Hua Li generously invited Chen Yuanshan to dinner at a state-run restaurant...
After sitting down by the window, Hua Li first chose chicken stew with vermicelli and scrambled eggs with wild aralia shoots for the two children, and let Chen Yuanshan order the rest himself.
Chen Yuanshan also ordered sweet and sour pork, braised beef, and mixed vegetables.
Hua Li took out the money and tickets and asked the waiter how much it cost, but Chen Yuanshan said first, "Put it on my tab."
"That won't do."
Hua Li disagreed, but the waiter refused to accept Hua Li's money.
Chen Yuanshan pulled Hua Li back to sit at the table.
"I really like Yan Yan and this rascal. You don't need to pay for their meals. Just use the money you save to buy them some good food."
Since Chen Yuanshan had already said that, Hua Li couldn't insist any further and awkwardly put the money back in her pocket.
"Comrade Chen, may I ask you a question?"
No wonder he was so eager to invite him to dinner; it turned out he needed to talk to him about something. Chen Yuanshan nodded, "Go ahead."
Hua Li said, "Commander Sun has helped me so much, I really don't know how to thank him, so I wanted to ask you what kind of thank-you gift I should give him."
Chen Yuanshan replied without hesitation, "Nothing is needed. The division commander has everything he needs. Giving him anything would just be a waste of money."
“But…” It’s one thing for her not to need it, but it’s another thing for her not to express her gratitude. Hua Li frowned.
Seeing that Hua Li looked worried, Chen Yuanshan thought for a moment and gave Hua Li an idea.
"The leader likes to play Go. Whenever he has free time, he asks Yan Yan to play Go with him for a while. She doesn't have to know how to play; she just needs someone to mess with him."
Sun Bailing loved playing chess, but none of his children or grandchildren liked it, so Chen Yuanshan came up with this idea.
Hua Li hesitated. Luo Yan was a girl, and even if the other party was of high status and good character, a mother still had to be careful.
"This is not very convenient."
When Luo Yan met Sun Bailing, her mother had to accompany her the whole time. However, she was about to divorce Luo Shicheng, and a man and a woman alone together, regardless of their age, had to avoid suspicion.
Chen Yuanshan didn't understand Hua Li's concerns, but fortunately he never forced anyone to do anything against their will, so Hua Li didn't bring it up again after refusing him.
At this moment, Xiao Xiu tugged at Hua Li's clothes.
"What's wrong, Xiao Xiu?"
Hua Li thought Xiao Xiu needed to use the restroom and was a little worried about whether to take him to the men's room or the women's room. Xiao Xiu started gesturing first.
Before Hua Li could understand, Chen Yuanshan said, "This kid actually knows how to play Go?"
Xiao Xiu was demonstrating the action of placing a Go stone.
Upon hearing this, Hua Li was also surprised, "Xiao Xiu, you know how to play Go?"
Xiao Xiu nodded, patted herself with her little hands, and then patted Luo Yan next to her, who was only focused on eating sweet and sour pork.
Luo Yan, please don't count me in. I don't like playing chess, thank you.
For some reason, Hua Li felt reassured having Xiao Xiu with Luo Yan.
Suddenly, Hua Li remembered something else.
"Comrade Chen, Xiao Xiu is a child I found. There should be someone in his family who is in the military. Is there any way to help find his family by posting missing person notices for Xiao Xiu in military units across the country?"
Chen Yuanshan admired Hua Li's bold ideas, but unfortunately he would never dare to do them.
"That's impossible, but I can ask someone I know for help."
"Thank you..." The more people help, the greater the hope, so Hua Li quickly expressed her gratitude.
"It's all to help the little guy find his family as soon as possible, you're welcome."
After Chen Yuanshan finished speaking, he smiled and asked Hua Li.
"Is there anything else I can help you with?"
Hua Li was embarrassed by the question, but she really did have one.
Seeing that Hua Li hesitated to speak, Chen Yuanshan said generously, "Whether you're herding one sheep or a flock, it's all the same. Tell me, how can I help?"
Hua Li lowered her head in embarrassment. "I... I want to rent a detached house with a yard that isn't too expensive, preferably with a female landlord."
Chen Yuanshan gave Hua Li a deep look. "You live with the child?"
Hua Li didn't dare to look at Chen Yuanshan, and only hummed in response.
"I do know of a courtyard like that, near the supply and marketing cooperative, but..."
I heard that Hua Li was extremely satisfied with the place near the supply and marketing cooperative, but why is there still a "but"?
"What's wrong?" Hua Li looked up at Chen Yuanshan nervously, her doe-like eyes making Chen Yuanshan feel a little dazed.
"But the landlord is a man."
Hua Li gritted her teeth, "You know him?"
Chen Yuanshan nodded.
Since he knows Chen Yuanshan, and Chen Yuanshan even mentioned that this person has a house for rent, it means that this person should be fine.
"Could we go take a look?"
Landlord Chen Yuanshan: "Anytime is fine."
Hua Li's eyes lit up instantly. She took the serving chopsticks, put a piece of braised beef into Chen Yuanshan's bowl, and smiled broadly.
Luo Shicheng, who was standing across from the restaurant, happened to see this glaring scene and punched the wall on the side of the street.
He wanted to rush in and give Chen Yuanshan, who had run off with his wife, a good beating, and he wanted to question Hua Li about how she could smile at another man as a wife. But he knew that based on his past actions, he had long since lost that right.
After dinner, Chen Yuanshan picked up Xiaoxiu and Hua Li carried Luo Yan, and the two of them walked directly to the courtyard, which was only a five-minute walk from the supply and marketing cooperative.
The courtyard is the second house in the alley leading to the street. The front yard is paved with blue bricks, and the back yard has a vegetable garden and a ten-square-meter storage room.
The three tile-roofed houses are spacious and bright, with a stove on each side of the kitchen. In winter, it is convenient to cook and heat the kang (a heated brick bed). In summer, when the weather is hot, there is a shed outside the kitchen where you can cook with a coal stove.
Hua Li was very satisfied. "Comrade Chen, do you know how much the rent is?"
With such good conditions, the rent must be expensive, but Hua Li decided that she would rent it as long as it didn't cost more than ten yuan a month.
Chen Yuanshan noticed that Hua Li liked it and said...
“This courtyard belongs to my friend. He went to another city, and he is looking for tenants to take care of the house. As long as they can keep it clean, he can pay eighty yuan a year as a token.”
"This is too cheap!" Hua Li suppressed her excitement.
"I will pay attention to hygiene, but eighty a year is too cheap. How about this, ten yuan a month, I'll sign the contract with you right now."
Chen Yuanshan couldn't help but chuckle, "Everyone else is haggling, but you're raising the price instead. How can you bargain like that? It's eighty a year, no bargaining. If you agree, you can have the key; if not, forget it."
"No!" Hua Li was at a loss for words.
Chen Yuanshan handed the key to Luo Yan, who ran over, and said, "How about you live here with Mom from now on?"
Luo Yan had just looked around the whole yard and found the environment to be nice. Moreover, she wouldn't object if Hua Li wanted to leave, so she took the keys and nodded obediently.
Chen Yuanshan saw Xiao Xiu following behind Luo Yan, looking preoccupied, and asked Hua Li in a low voice.
"Are you planning to bring Xiaoxiu to live with you?"
Hua Li was worried about this. She had to go to work tomorrow. She was supposed to send Xiao Xiu away, but she asked Chen Yuanshan to help her find Xiao Xiu's parents. It would be inconvenient to leave Xiao Xiu and Luo Yan alone.
"Why don't you let me take care of him for now..." Chen Yuanshan offered. "I live alone, so it's more convenient to have a boy with me."
Hua Li immediately nodded in agreement, "Then I'll trouble you."
Chen Yuanshan smiled and reached out to Xiao Xiu, but Xiao Xiu took several steps back and held Luo Yan's hand tightly.
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