Five years of marriage, always separated [1970s]

Geng Zhiye has always believed that watches are just for telling time, and he never imagined that there are deep-diving waterproof watches. To him, they feel simple and elegant, with a touch of luxury in a low-key manner.

As a former navy officer, it is hard for Geng Zhiye not to like this watch.

Ye Fan could therefore see Geng Zhiye's preferences, and he would definitely like the four watches she chose for him.

Hearing Geng Benben's words, Ye Fan teased, "Your uncle likes expensive things."

"Tsk!" His aunt was talking nonsense again.

As for expensive, as far as he knows, the watch on his uncle's wrist is not cheap either. Ten years ago, it cost more than 100 yuan to buy it with a ticket. Ten years ago, the price of a watch was enough for a family of four to use for half a year, but now it is only enough for citizens in the capital for one month. By this calculation, it is not much cheaper than the watch on his wrist, and it is not as practical as his watch. No wonder his uncle didn't like it before.

Yu Wentao and her grandson had the same idea, "The design is nice. I want to buy one too."

Geng Huihui was happy: "How does grandma wear it?"

"It's just not suitable for me." Yu Wentao looked regretful.

Ye Fan: "It seems there are women's watches."

Yu Wentao shook her head: "How can someone of my age still wear a watch?"

Geng Benben subconsciously asked: "What else should I wear if not a watch?"

Huihui gave her brother a "really stupid" look: "A gold or silver bracelet or a jade bracelet. How many old ladies have you seen wearing watches?"

Geng Benben: "If no one else wears it, grandma will be the first one."

Yu Wentao suspected that her eldest grandson had bad intentions: "Your grandma wanted to go out and chat with others, and didn't want to be the one being chatted with."

Ye Fan reminded: "It's getting late, and the rice is already steamed, should we cook some vegetables for dinner?"

The family went to the kitchen.

The dishes to be cooked tonight are ready, and they are just waiting for Dabao and Sensen to come back. Ye Fan turned on the gas stove, and Erbao helped her. In ten minutes, four dishes were ready.

Dabao came over to serve the dishes immediately, for fear that if he was a little slow his sister would think he was lazy.

After dinner, Dabao and Geng Sensen washed the pots and dishes. Benben wanted to help, but Ye Fan asked him to go to the main room to watch TV.

In early autumn, the days are still long and the nights are short. It was still light when we had dinner, and it was almost eight o'clock when we arrived at the main hall. Yu Wentao looked at the clock on the table and asked Erbao to turn on the TV. When the TV was turned on, it happened to be replaying the family emotional ethics drama that was popular at the end of last year.

Geng Benben hasn't seen the show. He found it interesting at first, but started to frown after ten minutes. When the whole episode was over, the dinner he was eating was choked in his heart, and he couldn't help cursing. First, he complained that the heroine was too kind, then he complained about the hero, and finally he complained about the hero's parents.

He was so thirsty that his mouth was dry. Erbao gave him a glass of water. After drinking it, Geng Benben couldn't help but complain: "Is there nothing else the director can film? Filming such a horrible thing! He must be disgusted that the audience is too happy and is deliberately making things difficult for them!"

Ye Fan: "The hero and his family are miserable, which highlights the kindness of the heroine."

"Is she kind? Even the Virgin Mary would call her mother!"

Ye Fan choked on his own saliva.

Geng Benben thought he was right: "Aunt, did you notice that the heroine looks a bit like my aunt?"

Yu Wentao: "If you're talking about TV, just talk about TV. Why are you talking about your aunt?"

Geng Benben: "When I was watching TV, Erbao told me a little about the beginning. The heroine had two suitors. The former was like Uncle Lai Fu, who had worked for several years, had money and a house but was average looking, and the latter was like Liu Ning, who had just graduated and was handsome. The former had a simple family, and the latter had a complicated family. If the heroine chose the former, she would have lived a carefree life without having to go through so many hardships. It's a pity that the heroine chose the latter. If the hero cheated on her, I would sympathize with the heroine. She knew what the hero's family was like before she married him and still jumped into it. She simply asked for it. You think the heroine is kind and hardworking and like her. What about my aunt? I think those who like her are those who have never suffered or want a daughter-in-law like her."

Yu Wentao opened her mouth, but was speechless for a moment.

Ye Fan laughed: "Benben, it's not that she looks like your aunt, but all young girls long for love."

Geng Benben turned to her sister: "Grandma said that your boyfriend is full of tricks. Why are you still dating him? Is it because he——"

"Don't pull me into this!" Geng Huihui said, "His family isn't as troubled as the Liu family."

Geng Benben: "That's because our two families are well matched, there's nothing to dislike about his family. You're really an actor. Look, Yan Weining's parents are still the same as they are now, allowing him to come to see you every weekend."

"How do you know he visited me over the weekend?"

Geng Benben raised an eyebrow at his grandmother.

Hui Hui frowned: "Why do you tell him everything?"

"I told you only when I asked you. If I didn't ask you, you wouldn't be able to remember it."

Geng Huihui said unhappily: "Then you continue. I'm going to take a shower." Then she went back to the room to get some clothes to change.

Geng Benben was also very angry when he saw this: "My niece looks like my aunt! You are right!"

Yu Wentao was speechless.

Ye Fan laughed: "Benben, the Yan family is different from the Liu family. The Yan family doesn't care much about family background when looking for a daughter-in-law. The girl's family background must be clean, her parents, brothers and sisters are honest and don't cause trouble, and the girl herself must be educated and have a good appearance and height."

"So simple?"

Ye Fan: "Simple? A child with brothers and sisters and a harmonious family cannot be selfish. People who grow up in such an environment must have good personalities, respect the elderly and love the young, have good looks and height, and be knowledgeable. Such people are one in a million."

"Why do I feel like I've heard someone say this before?"

Dabao said: "The gender-reversed version of Uncle Laifu."

Geng Benben suddenly realized: "Yes! Well, that's not right either. Uncle Laifu's parents are from the countryside."

"His brother-in-law is Chang Guangrong." Ye Fan said, "If he didn't have such a powerful brother-in-law, and his parents were city dwellers and were just ordinary workers, Yan Weining's parents would also agree."

Geng Benben frowned slightly, obviously not believing it: "Don't families like that prefer marriage alliances?"

Ye Fan: "Don't think that the couple has no feelings for each other just because of the idea of ​​arranged marriage. Even if their family wants their children to marry out, they will set a range and look for someone within this range. If there is really no suitable one, they will find someone with a clean family background. If they can't rely on their children, they can rely on the third generation to give birth to a smart grandson or granddaughter."

Geng Benben couldn't help but shake his head: "No way?"

Ye Fan said, "Smart parents choose this way. Short-sighted parents don't care about their children's opinions. For example, if we only care about the present, we won't ask your aunt to find Sun Laifu, but find someone who is well-matched. He may like to eat, drink and have fun, or he may be a beast in human form. When your aunt wants to divorce, we will ask your aunt to endure it for the sake of the cooperation between the two families or the interests involved. This is what you think of marriage, right?"

Geng Benben: "I feel like what you said is somewhat contradictory. Parents with outstanding abilities cannot be short-sighted, and they would not allow their children to find someone who has all five vices."

Ye Fan: "Being good at work doesn't mean you can choose a partner for your children. Besides, what if you don't care about your children's happiness and care more about the family's interests? Benben, even if you haven't seen it, you should have heard about how many people in the neighborhood sell their daughters for their sons. How many people let their sons marry lazy women for their sons' futures."

Dabao: "Brother Benben, having many students all over the world doesn't mean you can educate your own children well. Take your grandparents for example."

Geng Benben understood a little: "Are Yan Weining's parents really smart?" Ye Fan said: "Yan Weining thought your sister was just an actress at first. If he knew his parents didn't agree with him marrying an actress, he wouldn't have checked your sister, and he wouldn't have known that your sister was just working part-time in acting."

"Even if I want to have fun, I still need to check which company or unit my sister works for."

Ye Fan: "But I asked Chang Guangrong to find out. After he graduated from college, the blind dates he had with people in the system were all from the government. He never dated an actress. It's clear that he's not a playful person."

"My sister is just an actress. Wouldn't his parents mind my sister being in the limelight every day?"

Ye Fan shook his head: "You are talking about a star. His parents will arrange for your sister to take on some deep and meaningful movies and TV series. After she turns 40, she needs to play the role of an aunt or mother. If your sister doesn't want to act, they can arrange for her to pursue a career in politics."

Geng Benben was so surprised that he opened his mouth slightly.

Ye Fan said: "You didn't expect it, did you? Now you believe that Yan Weining really doesn't care about your sister's career, right?"

Geng Benben nodded: "No wonder my sister broke up with him, and you weren't angry when he came to see you."

"You know this too?" Ye Fan was surprised.

Yu Wentao nodded: "I said so."

Ye Fan asked Geng Benben: "Do you think I have a good temper?"

"Yes!"

Ye Fan: "First of all, he came to me to 'call for justice', which seems like he has a mental illness. But think about it the other way around, he would rather come to me than to your sister to have a quarrel. What does that mean?"

Geng Benben: "Are you afraid that my sister will be angry? Aren't you afraid that you will be angry?"

Ye Fan: "The result of my anger is that I support your sister to break up with her. If I'm not angry, I will persuade your sister to give him another chance. If he rashly goes to your sister, there will only be one result."

"As expected, he is a thoughtful person."

Ye Fan: "The word cunning is a derogatory term. He is smart and rational. If Yan Weining marries a young lady who only knows how to eat, drink and have fun, then the young lady will not make much progress in the future and may even cause trouble outside and implicate him. If he finds someone who is smart and knowledgeable, the child will inherit the mother's virtues, and they can also make progress in their daughter-in-law."

"So smart parents will choose the latter?"

Ye Fan nodded: "If personal ability and family background are the only two, then a smart person will choose the former. I don't object to your sister dating him because he and his parents are both smart people. He is the exact opposite of your aunt in this respect."

Geng Benben asked: "Aunt, aren't you worried that when I, Lai Fu, am over 40 and successful in my career, I will divorce you?"

Ye Fan: "You won't divorce if they are a good match?"

"The loss is less if the marriage is well-matched." Geng Benben said, "There is a saying that goes, 'I regret teaching my husband to seek a title.' Although the situation is different, it's almost the same idea."

Ye Fan laughed: "You know a lot. But don't forget, I said that if there is no suitable one in the circle, then find someone with outstanding talents. If there is a person who is not outstanding in all aspects among the people of equal status, but has good character and can live a down-to-earth life, I will choose the people of equal status. I'm afraid Erbao will not look down on me."

Erbao smiled and said, "I think so. From now on, I will take care of the outside affairs and he will take care of the inside affairs."

Ye Fan was happy.

Dabao stood up and patted her on the head: "Shameless little girl."

Erbao reached out to him and Dabao dodged and ran out. Ye Fan couldn't help asking, "Where are you going?"

"Let's take a shower." There are two bathrooms in the house, both of which have water heaters for showering. Geng Huihui uses one and Dabao uses the other.

Ye Fan felt that Geng Huihui was almost done washing, so he asked Erbao to go to the back to get some replacement clothes.

The next morning, when Ye Fan arrived at the company, she received messages from several factories in the south asking her if she would still be engaged in international trade next year.

Ye Fan had told them before that she would stop working after two years. This year is exactly two years since she said that. If she doesn't go next year, those factories won't be able to take advantage of the cheap fruits and abundant fish during this season and purchase in large quantities.

Ye Fan asked the secretary: "Did they tell me when I should call them back?"

Secretary: "I said maybe you can come over at noon, or maybe in the afternoon. Nan said there's no rush, and it's okay to call back in two days."

"Then I'll go out for a while." Ye Fan drove to the street to pick up Wei Jianshe, and then took him to Xiushui Market.

Zhang Xiaoming is busiest in the morning, when many people come to pick up goods. Many people go shopping in the morning on weekends, so he can sell a lot of retail goods. On weekdays, there is not much business from 9 am to the end of the afternoon.

When Ye Fan and Wei Jianshe arrived there, Zhang Xiaoming asked two employees to watch over the store while he went with them to the office - there was no office at first, but later they took down the room next door and turned it into an office.

On the way here, Ye Fan had already told Wei Jianshe that the factory in the south asked her if she would still work there next year. Wei Jianshe wanted to ask Zhang Xiaoming about it. The three of them went to the office, and Ye Fan directly asked Zhang Xiaoming what he thought about this matter.

Zhang Xiaoming smiled and said, "I don't have to go south to pick up the goods and north to deliver them. I can get my share of the money by waiting at home for ten days or half a month. I definitely want to work for another two years. But Jianshe's child is young and Sister Ye is busy with the company. I can't be too selfish."

Ye Fan was not surprised to hear this. He has become smarter and more eloquent in recent years, but at heart he is still the simple and honest Zhang Xiaoming. Ye Fan said, "Then I will tell the south to go there once or twice next year and ask them to look after the stock."

Wei Jianshe nodded. "My child will be gone by this time next year. My father won't be able to take care of him alone, so he and Xiaoru will have to close the store. Although the store doesn't make as much money as I would if I went north, the risk is low and I don't have to worry about my family."

Zhang Xiaoming couldn't help but say, "I thought I wouldn't go next year."

Ye Fan: "Because we ask them to buy goods, those factories have hired some temporary workers in the past two years. If we suddenly stop going, they will lay off employees. We can go one or two more times next year, and the temporary workers can work until the end of the year. Temporary workers can use the Spring Festival to consider what to do. They dare not work alone. After the Spring Festival, various factories will recruit people, and they will find work. Where can they find work now?"

Zhang Xiaoming nodded: "Our store will have to go to the south to get goods in the future, so we can't do it too far."

Ye Fan: “Yes.”

Wei Jianshe asked: "Why did the southern factory choose to recruit people after the New Year? Is there any unspoken rule?"

There are few private factories in the capital, and Ye Fan doesn't blame him for not understanding: "There are many private enterprises in the south, and there is no unified standard for wages and benefits. After the Chinese New Year, everyone gets together. When they hear that a factory has good benefits and needs people, they go to work in this factory after the Chinese New Year. The original factory will recruit people because of his departure. In addition, there are many outsiders in the southern factories. Some people just want to make some money to marry a wife or build a house for their family. Now that they have this money, they don't want to be too far away from home, so they won't go next year."

Wei Jianshe: "Can I choose not to go if I want to?"

Ye Fan nodded: "Okay. No employment contract has been signed. Even if it has been signed, it is a temporary employment contract."

Zhang Xiaoming: "The two employees of our company signed a temporary employment contract. I feel that they will have to go out and work on their own after working for us for another six months."

Ye Fan: "You are so smart, do you have any ideas?"

Zhang Xiaoming shook his head: "It's not about being smart, it's about wanting to make a lot of money. Young people nowadays are not as steady and practical as us."

Wei Jianshe didn't know what to say.

Ye Fan reminded: "You are in your forties and halfway through your life, while others are in their twenties and their lives have just begun. This is the age when they love to make trouble and want to venture out."

(End of this chapter)