1990s: Spring Water Family

Chapter 179 From Five Thousand to Ten Thousand: A Scholar Who Has Been Separated for Three Days Should Be Viewed with New Eyes
"Tsk."

Gu Bin clicked his tongue helplessly: "We've been engaged for over half a year, and he's still so thin-skinned and easily swayed. When will I finally be officially his fiancé? It's just a title, with no real benefits whatsoever. It's so frustrating!"

"Don't even think about it until you get the marriage certificate."

Lin Xiyu's ears felt like they were on fire.

"So heartless?"

Gu Bin wanted to coax her further, but the pager clipped to his waist went off at an inopportune moment.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lin Xiyu broke free from his grasp and ran back into the house with a flushed face.

"Ah"

Seeing that she was running faster than a rabbit, Gu Bin let out a mocking laugh.

The pager was from Li Liang, informing him that there would be a lunch gathering at Minghulou Restaurant the next day.

He glanced at the time; it was already 9 p.m. Considering his grandmother's advanced age and the fact that she couldn't stay up late, he didn't linger any longer and left after returning to the living room.

-

Lin Xiyu saw him off, and then went up to the fourth floor with her cousin after returning.

Cola was very happy to see her cousin and raised her front paws, jumping all over her.

"Cola is still closer to you."

Lin Xiyu handed her calculated share of the profits to her cousin, jokingly saying with a smile, "When she sees me, she might hum a few times, but she won't even bother to lift her eyelids."

"I've raised it for over half a year, and you've only seen it a few times?"

My cousin picked up Cola and affectionately stroked the dog's fur.

Have you two discussed and decided on something regarding Auntie?

Taking the opportunity, Lin Xiyu chatted intimately with her cousin: "Are you really going to let her retire? Stay home idle and walk your dog?"

"What else can we do if we don't give a refund?"

My cousin gave a helpless, bitter smile: "We're just ordinary people, what can we do but stand up to the officials?"

"How about we ask Gu Bin to look for someone?"

Seeing her aunt's low spirits, Lin Xiyu felt bad too.

"No need for that."

My cousin smiled and politely declined, saying, "It's not good to keep causing trouble for Gu Bin. If he had the ability, he would have asked for help already. The fact that he didn't say anything means it's not easy to handle."

What are your thoughts, Auntie?

Lin Xiyu then tried asking, "Why don't you let her watch the shop for you first, so you don't have to hire someone?"

"My mom can't sell clothes?"

My cousin vehemently rejected the idea: "She's too serious and has a short temper. She'll argue with customers at the drop of a hat."

"Or we could send her to Dingsheng Decoration."

Lin Xiyu had an idea and offered another suggestion: "Gu Bin can handle this."

"inappropriate."

My cousin thought for a moment and then said, "The renovation company business is too shady. The accountants are all the store manager's confidants. If Li Xiao and I have a falling out, he definitely won't agree to hire my people, let alone my mom."

"Ugh."

Lin Xiyu rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on: "Nothing works, nothing works, it's really worrying."

"Good sister, don't worry about it."

My cousin looked grateful: "I know you mean well for my mom, but this can't be rushed. We have to wait until she's thought it through and is willing to go out and show her face in public. She still has old ideas and thinks she's a state-owned enterprise employee who was forced to retire, and she can't accept that. If you really ask her to sell clothes, she definitely won't be able to bring herself to do it. She'll feel ashamed and won't be able to hold her head up in front of her former colleagues."

"What's this?"

Lin Xiyu couldn't understand: "As long as you can make money, what can't you do? Does that mean employees of state-owned enterprises are superior to others?"

"That's how you think, but my mom's generation didn't think that way."

My cousin knows this all too well: "I've worked in a soy sauce factory before. The wages there are a meager 400 yuan a month, but everyone there is incredibly enthusiastic about it. As long as the factory doesn't go bankrupt, very few people want to quit."

"Then just wait."

Lin Xiyu sighed and said, "Let's wait until Auntie comes to her senses and is willing to come out and work."

"It can only be this way."

My cousin was going home with my aunt, so she didn't stay long and went downstairs with the puppy in her arms.

-

On the third day of the Lunar New Year, at Minghu Tower.

Since returning to Jinan, Wang Fan had not made a public appearance. When he was invited to dinner this time, he seemed like a completely different person. His demeanor and speech were vastly different from before, which amazed everyone who saw him.

"Is that person Wang Fan?"

Wu Meng also came with Li Liang. She leaned close to Lin Xiyu and whispered to her, her eyes constantly glancing at Wang Fan: "Why does he look so strange to me? He's wearing a black overcoat, has a buzz cut, and is accompanied by bodyguards. The more I look at him, the more he looks like a gangster boss from a Hong Kong or Taiwan TV drama."

"Hey, you silly girl, what are you saying about me again?"

Her muttering was a bit loud, and everyone in the private room could hear it.

Wang Fan laughed in exasperation, then waved to her, signaling her to come closer.

"What are you calling me for?"

Wu Meng glanced at him warily, then remained seated without moving.

"You don't want the 5 yuan anymore?"

Wang Fan smiled jokingly and casually threw out the bait.

"think."

Wu Meng's eyes lit up, and she jumped up from her chair.

"Tsk, tsk."

Wang Fan glanced at Li Liang and smiled jokingly: "With this level of intelligence, she doesn't even like being called 'naive and cute.' I wonder what kind of taste you have. How did you end up with her?"

"You don't need to marry a woman who is too smart."

Li Liang had his own reasons: "They're all clever and calculating, and I don't have the energy to serve them all the time."

"I think you think so too."

Wang Fan wholeheartedly agreed: "Marrying someone a little less intelligent is easier; they won't run away."

What are you two saying about me?

The two people weren't speaking loudly, and although Wu Meng couldn't hear them clearly, she could guess from their expressions that they probably didn't have anything nice to say.

"They say you're virtuous."

Wang Fan raised an eyebrow, deliberately teasing her.

"I'd never believe you."

Wu Meng rolled her eyes dismissively.

"If you don't come soon, we won't give you the money."

Wang Fan smiled slyly, a blatant threat.

"I'm coming"

Wu Meng immediately chickened out and ran over there like a little puppy.

Li Liang rubbed his temples, pretending not to see it.

"Where's the IOU?"

Wang Fan suppressed a laugh and continued to tease her: "I can't give you the money without an IOU, and it won't work even if Li Liang vouches for you."

"I brought it, I brought it."

Wu Meng chuckled and indeed pulled an IOU out of the inside pocket of her coat.

"You still carry it with you at all times?"

Wang Fan almost couldn't hold back when he saw her money-grubbing appearance, which would ruin the aloof image he had worked so hard to build.

"Is it what you said, to give it to at the party?"

Wu Meng retorted seriously, "I've always remembered it, of course I'll bring it with me."

"You seem to remember the money quite clearly."

Wang Fan leaned back comfortably in his chair and waved to someone behind him with an air of superiority. His personal assistant and bodyguard understood immediately, came over with a briefcase, took out two stacks of cash, and placed them on the table.

"Wang Fan, I think you've really changed a lot!"

Wu Meng, unaware of the internal strife within the Grand Mansion, watched with increasing astonishment: "It's only been a short time since we last met, and you've already upgraded so much, even having bodyguards now."

"He's different from us now."

Li Liang answered for him: "His father's company was inherited by him. He won't go to school anymore and will focus on doing business and becoming his big boss."

"what?"

Upon hearing this, not only Wu Meng, but even Lin Xiyu was shocked and her expression changed.

"Why did this happen all of a sudden? Why aren't you going to school anymore?"

"Weren't you going to study abroad? You're not going overseas at all?"

The two of them asked the question that had been on their minds almost simultaneously.

"It was quite sudden."

Wang Fan didn't want outsiders to know about his family's messy affairs, so he casually brushed it off: "My dad is sick, and the company needs someone to manage it. As for studying abroad, it was his idea anyway, so it's fine if he doesn't go. I don't want to waste my energy learning English."

"That was so sudden!"

Wu Meng sighed, "Before the Lunar New Year, we were all students, talking about school. Now you've dropped out. It feels like a dream, like everything has changed."

"I was quite surprised too."

Seeing Gu Bin's calm and composed expression, as if nothing had happened, Lin Xiyu glared at him with a hint of resentment.

This person is very tight-lipped; not a single word leaked out.

They're treating her like an outsider. Do they think she'd cause trouble for them if she found out?

"I didn't talk to you about business matters because you weren't interested."

Gu Bin saw through her thoughts and explained with a smile.

“Wang Fan is a big boss now, and I need to cash out my money.”

Lin Xiyu ignored him, took out the IOU from her small bag, and went to Wang Fan.

Are you angry?
This girl has quite a temper; she even dared to give him the cold shoulder.

Gu Bin chuckled and ignored her little scheme, turning back to continue talking to Qu Peng.

"Ten thousand each, take all the money on the table, don't be shy."

Wang Fan, with an incredibly extravagant gesture, waved his hand, indicating to the two girls to split the money equally: "I'm in a good mood today, so I'll let you two share in the joy. Even though we won't be studying in the same city anymore, the friendship between old classmates will still remain. If you need anything, just let me know, and I can get it done with a single phone call."

"Wang Fan, you really are..."

Wu Meng was both surprised and delighted, her feelings were very complicated. She wanted to say something, but when she opened her mouth, she couldn't find the right words to describe it.

"We have been apart for three days, and we should look at each other with admiration."

Lin Xiyu spoke for her.

"Hahaha"

Wang Fan laughed loudly in a very good mood.

"Wang Fan really went all out this time; I never expected it."

Qu Peng glanced at him sideways and continued whispering to Gu Bin: "He gave up his studies to take over his father's business, and the key is that he actually made it work. This kid usually seems carefree and unreliable, but when he makes a move, it's a decisive one. He's got some skills."

"His success this time is largely due to Li Zhi."

Gu Bin knew Li Zhi's family well: "Li Zhi's family is in the real estate business, and we have business dealings with their company. Without Li Zhi backing him up, his father would never have handed the company over to him so easily."

"Li Zhi?"

Qu Peng didn't know much about Li Zhi, only that he'd heard of him: "Is he the one who's all high and mighty in the second-generation rich kid circle, the one who drives sports cars?"

"Ah."

Gu Bin nodded, taking it as an answer.

"So he was the mastermind behind it all."

Qu Peng suddenly realized: "I thought you were the one who helped him get rid of that mistress so easily and allowed him to gain a foothold in the company."

"I don't have that much ability."

Gu Bin smiled modestly: "At most, I can only offer him some advice. As for actually fighting those people, he still has to rely on himself."

"you are too humble."

Qu Peng sighed and rubbed his forehead: "Compared to you two, I'm really inferior. One of you is a big boss, and the other is a top student from a prestigious university. I've been struggling all this time and I'm still penniless."

"You're not bad either."

Gu Bin smiled and said, "You're a rising star in the public security system. Maybe in the future, when you become a high-ranking official, we'll all still have to rely on you."

"Although the future is far away"

Qu Peng shamelessly joked about himself, "But I can dream."

"I wish your dreams come true."

Gu Bin smiled jokingly and raised his glass.

"Thanks, bro."

Qu Peng also raised his glass and clinked it with his.

The two exchanged a knowing smile and tilted their heads back to drink the wine in their glasses to the bottom.

-

"Sorry, guys, I'm late. I'll punish myself with three drinks."

Halfway through the party, Li Zhi suddenly pushed open the door and came in, giving everyone an unexpected surprise.

Then the atmosphere changed abruptly, and the men all gathered around him, chatting with him very enthusiastically about business matters.

"Those men are so boring."

Wu Meng listened intently for a while, then gradually lost interest: "It's always the same few things, like building construction, land, stocks, and housing prices. What's the point?"

"Men and women are different, that's just how it is. Let's ignore them and eat by ourselves."

Lin Xiyu sat next to her, far away from the group of men, the two best friends eating and drinking, entertaining themselves.

"I must say, the spring water banquet at Minghu Tower is truly high-class, and the taste is absolutely amazing."

When food was mentioned, Wu Meng perked up again, picked up a piece of stir-fried pork kidney and stuffed it into her mouth, chewing it with relish: "Thanks to Wang Fan, this is the first time I've eaten such an expensive dish. I have to really taste it and see what the difference is between a banquet costing two thousand yuan and a home-cooked meal costing a dozen yuan."

"Eat up, eat as much as you want, I support you."

Lin Xiyu listened with amusement, gently turning the table to bring her favorite dishes to her side.

"whee."

Wu Meng smiled happily, her mouth greasy from eating, thoroughly enjoying herself.

-

After the gathering ended and they left Minghu Tower, Wang Fan said goodbye first and accompanied Li Zhi to the next drinking party.

The remaining group had finally reunited and were reluctant to part ways so soon, so they went to Daming Lake together, enjoying the cool winter breeze and strolling through the temple fair.

Wu Meng suggested going boating, but the three men unanimously refused.

"You guys are really boring."

Wu Meng was unhappy. She took Lin Xiyu's arm and turned to leave, saying, "Let's go play on the slide at Beijige and ignore them."

"Okay."

Lin Xiyu perked up at the mention of the slide and readily agreed.

-

The slide at Beijige is a cherished childhood memory for generations of Jinan residents.

The slide didn't exist originally; it was just two downward-sloping ramps. The children actually used their little bottoms to make a slide, which was not only worn smooth and shiny but also had grooves.

In the 90s, there were no guardrails on either side of the slide, so adults could play freely.

Lin Xiyu and Wu Meng arrived at Beijige and climbed up with the flow of people, joining the army of people going down the slide.

"Ah ah ah ah ah"

A piercing scream, like a ghost's wail, rang out. As Mou Meng slid down the slide, she lost her balance and landed on her bottom.