Siheyuan: Starting from the driver

Chapter 790 Warmth
As the sun rose directly overhead, he turned onto the familiar yet unfamiliar path leading to the village.

The iconic crooked old elm tree at the village entrance comes into view.

The brand-new bicycle stood out conspicuously on the simple country dirt road.

It was the off-season for farming, and several elderly people were chatting and a few children were playing under a big tree at the entrance of the village.

"Hey? Who's that? Pushing a rickshaw?"

"Looks like... like Jin Lao Nian's second son? Jian Xian?"

"Oh my! That's right! Jianxian's back!"

"Wow! This car is so new! It's dazzlingly shiny!"

The children were the first to run over and circle around the bicycle with curiosity.

"Brother Jianxian is back! Brother Jianxian is back on his new bike!"

The news spread like wildfire.

As Jin Jianxian pushed his bicycle to the gate of his familiar courtyard, surrounded by a low earthen wall, he heard his father's familiar, loud voice coming from inside, filled with unbelievable excitement:
"What? Jianxian's back? And he's riding a bicycle?!"

The courtyard gate creaked open, and Dad Jin Fugui's weathered face appeared in the doorway, his eyes wide open.

Staring intently at Kim Geon-hyun, then glancing at the brand-new bicycle beside him, his lips trembled, and he was speechless for a moment.

Mother followed closely behind, lifting her apron to wipe her hands, her eyes instantly reddening:
"Xian! It really is you! I'm so glad you're back, so glad you're back! This...this car..."

Mother's gaze was also fixed on the bicycle, filled with joy and a hint of caution.

"Dad! Mom!" Jin Jianxian's nose tingled with emotion. He quickly propped up the car and stepped forward. "I'm back! This car was specially provided for me by the factory."

Neighbors, relatives, and friends who rushed over upon hearing the news all had their eyes firmly drawn to the brand-new, gleaming old bicycle.

There aren't many bicycles in the whole village, and this one is brand new.

"A Forever brand! That's a rare find!"

"Jianxian has really made something of himself! He's become a technician in the city!"

"The Jin family's ancestral graves are emitting auspicious smoke!"

Exclamations of praise were heard incessantly.

Hearing the endless praise, Old Man Jin straightened his back unconsciously and became more relaxed.

"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back."

Jin Jianxian quickly propped up the car, unpacked the things in the back seat, and stuffed Daqianmen liquor and sweet potato wine into his father's hands, saying, "This is for you."

He then handed the snacks and candies to his mother, saying, "Mom, these are for you and your siblings."

"Oh dear, why waste money like this!" Mother scolded, but her hand tightly gripped the precious bag of white sugar, and the wrinkles on her face smoothed out.

The small main room was packed with people, and the family talked behind closed doors.

My eldest brother Jin Jianzhong, my sister-in-law, and my two nephews and nieces who are not yet grown up all came back.

On the table were the snacks, sugar, soju, and cigarettes that Kim Geon-hyun had brought back.

The nieces and nephews stared at the pastries with shining eyes, while the sister-in-law carefully touched the smooth wrapping paper, exclaiming repeatedly, "How much did this cost! Jianxian, you have a tough life out there."

"Sister-in-law, it's alright. I've changed factories now, and the pay is much better. Even that bicycle was a gift from the factory manager," Jin Jianxian said with a simple smile.

"What? You changed jobs?" The mother was immediately filled with anxiety.

"My dear son, tell your mother the truth. Changing jobs is such a big deal, why didn't you tell me sooner? Did you run into some difficulties?"

Jin Jianxian felt a surge of warmth in his heart, and his nose tingled with emotion: "Mother, it's not difficult! There's not a single difficulty. My life is much better than before!"

"Now it's all good. The factory leaders value me, my colleagues are good, and I'm doing well at the job. That's why I dared to come back and tell you. I was just afraid that if I changed places, things wouldn't be stable, and you would have been disappointed."

He squeezed his mother's calloused hand tightly.

He then described in detail the situation at the steel rolling mill: the spacious and bright workshops, the roaring machines, the mountains of blueprints, the Director Wang who took special care of him, and Li Kailang, who was skilled and treated him like a brother.

He emphasized the benefits at the factory: "Although I only get half the salary now, a little over 24 yuan, it will be 55 yuan a month after I become a full-time employee! That's more than ten yuan more than what I got at the parts factory! The factory also provides bicycles, which is very convenient!"

"I can come back whenever I have time! I won't have to wait for the bus anymore!"

"55 yuan?!" Jin Jianzhong, the eldest brother, stared wide-eyed and gasped.

"My goodness, this is equivalent to what our family earns by toiling in the fields for half a year! This big factory is really something else!"

Dad took a sip of sweet potato wine, smacked his lips, and the wrinkles on his face seemed to smooth out a bit: "It's good that there's hope. Work hard, don't cause trouble for the factory, and don't let city people look down on us country folk."

Once the conversation started, everyone kept asking about the steel rolling mill.

What do technicians do, and how are they better than parts factory workers?

Jin Jianxian answered patiently. When he talked about how he had fixed the lathe and his colleagues in the technical department praised him as being like an old technician, his parents and brother and sister-in-law's faces lit up.

"Good! Good!"

When the whole family heard that Kim Geon-hyun was so highly regarded, they couldn't help but praise him repeatedly!
"I knew Jianxian was capable!" The older brother, Jin Jianzhong, patted his younger brother's shoulder forcefully, full of pride.

The mother listened from the side, muttering, "I'm at ease knowing you're doing well. Even if you're alone in the city, you still need to take care of yourself. Eat well, dress well, don't be too frugal."

"Now that things are better, I'm really looking forward to you getting married!" she said again.

Jin Jianxian is not young anymore, he's 23, it's time for him to find a partner.

"Mother!" Jin Jianxian's scalp tingled, and he quickly interrupted.

"There's no rush! I've just arrived at the new factory and haven't fully settled in yet. There's a lot of technical work, so I need to master the skills first."

"Besides, finding a partner in the city isn't such a simple thing."

"How can I not be in a hurry!" the mother scolded playfully. "Work is work, and a partner is a partner! If you don't like the girls in the village, then find one in the city? Find someone with a job, a dual-income family, wouldn't life be better?"

The mother's eyes sparkled with a simple longing for a better life.

“Mom, city girls have high standards. I should focus on my job first. Once I get a permanent position and start earning my full salary, then we can talk about other things.”

Before the mother could say anything more, Jin Laoyan spoke up: "My dear wife, Jianxian is right. A man should establish himself before he can start a family."

"Doing your job well is more important than anything else. As for finding a partner, it depends on fate; you can't rush it."

Although the mother was still somewhat unwilling, seeing the expressions on her husband's and son's faces as they reached a consensus, she had no choice but to swallow her words.

Jin Jianxian quickly changed the subject, bringing up bicycles.

The family had seen bicycles before, but had never ridden one.

"It's a good opportunity to try it out today. Riding a bicycle isn't difficult! You can pick it up quickly!"

Immediately, the whole family rode it.

The older brother tried riding it around, wobbling and turning in the yard, which drew excited screams from the children and good-natured laughter from the neighbors.

After a period of playful banter, it was noon.

The family, all smiles, hurried off to cook.

Taking this opportunity, the neighbors all rushed to talk to him.

"Jianxian, is it tiring working at the steel rolling mill? I heard those machines are huge!"

"Uncle Zhang, it's tiring, but you'll learn real skills. Our technical department mainly focuses on reading blueprints and repairing machines. We even fixed a big machine a few days ago!"

"Wow! You can fix machines? That's a real skill! Much better than farming!"

“Yes,” Jin Jianxian said with a smile, “my salary is higher and more stable than before, and that’s how I got this bicycle.” He never forgot to mention the bicycle; it was the most direct symbol of his success.

"Brother Jianxian, are all the city people really that powerful? Did they bully you?" a child asked curiously.

"Most people are nice. There's a technician named Li in our technical department. He's about my age, and his skills are amazing. He's also a good person and has taught me a lot."

"Of course, there are bad people everywhere, as long as they're a bit cunning."

He didn't mention Engineer Liu's name. In the villagers' simple understanding, the impression that "city people are cunning" was deeply ingrained.

"I knew it! Jianxian, you have to be careful, don't get scammed!" an aunt warned.

"Don't worry, Auntie, I know what I'm doing."

The meal was ready in no time.

The whole family sat down at the table for a meal.

My mother fried all the eggs she had saved up, and my father, unusually, drank alcohol at noon.

The family enjoyed a harmonious meal together.

Upon hearing Jin Jianxian mention Li Kailang again, the father nodded repeatedly: "A benefactor! We've met a benefactor! We must remember his kindness!"

His mother kept piling food into his bowl, saying, "Eat more. Working at the factory is tiring. You've lost weight in the last two weeks."

After lunch, Jin Jianxian did not rest.

He saw some farm tools piled up in the corner waiting to be repaired—a sickle with a chipped edge, a hoe with a loose tenon, and a creaking wheelbarrow.

Without saying a word, he grabbed his tools from home and got to work. *Ding!*
The clanging and banging sounds echoed in the yard, accompanied by curious onlookers and questions from neighbors. He patiently explained, his hands moving swiftly.

Soon the gap was repaired, the loose tenon was tightened, the wheelbarrow was oiled, and it was pushed smoothly and silently.

The neighbors were full of praise: "Jianxian's skills have become even more refined in the city!"

"This technician really deserves his position!"

Everyone praised the bicycle, while the two nephews fiddled with it. Their little hands curiously touched the smooth frame and shiny spokes.

My nephew Jinbao mustered his courage and imitated the adults by ringing the bicycle bell. "Ding-a-ling—" The crisp sound of the bell was especially pleasant in the quiet afternoon.

"Uncle, take us for another ride!" Little niece Jinhua looked up at her, pleading in her childish voice, her eyes full of expectation.

Seeing the children's eager eyes, Jin Jianxian's heart softened, and he patted the dust off his hands: "Okay! But go slower this time, you've just eaten, and your stomach will feel uncomfortable if you keep moving around."

He pushed the cart, letting Jinbao sit on the front crossbar and Jinhua sit on the back seat, tightly gripping his clothes.

"Hold on tight, let's go for a walk at the edge of the village!" Jin Jianxian pedaled lightly.

The bicycle traveled smoothly on the dirt road. Although it occasionally bumped a little when it hit a small stone, it remained steady.

"Uncle! Look, look! I can fly!"

My nephew, Xiaohu, sat on the front bar with his arms outstretched, facing the wind, feeling as if he were flying.

"Slow down, slow down, uncle, I'm scared!"

Sitting in the back seat, her niece Xiaohua clung tightly to Jin Jianxian's waist, saying she was scared, but her eyes sparkled as she looked around.

"Don't be afraid, Uncle is steady!" Jin Jianxian replied with a smile, stepping even more firmly on his feet.

The villagers were drawn by the two people's screams.

The children followed the car like little tails, chasing and shouting:

"Little Bao and Little Hua are riding in a rickshaw!"

"Uncle Jianxian! Take me for a ride too!"

"Brother Jianxian, can I touch the bicycle bell?"

The children followed behind the bicycle with envy.

After riding around a few times, and figuring out that the children had had their fill and also worried that they might get tired, Jin Jianxian slowly rode back to the iconic crooked old elm tree at the village entrance.

They carried the two children, who were still eager to continue their activities, off the bus.

Xiao Bao and Xiao Hua immediately became the center of attention among their friends, who surrounded them and asked them all about their experience of riding the bus.

"It's so fast! It's like flying!"

"It's not bumpy at all! It's much more stable than the wheelbarrow my dad pushes!"

"When you press the bell, it rings so loudly!"

As soon as Jin Jianxian parked the car, he was surrounded by curious adults again.

There were too many people talking in my yard just now, and I didn't get a chance to ask many people for details.

Now, at this "information distribution center" at the village entrance, people can ask their questions more directly.

"This is a genuine Forever brand! It must cost several hundred yuan, right? Even with the higher wages in the city, it would still take several months to buy one, wouldn't it?"

"I didn't buy this car. It was specially provided to me by the factory leaders so that it would be convenient for me to commute to and from get off work, and also so that I could come back to visit you."

He emphasized "rationing," which he argued better reflected his value and the factory's regard for him than "buying," drawing even greater astonishment.

"Wow! The factory's giving this away for free? Wow, Jianxian, you've really made something of yourself!"

"Brother Jianxian, is working at the steel rolling mill tiring?"

Everyone was talking in a flurry of words.

Home.

The mother carefully wrapped the bag of precious white sugar and pastries that Jin Jianxian had brought back with the best newspaper in the house, and then put it into the locked small wooden box that was used to store valuables.

These candies and snacks were, in her eyes, the result of her son's hard work and frugality in the city, and they should be cherished.

Then he turned to look at Jin Laoyan, who was drinking sweet potato wine. He was savoring the taste with small sips, and his face showed a rare relaxation and satisfaction.

"What are you doing! What are you thinking! This is sweet potato wine that Erwazi gave me as a gift. It's mine, you can't take it!" Jin Laoyan hurriedly said, grabbing the two bottles of wine into his arms.

My mother rolled her eyes and scolded, "What! Can't I even look at it for a second? Just drink it! What will you do after you've finished?"

Seeing that the child's mother wasn't watching, Jin Laoyan breathed a sigh of relief and released the wine.

Seeing that he had only drunk half of the wine, he felt a little sorry for himself.

Wine is scarce these days, and the village is reluctant to use grain to brew it: "That makes sense, let's have one last drink!"

He poured himself a final glass, then put one of the bottles into a small wooden box. As for the opened bottle, he put it in the cupboard and would take it out to drink from time to time.

The eldest brother, Jin Jianzhong, and his wife were busy boiling water and washing teacups in the kitchen, preparing to entertain the neighbors and relatives who might come later.

While washing the dishes, the sister-in-law couldn't help but grumble to her husband, "Zhong, look at the white sugar Jianxian brought us, it's so fine and white, and this pastry box, it feels so precious."

"How much money must that cost him! He lives alone in the city, everything he eats, drinks, and uses costs money. I heard even drinking water costs money in the city! Our parents are worried about him getting thinner, and I think they're right. This money is definitely being saved to buy things for the family."

Her voice was full of heartache and gratitude.

Jin Jianzhong neatly stacked the chopped firewood and smiled憨厚ly: "Jianxian has made something of himself. He still cares about his family. That's a good thing."

"We'll save up some peanuts and eggs for him later, and ask someone to bring them over next time. Things are expensive in the city, but things from our countryside are really good."

He paused, then said, "Was that bicycle really provided by the factory? Tsk tsk, I can't believe it. Jianxian is quick-witted, willing to learn, and has potential."

After dealing with the enthusiastic villagers at the village entrance, Jin Jianxian pushed the cart and took the still excited Xiaobao and Xiaohua home.

(End of this chapter)