Outsider: The Fifth Young Master of the Kang Family

Chapter 189: New Year Red Packet
The Spring Festival in 2003 was not much different from previous years. On New Year's Eve, we put up couplets and had New Year's Eve dinner. On the first day, we visited the flower street and visited the elders. On the second day, we went back to my parents' home. On the third day, we started various gatherings. Everything seemed to be just going through the motions. Perhaps this is why the New Year atmosphere becomes less and less present the older we get.

"Where's Xiguan Pao? Didn't he say he was very rich? It's only three thousand yuan. It seems that no one can compare to me in terms of profits this year."

Tianxiu, who had just returned from a visit to Chaoshan with his parents, started calling his classmates as soon as he entered the house to find out how much money everyone had received during the Chinese New Year. After he hung up the phone, he said proudly, "Mommy, they acted like rich people after receiving only a small amount of money, but I didn't say a word even after receiving more than 7,000 yuan."

Tianxiu is qualified to complain. As the saying goes, there is a difference between Fujian and Guangdong. Ersao is from Chaoshan, which is more in line with the culture of the neighboring Minnan region. The New Year's money is basically over a thousand. In Guangdong, the general New Year's money is about 5 or 10 yuan. That is to say, Tianxiu's classmates may not receive 100 red envelopes as much as he received one at his grandparents' house.

"Yes, yes, look at you showing off." The second sister-in-law didn't think there was anything to be proud of. She had been living like this since she was a child.

"Achan, have you read the newspaper?" Da Lao Guang suddenly asked. The second sister-in-law shook her head. She had so many things to do during the New Year that she didn't have time to read that thing. "What's it about?"

"The newspaper said that many children don't know how to use the red envelope money properly. Some of them spent it on playing video games, and some even used it to treat their classmates to dinner in hotel rooms." The big man just talked about the information he read in the newspaper.

The second sister-in-law interrupted him angrily, "Hey, hey, hey, uncle, be careful not to teach my son bad things. Tianxiu is a poor boy who is not good at other things, but he learns this the fastest."

The boss was at a loss for words. He just repeated the news in the newspaper, how could he be considered as a bad boy? He said helplessly: "I'm not trying to be a bad boy, I'm just reminding you. More than 7,000 yuan is two months' salary for an ordinary worker. How can you let him keep it for himself?"

"Uncle, don't worry. Uncle only gave me the small ones. He deposited the big ones in my passbook, and said he would give them back to me when I grow up." Tianxiu's words made Da Laoguang feel relieved. He nodded and went back to his room.

Although Er Lao looks cunning and treacherous, he is actually a very good son, husband, brother and father. Without saying anything else, he opened a bank account for Tianxiu when he was just born, and transferred money into it every month. All the red envelopes that Tianxiu has received since he was a child have been deposited into it.

This bank account is the greatest guarantee that Erlao, the father, gives to Tianxiu. Up to now, there are more than 50,000 yuan in his account, and Erlao did not touch a penny of the money even when he was in the most difficult time.

But the second brother didn't touch the money, so someone else wanted to do it.

On the evening of February 2, the second brother returned to the Kang family with an angry look on his face and shouted loudly: "Kang Tianxiu, get out here." After his shout, not only did Tianxiu walk out of the room nervously, but everyone else also came to the living room with curiosity on their faces.

"Let me ask you, where did you eat lunch today?" Er Lao's question made Tian Xiu relax. He thought something was wrong. So he answered with a relaxed look, "I bought two fried chicken wings and a hamburger for lunch today."

"Do you want to die? These are all caused by bombs. Do you want to get sick?" The second sister-in-law scolded angrily.

Er Lao glared at Ersao, "Is this the right time to talk about this?" He turned to Tian Xiu and asked, "Fried chicken wings, right? Hamburgers, right?" Er Lao's true intentions were exposed, "How come there is 500 yuan missing from this passbook? Even if you eat these things every day for the first week of school, you can't spend yuan. Tell me, where did you spend it?"

"I, I, I" Tianxiu stammered and couldn't speak, which made Erlao even angrier. He started to take off his belt directly, "You still haven't said it yet, right?"

Tian Xiu was so scared that he hid behind Zhu Wanling. Zhu Wanling held him and said to Er Lao, "Uncle Er, calm down. What can Xiuzi do? At most, he bought chicken wings and burgers and invited his classmates to eat together."

"Yes, yes, dad, I didn't do anything bad. They just followed me to McDonald's and asked me to treat everyone, so I treated everyone. I really didn't do anything else." Tianxiu nodded and told the truth tremblingly.

"Hmph, I'm telling you, this passbook will be with me from now on, and you don't have to think about the money in it anymore." Er Lao thought for a while and decided, "Your school is only a few steps away from your uncle's workplace. Starting from next Monday, you can have lunch at the canteen of your uncle's workplace. Ah Yao?"

"It doesn't matter, I'll get him a meal card." A Yao nodded. "Did you hear me? From now on, you can use the meal card to eat, and when you run out of money, your parents will give money to your uncle to top up for you." This time, Er Lao completely deprived Tian Xiu of the right to spend money and only gave him a meal card.

The second brother took out two hundred yuan from his wallet and handed it to A Yao, asking, "Is this enough for a meal card?"

"That's enough, enough for a month." A Yao took the money. Their canteen was not the kind that was contracted out to a private person, but was owned by the unit. There was no profit target, so the main selling point was good quality and low price, and basically the cost price was charged.

A Yao waved at Tian Xiu and said, "I will help you apply for the card after work on Monday. When you come to the security booth at the door at noon, I will find you and take you to the cafeteria."

Tianxiu's eyes rolled, and he suddenly had an idea. He asked the second brother tentatively: "Dad, why don't you buy me a mobile phone? I'm afraid I won't be able to find my third uncle when the time comes."

"What did you say?" The second brother had just sat down to drink tea, but he jumped up and said in disbelief: "Buy you a mobile phone for lunch? Do you want a laptop?"

"Okay, okay." Tianxiu didn't hear the sarcasm in the second brother's tone.

At that time, mobile phones were still very expensive. The Nokia 3650, which was just launched this month, was priced at 3999 yuan. The "Guangdong National Economic and Social Development Statistical Bulletin" released this month showed that the current average monthly salary of Guangzhou employees was 2092 yuan.

There are not many people in the Kang family who have mobile phones. Only the mother, the second brother, A Yao, Xingzi, A Zu, Diana, Kang Qirui and Zhu Wanling have mobile phones. The mother was a gift from everyone on her birthday, and the others bought mobile phones only because they really needed them for work. And they rarely use mobile phones. If possible, they still use the landline at home.

"Son, don't you have a magnetic card? Make a magnetic card call." The second sister-in-law hasn't bought a mobile phone herself.

"The magnetic card phone is always broken, and there are so many people waiting in line." Tian Xiu was unyielding and still wanted a mobile phone. He added: "Besides, sometimes I come back late, and it will be easier for you to find me."

"Hey, what about that?" The second brother hesitated and asked for the second sister-in-law's opinion. The second sister-in-law thought about it and nodded: "Having a mobile phone is more convenient. You have used your mobile phone for two years. Why don't you buy a new one and give the old one to Tianxiu."

"I don't want it. I want a phone like my uncle's that can play games. I want a new phone." Tianxiu was getting more and more demanding. Kang Qirui couldn't help but slap him. "You poor boy, your dad didn't buy you a phone for you to play games. If it were you, I would just buy him a PHS."

The second brother and his wife looked at each other, wondering why they hadn't thought of that. The second brother smiled and said, "It's settled then. I'm telling you, don't pout, it's up to you whether you want it or not." He glared at Tianxiu.

"Hmph, you are so unlucky, uncle." Tianxiu was furious because he didn't get the phone. Kang Qirui pulled him into his arms and said in a pretended angry tone, "Oh, you unlucky boy, if it weren't for me, you wouldn't even have a PHS. You still blame me? You should thank me, right?"

"Tsk, if you didn't say anything, I would at least get my dad's old phone. Give it back to me and thank you, do you think I'm stupid?" Tian Xiu retorted.

"You don't understand this. I'll tell you in secret." Kang Qirui whispered something in Tianxiu's ear. Tianxiu was pleasantly surprised and asked, "Really?"

Kang Qirui nodded and kept looking at him. Tianxiu was stared at for a while before he reacted: "Thank you, Uncle Yao."

(End of this chapter)