I chose is also well-respected. This is probably because everyone's destiny is different. So you don't have to worry about me. If I really develop a disease of affluence, your brother will take good care of me in my old age. And my two sons are both filial children, so you can rest assured."
Xie Chengye couldn't help but cover his mouth and laugh. His aunt was so angry that her nostrils flared, but she didn't know how to refute. She could only stand up angrily, pull her little cousin and make an excuse to go to the toilet, and then walked away.
After the two of them left, grandma said, "Thank you so much for putting up with her for more than a month every year."
"It's nothing. My sister-in-law is not having a very comfortable life over there. I can understand her. She insisted on marrying a man like that. Although she is doing well in her career, she is not willing to help at home, and her parents-in-law expect her to make up for it. Moreover, my brother-in-law is a man who doesn't know how to feel sorry for others. My sister-in-law has to take care of everything at home. She brought up the two children by herself. I still remember when she gave birth to the eldest child, she had just been discharged from the hospital for a few days. It was so cold, and she sat on a small stool by herself to wash diapers with cold water, and prepare dinner for her brother-in-law who came home from get off work. I felt sad when I saw it. How could she feel good? I live such a good life. Chengye loves me, and my parents also love me. I am indeed like she said, I have never done anything except work. I know how comfortable I am. So why should I bother with her? She feels bitter, so every year when she comes here and sees that I am living a good life, she feels even more uncomfortable. I can understand it." Xie's mother said slowly.
Grandma sighed and said, "How could I not know how bitter she felt? But she was determined to marry this man, and she didn't live well afterwards. I gave her a chance and let her get a divorce and go back to her parents' home. Or she could just go back to her parents' home with the children instead of getting a divorce. Your father had agreed to help her transfer to another job, but she refused to agree and insisted on staying with that man. Now the two children are grown up, and the hardest days are over. I am too lazy to persuade her, so just live a good life over there. This is the life of my daughter, so every year when she brings the children back to her parents' home, I want to be nice to her, hoping that she can eat and drink well and take care of her body. You are a broad-minded person, I know that, and you will not be happy when she comes here every year with an unfriendly attitude towards you, but you have been patient for so many years for our sake, and I am very grateful to you."
Mother Xie smiled and said, "Mom, we are a family, and I call you mom too. Isn't it being too formal for you to say that? It's okay for me. I got Qingtang this year. She is young, beautiful and has a promising future. This summer, my sister-in-law couldn't stand Qingtang the most. Qingtang was wronged."
Xia Qingtang quickly said, "I haven't been wronged at all. I seldom go there, and we don't meet often, so I can't say I've been wronged. Besides, my aunt isn't a bad person, she just likes to talk, but it's not a big deal."
"It's a big problem." Grandma said, "Her biggest problem is not that she wants to suffer for herself, nor that she likes to find fault with others. She is not living a good life herself, and she can't stand others living a good life. So she always hopes that your mother and you will live a hard life like her, and she can't stand women like you living a good life in your husband's family."
As expected of grandma, she hit the nail on the head right away, which was also the biggest concern of aunt. She didn't want to see Xie's mother and Xia Qingtang living so happily in their husband's family, but she had no other choice, so she could only use words to provoke them.
Fortunately, Xie's mother was very tolerant, and Xia Qingtang avoided her whenever possible, so they lived in peace.
After everyone had rested and enjoyed the scenery on the top of the mountain, Aunt Liu spread an old sheet on the grass, placed the food they had brought on it, and began to invite everyone to come over for lunch.
People who come here to climb the mountain also like to have lunch here. There are many trees on the top of the mountain. They can find a big tree to sit under in groups of three or four and eat a steamed bun with pickles. The taste is better than at home.
Especially the children, they think everything they eat outside is delicious. Xie Jinyun and her little cousin even fought over the last boiled corn. Neither of them wanted to give in, nor were they willing to break it into two pieces to eat. In the end, they were fighting so hard that Xie Jinxuan said, "Play rock-paper-scissors between the two of you. Whoever loses gets to eat. It's two wins out of three. No cheating allowed."
My little cousin didn't understand: "Why should the loser eat it? It should be the winner."
"Because the winner has good luck, the loser should be allowed to eat." Xie Jinxuan said.
The little cousin's eyes lit up: "Wow, cousin, you are so smart. What you say is completely different from what my dad says."
Xie Jinxuan smiled and said, "Then hurry up and play rock-paper-scissors."
"Okay, okay." The little cousin really started playing rock-paper-scissors with Xie Jinyun.
The person who lost in the end was Xie Jinyun, and he successfully got the last boiled corn.
Although the little cousin was a little unhappy, he did not make any trouble because Xie Jinxuan said that the winner would have good luck, and he would get a new pencil case bought by Xie's mother if he got first place in climbing the mountain. He just sat quietly and watched Xie Jinxuan eat corn.
My aunt whispered, "Jinxuan can control my two children. If this happened at home, no one could stop him."
Grandma said, "You, as a man, don't care about your children at all? Boys should still be disciplined by their fathers."
"He is so busy at work, getting up early and going to bed late every day. He will be assigned to the county soon. I am the only one at home. How can he have time to discipline the children?" My aunt said, "I don't ask for anything else. I just hope that he can have a smooth journey and get a better position than my brother in the future."
Grandma frowned slightly and said, "Your comparison mentality is wrong."
"What's right or wrong about that? At his age now, if he doesn't move up, he won't be able to move up in the future. Mom, you are a lady, don't you want me to live a life like you in the future?" asked the aunt.
Grandma paused for a moment and whispered, "Of course I hope you can live a good life."
My aunt snorted and said, "Then it's over, isn't it?"
After the picnic, Xia Qingtang and Xie Jinxuan found the nearest spring water to wash their hands, walked around the four nearby pavilions, and then found a secluded place to enjoy the breeze for a while. Xie Chengye called them to gather together and said they were ready to go back down the mountain.
So the group went down the mountain slowly. It didn't take much effort to go down the mountain, but the knees of the elderly are not as good as those of the young, and going down the mountain is especially harmful to the knees. So grandma's knees felt a little uncomfortable, so Xie Jinxuan carried her down the mountain directly.
When they reached the foot of the mountain, the young man who had been waiting there saw Xie Jinxuan and handed her the peanuts he had bought.
Xie Chengye immediately said: "Did you see that? He didn't run away, did he? He was waiting here specially."
The aunt curled her lips and quickly changed the subject. She looked at Xie Jinxuan's agile figure and said, "Is Jinxuan's old injury healed?"
"It's nothing." Xie Jinxuan said, "I went to see a Chinese doctor, and with acupuncture and medicinal baths, I'm much better now. I don't have any reaction to wind or rain."
"That's good. I was worried that you wouldn't be able to keep up and you'd suffer when you get old." The aunt held his hand, pulled him aside, and whispered, "You must take care of yourself. Your wife is not a good woman. If you can't walk when you're old, she will definitely not care about you. Listen to my advice and have a few children as soon as possible. You can wait for the future. As long as the children are promising, it doesn't matter if your wife doesn't care about you."
Xie Jinxuan said: "Aunt, what is your definition of a good woman? Are pretty women bad women and ugly women good women? Then aunt is also a pretty lesbian, so is aunt also a bad person?"
My aunt was stunned: "What did you say?"
"Isn't this what aunt meant? Otherwise, I don't know why Qingtang is not a good person? Aunt is too prejudiced against her. She is either beautiful or a bad person."
"Is it her appearance that's the problem? It's her mind that's the problem!"
"How come I didn't know she had a problem?"
The aunt sneered, "That's because you're stupid! With a family background like hers, she can easily get you. Do you really think she's a simple character? I've seen people who climb up the social ladder, but I've never seen one as powerful as her. Look at you, your salary, food coupons, and passbooks are all in her hands, and your whole family coaxes and pampers her! Don't you understand? She's the one who's climbing up the social ladder, so she should be the one to fawn over you. Now it's the other way around, and you don't think there's anything wrong with it? If you can get promoted in the future, that's fine. If not, with her appearance, can she stay by your side for the rest of her life?"
"I think she can not only stay by my side for the rest of my life, but she might even stay by my side in the next life." Xie Jinxuan said calmly, "Qingtang is kind and upright, but Auntie is too ignorant of people."
"Okay, then we'll wait and see! With her attitude, if she can stay by your side all her life, I'll chop off my head and use it as a bench for you!" said the aunt angrily.
Xie Jinxuan said: "I don't lack benches. If aunt makes a mistake in the end, you don't have to chop off your head for me. I just want you to apologize to Qingtang in front of her."
Auntie stopped talking, Xie Jinxuan said: "What's wrong? Auntie doesn't dare to bet? She's not afraid of being beheaded, which means she is very sure that she is right. So what are you worried about?"
Provoked by this, she immediately said, "Okay, I'll make a bet with you! Your wife is definitely not an honest person, just wait and see! Don't come to me crying when the time comes!"
"Then don't worry, aunt. Even if I encounter something in the future, it's my own choice. Why should I cry? Besides, when it comes to marriage, you have to accept defeat. If I really lose, then it's over and I can start over again. Didn't aunt always say that I'm a handsome man? Then why should I worry? When I'm forty or fifty, I can find another one if I want."
After hearing this, my aunt's eyes suddenly changed. She looked ahead a little dazedly and almost bumped into a rock while walking. Fortunately, Xie Jinxuan pulled her back.
Since then, she has been much quieter than before.
Everyone took the bus back to the city center. Xie's mother took the lead in going to the store to buy a new pencil case. Even though her little cousin was as excited as a monkey, she ignored the child. She seemed to be immersed in her own world. No one knew what she was thinking. Later, her grandmother looked at her expression and sighed secretly.
At around five o'clock in the afternoon, the group went to the Provincial Capital Hotel as agreed.
Grandpa Xie asked his secretary to reserve seats here in advance. Every year, it is the largest box, and the waiters in the store are used to it.
In addition to having the most expensive and best-tasting state-owned restaurant in the city, the Provincial Capital Hotel also sells the most expensive cream popsicles and iced soda in the city. The soda includes not only orange soda produced in the province, but also Coca-Cola which has just entered the country. You can also buy imported chocolate and candy.
These foods and drinks are sold at the gate, and passers-by can come in and buy some to try, but most people are reluctant to spend the money.
As soon as the little cousin came in, he asked for iced soda and cream popsicles. Xie Chengye took out the money and asked the children to buy them themselves. He took the adults to the box and sat down first.
Xie Jinxuan said: "Qingtang, do you want to eat?"
"Yes, let's go eat together." Xia Qingtang pulled Xie Jinxuan over to follow.
The cotton mill would also give popsicles to employees when the temperature was high. She had eaten them many times this year, but the ones the factory gave out were the cheapest salt water popsicles. Although they tasted cool, they were not as delicious as those sold here.
They bought five popsicles. Xia Qingtang had just taken a bite when she saw Yang Dachuan walking in with a few young people.
"Secretary Yang." Xie Jinxuan was the first to greet.
"Junior, why are you calling me Secretary Yang? Just call me Brother." Yang Dachuan immediately led his men over and asked, "Are you here to eat cream popsicles?"
He first glanced at Xie Jinxuan, and then his sight fell on Xia Qingtang, who was wearing a shirt and shorts, and he couldn't take his eyes away.
After a summer, most people were tanned. Xia Qingtang's pair of young, white long legs were very eye-catching, as was her slender waist. Yang Dachuan used all his willpower to look away with difficulty, so as not to be noticed by the other party that he was being impolite.
"We are here to eat, it's upstairs." Xie Jinxuan said, "Is Secretary Yang here to eat too?"
Xia Qingtang was going to work for Yang Dachuan later, so she naturally called out "Hello, Secretary Yang" at this moment.
Yang Dachuan said: "You guys are too polite, considering our relationship, it would be right for you to just call me Brother Yang."
The people behind him started to make a noise, "That's right. I'm showing respect to you by letting you call me brother. Do you think anyone can call Secretary Yang brother?"
Before Xie Jinxuan could say anything, Yang Dachuan glared at him fiercely.
The man was stunned, not knowing what he had said wrong.
Yang Dachuan smiled and said, "Junior, this is a distant cousin of mine. He has never seen much of the world, so don't bother with him. I asked you to call me brother because we have a good relationship, not because of anything else. You must know that, right?"
Xie Jinxuan smiled and said, "Of course I know. Senior Yang took good care of me when I was studying. But Qingtang will go to work at your place for a month next month. I think it's better to call her Secretary Yang."
Yang Dachuan said, "Yes, Secretary Xia will be my colleague soon. I'll tell you privately that we are short of staff now, not just for a short period of time, but also for talents. I heard that Secretary Xia is a good writer. As long as you work hard in the next month, I will recommend you to the higher-ups, and maybe you can be officially transferred to the Municipal Federation of Trade Unions next year."
"Thank you, senior, but there's no need to be so troublesome. Our Qingtang is not that passionate about work, and she still likes to stay in the old place." Xie Jinxuan said.
Yang Dachuan was stunned for a moment, then squinted his eyes to look at Xie Jinxuan's eyes, and seeing that his eyes did not seem fake, he said: "What do you mean, junior brother? Don't you want your wife to move up?"
"Yes, in our family, it's enough for one person to move up." Xie Jinxuan said, "Oh, I haven't told you yet, but I have good news. My score has reached the provincial university, and I'm waiting for the admission letter."
Yang Dachuan was very surprised: "Your secretarial office is so busy, how come you still have time to review and prepare for the exam? You are already a young person that the province values. If you go to a university this time, won't you be promoted directly after graduation?"
Xie Jinxuan has the ability, background, and connections, and now he has an additional academic degree. Every discerning person can see that, normally, his future achievements will not be lower than Grandpa Xie's.
"I'm not sure whether I can be promoted or not, but going to university has always been my wish. Besides, I will definitely be very busy after graduation, and it will be enough for me to be the only one busy at home. I hope to have a hot meal every day when I go home, so, I'd like to ask the seniors to help with Qingtang's affairs and not let her stand out too much." Xie Jinxuan said with a smile.
These words were actually discussed by Xia Qingtang with Xie Jinxuan in advance. If Xie Jinxuan met Yang Dachuan, she would say these words so that he would stop interfering in other matters.
Although this was a bit of an overthinking, after all, it was impossible to join the Municipal Federation of Trade Unions just by saying one word from Secretary Yang, but Xia Qingtang could avoid some trouble by asking Xie Jinxuan to say this right away.
Yang Dachuan's smile was a little unnatural. He quickly looked at Xia Qingtang who was still biting his popsicle and said, "Secretary Xia, you are a writer with a lot of skills. Don't you really want to develop your career?"
"I don't really think about it. I'm quite lazy. I can't stand being too busy." Xia Qingtang smiled faintly, "Besides, I cook delicious food. I like to cook for Jinxuan."
Yang Dachuan was so shocked by this that he was speechless and could only stare there with an embarrassed look on his face.
At this moment, a familiar jeep stopped outside the gate, and Xie Jinxuan immediately shouted, "Grandpa is here."
Xie Jinyun ran out with his little cousin and cousin: "Grandpa, we are eating cream popsicles, do you want some?"
Grandpa Xie got out of the car, he smiled and held the little cousin's hand, saying: "Eat it by yourselves, Grandpa doesn't like this, you should eat less, otherwise you won't be able to eat the food later."
When Grandpa Xie walked in, Yang Dachuan immediately came to his senses and hurried forward to greet him.
Grandpa Xie stared at Yang Dachuan for a few seconds and said, "Ah, it's Xiao Yang's son."
"Yes, it was me. You still remember it. You have a really good memory."
"Of course I remember. You and Jinxuan went to the same school. I used to hear him say that you took good care of him."
Yang Dachuan laughed: "It's not about taking care of each other, it's just helping each other. Are you here for the family gathering today?"
"Yes, the family just came over for a meal and a get-together."
"Then I won't bother you anymore. It's time for us to go over." Yang Dachuan said goodbye and took his friends to the first floor.
A young man asked in a low voice: "Brother, isn't that Xie Qiming?"
"right."
"Then the young wife you like is from the Xie family?"
"Yes, can't you see?"
"Brother, are you crazy? How could you...how could you like Xie Qiming's granddaughter-in-law?"
Yang Dachuan said, "Why am I crazy? Xie Qiming is not young anymore. He will retire in a few years. When he retires, the Xie family will not be a threat. As for Xie Jinxuan, although he is excellent, he is too young. It will take at least ten years for him to come back. So, I am not crazy. Didn't you see? The appearance, figure and temperament of Secretary Xia are the most perfect among all the women I have seen so far. Oh, she even has a nice voice, and she is not an idiot, which is the best because I hate idiots the most. A woman like her is really to my liking. I will get her no matter what."
The man looked at Yang Dachuan's expression and realized that he was telling the truth.
"But... Brother, no matter how beautiful she is, she is just another person's woman. Is it necessary to wait for her for so many years? Brother, you are not young anymore. It's time to consider getting married and having children... You don't have to..."
Yang Dachuan sneered and said, "I'm not going to marry her, I just want to get her. What are you worried about? Am I any dumber than you? I will naturally do my best in the blind date arranged by my father in a few days. I will get married according to my father's arrangement, and give birth to the child as soon as possible. I will not delay any of these things. As for Secretary Xia, it's just a little entertainment after dinner, but I have never seen such a good side dish, so I must get it. Even if it takes five or six years, I will get it!"
Xia Qingtang and Xie Jinxuan didn't know that Yang Dachuan had such thoughts, but to put it bluntly, even if he really had such thoughts, Xia Qingtang would not take it seriously.
If she wants to reject someone, there is nothing she cannot reject. If the other party really uses force, she will let the other party know how to write the word regret.
After eating the cream popsicles, several people followed Grandpa Xie to the large private room on the second floor.
It's cooler upstairs here. My aunt sat by the window drinking iced soda and finally returned to her old talkative self.
Dinner consisted of eight dishes and one soup, all of which were specialties from the provincial capital’s hotel.
Just as Xia Qingtang remembered, each dish looked very delicate, with various carvings. The three children each grabbed two and said they wanted to take them home to play with.
The food tasted very good, much better than when Xia Qingtang went there in the 1980s.
She thought about it seriously and concluded that either she was in a bad mood when she came here to eat in her previous life, so the food tasted bland, or the chef was changed in the 1980s, so the taste of the food changed.
In the end, every dish was eaten up, and the kitchen cooked an extra large portion of vegetarian dumplings and served them up. Each person got four or five dumplings before they finished eating everything.
It’s true, even though they are just ordinary vegetarian dumplings, they are very delicious here, much better than the dumplings Xia Qingtang makes himself, and even better than Aunt Liu’s cooking.
"I'm so full! I love eating here." The little cousin leaned back in his chair, touching his round belly with a look of satisfaction on his face.
Grandpa Xie said gently, "Come here to eat again next summer vacation."
"Okay, thank you grandpa." The little cousin said, "By the way, grandpa, my dad said that you will retire in a few years. When you retire, you will have no money and no skills. Will you not be able to afford the food here?"
Everyone was stunned by this. Grandpa Xie glanced at my aunt calmly, and my aunt quickly came out to explain: "He didn't mean that..."
“Although the food here is not cheap, if you only come here once a year, you can still afford it even if grandpa is retired. As long as you want to eat and are willing to come here every summer, grandpa will treat you.” Grandpa Xie said gently.
The little cousin was happy now: "Then I feel relieved, but my dad also said that it doesn't matter if grandpa can't afford to eat in the future, my dad can treat me to better restaurants. My dad also said that he will be a higher official than grandpa in the future, and then I won't have to look at grandpa's face anymore."
This time Grandpa Xie didn't say anything, but looking at his expression, he didn't seem very happy.
Grandma was also a little annoyed, Xie Chengye's face turned dark, and even the young boy Xie Jinyun was a little angry.
My aunt looked very nervous. She tried to explain several times, but was blocked by my grandmother every time.
Finally, the whole family went home in a not very happy atmosphere.
Because this place was not far from the compound, everyone walked back.
Xia Qingtang and Xie Jinxuan were walking at the back. Before leaving, she bought two bottles of iced soda and held them in her hands, planning to drink them after returning.
There is actually soda at home, but the iced one is obviously better tasting, so she is willing to spend more money to enjoy it.
"Grandpa doesn't look too happy." Xia Qingtang said softly.
"Aunt is a confused person and she didn't teach the child well. Grandpa will definitely be unhappy. But she will go home tomorrow, so Grandpa won't say anything." Xie Jinxuan said, "Are you worried?"
"What are you worried about?" Xia Qingtang didn't understand.
"Grandpa will retire in a few years. After he retires, our family will be different. For example, if Yang Dachuan confronts me again, he won't be as cautious in giving me face as he is today."
"After grandpa retires, will he still be able to live in this house?" Xia Qingtang suddenly asked.
"Of course, you have to stay until Grandpa dies. This is generally the rule. Even Sixth Aunt will be hired until then. Of course, if Sixth Aunt can no longer work, you can replace her, but the salary will be paid until then."
"Then I don't think there is any difference, right? As long as grandpa and grandma's lives are not affected, I have nothing to worry about. I didn't marry you because of grandpa. Besides, in a few years, you will graduate from college. Instead of thinking about grandpa's retirement, you should think more about your future." Xia Qingtang said with a smile: "If you are worried that your family will not live well in the future, then I can assure you that in a few years, you won't have to buy things with coupons. As long as you have money, you can buy whatever you want."
Coca-Cola has returned to the country, and other foreign capital will come in one after another. Later, there will be more advanced production technology, economic development, increased production capacity, and higher grain production, and coupons will disappear from people's lives.
Xia Qingtang was confident that she could earn her first pot of gold with her own abilities. Moreover, even if she failed in business, she still had antiques at home that could be sold. As long as she had money, she could live a good life, so Xia Qingtang never worried about the future.
Another point is that when Grandpa Xie retires, Xie Jinxuan may not work in this city.
According to some of their development paths, in order to get promoted, one usually has to work in a county town below for a few years or even longer. Wherever Xie Jinxuan went, Xia Qingtang would follow.
By that time, both the couple will no longer work here, and even if Yang Dachuan's father is promoted to the highest position in the city, he will not be able to target them.
There is an old saying that a lean camel is bigger than a horse. Grandpa Xie has had friends and confidants over the years, as well as subordinates he has carefully trained. Xie Chengye's rank is not low either. If something really happens, the Yang family's ability may not be as strong as that of the retired Grandpa Xie.
However, Xia Qingtang didn’t understand why Xie Jinxuan cared so much about Yang Dachuan and the Yang family. Just looking at today, Yang Dachuan didn’t have any special attitude towards her, right?
Xie Jinxuan smiled and put her arm around her shoulders, then whispered, "Every time you talk about the future, you are full of confidence."
"Of course, I believe in you, and I believe in the future even more." Xia Qingtang smiled and immediately asked the question in his mind, "You didn't care much about Yang Dachuan and the Yang family before, why did you mention these today?"
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