Five years of marriage, always separated [1970s]

Wei Jianshe introduced Qian Xiaoru's family to Ye Fan, then introduced Ye Fan to his father-in-law's family, and finally asked Ye Fan to sit down.

Ye Fan sat down and completely shattered Qian's father's hopes, and he had to admit that she was the teacher's wife.

However, Ye Fan behaved very cordially, and the Qian family members became nervous instead. Even the outspoken eldest sister-in-law of the Qian family did not dare to say anything, and they did not dare to eat the Beijing-style shredded pork and roast duck without eating.

Qian Xiaoru's mother secretly looked at Ye Fan several times, and almost said, "This young wife is so pretty!"

Qian's father usually kept quiet at the dinner table, but he was especially silent today because he was worried that he didn't understand the rules of the place and might say something inappropriate and offend Ye Fan, which would also implicate his son-in-law.

Qian Xiaoru's brother's two children are also very quiet and well-behaved. You can tell at a glance that they have been given instructions by their elders.

Ye Fan had heard Wei Jianshe complain about his "sister-in-law being nagging", and was surprised to see her acting so abnormal. He was also happy for Wei Jianshe, because the more cautious they were with him, the more it showed that they cared about Wei Jianshe as their son-in-law.

Although the Qian family didn't talk much, the atmosphere in the private room was not dull. Wei Jianshe's father also came. He and Ye Fan were old neighbors, so he didn't think she was out of his reach and chatted with her from time to time.

After dinner, the group went out, and Wei's father reminded Ye Fan to "go to Jianshe's wedding day."

What this means is that all of Ye Fan's family members will go over to the banquet.

Ye Fan smiled and nodded, then asked, "How do you get back, Uncle Wei?"

Old Wei wanted to ride in Ye Fan's car, but he couldn't just leave his in-laws behind. If they all got in, Ye Fan's car wouldn't be able to accommodate so many people, so he told Ye Fan to go first.

After Ye Fan left, Old Wei asked his son, "When can our family buy a car?"

Wei Jianshe could afford it, so he deliberately said unhappily: "A car costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. Even if we sell our house and shop, we still can't afford it!"

Old Wei was puzzled: "How come people can afford it when you two are doing business together?"

"How much do they have? How much do I have?" Wei Jianshe asked, "If I hadn't pestered Brother Xiao Ming and he had to take me with him, I would still be setting up a street stall now."

When Old Wei saw his son was angry, he quickly said, "I just said it casually. I didn't mean anything else. Where do we take the bus?"

Wei Jianshe glanced at his father helplessly and led everyone to the bus stop.

Ye Fan did not go home but went to the store. Business was good on Chinese Valentine's Day. More than a dozen gifts attracted dozens of people and a quarter of the stock was sold. Yesterday was the weekend and there were many people on the street, so they must have sold more. Ye Fan asked Yu Ginkgo if he wanted to restock.

Yu Yinxing was in a good mood because she had calculated how much commission she could get this month. She smiled when she saw Ye Fan and said, "You're not busy in the morning, I've figured it out." After saying that, she handed the account book to her.

Ye Fan took a quick look and said, "I thought I wouldn't have to go south recently."

Yu Ginkgo: "Can't we ask them to send it over?"

Ye Fan shook his head, "Too slow. It will take at least a week. Besides, if we ask them to pick out clothes, they will definitely think everything is good. In fact, the temperature and climate in the north and south are very different in terms of clothing styles. It's summer over there now, and people in the capital have to wear coats in the morning. If the early autumn styles they picked are sent to the capital, people in the capital can wear sweaters."

"Yes." Yu Yinxing recalled what her husband had said before. She didn't expect that there were green trees in the south in winter. When the sun came out, it was like spring in the north at noon. People in the south certainly couldn't imagine how cold the north was. "Sister-in-law, can Jianshe go alone?"

Ye Fan shook his head: "Let's go together and bring a few more sales staff. If there is business, ask them to deliver the goods. If there is no business, ask them to go to the mold factory to ask when to test the mold."

Yu Yinxing didn't understand and wanted to ask what the trial model was about, but she felt that she couldn't understand even if Ye Fan kindly explained it, so she asked directly: "Are you going to recruit a few more people?"

Ye Fan nodded: "Xiao Ming is hiring two employees, so he doesn't have to be in the store every day. If I'm not free, he and Jianshe can go too."

"What about Jianshe's store? Oh, his wife can keep an eye on it."

Ye Fan: "That's right. To watch over a store and collect money, you need to be not only smart, but also honest. And honest people are rarely smart."

Yu Ginkgo thought about her close relatives. The eldest son of her eldest cousin was still in school, and the eldest son of her eldest cousin was about the same age as Dabao, but he was a naughty kid with high expectations but poor skills.

Yu Yinxing wanted to sigh, what a bunch of losers, unable to take advantage of opportunities right in front of them: "My third cousin's uncle's grandchildren are not young anymore, right? They are closer to Xiao Ming's shop than us. If their workplace is not that good, they should be willing to go over and give it a try, right?"

Ye Fan smiled bitterly: "Geng Zhiye's cousins ​​don't like me."

"Why? Didn't my aunt say that you go to his uncle's house every year?"

Ye Fan nodded: "Several elders like Dabao and Erbao very much. This year, when Dabao came, his aunt stuffed New Year's money into his pocket, and habitually said that she would leave some for Dabao to buy candy. Maybe because several elders like us, the children have a lot of complaints about us."

Yu Ginkgo: "You are just a relative. Even if you like you, how many times can you visit them in a year? Can you compete with them for favor?"

"It's a long story. When I bought my first house, my aunt wondered why I didn't rent one. I explained to them that renting was not as good as buying. My aunt supported me in buying a house. Later, after I graduated from Peking University, I didn't work for a state-owned enterprise or a research institute. Instead, I traded goods between the north and the south. Her children thought I was embarrassing and that I only cared about money. The original words were, "You are short-sighted!" The house my aunt and my younger aunt bought had appreciated a few years ago, so they renovated the small, dilapidated house and sold it to buy a bigger one. They spent all their savings. Coincidentally, my granddaughter and granddaughter grew up and needed a house. Their children asked them to borrow money, but they didn't have money and didn't want to sell the courtyard house to buy a building. The children thought it was me who instigated them."

"Because the old man learned how to buy a house from you?"

Ye Fan: "Yes! They think that old men and women don't understand housing prices. If they hadn't listened to me about buying a house, they wouldn't have thought of buying a courtyard house when they already have a house to live in. In their opinion, a courtyard house can't compare to a building with a water heater and a toilet. A building has bright windows and clean tables. Living in a building is spotless and makes you look superior. They originally had the opportunity to live in a new building, but because of me, they wanted to live in a spacious house so they could only live in a courtyard house and give the house allocated by the company to their children as a wedding house."

Ye Fan knew nothing about these things before.

This year's Spring Festival was not pleasant. My aunt's husband passed away, so she felt this year was particularly bleak. When she saw Ye Fan, she said, "I'm not afraid that you'll know..." and then she said a lot.

The aunt asked Ye Fan if she was wrong and whether she should sell the courtyard house and buy a building. Ye Fan asked directly, "When one of your grandchildren got married, you sold your house and bought two. What else will you sell when your grandchildren get married in the future?"

Two years ago, my aunt and uncle moved into the spacious courtyard house with my younger aunt. The side rooms were all empty, so there was enough space for their three grandchildren to live there when they got married.

If they sold the big courtyard house, they would feel cramped if they moved back to the small and old house. Some elderly people would sacrifice themselves for the future of their grandchildren, and my aunt also felt that she was old and could make do with a small house for a few years. Besides, she had lived in a small house for most of her life and was used to it. But when she thought of her children's attitude, she didn't want to go along with them.

Ye Fan asked this again, and my aunt decided not to move.

My aunt-in-law was very worried: "We are old and can't move anymore, will they ignore us?"

Ye Fan said, "You three all have salaries. You use one person's salary to hire a live-in nanny, one person's salary for daily life, and one person's salary for medical treatment and medicine. It's not as comfortable as having your children around. Besides, when you can't move, they will be in their sixties or seventies. Will they still have the energy to serve you? They may even need you to serve them."

My aunt agreed with me: "Fanfan is right. Don't count on your grandchildren. They work every day, and when they finally get a day off, they don't get enough sleep. How can they have time to take care of us?"

From then on, the elderly were not afraid of falling out with their children. Their attitude was tough, and the children were worried that the elderly would leave their property to Geng Zhiye before they passed away.

Geng Zhiye lived with his uncle for a few years when he was a child. His uncle and aunt treated him as their own son, so it was possible that they decided to take turns to go back and visit the old man.

Ye Fan told Yu Yinxing about the follow-up, and Yu Yinxing asked, "You are not sincere when you visit the old man, right?"

"Yes. But my aunt-in-law is easily soft-hearted and believes that parents and children should not hold grudges overnight. Seeing that they come here frequently, she not only does not allow them to buy things, but also gives them money. As a result, one of the younger generations lost his temper and asked who the house would be left to after her death."

Yu Ginkgo was shocked: "——My dad would break my legs."

Ye Fan said, "It's okay to joke around. Dabao is busy at school and would say, 'Mom, your money belongs to Erbao and me, can I just sit there and do nothing and wait to die?' I would say 'Sure.' Because I could tell that Dabao was just complaining. But he was very serious when he asked, and my aunt almost fainted from anger."

"What happened next? Is my aunt okay?"

Ye Fan: "It's okay. I went to Xiushui Market a few days ago. I bought some things because I hadn't seen them for half a year. My aunt-in-law told me about this and said angrily that she would not leave it to them. I said it was okay and she could make a will in advance. Because if there is a will, it depends on the will. If there is no will, it will be divided according to the inheritance law. If my aunt-in-law really makes a will, they will think that I instigated it. Do you think I can use their family members?"

Yu Ginkgo shook his head. If they held a grudge, using them would be like inviting a wolf into the house.

"Third aunt said that third cousin's uncle and aunt are nice, why is the younger generation like this?"

Ye Fan: "Maybe I was too accommodating to them in the past, and they became more selfish than each other. It's not like they suddenly became like this. Ten years ago, when we bought our first house, my aunt also wanted to buy one. At that time, houses were really cheap, and she and my uncle had saved more than they could spend. Her children said she was getting old and confused."

"If my parents have a pension, I don't care what they do as long as they don't do anything stupid," said Yu Ginkgo.

Ye Fan thought for a moment: "My uncle is in poor health, maybe they are afraid that the money will be used up. My uncle suddenly became seriously ill and needs them to pay for medical expenses. But this is just my guess. Maybe they just thought it was unnecessary before, and now they are making such a fuss because they think that the building is more comfortable than the courtyard house. The elders don't know how to enjoy the good life, and they have to endure the hardship without knowing how to suffer."

Yu Yinxing is much younger than Ye Fan, and she is too young to understand the elderly, but her parents are old, so she knows why the elderly like courtyard houses: "Don't you see how old they are? Can they climb the stairs?" Ye Fan nodded: "My aunt doesn't like to go to her son's house. Her daughter-in-law thinks she is still angry about the house because she has to use a cane every time she goes there."

"My father is the same. He would rather go back to the village than live in the city." Yu Yinxing wanted to say something, but when he saw two guests coming in, Ye Fan said, "You go ahead and get busy."

Ye Fan went to the office and told them that he would be on a business trip in a few days. She then went to the research institute and asked them to contact the injection molding workshop and then the assembly workshop.

The leader of the research institute had more connections in this regard than Ye Fan, and he called Ye Fan back a few days later to ask for her help. At that time, she could directly discuss the production and assembly costs with the leaders of several state-owned units.

This research institute can get dividends, and the dividends are research funds. The leaders have to pay attention to it, so they reminded Ye Fan on the phone to find an accountant to calculate the costs.

Ye Fan told her leader that her nephew graduated from the School of Finance and Economics. The leader hung up the phone with relief. When they met their colleagues in the cafeteria at noon, the leader couldn't help but sigh that Ye Fan had a wide network of contacts and could get anyone she wanted.

After returning from the south, the goods were distributed and it was close to Wei Jianshe's wedding. Ye Fan taught Wei Jianshe how to drive every day because he had to go to the studio to pick up Qian Xiaoru and take her to the hotel.

One weekend, Dabao saw him and wanted to learn how to drive. Ye Fan said without hesitation, "I'll teach you during the winter vacation."

Dabao was surprised and delighted: "Keep your word!"

"Your mother didn't have to lie to you."

"Aren't you afraid that I'll crash the car?"

Ye Fan: "As long as he's alright."

"Mom!" Dabao hugged Ye Fan excitedly. Ye Fan staggered backwards after being hit by the big guy, and grabbed his ears in anger: "Get up!"

Dabao pushed her hand away and asked, "Are you okay? I, I was too excited."

"It's just a car!" Ye Fan gave him a slap on the face. "Look at how old you are. And you're still trying to jump on me. Can I hold you?"

Dabao's face finally turned red.

There was laughter behind him, and Dabao turned around and glared: "Have you found a house?"

The visitor was Chu Guangming, who was anxious to buy a house. "I've got it, but I don't have time to decorate it. Aunt Ye, are the people who are helping you decorate the house busy?"

Ye Fan nodded: "Help me install the water and electricity toilet in my company."

"Your business is more important. I can install it next year." Chu Guangming came to Dabao and asked, "Can I use your computer?"

Dabao: "Give me money?"

Chu Guangming felt suffocated.

"…I'll scratch you to death!"

Dabao smiled and hugged his neck as if they were good brothers: "Brother is just teasing you."

"I am older than you!"

"Brother, I'm just kidding you."

Chu Guangming couldn't refute this. Dabao was really his senior brother.

Dabao hugged him into the yard.

Yu Wentao was just about to ask Ye Fan what he wanted to eat for lunch when she saw them and asked them what they wanted to eat.

During the autumn fattening season, Dabao has a good appetite: "Grandma, do we have pork elbows in the refrigerator? Let's simmer some."

Yu Wentao: "No. I went to the vegetable market—"

Dabao interrupted: "Let's go. Chu Guangming, I'll buy the groceries and you pay."

"Why?"

Dabao: "You can eat at my house."

Chu Guangming was very happy: "I can go to the restaurant."

"That won't work!" Dabao took the basket of vegetables handed to him by Geng Huihui, hooked his neck and walked out.

Geng Huihui subconsciously asked, "Did you get the money?"

Dabao blurted out: "I have light!"

Ye Fan was speechless.

Seeing this, Dabao stopped and said, "Mom, do you think I'm going too far? Then you can help me with some money."

Chu Guangming has money now, and it is possible that he paid the bill because of Dabao's joke. Ye Fan thought of this and opened his handbag. Dabao's eyes lit up, and he let go of Chu Guangming, took out two hundred-dollar bills, and ran away with Chu Guangming.

Chu Guangming staggered, reminding him to slow down, and asked, "Are you just waiting for Aunt Ye to despise you so that you can take the opportunity to ask her for money?"

"My mother wants me to be her, so I can't refuse it."

"Didn't you steal it?"

"How can you say you robbed your mother's money?"

……

Dabao's voice drifted into the courtyard with the autumn wind. Geng Huihui asked, "Aunt, has your son ever been short of money since he was a child?"

Ye Fan shook his head slightly: "No! But my son has been stingy since he was a child!"

"...But he is quite loyal!" Geng Huihui really didn't know how to complain about her cousin.

Ye Fan laughed: "Hurry up and do the laundry. By the way, you and Sen Sen, don't forget to take half a day off to be Wei Jianshe's best man and bridesmaid."

Geng Huihui: "Weren't there people around him who were about his age in the neighborhood before?"

Yu Wentao can answer this question: No! People who are a few years older or younger than him are all married.

When Yu Wentao got married, she just got a marriage certificate. She didn't know the rules for best man and bridesmaid. Wei Jianshe insisted that only unmarried men and women could be best man and bridesmaid. After searching around, Huihui and Sensen were the most satisfactory.

Geng Huihui saw her grandma shaking her head and sighed, "Then I'll go back and find another teacher to teach me."

Geng Sensen asked: "Is half a day enough?"

Ye Fan: "That's enough. I'll take you to work after dinner."

Geng Sensen waved his hands repeatedly, and the clothes he threw into the washing machine fell to the ground: "Don't go! Don't go! I have been in the company for less than two years, and three leaders have already introduced me to potential partners. If I see you driving me home again, I will go on blind dates every weekend!"

(End of this chapter)