Five years of marriage, always separated [1970s]

If we buy a courtyard house and move the whole family in, when Chu Guangming's childhood friend gets married and needs a house, we can only give him one room as a bedroom. It's not as comfortable as it is now, with a bathroom, a kitchen, and a spacious living room.

Zhang Xiaoming thought for a moment and said, "I doubt he would have thought of this. It was probably Guangming's idea. Guangming is a good kid. If we help him, he also knows how to help others."

Chu Guangming has been going to Ye Fan's house frequently recently, but he never mentioned it. Ye Fan couldn't help but say, "And he keeps his mouth shut."

"Yes, yes." Zhang Xiaoming said, "He asked me not to tell outsiders. I thought you were not an outsider and would not spread the word. I just said it and it occurred to me that you might have known it. I didn't expect you didn't know it." He paused and sighed, "This kid is good!"

Ye Fan smiled and nodded: "We will take the express train south on the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, spend New Year's Eve in the harbor, and go to the harbor to watch the fireworks. Do you want to go?"

Zhang Xiaoming pointed at himself and said, "Me? No, Xiaoying and the child—" He suddenly realized something and said, "Shall we all go?"

Ye Fan: "Pay for it yourself."

Zhang Xiaoming said without hesitation: "Of course. By the way, do you want to go with glory?"

"He's busy. There are not many workers in the factory, so they have to work overtime. The holiday is on the 28th of the twelfth lunar month to prepare for the Asian Games next year." Ye Fan said, "He has to go to Jianshe."

Zhang Xiaoming: "There's no sign of that construction object yet?"

Ye Fan used "good things take time" to deal with Zhang Xiaoming. Zhang Xiaoming thought about how he had been dating for many years. If it weren't for Cheng Zhenhua's kindness, he might still be alone: ​​"It's true that you can't force it. Don't you want to take a plane?"

Ye Fan: "Planes are not as stable as trains. I would rather transfer back and forth than worry all the way."

Speaking of airplanes, Ye Fan was speechless but also wanted to laugh.

When she went to Hong Kong to buy a machine, her classmates were so excited when they heard about flying. When they got off the plane, they all looked pale. Some were airsick, some were afraid of heights, and some had neither. But when they encountered strong winds and the plane was bumpy, they thought they were going to die. But when they got back on the ground, they sighed, "It's great to be alive!"

After crossing the border and returning to the mainland, everyone took the initiative to ask to take the train.

Zhang Xiaoming had never been on a plane and didn't dare to take one, so he said, "I can afford to go without taking a plane. I'll ask Xiaoying later."

Ye Fan was speechless: "You're talking as if you can't afford to take a plane? Others don't know, but I don't know how much money that store has made this year?"

Zhang Xiaoming reminded her to speak softly.

Yu Wentao's niece's husband was sleeping on top of them. Hearing this, he tilted his head and said, "Brother Xiaoming, let's get the goods together. Everyone knows how much each of us earns. If you say you don't have money, I believe my sister-in-law because she earns more than she spends. You go back and forth between home and the store every day, and you don't smoke or drink. Who would believe you if you say you don't have money?"

Zhang Xiaoming glared at him: "Next time, go to the small commodity city by yourself!"

Yu Yinxing's husband ignored him: "Sister-in-law, can you still buy a house when the house price is so high?"

There were no students at the school gate during the summer vacation, and Yu Yinxing's husband had no business. He heard that Ye Fan was selling goods in the north, so he went there twice during the summer vacation. With the money he earned during the summer vacation and the money he earned before, it was not difficult to buy a house of 80 square meters.

But now the housing prices change every few days, and he always feels that he will lose money if he buys a house.

Ye Fan: "Choose a house that is close to school. If your child gets into college, it will be worth it even if the house is more expensive."

Zhang Xiaoming asked: "Do you know how much Guangming's tutoring costs per day?"

This year, Yu Yinxing sent mooncakes to her aunt for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Yu Wentao said that the full-time tutoring cost 30 yuan a day. Her husband exclaimed, "Robbery!"

Yu Yinxing's husband nodded and said, "It's worth it even if it's 50 yuan more per square meter." Then he added, "This is the first time I know that going to a good school is so valuable."

The person sleeping opposite him was Yu Wentao's nephew, who was delivering goods in the south and distributing New Year bonuses and wages to the staff of the Hangzhou office on behalf of Ye Fan. He opened his eyes when he heard this: "Your two are not good at studying. If it were you, you really should buy another house, give the store to your son and the house to your daughter. Your son will take over your job and your daughter will help your sister-in-law in the store."

Yu Yinxing's husband was unhappy: "Are you two good at studying?"

"They can definitely go to technical secondary school. I have already thought about it. My daughter will learn to make clothes and my son will learn to repair machines. In the future, I will ask them to work in Master Chang's factory."

Ye Fan was very surprised: "I thought you hoped that they would become successful together."

He stood up and said, "My family is stupid. If my aunt hadn't married Uncle Geng, my generation would have been extinct."

Zhang Xiaoming wanted to say that it was not so exaggerated. He suddenly remembered that Uncle Yu could not afford to marry a wife. Although Uncle Yu had managed to form a family, if there were no relatives to help, Yu Wentao's nephew might have starved to death in 1960.

He added, "If they learn how to run a business like me, their daughters will be kidnapped and their sons will be sold to work in illegal coal mines." He then said about himself, "If I hadn't done business with my father and uncle for a few years, I would have been in trouble."

Ye Fan wanted to praise him but also wanted to laugh: "You are quite self-aware."

"I used to think I was pretty good, but compared to the young guys you've found in the past two years, I'm just a fool." He said and lay down again, "But, sister-in-law, don't worry, no one dares to mess around when I'm around."

Ye Fan: "You guys take a rest. Come back to the capital and help me move. It will take several days to move all the pieces."

On the 16th day of the twelfth lunar month, the group returned to the capital. On the morning of the 17th day of the twelfth lunar month, Yu Wentao's nephew and nephew-in-law came to help. They also called Yu Hongwei and his brother and sister-in-law to come over.

Chu Guangming brought his childhood friend to help.

Ye Fan kept the porcelain vase containing the jade ornaments himself and asked everyone to help Yu Wentao move it first.

Yu Yinxing's husband pointed at the antique shelf and said, "Aunt San, this is red wood, right? How about I help you take it down?"

Yu Wentao: "Ask your sister-in-law."

Yu Hongwei heard this in the yard and asked Ye Fan whether he wanted to dismantle the mahogany furniture.

Dabao immediately said, "Tear it down!"

Ye Fan: "Where will you put it after you take it down? There is an antique display stand in the new house. It is also made of good wood." "Put it in the guest room." Dabao always complained that the guest room only had one bed and looked shabby. Ye Fan was speechless. No one lived in the guest room all year round. What's the point of keeping it so well? "Tear it down and put it back."

Dabao nodded: "I'll ask Uncle Hongwei for help."

Ye Fan: "I have to take care of the children."

Yu Hongwei immediately said that he could give it to his sister-in-law.

Ye Fan choked and waved his hands to indicate that he didn't care.

The original plan was to finish it in one day. Dabao wanted an antique display cabinet, a bed, and a wardrobe, and everything was finished on the 20th night of the twelfth lunar month.

Apart from the vegetables in the yard, Ye Fan's family kept the house clean. The last time Ye Fan came over, Aunt Li came over to take a look and said, "You can rent it out."

Ye Fan: "I'll ask my mother-in-law later. If she doesn't mind the trouble, she'll rent it out."

"What's the trouble? You have so many rooms that can be occupied. Rent them all out to save money for food." Aunt Li was kind-hearted: "I'll ask for you later. Find a few people who are easy to get along with."

However, Han Dawei approached Ye Fan first and said that he would rent the house to his sister-in-law and brother-in-law.

The people there didn't dare to come out, so Han Dawei proved with his actions that he could make money if he worked hard, so his brother-in-law and sister-in-law wanted to come out and try. Han Dawei and Chang Guangrong agreed that the woman would work in his factory and the man would sell braised meat.

Han Dawei sells cold dishes and breakfast, so he has no time to clean up the braised food. He also decided to give the breakfast stall to his brother-in-law and his brother-in-law when they come over, and he will sell breakfast in the store. The popularity of that place has increased in the past two years, and there are no fewer citizens who don't want to make breakfast than here.

Ye Fan signed a contract with him, and the rent would be paid to Yu Wentao every three months starting from February of the Gregorian calendar.

Yu Wentao calculated that the monthly rent would not be enough to buy vegetables, so after Han Dawei left, she asked Ye Fan: "Should we rent out the old house as well?"

Ye Fan: "I don't have time to go to the old house."

Geng Huihui came out from the back: "Aunt, I'm free."

Ye Fan: "But there are still a lot of things in that room. Can you and Dabao and Erbao clean them up?"

Geng Huihui: "Who will the rent be given to?"

Ye Fan raised his eyebrows: "Who do you think it should be given to?"

There were two people in the family who didn't have a salary, so Geng Huihui naturally felt embarrassed to compete with her younger brothers and sisters for this little money: "I think we can find a biscuit box or a chocolate box, put the money in the box, and then put it in grandma's room as our pocket money."

Ye Fan: "You go discuss this with Dabao and Erbao. They find it troublesome, but they can't blame me for not knowing how to live."

Geng Huihui went to the back room to find Dabao.

Dabao asked her in return if she had packed her luggage.

We will go to the harbor city tomorrow afternoon and stay there for half a month. We need to pack a few sets of clothes, but Geng Huihui didn't pack anything. Geng Huihui whispered, "If we don't have clothes or shoes over there, ask my aunt to buy them for us."

Dabao was stunned for a moment, then immediately put the clothes back and only took out a set of clean clothes.

In the afternoon, Geng Huihui took the bus to her parents' home and left a letter for them. In fact, there were only four words - going out for a trip!
Ye Fan also asked Geng Zhiye to call Geng Benben and tell him that there was no one at home and not to take a vacation after the New Year.

The next day, the door was closed and the family left in a mighty procession. But Geng Sensen and Geng Leilei were not included. Geng Sensen worked in a state-owned company and was very busy at the end of the year, while Geng Leilei was working on a project. However, the two brothers could not go even if they had time. A few days ago, Ye Fan received a call from Yang Mengxia, saying that her father was seriously ill and asked Ye Fan to remind the two children to go south immediately after the company’s holiday.

It was the first time for Dabao, Erbao, Chu Guangming and others to go out. The journey was very amazing - when they set out, the land was covered with ice for thousands of miles. After a nap, they opened their eyes to see lush greenery. After another nap, it was summer again. They were as excited as if they had just emerged from the mountains.

Seeing how happy they were, Ye Fan felt that just being on the bus was worth the price of the ticket.

In order to avoid missing the New Year's Eve fireworks, Ye Fan and his party went through the customs as soon as they arrived in Pengcheng. Fortunately, they completed the formalities early and arrived in Pengcheng without much delay.

Ye Jingjing was also there. Looking at the fireworks in the sky, she jumped up and down happily and exclaimed, "Auntie, it's so nice here!"

Before Ye Fan could say anything, Chen Xiaohui said, "These fireworks were bought from the mainland."

Ye Jingjing opened her eyes wide in shock.

Chen Xiaohui nodded to make sure she heard correctly: "There is a place in the mainland that has more fireworks than these, and they are more beautiful than these."

Ye Jingjing: "Why don't I know?"

"You don't know that the south is as hot as summer. Our country is so big, there are so many places you don't know." Chen Xiaohui said, "That place is far from the capital, and it's almost the same as coming to Hong Kong. If you want to go there during the summer vacation, I'll take you there."

Ye Jingjing nodded repeatedly and then went to find her second sister.

Ye Fan: "Children have good memories."

"I didn't lie to her." Chen Xiaohui said, "If I didn't say this in time, she would definitely come here to study and settle down. If she took away my sister-in-law's only daughter, my sister-in-law would hate us to death. I should have known not to bring her here."

Ye Fan smiled: "Should I thank you?"

Chen Xiaohui nodded: "Give me a brand-name bag!"

Ye Fanxin said, very bluntly: "Every time you go to work, you wear clothes that look like rags. If you carry a real bag, people will think it's fake and think you are vain!"

(End of this chapter)