Rebirth of Bayi Fishing and Hunting in the Northwest

Chapter 928 How about we go on a trip to Yanjing?

They chatted quite a bit during the meal, but Li Long barely spoke. After all, the father and his two daughters had just met and had a lot to talk about, so he mainly focused on taking care of Mingming and Haohao.

"Sister Yang's cooking is still the best," Gu Xiaoyu said while eating. "The breakfast at the guesthouse is not good. The food in our school cafeteria is also... maybe it's just not very oily."

“Then cook for yourself when you have time,” Gu Boyuan said again. “Buy a house near the school, the size doesn’t matter, as long as you have your own space and can cook for yourself. Of course, you can also have your mother come over to cook.”

Gu Xiaoxia then asked:
"Xiaoyu, how's your cooking? I'm just so-so, not as good as Mingming's dad. He knows a lot of different ways to cook."

Gu Xiaoyu glanced at Li Long with some surprise, then said apologetically, "I can cook ordinary meals, as long as they're cooked through, they're not particularly delicious."

"That's fine then," Gu Boyuan didn't have high expectations for his daughter. Although he would occasionally talk about Gu Xiaoxia, it was only occasionally.

In his view, his daughter was excellent. If she couldn't cook well, she could practice. This standard applied not only to Gu Xiaoxia but also to Gu Xiaoyu. Anyone who could get into university, what couldn't they do? The focus of the work was different. If she wanted to do it, she could practice more and do it well enough.

When Li Long heard that he was being talked about, he just smiled and continued eating while looking at Mingming and Haohao.

Sister Yang and Han Fang were both relatively quiet. Since the father and daughter were talking together, it was best not to interrupt.

After all, it's been twenty years since we last met, and we can't finish talking about it in a short time.

After dinner, Gu Xiaoyu offered to help clean up, but Sister Yang pushed her out. She didn't even let Gu Xiaoxia stay in the kitchen.

Li Long went to coax Mingming and Haohao to sleep, and Gu Xiaoyu whispered to her sister:
"Sis, you're so lucky! You don't have to cook, you don't have to clean the kitchen, and you hardly have to take care of the kids... Hey, if I could live like that, I'd wake up laughing..."

When she was in primary and secondary school, she had to help with housework at home. Although she did less work than children in rural areas, she was not carefree growing up.

I wouldn't say I was always on edge at home, but when I got a little older and started talking to my classmates, I realized that life wasn't exactly the same for everyone.

However, by then Gu Xiaoyu was already old enough to understand that her family was different from others, so she didn't complain.

Up until graduating from university, Gu Xiaoyu had always thought that blended families were supposed to be like this, and that her life was supposed to be like this. But after hearing what her sister said today, Gu Xiaoyu suddenly realized that things were different.

For the first twenty years of my life, I had no biological father, and my sister had no mother. My sister probably suffered even more than I did.

But now it seems that my sister's life is much happier; perhaps this is what it means to have good things after hardship.

Gu Xiaoyu felt envious of her sister's happiness, and then offered her blessings. Of course, she also hoped that she could find a lover like Li Long—but that was difficult.

"Hehe, actually I'm a bit of a fool who's lucky, you know? Your brother-in-law used to have a girlfriend, who was also from our village, and that girl was my friend..." Gu Xiaoxia whispered to her sister about Wu Shufen.

"Is she really that stupid?" Gu Xiaoyu naturally didn't know how much of a scoundrel Li Long had been. She had a preconceived notion that Li Long was just young and impetuous at the time, so she couldn't help but say, "She would give up such a good person. She must be regretting it now, right?"

"I don't know, she got married and had children earlier than us. But I bet she regrets it..." Gu Xiaoxia usually couldn't say these things to others, but now that her sister had suddenly appeared, the two of them had only met for half a day, yet there was no sense of unfamiliarity between them, and these private whispers came out.

Gu Xiaoxia was completely different from usual at this time. After all, she was only in her twenties. Although a married woman in her twenties could already hold up half the sky, even she had a girlish dream.
Normally, the older women in her workplace would only envy and be jealous of her, and some would even say sarcastic things. Naturally, she couldn't share these little secrets with her colleagues.

He used to have a friend named Wu Shufen, but since he went to the county, and with Li Long involved, the two of them have drifted apart. When they occasionally bump into each other, they can only exchange greetings at most.

Now that Gu Xiaoyu has appeared, she has filled the void in her life, so she has no choice but to "go crazy with her output".

The two chatted as they walked into the living room. Mingming Haohao was already asleep, and Li Long and Gu Boyuan were talking about something.

"Dad, what are you talking about?" Gu Xiaoxia didn't pay attention, but Gu Xiaoyu seemed to have heard the word "house" and asked.

"Mingming's dad said he was thinking about buying a house in Beijing, so that if Li Juan and Li Qiang go to university in Beijing, they'll have a place to stay. Of course, the same goes for Mingming and Haohao..."

"Li Juan and Li Qiang?" Gu Xiaoyu asked, somewhat puzzled. This was...

“They are Mingming’s cousins, the children of Li Long’s older brother,” Gu Xiaoxia explained.

"Isn't my brother-in-law too good to these two kids?" Gu Xiaoyu asked, somewhat puzzled. "My older brother's kids..."

"That's because your brother-in-law was basically raised by his older brother." Gu Boyuan knew this quite well. He gestured for his two daughters to sit down and said, "When your brother-in-law was young, Mingming's grandfather sent him to the northern frontier, and he's lived in the production team ever since. His older brother raised him like a son..."

Don't laugh, it's true. After all, your brother-in-law is much younger than his older brother, so he spoils him a lot. He doesn't let him do farm work often, let alone earn work points.

Gu Xiaoyu couldn't quite imagine that situation. Li Long was a little embarrassed to be said that to his face, so he changed the subject:
"I was thinking that since Aunt Hao Hao is in Yanjing, we have people on our own. So even if we don't go there after buying the house, someone can still look after us occasionally."

Actually, I've considered buying a house in Shanghai, and also in Chang'an, but since we don't have any relatives or friends in those places, it would be quite troublesome to take care of the property there.

"Why buy so many houses?" Gu Xiaoxia was naturally unaware of how booming the real estate market would be in the future, and she was against it. "Let's not even talk about those places. Just look at us now. Look at the houses we have in the county. Dad, you still have to keep an eye on your little courtyard from time to time; the courtyard in the production team too. And Sister Yang's courtyard in the south... It would be so much better to live in a big courtyard..."

Li Long laughed, Gu Boyuan laughed, and even Gu Xiaoyu laughed.

Gu Xiaoyu's smile was still full of envy. Her older sister was very well protected and her life was smooth sailing. She had basically never encountered any major troubles, so she didn't seem to have as clear a vision of the future as her father and brother-in-law.

“Each generation has its own responsibilities,” Li Long said after thinking for a moment. “We have come from the countryside to the county town, and we have also benefited from the reform and opening-up period, and made some money.”

It's like we've laid a solid foundation for Li Juan, Li Qiang, Mingming, and Haohao. When they pass the exams, they can climb to even higher levels by standing on our shoulders.

As the old saying goes, all roads lead to Rome. But some people never reach Rome in their lifetime, while others are born in Rome. Xiaoyu probably understands this best.

What later generations could easily use as a source of amusement is now considered a startling and thought-provoking golden quote.

The three members of the Gu family, father and daughters, pondered Li Long's words for a while before Gu Xiaoyu said admiringly:

"Brother-in-law, did you really not even graduate from high school? I feel like even our professors wouldn't say something so philosophical!"

Li Long, feeling embarrassed, shook his head and said with a smile:

"Even a fool can have a stroke of genius. I just read novels a lot and occasionally piece together some sentences. By the way, let's talk about houses, Xiaoyu. Do you know how much a courtyard house costs in Yanjing these days?"

Being praised by Gu Xiaoyu, a graduate of Peking University, made Li Long feel a little proud and smug. However, he knew his own level. Some of his sentences from later generations were indeed quite amazing, but he only had so much knowledge. If he said too much, he would inevitably expose his ignorance. Let's get down to business.

"You want to buy a courtyard house?" Gu Xiaoyu was a little surprised. "Is it because you're used to living in such a big courtyard? Or... courtyard houses in Yanjing aren't cheap. Those near the center of Chang'an Avenue cost tens of thousands! And those with four or five courtyards are even more expensive..." "I don't want those. Even if I could afford them, I couldn't afford them." Li Long was very self-aware. Buying a one- or two-courtyard house and keeping a low profile was fine. Buying those famous courtyard houses that were originally Ming and Qing dynasty princely residences or owned by important figures—was he looking for trouble?
If one's "sphere of influence" doesn't even extend beyond the county, then being a Jianglong (a powerful figure in the Jiangdong region) in a place like Yanjing (Beijing) would definitely get you killed.

"I'm thinking of buying one or two small courtyards in a normal location. It's best if the courtyard is small and there aren't many tenants, so there won't be any trouble. Then I'll find someone to renovate the courtyard, fix the water and electricity, and it would be best to restore it in an antique style. We can't go there often, so Xiaoyu, you can live there and help us keep an eye on it from time to time, and find someone to clean it."

Although he was considered to have some money in the county, Li Long was truly self-aware.

My abilities and money may seem insignificant to ordinary people, but they mean nothing to those important figures.

Therefore, he only thinks about what he can do. There are many courtyard houses of all sizes in Yanjing City, so buying one or two inconspicuous ones probably won't attract much attention.

After all, Li Long didn't plan to buy property near scenic spots, in the city center, or next to important locations. He definitely wouldn't touch the kind of courtyard house near the Forbidden City that a certain famous actor, Li, mentioned.

With his current financial resources, buying a courtyard house is no problem. He doesn't want to buy a small courtyard like the one owned by Zhang Damin, the talkative guy. The family compounds of his second brother's workplace in Kuitun are like that, and Li Long doesn't like them.

“If that’s the case, it should be easier to buy one,” Gu Xiaoyu said after thinking for a moment. “A few months ago, a colleague in our research office bought a house. It wasn’t a traditional courtyard house, just a regular small house, and it cost more than five thousand yuan.”

He said he had his eye on a courtyard house, but thought it would be too difficult to maintain, so he didn't buy it. The courtyard house he was interested in was currently unoccupied; the original owner was selling it directly, reportedly to save money for going abroad. The price was over nine thousand.

This price was within Li Long's budget. In his previous life, he had heard a video from a collector who owned a private museum, Mr. Jing, say that in the 1980s and early 1990s, the price of a courtyard house was roughly around 10,000 yuan, depending on the location, condition, size, and the specific details inside—of course, this referred to ordinary courtyard houses.

Even if Li Long sold the Yonghe Palace now, he still couldn't afford it.

“But brother-in-law, I know the price, but I can’t buy it for you.” Gu Xiaoyu said seriously, “Buying a house is a big deal. I can’t make the decision for you. It’s best if you go and buy it yourselves. I can help you inquire and find a real estate agent. After you buy it, I can also help you take care of the house and the furnishings. But I can’t do the buying itself.”

Li Long thought about it and agreed. Buying a house was simple for him, but for most people in this era, it was a huge deal, especially buying a house in Yanjing—would the people in the Fourth Squad think he was crazy if they heard he bought a house in Yanjing?

Buying a house so far away and then not living in it yourself, isn't that crazy?

In fact, Li Long not only wanted to buy a house in Yanjing, but also in Wucheng. Most middle-aged people in northern Xinjiang have a strong belief that while they allow their children to go to university elsewhere, they hope that their children will return to northern Xinjiang to work and live after graduating.

Of course, this isn't about building up northern Xinjiang; that's a bit of an overstatement. The main reason is probably that, firstly, their children grew up in northern Xinjiang, and even though they spent four years studying at university elsewhere, their lifestyle habits are still rooted there; secondly, they also hope their children are near them—even if not near them, it would be nice if they were in Urumqi.

Therefore, Wucheng's housing prices will be among the slowest to decline in the next 30 to 40 years, including the years when prices begin to fall, which is somewhat unconventional.

Buying houses in the county from the township, buying houses in the prefecture from the county, and buying houses in Wucheng from the prefecture will become a common practice in northern Xinjiang in the future.

However, many of those who went to university settled in other provinces. Li Qiang's class came from all over the country.

So it's just an expectation of parents in this era.

That's what he was thinking. As for the money to buy a house—according to that Mr. Jing at the time, he lost over 400,000 yuan while filming. Li Long thought that if he wanted to, he might be able to squeeze it out himself.

Of course, it's unnecessary. Having one or two properties in Yanjing is enough. There's no need to buy more. It's an investment, but not a real investment.

Since Gu Xiaoyu wasn't buying, Li Long thought for a moment and said to Gu Boyuan and Gu Xiaoxia:
"How about... we take a trip to Yanjing before the New Year? We can take care of this matter while we're at it?"

As he said this, he winked at Gu Xiaoxia.

Gu Xiaoxia wasn't stupid; she immediately understood what she meant and asked hesitantly:
"Is this... okay?"

Gu Boyuan also considered that possibility, shook his head and said:
"You guys go, I won't go."

Gu Xiaoyu only realized what her father meant when she heard his words. She actually wanted him to go, but what could he do? Over the years, she had only heard bad things about her father and complaints about him from her mother.

My mother remarried, but my father never did. My mother is relatively happy now. As for my father? He's probably happy too, but he always feels guilty.

So what's the point of going? To meet them? I definitely wouldn't want to. And what would be the point of meeting them anyway? It's better not to meet them.

"You can go see the flag-raising ceremony, visit the Forbidden City, and the Summer Palace..." Li Long wanted to persuade him further, but he didn't say anything more.

He had also considered this question. If he went, and the distance became closer, should he meet or not?

“Mingming’s dad, you definitely have to go,” Gu Boyuan said. “If you really want to buy a house, you need to see it in person. By the way, I’m giving Xiaoyu some money so she can buy a house herself. You can help her look around when the time comes.”

Gu Xiaoyu thought about her father mentioning giving her money, and she wondered if her sister would be angry.

But when he looked at Gu Xiaoxia, he found that she showed no displeasure whatsoever, and was speaking to Li Long:
"Yes, yes, we should show it to Xiaoyu too, so she can feel at ease staying here."

My sister is indeed very well taken care of; she didn't even react when her father gave her money.

She was naturally unaware that Li Long had offered Gu Boyuan a share of the profits, which Gu Boyuan had refused a significant portion of; Li Long had mentioned this to Gu Xiaoxia.

Her family had plenty of money, and even giving her father 20% was too much for him. Although Gu Xiaoxia thought it was indeed a lot of money, it was still rightfully her father's.
Of course, the money can't possibly cover it all. I've always been with my father, but my sister has never experienced true fatherly love. It's perfectly normal and appropriate for me to make up for it with money now.

"Go and tell your older brother and sister-in-law that if they really want to go to Beijing for fun and buy a house, they should bring Juan and Qiangqiang along. Let them see Beijing, and Xiaoyu can show them around the universities. That way, they can be encouraged and maybe they'll be able to get into a university there after they get into high school."

Yenching University has many universities, not just Tsinghua and Peking University. Li Long hadn't considered that Li Juan and Li Qiang, including Mingming and Haohao later on, could apply to those two universities. Other universities could also apply, and of course, it wouldn't be a problem to get into Xi'an, Shanghai, or other provinces.

It's just a hypothetical scenario right now; it's still early.

The topic was dropped. Li Long didn't say much either; he felt they should give the Gu family father and daughter more space, since they had been reunited after a long separation and had plenty to talk about.

But Gu Xiaoyu didn't seem to think that way. She continued talking about the current situation in Yanjing City, such as some teachers taking unpaid leave to start their own businesses, and some people valuing money more than their careers.

Li Long could tell she was testing him, wanting to hear his thoughts on the future. Perhaps his brother-in-law, this man, had his own unique insights into the development of the times?

“If you need money, Dad has it here,” Gu Boyuan said. “Just do your job well and be down-to-earth. We don’t need that kind of money. There’s no need to risk your secure job. Many people already envy your job. Don’t be too ambitious.” When it comes to money, Gu Boyuan is more confident now.

Gu Xiaoyu looked at Li Long. Wasn't her brother-in-law also working hard to earn money? What would he do?
“Uncle Gu is right,” Li Long said. “It’s normal for young people to be impetuous, but it’s better to work hard than to just talk all day.”

Li Long felt that he was not suited to lecturing. After all, they were all young and about the same age, and even if he talked to them, they might not listen. So he decided to say less.

(End of this chapter)