1979: My fiancée is a goddess

Chapter 336: Purchasing Gifts and Two Gold Bracelets

The warm and dim morning light shines through the glass windows of BJ Department Store, illuminating the floor beside the windows.

Inside the building, there is a constant stream of customers buying New Year's goods and new clothes.

It is even more common for couples to bring their children.

On the third floor of the department store, near the window, there is a small shop with a sign that says it sells pens.

The space is not big, only about ten square meters.

There are two glass counters at the front, separating the inside of the store from the outside.

Many young people wearing military coats and cotton-padded jackets were standing at the door of the store, looking up and down at the counter to find the pen models they liked.

There were also students in the store who were watching a master craftsman in dark blue work clothes repairing their broken pens.

Cheng Kaiyan withdrew her gaze and turned to look at Liu Xiaoli, who was resting her elbows on the counter and looking down at a pen. Seeing that she was engrossed in her study, she did not disturb her.

He turned to the wide variety of pens on the counter, searched among them for a moment, and found a familiar pen.

He looked at the clerk and asked, "Comrade clerk, let me see this pen."

"No problem, comrade."

The clerk was a young man in his twenties with a relatively friendly attitude.

He opened the cabinet and took out the pen that Cheng Kaiyan liked, making sure it didn't bump into the proofreading book he had placed on the counter.

Without the obstruction of glass, the shape of the pen appears clearly before your eyes.

Cheng Kaiyan picked up the pen, unscrewed the cap and examined it carefully.

The streamlined dark-tipped pen body feels comfortable to hold, even for girls with small hands.

The black pen body is delicate and smooth, with a gold-plated arrow-shaped spring pen clip and a screw cap with precise thread engagement.

If you look closely at the golden tip of the pen, you can clearly see the pattern of phoenix tail feathers on it.

"Comrade, let me introduce you.

This is our famous Hero 100 fountain pen, which imitates the shape of Parker 61, has a streamlined celluloid pen body, and the nib is made of 14K gold dark tip, which is soft, elastic and smooth.

The phoenix tail feather on the side of the pen tip is our most unique logo, symbolizing that all birds are paying homage to the phoenix, and is the favorite of many cadres and leaders.

The inner lining of the pen cap is made of copper to prevent drying out, which ensures that you can write well even if you don’t write for a few months..."

The clerk introduced the pen with a smile, and his eyes were full of admiration and love as he looked at the pen.

Hero 100 is definitely a symbol of leading cadres and intellectual scholars.

"It's really good."

Cheng Kaiyan held the pen and dipped it in the ink bottle, then wrote a few large characters in a flamboyant manner on the proofreading book.

The writing is smooth and soft, yet tough.

It is indeed a good pen.

He wrote a few more words.

Liu Xiaoli was still searching for a pen. She planned to buy another pen for Cheng Kaiyan during the Chinese New Year, but she hadn't found a suitable pen.

At this moment, she noticed the conversation between her boyfriend and the clerk, and turned to look over, "Kaiyan..."

"Sister Xiaoli, what do you think of this pen?"

Cheng Kaiyan handed the pen to Liu Xiaoli and asked her to look at it carefully.

“It looks pretty good.”

Liu Xiaoli took a look at it, thought it was very beautiful, and wrote some more on the paper.

"Pack it up, then, comrade clerk."

"OK, just a second."

The clerk took the pen back and found a box of the same model from the counter. "Fifteen yuan, plus an industrial coupon."

Cheng Kaiyan nodded and took out his money and tickets. Money was not a problem as the tickets were paid as part of his salary as an associate professor at Beijing Normal University. He also often received tickets from his aunt, so he basically could not use them all.

Liu Xiaoli frowned slightly when she heard the price.

The two of them left the store with their things, and the girl spoke softly, "Kaiyan, you can keep this pen for yourself. Xiaoling is still in high school. Why would she need such a good pen? A pen that costs one or two yuan is enough for her."

“A pen that costs just over ten bucks is considered good?”

Cheng Kaiyan smiled helplessly. Today, the two of them went out not only for a date, shopping and watching movies, but also for the task of preparing gifts for Sister Xiaoli's family.

This pen was bought as a gift for my younger sister Liu Xiaoling.

If the most expensive pen available was not only a dozen yuan, he would have bought one for at least seventy or eighty yuan.

"A dozen bucks? You talk about that like it's not money."

Liu Xiaoli shook her head, looking somewhat dissatisfied.

"When we first gave each other gifts, that mink coat cost 800 yuan. How many times is the difference?
Besides, this is a gift from me to my sister, so I can’t just brush it off.”

Cheng Kaiyan smiled and said gently.

When Liu Xiaoli heard about the mink coat worth eight hundred, she felt a little guilty and glared at him with her lips pursed.

Just like arguing!

Can this be the same?

"Then stop buying random things from now on."

"it is good."

……

After buying the pens, the two went to other counters to make other purchases.

For example, new clothes for the New Year, from top to bottom, one set for each person, no savings were made.

Although the family's savings were almost gone after buying the house, Xiaoli and her aunt contributed two thousand yuan each, so naturally Cheng Kaiyan's family still had one or two thousand yuan left, which was enough.

After buying these, the two bought some other things.

For example, there was a new kettle that my mother asked me to buy, as well as New Year's couplets, firecrackers, and some candies, dried fruits, preserved fruits, snack boxes, etc.

Because Cheng Kaiyan would not be at home for the New Year, the New Year's Eve dinner would be on the 28th, so naturally, she had to prepare these New Year's items for her mother in advance.

However, judging from the situation at the mall counters, they are not the only ones making preparations in advance, many families are also purchasing New Year's goods.

"What does Aunt Wan like? How about we buy a scarf?"

The two of them were walking in the mall carrying large and small bags, and Cheng Kaiyan suddenly pointed to a counter selling scarves and asked.

Liu Xiaoli stood on tiptoe and looked at what was written on the sign: Hangzhou Dujinsheng real silk brocade scarf, 18 yuan each, 35 yuan for two.

This guy only has eyes for good things and picked out an old brand at first sight.

How can I only pick the good ones to buy? I myself haven’t bought such a good silk scarf.

The girl muttered to herself.

However, silk scarves are actually one of the three most common dowry items nowadays.

Ordinary people can only afford a polyester scarf for two or three yuan, while those with a slightly better financial situation can buy a real silk scarf.

If you want to go a few levels higher, you can go to the Friendship Store to buy imported products.

"Then let's do this."

Liu Xiaoli nodded and said that a scarf worth a dozen yuan was enough for her mother, and there would be no more than that.

After all, the family assets are almost gone.

"Comrade, take two and pack them for me."

Cheng Kaiyan waved her hand and gestured.

"Hey! What did I tell you just now?"

When Liu Xiaoli heard that he wanted to buy two, she immediately got annoyed and reached out to twist his waist.

"It won't happen again."

Cheng Kaiyan quickly begged for mercy.

After all, in front of outsiders, Liu Xiaoli just twisted her hand and then withdrew it.

Pay in one hand and deliver in one hand.

Cheng Kaiyan looked around and saw Liu Xiaoli standing quietly by her side with her arms folded across her chest.

Holding a milky white silk scarf in his hand, he wrapped it around the girl's slender neck. Since it was a surprise move, he succeeded in one go.

Cheng Kaiyan also tied a bow, which made Liu Xiaoli's neck and face look even whiter and more noble.

Liu Xiaoli shook her head somewhat uncomfortably. During the movement, her neck naturally touched the scarf, which gave her a delicate, silky touch and cool feel on her skin, which was extremely comfortable.

Although she was secretly a little annoyed, this sudden gift still made her feel happy and sweet.

Liu Xiaoli pretended to be calm and said, "Don't think I won't say anything to you just because you bought it for me."

"It's okay, let's find a quiet place and talk as long as you want."

Cheng Kaiyan seemed to accept everything and was obedient and well-behaved.

Liu Xiaoli wanted to laugh when she saw this, but this guy was really lavish when it came to spending money, and he didn't look like an ordinary person at all.

He is truly the son of a young lady like Aunt Xiu, whose family has fallen on hard times.

Thinking of this, Liu Xiaoli frowned slightly, and she pulled Cheng Kaiyan to a quiet and empty stairwell.

The two looked at each other face to face.

Liu Xiaoli slid down and held Cheng Kaiyan's hand, holding it against her chest.

Then she raised her little face and advised seriously: "Kai Yan, I'm not saying that you are not kind to me, but we just bought a house and spent so much money."

Then she sighed, her tone rather helpless: "In fact, I have long noticed that you, Kaiyan, always spend money lavishly, without a fixed amount, as if you don't take money seriously, this is not okay.

Just like that mink coat, when I think about it now, I was really blinded by you at that time and didn’t think that eight hundred yuan was so inappropriate.

Save where you can and spend where you can. Don’t be extravagant and wasteful. There will be many places to spend money in the future. Decoration, furniture and the like are a bottomless pit..."

This girl talked a lot, but it was just about two bytes!

Since the two bought the house a few days ago, they have emptied four wallets. There is a difference from the six wallets in the later jokes, but it is not much different.

The four wallets include: Cheng Kaiyan, Xu Yuxiu, Liu Xiaoli, and my aunt's.

After buying the house, one can truly say that one has fallen back into poverty overnight.

Not only did Cheng Kaiyan become a pauper, but Liu Xiaoli also threw away all the money she had saved over the years. She was left with nothing and could only live on her salary and the subsidy from her aunt.

Cheng Kaiyan looked down at the girl in front of him who was patiently admonishing him, and found that in addition to calmness and seriousness, there was also worry and hesitation on her face.

I was worried that Cheng Kaiyan would resist and feel dissatisfied. After all, although these words were just an admonition, they were no different from criticism.

Because these days, saying that someone is extravagant and wasteful is criticizing his or her personal character.

What was hesitant was Cheng Kaiyan's next response.

"I understand, Sister Xiaoli. I will pay attention next time."

Cheng Kaiyan clenched her soft little hands and nodded solemnly.

Liu Xiaoli breathed a sigh of relief. "...That's good. I'm not blaming you. I just want you to save some money."

"Come to think of it, the way you spoke just now sounded like a little housekeeper."

Cheng Kaiyan joked with a smile.

“…I don’t care about your money.”

Liu Xiaoli rolled her eyes at him in dissatisfaction. She was penniless, so where would the money come from for me to manage?
"Okay, don't worry. Your comrade Xiao Cheng is good at making money. It shouldn't be a problem for him to support comrade Xiao Li at home."

Cheng Kaiyan comforted her.

By the way, it’s time to send "My Neighbor Totoro". It costs more than 30,000 words and it costs more than 300 yuan.

"I'm easy to feed, just give me food."

Liu Xiaoli blinked and defended herself in a low voice.

"Uh-huh."

Cheng Kaiyan's heart trembled when he heard this. He nodded calmly and asked, "What will happen if you don't have enough to eat?"

"no!"

When Liu Xiaoli saw that he wanted to treat her harshly, she quickly raised her hand to protest.

The girl paused and explained, "If you don't have enough to eat, you can't dance..."

"Not very courageous, but a big appetite."

After hearing this, Cheng Kaiyan's mouth corners slightly raised.

He raised his hand and gently patted her soft hair, speaking in a gentle voice.

……

By 11:30 am, most of the items had been purchased.

"What does uncle like?"

"My dad...he likes to smoke, but don't buy him any. Just give him something else."

"How about tea?"

"This is acceptable."

"That's perfect. I still have a box of the Wuyi Mountain mother tree Dahongpao that my teacher gave me."

"You decide. I don't understand these things..."

Liu Xiaoli shook her head, as long as it didn't cost any money.

……

The two of them stuffed their bags into the basket of the cart. Cheng Kaiyan carried the bags that couldn't fit in and then pushed the cart to take the things home.

We walked and talked along the way.

After a while, they arrived at the entrance of Xiaoxiaowei Hutong.

The Intelligence Department is still full of spies. Any big yellow dog passing by will be caught and interrogated.

However, ever since several directors were scolded by Cheng Kaiyan last time, they have all behaved themselves.

At this moment, Cheng Kaiyan and Liu Xiaoli walked by with bags, but they didn't say a word.

"Kai Yan, it seems like there's a guest at your house, specifically looking for you."

As soon as I entered the yard, a thin man with pointy ears and monkey cheeks in the utility room said something.

Are there guests? Who is it?

"understood."

Cheng Kaiyan threw a candy over and then took Liu Xiaoli home.

After parking the car under the eaves and walking into the main room, a short-haired lesbian appeared in front of me.

Cheng Kaiyan quickly realized that it was about My Neighbor Totoro and greeted him with a smile, "Long time no see, Comrade Dexia."

"It's been a long time indeed. I haven't seen you for more than half a year."

Xu Dexia stood up and responded with a smile, but there was some emotion in her words.

"Since returning from Southern Xinjiang, I have indeed been overwhelmed by various matters."

Cheng Kaiyan explained apologetically.

"It's okay. I'm satisfied that you still remember to submit your work to me. I'm just afraid that someone will not submit to me in the future."

Xu Dexia joked with a smile.

"This is?"

Liu Xiaoli watched the two of them chatting familiarly and poked her boyfriend out of curiosity.

"Let me introduce you to this, this is Comrade Xu Dexia, the editor of children's literature..."

Cheng Kaiyan explained it in full.

After the three of them exchanged a few pleasantries, Xu Dexia got down to business. "This time I'm here mainly because your work "My Neighbor Totoro" that you submitted a few days ago has been reviewed and proofread, and it has been confirmed to be published on the first of next month. Here is your manuscript fee slip and manuscript fee. Please calculate it carefully."

Cheng Kaiyan took it and looked at it. She immediately waved the receipt towards Liu Xiaoli and said with a smile, "Comrade Xiaoli, am I bragging?"

Liu Xiaoli knew about "My Neighbor Totoro" because she had conceived it when she was working at the Southern Xinjiang Hospital. However, she only read an incomplete outline and was not clear about it. She did not expect that it would be completed and published now.

She took the payment slip and looked at it carefully. It showed that the total number of words was 32,560, and the fee was 320.60 yuan.

"Okay, okay, I'm not bragging."

Liu Xiaoli knew that this guy was picking on her and said angrily.

Although Xu Dexia didn't know what happened, she smiled and waited for the two to finish playing before she spoke:

"Oh, there's one more thing. Didn't we go to Chaoyang Welfare Home earlier? Yesterday, Director Jiang invited us to go to the welfare home on the 28th to watch a performance and have a New Year's dinner at noon. He specifically asked us to ask you something."

"Um……"

After hearing the news and the time, Cheng Kaiyan hesitated for a moment and looked at Liu Xiaoli: "Sister Xiaoli, do you want to go?"

"We have an evening train anyway, so it doesn't matter if we go and take a look."

After he explained the situation, Liu Xiaoli felt very sorry for these children and immediately agreed.

"Okay, I'll tell Dean Jiang, and you two can come directly then."

……

After having lunch at home at noon, Liu Xiaoli took him out on a bike ride to see a movie.

I watched "White Lotus", a new movie released by Shanghai Film Studio at the end of last year, a love movie.

Cheng Kaiyan found that romance novels are not very popular among the mainstream, but movies with romance themes are really emerging in large numbers.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, the two went to the vegetable market to buy vegetables and had a meal in the teachers' compound of Beijing Normal University.

Cheng Kaiyan came back alone at night and asked her mother, "Mom, I heard that the street office can approve the purchase of gold jewelry for weddings. Is that true?"

"That's true, but you need a marriage certificate. Why are you asking this?"

Xu Yuxiu nodded and asked curiously.

"January 27th is coming soon. Xiaoli and I have a destined relationship. I was thinking of giving her a piece of jewelry."

Cheng Kaiyan explained.

"Don't even think about it. You can't apply for it now since you're not married."

Xu Yuxiu shook her head, thought for a moment and said, "Well, Mom has a pair of gold bracelets passed down from our ancestors as a gift to our daughter-in-law. How about you take them?"

"This……"

Cheng Kaiyan was a little hesitant.

"It's for a girl. This is meant for my daughter-in-law in the future."

Xu Yuxiu frowned slightly, stood up and pulled Cheng Kaiyan back to the room without giving any chance to refuse.

After rummaging under the bed for a long time, I found a small and exquisite wooden jewelry box with some jewelry inside.

Xu Yuxiu took out two plain gold bracelets and stuffed them into Cheng Kaiyan's hands. She said in a deep voice, "Take them. Remember to settle your marriage when you go to Harbin this time! Child marriage is not realistic after all."

"You know?"

Cheng Kaiyan weighed the bracelet in her hand and was shocked by its weight.

Hearing her mother's words, she asked in surprise.

"Oh, I don't know you yet?"

Xu Yuxiu nodded.

(End of this chapter)