Before we got off work, we received the news that the company wanted to invite everyone to Dexinglou to eat roast duck. Mr. Huang was so generous as to book seven tables, and everyone was very happy.
Huang Wanzhen personally went to notify the Back Street Production Department. Song Ying had just arrived with some people to pick up some sweaters, so Huang Wanzhen quickly called out to her, "Sister Song, inform the employees at Huamei Garments that we'll have a dinner at Dexing Building on the evening of the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month. The company is treating everyone to roast duck."
Song Ying smiled and responded, "That's great. I'll go back and tell everyone the good news."
Before the Chinese New Year, Gao Zhixiang returned to Shanghai. The foreign-style Shanghai was still bustling with lights, wine, and women, but Gao Zhixiang, who had been away for several months, felt very different. He had a sense of loneliness as if everything had changed and nothing had happened.
He raised his hand and knocked on the dark wooden door for a long time. After a long while, a weak female voice came from inside, "Who is it?"
"Mom, it's me, Axiang."
With a creaky sound, the wooden door opened from the inside, and a charming woman with tears in her eyes threw herself into Gao Zhixiang's arms, "Axiang, you're finally back."
Gao Zhixiang put the suitcase on the ground and supported the woman. "Mom, why have you lost so much weight? Didn't I send you money? Don't be reluctant to spend it."
The woman stood up uncomfortably and straightened her cotton jacket. "Let's talk inside."
"What? You gave all the money to my uncle?" Gao Zhixiang's face was full of anger. He clenched his fists and waved them in the air twice angrily, as if he was hitting someone.
"No, no," Gao's mother said embarrassedly, "Your grandma was sick, and your uncle came to borrow money for your grandma's medical treatment, so I gave it to him."
Gao Zhixiang sneered, "My grandmother has been taking Chinese medicine since I can remember. Didn't she say she wouldn't live to be fifty? Now she's almost seventy, and she's still alive and well. If we give all the money to the Chang family, what will we eat and drink?"
"Axiang, they are your elders, how can you say that to them? Without your grandmother, where would I be? Without me, where would you be? You should learn to be grateful. Filial piety is the most important virtue. You have read "The Rules for Disciples" in vain." Gao's mother's delicate face was full of accusations.
Gao Zhixiang covered his face in pain and knelt down. "Mom, I'm doing well in Beijing. I may not return to Shanghai in the future. Are you willing to live in Beijing with me?"
Gao's mother, who had just been blaming her son, had a flash of panic in her eyes. "Axiang, no, Shanghai is our home. No matter how good Beijing is, it's still a foreign land. Besides, if we leave, what will happen to your grandmother?"
Gao Zhixiang looked up at his mother, "Mom, didn't you always tell me since we were little that raising a son is a way to support you in your old age? Grandma is supported by my uncle, so don't worry about her. Besides, she sold you to the Gao family as a maid a long time ago. Everything in the Chang family belongs to my uncle. We have nothing. It's already very difficult for us to survive. How can we have the money to support Grandma?"
Mother Gao shook her head and refused without a second thought, "No, we'll stay in Shanghai for one day. This yard is ours. If we leave, the Gao family will find out and they'll definitely take it back."
Gao Zhixiang knelt and moved forward twice, then said excitedly, "Mom, the deed to this yard is not in our hands. They can take it back anytime they want. Come with me to Beijing, and I'll work hard to earn money and buy a house that truly belongs to us in Beijing."
Gao Zhixiang tried to persuade and beg her again and again, but her mother just wouldn't give in. Two days passed in the blink of an eye, and if he didn't go back, Huang Wanzhen would not be able to make it back before the New Year. Gao Zhixiang had no choice but to return to Beijing first.
On the 25th day of the 12th lunar month, Huang Wanzhen and Song Wenyin called in several accountants and collected all the dues. They also gave them an extra month's wages as a holiday bonus. Everyone was bustling with activity, even happier than during the Lunar New Year.
After finishing this matter, everyone collected what needed to be collected and locked what needed to be locked, and walked towards Dexing Building in groups.
When they arrived at Dexing Building, the cold dishes had already been served. Huang Wanzhen and Song Wenyin invited everyone to sit down and eat. Xiulan and Xiuqing also helped their two superiors with the food. Everyone enjoyed the meal very much.
After dinner, those who lived nearby went home together, and for those who lived farther away, Huang Wanzhen helped to call a rickshaw. After sending the employees away one by one, Huang Wanzhen packed half a roast duck and took it back to Huang Wanshu.
Huang Wanshu originally thought that Huang Wanzhen would invite her to eat roast duck at Dexinglou, but unexpectedly, not only did she not invite her, she also only brought back half a duck. For a moment, her face was full of disgust.
Huang Wanzhen said directly, "If you don't want to eat it, forget it. I'll take it back for a midnight snack."
Huang Wanshu quickly held down the lotus leaf bag after hearing this, "Hey, hey, why are you so stingy? It's ok that you only packed half for me, but you actually wanted to take it back and eat it yourself. What kind of person is this?"
Huang Wanzhen retorted, "You're so generous, why haven't you treated me to a meal? Forget half a roast duck, you haven't even treated me to half a steamed bun."
Huang Wanshu curled her lips slightly, "I'm not as rich as you, right? When I make a lot of money, I'll treat you to a steak!"
Huang Wanzhen tsk-tsk-tsk twice in disbelief, "I don't know if I can live to see the day when you make a fortune."
"Huang Wanzhen, stop cursing at me!"
Huang Wanzhen let Huang Wanshu scream and yell, turned around, lifted the door curtain, and walked out.
After finishing the business in the shop before the New Year, Huang Wanzhen carefully wrote a list and gave it to Xiulan and Xiuqing to buy. The list contained New Year gifts for Shen Junyan, Bella, Director Anthony, Mrs. Xu, Mrs. Su and others.
In addition to the two dried and two fresh foods that old Beijingers usually give away, Huang Wanzhen also gave away a lot of products from the store, which were nothing more than cosmetics and clothes.
Two days later, Gao Zhixiang returned. Huang Wanzhen craned her neck, peered behind him, and asked, "Where's your mother? Have you found a place to stay?"
Gao Zhixiang took a deep breath, patted his face, and tried to cheer himself up. "She doesn't want to come. Forget it, let's talk about it later."
Gao Zhixiang was deeply hurt by his mother's behavior. Although he did not say anything bad to her, he had already made up his mind: he was not going back to Shanghai.
After that, I didn't send much money to Gao's mother by mail. I sent her money once every two or three months, and each time was only enough to barely sustain life. Of course, this is a story for later, so we won't mention it for now.
Huang Wanzhen arrived in Shanghai on New Year's Eve. Mrs. Huang held her hand and kept saying that she had lost weight, and ordered Yuya, Haimi and others to bring her food.
Huang Wanzhen sat on the sofa and pointed at Xiuqing, Xiulan, and Huang Dachui. "Let's arrange rooms for them first. Everyone is tired from the journey. Take a shower, eat something, and then go back to the room to rest."
During the Chinese New Year, Huang Wanzhen didn't need to go out to pay New Year's greetings, and thought no one would come, so she wanted to sleep in. But early in the morning, Huang Dong came knocking on her door and said that Hongying and her family came to pay New Year's greetings.
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