Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Marriage (2)

Zhang Guiqiang has a flat head, square face, thick eyebrows and big eyes, a typical northern man appearance.

"In the end, it's all thanks to Chief Engineer Shi." Zhang Guiqiang put down the melon seeds and said seriously, "If it weren't for Chief Engineer Shi leading us to win the award, how could the factory area get 20 houses?"

Shi Xiangming could live in the cadre building because he was a cadre. He and Gao Jianhua were fifth-level workers, and they were allocated red brick tube buildings.

"Why don't you help Chief Engineer Shi hold back some wine? Don't get drunk on your wedding night."

Zhang Guiqiang's wife Liu Chaoxian pushed her lover's arm, clearly trying to get rid of him.

"If you hadn't told me, I would have forgotten. I have to take care of Chief Engineer Dian Shi. He has a very important meeting to attend tomorrow."

As soon as Zhang Guiqiang left, Liu Chaoxian moved to another position, passed Wu Ying in the middle and pulled Wang Nian's sleeve, his voice very low.

"I know everything about the house! It's just that Luo Xiuying is narrow-minded, and I'm afraid my wife might offend others if she talks too much."

Wang Nian curled up the corners of his mouth and nodded slightly.

In fact, even without Liu Chaoxian saying it, she had already realized that Luo Xiuying was not an easy person to get along with.

Before Zhang Guiqiang finished speaking, he heard a snort in his right ear, causing Zhang Liang to look to the side several times.

During this time, Luo Xiuying scolded Gao Jianhua countless times, and her words were filled with words like incompetent and cowardly.

Huang Qiuhong cleared her throat and took over the conversation: "Comrade Liu works in the trade union, and the boy next to him is Zhang Liye from their family."

Zhang Liye has a chubby face and looks like a smart kid.

Taking advantage of the little gap when his parents were talking, he secretly grabbed a lot of peanuts and put them in his pocket. He peeled the peanuts and didn't eat them himself, but immediately reached his hands under the table...

"Zhang Liye, why did you bring a stray dog ​​into the hotel?"

Liu Chaoxian turned his head and immediately saw what his son was doing. He reached out with his right hand and pulled out a little black dog from under the table.

"Mom." Liu Liye's first reaction was to cover his ears, and then he said aggrievedly: "Xiao Hei is not a stray dog, he is very well behaved."

"People are hungry and you're feeding the dogs. I think you're itching!"

Liu Chaoxian didn't want to hear more. He held Liu Liye's collar with one hand and the dog with the other: "I'll go out and take care of this kid first."

The black puppy looked to be about four or five months old, and was so hungry that its ribs were clearly visible.

They must be puppies born by a stray dog ​​nearby.

"Eat more."

Huang Qiuhong pulled Wang Nian's sleeve and brought her attention back to the table.

"Zhang Guiqiang's family are all honest people. You can visit them more often in the future. As for the rest... just make sure you can save face."

This can be considered as Huang Qiuhong's obvious suggestion.

When living in a factory, it is also important to have good relationships with neighbors.

Although they are the only family here now, someone else will move in soon. Based on the soundproofing effect of that wall, Wang Nian doesn't have much hope.

I just hope... I don't have neighbors who are too difficult to get along with.

***

No. 43 Family Building.

It was pitch black everywhere, with only a faint yellow light coming through the gap between door number six on the first floor.

Shi Xiangming sat on the sofa with a groggy head, as if the scene before him had only appeared in his dreams.

He personally moved the bamboo table from his single dormitory to his new home.

But it's clearly the same table, why does it feel different? What's the difference?

Shi Xiangming looked for a long time but couldn't find the answer.

Crunch——

As the door rang in the quiet space, Shi Xiangming looked towards the source of the sound in confusion.

Wang Nian walked towards him with her long hair loose, holding a basin of water.

At that instant, Shi Xiangming's brain started to wake up, and the drunkenness instantly faded away. He just stared at the person who came.

The room, which was cold just now, seemed to warm up instantly when Wang Nian came in.

He finally understood why the same table could appear so different to people.

Because this is home, and there is another person in the home.

The lamp no longer illuminates one person, but a pair of shadows. In the future, there will be more shadows moving around in the house.

Thinking of this, Shi Xiangming couldn't help but chuckle.

It was different from the smile she gave to her leaders, and certainly not the wry smile she gave to her parents. The corners of her lips were raised high, revealing two rows of neat teeth.

In Wang Nian's view, Shi Xiangming was now just a drunkard who could only smile foolishly: "Wash your face." He twisted the towel dry from the basin, bent over and handed it to him.

"I'm happy." Shi Xiangming replied lazily, and then he suddenly raised his hand and pulled Wang Nian's arm: "Sit for a while, aren't you tired after standing all day?"

Wang Nian's body swayed slightly, but he still sat down under the force.

"Look! This will be our home from now on."

"Do you think our house is okay? But I put everything in order." Wang Nian smiled, quite satisfied with the results of his work: "I'll open up the yard and plant some vegetables in a few days."

"It looks good." Shi Xiangming's voice was getting closer and closer. Wang Nian only felt a weight on his right shoulder and a hint of alcohol on his nose. "It will look better in the future."

"What time did the two children take the train?"

There was only a two-door closet in the small bedroom, and through the open door you could see that the room was empty.

When he mentioned the child, the last trace of alcohol in his mind disappeared in an instant along with the cigarette.

Shi Xiangming sat up straight and pinched his brows. A warm big hand covered the back of Wang Nian's hand: "I want to take a few days off to pick up the two children..."

When talking about children, we must not mention their sigh-inducing parents.

Shi Shuwen was only six years old and Shi Wan was three years old. I'm afraid that the brother and sister together could not recognize all the words in a book.

But even so, Shi's mother let her two children take the train to Wenxi Township, thousands of miles away, without any worries.

It takes a day and a night to take a bus from Anhuai City to Xinding City. Once in the provincial capital, you have to take a 12-hour train to Wenxi Township, and finally take a three-hour bus to Changshengpo.

It's annoying enough for adults who have never traveled far, but they want their children to go out on their own.

It had been agreed previously that Shi Xiangming's mother would send the child here, but for some reason the decision was suddenly changed.

At the moment, either Shi Xiangming has to go pick him up himself, or... he will have to wait until the Chinese New Year when he goes home to visit his relatives.

"Will the factory agree?" Wang Nian was only worried about this.

"I agree, but for the sake of fairness, this year's year-end bonus will be deducted."

As soon as he said this, Shi Xiangming suddenly stood up, walked to the desk in two steps, stretched out his hand and pulled open the drawer.

The legs are really long...

It took Wang Nian at least four or five steps to get there, but the other person only took two steps.

He took two more steps and sat back next to Wang Nian.

"From now on, our family will be in your hands."

A thick stack of brown paper bags was stuffed into Wang Nian's palm. Each bag was the same size and had the words "wage bag" written on it.

I just counted them and there were thirty salary bags.

In other words...Shi Xiangming's salary for the two and a half years he was transferred to Factory 431 was in Wang Nian's hands.

"I send 30 yuan home every month as living expenses for the children." Shi Xiangming recalled and added: "The rest should be here."

Wang Nian nodded and opened all the salary bags that were still unopened or stuffed with things.

Wang Nian: “…”

For a long time, the only sound in the room was Wang Nian's low counting.

Shi Xiangming said he would let Wang Nian be the housekeeper, and he actually handed over all his family assets to him, with quite a few pennies mixed in among the bills.

After counting the money, Wang Nian fell silent.

Five thousand nine hundred dollars—a huge sum of money—and a lot of insignificant cents and notes.

Most of the coupons were used when I got married and set up home, and the rest were rice and flour coupons.

Excluding the thirty yuan he sent home every month, his savings were actually more than a thousand yuan more than his total salary. Wang Nian couldn't help but be amazed at Shi Xiangming's ability to make money.

Shi Xiangming could only see the top of Wang Nian's head and had no idea what she was thinking at the moment. He began to explain again somewhat embarrassedly.

"In the past, Shuwen's mother was in charge of the salary. This money was saved after coming to Changshengpo..."

Most of the extra money comes from R&D incentives or travel bonuses.

The main reason why he can save money is that Shi Xiangming doesn't have many requirements for food, clothing and housing.

When I go out on business, the factory will arrange meals for me, and I will eat in the company canteen. I can wear a set of clothes for two or three years without buying new ones.

"Shi Xiangming." Wang Nian suddenly interrupted Shi Xiangming, his eyes seemed brighter than the moonlight outside the window: "Will you let me manage all this money?"

"Yes!" Shi Xiangming nodded heavily: "Everything from now on will be yours..." The word "control" was stuck in his throat and he couldn't spit it out. The warmth on his right cheek was like a fire, which quickly burned away all his thoughts.

Wang Nian flew towards the bedroom like a happy bird.

"I'm going to collect the money and buy you something delicious later."

I worked hard to save up for a car and a house in my previous life, but it is far less happy than holding these few thousand dollars in my hands now.

Is this... unearned happiness?

Shi Xiangming put one fist against his lips and touched the place that Wang Nian had just kissed with the other hand.

The heat spread from the cheeks, passed through the heart, and instantly burned away the last bit of rationality in the mind.

Shi Xiangming stood up quickly and followed Wang Nian into the bedroom.

The door was slammed shut with a bang.

The spring scenery is swaying in the house.

The poor light bulb in the living room stayed on all night.

***

After a week of cloudy weather, the sky finally cleared up again, and the sunlight shone through the light blue curtains onto the double bed.

Wang Nian opened his eyes and subconsciously reached for the watch on the bedside table to check the time.

Six fifty sharp.

He tilted his head to look at the pillow to the right, and sure enough, Shi Xiangming was no longer there.

According to time estimation, Shi Xiangming should have already boarded the bus to Wenxi County.

He endured the pain all over his body and sat up. Only after he regained consciousness did he get out of bed and get dressed.

There is a reason why the terms "newlyweds" and "lovemaking" appear at the same time in novels.

Wang Nian hadn’t had a good night’s sleep within a week of getting married, and woke up every day with back pain.

The yard that was supposed to be opened up for growing vegetables has not been moved on, the stove has never been lit once, and I have no time to think about finding a carpenter to make beds for the children.

Finally...it was time for Shi Xiangming to go back to Anhuai City to pick up his children.

I must go out to the factory to find a carpenter today and make the bed before the children come.

"Beauty can mislead people..."

Wang Nian thought as he opened the window to dispel the ambiguous smell in the room.