Rebirth of Bayi Fishing and Hunting in the Northwest

Chapter 929 Discussing this matter with my elder brother's family—who should pay for it?

Gu Xiaoyu's school was on holiday, so she was able to take a long leave. She originally planned to stay for two days and then go back, but because Li Long suddenly brought up the matter of buying a house in Yanjing, and also wanted to take the children there for a visit, she decided to stay a few more days.

However, she returned the guesthouse room and moved into the compound.

In her words, the place is spacious, lively, and Sister Yang's cooking is delicious, so why not stay here?

Besides, it's convenient to live here, since my father comes over every day, and my sister is here too.

Gu Boyuan still didn't go to work in the afternoon, and Li Long still went to the purchasing station.

The next day, Gu Xiaoxia went to work, while Li Long drove his jeep to the fourth team.

Gu Xiaoyu still asked about the Jeep parked in Li Long's yard.

Although there are many cars on the streets of Yanjing, Gu Xiaoyu still knows a thing or two about Jeeps, which are cars that clearly represent status.

Gu Boyuan provided an explanation, which was, of course, the truthful one.

"You mean, this was traded for a tiger skin?" Gu Xiaoyu was quite surprised. "There are tigers in the Northern Frontier?"

Many people are unaware that tigers once existed in northern Xinjiang. By the time the information spread and everyone learned that tigers once roamed the region, they were already virtually extinct.

“Yes, they are less common than Siberian tigers, and smaller in size, so their hides are more valuable here,” Gu Boyuan said. “Of course, nominally this vehicle still belongs to the Beiting Prefecture Supply and Marketing Cooperative, but it was assigned to your brother-in-law. Now, everyone is gradually realizing that, after all, it has been used for two or three years.”

Gu Xiaoyu nodded. The news was somewhat shocking, but it also deepened her understanding of Li Long.

Even if he didn't kill the tiger, the fact that he managed to get the tiger skin is quite an achievement.

Li Dabenshi?

Thinking about this nickname, Gu Xiaoyu smiled.

Today, she was helping Sister Yang take care of Mingming and Haohao. Mingming and Haohao were also very curious about this new aunt who looked a lot like her mother, so they got along quite well. This even made Gu Xiaoyu have a slight thought in her heart: should she get married and have a cute child?
Will I have twins?

A blush spread across her cheeks; she was a little shy, and then she started thinking, "Is there anyone suitable?"
When Li Long arrived at the Fourth Squad, he told his parents, elder brother, and sister-in-law about Gu Xiaoyu's arrival.

Li Qingxia and Du Chunfang didn't react much, but Li Jianguo and Liang Yuemei were deeply moved.

They had worked alongside Gu Boyuan to build their village. Li Jianguo had known Gu Boyuan before he got married; they were both founding members of the village. After their marriage, Liang Yuemei would occasionally take care of Gu Xiaoxia, treating her like a niece, if not her daughter.

Now that we know about Gu Boyuan's family situation, how can we not feel emotional? We are happy for the father and daughter's reunion, but also saddened by Gu Boyuan's wife's remarriage.

Of course, this is just a reflection; they can't interfere in other people's lives, and everyone has the right to make their own choices. Given the circumstances at the time, Gu Xiaoxia's mother's choice cannot be considered wrong.

So Li Long simply explained it briefly before revealing his purpose.

"You mean going to Beijing for tourism? The whole family?" Li Jianguo asked, somewhat surprised. "Is this appropriate?"

At that time, people in rural areas of northern Xinjiang did not have the habit of traveling, or rather, it was unlikely that they would even have the idea.

After all, it had only been a few years since we had enough to eat, and even those who went out of the province were mostly visiting relatives in the region.

The school does organize students to go on "spring outings," which basically involve a short trip to Wucheng.

Therefore, when Li Long made this suggestion, the first reaction of Li Qingxia and her husband was to refuse.

"What are you going there for? What's the point of going so far?"

"Exactly, what's so interesting about it? Wouldn't it be better to just stay home and behave yourself?"

Li Jianguo was somewhat tempted. It was going to Yanjing (Beijing), where Tiananmen Square was!
Their generation, including Li Qingxia's generation, came from the old society to the new society and witnessed the country gradually change to its present state.

Therefore, their feelings towards Tiananmen Square are the most complex, and also the most genuine.

Do you want to go see it?
I really want to see it.

On the contrary, although Liang Yuemei also wanted to go, she was unwilling to go.

"With so much going on at home, how can I leave?" Liang Yuemei said. "It's already the twelfth lunar month, and we need to prepare for the New Year. There's still so much to do!"

"We two can stay here, you two go and have a look around." It was rare for Du Chunfang to want her eldest daughter-in-law to go out for a walk with her. She could tell that her two sons definitely wanted to go out for a walk, and since they had the idea and the ability, she supported them.

"Going out would be too much trouble, wouldn't it?" Li Qingxia didn't really want his two sons to go out. Out of respect for places they had never been before and unknown territories, he was a little worried.

“What’s the trouble? Hao Hao’s aunt came over herself, and even made two trips. Our northern border region is not as desolate as Beijing. He’s a girl and he’s not afraid, so why should we be? I was thinking of letting Juan and Qiangqiang go and see Tiananmen Square and the universities in Beijing, so they can apply there.”

Li Long didn't directly say he wanted to buy a house there, because he felt that his parents would definitely not agree, thinking it would be like throwing money away.

They're not going to live there, so why buy a house there? They don't even want Li Juan to go to university; they'd rather she go to a vocational school or a teacher's college, graduate at eighteen, and start working!

Li Long felt that his niece and nephew should have a brighter future. Although they might have to study for four more years, once they passed the exams, they would become government officials. Moreover, if they did well on the exams, even if they were assigned to a ministry or even an autonomous region, it would still be better than staying in a county.

This was Li Long's idea. He planned to stay in this small county town for the rest of his life, and even if he bought a house in Yanjing, it would be to pave the way for his descendants.

But Li Juan, Li Qiang, Mingming, Hao Hao, and possibly Hongqin, Xueqin, and Xueping, could all go out and venture into a wider world.

Why does he earn so much money? One reason is his own happiness, and another is supporting the younger generation.

Some people may think he's being pretentious, but isn't this how all Chinese people, especially ordinary people at the bottom, have lived?
Some people empty the wallets of eight family members to buy a house, while others have two generations contributing half of their retirement income to let their children live off them.

Although the saying "It's better to become a self-made millionaire than to hope your son becomes a dragon" is a later saying, the Chinese people have been striving in this way for a long time, working hard to provide a better living environment and a better foundation for future development for their descendants.

After Li Long said that, the others fell silent.

Yes, they live well in northern Xinjiang, even better than in the border region. But these adults know that even in some places in the border region where living conditions are far worse than here, northern Xinjiang is still seen as something superior, like the Central Plains looking down on a wild and untamed place. Almost everyone in the border region thinks of the northwest as a harsh and cold land.

If Gu Xiaoyu, a young girl, dared to come here, what reason would they have not to go to Yanjing?

Li Qingxia and Du Chunfang stopped talking, their attitude clear: go if you want, it's not like you can't afford it. They went to the east room, leaving the discussion to the two brothers.

Seeing that his elder brother was already interested but was still hesitant, Li Long decided to add fuel to the fire.

By this time, Li Juan and Li Qiang, who had gone out to play, had returned. They had heard from others that their uncle's jeep had returned, so they rushed back.

In recent years, Li Juan and Li Qiang have been highly respected among the children in the village. On the one hand, they are indeed good at studying and are the "other people's children" in the eyes of adults. On the other hand, they have many toys, a lot of pocket money, know a lot, and are generous, so the other children also respect them.

Of course, Li Juan and Li Qiang admired Li Long the most, so they rushed back as soon as Li Long returned.

"When I go to Yanjing, I'm thinking of showing Juan and Qiangqiang the universities there. If they can get in, I plan to buy a house in Yanjing." Li Long hadn't originally wanted to say this, but fortunately, his parents weren't around, and his older brother and sister-in-law should understand what he was saying.
“They passed the exam and might live on campus, but having a courtyard would be much more convenient. Of course, I also want Mingming and Haohao to try their best to get into Peking University in the future.”

It was, after all, the center of the country, and at least in this era, it was a place many people aspired to go to for their studies—even if they couldn't get in, it was okay to yearn for it.

Unlike later generations, where universities are everywhere, there are many more choices, or rather, more knowledge available.

"What? We're going to Yanjing?" Li Juan and Li Qiang were startled. "Really?" Then they became excited. "Really going? To see Tiananmen Square?"

"The premise is that you can get up. You have to get up at three or four o'clock to watch the flag-raising ceremony," Li Long said half-jokingly. "Otherwise you won't be able to see it."

“Then I won’t sleep tonight!” Li Juan said seriously.

"I'm not sleeping either!" Li Qiang immediately added. "I promise I'll be able to get up by then!"

Li Long smiled and looked at Li Jianguo and Liang Yuemei.

"Isn't there a need to rush?" Although Liang Yuemei was touched by Li Long's explanation that he was buying the house for Li Juan and Li Qiang's schooling, including the possibility of Mingming and Haohao taking the college entrance exam, she was not sure if her two children could get into Yanjing.

"Let's prepare first," Li Long chuckled. "A courtyard in Yanjing costs a few thousand yuan, and it just so happens that Mingming and Haohao's aunt are there and can take care of them. If we had more people, I was thinking of buying houses in Chang'an and Shanghai as well, so that no matter where they go for their exams, they'll have a place to stay."

Then he said to Li Juan and Li Qiang:

"If your parents want you to go, then let you go and see the universities in Yanjing. Try your best to get into those universities in the future, and set an example for Mingming and Haohao. Once you get in, try to settle down there. When Mingming and Haohao get into university, you, as their older sister and brother, will have to take care of them."

Although these words seemed to be for Mingming and Haohao's sake, Li Jianguo and Liang Yuemei certainly understood the actual situation.

The two exchanged a glance and sighed silently once more.

All the things we did before were truly worthwhile; they paid off many times over.

With an uncle like that, Li Juan and Li Qiang's children will have a bright future even if neither of them works hard.

"Definitely!" Li Juan answered earnestly, still reeling from the shock of going to Yanjing.

"Yes, I will definitely take good care of my two younger brothers!" Li Qiang patted his chest and promised, "I swear to Tiananmen Square when the time comes!"

"Hahahaha..." The adults laughed when they heard this.

“If we really want to buy a house, you don’t need to pay for it. I can afford a few thousand yuan myself.” Li Jianguo, the eldest brother, said, “I’ll naturally buy the house for Juan and Qiangqiang!”

"No rush, let's talk about whether you're going or not first," Li Long said, waving his hand.

"Go, why not go?" Liang Yuemei was excited, thinking about what Li Long had said about Li Juan and Li Qiang's future. "Let's go and see, maybe we'll really pass the exam!"

She wasn't confident before, but thinking about the changes in her family over the past few years, could she have imagined it five years ago?

Why can't we think bolder?

“But if you’re going, I won’t go. Your older brother will take Juan and Qiangqiang with you all. I need to stay home and prepare; the two elderly people also need care,” Liang Yuemei said. “You can go without worry; don’t fret about things here.”

Li Jianguo wanted to persuade them, but thinking about the things at home, he realized that if he and his wife were gone, it might not be possible to make it work.

After all, my parents haven't had to worry about anything these past few years. If we really keep the two of them here, the family won't necessarily fall apart, but there will definitely be some problems.

That's pretty much how things were settled.

As for the specific time, it depends on Li Long's trip to Wucheng to buy tickets. Li Jianguo needs to get a certificate, Li Long also needs to get a certificate from the supply and marketing cooperative, and Gu Xiaoxia needs to ask for leave. All these things need to be done in the next two days.

But once the basic framework was set, the rest became much easier. They even started discussing which places to visit once they got there.

Li Long, of course, didn't sit idle either, and made a simple strategy guide based on what he learned from later generations.

“There’s not much to do in winter,” he said first. “We need to watch the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square, so we need to stay somewhere close by. Then we’ll visit universities. You guys take the kids, and Xiaoyu will take you. I’ll go look at some apartments and find out which ones are good…”

Later, Li Long went to Yanjing with a group of elderly people organized by the village. Although he was not very familiar with it, he at least knew some specific places.

Of course, he was thinking about other things during his trip there, such as whether he could expand his business in that direction.
Even if we don't expand, Yanjing has so many good things there, shouldn't we bring some back?
Liang Yuemei went to cook, while Li Long and Li Jianguo continued their discussion.

The final decision was made: including travel time, the trip would take fifteen days—and we'd be back around the 25th or 26th of the twelfth lunar month. That means we'd be staying in Yanjing for about a week—with at least six or seven days spent traveling back and forth.

After discussing it, Li Long went home after lunch. After Liang Yuemei finished tidying up, she glanced at Li Juan and Li Qiang, who were excitedly doing their homework, and whispered to Li Jianguo:
"Then... what about the two from Anguo's family, and Juan's aunt's family? Should we go or not?"

Li Jianguo had also considered this issue, but he ultimately said, "They don't have time. Xiaolong probably thought about it too. As for their side... let's leave it for now."

Li Jianguo's thinking is also gradually changing.

(End of this chapter)